A Lot Of Firsts

Or as Harper might say "New!"

Trader Joe's is our grocery store of choice and we go often. Even when we are just driving by Harper waves and says, "Hi Trader Joe's!" She has her favorite peeps there: Court, Alicia and Miguel. Especially Miguel. Well, Miguel loves Harper too and gave her her very first lollipop. As you might imagine, Harper L O V E D it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now whenever I say "Harper, want to go to Trader Joe's?" She'll say "LOLLIPOP!" (Though just as often she'll say "NO!" so there you go.)

Seemingly related, but really it was just good timing, Harper went to her first dentist appointment. I wasn't sure how it would go. She's great at the Doctor, last time she didn't even cry at all when she got one shot and one finger poke (blood test). I'll let that sink in. And now I'll repeat that: She didn't even cry!

But the dentist is different, not to mention new. ("New!")

Well, Harper rocked. She only got fussy when she was bored while the Dentist asked me questions. First Harper learned more about teeth brushing with the dragon and the giant toothbrush.

Then it was time for an exam and a cleaning. This picture looks more intense than it really was, Harper was just trying to get a good angle at the tv on the ceiling...

Her teeth look good, just have to keep going on the brushing try to get some flossing in. I'll admit, I haven't tried it yet...

Along with all this big girl stuff, Harper got a big girl bed. We said good bye to the crib and hello twin bed!

We do need to get something for the wall. I'd like to get another Blik surface graphic (the castle over the dresser is one) but we haven't decided what yet. I love their trees and butterflies. These wall graphics are also great when you live in an earthquake prone area! Nothing to fall off the walls over beds. (Oh I think of these things.)

The first night was a challenge, but then things have evened out. Some nights she needs some coaxing to stay in bed, but usually she's pretty good about just laying down. So far so good! The best part for me is that I can lie in bed next to her in the mornings. She used to say "Mama lay down?" when she was in the crib. Now I can!

Pushing carts and strollers is a BIG DEAL. And at CVS there are little wheeled baskets, just perfect Harper sized things to make Kleenex shopping that much more fun.

 

And last but not least of the firsts, apparently she and Kurt started their first band.

Wake Me Up When April Ends

(With all love and respect to Billie Joe.)

"As my memory rests but never forgets what I lost."

I almost forgot. I almost forgot to remember that April is an awful month. I was eight days into April before I remembered that April sucks. Or as Grace said, "Stupid April. And every other month too!" I was forced to remember when I found out that a friend's uncle died on the 7th, two years almost to the day that her father died. Then I remembered that it was April.

But even then I almost let it rest.

But today I saw this sweet picture I'd never seen before, along with some pictures from a wedding I'd never seen either. Right in the middle of one of the fun group shots, there she was, healthy and vibrant and smiling so bright.

Fuck.

Six years has gone so fast.

"Here comes the rain again,falling from the stars. Drenched in my pain again, becomming who we are."

Wake me up when April ends.

 

 

 

I Want To Be Pen-Pals With Chris Hardwick

When I say I want to be pen pals with Chris Hardwick, I mean it. I want to be actual old school, write-real-letters, put-a-stamp-on-the-envelope-and-mail-it type pen pals. Why so Y2K? With the 700 different ways to communicate today, creating a relationship with a stranger is almost harder. Emails/tweets/FB posts/texts happen so fast there is no time to do anything between communications. When you write actual letters, actual time goes by. So the letters can be long and full of getting-to-know-you content as well as what-I-did-these-last-few-weeks info. When you get a letter in the mail, there isn't the same pressure to sit down and respond right that second. You can take your time. (Clearly I need to write a whole blog post about what it means to be pen pals.)

The other reason I want to be actual-write-a-letter pen-pals is that I like Mr. Hardwick. I don't want to stalk him, I don't want to be his girlfriend, I don't want to hang out at his house or have coffee with him every week. (well okay, once would be cool, but that would be after lots of writing.) As mentioned, with the internets and all, one could really try to bombard a guy with requests and end up being annoying and just another buzzing fly. That's not my style. I'm a well brought up person with manners and respect. I just want to be friends, pals, pen pals.

But why in the world would he want to be pen pals with me?

I'm a nerd, ask anyone! We bought Star Wars art for Harper's room. I had the last Harry Potter books delivered on the release dates and read them almost straight through. We got a "Stormpooper" hat as a baby gift and Harper actually wore it often, not just for a photo op. In high school I had a major life epiphany ("I can work in the movies!") while watching Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. (Double nerd points-I was dressed in khakis, and wore a gun belt and fedora. Thank you 80's Banana Republic!) I saw Jeff Goldblum at the Cinerama Dome in the 90's and told him I loved Tenspeed and Brownshoe.

Here's where I go over the top with girl-nerd cred:

I had my mom sew me a sun bonnet so I could wear it while reading my Little House On The Prairie books. (THE TV SHOW IS NOT THE SAME!) And I still have that bonnet, btw.

Okay, I'll admit I'm not the nerdiest of nerds, especially these days. I'm more nerd/dork (Nerk? Dord?). I did play D&D in high school, but I never go into comic books. I've seen Blade Runner once about ten years ago and didn't really get why people go ape-shit for it. (I guess I missed that window.) When I imagine going to Comic-Con, I can only picture myself dressing up as Super Martian Robot Girl because we watch way too much Gabba at our house.

But I'm a huge fan of Chris Hardwick, self styled Nerdist himself, so that makes me a huge nerd again and I love it. I have enjoyed his stand up and his shows for a while now, loving "Talking Dead", though I missed "Talking Bad" because we were so far behind on Breaking Bad. I'm a huge @Midnight fan. Huge.

And my nerd crush for Mr. Hardwick was solidified on one episode of @Midnight when he referenced the Godzilla cartoon from the 70s/80s, specifically mentioning Godzuki, then sang the theme song!! OMG. Mad mad crush.

So now I want to be pen pals with Mr. Hardwick. If only I had the guts to ask him when I met him a few weeks ago at a Walking Dead event. He was so kind to laugh when I gushed about his Godzuki comments and even kinder to take a photo. (OMG, I totally forgot to tell him I worked on the 1998 Godzilla! Wait, maybe that would be a deal breaker...)

I would like to know more about him. How did he end up staying so nice in a world (entertainment) of often not-nice? I admire his incredible work ethic and drive, how does he keep that going? He inspires me to work harder and to follow my dreams. We could talk a bit about grief as he's recently had a death in the family. I know a bit about that. We probably have more in common than it seems at first glance. (Well, don't we all?)

Chris Hardwick seems like a hail-fellow-well-met and I would not let him down in our pen-palship.

 

 

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