A Tale of 2 Sisters...Disneyworld and Halloween.

Clara and Freya are now 7 and 4, respectively.  Clara is funny and smart, and very kind. Freya is offbeat and silly, and she truly marches to the beat of her own, wacky drum.  As a family we seriously love Halloween and decided to take the girls to Disneyworld in October to show them the Disney version of Halloween.  When I asked the girls what princess they wanted to dress up as I got two very different answers.  Clara chose Tinkerbell - not technically a princess - but totally suited to my quick witted 7 year-old. And Freya...oh, Freya, chose Malificent.  The Queen of all Evil from Sleeping Beauty.  You go girl! 

Maleficent and TInkerbell waiting for the bus.

Freya took her role as Malificent very seriously.  She was always in character.  When she got her hair styled at the Bippity Boppity Boutique - she told the Fairy Godmother that she wanted" The hairstyle with the tiara because I'm the QUEEN."  

Freya puts on her "I'm Evil." face.

Evil meets Sweet.

Watch Out!

2 Tinks - twice the sass.

Our trip ended. and we returned to New York in time for more Halloween fun.  I thought I was all set with costumes. Clara was eager to roll out her Tinkerbell outfit for everyone to see. She had taken lessons in attitude from the real Tinkerbell.  Predictably Freya had other ideas.  For an entire year - since last Halloween - Freya has insisted that she wanted to be a Baloney Sandwich with a Baloney Sandwich hat for Halloween.  How did she get this idea, you may ask?  I have no answers.  I think Freya had a baloney sandwich maybe once in her life.  The only sandwiches she will eat are peanut butter and jelly.  So who knows. But do you know what I KNOW?  You can't find Baloney Sandwich costumes at Target.  So during the week leading up to Halloween I cobbled together a Baloney Sandwich costume out of: pink leggings and shirt, toy food  from the kids' room, and I miraculously found some crazy person online who makes cat beds that look like slices of bread.  Perfect scale to sandwich a 4 year-old.

Baloney Sandwich.

Sassy Tinkerbell and Happy Baloney Sandwich.

Tinkerbell is hungry.

Another fun fact about Clara.  She absolutely adores roller coasters.  The scarier the better, and she's so tall she can ride on all of them.  Unfortunately for her, she was born to parents who DO NOT love roller coasters. But we do love her, so we go on these crazy rides with her.  On our last trip to Disney, Gerald bit the bullet and went on Expedtion Everest  - the SCARIEST roller coaster at Disney with Clara.  This time he totally chickened out and made ME DO IT!  I present to you - the proof.

There is so much to unpack here.  Clara is smiling/cheering.  The two people behind us - also clearly enjoying themselves.  Me - what has happened to my hair?  Is it literally standing on end?  I'm the Don King of Expedition Everest.  My eyes are squeezed shut - I grab Clara's leg, consumed with terror while Clara's hands are neatly folded in her lap - Ho Hum.

Happy Halloween.

Clara and Freya and what they do.

 It's fun watching how much Clara influences Freya.  Freya seems to jump in leaps and bounds simply to keep up with a sister that is 2 years older than her.  

Clara enjoys telling jokes and has a natural sense of timing that often makes me laugh.  Freya likes the idea of people laughing but doesn't really get what the structure of a joke is.

Like these attempts:

Freya: Knock Knock?

Me: Whose there?

Freya: Clowns.

Me: Clowns who?

Freya: Ba-DONGY FACE!!!! (laughs hysterically)

Now, you may think - that makes no sense.  But we have The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak to thank for that "Ba-Dongy Face" zinger punchline. This is a book that Clara had recently begun reading out loud to her sister.

I have also been known to answer Clara's: "Guess what?" With: "Chicken Butt."  which made Clara laugh.  I watched Freya examining this exchange and trying to dissect why this might be funny which lead to weeks of her endlessly trying out the joke and expecting laughter, which she got. (of course)

They play a lot together and fight sometimes.  As you do.  There most recent obsession, aided and abetted by Gerald, is fort-making in their room.  They build elaborate forts in their room and hang out underneath in the semi-gloom and talk and play.  I have to admit their forts are a lot more impressive than my attempts as a child with Becky which consisted of sitting in Becky's closet with the door shut.

Clara has become interested in the idea of allowance, and earning allowance with chores. (setting the table, keeping toys off the floor of her room, and wiping off the bathroom sink, in case you were wondering) Clara loves counting her money and talking about what she's going to spend it on.  And this too, has somehow trickled down to Freya.

The other night - 4 or 5 am - Freya came into our bedroom.  She whispered:

Freya: Hey...Mom.  Mom.  I have a question.

Me: What is it?

Freya: What's a quarter?

Me. 25 cents.

Freya: Oh.

