So glad we've made it

So Tia is now a year old. When I woke up this morning, I tried to relive the memories of when she was born, the first few hours, the first few days. But to be honest with you - it's all something of a blur. I blame the drugs myself. I do remember some things; holding her for the first time, watching Chris calm her, showing her around the house when she came home from the hospital.Buying lots of girls clothes. I remember how light she was and realising that the vast (and I do mean vast) majority of my baby weight was actually Jo weight...
Besides - how do you sum up a life changing, life defining year? Or try to explain how this 6lb 6oz bundle has grown into this bubbly,dramatic, vibrant, goofy toddler? Maybe words can't describe it. No words can communicate how much we love Tia; how much she's changed us, how we see the world, see life , see God through different eyes since she came around.

In the meantime we just carry on! We're learning how to be good parents. We're leaning on God when we're totally confused, exhausted, overwhelmed - or all of the above. Parenting leaves plenty of scope for dependence on God I think.
And we're doing a lot of laughing. Laughing, giggling, singing and dancing. And it's a lot of fun!

A small correction

I was in Walmart again today and realised that Bratz and Barbie dolls are not geared at 3 year olds like the Stilettoes ones are. Barbie says age 5 and up, Bratz age 6. Well, I feel so much better about it now.

Barbies, Bratz and Stilettoes

So Tia has outgrown her toys and needed a few things updating. So we go to the shops to see what we could find. Somehow I strayed onto an aisle of dolls. Now at the risk of sounding like a Neo - con fundie I was horrified.

Ok, so I've never been a great fan of Barbie ( no I didn't have one) so there were no shocks there. But Bratz, man alive. They are these pouty dolls dressed like hoochie mamas, wearing leopard print. And you can buy all the accessories - lucky me. Stilettoes pretty much live up to the name and was like walking through Fargate on a Friday night.
And because things have "progressed" not all the dolls were blued eyed blondes. The Bratz in particular were competing with Benetton for diversity. Well sort of; the black girls has waist length hair, not quite an afro.
So I looked to see at what age the girls get to have these impossible images of beauty shoved in their faces. All the dolls were advertised for age 3 and upwards. AGE 3???? You need to have a Bratz doll that looks like she is straight outta a 50 Cent video at 3? You need Stilettoes at 3? You need the cushions, the accessories, the jewellery, the whole package?
Is it me, or is that just WAY TOO YOUNG??? not to mention totally inappropriate? Why do dolls need to look like they've had Botox? Why do they need to be, pouty, made up, "sexy" for 3 year olds?

Thank God for Dora the Explorer, the Latina girl on an adventure who seems to be the only alternative to the princess fest (don't even get me started) we're going to have to deal with in the days to come.

In the end - we left with a huge box of Lego bricks. You can't go wrong with Lego. Simple, fun and not WEIRD!!!

So you think you can dance?

So you think you can dance? is like American Idol for dancers - and the reality TV fix for the summer, where you get to vote for the person who is "America's Favorite Dancer". The contestants have to take on all dance genres, so you see these hip hop dancers doing the Argentine tango, and ballroom dancers tackling krumping.

It's all good fun. The judges include the obligatory villian, who I am noting is more often than not British. In fact you often see it in films and TV shows too, the bad guy is a Brit. So Idol and Dance are simply carrying on a time honoured tradition. Must be an Independence Day thing...

But the best, bestest thing of all about the show, is the sight of a familiar face - Cat Deeley. Brimming with Brummie warmth, she is a breath of unaffected, genuine fresh air across our TV screen. She is all big hugs and huge smiles and seems to be wooing the US talk show circuit with the girl-next-door thing that made her big in the UK. Who knows, maybe
"our Cat" will be the next Big Thing (whatever that means) over here.

Fantastic. All we need now is some Ant and Dec to make my joy complete. Then it will be like that great TV classic, CD:UK all over again.