Diva in Training

Fin LOVES getting her hair cut. Not particularly the cutting part, that she tolerates in order to get the shampoo and blowdry. Well, that and the balloon.

Maybe His Parents Were Hippies

Today, Fin... found her fish tank, opened presents, baked cupcakes, ate cupcakes for breakfast, had her nails painted purple, convinced her mommy to paint her own nails purple, had a diva fit, went to the zoo, met up with her buddy Elizabeth, rode the zoo train, used birthday privilege to blow the whistle on the zoo train, ate a hot dog and fries and contraband cupcakes for lunch, fed a hotdog bun to a peacock, watched a play on conservation, fed goats with Elizabeth, took pictures of peacocks and prairie dogs, ran with Elizabeth back and forth through the zoo fountains, got completely soaked, talked her mommy into another giraffe at the zoo gift shop, went to a pet store and got a beta for the fish tank, named said fish "Rainbow", told Rainbow that "fish don't live long and when you die we will flush you", talked to her grandma and grandpa on Skype, ate one more cupcake after dinner while her mommy sang "Happy Birthday", robbed her mommy of every last ounce of energy, and TURNED SIX! Happy birthday, my sweet!

In the Morning...

Fin will be both six and the owner of a new aquarium. I can't wait for her to wake up!

So You See, Officer, That's How the Cheetah Got in My Trunk

It all started with, "I want a cheetah party, Mom." That is all I needed to hear because I love to plan parties, particularly theme parties. Unfortunately, we aren't having a real party this year because it is in the middle of the busiest time at my office, so it was really just cupcakes and gift bags at school.

Fin was wearing her cheetah dress, cheetah shoes, and cheetah barrette. The adults distributed cupcakes made in cheetah print cupcake liners and accompanied with cheetah napkins. The cupcakes were chocolate with golden icing and chocolate chips sprinkled on top to mimic a cheetah. Fin handed out cheetah themed gift bags tied with cheetah ribbon. There was a slight problem with the gift bags. They were supposed to contain cheetah stickers, a cheetah book, a cheetah fact card, a bag of Cheetos with Chester Cheetah on them, and a cheetah wooden coin representing a donation on behalf of the class to the Cheetah Conservation Fund. But, the cheetah books and some of the stickers didn't come in prompting a trip to Dollar Tree for some stickers, masks, and books about other African animals. Fin took it fairly well, but I was devastated that my theme was tainted. (If you think now is the time to mention I have a problem, I already know, but I can't afford treatment because I spent all of my money on cheetahs.)

Anyway, our brief party time flew by. Fin absolutely LOVED handing out the gift bags and all of the cheetah touches. At one point, she pulled me down to her level and whispered in my ear, "This is the best cheetah and lion party EVER!" And with that, I was ready to start planning next year's party. Just give me the theme, baby girl.

Family

I have a very small family. I have one sister, my dad has one sister, my mom is an only child. There are plenty of great-aunts and uncles, second and third cousins and such, but not really any that were close in age and proximity to me. When we get the whole family together, like the past couple of Christmases, we still all fit in one room and around one table.

When you come from a small family, though, your friends become even more important. Everybody needs a support system and, if you are lucky, people come into your life and provide that. I happen to be very lucky. I have a great group of friends, near and far, who are always there to help and buoy me, and now, Fin.

Today, Nancy went to Fin's school for the Grandparent's Day luncheon. Since Mom and Dad are not quite back from the wild North yet, Nancy was the pinch-hitter for the grandparents.



Fin always feels very special when she has visitors at school.