 (a beat, then she leaves and puts herself back to sleep.)

The next night Freya woke Gerald and simply said: "It's 25 cents." before leaving the room and going back to bed.

They are endlessly entertaining and I can't wait to see what they get into next.

Clara teaching her sister about snow angels.

They found finger lights and put them in their noses.

Freya at her toddler class.

Clara at a school event. She made a dragon for Freya too.

I love Halloween. 2017

It is no secret that I love Halloween.  Always have, always will...and what I love about being a parent is that I can instill that same rabid loyalty to the excitement of Halloween in my children.  This year I had Clara decide on her costume in the beginning of September - I need time to plan these things, people!

All summer Clara had wanted to be Powerpuff girls.  Clara, Freya and I would be the Powerpuff Girls and Gerald would be the villain, Mojo Jojo.  But in a surprise turnaround, Clara decided we would all be Trolls after watching and falling in love with the Trolls movie.  Clara would be the heroine, Poppy Troll, Freya would be the Justin Timberlake Troll -Branch, and Gerald and I would be Background Trolls.  

Over the weeks I began cobbling together their costumes, and took on the task of making the wigs because everything I could find for sale looked stupid and expensive.  When October 1st rolled around, I surprised Clara with a Halloween Countdown Calendar which stoked the embers of excitement into flame.  Freya even joined in practicing saying things like: "Happy Halloween!"  "Trick or Treat?" and "Hee hee hee, I'm a witch!"  It was awesome.

Finally the big day arrived - we were ready - and as usual - it's nearly impossible to get a family picture, especially one where Freya keeps her wig on - but here are the results of months of work.

Freya is not pleased about the wig.

Clara as Poppy Troll.

Gerald and Branch.

Background Trolls.

I host  a Pre-Trick or Treating Halloween Party for the kids in our building.  This year I went with a witch theme - I invented 2 games - throw gooey eyeballs into a witches cauldron, and the Witch's Gauntlet which involved throwing glow rings over obstacles - witches legs, a black cat,flickering candles, and a witch's hat.  Both games were very popular.

Cauldron, bowl of eyeballs on the side.

Witch's Gauntlet.

Then it was time to Trick or Treat.  Clara's friend Sara was there as well as their cousin Fred and his parents, Becky and Dustin.  The only person I know who like Halloween more than me is my sister Becky - their family costume took it to a whole new level.  I present to you Fred as Mike Wazowski from Monster's Inc, Dustin as Sully, and Becky as Boo's Closet door.  Come on People!

 As we tromped around the building knocking on doors, enthusiastic neighbors got into the spooky spirit. 

Babette chased us down because we missed her door.

Trick- or - Spider Man!

Nightmare Nurse!

All in all it was another Halloween for the record books.  Though I have notcied a pattern in Halloween costumes Freya may want to remedy next year...so far all three of her Halloween's Freya has been a sidekick to Clara's star attraction...and a boy.

Year One: Clara - Princess Anna, Freya- Olaf.

Year Two: Clara - Snow White, Freya- Dopey

Year Three: Clara -  Poppy Troll, Freya Branch Troll.

What will next year bring? Only the ghosts and the goblins know.

Freya and Clara.

Poppy Troll and Sky From Paw Patrol.

Freya and Fred get some candy.

Conversations with Clara. Episode 13. (Freya joins in)

Clara recently turned five years old. She had been obsessed with turning five for months and was crazily over-excited as the big day approached.  The Friday before her birthday I brought in cake for her summer camp class and  everyone sang her happy birthday.  I left and came back later that day to pick her up.

To preface, this was not her last day of camp - she still had 3 more weeks.  But apparently this was the speech she made to her class:

"I will miss all of you.  I've had a great time at camp but this is my last day...because I am five years old now and I have to start Kindergarten tomorrow."

It took some explaining on my part but happily, Clara was excited to be returning to summer camp.

A few nights ago Gerald was having a conversation with Clara about a lot of things. She had a lot of questions.  In the context of the conversation Gerald asked her:

"Clara, do you know what prayers are?"

Clara looked askance at her dad, as if to say: Seriously?

Clara replied: "Of COURSE I know.  They're the things that chase after the prey."

Freya has recently joined in with some clever conversation. The best part about having a big sister is that you pick up all your big sister's idioms in a quest to become older than your 22-month old self, while you run around chasing after said Big Sister.

I will give Freya a turn to choose what she would like to watch on TV. 

Me: Freya, what would you like to watch?

Freya, ponders very seriously, tapping her finger on her chin.

Freya: Hmmmm.  Let's see...How about....Ubble Guppies?

There is also a big poster of happy campers at the entrance to Clara's summer camp.  Freya likes to stop and look at them.  She asks me: Who's that? Who's that?  But she also talks to the poster.  She said quite seriously the other day:

"Hello.  I'm Freya." (pointed to herself, then turned to point at me) "This is my mama."

