The boy who ate it all

Zoe is not much of an eater. She really likes a few things, but even with those, she stops eating when she's full. It is a unique ability in our house. For example, the other morning we made a pilgrimage to Neil's Donut's up in Wallingford. Neil's donuts are probably the best donuts I have ever had. They are featured in several books including 500 Things to Eat Before it is Too Late and Road Food. Zoe happens to love chocolate frosted donuts with sprinkles and Neil's version is unequaled. It makes the Dunkin Donuts version look like amateur hour. We're all devouring our donuts and then halfway through hers, Zoe stops, wraps the remainder of her donut in a napkin and hands it to me saying she's full. I didn't know it was possible to stop eating a donut halfway through unless you were being forced to share! Imagine stopping eating something as delicious as a donut just because you were full? (OK, it was a huge donut.)

My nephew, Joseph, on the other hand is seeming bottomless pit. His ability to eat is equally as impressive as Zoe's ability not to eat. The other day my sister-in-law listed all the food he had eaten the day before and it is an impressive list:

• 2 eggs
• 2 pieces of bacon
• 1 piece of toast
• 2 glasses of milk
• peanut butter and jelly sandwich
• chips
• Wheat Thins
• fruit snacks
• apple
• donut
• hamburger
• french fries
• milkshake
• peas
• Jell-o with whipped cream
• piece of challah
• banana
• crackers
• raisins
• water
• 6 chicken dinosaurs
• 3 Oreos
• more peas
• half an apple
• 2 more glasses of milk

And no, he didn't throw up. And of course, he's skinny as a rail. I'm glad I don't have to buy the groceries for their house!

Deafness a.k.a. Selective Hearing

As many of you know, my father suffers from pronounced hearing loss. He has a very hard time in restaurants, at parties, and sometimes it can even be a challenge to have a face-to-face conversation with him. If there is any background noise at all it next to impossible for him to hear well despite the state-of-the-art hearing aids he wears. Because he tries with the hearing aids, with lip reading and now with texting I cut him a lot of slack and have learned to speak loudly when I am with him. Frustrating as it maybe be at times.

Zoe, on the other hand, suffers from a completely different kind of deafness for which I have zero tolerance. When the TV is on I can literally stand right in front of her and speak to her and she will have no idea that I've said a word. For example:

[I walk in front of Zoe and stand between her and the TV]

Me: Zoe! You need to go brush your teeth.

Zoe: [blank stare]

Me (again): Zoe! Did you hear me? You need to go brush your teeth.

Zoe: [blank stare]

Me: Zoe!?! Zoe! Teeth! Now!

Zoe: [blank stare] OK. [pause as I walk away] Wait, what?

Me: #$@&*"^$!($ Brush your teeth!


It's a real comedy routine.

I yell at her for it, I punish her, I turn off the TV, but the problem seems only to get worse. I'd blame the TV, but it seems to happen at other times too. Like when she's outside playing and I want her to come in for dinner or when it is time to feed the dog or one of her other 2 second "chores."

Perhaps I need to take her to an audiologist? It's that or a therapist for me!

The One Where Zoe Disappears

Since it is the last weekend of summer, I thought I would share one of my favorite summer memories ...

The Ankle Drama

The other day Zoe claimed that her ankle hurt. Since she had come running off and there was no ankle twisting incident or any occurrence that could have produced a hurt ankle, the source of the ankle pain was a mystery, but apparently she was in a lot of pain.

It hurt so badly that:

• she could not walk on it
  
• she wrapped it in a bandanna (not sure how that helped)
• she put ice on it
• she was sure to alert Rob or me each time we walked by her lying on the couch
• she would not let me touch it or even look at it

Both Rob and I were convinced she had a cramp, or what we like to call "fake sprained ankle" which is one of those debilitating ankle cramps that really hurt, but the only cure is to walk on it and move it around. Zoe would not believe our assessment or take our suggestion to walk around on it so we ignored her complaints. She went to bed convinced she had a broken ankle.

Morning came and there was no more mention of ankle pain, but later that next day I was putting some stuff away in her room and I found this note peeking out from beneath her bed.

(Translation: Sadly my [ankle] is still in pain. Hurts!!!! Lots! HELP!)

Tuesday Shoesday: Boots!

If you're shopping for new shoes these days you'd be hard pressed to find something other than boots. I thought boots were big last year, but this year it appears that boots are back with a vengeance.

I know I already mentioned my distaste for the open-toed boots so I won't revisit. (Even though I do hope that is a short-lived trend!) But speaking of trends here are some I've found interesting.

I love this folded over look from Boutique 9. These boots look like they would look good with skirts or jeans and would get worn to death. They are only available in brown suede, but that's OK. After all, what fabric says autumn more than brown suede.

I think I am ready to click "add to cart" on this pair!















Speaking of suede...

as a kid I used to love my desert boots. There are a number of desert boot inspired styles out there this year. I like this pair (aptly named Dessertt) from Steve Madden, but I am on the fence because they are a bit too trendy. I like the nostalgia of them, but I wonder if I would want to wear them more than one season or two.







And Speaking of trends...

The over the knee boot is not a trend you'll ever find me in mainly because I am short and curvy and I think these are really meant for those of you blessed with height. However, if I were to get a pair, I would go totally over the top with a pair like these from Joie. Wowza. I can only think of one person I know who could seriously pull these off. She'd have to beat them off with sticks if she did.












Thus ends my shoe-gasm for the day. Hope you enjoyed.

P.S. I have recently recently re-discovered my life and shall be returning to regular blogging.