Pink Asparagus

Today Audrey turns three. She’s a big girl and I want to cry. At least when Elliot turned three I still had a baby to snuggle. And now? Now there are no babies in this house.

When both kids were babies I took their pictures with the same bear on their monthly birthdays. After they turned one, I stopped except on their birthdays. It was a fun way to measure their growth.

Audrey at 1 month, one year and two years

Audrey is a good, funny kid. Sassy as all get out. She has a cute little personality (although I think she knows this and might be tempted to use her power for evil, not good). Most nights she hugs me so tight and says that she’s going to keep me all night. A better parent than I might think it’s a stalling technique, I think it’s pure love.

I wish I was more eloquent, then I could say something more than: she’s good! she’s smart! she’s potty-trained! she’s mine! But, alas, I am not. So there.

Her favorite gift? The red-headed Cabbage Patch baby that Grandma & Grandpa sent. I had, for a brief moment, considered giving her mine since she already has my Strawberry Shortcake dolls (not the poseable dolls – are you insane? those are mine choking hazards). I just couldn’t do it. She had to get her own.

Some people use their blogs as a space to rant, some to boast about their kids (ahem) and some to just make the world a more sun-shiny place. But then we fall into niches. Our blogs aren’t just for ourselves anymore. We don’t necessarily know who’ll read. And sometimes, we need to vent about someone we know reads us. I’ve offered up my bit o’blogosphere for one such person.
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Thank you to HBM for hosting this event.

Five years ago my daughter then 20 and a junior in college announced she was pregnant. The plan at the time was she and her boyfriend were going to get married after the baby was born. Something I didn’t understand.

She and the boyfriend broke up and got back together several times before they finally called it quits. Before they broke up for the final time they had moved out of my house. The baby stayed with them for one night. Then he was brought back to me because they had a fight and needed to work a few things out. He has been with me ever since.

My daughter has a good job lives in a nice apartment and there is no reason she cannot raise this child herself. She chooses not too. She loves her son but she doesn’t want to give up her lifestyle. She loves to party and spend time with her sorority sisters. She has managed to portray to them that she is a struggling single Mom and I’m just a babysitter.

Five months ago my 22 year old son passed away. He had a degenerative brain disorder and lived longer than we expected but it still has been hard.

Since then I have had a harder time dealing with my daughter. I cannot understand why she does not want to spend time with her son. She kept him last night and called me and told me that his speech is getting worse. He is in speech therapy and everyone else thinks it is getting better. There have been several instances where she has tried to find something wrong with him.

He is very healthy. I cannot understand why you would borrow trouble. She says that she wants him to live with her but makes no effort. Since Jan she has only kept him 26 times overnight. She rarely spends the weekends with him because she has plans with her friends. For instance I asked her to keep him tonight. She said yes but has canceled because her friends want to go out.

I love this boy with all my heart and will be devastated if he ever goes back to her but I know that she is his mother and that may be best for him. He is now 4 and he does fight staying with her which I hate because I want them to have a strong relationship no matter where he lives.

Thank you for listening to me.

Thanks to Mr. Lady and Lijit and Cre8Buzz and a whole lotta others, there were too many Denver-area bloggers packed into one tiny room at Enoteca last night to watch Obama’s amazing acceptance speech. It was great, energizing fun. I’m sure I have more to say about this but I’m off to fulfill a bribe reward and then take the kids to see Dr Seuss for President Art Exhibit.

Am I your Thursday morning addiction? Awesome! Welcome back. Repeat business is so much cheaper to get than new. If you’ve just come across Pink Asparagus or you’re here because you’re really a Functional Shmunctional fan (and really? who isn’t), glad to see you. Kick up your feet and stay awhile. You can read the entire interview series here.

Grandy has graciously agreed to participate in my social experiment. Although, when I first approached her she wondered if I was going to ask her to cross the street blind-folded. I am unsure what that says about both of us, maybe it’ll be the basis of a thesis for some psych student.

Recently an Olympic survey meme identified her as a boxer

You are assertive, strong, and downright aggressive. You have the power to demolish your opponent…And you have the endurance to make sure the job is finished.

