March madness

After a nearly 4 hour long airplane adventure (yes, mechanical issues plus rain make for some fun delays on a Friday morning), I was ready to be on the ground in Raleigh. What started out so well with the girls rolling up to the plane munching on a bagel with cream cheese (more proof that Elisa is a real New Yorker--she demanded this before we left LGA) and taking their seats with no issues quickly devolved into a total bitchfest, slap-a-thon wherein I lost my zenlike focus and couldn't tolerate anymore. Not even Frozen on the iPad could save us. What I realized after the fact was that no matter how great Elisa has done traveling lately, she's still only 5. And at that age, what felt like an eternity to me on the plane was in fact, an eternity to her too. Fair enough. But still, she whined and moaned and irritated me to no end. I love how you can explain things to her and after much head nodding, she still wants the unattainable.  It's like living with someone with dementia. Or so it feels sometimes. (Meanwhile, the two year old rocked it like a pro).  But we made it. Finally. And the welcome to Stacey's house was all worth it. Elisa snuggled right up to Uncle Mark and Stacey had plenty of leftover flourless chocolate cake from Jordan's birthday earlier in the week for this hungry traveler. We appeased her insistence that we watch "Elf" and I let them stay up til 11pm after their very late nap. Ah, yes, travel isn't always easy. But I'm glad we made it.

School report

American house painting with mixed media (hahaha, how does that sound?)

Japanese house painting again with some fabric stuff

Science drawing about water and its uses

Elisa holding up the first book she brought to school to read to the class. She did it!

Last week we had our second Parent-Teacher Conference of the school year at AoC and it went well. I really like both of Elisa's teachers and their candor and perspective is always appreciated. I fear I did too much of the nervous talking thing that I tend to do when I'm waiting to hear what someone has to say. I had to remind myself to just shut up sometimes. But anyway, it was good to hear their assessments now that we're further into the year and also to have the reassurance that she's academically where she needs to be. I really appreciate their approach to learning and it never feels like we need to push for more. Everything in due time. And that's where we are right now with reading. I was just starting to feel like maybe Elisa needed a little coaxing to better decode words and really try to sound things out. So we've been visiting the library in Sunnyside and getting books for the past couple of weeks. It helps that they are really just pattern books with very simple (mostly 3 and 4 letter) words. Seeing her read them aloud to me and the confidence that has grown is amazing. It makes my heart swell. I think so many times with Elisa, she wants to be perfect--to ace things before she even tries them. And truthfully, so did I as a kid. The fear of failure was strong even for little goodie two-shoes me. So I really hoped that sitting with her to get through a few simple books would give her the boost she needed. And I think it did. She's so excited to read which is exactly what I want for her. There's no reason for her to be racing ahead. Her comprehension is pretty much on target with the material in these books and that's okay too. I want her to take it one step at a time and right now this is where we're at. She was so eager to take the book to school this week and finally yesterday they had time for her to share and read it. I don't know how she did or how many times she stumbled before she got the words right. But I know she did it. And I'm so very proud. And so is she.

Tea Party Birthday Blow Out

It's good to be a kid these days. When your friends have birthday parties, they usually have some pretty kickass venues, gorgeous cakes and fun party favors.  I don't remember any of this stuff during my childhood. I was excited I got to take a friend to Happy Joe's Pizza at the Blue Ridge Mall when I was 8. So yeah, things have changed for sure. Is that a good sign? Who knows?  At times I'm pretty sure we're setting them up for a lifetime of expectations for bigger and better and funner....what will they think is normal when they turn 16 or 21 or, gulp, get married? But then again, life is hard enough that we need little bright spots sometimes. Isn't there something wonderful about celebrating with your friends even if you're only turning 6?  So I'll skip the commentary on modern parenting and all of its pitfalls and just say we had a marvelous time at our friend Laila's birthday party this past weekend.  It was held at Dudes & Divas NYC in Forest Hills, Queens and the place was decked out for the Butterfly Princess Tea Party theme with all kinds of beautiful touches. 

