Double Cowlick

I have a wierd hair pattern. As a baby I was called "javelina," the Spanish word for wild boar. My hair stood up off the scalp as if I had constant static pulling it away from my head. It didn't lay flat until it was long enough that the weight of it pulled it down. Now, as an adult woman I wonder how many cowlicks I have. My hair seems to lay the same way all time and it's contrary to any hairstyle I'd like to attempt. It simply doesn't go any other way. The majority of it goes forward, but then between my ears it's as if I've parted it straight across to make a front and back. And then the swirls... 2 at the nape of my neck and at least 2 on the crown. If I ever have to shave my head (for whatever reason), I'm having someone take a picture of my stubbly head to see what's going on up there.

Unfortunately, my son inherited an obnoxious hair pattern of his own. And because we've kept it short, it's been quite obvious. We get comments from barbers and complete strangers with a keen eye. As a baby, his hair stood on end like mine... a long, soft fuzz. People we didn't know would touch it and ask how we got it to do that. I couldn't imagine a parent do this on purpose. Well, after we first had it cut, we had to keep it short. Not because it was cute, but because if we let it go, it would just get taller and taller. It never laid down.

The Issue: A Double Cowlick

Most people's hair grows in a circular flattened pattern from a central point. The cowlick is the point where the hair changes direction. It can be in the center of the head or off to the left or right. People tend to have two hairwhorls with one being dominant and clearly visible while the other is less obvious. In the center you can see the hairs protruding from the scalp. When combed against the grain, the hair in the center of the cowlick will stand up straight. When left too long the cowlick will create a flat spot, when left too short it will stand up.

If you think one cowlick is bad... imagine having two. Or more! My son's double cowlick is quite hard to deal with. Since we had a few weeks off from school in December, we decided not to have it cut in November or December and to see what we could get it to do if it were longer...like other 5 year old boys.

For most people, a combination of the right hairstyle, length, hair products, and styling technique can manage an embarrassing cowlick. But as DT's hair grew, it got more and more out of control. It stuck up above his cowlicks and between them. Finally we needed to have the back and sides trimmed. So we took him in. And it still looks crazy. We're just still hoping that as his hair grows, the cowlicks will flatten, and be less of a hassle. But here's what he have to deal with til then.

Movie Review: Paul Blart Mall Cop

I couldn't keep myself from laughing out loud.

Rarely do I get to a movie theater, but I'm so glad I did last night. We had dinner at the Brass Rail in Plymouth, then headed to see "Paul Blart Mall Cop." It was a double date with my sister and her husband, but by the time we got there, the theater was packed. 4 seats together? Nope. We split up and sat as couples without an empty seat between us and the strangers next to us.

I know people who take themselves too seriously, but Paul Blart wins the prize! This poor man who is constantly belittled and has settled for life "as is", wants to prove (as much to himself as to others) that he is important.

But of course buying a hair weave to impress a pretty girl, doesn't work. Nor does his attempt to cite an elderly man for driving a Hover-Round unsafely or an attempt to settle a dispute over lingerie at Victoria Secret. And a lower-back tattoo of the locknees monster proves ineffective too.

Without giving away all the greatness of the film, let me just say...Paul Blart, you're a pretty good guy. And you really make me laugh!

Favorite Cartoon: Rocky & Bullwinkle

"Hey, Rocky! Wanna watch me pull a rabbit out my hat?"

The first TV show I remember being "addicted to" was The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle.

I was the youngest in my family and the only one interested in the slap-stick comedy of a clever flying squirrel and a gullible, bumbling moose. So, I watched alone at our black and white console TV. I sat cross-legged on the wooden floor of our living room and tried to keep from blinking so I wouldn't miss a thing. And the next day I'd be sure to watch again because the story continued... with Bullwinkle still tied to a railroad track or the sinister Boris and Natasha devising a criminal plot involving a pathetic disguise.


