That last entry was a little wistful. My babies are all attitudinal and suddenly leggy and b-o-r-e-d from spending time with the female parental unit this summer. They still believe that in my heart I truly want to entertain them every second, and that I love nothing better than to hang on every word they say, even (especially!) if it is the tenth go-round on the same story.

Oho! They are a little mistaken.

And! They think it is my duty not only to entertain, but to dispense unlimited quissentially frozen, artificially flavored and colored, individually wrapped desserts on sticks on demand. Often before my eyes are open in the morning.

I am certain I will miss these days, these mothering triumphs the most.

You know what gets a girl (okay, this girl) over the babies-growing-up blues? A couple of hours to reflect while receiving a haircut and highlights from a genuine salon professional. Sheesh. Who knew? I surely did not.

In my quest to get gussied up for BlogHer, since Meghan threw down with a new BlogHer worthy 'do, I booked myself a follow-up appointment to the triumphant hair styling of 6 weeks ago. I've never had my hair colored professionally. Too expensive, too high-maintenance. I've always thought of myself as low maintenance, but lo, I am high. Or I'm fixin' to become high.

After my stylist had wrapped by head up like a TV dinner, all those foil packets on my head made me think of paper wrapped chicken, and then I was wanting chinese food but I was sitting in a salon looking like somebody's science project and it passed. The craving for chinese, I mean.

Salons are weird with the whole sitting around with foil on your head vibe. Weird smells, and crinkling sounds, and loud noises...maybe this is what space travel is going to be like. Put on your foil, ladies, and let's go to the moon.

Anyway, I even got to sit under one of those dryer helmet things and read a magazine. I've always wanted to do that. It added to the space travel experience. You know who would have enjoyed experiencing this with me? Jennifer. Because she has the Barbie Styling Head lust.

I clearly need to get out more.

So blah blah blah, new shiny hair NOW WITH STRIPES. I like it. My husband said "Hey, Jennifer" when I came walking up the front steps. I was confused, because although I AM a Jennifer, his ex-wife was also a Jennifer, and is known for her chemically damaged hair. Well, that's just one of the ways I know her. No, not this Jennifer or this Jennifer. An anonymous Jennifer. But she was always Jennifer, and I am always Jenny. So I was confused.

"What? Explain your fool self, man, before I lash you with my glossy locks!"

"I meant Jennifer Aniston."

So, yeah, 10 years behind the trend, I sort-of got a Friends hairstyle. Jennifer Aniston didn't rock her highlights like I'm rockin' them, I tell you what.

Can I ramble any more? Hello, Ms. Three Kid Circus. Have another beer while you blog.

So then, home, where I discovered that the husband had brought home two 24 packs of popsicles from the store, and also that my copy of Harry Potter had arrived. I plopped down on the couch and read through the afternoon, pausing only to open yet another popsicle for a sticky faced child. I finished about midnight last night. I really enjoyed it. The kids dusted an entire box of 24 popsicles, which they enjoyed, apparently.

Somewhere in my neglectful parenting yesterday (although Jaime Lee Curtis says you should let your children see you reading books for pleasure, so maybe I was setting a fine, fine example) we promised to take the kids to the zoo today.

We have an annual membership, and the kids are all animal fuh-reakos, so it is generally a good time. We loaded up and took off early this morning, and seriously spent the entire time in the 'children's zoo' petting things. Geckos, turtles, bunnies, chinchillas, lizards, goats and sheep were petted. And hands were sanitized, over and over again.

When naptime crankiness hit like a hurricane, we ran for the van, man, the get out while you can plan. Damn. I swear to you that my son could uproot a tree with the force of his will. It's his superpower.

We drove home, and enjoyed silence while the kids nodded in their seats. All in all, a great weekend.