The Tooth Fairy is coming, the Tooth Fairy is coming

I discovered Z's first wobbly tooth on Sunday night as I was flossing her teeth, and on Tuesday I sat her down for this quick interview about tooth fairy. She's created her own myth that I can only guess is fed by what other kids have told her and her own imagination.

In preparation for the tooth's eventual trip under her pillow, I asked my Facebook friends what the tooth fairy's going rate is these days. Apparently a dollar (preferably a gold one) is the preferred currency. I'm glad my friends don't live in Silicon Valley.

I'm not just old, I'm old + 3

The latest Target: Women episode from my favorite funnywoman Sarah Haskins.

Playing with the Playmobil port-a-potty

Although my mother would likely disagree on this point, I don't feel like our kids have a whole lot of toys. More than they need, certainly, but it isn't obscene.

There is one kind of toy we've purchased with some frequency, and that is Playmobil. I loved Playmobil sets as a kid, and even as an adult, I take pleasure in setting up the RV or the school house--each complete with lots of tiny, surprising details. Most kids don't take good care of their Playmobil sets, so finding a decent set at a yard sale is pretty rare. Which means we usually get our Playmobil fix from Berwyn's Toy Trains & Models. But even our local Playmobil source didn't stock the now discontinued construction worker/port-a-potty box. So Josh shelled out something like $30 to buy it online. Because we need a Playmobil port-a-potty.

Fortunately, it's been a big hit with both girls. Here's A playing with it. Shhhh...don't tell Z.

Potty Talk from almaklein on Vimeo.

My early reader

And now, for an animated rendition of There is a Bird on Your Head.

Z reads a book from almaklein on Vimeo.

It's almost bikini season

A new euphemism is born.

Men of Movember

I work with many of these guys, all of whom are growing moustaches this November to raise prostate cancer awareness and funds. Buy their calendar; it's for a good cause!

menofmovember.com

We're not always this uncivilized

Spaghetti slob from almaklein on Vimeo.
Yes, she started dinner in a bib, I swear.

Must Watch: Campbell's vs. Progresso

The View

News flash: women like to talk. A lot. I don't know that the daytime women's gabfest has shown much more depth this year than it has in previous, but the women of The View did earn some grudging respect for asking the Presidential candidates hard questions during the election. And daily clips of Elisabeth Hasselbeck losing her shit and/or getting yelled at by the rest of the crew meant that Americans beyond the SAHM target got to be on a first-name basis with Whoopi, Babwa, Joy and Sherri.

And when there's fame, comedy is sure to follow. I saw The Spew, an improv send-up of The View with a group of friends Sunday night at ComedySportz. It's funny--well worth the $10 ticket charge and its been extended for two more weeks.

And there's also this from Target: Women.

My kind of birthday party

Our afternoon birthday party at the River Forest Community Center went off without a hitch. Of the 21 kids invited, 20 RSVPed and 19 showed up (one was sick). Tina, our party coordinator, showed her teacher credentials; she was amazing. I didn't have to think up games, convince kids to participate or worry about some kid unspooling all the toilet paper into my toilet.

In addition to climbing around the playland, where the birthday party ostensibly was, the kids enjoyed about half an hour of classic childhood games and parachute play in the large gym.

And, of course, there was cake.

Happy 4th Birthday from almaklein on Vimeo.

In case you were wondering, the party favors were a huge hit.

Wherein Z hogs the spotlight

Here's a clip of A playing peek a boo by pulling Z's hat over her face. But it's hard to pay attention since Z keeps darting into view, filling the air with a bunch of nonsense. And she's typically pretty articulate...

Ah, sisterhood.

Untitled from almaklein on Vimeo.

Potty humor. For women.

Sarah Haskins takes on advertisers' euphemisms for poop.

Allow me to introduce my daughter

"A little bit about me" from a 3 year old from almaklein on Vimeo.
She's about as articulate as your average reality show contestant, don't you think?

Silvermans for Obama

Lovely Lorraine Silverman, how I wish I could fly down to Omaha, pick up a shovel and unearth you today. Then we'd sit down with our gin martinis and our salted cashews and have a really good laugh together.
Grandma, this one's for you. You tracksuit-wearing, oy-swearing, thank G-d far left McGovern supporter, you!

The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

Target: Cleaning Products

Sarah Haskins is my hero.

Target: Sarah Palin

Target: Women takes aim at bad ads

What, internet content can be funny and smart? Well, the Target: Women series is. I can't decide which one I like more, this send-up of birth control ads or her episodes on yogurt and wedding shows.

My 800th post: Life as a Pitchfork Widow

"Can't you at least pretend you're okay with me leaving you with the girls all day?" asked Josh as he left this morning.

Um, no. The happy housewife mask requires at least 6 hours of sleep to fit correctly. I got about 4 last night thanks to a cranky, clinging baby who refused to sleep and required constant holding between 2:30 and 5:15am. Naturally, her big sister woke up at 5:40.

Baby A continued to be out of sorts most of the day--she didn't want to eat until the afternoon, she was drooling up a storm, and her napping schedule was all thrown off. In spite of the nap shortage (heck, I could have used one too), we managed to have some fun, tricycling up and down the street, making milkshakes and stealing our neighbor's wading pool for a little aggressive splashing (Z) and peeing in the pool (A). We also joined a few friends for a backyard BBQ.


I want to ride my trike from almaklein on Vimeo.

But by the time I got them into the car to drive home, both of the girls were exhausted and hysterical. And, in a parenting low point, I shouted, "Shut up!" to Z as she tearfully complained how it wasn't fair that her car seat was down low and A's was up high and I needed to fix it right now.

Did you follow that? We were parallel parked and Z's side was closer to the curb--thus, it she was sitting somewhat lower. They both cried through their bath (I even skipped the soap and just rinsed off the sweat and visible dirt) and Z wailed as I nursed A because she was "so lonely and scared" right outside A's bedroom door.

At least they were both asleep by 8pm!

Z gets her groove on

Dancing in the park from almaklein on Vimeo.
More weekend snapshots (including some great pics at Millennium Park's Crown Fountain) can be see on my Flickr page.

Neither silent nor deadly

World's Least Threatening Ninja from almaklein on Vimeo.
Lest you think my daughter makes the world's worst ninja, she did at one point make a "bad guy face" and say "I'm swording you!"