Glad the poster and I have been officially introduced.

Parachute play.

Cooling off.

Dressed as a superhero.

Clara as Big Sister.

It turns out that an unintended perk (consequence) of having two children is that the older one (Clara) is constantly teaching the littler one (Freya) to do things.

Positive examples are:

Clara has taught Freya to count to eleven.  Super cool.  Clara is currently hard at work teaching Freya the ABC's. 

Freya is also the most polite 21-month old in town because Clara has shown by example and Freya says: "No Thanks!" in place of "No!" and says "Thank-you" when handed something or helped out in some way.

Showing Freya some technology.

But Clara also encourages Freya's natural daredevil instincts.  At the playground I had been avoiding showing Freya how to climb up to the high, twisty slide meant for big kids.  Enter Clara - and all of a sudden the two sisters are whooping it up going down the big kid slide.

Come on, Freya!

First time, together. 

Second time, alone.

This has lead to early introductions to the chain-ladder climbing apparatus and the big kid swings.  (Thanks a lot, Clara.)

But in reality, despite my fears that my 21-month old has no fear, it's amazing to watch the 2 sisters love each other so much and want to be with each other.  Freya wants nothing more than to catch up to her big sister, and Clara is eager to help her try.

How to ride a motorcycle.

Big kid swings.

Just the other day I was leaving for work and Freya was upset.  She was worriedly crying but instead of walking over to me for a hug, she went over to her sister, took hold of her hand, and said: I love you, Clara.

She loves you right back, Freya. 

Lousy.

And there I was sitting on the couch next to Clara.  It was 7:45 am on a Tuesday morning and I had miraculously gotten everything done five minutes early.  Five minutes before leaving with my two kids on the 20 minute walk to Clara's school.  I wish I had been late.  I wish I hadn't sat down.

There was innocent Clara - sitting beside me - coat on, backpack on. She told me something - I can't remember what - and I looked over at Clara.  She was in profile...and as I looked at her - a bug crawled out of her braid - winked at me - and disappeared back into her hair.

Silently I collapsed inside.  I split into three personalities - first - the freaked-out mom - screaming inside my head: "LICE!  LICE! AHHHHHHHHH!"

Then there was the calm, cool., collected mom: "Lice - I can handle this. Nothing a little trip to CVS and hours of combing a crying four-year old's hair won't cure."

And lastly - the insane, unhinged mom - "What can I do here?  Maybe jump out this window?  Shave all of our heads?  Set every item Clara's head has touched in the last week on fire?"

I cycle  through these different personalities for about thiry seconds and settled on a manageable combination of Calm, Cool, and Freaked-Out Mom.

Lice are truly disgusting and I only remember the one time I had them as a kid from the perspective of a kid, who didn't have to do any of the actual work associated with getting rid of lice.

So, metaphorical sleeves rolled up, I walked the kids to CVS - purchased lice shampoo - enough for all three of us lovely ladies and Gerald, and marched home.

Total Spent: 53.00

I had the girls strip down to their undies or diapers and slathered lice-killing shampoo in their hair - and then mine.  Spent the next ten minutes trying to distract Freya from wiping her head on the couch and then bathed Clara, Freya, and then myself.

Kids dried off for a bit and I stripped all beds - took all sheets, blankets and pillows as well as Clara's recently worn clothes and hats and got them ready for the wash.

Got kids sort of dressed and put five loads of laundry in to wash - on hot.

Total spent: 7.50

Went back upstairs.  Slathered conditioner in Clara's hair and began combing with the lovely lice comb.  After each comb through her hair I wiped the comb off on some paper towel.   I tried not to notice that some of the black specks were still moving.  20 minutes later...

I combed Freya's hair - no lice.

Then I took a deep breath and combed out my hair.  Luckily, I was able to keep from going totally insane because I too, was free of lice.

Bathe in turns - Clara, Freya, Me.

Get dressed - turn over wash downstairs.  5 more loads.

Total Spent: 7.50

Waiting for prescription lice shampoo - won't be at pharmacy until 4:30.

Condition and comb through Clara's hair for second time.  Half as many lice.   Good sign.  Still shuddering.  While doing this Freya pours a liter of seltzer on the couch.  

Make a late afternoon appointment for a lice-check at Clara's doctor.  She won't be allowed to return to school without clearance from her doctor.

Bathe Clara again.  Over the day I condition and comb and bathe Clara 2 more times. No lice.

Collect 5 loads of laundry and start folding.  Somewhere in here the kids eat lunch and Freya naps.

3:00 - I get a car to take us to the doctor - I can't bear the idea of walking in the rain after the day I've had.  

