What's better than Shopping, Caffeine & Chocolate?

Aaaahhhhhh, I'm feeling much better now (eye twitch, eye twitch, dab at drool at corner of mouth).

No really, that crabby day was kind of the peak of a few days of feeling out of sorts. But it's run it course. Emotionally, I feel like a wet dog who just had a very thorough shake. Ok, it made sense in my head. It looks a little weirder in print. But I feel bad that while my mood has improved dramatically, I had this bad-mood-cyber-mojo still floating around out there. So here I am to blow some fresh air into my little cyber-corner of the world here!

Hey, remember my friend who ended up with a Really Famous Political Candidate's eldest child in her kitchen out of the blue one day? She's also the Urban Kids' Godmother. And despite my crabbiness a few days ago, I really do dig her!

And now that Urban Kid 1 is old enough to take places and do things with people who are not her parents, she's started going on "playdates" with her Godmother. But they're the kind of "playdates" that her Godmother can afford. And being the mom of only boys, she thinks going out on the town with a little girl is the neatest possible way to spend an afternoon. (she might be right, actually.....)

For example, at Christmas, she took U-Kid 1 to lunch at The Peninsula Hotel downtown.

And then shopping here (which is more than I was going to do -- the whole Disney Princess thing kinda chaps my ass -- but that's a different post):

Ok, I haven't had lunch at The Peninsula Hotel!

As a belated birthday present, a few days ago the Urban Kids' Godmother took Urban Kid 1 here

for a quick bite of this

and some shopping. U-Kid 1 scored this:Plus a pair of glamorous and very bright pink sunglasses that are so large that Bono himself would say, "Wow, those are big sunglasses." And I'll give U-Kid 1 credit -- she carries them off!

And bless her heart if The Godmother didn't pick up U-Kid 1 just as U-Kid 2 was due to have this:

Which meant that I became so incredibly productive with my newly found free time! Oh, who am I kidding? I did this:

(you know you're jealous....)

Of course, U-Kid 1's handwriting lesson today was a thank-you note to The Godmother. 'Cause, y'know, it's all about the teachable moments, right?

And speaking of stuff that you can do with your kids as they get older, U-Kid 1 and I are going to see this on Saturday. It's very reasonably priced and put on by the only theater company in Chicago totally devoted to kids' productions. If we like their stuff, maybe we'll get crazy and subscribe!

Oh, and Momma found some new medicine!

If you can't read the banner on the left, it says -- and with a sigh of true, deep love, I'm sure -- "as much caffeine as a cup of coffee." Care to guess how fast this beautiful gift from heaven ended up in the cart the moment I laid my eyes on it? I can't tell you how I just ZZZZZZZZIIIIIPPPPPPPPPPPPP through the afternoons now!!!! And in the cheeriest of moods!!!! Honestly, it's the simplest things that are just genius, isn't it? Thank you, Swiss Miss Product Development! Thank you!!!!!

So there ya go... shopping, caffeine and chocolate. What could be better?

=-)