Although I loved the two main characters of the show, part of what attracted me to this cartoon was that there were the other various segments. I loved the Fractured Fairy Tales segments and Dudley Do-Right. I never tired of seeing Dudley ride a horse backwards or the little fairy from Fractured Fairy Tales get flattened by the drop-down door in the intro.

Hopefully, this classic will bring the same enjoyment for me that it did 25 years ago. I picked up the complete 2nd season on DVD from the library today and am about to sit down with a mug of hot chocolate to watch.

Snow Video and Pictures

The snow in South Bend has been beautiful. But it sounds like we're about to get seriously dumped on. This week's forecast looks rather white and cold, with temperatures ranging from subzero to single digits.

I've been playing around with Windows Movie Maker again and have a 40 second clip of the snow we got Saturday and the fun we had Sunday. To watch, click the little Play arrow below the picture of DT and I below.



And a few pictures to go with it...

Can't keep it all... or can I?

How much of a kid's schoolwork and projects should a good mom keep?

Each day I find somewhere between 4 and 8 pieces of paper in DT's backpack. I'm not a terribly sentimental person who has to keep it all, but there are so many cute or memorable things. But I just can't keep it all. The first things to go are worksheets. I have no problem parting with them. Into the recycle bin without a second glance. But after that it's hard to decide what to keep and what to recycle. There are handwriting exercises, holiday-themed drawings, and so much more. So much that my "keep" pile is out of control. And DT's only halfway through kindergarten.

So here's what I've decided to do. Occassionally, I'll send something he's done at school to his long-distance grandparents. They seem to appreciate it. They can see what skills he's learning and what he's capable of. And I'm going to take a picture of the things that I want to keep, but know I can do without. I'll still keep a few special mementos-- no limit, but I'll keep it to a minimum. So here are a few of my first photographs for my digital rememberance book for kindergarten.

virgin no longer

Every virgin hears how cool IT is.

"You should do it."
"You'll really like it."
"You haven't?"
"You'll love it."
"I'm addicted."
"You'd be amazed how many 'friends' I have now."

These are some of the comments I've heard from facebookers.

Well, I'm here to say "I'm a facebook virgin no longer." I joined the multitudes on New Year's Eve and can now say, "Why didn't I do it sooner?"

Quiche... I'm on a pie kick.

I must be in hibernation mode. I keep cooking and eating. I enjoy this 2-week vacation from work, but it's not good for me. After I made the pumpkin pie, I had to decide what to do with the "extra" pie crust that came in the package. Why sell pie crusts as a pair? When people decide to make a pie, do they always really need two?

Manufacturers are always playing with me this way. It's like the hotdogs and buns... there are never the same number. You end up with too many of one thing and have to buy more of the other. I think they have an agreement with each other... I'm sure it's a money-making venture for both of them.

So, what did I do with the "extra" pie crust? This morning I made another pie. Well... a quiche. For someone who admittedly hasn't made a pie before, I've basically made 2 this week. Okay, I have made a quiche once before. It was 15 years ago in my high school Creative Foods class. I remember loving the sharp taste of the Swiss cheese with the eggs and flaky pastry crust. Mmmmm.















One more picture: The English Toffee recipe that I posted a week ago.

I made it yesterday before scrapbooking and took it with me to share. It didn't stay hard, so I refrigerated it when I got home and it seems good again.

Too much eating

I've enjoyed my share of holiday comfort foods. I can honestly say that I'm looking pudgier today than I did 2 weeks ago. I've snacked heavily and dined heartily. Being away from home for a week didn't help... it never does. But, at my mother-in-law's house, all I seemed to do was eat or prepare to eat. And between meals? More eating.

You'd think I would lay off the food when we got home, but no. As if I really needed it, I made banana bread and today... my first attempt at pumpkin pie. Hard to believe I've never made a pumpkin pie, but in fact I can't think of a single pie I've EVER made. I probably have, but I can't recall. I WILL be making the pumpkin pie again. It turned out beautifully.