Lesson? What lesson?

Santa gave Squish a toy cell phone, and Santa gave Bug a small robotic shark.

Early in the evening on Christmas, Bug wanted to play with Squish's toy cell phone.  He wanted to play with it very badly.  He tried to pry the toy from Squish's hands.  He started to yell for the toy.  As did Squish.

I intervened.

If you're up all night, does the sunrise really make it a new day?

This morning, around 7:45 am, as Bug, Squish, and I were getting ready to leave for the day, Bug had a fit.  He did not want to go to school.  He wanted to stay home.  He wanted my husband to appear magically transported from his job back at home. 

When we managed to get outside, about ten feet closer to the car and the ultimate goal of starting our "new" day, Bug looked at the melting snow in the yard and started to cry/yell: "I don't want the snow to melt!  I DON'T WANT THE SNOW TO MELT!"

Why was sweet Bug freaking out?

Should we just call this blog A Squish Loves Coffee Dot Blogspot Dot Com?

Friday morning, at my husband's parents' house, the second pot of coffee was brewing.  Coffee mugs were lined up at one end of the kitchen island.

Squish: "Is that coffee?!? [You may not know this, but I actually love coffee.]"

Saturday morning, at my husband's parents' house, the third pot of coffee was brewing.  Again, coffee mugs were clustered at one end of the island.

Squish: "Coffee?!?? [Some people say their first cup of coffee in the morning is the best.  But I actually like the third cup the best.  But . . . it's hard to have a third cup when you haven't had a first or a second cup yet.  Pass me a cup of coffee.  I'll catch up to you all with your Third Cups in no time.  Trust me.]

Saturday night, in my living room, a certain prequel about monsters in college was playing on the television.  The characters were enjoying drinking from mugs.

Squish: "Coffee???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????  COFFEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Bug: "No.  That's hot cocoa."

long time, no post

Well, there was that time I set a goal of writing a daily blog post for each day that polls were open to vote for A Momma Grows as a Top 25 Family Blog...

And then there were the following four weeks.

Work turned inside out and upside down and got really real.

Simultaneously, there was the week when Bug was home sick on Monday and Tuesday, and Squish was home sick on Thursday and Friday.

The following week, Squish was home sick on Wednesday and Thursday.

This week, Bug was home sick on Monday.  That was yesterday.  The day I left for a work trip. 

Not good.  Not good at all. 

But, as with many of the hard times, there have been plenty of moments of the kind of absurdity that brings me back to Earth.

Such as this past Sunday morning.  I was sitting at the dining table, finished with breakfast but still enjoying my coffee.  Squish climbed into my lap.  I was talking with my husband.  A pleasant, easy morning.

Squish leaned forward onto the table for a second.  While he did, I was playing with and mesmerized by his wild mop of curls.

Then he leaned back quickly and said, "Yuck!"

I looked at his face and saw coffee spilling out of his mouth.

Squish had taken a sip of my coffee. 

Not his first sip of coffee.  Not even his second. 

Never let it be said that Squish cannot move quickly when he sees his opening.

9:30 and done

I set a goal of writing a blog post for every day that polls are open to vote for A Momma Grows as one of the Top 25 Family Blogs by Moms...

Today is a toughie, and so this will have to be short.

It is 9:30 pm, and I just finished working on the couch.  Sometimes, my husband and I both have work to do after the kids go to bed.  It is sort of a bummer for each of us, so I try to make it better by calling it "Study Hall With Beers."

A tale of two meltdowns ... Ghosts and Goats totally messing with us

We went to a nearby pumpkin patch this weekend for a playdate with one of Bug's friends.  Over the course of several hours before we left for the pumpkin patch, Bug kept asking me whether there would be ghosts in the pumpkin patch.

"Do you want there to be ghosts at the pumpkin patch?  Or no?"  I asked.

"Yes!  I want to find some ghosts," answered Bug.

"Oh - okay.  Well then we will have to look for them when we get there," I said.

Bug had been excited for this playdate and trip to the pumpkin patch for days.  When we were finally packed and ready to get in the car and drive to the pumpkin patch, Bug started to protest.

"No!  It's not nighttime!  There won't be any ghosts!!"

