Skipping Town

We had a very full Halloween this year, lots of fun without all the no-electricity drama of Hurricane Sandy. The day began with Lucia's Halloween party at preschool. Andrew was able to stay home from work today, so while Lucia did Halloween crafts and performance preparations with her class, Andrew, Greta, and I went to Greta's music class. (Greta seemed to like having Andrew there, and mildly enjoyed class.) Then we all returned to preschool, where I put Greta into her costume. We gathered with the other parents for the children's Halloween performance--a costume parade and then a selection of Halloween songs. Lucia was in Halloween heaven. She loved spotting us in the audience and waved and grinned during the parade around the gym. She sang all the songs and did all the movements. Each kid's costume was called out for recognition, and Lucia stood up and waved enthusiastically when Butterfly was announced. Afterwards, there were lots of snacks, and then time to ride bi...

We spent this weekend in New Hampshire, our final trip until the house opens next May. It was, to be honest, not a wholly successful trip. We were supposed to go Thursday afternoon but couldn't leave until Friday because of a last-minute work obligation for Andrew, which meant I had to unpack and then repack most of the hundred or so bags a weekend trip requires. The drive on Friday was long, and then, when we got there around 4pm, we discovered that the heat wasn't working. The temperature was in the low thirties. The house was freezing. We drove into town for dinner at the pizza place (thrilling the girls, who love the arcade room) and bought two space heaters. When we got back to the house, bedtime now, Andrew and his dad plugged in the heaters--and promptly blew a fuse that they then couldn't find. I had to get the insanely wound-up kids into their ten layers of pjs in the darkness, lit only by their mushroom nightlights. They were beside themselves, jumping on the beds...

Dear Grets, Happy, happy second birthday, little banana! You are two. You seemed more or less unaware of today's momentous milestone, though you enjoyed opening your gifts. We were in New Hampshire for your birthday, with Bobby. You've been preparing to be two for a while now, with your strong will and fondness for crossing your arms defiantly, staring at us out of the corner of your eye to make sure we see you pouting. Even at your most stubborn, you are still adorable; you don't hesitate to assert yourself and express your intentions and opinions. You like to nod and shake your head when we ask you questions. You still shout "YEAH" as an affirmative response, too. You are trying desperately to talk and are gaining more words and putting them together; you still stick to one syllable, however. "More chee plee!" is easy to understand; "Whee no? Whee no?"--"I don't know where Lambie is!"--is code to everyone but us. You'v...

It struck me this week as I was driving to Target with the girls that life with Lucia is what it must be like for Andrew to live with me at my most exasperated/dramatic. On the way to Target, we encountered some minor road work, and we were directed on a brief detour to circumvent the closed section of road. Lucia and Greta were calm and happy in the back seat. "Road work," I observed mildly. "Here we go on a detour." "A DETOUR?" Lucia wailed. "It's fine. We're just going up this road." "WHERE ARE WE GOING? WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE! WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET THERE !" "Yes we do. We just have to turn here." "BUT ROAD WORK!! THE ROAD IS CLOSED! WE CAN'T GO ON IT! " "Lucia, it's fine now. We're back on the right street." "BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!!" It's too, too funny to hear my own words coming out of my child's mouth.

Dear Lulu, Happy, happy birthday! You were so excited about turning four today. You eagerly anticipated your birthday this year and exclaimed throughout the day, "I'm four!" Daddy worked from home today, and we had a nice day just hanging out here. You opened presents this morning and loved the things we got you, especially a set of Disney Princess Magiclip dolls--four little princesses with dresses that you can change. You also got three mermaids (Ariel and her sisters) for the bathtub, glow-in-the-dark stars for your ceiling, a Hello Kitty holding a cupcake, two nightgowns, and a doll bed with a cupcake comforter that matches yours (I made it last night). Aunt Katherine's gift of the Little Mermaid DVD was here for you and Greta as well, and we watched it tonight, after a day of playing with princesses. After dinner we turned out the lights and lit four candles on a (store-bought) cake, sang Happy Birthday, then all had some cake before bedtime. A fun day all arou...