Charlotte Crushes Christmas... actually her mom does!

So our sweet baby girl who was so affectionately coined B-Wag for months upon months of waiting has a new nickname.

Some day it may be Charlie... but for now it is "Chief". You kind of have to hear mom or dad say it to get the exact way of saying it but for now Chief is The Chief, so it is a fitting name. Why Chief, you ask? Well for one, she rules the roost with her adorable smile, the way she bobs her head, shoulders and legs at once when she sees her dad but mainly because when she puts out her bottom lip, and her mouth forms a frown, she looks so sad everyone runs to her attention to make her smile. We’ve figured out that she isn't sad, merely it is "the lip" that seems to get her whatever she wants. Usually she wants some acknowledgement that she is in the room too, and after that she is happy to watch, listen and play. For now Chief will be Chief. Mom and Dad report to the one and only Chief.

So now to the crush. For those who don't know, Bob's favorite day of year isn't Christmas, but the day "after" Christmas, referred to as the first REAL day of Christmas. December 26th just happens to be the opening day at Santa Anita Race Track. If having to ditch the new bicycle or whatever you got for Christmas and pile into the family car to go play the ponies the day after Christmas doesn't sound like an acceptable form of entertainment as a child, then read no further.

Santa Anita Racecourse is not within driving distance so Bob settled on Cal Expo Satellite Wagering Center as a place to "watch and wager". I decided who could pick a better day to introduce Chief to Daddy's favorite place! She went to the races plenty while inside Mom so what the heck!?!? I convinced the people at the door we were just "dropping something off" so they let the under age minor through the door.

Charlotte visits with dad, mom grabs racing form and checks out the "feature" at Santa Anita. That would be the Grade I Malibu Stakes, the 8th (or maybe the 9th) race of the day. Mom sees a horse she likes, makes a bet, gives Dad the ticket, Dad rubs the Chief's foot for good luck, and they head home.

So we're at home, eating, napping, cleaning up (the top three things we do these days) and I decide to turn on the TV and see the big race at Santa Anita. Sure enough, my horse wins. I collect $121.00 for the day!!! When you only bet $10 or so dollars that definitely counts as a CRUSH! Who couldn't bet a horse named latent heat, trained by Bobby Frankel going off at 5-1 odds??? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!?!?! At least that is what those who didn't bet the winner are probably thinking... BOB? Okay, that isn't nice.

Anyway... back to Christmas. Santa brought Chief her very own Barbaro Beanie Baby. We were excited to hear that Barbaro is making great progress and will be heading home soon. We are pretty sure the Chief liked her present as it instantly went into her mouth. Everything goes into her mouth these days so who really knows.

Here's to a healthy, happy and peaceful 2007!