Zuma

I realize that I've finished a few posts and left you hanging.

So, today I'll provide a general update on the following situations (though not necessarily in this order, and lord knows there will probably be a lot of side-trips, cause that's how I roll):  Sleep, Temper Tantrums, Nostalgia, Movie Obsessions, My Embarrassing Competitive Nature, That Nasty Barbie Girl, and the current status of my Eyelash Regrowth.

First: Sleep.  I should have given props when they were due, because apparently (even though she can't yet read) Trouble is making me pay for not having given them.  Almost immediately after my Boo Hoo Fest about Trouble's horrific habit of waking me at 5am...she gave me a reprieve.  I was kind of afraid to say it out loud...for fear that addressing it might make it disappear.  It seems I found a bribe she was willing to work for (A Groovy Girl), and she went a solid week without waking up anybody in the family.  No Lie.  But the day after she got the reward, there she was.  Face pressed up against mine...heavy breathing....scream whispering, "MAMA!  CAN YOU HELP ME PUT THE GROOVY MERMAID'S TAIL BACK ON?"  Lord Help Me.

I wish this were the worst of the issues at the moment.  Trouble seems to have developed a completely illogical but truly disturbing panic-attack cum psychological fear of Swimming Lessons.  There are two things you need to know about my opinion about Swimming Lessons.  One: Swimming (while fun) is not for fun.  It is a life skill and it is not optional.  And Two: The Circus/Broccoli Children WILL swim.  They must remain in Swimming Lessons until they are good enough that they could try out for the Swim Team.  I do not insist that they actually do so, only that their skills are sufficient that they could.  At that point, they are free to quit.  Drama LOVES swimming.  She did not start out this way.  But the Tiger Mom in me persisted and now she is both a great swimmer but she enjoys swimming.  She does not enjoy Swimming Lessons.  Tough Luck.  Trouble used to love swimming lessons.  Because they took place at our club and involved leisurely getting into the water with mama and clinging to me and/or showing off. But we reached a point where she was not going to progress because she refused to ever let go of me to prove that she was ready to move on.  She basically languished at the same level for 12 months...of rather pricey lessons.  That I wasn't really that keen on myself.  So.  We put her in the Swimming School that Drama goes to.  It is the feeder school for the competitive team that is associated with Drama's school, and quite good. The lessons for the little ones are fabulous.  I am amazed by the patience of the teachers.  Trouble went to her first two lessons with no complaints.  In fact, she laughed and smiled and had fun.  And then, suddenly (and I know this to be true because I go and watch said lessons), she just had a complete freak out and decided that she was Not Going To Swim.  She actually threw such a spectacular temper fit that she made herself vomit.  I can only be grateful that she did it on the edge of the pool.  The result was, of course, that she got to get OUT of the pool.  Trouble is no dummy.  For the past two weeks she has repeated this show.  Either sobbing or refusing to cooperate or doubling over and hyperventilating until she vomits.  So, yeah.  I'm the mom with the kid that barfs on the side of the pool every week.  Intentionally.  The swimming teacher agrees that we have to make her get back in because she's trying to manipulate us.  It's torture.  For all parties and I particularly feel for the parents of the other two kids that are in Trouble's class...because she is a true nightmare.  Where I'm going with this is: Trouble has herself SO worked up about Swimming Lessons that she has woken me (with tears, sobbing and no lack of dramatic wailing) with "I don't wanna go to swimming lessons" at or before 5am for the past two mornings.  It's like she has a detector for my weak point and she is trying to exploit it.  Wear Mama down to a bloody, sleepless nub and I won't have to Swim.  I can see the gears spinning in her tiny Machiavellian mind.  I tried to offer her a Groovy Girl Horse if she'll go this week.  What Have I Become???

Today I booked flights home for the kidlets and I for our "home leave" (read: visit to the Motherland).  Which made me realize there were a few things I'm hankering for that I didn't mention in my Yearning for America post.  I'm excited to have LONG telephone conversations with my friends who are now (or always were) Stateside..while on the same time (ish)...and not have to schedule it into my day.  I'm literally salivating over Chipotle and an Giant Icy Beverage.  Oh, wait.  I mentioned that.  Bonus points to anybody that meets me at the airport with a bag of Chipotle Goodness. I'm a Veggie Burrito girl-black beans-and loaded with all of the goodies.  I'm not gonna tell Barbie Girl beforehand and once I get it, my mouth will be stuffed too full of a Burrito the Size of my Head for her to comment.  Take That you wicked little thing!

I am thrilled to report that Trouble did not take to HSM.  She continues to be obsessed with High Five (thanks KPM...you know what you've done to me and I will pay you back).  Frankly, it's better than the mind-numbing atrocity that is the Barbie movie franchise.  In case you were wondering, we own ALL of them.  Gack

In the past couple of weeks, I've refrained from taking anybody out on the hiking trail, the tennis court, or at any of my childrens' activities.  I do get a little bit competitive during Boot Camp, but it's supposed to be that way!  I plan to take a pass at Drama's Sport's Day.  It's just too tempting.  But I must confess to a freakish obsession with a ridiculous Facebook game called Zuma.  And I am all kinds of warrior pissed at my brother because he has somehow figured out how to get insanley high scores.  And that's just not okay.  Then again, I'm not tackling toddlers...so all in all, it's probably not so bad.

At the moment, I seem to be managing Barbie Girl's SnarkFest...at least I'm keeping her to a dull roar.  I snuck a beer AND 2 Girl Scout cookies on Sunday night and managed to weigh-in back in the normal range so I think she's ratcheted it down a notch or two.  At least until bathing suit season...which comes rather sooner in Hong Kong than it does in my native Colorado.  In the meantime, I'm trying to manage a balance.  And I'll let her get a pedicure this weekend.  I mean, I can only punish her so much.

I have been both humbled and totally excited by the response and feedback I've gotten to my blog.  So, Thanks to anybody and everybody who is taking time to read.  I do plan to keep it up...and am open to comments and suggestions.  This week I had no fewer than 5 people come up and ask to see my missing Eyelashes.  For the record, I didn't really lose them.  But it was close.  I think they call that artistic license?  Or, wait...is that was James Frey said after he got busted with a fake memoir?  Anyway.  I still have eyelashes.  I've got some fun things in the works for the blog...so stay tuned.  I'd also like to send out a Roll Call to my amazing talented friends who have Etsy stores or small companies that I might be able to support or give shout outs to on this blog.  I'm also pondering a little Giveaway Action.

So, there we are.  All updated.  Only it's rainy again her in Hong Kong and I'm left home with bills to manage and an office to tidy...so maybe I'll just log into Facebook and play a game of Zuma....