yet still more with the random notes from a random girl.

Two years ago, I took M to Tony Roma's for his birthday. He wore his "geek" t-shirt, and when we left, our receipt had one of those surveys that you call in and get a coupon for your next purchase. I have a validation code and receipt to get $5 off my next $15 purchase. Two years, people, I have been carrying this thing in my purse. Why? Why? Why? It wasn't bad but you know what? I can't really imagine us going there again. Yet, I have carried this receipt for so long that the text has mostly faded away. I don't even know if it's still valid, though there's no expiration date listed. Do you think I can throw it away now? Or should I carry it for another four years first? (I am also carrying two manufacturer's coupons for free Brach's candy that I received after complaining to the company at least six years ago that my maple nut goodies were stale. No expiration date means no hurry!) Coupons seem like a great idea until I am too dumb to use them.

Girlo and I went out on errands today, which was fun until I was a mile from home and then she entered complete meltdown stage, which lasted until we'd been home twenty minutes and all her very important, urgent desires (food! attention! diaper! out of the car! not in that order!) had been attended to. I was way overdressed, wearing snazzy black pants and a smoking hot green shirt, courtesy of my shopping trip last weekend. I could have worn that outfit to church, to a wedding, to a business meetng. Instead, I went to the dollar store, the bank and WalMart. I am SAHM, hear me roar. Or... something. Evelyn was wearing a white sleeveless lacy/ruffly top with pink embroidered flowers along the neckline, pink capris and pink crocs. Not one but TWO people commented on my pretty little boy. What. The. Heck. I mean, I really don't care if people think she's a boy. My worth as a mother is not tied in to people correctly identifying my child's gender. She has hair but it's not long... it's just fine and blonde and wispy. (M says she reminds him of courtesy's icon of her as a little girl... or she will when it gets a little bit longer.) Babies are kind of androgynous and I don't care much about the gender color stereotypes. But really? THIS outfit makes you think she's a boy? What exactly should I dress her in to make people think she looks more like a girl?

And speaking of E, she may (or may not) be getting sick. She's had a runny nose since yesterday, and has been sleeping oddly, and snuggling more. Her birthday party is Sunday so I am really hoping she doesn't get sick! I would hate to reschedule the thing. I think we'll have fun but part of me just wants to get it over with, too. I think there will be about twenty people coming. I'm planning on making two 9x13 pans of lasagna and two pounds of fettucine alfredo (possibly with chicken and/or broccoli, depending on how motivated I get.) Salad and bread, too, I think. Leftovers will be frozen for M's lunches so I'm not too terribly concerned about that, though it sounds like a lot of food--I'd skip the fettucine altogether but my mom is anti-beef at the moment. Eh, I only cook for the family once a year or so, and both of those things can be done largely in advance. I gave up on the cupcake theme and am planning on making ice cream cake. Boyo loves ice cream cake, and I am WAY too cheap to buy one at Overpriced Ice Creams R Us.

I am off to read and then sleep, and hope that I am not bothered until morning. Good night, good night, wherever you are. :)

p.s. My husband sent me this tonight: linky. Modern day romance... who needs flowers, chocolate or cards, we have LOLCATS.