There is still baby left in her.

On Sunday we said goodbye to the sturgeons and to my phone. I used it last on the bench in front of the tank, and I am sure of it because P and SS remember (I can be flaky). It was swiped during the picture taking, quite an expensive outing for us. I am furious that someone would take something that does not belong to them. I am even more upset at the thought that some creep, some slimy good for nothing SOB has access to SS's pictures and videos. I am also upset at myself for being careless, we are not rolling in money and P has been very gracious about my stupidity. Then again, after fifteen years the guy has come to expect just that from me.But the thing that keeps me up at night is the pics and video. From now on I will be downloading pics and video to my desktop as frequent as I do with my other two cameras, I just got lazy with the phone.

Just my luck that the iPhone4 began selling yesterday. I was more than happy to replace the 3GS, but P insisted that financially we were better off with the upgrade. He then decided that it would be an early birthday present. The catch? Everybody and their mother wants one. We were at the store Tuesday around 7:00 p.m. and two guys were setting up to be the first ones in line. The next day everyone was talking about them. They climbed on the roof of the store, found a plug, and had a TV and XBox going all night. I wanted and needed a phone, but not that bad to wait overnight. But if I wanted a phone, I would have to rough it early in the morning.

So once again I risked life and limb to wake up SS at the crack of dawn, this time 6:00 a.m. and off to the AT&T store we went. We were #92 in line and P stayed with us until 7:30 when I told him it was useless for him to be there. Off to work he went and then I realized that I am indeed a moron, because who the heck wants to wait with a toddler, in the heat, and without help.

SS was once again AMAZING, did not complain once. People were commenting about how she was the youngest child there by far (and the guilt piles on), the other kids had Nintendo DS games and were still restless and cranky. Not SS, she was people watching, munching on goldfish crackers and milk and just being her happy self. As we got closer to the entrance, a guy removed one of the store's balloons and said that it went well with SS's dress and handed it to her. SS loves balloons and was in balloon heaven. Then another dude thought she should have a second blue balloon and handed her another one. SS had a balloon tied around each wrist.

When we made it into the store, the manager commented on how well behaved SS was. I have now given up trying to explain that it is all an act, and that our daughter is full of pi$ and vinegar. No one believes us, unless they see her in Exorcist-Taz on meth mode. The manager went in the back and returned with a big ball and began playing with SS. I thought she did it so I could complete my transaction without distraction, but it ended up being a bigger distraction because I must keep my eye on my child at all times. I know, it's not like she was going to be kidnapped while being supervised by the store manager, but I am neurotic that way. As we were leaving I thanked her for her help and asked SS to return the ball. The manager said that it was hers to keep, because she had been such a good girl while waiting. So we left with a serious withdrawal from our bank account and SS left with a giant ball.

The new phone is OK and P appreciates it more than I. He keeps noting how the new screen is "so pretty." It does have a flash and the shutter speed is faster, and I am sure it has a hundred other bells and whistles. But right now I think the new phone sucks royally. It has a well known problem when held the proper way, it interferes with the antenna and loses a few bars. It has also dropped every call I made yesterday. I am waiting a few days, because they are sold out and will try to get another unit.

P was very generous insisting that I upgrade, considering that I (GULP) forgot our wedding anniversary earlier this month. Granted, it was June 15, the day SS's unfortunate inner thigh welt kept her naked for two days. But still, I married the dude 9 years ago, the least I could do is remember the darn date. P showed up at lunch carrying flowers and a card. I only saw the flowers and was dumbfounded. What the heck is he doing with flowers? Someone gave him flowers? Yeah, I am that dense. When the date finally kicked in I felt like an absolute idiot. And I could not even use the "I gave you two wonderful kids" excuse, because I used that one the last time I forgot an important date. Sigh...

Now to the good part. SS was great and wonderful while waiting, but when we got home she went into full now-you-pay-for-waking-me-up mode. We indulged her, because it was a cruel thing to do to her. She cried over everything and took a long, late, three hour nap after a crying fit over something I don't remember. We were going to take her swimming, but I did not dare wake her up again. She refused to eat lunch unless I fed her, and the same for dinner. In the pics below, she is lounging on the kitchen counter, waiting for us to feed her, and not caring that she is supposed to be in her high chair. And we were worried that at 15 months she would not have enough baby left in her.





We can't get over how tanned she already is. I am out whenever she is out and I am closer to P's shade than SS's. My Puerto Rican pride is deeply wounded, but I am still proud of my olive skinned baby.