Halloween

This year Halloween wasn't marked by any natural disaster, just a little drizzle on an otherwise balmy October evening. It felt a bit rushed to get out the door only a half hour after Elisa made it off the school bus, but we managed it. And we actually made it down 2 whole streets this time which is way more than we've done in past years. Even so, Elisa said she was done half way through, but I kept my enthusiasm going and dragged her down one last block to ensure that she'd not ask to go trick or treating again before next Halloween. As a kid, I remember that bittersweet moment each holiday when I'd realize that it would be a full 365 days before I could do this again.  It was then that I realized the anticipation was often more enjoyable than the holiday itself.  It's a life lesson we all learn some day and it never really changes.  

Now as a mom, I see how much fun the kids have planning their costumes and talking about the holiday weeks in advance. When it came time to get dressed today, I was surprised to hear Elisa say she didn't want to be Monster High's Draculaura again, but rather Rapunzel. In past years, I might have fought this and insisted, but this year, I wasn't up for a battle. I relented and helped her get last year's costume on. "Next year I'll be Draculaura, okay, mom?"  Hmmm...maybe. Carolina also went as Rapunzel instead of the insanely adorable Sulley costume I bought her. And again, I didn't really care. It was more important that they were dressed and ready to walk out the door at 5 p.m. than that they fulfilled my Halloween vision. And that's kind of how the night went. They skipped and ran ahead of us, found their confidence approaching houses and after it was all said and done, they were tired of the candy grab and had more fun dancing and playing at friends' houses. We made it through the night without any major meltdowns and that's saying something considering how much candy they ate as they hobbled around with pumpkin pails dragging. Yes, this year everything went well, except sticking to the costumes. But then that's my problem really, isn't it?

For Karen...

By request, for my mom's friend Karen who needs to see what happens when your older sister is a little bit Annie-obsessed. I present Carolina belting out "Tomorrow." Enjoy.

Halloween happenings

This past weekend we enjoyed the first of what will be several Halloween happenings this coming week: the Sunnyside Gardens Park Halloween party. It was a breezy, yet mild day for late October and the girls managed to get dressed up without too many problems.  Elisa was abnormally compliant donning her Monsters High Draculaura outfit, and willing to put up with my many wig adjustments.  But of course, there still had to be some drama since we're dealing with a crazy two year old at the moment.  Carolina opted not to wear the new Sulley costume from Monsters, Inc. that I bought her. She screamed and writhed around until I heard Elisa asking her if she wanted to be Minnie Mouse. A resounding yes, and 5 minutes later, we were out the door...

And though I know the park had difficulties getting enough volunteers for the event to man the tables for crafts and games, it was still a lot of fun just seeing the kids running wild with their costumes trailing in the breeze. Elisa met up with several different groups of friends, and Carolina wandered around the park, pumpkin pail in hand, on her own for a good bit.  I snapped lots of photos of all the wonderful outfits, and we tried to get out of the park before the parade so the girls could go down for a nap. I know sometimes the park events can feel a little overwhelming, but that event felt so much like a regular weekend day just with costumes and candy that I was really glad we went. Maybe next year I'll even dress up...

Lost in the woods

Growing up, I was lucky enough to have a big backyard and lots of nearby fields and woods to play in. I didn't exactly live like Little House on the Prairie, but being outside and walking through the quiet landscape was a normal part of my childhood. It's something I know is missing from Elisa and Carolina's lives on a regular basis and perhaps that's why these annual trips to see the fall foliage feel so special.  We get to bust out of the gray, concrete jungle and enjoy a colorful day tromping through the autumn leaves in the wilds of Connecticut. The fact that it's only an hour and a half away is a bonus and makes it relatively painless road tripping (i.e. meaning, Carolina only threw up once! :( Yeah, boo).  But really, what I love about snaking our way up Route 7 to Lovers Leap State Park, New Milford and Kent, CT is that it all feels like a well worn path by now, and yet, I look forward to each stop as if it was the first time. This year Elisa had the extra excitement of having her friend Leonardo join us. When I mentioned coming along on Saturday, Carmen was eager to get out of the confines of Sunnyside for a little while and see what all this fuss was about. I think she liked it as much as we do.  And by the end of a long day of hiking and playing, we sat back and watched as they found new energy to chase each other around the field at Kent Falls. The sunshine had given way to clouds but the temperatures were mild and driving home it felt like this season of creeping darkness was fully upon us.

And this is where I have to once again proclaim that I can feel life is smoothing out a bit for us right now, and I'm ever so grateful. Even just getting out of the house in the morning was better--not so frustrating and mood killing. The girls entertain each other in the back seat and it leaves us parents up front with some time and ability to actually talk and enjoy the ride. And our little walks in the woods were marked by their independent spirits setting out on a new adventure with very little whining.  Elisa couldn't help but get bogged down by the time we hit the waterfall outside Kent, but she hung in. And it was really pretty amazing how well Carolina fell into the mix and kept up with the group. She has such an even personality and ability to fit in with the big kids. You would hardly know we had a 2 year old with us. It was really that good. We skipped naps, but both kids passed out in the car around 7pm as we headed home. A short nap later, they finished the ride calmly chatting and snacking as we zipped back to Sunnyside in the dark. Even the traffic was light compared to other times we've hit snags returning to the city. It was great to end the day on a pleasant note after having such fun.  Both Nacho and I commented that we felt fortunate to be able to do this kind of trip and not feel like we're still burdened with dead weight. The girls are starting to pull their own and it just means there will be more trips and travel in their future. For Nacho and I, these kind of excursions are so much of what we enjoyed about living in the Northeast. And I'm glad to be at a place where our pre-kid life and post-kid existence are merging. It's all just life, after all.  And when the autumn colors are out there waiting for us, there's no where else I'd rather be than on Route 7. Til next year....