Happy Halloween!

Hope you all had a festive Halloween!

The kids were thrilled about their first-ever trick-or-treating experience.

Although at bedtime, Candidate Quinn (see also yesterday's post) added this to his proposed platform: "Mom, if I get to be president, I'd let kids eat as much candy as they wanted at bedtime." I think he's appealing to the too-young-to-vote demographic and the dentists-who-need-work demographic. But this mom may have to pull her endorsement!

A Candidate I Can Support 100%

Quinn, ever the competitor, wants to know "who we're cheering for" in the election. He wants to cheer for one, and boo the other. As we drive through our neighborhood, he reads off "Obama!" or "McCain!" as we pass the yard signs. He's been asking a bunch of questions.

But yesterday, he had an idea all his own.

Hey Mom, if I get elected president, I'll make sure the Colts get to win all their games. Purdue and the Pacers, too.

Now that's a candidate I can support without reservation.

(Don't look now, McCain, but Q might just get Indiana to turn BLUE afterall....Colts blue at least!)

The Mommy Spin Zone

Are you as tired of all the political spin as I am? If you're a Republican, you probably think the Democrats are full of hooey; if you're a Democrat you are up to your ears in it as well. And if you are still undecided, well, your head is probably spinning right and left!

Here's a more constructive way to spend your time: Create your own little Mommy Spin Zone.

This is how it works: Take any of the day-to-day situations that make you crazy, and, well, spin them to the result of your liking. Pretty simple, eh? You'll delude yourself into thinking that your kids can do no wrong and that you are indeed Supermom. Allow me to illustrate.

Remember the Crayon-Carpet Incident of a few weeks ago? Well, now it has become the Keira and Quinn Working Together For Change! Incident....or the Keira Showing a Talent for Interior Design Incident....or the At Least They Didn't Get Their Hands on Sharpies Incident. See how this works? The results show that your kids are geniuses and that you are not incompetent but rather mother of said geniuses. Double bonus.

Here's another example: Have problems with the munckins following you everywhere? In the bathroom? On the phone? Yeah, well, it's not as irritating as you think once you become a spinmaster. You see, what is really going down here is that you are, in their eyes, the coolest kid in school (you always wanted to be, right?). You're a rock star. You are so fabulous and interesting that they can't get enough. They have to know your every move. And - this is important - they want to be like you.

Ahh, yes. Nice, eh? What they say is true: It's all about perspective, people. All about perspective.

And, just to prove that I practice what I preach, know this. I am not about to consume a couple of scoops of high-fat, high-calorie mint chocolate chip ice cream, but rather I am about enjoy a high-calcium, osteoporosis-preventing frozen treat. See? I feel better already.

[Voice over: I'm Quinn and Keira's Mother and I approve this message.]

A Picture is Worth....

Well, the saying goes something like: A picture is worth a 1000 words. These are worth about 5 to 10.

For example, this one says: Mom, stop taking so many pictures!

And this one says: OK, fine....but we don't hafta smile, do we?

An this one says: At last! Momma got lucky!

Now, if only Santa brings me one of those sweet SLR cameras I've been coveting....these kids will be in real trouble. :-)

Can I Have a Do-Over?

In life - whether as a student, a working professional, or as a parent - I've always tried to be prepared. My degree of diligence in preparing may vary, but nonetheless I try to be ready.

Of course, then reality steps in and you may find that any pre-work you've done has just flown out the window.

Take this for example.....

As a parent of a child who was adopted, I try to do my best to anticipate those "tough" questions and think about how I might respond. I try to think about what might be asked and when.

And of course I was totally unprepared to have that "when" be last week, and the "what" be: Kiki grow in mommy's tummy?

Ugh. All my prep flew out of my head. I was stuck looking like a deer in headlights. Like Sarah Palin at a Katie Couric interview. Instead of saying something touching and eloquent, like "No honey, you grew in my heart", I mumbled something along the lines of "No, Kiki grew in another mommy's tummy...we adopted you and now you're part of our family....mommy loves Kiki very much." (Which, you have to admit, is a smidge bit better than "I read all of them, Katie....any in front of me..." Seriously, Sarah. You of the wink and the nod. Didn't you think of buttering up Ms. Couric by saying that you used to get your news from the Today show but now it's all about the CBS Evening News??!) Anyway, mine wasn't the world's worst response, but it certainly didn't seem all that I had imagined. Of course, my audience was a 2-year old, so I think all she really understood was the "no" (she frowned) and the "mommy loves Kiki" (she smiled and put her cheek out for a kiss).

In retrospect, I suppose it went OK. But still. Not like a Lifetime Movie of the Week or anything. More like reality TV. Of course, I'm sure I'll have a chance for a do-over a time or two or twelve in the coming years.

And instead of reruns, I'm hoping to provide some fresh programming.