Get a haircut and get a real job

Maddie could use a haircut. We all could, come to think of it. Ok, family haircut outing, coming right up! Hmmm...maybe tonight? Nope, doctor appointment. Tomorrow - well, Bob can take her, but I've got Back-to-School night, and I don't know how late the kids' haircut place is open. And Bob needs one too, and it would be a pain to make two trips to two different haircut places...would he be more comfy sitting on the horsey or the little car as his barber's chair? So not tomorrow night. Thursday is Bobby's B-day ...and his yearbook meeting. And our lesson kids. I'd like to take the hubby someplace for a birthday dinner, too! Friday? Who knows. I give up. Hasn't somebody started a haircut service that makes housecalls for families yet?

So, onto the job part:

Maddie's future careers, based on her present likes and achievements.

1. Librarian: We have a book kid. I just spent my lunch period at the Evesham library turning in 20 books and picking up 20 more. We left a few for the other kids, don't worry. We needed them, we had the set from the late August visit memorized. We have 3 baskets of books in the living room, a shelf piled with them in the family room, more in bins in the family room, and in her room we have "Basket Books" (board books) and "Show-Me Books" (books on the shelf with paper pages. We used to have her show us which one she wanted us to read, keeping them out of reach. She's better at turning page now, so they're currently within her reach. But they still go by that name.) If we can't find Maddie, it's because she's on the little rug in her room, reading to herself. *Unspeakably proud mama here!*

2. Dog Trainer/Doggie Bootcamp Instructor: She will tell Max what to do and where to do it. She says "No-no, Maxy!" when he's not even in the room. If he brushes by her, she goes into the defensive posture immediately (she's got her arm covering her face). He's a licking machine, it's a reflex - and she's not shy about inspecting his ears, tail, mouth, teeth, etc.

3. Lead vocalist: Songs she knows and can sing 90% of the words for: The Wheels on the Bus, Lullabye and Goodnight, Where is Thumbkin, Doe a Deer, ABC's...and lately there's this whole new genre of "Maddie songs" that she just makes up. Longer, sing-songy vocalizations, sung with some gusto.

4. Jetsetter/Traveling Saleswoman: Happy to go anywhere (especially the playground, but anywhere's good), if we've stayed home all day she'll ask if we're going shopping or on a walk or to Nana and Pop's yet. And lately, when we're coming home from a little trip, she'll have a fit when she realizes that travel time is done. Turn onto our street? Whine. Turn into our driveway? Shriek like somebody's stabbed her. "What? Don't we need to stay out and about? What gives?"

5. Naturalist: "Go outside. Go outside. Outside baby! I'm an outside baby! Come outside! Come outside, baby! Go outside. Out!" Nevermind that she's currently dealing with a leaf phobia. "Go outside please?"

6. Personal Shopper: Again, with the love of "go shopping!" (Well, she is my kid.) But she'll tell you where in the store to go. "Go see fishies." "Go see toys." Obviously she knows where to find the best merchandise. She'll also happily pull shirts right off the rack for you to try. Here mom, this sparkly pink one is SO your color!