Maliboo-boo!

I won't go into all the details of the day because it is 1:37 a.m., and I am tired. We got back from Malibu at 10:48, and after I got all the kids ready for bed, I fell asleep with HaHa on Charlie's bed. I just woke up a while ago and had to figure out how to import pictures with the camera I used today. My regular camera is not working, so I've been using different cameras for the past few days. It has made the process more arduous, and very frustrating. I had my little photo sessions down pat!

Anyway, as per usual we had a great time in Malibu. There were dogs and food and friends and good times. Everything was going great until Char-Char said "I hurt my knee". It turns out he cut himself with glass. The cut was not too deep, but it was in a bad place, and at first it didn't seem like the bleeding was stopping. I drove to the store because we didn't have proper bandages. I realized that we have two first aid kits at home and none in our green car. We won't be having this problem again. Will update about C-Dawg's boo-boo status tomorrow!




Outfit:


Charlie took my outfit pics today! Thanks Charlie! 
 

Top: This is the top half of a bathing suit I've had forever. I thought we would be on the beach today, but when we got to Malibu it was chilly! We played at the playground instead.

Skirt: My old high school stand-by purchased at Salvation Army.

Shoes: zoe & zac.

Sweater: Hand me down. Alfani.

The Jonathan Club!

Today, Richard's company hosted a beach day at The Jonathan Club, which proved to be quite lovely. I hadn't really wanted to go, because I hate to schmooze, but I ended up talking to people I wanted to, and it was great! There was yummy food, a water slide for the kids, and cocktails! Drinking on the beach in the afternoon! How decadent! (My exclamation point addiction is rearing it's ugly head!)

My poor husband has been working non-stop for the past few weeks. We actually have not seen each other since I left for Comic-Con. Today was the first time we have spent time with each other in two weeks. Literally. We've talked on the phone a lot.

Last night, he said he would be home at midnight, and, at four a.m, I was startled from my sleep by the cries of "Mama, mama!" I sat up and realized that Richard's side of the bed was empty. I rushed to get HaHa, and then I immediately called Richard. He was still at work. Four a.m. and change. I was relieved he was alive.

Now, another interesting that happened at this four a.m. wake up call was that upon entry to the kid's room, I found HaHa was not in her crib. This was my second shock of the early morn. No Richard. No HaHa. My little not-yet-two-year-old was walking up the stairs. In the dark. That means she climbed down the stairs in the dark. Yikes!

At first I thought that perhaps one of the boys lifted her out of her crib, but seeing that they were asleep, I quickly had to realize that my HaHa bear can climb out of her crib. Richard told me last week that she was out of her crib, but again, I thought it was the boys. They have gotten her out of her crib a few times before when she was crying. I guess that was wishful thinking.

Today, I asked my Ha if she would show me how she got out of her crib. After a little nudging, she agreed. Richard and I put her in her crib an we video taped her escape. Three times she made her exit with perfect execution. Richard is going to try to embed the footage here. We'll see if it works!

Below a shot of the progeny in action!

Outfit:

Shirt: This was a gift from my first grade class. One of the mothers, a gifted artist, had the children draw leaves, which she turned in to stencils, and painted on the shirt. American Apparel.

Dress: I got this at a street fair in New York over 15 years ago. The label is long gone. Seen in: Happy Anniversary!

Slip: I got this at a thrift store a long time ago.

Shoes:Prediction.

Sweater: Hand me down from friend. Alfani. There is still a lot of chill in the air!

By the way, it is 2:30 a.m. right now and Richard is still working! I fell asleep earlier, so I am posting while he works!

Molecules!

Today I gave what might possibly be the worst lesson in my life. It was about molecules, and it was based on a lesson an actual science teacher told me about. However, without a science background, and a deep understanding of the subject, my lesson was shoddy at best. I was lucky that I had one student in my class who knew all about "hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen". He also knew about the periodic table, atoms, a bit about molecular structure. A different student knew some more interesting facts about molecules, including the fact that you need a "special microscope" to see them. Thank goodness they were there! They provided a buffer for me, and a little comic relief. I was seriously laughing when I discovered they had the answers I seemed to be lacking! Oh well, I tell my students all the time that I'm not perfect, and I don't know everything!

