On "Uhm....are we supposed to do that?"...

I, being the Mariann that I am, did not and could not plan for a big birthday celebration for Julia (forcing my poor best bud to have a small impromptu party for her-Thanks, Laura!). Because of my unpreparedness, I figured I could at least give her a small party at her daycare. The night before, of course, I ordered several cupcakes and then ran to Target to buy some party favors.

After dinner, I pulled out the little party favor bags and declared Carl in charge of stuffing small packs of playdoh into them. Before I could get on in my save-it-for-the-last-minute-maniacal-Mariann-way, Carl asked "the" question that still continues to rear its ugly head presently;

"Uhm, are we supposed to do that?"

I slowly raised my eyes, glared at him menacingly, and asked,

"What....do...you...mean...by....are we SUPPOSED to do that?!"

"Well, I mean, is this really necessary? I mean who does this?"

Thus began my tirade on how parents do this all the time and on and on about how "What? I'm just gonna give 'em cupcakes and that's it? What the hell kind of party is that?" and "You think I'm doing this cuz I like being up past my bedtime stuffing party favors?!"

I think I concluded my tirade feeling vindicated that "I" was the parenting expert and "I" know what all typical parents do and this was one of those things. Secretly, I also gave myself extra "Faking Supermommy" points for choosing the best, most age appropriate and fun toddler party favors while also adding another bonus point for including a "favor" for Julia's teacher/entire class; Julia's favorite Dr. Seuss book. Hey-O!!!!! High-five to the most awesomest mom evah!!!

I dropped Julia off the next day, feeling deftly proud at my mama skillz and assured that all parents do this but I just fake it and do it better - never mind the fact that she was in daycare for three months and had never come home with a single party favor or anything remotely looking like a party favor...

Three weeks later, while going through Julia's bag from daycare, I pulled out a party favor bag filled with candy, a Strawberry Shortcake toothbrush and rinse cup, a Princess lip gloss wristband and a freakin' Tinkerbell jigsaw puzzle that you also color!!! WTF?! I quickly estimated the price value and "fun" value in my head and determined, I was beaten....

A few days before Christmas, Carl walked in and caught me ordering a nice Edible Arrangement Bouquet for the daycare. He raised his eyebrow and asked me the same 'ole question, "Are we supposed to do that? Do other parents really do that?" Before bothering to listen to another lengthy dialogue about good parents and what they do for their kids and the people who take care of them, he walked away. And as I clicked "send" on the gift message declaring them "the most wonderful and caring staff", I quietly answered, "Well, if they don't, they will now!"

On our first playground brawl.....

Today, when Julia and I got to our local park, there were two other little Chinese kids with their grandma. Julia, of course, was excited to see other kids her age and wanted to play with them. Being Julia and much like any other 2 year old I know, she lingered close by to them (but not too close), imitated their actions and waited for any sort of interaction. Unfortunately, these two children kept to themselves and eventually Julia gave up and began playing by herself. She wandered into one of the tunnels and was about to make her way out towards me when the older of the two children came over and intentionally blocked Julia's exit. Julia just sat there looking up at her. I wasn't exactly sure what was going on at first and I don't think Julia did either. So Julia just sat and kept looking up at her, not in fear mind you, but somewhat curiously and annoyed. Grandma desperately tried to get this child to move, I mean, she pulled her off 3 or 4 times and this girl whipped back to the exit with arms clutching the top of the tunnel and literally, glared, at Julia. I, of course, did my mommy thing, "Julia, say excuse me" and looked at the little 3 year old that I was about to slap. Julia politely said " S'cuse me" quietly and continued to look back calmly. I looked at the little girl and said "She said excuse me, you need to move now." and as Grandma peeled her off for the 5th time, I quickly grabbed Julia and pulled her out. Julia walked calmly and quietly out of the tunnel and towards the playground gate. She held the gate for a little bit and looked out towards the rest of the park. Without looking back, she looked up at me and said "Mommy, I want to go to the swings now" and off we went.

Julia can be such a beast sometimes, but I have to say, for the most part, she's a pretty calm and sweet child and I hope that's because she models after relatively calm and loving parents. I don't understand how it is that there are children, particularly children that young, that can already be so mean and awful.

She didn't mention what happened until afterward when Daddy picked us up in the car and I mentioned the incident to him. When asked about the girl, she said "yea, daddy, the girl was naughty and bad!" followed by "Daddy, I wanna go back to the playground!" This is typical Julia, and boy, do I love every bit of her!

On Julia's year in review....

Oh what a year! In 2009, I returned back to work full time, started potty training Julia, went to several amusement parks in the summer and shipped her off to daycare for two days a week.
It is amazing to see how much Julia has transformed from baby to toddler in one year.

In Janauary 2009, most of her verbal dialogue was "Bucka bucka bucka buckaaaa" and "Bye Bye" and "Uh-oh". Now it's "No, Mommy, sit there, I do myself!" or "Listen! Shhhh...listen...I farted!"

She went from not really understanding birthdays or holidays to asking about Santa and his gifts or ripping into her gifts ferociously and oohing and ahhing.

She went from being a relatively compliant little baby to a terror when she's mad. "No! I'm angry! I'm going to the corner!"

She has developed a love for all things princessy and hot pink (despite all my hard work to keep gender neutral in my household) and now asks to put on my makeup.

She tells me now "Mommy, I'm not a baby. I'm a little girl eating my yogurt (or whatever action she's doing currently)".

I loved her as a baby but I love her even more as a toddler. She has grown so much and has learned so much! She has become my little mini me, my sidekick and really, the love of my life.

I hope 2010 is just as a joyful of a year as 2009 was. Happy New Year!