Important to Know

I haven't had any real time to write entire blog posts about our recent doings, but I want to make notes so that I don't forget how awesome these last few days have been.

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We were at Target on Sunday (honestly, it would be faster to note when we're not at Target) and Dash was walking along in front of our cart (he will not ride in the cart unless there has been major discussion in advance--which there wasn't this time--"Dashy, when we go to the store you're going to have to ride in the cart, ok?" "No Dashy ride!" "Unless you ride we can't go to the store and you'll have to stay home. Would you rather ride or stay home?" "Dashy ride!" Repeat 10,000 times.) pointing out all of the wonder and glory when we approached the bra section. Dash knew instantly what they were and made sure to educate us all: [pointing to a brown bra] "Brown boobies." [pointing to a pink bra] "Pink boobies." And so on and so forth. This was obviously the funniest thing we'd ever seen, but also: when did he learn his colors? Literally two days ago everything, and I mean everything, was blooooooooooooo. Green? Blooooo. Red? Blooooooo. But bra colors he gets. Ok, father's son I guess.

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Yesterday was the first day of Daylight Saving Time and we took advantage of the extra daylight to have our first family bbq of 2008. Filet Mignon ($10 for TWO at Trader Joes, yo) sweet corn on the cob, and garlic-rubbed ciabatta went on the grill to make the most delicious dinner we've had in eons. And Dash ate 1/3 of my steak! It's the first red meat I've gotten him to eat. Glad to know he has good taste.

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Wouldn't it be nice to have someone cut up fresh, organically-grown strawberries for you for breakfast on a Tuesday? Dash doesn't know how lucky he is.

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I bought this bamboo junk drawer organizer because I'd become obsessed with the idea of assembling a bunch of beautiful natural objects and having Dash lovingly sort them into different cubbies. I thought he could learn about colors and textures and nature all at once. Do I even need to say how this went over? Not only does he not care about this assemblage one iota, it's like it doesn't even exist. He doesn't even see it except when he needs me to move it so he'll have more room for Legos. But isn't it lovely? Maybe it'll grow on him.

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I bought Dash this little table and chairs set from Ikea for, like, $20.


It's sturdy and the perfect size, and when Dash got his play kitchen it served perfectly to house his little oven and coffeemaker. Only problem was that after we put it in our kitchen, he'd want to eat there and eventually the unfinished wood became grubby and covered in grease stains that no amount of scrubbing would get off. So I painted it.


And then I Mod Podged these little apple and tomato designs I cut out of gingham scrapbook paper. I love them very much.

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And finally, we bought Free to Be ... You and Me and it is the single greatest cd ever created including anything by Radiohead and Tom Waits that's how serious I am. It is the most hopeful, loving endeavor for children I can imagine and just reading the liner notes makes me weepy. There is nothing cynical. There are no action figure tie-ins. It's just about teaching children to respect themselves and each other. Also, Mel Brooks is a baby in one skit that begins, "Hi. I'm a baby." And in another Carol Channing teaches us that nobody smiles while doing housework and that's how we know that commercials aren't real life. And, if Rosie Grier says It's Alright to Cry, then probably it's alright to cry.

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PS:
Toddler's Delight