Mommy’s Random Thoughts

(7:48 PM Thu.) Our mom is busy prepping for me and my baby brother's Birthday coming up this March 1st. She came down to say hello with the biggest smile on her face cause she's excited about whatever it is she has planned this year ^^. I'm just glad that my baby brother will be able to receive multiple gifts this year, especially as our mom told us she could only afford either one large gift or a couple little one's. He wasn't mad about it when finding out...so I know he wouldn't care, he just wanted to have a fun day with Birthday Buddy (AKA: me). But, our mom recently came back from the mall while BB (baby brother) was out with other gifts that he'd love. I'm not sure what I'm getting, but I know whether it's one gift or many, I'll enjoy it. Our mom always chooses the best gifts–however, she did imply I'm getting one big gift. I just hope I get a coloring book as I asked for XD. I'm just content as long as my baby brother is and our mom is...she usually feels like a failure or bad mom when she can't get everything she desires to give us, but, she seems excited despite it this year which makes me happy and excited to see what she planned. ❤️

(5:26 AM Fri.) I got bored and wanted to do a little more research–before heading to bed–about the part of DC my family and I live in (I guess I decided since we've been here for 14 years, why not get a read up on it just now lol). I started by looking up if the part we are in is considered ghetto (I really was bored sksksk) and was, for some reason, surprised to see that it is considered ghetto. I found a website talking about the worst parts of DC to live in, and third on the list was Deanwood (me and my family's part of DC), with the articles saying this: "Deanwood is another one of the worst places to live in Washington, DC, due to the extremely high crime rate. Located in Northeast DC, Deanwood has a population of 29,798, and the violent crime rate is 600% higher than the national average. Most of the crime in this neighborhood stems from gang activity, including issues related to gun violence and the drug trade. Crime has steadily risen by 2% every year since 2018 despite having a moderate police presence. In the first half of 2021, DC police recorded 30 robberies, 34 assaults, 27 burglaries, and three murders in the area. The overall chance of becoming the victim of any type of crime is 1 in 12." I don't know why I was kind of caught off guard by that? XD Every other day you can hear police sirens and ambulance sirens blaring because people decide to 'ddu-ddu-ddu-ddu-ddu' it up in the streets (no Blackpink in our area, just gang activity I guess). That and right across the street is the area our housing voucher tried to put our family when my siblings and I were younger, which our parents weren't having due to the pimps and prostitutes littering the streets at night. I guess I was caught off guard because I'm beginning to realize (again) the many ways God has kept me and my family from the many dangers of Deanwood. Cause I know that when my sisters and I were younger, there were plenty men who eyed us creepily when we were kids here, but never touched us. God's grace and mercy is just overwhelming (in a good way) when I think of all He's done for us. ❤️

(12:19 PM Fri.) Just came back from early morning Birthday shopping. We danced with one of the workers in Wegmans, it was fun! But, we went shopping for our Birthday dinner (pizza/wings and fries), appetizers (tempura) and ice cream (cookies n' cream, chocolate nutty cone, cookie dough, etc.) My mom got me chocolate covered almonds and peanuts as a snack and then we ate at Chick-fil-A for brunch. Now I have to get in the shower so my mom can do my hair for our Birthday tomorrow!

Tempura you say? Get out dat sauce! You dip, I dip, we dip! https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/mashle-episode-18-margarette.jpg

(1:14 AM Sun.) Zoom in to see first pic's better. As you can see...out mom lied about only being able to get my baby brother and I just one gift. Her and our dad even managed to get me a tablet! It was something I didn't ask for, but I cried when receiving it, especially knowing how happy it made our parents to be able to get this for us this year. God has truly blessed out Birthday! I have no words, but all I can say is that we had an amazing day.<3

(2:58 AM Mon.) I decided to do a skincare routine before bed with the products I got for my Birthday...skin care is something I've never done before at all because I really suck at taking care of myself. I exfoliated my skin and cleansed my face with the face wash my parents got me this year, then I applied the body oil I also got as a gift, then I applied the lipgloss my eldest sister bought me when we went to the mall yesterday. It turns out the lipgloss is a color changing one, so when I looked up into the mirror, I was surprised to see my lips a deep, rosey pink. I think another thing that shocked me was how I felt good doing that for myself...I even thought I looked pretty, to which I started to tear up and looked away from the mirror. I mentioned before in this thread of mine about how much I've fell out of taking care of myself or doing/wearing the things I've loved as a little girl due to my own insecurities, but simply washing my face made me feel proud and I hope the three year old me would be happy at being pampered like this. I have received many compliments from people who think I'm pretty...but it can be hard to believe it when you don't believe that yourself, and even when/if I do think I am, I feel guilty about it and try to stop thinking I'm pretty or something. I have stated it in another thread before, about how I hope to better take care of myself and to grow past my own mind that holds me back. Maybe this is the start to it? Either way, such a small thing made me really happy and emotional lol, but I thank my sisters for bombarding our parents to get me beauty stuff...cause I don't think I would have ever asked for it myself.