The good, the bad, and the ugly

The good:

1. This morning we had four of The Wagners Five, two from Casa de TiVo, and grandma Penny (a.k.a. Megan's mom) join us for brunch. It was an impromptu get-together suggested at the last moment but we still managed to have a fantastic offering - French toast, blueberry muffins, Entenmann's raspberry danish, fruit salad, chicken and maple sausages, scrambled eggs, orange juice, and chocolate milk. Good food and good conversation led us right into nap time. Every day should be brunch day.

2. Monsieur Henry said his name for the first time today and it sort of actually sounded like the French pronunciation. Hs are hard for little toddler mouths to form. Now I just need to get my butt to Paris so I can buy him a beret and call it good.

3. We're on day three of Operation Toddler Sleep and enjoying some small successes. Our new routine is as follows: Darr and I both go into Henry's room when it is bed time, where we stay for around 10 to 15 minutes before saying goodnight and reminding Henry now is the appropriate time for sleep. Instead of the heart-wrenching sobs from Henry as he stands near the baby gate when we leave, we now hear him puttering around his room until such time as he wants us back. We then go in and sit for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. When we leave this time, it's for good. And Henry seems to understand this or sense we mean business because he is getting better at accepting this cruel twist of fate, lying down, and going to sleep.

The bad:

I hit Babies R Us this afternoon to grab a few much-needed baby supplies. While there, I notice a bright red sale tag near the Mustela products that state if I spend more than $20 on their products (I was there to buy more of their baby wipes, they are the best!), I can get a free bottle of their Relaxing Bubble Bath, which I like and wouldn't mind getting for free. Because the shelf is empty, I take the effort to scan the sale sign closely to see if it has the "while supplies last" disclosure written on it. Since it doesn't, I figure I'll ask for a raincheck and grab the bottle during my next visit. When I inform the cashier about the sign, she says she needs to ask the manager (fine by me), and proceeds to call another woman over so they can chat about my request. I watch as this lady goes to the aisle with the Mustela products comes back and then explains to the cashier that it is only while supplies last. I know the sign doesn't say this because I made an extra effort to look for that very text on the sign myself. So now I'm annoyed. I pay for my items and then grab Henry and go back to the aisle. When I review the sign again, it's just as I thought - no line stating that you can only get the free stuff while supplies last. I pull the sign off the shelf and step over to the Customer Service area where the cashier that helped me, the woman she spoke to, and a third woman are talking. I hold up the sign and advise them there is no such statement on the sale sign. They review the sign and agree I am right. Then one of them pulls out some ad from some paper and shows me that it says "while supplies last". But wait, I didn't get that newspaper, I don't have that ad, I wasn't trying to use any coupon. What I did see, was the sign on the rack near the product. And what that sign did not say was "while supplies last". They still refuse to honor it. So I ask to return all of my purchases, which I then proceed to do. To her credit, the woman working at the Customer Service station does ask if I would require the assistance of a manager, but I shouldn't have to go to bat for a free bottle of bubble bath. The end of all this, I will now buy my baby supplies from amazon.com.

The ugly:

I'd just like to point out that the zit I did not pop is still residing under my nose. Be gone, zit!