Clearing up zits at the mall

Today I went to the mall to browse and have some “me” time. Julia went to daycare. I really miss “me” time. To be alone with your thoughts is really comforting to me. Being an only child whose mom worked a ton growing up, I was used to lots and lots of “me” time. I could always occupy myself well. It’s no surprise that my favorite solo activities are reading, walking, cross stitch, playing on the computer, etc. When you have a child, there’s very little “me” time. I struggle with this still. When I get home from work, I’m “on” as a parent. Weekends are a mad dash to catch up on chores and get ready for the weekday cycle to repeat. Feels like there’s never enough time to catch a breath and just chill anymore.

I went to the further away mall today. I’ve been having a hard time finding a new splat mat, and I had bought one there previously. So I had to get that. Kind of a stupid reason to go, but it was nice to get out and get into some air-conditioned goodness.

Julia’s starting to get some gaps in her wardrobe. She’s been in the same size forever, and her shirts are getting too stained from berry spills, too worn, or I’m just flat out sick of seeing them. I found some shirts for her – on sale, I like ‘em, and I think she’ll look cute in them. Sold! I saw a sign saying that 12-18 months corresponds to a size 6 shoe. Julia’s still in a size 3, and her feet fall out of her size 3 sandals. Where did this girl come from? I have beyond huge feet.

Did you know there’s a Proactiv vending machine in the mall? I stood in front of it in awe. Someone’s going to get promoted or fired because of it; I just don’t which. Is it pure marketing genius to think that their target customers of zitty teenagers who hang out at the mall will be buying it nonstop? Or is it pure idiocy to think that zitty teenagers would subject themselves to public humiliation to buy Proactiv out of a vending machine in the middle of the mall? Time will tell.

I don’t get the gym in the mall. I feel like people who are trying to get fit deserve their privacy. The glass windows exposing them like little hamsters in a wheel is odd to watch. You know how a lot of exercise doesn’t look that bad when you watch it? People walking on treadmills, lifting weights – not my favorite activities by any means, but it doesn’t look awful. There was this lady who was jumping two feet in the air onto a stool. Jump up, jump down. It looked beyond painful. I couldn’t even fathom doing it for 10 seconds. Maybe that’s why I’m so chunky.

Bought the splat mats. AND I got a hairbrush and comb for Julia. We had a set, and then we lost the comb. So we only have 1 brush for her, and her hair needs brushing about 12 times a day. I don’t know how many minutes a day I spend trying to find her one brush. So yippee, she now has 2 more grooming accessories.

Got a call back from the child care referral. She gave me the same names I can find through the licensing website. Oh well, she was nice and pleasant and called back quickly. One of the names she gave me is named Phyllis. When I hear the name Phyllis, I can’t get the image of an older lady smoking in a housecoat with her adult sons that just got out of prison drinking beer while working on their 1966 Chevy Nova in the front yard out of my head. The aforementioned lady who I have an interview with on Monday (until S makes me cancel it) was on the referral list too.