My Dad and the Train of Lights

My Dad did this really cool thing for Emma, Clark and I this week. He bought tickets so the four of us (him included) could go on the 2010 Sunol Train of Lights but he got the upgraded tickets for the Art-Deco parlor lounge car for a luxurious experience right out of the golden age of rail travel. The Holiday Club Lounge has a circular mahoghany bar, framed by etched glass and mirrors. IT WAS AWESOME!

Emma the Wall Crawler

Winter pictures

Emma's Winter Dance

The Text...the Beheaded Doll

The text as it read...

""I am sorry to say I found the doll beheaded on Holmes. Must have been on top of the car and fallen off or something. I can pick it up if you still want it."

After Clark and I laughed hard, cause the image was sort of sick funny. I was going to tell Emma her doll went to Heaven but Clark then decided to tell her the doll went on a trip. Bahaha.

Friday night, Clark and Emma went to a friend's house for a "Thanksgiving do-over". The wife had been sick on Thanksgiving and could not function to cook, take care of herself and her vomiting household members. So, lo, behold, the Thanksgiving do-over.

The wife and I went to a girlfriends house for a girls night out.


When Clark left with Emma from the "Thanksgiving do-over" he placed the doll on top of the SUV roof and drove off. Apparently the dad driving behind him thought Clark had ran over something, but did not know what.

As soon, as I walked in the house later that night, Emma ran to the front door and said, "Mommy, where's my doll?"

Anyone who has a brown eyed brown haired little girl knows how hard it is to find a pretty brown eyed brown haired doll that does not cost an arm and a leg. So, Saturday morning the new search began.

Since Clark told Emma that the doll went on a trip, Emma kept asking where the doll went and when it was coming back. Unfortunately after an extensive search on line the previous doll is not sold anymore, so a new brown haired brown eyed doll had to be found.

Of course, every time, as twisted parents we are, the word "beheaded" was said, Clark and I would laugh. Emma would look at us since of course, she does not know yet what the word means-THANKFULLY.

And because our friends are like us in some ways, Karen said
"Well if you're going to blog about it, you should know that besides being beheaded, her left leg was also amputated, her right eye won't open, she has abrasions on her right knee and left cheek, and a chunk is missing from her upper lip. Her braid in front stayed in tact, however. The hair is good! :)"

Which has had us laugh harder. Well to make a long story finally end, a new pretty doll that looks like Emma has been found. A story about the new doll will be told to Emma well maybe in about twenty years.

Karen took care of the beheaded doll, because well that is what friends do.

Livermore Moms in the Downtown Parade

Children should be Seen not Heard, Really?

Ok, there is a debate among a few of us, about whether children when in the presence of adults should be seen and not heard.

And I might lose a few friends as I say this, in fact a few people might vehemently disagree (and I have heard from them already) but this old adage needs to tossed out into the refuge pile not to be recycled.

Clark and I tried for many years to have Emma. The last thing I want to do is just see her and not hear her voice. I want to remember what she says and how she says it. I want to remember the way she laughs. While I would rather not remember her bad days, they do come, like all of ours, but she is a part of our lives, not only to be seen but to be heard.

Clark and I both agreed that manners need to be in play and "excuse" and "pardon me" are things we are working on.

Does she need to be apart of every conversation? No. Does she need to go off and play with other kids or even by herself? Absolutely.

But in our house, we want to see Emma and hear her. Hopefully over time, this will foster the relations needed on when she needs us as her mom and dad as a pre teen and teenager. That she knows we will listen and hear. Clark and I both feel that if we build the foundations now, Emma will know she can come to us, that she can be not only seen but heard.

For all the people for who believe in "Children should be seen not heard?"

How did that work out for you? OR the question that should be asked is how did that work out for your children?