Twice as old as last year

On the morning of Squish's second birthday, I woke up in a hotel room in Canada (work trip).  I knew I would be home by 11 am that morning, but the Mom Guilt for not having been at home when he woke up on his birthday had been with me for days [weeks]. 

Two days earlier, on the day I flew to Toronto, I had bought Squish's daycare class mini cupcakes and left them on the kitchen counter so that my husband could bring them in with the kids on Squish's birthday.  I had also gone out to get Squish's birthday balloon and then hid it in the kitchen pantry.  (The birthday balloon is meant to be the first thing a birthday boy sees when he wakes up and arrives in his room the night before his birthday.)

By the time I was back from Canada and in the cab home from the airport, I started to worry about whether the birthday balloon and the cupcakes had been delivered on time.  On some level, I think I expected to walk into my apartment and see the balloon and cupcakes replaced with neon signs that read, "Good Moms Are Home On Birthdays," and "Good Moms Deliver."

I freaking hate Mom Guilt.

The good news is that my husband delivered both on time.  (Thank you, sweet, awesome, amazing husband of mine.)

The really good news is how awesome it felt to pick Squish up from daycare that evening.  He ran toward me with his mop of curls and a huge smile, and (almost) all of my guilt vanished as I scooped him up.  Thank you, sweet Squish, for reminding me that there are no neon signs, that we do the best we can, and that, if you're ever feeling a little low, the best trick is probably to turn around and around and around and around and around and around in the kitchen until you careen into the wall and tumble to the floor giggling all the way down. 

It was an honor just being nominated, but votes are nice, too

A Momma Grows has been nominated to be one of the Top 25 Family Blogs By Moms at Circle of Moms by Pop Sugar!

I have set a goal of writing a blog post for each day that the polls are open... Please reward me by clicking on this button and voting for A Momma Grows!!

Four

Bug just turned four, and it was a wonderful day - sunny and complete with friends and family.  But I didn't write my usual happy birthday post for him, and I have been feeling guilty ever since.

The night before his birthday and the party, I was stuffing a Spiderman pinata with three pounds of candy and little toys and trinkets.  Spiderman's face started to peel off of the pinata (for maybe the third time), and I realized we were going to need to scotch tape that spidey face to the pinata for the big day. 

I even thought to myself: "Ha!  Spiderman's face is coming off.  Classic.  Put that in a blog post."

free time

Forgive me for writing yet another post about routines - a changed routine, a failed routine, a lack of routine, a new routine that was the answer until it wasn't.  But, as my mom recently reminded me (when I apologized for talking about our new schedule at home for probably twenty-five minutes with an inordinate level of enthusiasm):  "Routines are so crucial!  Of course you think about them and talk about them!"

COMMUNITY NEWS: FingeNYC's 2013 FringeJR and Eva Dean Dance

I got a note about the following dance performance - tomorrow, this weekend, and next week - go, enjoy, tell your friends!

Venue #8 - The theater at the 14th Street Y
344 E. 14th St (b/w 1st and 2d Avenues)

Wed., Aug. 14 at 5:45 pm
Sat., Aug. 17 at 4:30 pm
Wed., Aug. 21 at 4 pm

Tickets: $15 in advance (www.fringenyc.org) or $18 at door

"Floating dancers on circus globes, bedeviled pirates, and free-spirited gypsies inhabit the netherworlds of Peter Pan, Esmerelda, and Tinker Bell.  Enter these worlds illuminated by mystical twirling lights.  Peter Pan and Stardust Dances is a unique one-of-a-kind production for adventurous audiences from ages 4 to 104.

The impetus for Peter Pan and Stardust Dances comes from an interest in magic, joy, and wonderment.  Eva Dean Dance first premiered an excerpt from this production at 2012 First Night Boston, set to original music from David Kahne's larger completed "Peter Pan Ballet" score.  Its 2013 FringeNYC installment will add one new segment - Peter Pan SHADOW.  Eva Dean and David Kahne plan to work together to make a full-scale production of PETER PAN using Kahne's composed "Peter Pan Ballet."
 

That time Squish maybe had a little, tiny bit of some iced latte

When I went to Milwaukee to see an old friend recently, I left my husband home with a seriously painful back spasm that was definitely not appropriate for air travel.

