Valedictorian

Fitbit partnered with a race I'm scheduled to run in a few weeks, and offered a discount code for registrants. I have several friends who love the technology, so I decided to treat myself to an early Mother's Day gift:

Happy Mother's Day to me! 

It's pretty much a glorified pedometer, but their website is engaging and fun. In addition to keeping track of steps, users are also able to track calories, water consumption, log additional workouts, and 'compete' with friends for most steps logged during the week. It includes a dongle (I'm not making that word up, I swear) that connects to a USB port and updates your information by connecting wirelessly to your wristband. Dongle makes me giggle because I'm 12-years old like that.  

The Fitbit also tracks sleep quality. It measures sleep patterns by keeping track of when the user goes to bed, how long it takes to fall asleep, and how many times they are restless or awakened during the night. Exactly how it is measured remains a mystery to me, but I like to think Santa is involved somehow. 'He knows when you are sleeping, he knows when your awake...'   

I've always been an average person. I'm not particularly good at any one thing. Well, except for sleeping. 

I consider sleep to be my superpower; I can fall asleep quickly and almost anywhere. I have fallen asleep during a massage, which probably isn't all that uncommon - but I have also fallen asleep while having my teeth cleaned, during an MRI, and even completely sober at an Aerosmith concert.

Since using my Fitbit, I learned that I typically fall asleep in 6 minutes and I am rarely awoken in the middle of the night or even restless. Leave it to me to excel at doing nothing: 

YOUR SLEEP EFFICIENCY99%

Seventeen

Dear Beauty, 

You turned seventeen a few weeks ago. I'm sorely behind on this letter, although I have thought about what I wanted to write frequently, such as: how can you be so old already? I know it's cliche for adults to say stuff like that, but it's the truth. 

Weren't we just celebrating your 6th birthday...when I actually talked a dispatcher into sending a real ambulance and paramedics to our house for your party, so all the kids could see what a real ambulance looked like on the inside? 

You wanted a hospital-themed birthday party that year where kids could weigh themselves on a scale, listen to their heart beat with a real doctor's stethoscope, and use child-sized crutches. Of course, there was the overzealous guest who made you cry by putting band-aids over every single one of your babydolls' eyes. Regardless of that one snafu, it remains in the top three of best parties I've ever thrown. 

And then you had to go and do this:

That first day you drove by yourself to school,
you drove off with my heart.

We toured colleges over spring break a couple weeks ago. I was both excited for your bright future, as well as feeling overwhelmed with the realization that you will be headed off to college and on your own in less then two years. Maybe I should follow you and go back to school to pursue my college degree after all? JUST KIDDING.

And I'll be completely honest: I've bought into all the hype about high test scores, perfect GPA's and a well-rounded college resume. Although it's coming from the best intentions, I have literally made myself sick behind it and brought you an unfair additional amount of stress. It's a completely different world than when I was in high school, and I cannot fathom the pressures that you've faced as a teenager. Truthfully? No employer has ever asked me what my high school GPA was. You are going to get into a great college. 

Touring UCSC...where we saw Don-freaking-Cheadle!

Today was a special day; we spent the afternoon together shopping for a prom dress, shoes and accessories, and, if everything goes according to plan, your sweet boyfriend is asking you tonight to his senior prom as I write this. I love seeing you in love, and I couldn't be happier for you. This whole thing with your friend Samo's health has affected me deeply. My biggest fear as a parent is to outlive you or your brother, and it's been a reminder of how precious family and childhood are. I want you to know how much you are treasured, and to look back on your childhood and our crazy family with fond memories. 

Last year's birthday present: Cooper.
The gift that keeps on giving!

Performing with your brother and Dishwalla drummer
George Pendergast for Big Daddy's epic birthday party!
It was one of the best days of your father's life.

Your brother! I don't even know what to say about this picture.

You, me and Aunt Erika with friends at the Warrior Dash!
You were a very good sport.

Sparklers to celebrate your birthday at Theo and Thea's house.

I love this face so very much.
Happy 17th birthday, Beauty!

You are truly one of my favorite people. All my love always...

Mom

Samo

One of Girldoll's best friends, Samo, has been diagnosed with a virus in his heart. Originally hospitalized for pneumonia, he is now on a waiting list for a heart transplant. A few days ago, he suffered a stroke and has lost his vision.

Samo is 17-years old.