Which is fitting since she’s pledged to raise awareness about cancer.

Everyone, this is Grandy … Grandy, this is uhm, like four new readers.

Thanks so much for having me, I’m thrilled you invited me!  Can I just say that asparagus has always been one of my favorite vegetables?  And I truly don’t mean that in a suck-up “thank the academy” kind of way either.

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Yep, camping. In the dirt.

Every time someone who is not already in my feed reader leaves a comment I have two reactions: first, awesome! and second, yay – more sites to read. Right because I needed that. But you all are givers and I appreciate you for it.

So, when I saw a new commentor I clicked over and was inspired. Jenn is partaking in Blog Action Day. I like blogs. I like action. It’s 2008. What’s this about?

Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, to post about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

First and last, the purpose of Blog Action Day is to create a discussion. We ask bloggers to take a single day out of their schedule and focus it on an important issue.

By doing so on the same day, the blogging community effectively changes the conversation on the web and focuses audiences around the globe on that issue.

Out of this discussion naturally flow actions, advice, ideas, plans, and empowerment. In 2007 on the theme of the Environment, we saw bloggers running environmental experiments, detailing innovative ideas on creating sustainable practices and focusing audience’s attentions on organizations and companies promoting green agendas. In 2008 we aim to again focus the blogging community’s energies and passions, this time on the mammoth issue of global poverty.

The organizers also ask participants to donate their site’s earnings to charitable giving.

But my site generates zero revenue.

You can help make a difference by participating in the discussion. I’ll donate $1 for every distinct commenter to the poverty post (up to $100) to microfinancier Kiva. I love the microfinancing option. Such a small amount makes a monumental difference. I’ll post in enough time to make the October 15 deadline. I’ll also post the receipt so you all know that I’m not shady.

Help me put my money where my mouth is.

Hat tip: Something to Say: about Life in The Nederlands

We took the kids camping overnight. As a social experiment fun thing to do. And all next week you’ll get to read about it and look at cute pictures. I promise.

While we were sitting at a picnic table enjoying our bounty from the Marina store, Peter and I were doing our usual bit of “I heard this on NPR,” “I read on so-and-so’s blog.” Elliot chimed in with, “I want a blog.” (Oh! how I love him.) I told him as soon as he can read and write I would let him have a blog.

I’m an awesome mommy like that.

Then he said, “I’ll need an iPhone for my blog.”

Kid – we all need an iPhone. Too bad my addictive personality cell provider doesn’t support that.

So, for those keeping score I threatened to go to the DMV last week with my entire identity in one hand and a latte in the other. I did! Twice!

I went to the one in Boulder first. You might know Boulder more commonly as home to University of Colorado the fighting Buffaloes. You know, the school with its largest incoming freshman class ever. I took a number. It was crowded, but whatever – these are highly skilled government workers here. I overheard the numbered-ticket-giver guy tell someone it would be “at least an hour, school’s back in session.” So, I left. The next day I attempted the one in my smallish bedroom community. I drove up 10 minutes before it opened and there were 15 people in line. I left.

So, in the end. My name is still wrong. I am not properly registered to vote. This must be remedied soon. If Obama loses Colorado it’ll be ALL MY FAULT.

I’m hanging my hat
at is it 5 o’clock yet?
follow me over

chock full of goodness
hilarity perseveres
abuse her search words

before you go please
leave your words of wisdom for
an expectant mom

however, if you’re
my family through marriage
please don’t go over

really, I beg you
do not read me at Shauna’s
thanks! love, Catherine

I’ve known GP since back in the day. We met working for the phone repair center for the department of housing at University of Colorado in lovely Boulder. Back then, university housing provided telephones in each room. The phones had cords that connected the talking bit with the dailing bit. It was crazy. But, to this day I can wire a phone jack. Yeah, that’s a skill that’s often needed.

Anyway, my recollection was that we were fast friends. GP knew EVERYONE. And then he moved to California. And now he’s a hippie. Actually he was always a hippie.

And we’ll leave that at that.

Make the rambling stop please … okay! on to Pink Asparagus’ Pen Pals. If you have no idea what I’m talking about you can read the series here.

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