My daughter, the savvy fashion shopper

Sunday night inside a fitting room at Bebe in Vivo City...

ME: Does your Dad know you're with me.
K: Yes, I told him I was going to go to you. He said, 'You're going to Beh Beh,' - (Laughs). He doesn't know it's Beebe
(I laugh and try on a dress that's 70% off)

ME: Well?
K: I like it, but how much is it.
ME: It's $XX...
K: (shocked) What?!>!
ME: (sheepishly) But it used to be $XXX!
K: Hmmm, but how do you know they're not just saying that it used to be $XXX?

[Beat in which I think about this]

ME: Because they're not allowed to do that.
K: But what if it's just marketing?

[Beat in which I think about this]

ME: The first question is does it look good.
K: (Looks at me thoughtfully] It looks good.
ME: OK then. It's 70% off and it fts and it looks good and I need a Christmas dress...
K: It's your money...

My nine-year-old daughter walks away. I pause in the fitting room, wondering if it really is Beebe as I have no idea...

Mom & Son Run

We awoke early this Sunday to bond and run as only a mother and son can. Since I got a new pedometer, I gave him my old one. And that gadget was enough to get him excited about the exercise. woke him at 7:30, and we hit the road, walking over to the connector park by the creek, five minutes away.

The day was cool and bright and lots of people were out, which surprised me, considering it was Sunday. It was green and breezy and we managed to spot a number of colourful birds - one was blue with an orange bill, and there were a couple of cranes. "This is nice," my son murmured as though to himself.

At first, C was reluctant to do more than walk. "I can't run," he said, "I get tired..." So we broke it up into manageable bites. I told him, "Let's just sprint for 10 counts, and then walk, and then sprint again for ten..." He was amenable, and by the time we reached the end, we were running for 15 counts. We also managed three sets of 10 squats. He clocked in 5780 steps - about 3.5 km - 40 minutes of walking. I was very proud of him and he was very proud of himself. So much so that he's game to do it again tomorrow...