momindcity, Author at Mom in DCity

Flower Girls are in the House Tonight!

December 6, 2013 by momindcity 1 Comment

Were you ever a flower girl? I never was, but always wanted to be. So when my friend, Katie, asked Lira and Zana to be flower girls in her Charlottesville wedding, it was ON.

No time to waste… we read flower girl books, watched YouTube videos (yes, really), and talked about the importance of their mission. “Don’t mess up. You have the most important job in the entire wedding…. Yeah, I know you’re not the bride, but throwing those flowers on the ground sets the stage for the entire wedding.” I can’t figure out why, but the night before the wedding, they both decided they didn’t want to be flower girls anymore.

After bribing them with toys that they could only pay with after getting an A+ on their flower girl final exam, they were ready to roll.

Here’s how they got an A+:

Asking the tough questions. From “Why do we have to throw the flowers on the ground?” to “What’s that thing on your leg? (a garter). Princess Tiana didn’t wear one of those when she got married,” these girls kept the bride on her toes. So Katie, what does one do with that garter belt? I never heard your answer.
“No really, what is that thing on your leg?”
Launching the party rocket. Just before ceremony time, there was an eerie, nervous silence. A bridesmaid thought a song might lighten the mood… but what song? Just then, Zana screamed at the top of her lungs “PARTY ROCKET’S IN THE HOUSE TONIGHT!” And from that moment, it really was. “Everybody just have a good time!” all the bridesmaids sang back. Also, I think LMFAO got their own lyrics wrong. Zana’s version is much better.
What’s everyone so nervous about?
Providing the getaway. During picture time, it’s hard to notice when someone disappears So it’s no surprise that, before we realized she was gone, Zana climbed into the driver seat of the golf cart, and pushed the gas pedal. Shrieks and screams ensued as Dave and I sprinted toward her. Luckily, she only drove a few feet…. And what did she have to say for herself? Not much -just giggles.
“I could have driven it better.”
Boogey-ing. “I Katie, take you Colin…” “AAAAACHHHHOOOOO!” You know those sneezes with the snot that hangs down to your waist? The thick, greenish-yellow snot producing sneezes? Zana picked the perfect moment for one of those. Terrified bridesmaids exchanged “do I have to deal with this?” looks, but little Z knew to come on over to my purse full of tissues, get her nose wiped, and get right back up there. (Somehow there wasn’t a picture of any of this in the professional photos. Go figure.)
And boogie-ing. My favorite part of many weddings (including my own) is when the flower girls dance. It’s usually just a dance or two… but not with my party animals. Lira took several twirls around the dance floor, while Zana found her place on stage. Flashbacks of my college days didn’t let me sleep much that night… but the pictures sure do rule.

"And you're gonna hear me rrrooooaaar!" — “And you’re gonna hear me rrrooooaaar!”

Fast forward to college... smh — Fast forward to college… #smh

Bonus Points:

To Lira for being the most patient and loving big sister I’ve ever seen.

Dave, for putting on a pirate hat.

Full disclosure: the real reason I’m writing this post is because the wedding photographer, Jack Looney, took some of my favorite pictures of the girls that I’ve ever seen. I mean really…

Tell me about your flower girl experiences in the comments below!

Monet, Butts and Other Family Values

September 24, 2013 by momindcity 1 Comment

We’re almost a month into the school year now and time is definitely not flying. It doesn’t help that “I don’t waaaannnaaaagotaschoooool” replaces “good morning” most days.

There’s crying while I force Zana into her uniform, crying while we decide whether we’re walking or biking, and then extreme sobbing that can be heard across the school when I leave her in her classroom.

Sweet moments like this one are rare, but give me hope that one day those eyes will be dry.

Not interesting in going home after school

Despite what I’ve witnessed, Zana’s teacher says she’s having a fantastic year. She sends photos and stories throughout the day that paint an entirely different picture of our little Debbie Downer.

When they were coming up with their list class expectations, the teacher sent a list of each child’s suggestions to the parents:

“no spitting”
“no hitting”
“no biting”
“no kicking”
“no showing your butt to your friends”– Zana

Family values, ladies and gentlemen. That’s what we’re all about. No showing your butt to your friends. It’s something Dave and I remind each other of on a daily basis because, let’s be honest, you’ll probably want to at some point during the day.

Luckily, the other kids parents still smile at us in the morning… or maybe they’re smirking. Anyway, I’ll take it. I know they’re just jealous of how well our daughter can articulate all that’s important in life in one short sentence… about butts.

So when I got today’s email, with the subject line “what did you do when you weren’t at school?” I held my breath for the replies.

“played at home”
“ate ice cream”
“slept so much” (clearly not Zana)
“played hopscotch”
“went to a museum, saw the Monet paintings” – Zana

Ha!

Zana’s Parents 1
All You Other Moms and Dads 0

And so what if Zana didn’t really go to a museum this weekend. So what if she went to a mildly sketchy nail salon on H street for a blue manicure instead.

According to that email, Zana’s parents are some classy people. We don’t show our butts to anyone… not even our friends.

Good-bye Vacay, Hello Real World… Womp Womp

September 3, 2013 by momindcity 10 Comments

For all 3 of you who’ve been stalking momindcity.com anxiously waiting for my next post… stop biting your nails, the wait is over. The summer of 2013 has definitely been one to remember. We took our first overseas family vacation! Kosovo, Albania, Germany, and Austria in 4 weeks. Plus, we spent a week at the beach in Delaware before that. How does a working mom get this much time off? My job gives a 5 week sabbatical every 5 years. Crazy, right?!