I packed a suitcase, a travel crib, a baby carrier, and a carry on bag into the back of the car and drove the three of us to the airport.

As we were walking to the ticket counter from the parking garage - pulling a suitcase with a travel crib on top of it, Squish in the carrier, and Bug walking alongside, a kind man said, "Would you like some help?"

"Oh, no, thank you!"

That's right.  I was in the middle of some kind of adrenaline rush  - having successfully made it that far, I was mentally preparing for the ticket counter, security checkpoint, and bathroom break, and I was pinning all of my hopes on the fact that there might be a coffee shop between security and the gate for our flight.

The coffee was going to be my reward for having successfully shepherded my three-year-old and one-year-old and all of our stuff to the other side of security.

I couldn't wimp out and take help at that point - before I had even checked us into our flight.

Caffeine was my help.

And it was waiting for me on the other side of security.

Potty humor

Bug, Squish, and I just spent the weekend in Wisconsin with a very dear friend and her family of five, including three boys aged five and younger and one sweet little fourteen-week-old pup. 

On the first full day that we were together, my friend drove all of us (that makes five boys aged five and younger) in her minivan to the zoo.  Bug was in the way back, sitting with my friend's older two boys.  At some point during the drive, I heard their friendship bloom.

Something like: "And then the poop goes down the pipes!"

"And then a big monster from inside the toilet grabs me!"

"A poop monster!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha poop ha ha ha ha ha poop poop poop ha ha haaaa!"

And so, this post is dedicated to the three most riveting bathroom moments of my recent travels with my dearest little ones. 

One

Bug, Squish, and I found our way from our car at Logan to the ticket counter and then to the bathroom. 

All of which was no easy task for [at least] two reasons.  First, my poor husband was home with a crazy bad back for the weekend, so I was traveling solo.  Second, in some fit of paring-down-because-I-am-going-alone-and-don't-need-anything-but-the-boys, I intentionally left the stroller at home.  I realized as I unloaded the car with my two goobers that a stroller would have come in pretty handy for the walk from the car to the terminal and then to the gate.

So, I was amazed that the three of us actually arrived in a bathroom stall. Bug peed first and then it was my turn.

"Why are you using your bum?" he asked.

"I am sitting to pee, love," I responded [in a public restroom].

How to be late to work - a 39-step tutorial

Have you ever asked yourself, "How can I be late to work?  What are the steps I should take to ensure tardiness?  I have a fairly flexible job, but I would really like to push the boundaries and see what happens."

Of course not.

Neither have I.

Yet I found myself lost this morning, unmoored from any semblance of routine, and a bit later than expected. 

I woke up at 6 am to the sounds of Squish - something along the lines of "MOMMA!  MOMMA! [Do you hear me, Momma?  The sun is up, and you are not in here.  Wake up, Momma!  I am awake now.  You should be, too!!!]  MOMMA!"

At 8:45 am, I was backing out of the driveway.

That makes almost three hours of Morning Time. 

If you ever want to replicate the time warp that was my morning today, just try the following:

REVIEW: Kindle Fire HD to the rescue - times three

The kind people at Amazon sent me a Kindle Fire HD to review (see disclosure of this fact again at the end of this post), and I am really freaking glad they did. 

While I have not used all of the bells and whistles yet (including "KindleFreeTime," which allows parents to limit screen time per child and according to content for up to eight kids), this little device came in handy at least three times during our vacation in Oregon.

We are Amazon Prime members, so we already have a few movies for Bug in our video library.  I downloaded two of them so that they live in the Kindle device (as opposed to living only in the cloud - which requires internet access).  During the six hour flight to Portland, Oregon from Boston, having a movie available was awesome.  We flew on an airline that offers movies and tv at every seat as part of the ticket price, but there was some extra comfort in being familiar with (i.e., having already approved as age appropriate) the movie that Bug was going to watch on the plane. 

On the plane, we were divided as a family.  My husband and Squish were in two seats on one side of the aisle, and Bug and I were in two seats on the other.  Bug, anxious for his movie to start, couldn't have been more pleased when we finally reached an altitude that allowed me to turn on the Kindle and get his entertainment going.  All of which was necessary because Squish decided the only way to fly that night was on my lap.