There, Richard. You have it in writing!

Outfit:

Shirt/dress: This was a gift. I love the colorful print!

Skirt: One of my Salvation Army high school finds! It's falling apart, but I'm hangin' on!

Shoes: Fit Flops. I was actually going to wear my favorite platforms, but I was wearing these outside and forgot to grab my other shoes.

More cranky HaHa...

At least the boys are happy!

A Theory!

As I spent day three with HaHa in constant misery mode, I happened upon a theory: perhaps she is so unhappy because we have reached the beginning of weaning. When I was in San Diego, my milk production slowed waaay down. However, it didn't stop altogether because I was handling a stunt baby. She was two months old, incredibly adorable, and I felt my milk let down when I was holding her.

I had to pump a few times, just to let off some pressure, but I tried not to because I had this idea that HaHa would give up the "bah-bah" while I was away. Of course, I should have known she wasn't going to do that when she said "bah-bah" every time I talked to her on the phone. "How are you, HaHa?"... "Bah-bah". "I miss you"... "Bah-bah"... "Are you having fun with grandma?" "Bah-bah"...

At any rate, when I finally got home and got to nursing her, it felt like there was very little milk coming out, and it continues to feel this way. Perhaps all of HaHa's wailing, and it is more crying than she has done in her entire 21- month old life, mind you, is due to this loss. I did not anticipate this. I hope the change is temporary because it is really tearing me up. My sunny bear is just miserable. I hope that it will pass soon.

Outfit:

When I can't remember what I've worn, I make sure to include at least ONE piece I know I have only worn once or twice. I grabbed these pants first, because I just got them from the dry cleaners.

Striped shirt: Goodwill. Banana Republic.

Floral leisure shirt: Salvation army. This was a high school find.

Pants: Forever 21.

Shoes: Mossimo.

A trend!

I wish I could say that my trend these days is brilliant writing, fabulous fashion, and zen-like parenting, but alas, I cannot claim such greatness. Since my return from the Con, I have been tired, preoccupied and busy. I can't seem to get my stuff together so that I can get to bed before 1 a.m. Perhaps if I did, I would be singing a different tune...

My students have been great the past few days and HaHa is slowly coming around. Today I put her in the sling because she just wanted to be held all the time. Even so, she has still cried more in the past few days than I have ever see her cry.

It's 1:09 a.m. The house is clean, the boys are sweet, and my husband shaved his head and is still at work. Tomorrow I get to have my teeth cleaned, and I don't know why I'm doing this train of thought post...

I guess it's time to get to bed!

Outfit:

Shirt: Hand me down. Old Navy.

Skirt: My 1988 Marshall's special! I got it in Dallas when I was visiting Pollyanna for the summer.

I tucked the shirt into the waistband of the skirt to come up with this ensemble. Not bad, if you ask me!

Shoes: Mossimo.

Aftermath!

I guess today HaHa finally let the other shoe drop. After being well behaved and charming with all of her caretakers the past four days, she was a complete and ornery mess with me for the entire day! I saw her behave in ways I have never seen before, and I realized that she was her way of saying "I can't keep it in any more! That was hard!"

I know she had a ton of fun while I was away, what with Auntie Ayiko, and Grandma, and Aunt Janine and all, but I think it was difficult also. I guess I really didn't think she'd be so upset. I can't imagine what children who are really left by their parents go through.

Anyway, would it surprise you if I told you that it was 11:45 and I went to bed at 2:00 a.m. last night? Probably not, eh? HaHa was in rare form last night, so I was kept awake for longer than I wanted to be. I am being kept awake now, but my lack of focus! I must get to bed now! One day in the near future, I will have a worthy post!

Outfit:

I am starting to have "outfit amnesia". I need to get my outfit photos organized, so I can scroll through them quickly. It was oddly cool this morning when I got dressed. Thus the sweater. This is the coldest summer on record in California in a long time!

Shirt: Hand me down from cousin. Forever 21.

Sweater: Hand me down from friend. H & M.

Pants: Issac Mizrahi for Target.

Shoes: Predictions.

HaHa looks suspicious after my return home from work today.

Comic-Gone!

Hey! So, I just got home (11:10). Bad accident on the 5 on the way back. I guess I left at the wrong time! Ah, well...

