Pico DiPaolo

We were sitting in Fuddrucker’s the other day and Joelle asked who sang a song that was playing. Most of the songs they play are from the 1960’s. I knew most of them and I started thinking – how did I learn these songs? My parents didn’t play music from the 1960’s all the time. Growing up without the internet (“dark ages”), we had to either listen to the music on the radio or play it in the house/in the car….and we didn’t do either.

Then I realized at least a piece of the equation. The 1980’s TV commercials selling music compilations. Those of you who watched a lot of TV during the 80’s will remember them. They usually a loose “theme” with cheesy actors in the background while the names/artists scroll on the screen with a medley of the “hits” playing. I guess that turned out to be an effective way to cram a couple of decades of music into kids’ heads. Think about it – you get the tune and the artist for about 20 popular songs within a couple of minutes. And you see the same commercials over and over and over again. I watched the CCR example and it was as if I had just seen it yesterday.

Here are some examples of what I’m talking about. I know I’m not the only one who remembers these, right?

1. “Heartbeat” – too bad I couldn’t find a good quality video of this one.

2. “CCR” – this one is the most memorable to me for some reason. I could only find it with another commercial (for “Lamar Savings”…a symbol of the S&L Crisis in the 80’s) in front of it, which is humorous in its own right.

3. “Freedom Rock” – I always assumed that they were trying to be over the top on cheesiness here, but I could be wrong. Embedding is disabled on this one so you’ll have to click HERE to view it.

I have a new dust mop, she’s tiny and cute

She gets in small spaces, what a hoot.

I have a new dust mop, she often wears pink

If you don’t watch closely, she’ll be gone in a blink.

I have a new dust mop, she’s definitely not cheap

but she’s snuggly and smiley and something I want to keep.

I love you Lisey, keep on truckin’.  In two days time, she’s gone from not mobile to tearing through the house in a mad pursuit of everything and anything she can get her paws on.

Joelle has enrolled in soccer this year.  She seems to enjoy it, so far.  I know she likes these aspects, at least:  daddy is the assistant coach, daddy playing with her in the evenings, water breaks with her cool soccer bottle, her cleats (adorable black shoes with a pink star), pink shin guards and the whistle. 

Chris mentioned that he needed to get a whistle for the practices to me.  Joelle heard this comment, she hears everything!  She processed her mental inventory of stuff and realized that Nana had one at her house.  The next time she was over at Nana’s, she retrieved the whistle for daddy.  It’s a leopard print and hysterical to see around daddy’s neck.

The other funny thing to me, so far  (I think there will be more chapters before this over):  When I told Joelle that daddy was going to be the assistant coach, she asked, “Does daddy know?”  Where did this mistrust come from!?   

This story comes from Nana, and, I don’t know why, but it evoked an image of a baby Beluga whale for me when I heard it.

Nana blows on little Lisey’s tummy every time she changes her diaper. As of late, little Lisey has taken to straining and reaching back for the plastic bag hanging on the changing table. In other words, it’s suddenly hard to keep her still. In a rush to finish before Elise managed to complete a full bridge on the changing table, Nana forgot to blow on Elise’s tummy. Suddenly, Elise went as stiff as a mummy, hands and arms on her side. She gazed into Nana’s eyes imploring her to do something. Then she sniffed, blowing air out of her nose, and Nana knew what she wanted – a raspberry kiss on her belly.

She laughed with absolute glee when she got her wish.

So, school starting up has kept me busy.  It’s exactly as Chris and I want it to be, but between the picnic, grandparents visit, parent coffee, pet show, parent council meeting, etc., I feel like I’ve been up at the school as much as Joelle! 

This isn’t new advice, but if kids are being quiet – be afraid, be very afraid.  Joelle has been a terror all week, cranky and sullen.  I know it’s from school starting and the schedule change, but it has been a trial for mommie and daddy.  When she was quiet last night playing in mommie’s closet for half an hour, we were suspicious, but let it go.  Bad idea.  I walked into the closet and found a lot of my shirts hanging crumpled up on the hangers.  She learned how to hang up her dress up clothes in Ms. Dee Dee’s class and was practicing her new skill by yanking my shirts down and putting them back up.  Why she couldn’t practice with her own little clothes, I don’t know. 

I thought that was the extent of the damage.  Ok, that was worth it.  No problem.  As I was straightening shirts after the girls were in bed, I noticed a white streak on one of my shirts.  It was deodorant!  I found three more like that.  Ok, once again, not too bad.  In the morning, I asked her about it and she pulled out 15 more shirts that she had put deodorant on.  Chris is right, this would make a good commercial for clear deodorant.  Sigh.  Hesitantly, I ask, “is that all?”  “No, momma.  I put it on these shoes, too.”

What in the world possessed her to put deodorant on my clothes and shoes?  No clue.  Before I found out about the havoc in my closet, Chris and I had smiled at each and concurred that we both liked playing in our parents’ closets, too.  I think Chris will think twice before he allows her to play in his closet after this!