We have known Samo since he was in grade school when the kids were on swim team together. The first time I met Sam, I overheard a conversation he had with his dad. During a swim meet, his dad asked him what his strategy was for his next race. Sam confidently replied, 'To dominate.' 

Honestly, that has been pretty much Sam's life strategy: to be on the forefront of life and inspiring others along the way. It's rare that I'm struck by the charisma and character of someone so young. 

The last few years have been tough for Sam. I won't go into that here because it's not my story to tell, but I will say that he is a study in resilience. I've known adults that are taken down by adversity, but Samo has more perseverance and wisdom than many men twice his age.  

After a month-long illness that affected his grades and caused him to be dropped from the varsity water polo roster, Samo pursued an independent study program. In less than six months, he has earned enough school credit to graduate from high school a year early. He recently returned from an all-expense paid trip to Washington DC, after being recognized for a grant that he authored.

Despite his (hopefully) temporary loss of vision, his mom reports that he is still playing his guitar and has quickly won over the nurses and doctors on his unit.

The irony of Samo's situation is not lost on me; it's hard to believe that anyone with such an extraordinary heart has been hospitalized, waiting on a new one. I think of you every day, Sam. Please know that your story and your life has touched a whole community, and it is another reminder of how precious family and our children are.

This photo was taken last October when
Samo accompanied Girldoll's band,
aptly playing a cover of Foo Fighter's My Hero.
Yes, Sam. You most certainly are.

Tiny Dinosaur

So, this is what my Friday night looked like:

Tail curl! Squeeeeeeeee!

Shhhh! She's sleeping! 

I promptly texted these photos to Girldoll and pleaded my case: 

Mother's Day? Please?!

Monday Monday

Well played, Monday.

Thirteen

Dear Son,

Last week, you turned thirteen. The two of us spent the long weekend in Seattle, and it was a trip that I will never forget. I hope it's a trip you won't forget, either; the Experience Music Project, skateboarding in Ballard and at Seattle Center, going to Jazz Alley with your great uncle and grandma to see Mindi Abair play Heart's Barracuda on saxophone, and exploring Pike Place Market: 

I am mostly okay with you becoming a teenager - that is, until I remember that you are my youngest child. In five years, you will leave for college and move on to adulthood. Likely, this will be harder on me than you; I have spent much of my adult life child-rearing, while you've spent all of your life working on the business of growing up. Moving forward will be no stranger to you, and I know you will be successful in anything you set your mind to.

One of the things about parenting that I always looked forward to was sharing my favorite music with you and your sister; I took great pride in taking you to see The Black Keys in concert, as well as listening to the new Black Sabbath album together. What I didn't anticipate was that you would reciprocate and share your favorite music with me: Let Her Go by Passenger and Disclosure's When A Fire Starts To Burn are all kinds of awesome. 

My hope is that your life will always involve music. I have seen your enormous musical talent solidify in the last year. Part of the reason is that in addition to your weekly drum lesson, you started studying jazz this year. You have gone from being a novelty as the youngest drummer in your music academy to a solid onstage presence in five short years. It is no exaggeration to say that when you performed last month, it was one of the best days of your father's life. 

It is a joy watching you perform with your sister. Speaking of which, you are an excellent brother. One of my proudest moments was the time you stepped in and told your sister's then-boyfriend, who was being an idiot and gloating over beating her in a board game, that he needed to 'let your girlfriend win'. 

Happy birthday, son. I love you always.

I love that I know what 'rock to fakie' means, but mostly...I love you.

xoxo

Mom 

Ambassador

So, you remember the post about my girl-crush? As if Danielle wasn't busy enough writing clever ditties about her travels while running a marathon in each state across the country, she and and her business partner Natalie recently started a website called Ramblen. 

Well, they have invited me to be an ambassador on their website! I'm thrilled to be a small part of their organization and their dynamic concept. I also get swag: a ramblen t-shirt, plus the coveted T-Rex technical tee:

That's Danielle. Sorry she's not sorry.

Dude! I'm so excited! Designed for the athlete who is looking to stay on top of their training and nutrition while traveling, the website offers a search-by-city of the best running trails, gyms, lap-pools, healthy restaurants, athletic-apparel stores...or spin instructors worth the drop-in fee. *cough* 

It's brilliant!

Boom. Stephen Colbert knows *exactly* how I feel about all this.