Here’s a quick recap of why I’ve been off the grid for the past couple of months:

Bethany Beach Highlights included ice cream multiple times a day and the introduction of the “bra-kini,” which you may call a bikini at your house.

sisters at beach — Wearing their bra-kinis.

Kosovo, the youngest country in Europe This is where I spent every summer of my childhood; it’s home to my extended family, and now the place where Lira and Zana want to move (I felt the same way when I was a kid). The castle in Prizren had a breathtaking view of the city.

Yay Prizeren Castle! — People were taking pictures of me attempting to take this picture.

We also spent time in the mountains, and on the family farm:

Kid-friendly castle halfway up a mountain — Castle halfway up a mountain near Decan

Albania Add the Adriatic Sea to your list of beaches to visit. I won’t forget our wonderful time in Vlora, but I do hope to forget whatever stomach but took us all down; ~~Montazuma’s~~ Enver Hoxha’s Revenge is no joke.

The best of our 50+ attempts at a family photo — Don’t worry, I’m wearing my bra-kini.

Munich and Salzburg Our trip to Germany and Austria was quick– just 3 days. We explored castles, gardens (flower and beer), enjoyed hearty German food and exhausted ourselves properly for the 9 hour flight home.

Back to the Grind We got back to DC 2 weeks ago. The girls started school last week– 1st grade (gasp!) and pre-school, and Dave immediately went back to work. I decided to do a 10 day in a row Bikram Yoga challenge to cleanse the vacation damage out of my system and shock my body back into reality. Now it’s time to shock my mind. Heading back to work this morning… womp womp

Capitol Hill Moms are Not Dance Moms

June 27, 2013 by momindcity 4 Comments

We’re taking the summer off from dance. It’s the first time in four years that we won’t have a dance class every Saturday. We have a lot of plans this summer, and dance just doesn’t fit into the equation. I’m not sure what that means for her So You Think You Can Dance future, but we’re risking it.

Lira’s first dance recital was a couple of weeks ago. She’s been waiting for it since she started taking classes at Joy of Motion when she was 2 years old. The recital was everything she hoped and dreamed of—the lights, the costumes, the hair. It was just like an episode of Dance Moms except the kids aren’t wearing half shirts and bootie shorts, Miss Crystal is no Abby Miller, and Capitol Hill moms are definitely not dance moms. In fact, they’re pretty much the opposite. For example…

They don’t know a thing about hair. I may have had to watch a YouTube video (or 3) to learn how to do a proper ballerina bun, but I did it! Not everyone got the bun badge of honor, though. One mom who shall not be named actually took her kid to a barber shop to avoid dealing with the hair nets and donuts (not the Dunkin’ kind).

They don’t dress their kids like Jean Benet-Ramsey. There wasn’t a set of red lips, a trace of body glitter, nor a single half shirt in sight. And based on the snack choices, it didn’t look like anyone had put their kid on the proper dance diet either. (Don’t you people know how many calories are in those granola bars? Sheesh)

They Don’t Show the Proper Dedication. The recital was about 45 minutes from the Hill… and boy were there complaints… and forgotten ballet slippers… and tights… and hair bows. A few kids didn’t even show up to the “mandatory” dress rehearsal and at least 2 showed up in sundresses and sandals.

Abby Miller would be appalled… and so would a lot of people I know from high school who actually are proper dance moms (I’m from Texas, you know). And they’d really be appalled to know the #1 dilemma faced by Capitol Hill moms of girls: dance vs. soccer. They’re at the same time on Saturdays. What’s a Barber Shop Mom to do???

10 Reasons You Can’t Get Married in Kindergarten

June 7, 2013 by momindcity 2 Comments

Lira’s about to graduate from Kindergarten, which can only mean one thing… it’s time to get married! At least, that’s what some of the boys in her class seem to think. I mean, she did get her ears pierced so she’s all grown up and it only makes sense- right?

When I was her age, I used to chase boys around the playground singing Kenny & Dolly’s “Islands in the Stream,” but I didn’t actually want to marry them. I just wanted to profess my undying love. No one in between… how can we be wrong? Sail away with me…

One boy, who felt our connection, picked apart a daddy longleg and eat it one leg at a time to prove his manliness. That’s real love.

But kids these days just want to rush things. Lira comes home with “so-and-so wants to marry me,” or “so-and-so tried to kiss me,” every other day. Dave and I just look at each other, terrified.

Since Lira can’t fit into my wedding dress yet, we had to nip this thing in the bud. On a recent hike through Cabin John, we had a serious conversation about why she can’t marry the latest boy who wants to tie the knot with her.

We told her there were at least 10 reasons that was a bad idea. And Ms. Sassy Pants needed to hear all 10 of them. Here’s what we came up with.

He still lives at home with his parents.
He doesn’t have a job.
He hasn’t even graduated.
He wanted to marry your friend last week.
His friend also wants to marry you (and that’s just awkward).
He didn’t give you a ring. (come on Lira, haven’t I taught you anything?)
He hasn’t asked for our blessing.
She doesn’t have enough money in her piggy bank to pay for the wedding.
The divorce rate is extremely high for marriages between six year olds.
He tried to kiss you and hasn’t even asked you on a date—that’s just ungentlemanly.

Lira giggled harder at each one on the list, and I think we bought ourselves some time. No wedding bells until at least 2014. Whew…

Did I miss any reasons? Let me know in the comments section.