Stealing the throne, just for a second

Laila has been in Elisa's radar since they both went to Little Friends for pre-K last year. And now that they are both in Kindergarten at Academy of the City, they take the bus together and have lots of chances to bump into each other (even if they're not in the same class).  So it was a nice day to visit and also for just Elisa and I to enjoy a little time away from the rest of the fam.  There was nail painting to get started, games and dancing and even a sing-a-long to "Let it Go" that Elisa was more than happy to belt out.  So much energy, but I have to admit she did great and kept herself in check throughout the festivities.   We've been working on a reward system to curb the rash of tantrums of late, and she knew if she could get through both Friday and Saturday without a problem, she would get to see the new Muppets movie on Sunday.  Of course, I had to laugh when at 2:45 p.m. she told me she wanted to go home because she was tired. Before the cupcakes even? Yes, she wasn't that keen on them anyway. What a weirdo.  But hey, the kid knows when she's had enough and was ready for her nap. The fact that we were going out and leaving her and her sister and Leonardo with a babysitter for a long evening meant that I was determined to give her that much-needed rest once we arrived home at 3:45 p.m.  I'm pretty sure she was the only kid leaving the party to go snooze, but we managed to hang on til the very end which made me happy.  She had her cupcake after all, AND didn't lose her shit.  Amazing.  I managed to snap a few more pics and socialize myself. It was a definite win-win.  Elisa is a tricky kid sometimes, but when she pulls it together, she can really be a lot of fun. On the way home she declared this the "best party ever" and I have to say, I think she's on to something...

Hunters Point

Last Saturday we knew it was going to be the better day of the weekend and staying inside was not an option. As so often is the case, I got a little restless trying to come up with a plan that would suit the whole family. I knew there needed to be outside exercise and something good to eat. It wasn't warm enough yet though to be walking too long outside so I settled on heading over to Hunters Point South for a bit of park time and maybe a bite of Thai food at Tuk Tuk. As we drove out of the neighborhood I received a text from my friend Tania who was looking for something fun to do with her two kiddos. Plans were fluid enough that by the time I had extended the invitation, I had already thought of one diversion--Peter Pan Bakery in Greenpoint. So off we went to get donuts while Tania prepped and readied her two. 

We all convened at the park along the East River around noon and the kids quickly decided that this was the best playground ever. Lots to do and see and Carolina impressed me with her daring and total love of heights. The girl can climb!  We took a few minutes to run around the turf field as well and then back to the park to hang with Zara and Noah. The kids were all quite independent which pulled three of us parents in 4 directions occasionally. But it was a nice enclosed space and easy to watch them run around. Elisa and Zara took to rolling down the mini hill in the back corner of the park and Noah was happiest when he was just out of Tania's grasp. It was a breath of fresh air to be outside again and though hunger called, it took us awhile to go grab lunch. But when we did, it was excellent. The food was beautifully prepared at Tuk Tuk and the place had plenty of space and seemed very kid-friendly. All good things when you are with hungry mamas. As we finished up, we rewarded the kids (and one waking little boy) with a scoop from Baskin-Robbins on the corner. It was a taste of spring and all the fun you can have after playing in the sunshine. I'll have more of this please.

Getting our green on

There wasn't much celebrating of our Irish heritage today, except for my decision to put our new cookie cutters to use. For my birthday, my sister got me a handful of new designs that I was eager to dust off and use. The shamrocks were a clear choice for this spring holiday and I had the dough prepped and ready to work by the time Elisa arrived home from school. And it all started off pretty well. She washed up, donned an apron and got to work rolling out the dough. The cut outs were a little tricky to get on the sheet, but I helped.  And after a few minutes, she declared she was done and took off to await the first of the green treats. I made enough that I thought it would be fun to take some to our neighbors as well. But of course, no good deed goes unpunished. 

After dinner and homework, I told her to get ready to deliver them. We started to make little cards, but Elisa got tired of writing on them and started getting upset over nothing. I should have seen then that this was headed downhill. But no. The next thing I know, Nacho is asking her something, the screaming starts and then I hear her take the bags of cookies we've made and start whacking them on the dining room table. Seriously? The perfect cookies (not the almost burnt ones I took a photo of above) were broken and no longer goodies to be given away.  I lost it. So pathetic to get so mad about cookies, but I was pissed. And she had no explanation. Something about Nacho asking her to give the bags to him made her short circuit. So for the next 15 minutes, she wailed in her room after a good tongue thrashing from me. I'd say it made me feel better, but honestly, nothing with this kid sinks in easily. So no, I didn't feel better. 

