My baby

My oldest, Beena, turns 20 years old today. How is that possible, when just yesterday, I was taking her to Kindergarten? When just yesterday, I was dressing her in a witch costume to go Trick-or-Treating tomorrow? When just yesterday, the dentist said she needed braces?

When did she become the woman I am so proud of?

When did I become old?

This past week, she's had off from work- she works at Mandee's- so she's been hanging around with the family until her boyfriend gets off from work, around 10 o'clock. Usually, since she works retail, I don't see her often. She goes to Adelphi University full time, then works until 10ish, then goes to eat with her BF. She's oftentimes not home until I'm in bed, and if I happen to be up, it's a quick hello, then off to bed. So it's been a real pleasure to have her home, eating with us, watching TV instead of treating home like a hotel. We've actually been able to talk and laugh and shop. I know Zombiegirl misses her if she doesn't see her for a stretch of time. They're very close. Beena even asked if she could go Trick-or-Treating with them tomorrow!

Last night we celebrated her birthday, because the BF has plans with her today- taking her into NYC for dinner and a cruise.

As I'm watching her open her gifts, I'm struck that this kid has grown up into someone special. We talked about how she's doing in school, and what her plans may be when she graduates. She's a math major, with an education minor- she wants to teach High School math! She's currently enrolled in a 5-year program combining her Bachelor's degree with a Master's degree. She still has her faults (she knows my pet peeves, but yet still continues to ignore me when I say anything. I AM still her mother, after all!) and her quirks, but she's developed a maturity that kind of snuck up on me. She's always been mature- she always helped out when Zombiegirl was born, and taught Sunday School, and babysat. I saw her last night however as a peer, or a friend, someone I would like to hang around with. The baby daughter is gone. The woman daughter has arrived.

I love you, Beena! Happy Birthday!

Don't forget the Hump Day giveaway here!

Hump Day Hypothetical Question #2

I can't believe a week's gone by since my last post! I have to post about the weekend...it was an awesome weekend of Halloween thrills!

Okay, since my only reader won last week's Hypothetical Question by default- don't worry SS23, you'll get your prize- I'll give her a shot at this week's Question:

If you could move anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be and why?

Comment by midnight Sunday, November 2, and I'll pick the winner by random (HA!) drawing.

Don't forget to turn the clocks back on Saturday night!

Hump Day Hypothetical Question

It's hump day. We're starting on the downward slide to Friday. This weekend should be lots of fun. Zombiegirl has her first Girl Scout outing Saturday morning. Much to her dismay, they're going to see High School Musical 3. Now this is a kid who would rather watch Dawn of the Dead right before bed, and who is going as Sweeney Todd (the Demon Barber of Fleet Street) for Halloween. Having to go see one of the "popular" tweeny movies is tantamount to pulling out her fingernails. But she said she'd go because her whole troop is going. Who knows- maybe she'll replace the song "Bones" by the Killerz with "Right Here, Right Now" from the movie on her MP3 player!

(I looked that song up. I really have no idea what the movie is even about!)

We also have a Halloween party for Soccergirl K (Mandy's daughter) Saturday night- I get to be a Fortune Teller! Last year I was a witch- see my myspace page. On Sunday, we get to celebrate my nephew Raymond's 4th birthday. My SIL Paula usually does a Halloween party for him because his birthday is the 29th. Funny- Beena would NEVER let me do a Halloween birthday party for her growing up. She was born on the 30th! Maybe for her 21st....

Anyway, I'm happy it's Hump Day. And I'm going to start a new tradition! Answer the Hypothetical Question in the comments section by October 26th, and the next day I'll pick someone (all one of you) at random for a giveaway! Here is Hypothetical Question #1:

If you could have coffee with anyone in the world, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Comment by October 26th, and I'll email the winner on the 27th. Happy Hump Day!

Update to the Epiphany

It's been one month since my life-changing epiphany. How is my new vegetarian life going? Not as hard as I thought it would be. I'm still cooking meat for the family, but it's practically no effort to cook something else for me to eat. I do feel it's hypocritical of me to cook animals for everyone else while I'm protesting the meat industry, but my family is not going to change. One less person is better than none, I guess.

Healthwise, I feel great. I've lost 5 and a half pounds. I'm not as hungry as I used to be. I don't feel as grouchy as usual (people may dispute that, but that's how I feel!) For the first few weeks I didn't have any migraines, but then they showed up like bad realtives at Christmas. The changing of the seasons, and the fact that I haven't been to see Dr. Evelyn, my chiropractor, probably has a lot to do with the frequency of occurences. I just found a video that totally captures my "aura"- the time when the migraine shows up visually. Link is here.

To recap, I'm:
  • not eating meat.
  • not eating dairy, except for 3 mozzarella slip-ups, for which I paid for in bathroom visits.
  • trying to eat organic.
  • not eating refined sugar, except for finishing up the package of Twizzlers I bought.
  • limiting myself to 1-2 cups of coffee a week, in dire emergencies.
  • trying new veggies. Broccoli IS good!

I'm also taking my vitamins every night, and walking to and from the train/bus stop every day.

It's evident that this can be a healthy way of life for me. It takes a little planning, and things cost a little more, but the way I feel is totally worth it all for me!

Goals for next month:

  • Try 5 new vegetables
  • Have dark greens every day
  • DRINK MORE WATER!
  • Make a large meal on the weekend for lunches for the rest of the week.

Thirty days. That's what it takes to change a habit. And this is one "habit" I'm glad I changed!

Ode to Soccer Moms

Never, ever in my life did I imagine myself being a soccer Mom. Growing up in Queens, we played softball, basketball and football, but soccer was unheard of. Must've been the concrete playgrounds and schoolyards that discouraged soccer games. Did I ever think I would be driving a minivan with window paint saying "Go Lady Jaguars!" or "#87 Rocks!"? Would I be wearing a Soccer Mom T-shirt that proclaims "We Y our girls! Never in a million years.

But while I'm on the sidelines screaming at the refs because the other team pushed our kids, I am joined in this insane harmony by...

Other soccer moms.

These ladies that I now call my friends.

After a Girl's Night Out in NYC a few months ago, on the LIRR coming home, I realized something- none of these women piss me off. If you know me, you know I get pissed off very easily! But our personalities mesh with each other. They're thoughtful. Mandy brought me a stress frog, fat free candy and a candle during a period of teenage angst in our house this past week. They're kind, always quick with a hug when you need it. They don't judge. If you don't want to wear makeup to the soccer game, they don't ask if you're sick, or make snide remarks. They buy you coffee. They take you kids for the whole day, feed them and never comment on their bad habits. They give you sweatpants when you need them. They invite you to see the Rachel Ray show, and insist they won't go in without you when the folks there say they can only scrounge up 3 tickets and you offer to go back to work. They support you and listen to you when you have doubts about how you're raising your children.

I haven't had many good female relationships. In grade school, Maryellen and Virginia and I were BFF. Through high school, I had close friends, but they turned out to be toxic. I'm extremely lucky to find these soccer moms. They don't even get mad when we do this to their vans for their birthdays:











And their kids. These are the kids I blogged about a few weeks ago when MR and I took them to the Medieval Fair. When Zombiegirl and the other girls get together, their giggling is infectious. She'll have them as friends for a long time- through high school. Which is great, because then I get to keep their moms.

Love you guys! You are awesome! Go Lady Jaguars!




 

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