I really had such a great time! Highlights included hanging with the amazing ladies, and seeing the harmony that can occur in a place when everybody agrees that it's okay to let your freak flag fly! Or your geek flag! Or unique flag!... I also talked to Chris Hardwick, an I Heart Guts champion. I sounded like a complete idiot when I told him I loved his show "Remote Control". Of course, I knew he was on a dating show called "Singled Out", but when I was talking to this dude from G4 at the booth yesterday I mentioned the show and he called it "Remote Control". So that's how I ended up sounding like a complete idiot. Although, I do manage to do that on my own plenty well!

I also saw four beautiful girls adorably clad in custom made dresses fashioned from vintage bed sheets. I've included their picture because it fits in with one of the themes of this blog, I think. And, they just look great.

I feel like my writing has suffered the past few days, and it will suffer tonight because I'm about to close my computer and cuddle my daughter whom I haven't seen for four days! Blogs are important, but hugs from HaHa are more important! And, I have to get up to teach in seven hours!

Outfit:

This outfit was nearly identical to the outfit I wore in Manic Monday!, but the under shirts vary in color, and the jeans are different. One jean is more tapered, the other more wide-leg.

Shirt: I Heart Guts!

Under shirt: Forever 21. Same shirt as second day at the con.

Jeans: Goodwill. Gap.

Comic-Con-A-Rama!

Today, a post in pictures.


 Outfit:

Shirt: I Heart Guts.

Skirt: Forever 21.

Sweater: Hand me down from FRESH friend.
H &M. It is freezing in the convention center! I don't know how the girls in bikinis do it!

Shoes: Fit Flops!

Pollyanna fancied this guy in the skirt. He was very agreeable!

Me with the man of my 9th grade dreams, He-Man! I'm not kidding. I watched He-Man battle Skeletor every day!





Below is an I Heart Guts customer who wanted to show us her elaborate costume made all the more special by her black heart!

Day Two!!!

Second day of Comic-Con. More crazy characters. Ewoks. Princess Peach. Random people with ears and tails, vampires, Dexter enthusiasts, Tron, Pokemon, random half-naked babes, random half-naked men, and so, so many, "special" folks!

It's nearly midnight, and I've been working all day, so I'm going to put in some photos and call it a day!

Okay? Okay.

Outfit:

Shirt: I Heart Guts.

Purple Shirt: Forever 21.

Brown pants: Goodwill. I.N.C.

Shoes: American Eagle.

Comic-Con!

Wow! This Comic-Con is one amazing event! Costumes, characters, merch and sub-cultures, all milling about aisle upon aisle of convention center mania! Working at my friend's
I Heart Guts! booth was a gateway to a host of interesting folks.

Some of the people I talked to today included:

A renowned OB/GYN who has seen 12,000 patients this year. He also has a twin brother and a very sweet family.

A man who received a kidney from his mother 6 years ago, and is doing swell!

Another man who had both a kidney and pancreas transplant nine years ago. He is getting married next fall.

A girl who's mother is a sex-ed teacher. Said mother greatly embarrassed her daughter when she dropped a bunch of abstinence videos in front of a boy that was over who the girl liked. Her mother thought it would be funny. Said boy thought the mother was crazy!

An actor from HUNG. Not the title character.

Some girls wearing cat ears. And tails.

A boy with a tribble, and many, many others...

Outfit:

I have to wear a gutsy tee of course! Luckily I have a few of these to sport this weekend!

T-Shirt: I Heart Guts.

Jeans: Goodwill. Gap.

Shoes: Fit Flops.

Sweater: Hand me down from  FRESH  friend. H & M. It was pretty chilly here today, especially in the convention center!

Help!

Oh, boy! The things I get myself into! What can I say? I like to live on the edge. Or, I am just plain lame!

Ugh! I just realized that I have to write my "sub plans" out in a coherent way for my class tomorrow, which I will not be attending. One more thing on the list...

Anyway, I think I should keep it short and sweet today. Tomorrow should be promising, what with the Comic Con location and all! Stay tuned!

Outfit:

Shirt: My friend bought this for me when I was preggo. She saw that I liked it, and was kind enough to buy it for me! Target. Mossimo.

Pants: Goodwill. This was a jumpsuit I stupidly cut. It had little anchors on the straps! What a fool am I!

