You're THREE!

Dear Ally:

Yesterday was your third birthday. You are growing into a beautiful and inquisitive little girl. Watching your mind develop had been amazing and I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to watch you grow and for inviting me into your big world.

The past year has not been an easy one for you. You've gone through a lot of changes.In August your world as an only child ended as your little brother came into this world. And though you embrace your new title as BIG SISTER you can't help resenting it sometimes too. You are very sweet to your little brother, but somtimes his little body looks too much like a chair, or his little ears need a good tugging. You're just doing your job.

While I was on materinty leave we took you out of school so we could hang out. We had many adventures and taught and are still teaching me so much.

One of the most profound momenst of that time is when We, along with Sienas' mommy and her little brother went to the Capitol building in October to see the Dalai Llama. You and Sienna chased each other on the Capitol grounds, and I was convinced the most you got out of that day was some good exercise. But 3 days later, as we were walking to the playground you looked up at me and said "Momma, what is the Dalai Lama doing right now?" I think I made up something like he's brushing his teeth. You seemed pleased with that. But as we were eating our lunch you looked at me and said "The Dalai Lama is eating his lunch and is going to take a nap too." It was such an amazing moment.

You're recognizig those around you more and choosing your favorite people. You are currently obsessed with princesses and I'm still figuring out how to deal with this. But hey if sleeping in Tiara makes you happy and brings you peace maybe more people should try it!

I treasure our time together and am looking foward to so many more years of amazing you.

I love you Ally Gator!

Momma.

Notes on a Scandal

I know I usually write funny stories on my kids and myself but something is bugging me this morning.

Yes, I live in Washington, DC. A city that is no stranger to scandals and the fall of morals. Yes, it is a city of corruption and power. And as scandals break all the time, I'm either mildly amused by them or I just ignore them.

Yesterday the story broke on the prostitution ring that the Governor of New York was involved in and of course the story has ties in Washington. But that's not whats bugging me.

On the news they showed pictures of the Mayflower Hotel here in town where many of the illicit activities took place. And they showed photos of the Governors family. And to my horror, there he was with his wife and 3 daughters. 3 daughters. 3 girls. And he was involved in a prostitution ring, exploiting other people's daughters. Other girls. And there he was with his 3 daughters.

As a mother of a beautiful girl this angers me. It angers me how the father of 3 daughters, who no doubt has nixed the job of prostitute for his own girls has not problem using other ladies, who turns out are daughters of someone else.

Raising a girl is tough. There are so many pressures on them and so many awful things that can happen to them. I'm beat myself up on on a daily basis wondering if I said or did the wrong thing to Ally that could start her life in a downward spiral of drug abuse or promiscuity. And than I realize, she's only 3 and it's going to be okay.

Yet, I find myself wanting to protect her. Wanting to guide her to be a strong girl. We've recently found ourselves in princess hell where Ally loves the princesses. And all the princesses meet prince charming and fall in love and get married. And as it turns out, most of the princesses are married at 16. But I add anecdotes like, well first Cinderella got her PhD in Biotechnology and after she reached tenure and the won the Nobel prize for all of her research, than she got married. I want my daughter to have strong values. And I try not to contradict those by trying to be strong woman myself.

I have Jack, and I worry about him too, I want him to have good values and to get his PhD too. I don't have double standards. Boys have social pressures too.


And than there's that guy. The Governor of New York, who I'm sure wants good for his daughters, yet exploits women at the same time.

We live in world of double standards, and I guess this is my vow to try and raise my kids to be the opposite of those standards. To be strong individuals.

And in the meantime, to the daughters of the Governor. I'm so sorry.

Mary had a WHAT?

Ally has been doing her own mashups lately, capitalizing on the most recent trends within the entertainment industry amongst the toddler set. Just this morning she was laying down some dope gospel on top of a trippy lulabye backbeat...


< tune - mary had a little lamb >
Mary, had a Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ
Mary, had a Jesus Christ
Mary had a Vagina

And well, it's all true.