Creepy Crawlies

Of course there is a long story behind this picture, but I won't bore you with details of my arachnophobia (I'm not going to be able to look at my own blog until I've posted enough to move this out of the home page), the audacity of a spider that just couldn't stay in it's web, and the two brave souls that managed to capture, physically and photographically, this creepy crawly critter.

Happy Halloween!

Shut up and DANCE

So my kid is a genius, right (hey I'm a mom - every mom thinks her kids are either the next Einstein or a total f- up). Back to my kid - he can do these puzzles meant for 3 yr olds when he's only half that age. It's amazing I tell you, just amazing. Seriously though, even his babysitter, a former daycare worker (that makes her an expert, right?) says he's got mad skilz in the mechanical division. And he even knows the number 2 - I mean, he actually knows he has TWO feet. Not three. Not four. So clearly, he's a genius.

But for all those brains stacked up in that little noggin of his, the kid can't dance. He won't dance. He won't try to make a spider with his little fingers and make it go up and down the spout. He won't shake a tambourine and freeze when the music stops. And he won't dare to get up and walk in a circle to the tune of "Ring around the Rosie." No, I don't expect him to win the next round of DWTS or anything. But these missing basic toddler achievements are like a gaping black hole of shame on his baby resume. And who do ya think takes all the blame for that???

As his legal representative, I understand it is my personal responsibility to ensure his acceptance to Harvard by age 3 (or better yet, Williams College). And thus, even a genius must show the versatility of skilz worthy of a top liberal arts education. But last time I tried to physically force him to get up and shake his booty in dance/music class, he got all Velociraptor on me tried to tare my eyes out of their sockets. Is he destined to be yet another nerdy white man with no rhythm, no groove?

Seriously though, this all chalks up to being ridiculously shy in public settings. The kid who screams at the top of his lungs (just for fun of course) and runs naked through the house giggling like a maniac, the one who insists we listen to his favorite tunes during the family meal, the one who made a game out of flopping down on the floor face first, THAT ONE, he now clings to his mama like she's trying to sell him to gypsies while all the other kids run and dance and giggle and wave colorful scarves in the air and, you know HAVE FUN. LIKE NORMAL TODDLERS.

What do I do? What do I do???