Shoes: Miz Moos by Gazith.

Here is a picture of the boys clowning around. I guess they get the pop culture references through osmosis!

Mama's Guilt!

I'm about to leave HaHa for the first time since she was born. I will be gone for four and a half days, and I will be leaving her not fully weaned. In truth, I think I have begun weaning, but she really isn't wanting to, so I guess I am forcing her to wean this weekend...

I'm a little worried. What if I traumatize Baby HaHa and scar her for life? What if I experience the excruciatingly painful breast engorgement I experienced when I weaned Leo? What if I am so homesick for HaHa that I can't function on my assignment? What if the guilt eats me alive?!!!!

Ahhhhh, motherhood. That endless bastion of worry and regret. The fear. The judgment. The sleepless nights... Why, oh why, did I ever think I could, or should, do it?!

Call me crazy. I plead guilty.

And, by the way, I haven't lost any sleep over my parenting decisions yet! Mostly because I am exhausted!

Outfit:

Heather gray tank (under layer): Urban Outfitters. I bought this at least 15 years ago in NYC! I need a new one as soon as this year is over!

Striped shirt: Hand me down from friend. Gap.

Skirt: Goodwill. Forever 21. This is one of the items I got out of dry cleaning last week. I think I paid $5.99 for it, and it probably cost just as much to have it dry cleaned!

Shoes: Predictions. 

This is a shirt ChaCha made last night with a sharpie. If HaHa thinks she's a boy in the future, I'll blame Chach!

Always!

Yesterday, I made a lame mistake and backed into someone's car. The dent was about the size of a half dollar, so I got out and left a note with my information. Today, I found out that the estimate for this teeny, tiny bump is 1200 bucks!!! Of course I was shocked, and part of me wished I had just driven away. I mean, the guy whose car I hit has insurance, so he would of been fine. However, I made a choice, and now I have to pay.

Anyway, I am not feeling too inspired in posting, so I will write down the words from a card I was given on my birthday this year by a wise and lovely woman. Here goes:

"We didn't come here to fit in. We came here to be who we are. We didn't come here to work. We came here to live our dreams. We didn't come here for the stuff. We came here to love each other. We didn't come here by accident. We each came here with a purpose that is uniquely our own. Be. Dream. Love. Thrive. Always."

I certainly hope all that's true!

Outfit:

This outfit is nearly identical to my Sex and the City tribute outfit, but the shirts are different! The shoes also!And the under shirts! And the styling...

White shirt: Hand me down from cousin. Old Navy.

Pants: Goodwill. Mossimo. Summer staple!

Shoes: Predictions.




Kids at the park today!

The House!

Today I got a call from a friend telling me I should take another friend to see the Baronial Gothic Masterpiece that is being sold in our neighborhood. This would be my third time seeing the house, but I didn't mind because after the second time, I had still not seen every room.

Okay. I simply cannot explain how truly special and magnificent this house is. It has true historical significance, and the architecture is stunning. It has dozens of rooms, closets, and secret spaces where the neighborhood kids used to hide while playing their favorite game. It has stained glass, built in cabinets and vanities, 3 fireplaces, two staircases, and an attic as well as a large basement. But more than any of the amenities, it has the feeling of presence, of history. Or, as another viewer of the property exclaimed, "This house is insane!"

The current inhabitant is the third person to own the house. The restoration he has done is amazing. He found original fixtures from 1909 in the attic that he returned to their location of origin. There is a gas-lamp that remains, as well as part of an original intercom phone that hangs along the wall. The original owners lived there from 1909 to 1952. The second owners called it home from 1952 to 1998. The current resident has lived there since, and he is a super-friendly, super-talented, true Renaissance man. I really hope he gets a great offer on this architectural gem soon! Also, just so you know, the pictures on the listing site don't really do it justice.

Outfit:

There is not much to this very plain outfit, but I have to allow myself to fall back into my old habits sometimes. I also had to get dressed in a flash because it was a rush to get to the open house! Also, I didn't take my pictures until quite late, so they didn't come out so well!

Shirt: emma & sam.

Jeans: Hand me down from cousin. Gap.

Shoes: Fit Flops.

HaHa put this hat on herself this morning!