I just don't know what's up with her lately. We had a great, almost drama-free weekend and then today it was drama-all-the-time. I know she had a field trip and might have been more tired than normal, but it's still not a free pass. I barely got an apology from her, but I decided she should redeem herself and deliver the cookies anyway. So that's the whole gory tale of how this little bit of celebratory goodness came to a screeching halt with one tempestuous move on Elisa's part. Is that the fiery Irish side of her? Who knows? But I made her eat the broken crumbs when she begged for a cookie. Hopefully, that will teach her. Somehow, I doubt it. 

Movie Night Part Two

Friday night was movie night again at AoC. This time I had reinforcements coming with me in the form of Nacho and I was hoping that it might be smoother sailing overall since the kids would have gotten the total craziness out of their systems at the first one. I was almost right.  The mood was less chaotic and the turnout was also less. Without all the ushers and the red carpet and such, it was a bit more laid back and the seating wasn't so crammed. I remembered to bring our beach chairs and glow bracelets (half of which leaked and failed to light up--doh!) which made for some fun. But mostly, the night was about the kids running around, from one blanket to another, only half watching "Despicable Me 2" and getting sleepy in the comfort of their school gym. Pajamas were a must and Elisa wolfed down not one, but TWO hot dogs that night to confirm her latest growth spurt. So, yeah, it was fun, but we still cut out early around 8pm after two meltdowns. It was time, but I'm glad we made it.

Life as usual

Some days this is all I've got to show for my effort. One errand run and back home. It's the small things that help me feel like I've accomplished a lot. And the cookies. Those help too. 

These girls have been on a pretty good streak lately. Playing lots of improvised games at home and sometimes needing intervention, but also making each other laugh a ton. Carolina can still pinch and hit and be a two year old, but she's becoming more of a real playmate and friend. And Elisa is accepting that and finding ways to include her. I love them both equally, but I love them together even more. 

We finally got Melody over for a playdate at our house early last Sunday. It was another cold day and having a friend over for a tea party sounded like the perfect remedy. Elisa had a few crazy moments, but considering this was their first time really hanging out, they did great. Looking forward to seeing them in the park together and more tea parties too!

We finally had a beautiful spring day this week on Tuesday and since Nacho was off that day as well, we decided to do it up right and hit Central Park. Good choice. We started at Heckscher Playground on the southern end and worked our way up to Shake Shack for lunch at 79th Street. It was a mild day and Carolina loved every minute of her time running around the park without the clusters of kids that summer will bring. A day to savor for sure. And when Elisa saw these pics, she said incredulously "You went to that park without me?" I sheepishly smiled and said yes. Sorry, kid. Sometimes the weather is too nice to wait. 

A new drugstore bunny purchased after a successful dentist appointment. NO cavities! Woo hoo! I know we bathe these kids in sugar, but so far, they are brushing their teeth well enough or maybe blessed with good dental genes. I was relieved and so was she. Elisa has many very loose teeth, so the next few months could prove interesting. The dentist said she likely will end up looking like a "jack-o-lantern" when they start to fall. Yikes! Time will tell. 

And finally, another week of lazy mornings with my littlest girl. Carolina loves to "play tracks" as soon as she's out in the living room these days. Usually this involves setting up an elaborate train track with bridges and tunnels and such, only to have it dismantled or totally abandoned within 20 minutes. But the enthusiasm is real. She loves what she loves. And right now, I am happy to indulge her. We ended up hanging out with some friends at the Astoria play place today since the temperatures have dipped back into the 20s for highs. Carolina didn't mind the cold one bit once she saw the slides and made a new friend. It was a fast few hours of climbing up and sliding down. Rinse and repeat. This kid never got bored. And I had time to sit and chat and enjoy myself too. Win-win. But I'll still take warmer weather when it wants to show up. Please, hurry.