Car to and from Doctor: 13.56

Get to doctor - sign in - Clara is cleared. Doc says to use prescription shampoo in a few days to make sure nothing was missed.  Pay co-pay.

Total Spent: 25.00

Got to pharmacy near my house - a coupon bring the cost of the prescription shampoo down from 50.00 to 10 dollars.   

Total Spent: 10.00

Get home.  Make dinner, Clean up. Put kids to bed, all the while scratching my head worrying about phantom lice.

So, thank you, little winking louse, for irrevocably altering the trajectory of my day.  Thank you for reminding us that the tiniest thing can change the course of our lives.  I hope you're enjoying lice heaven.

Grand Total: 116.56.

And thank you to Clara - who totally kept it together and never cried once. 

That blanket got washed too.

Post-shampoo relaxing.

Christmas Rolls Around Again.

Today my  almost 16 month old apparently said: "It's Christmas time" while at home with her Dad and Clara.  She adds this to her recent repertoire of words that include: Blue, Yellow, Duck, Moo, and Hello.  With Clara in full on Santa-Christmas-Fever mode, I am hardly surprised that Freya is jumping on the Christmas-enthusiasm train.

Flashback to a couple of weeks ago, when Freya and Clara met Santa.  Their mutual enthusiasm for Santa  vanished when presented with the Real Deal - smiles were replaced instantly with steely-eyed glares that seemed to say: "We'd like to see you try something, Santa-man.  We can take you."  I don't know if the sisters discussed their plan of attack beforehand but they clearly were borrowing from last year's intimidation strategy - Don't let Santa see you smile.  

2015

2016

Clara isn't too big on posed photography.  Take this case in point - picture day at school came and went.  This is the photo I took of her before we went to said picture day.  

Clara - candid, happy - cute.

Just try to tell Clara to smile or do something specific in a photo.  Good luck.  Here are the photos I got back from picture day.  First - the portrait.  Same abstract background from my childhood.  I would like to know who matted down Clara's hair before hand - maybe Clara?  Who knows.  And that smile - what a lovely smile - somewhere between - "You told me to smile - I'm smiling." and "I'm just pretending to like you."

And for the grand finale, Clara's class photo.  Top row, center - just where her parents were always placed as the tallest kids in the class.  It's nice to see some things never change. I present to you, Clara, not looking at the photographer with her eyes closed. My one consolation is at least she's not the only one.  4 year-olds, man.

So with that, kick back, relax, and enjoy this holiday season. I know my kids are.

Sliding out of Summer and Galloping into Fall

It's been a crazy, fun, exhausting, and very hot summer. Clara loved summer camp and when she wasn't there we were cooling off in playground sprinklers with friends.  We are loving the cooler Fall weather.

Freya is officially a one year-old.    She has a confident walk that is quickly turning into a lurching sort of run that terrifies me on a regular basis.  She has a method to her madness though - this rollicking gait looks unsteady but she rarely falls down.  

Freya has a few words in her repertoire now:

Mama:  though she stubbornly refuses use it unless she's calling for me in the middle of the night.
Dada or Dadee: Much to Gerald's delight, she says this often and with gusto.
What's That?: Questions and point with a high pitched baby zeal.
Dog. Nice dog.: Surprised us too.
No no.: Freya has an interest in wires and plugs, which Clara never did. She repeats our: "No no" while she decides whether or not to let go of the cable box.
Go: This is recent.  She's trying it out.

And if you're willing to suspend all disbelief, her aunt and uncle insist she said: "Let me see that" while playing with her cousin Fred.  Let me see that, Freya.

In Clara news - Clara started Pre-K!  Big Girl School!!!   

Before we launched into the school year we took a little break at the New York State Fair.  Clara was the official "Purple Pig" Cheerleader for the pig races, and she and I took ride on a camel of all things.  When Gerald and I saw that Clara actually wanted to go through with this camel ride, I said to Gerald hopefully: "Want to ride with her?" "No thanks." was his quick response. (Thanks a lot, Gerald) One word of advice - when riding double on a one-humped camel, don't be the one who has to sit on the hump.  Clara got the good seat.

The purple cheerleader - very intent on the races.

Clyde the camel takes us for a spin.

And then it was back to the city, and back to school. Clara was a little non-plussed with the dress code - "Why is it SOOOO plain!?," so we spice up her outfits with crazy socks and hair accessories. The few days leading up to the first day Clara expressed some anxiety - new friends, a new place...but when the big day arrived she jumped right in. Every day she says she loves it and wants to go back tomorrow.  It's been a little like pulling teeth getting Clara to talk about what she's doing in school but this past Friday on the way home I asked her what she had learned in school.  She says: "I learned about science and technology.  Computer technology, medical technology, and tool technology."  Well...then.

...is officially in school!!!

This cool cat...