Then Squish went bonkers, and the only thing that seemed to make him happy was to hear me sing the A-B-C song over, and over, and over, and over, and over.  He clapped and cheered for me every time I finished the song.  His praise helped to ease the pain of looking over at the empty seat next to my husband.  (Squish is not yet two.  We could have avoided paying for his seat and called him a "lap infant" - as he was so readily demonstrating in my lap, cheering me on to my next rendition of the ABCs.) 

Finally, Squish fell asleep in my arms.

The fact that I was managing Bug and Squish on the flight for the first hour and a half was definitely eased by the fact that Bug was enjoying a movie on our Kindle.

*               *                  *               *                *

Later in the vacation, we were in Portland with our dear friends.  That made for four adults and three children under the age of four. 

One late afternoon, all we wanted was a beer and some appetizers in a little pub type place near our hotel.  We all sat down, and things were going smoothly for the first fifteen to twenty minutes.

Then, the three-year-olds in the group grew restless.

I pulled my Kindle out of my bag, connected to the wireless signal at the pub, and started a kids' show at the table that made them both happy, quiet, and still.

We finished our beers and snacks in peace and had mostly adult conversation.  It was amazing.

There was probably a time in my life (let's say while I was prego with Bug, for example) when I would have judged a mom who set up a screen in front of her child so that she could drink a beer with her friends in peace. 

That time is over.

*                  *                *               *               *              *              *

When we arrived at the airport in Portland to check in for our flight back to Boston, we learned about a ninety-minute delay.  A delay that would get us to take-off by around 12:15 am local time.  A delay that put us at the well lit gate, waiting to go home, for nearly four hours with Bug and Squish at just about the time when they would normally be snuggling into bed. 

Kindle to the rescue.

Bug got to watch a movie, and it made his night.

Squish (immune to movies) needed to be walked around the airport in his stroller until he fell asleep.  I thought that it would only take about twenty minutes because it was well past his actual bedtime.  I was wrong.  Feet up, arms out, ready to sing to the ceiling, Squish was in party mode and wanted to experience every last second of the Portland airport.

Finally, my husband took over the duty of rolling Squish around to sleep, and I got to read a magazine next to Bug (who was quietly but thoroughly enjoying his movie).

*                       *                   *                   *              *

I realize I have shared only the most basic aspects of the Kindle Fire HD, but basically it is really great.  And I know that I will be taking it on work trips for myself.

(*Amazon provided me with a sample Kindle Fire HD 7" for review.*)

Is being green better than being hot, exhausted, and vehemently angry at luggage?

This morning, the four of us navigated the local bike path on our way home the airport after our week long vacation in Oregon.

The bike path?  Is that right?

Weren't we in a car driving home from the airport?

No.

We were walking with:

• four carry-on bags (one hybrid backpack/suitcase for Bug, one backpack for Squish, one tote for me, and one overstuffed backpack for my husband);
• one stroller;
• one Squish in the stroller;
• one Bug alternating between walking with his hybrid backpack/suitcase and riding on our "stroller skateboard" (an attachment to the back of the stroller that allows him to stand and ride along as we push);
• one regular sized rolling suitcase in perfect working condition; and
• one enormous sized rolling suitcase with a broken pull handle that refused to come out of its shaft - a broken pull handle that actually came to symbolize how much I love my husband and how strong our marriage is because having to steer and roll that enormous unwieldy thing along with everything else brought us to the brink of turning on each other at least seventeen times before we even made it to the bike path.

After we had taken the T.

After we had taken the Silver Line.

After we had been on a red eye from Portland.

Why were we doing this?

BOOK REVIEW - Tuke: The Specialist Turtle

Tuke: The Specialist Turtle, by Jim Ritterhoff and Melissa Tomjanovich, with illustrations  by Tory Novikova

Bug found this book in the living room and immediately started to review it himself.  He looked at every page, fascinated by the colorful illustrations of sea creatures living around a coral reef in the Caribbean.  

Bug: "There's a sea turtle!"

Bug: "There's an octopus!  Did you know an octopus has stingers?!?"

Bug: "Look at all these rays!  Can a stingray sting you, too?!?"

Bug: "A whale!"

So, we sat down and read the words in the book, too.

Tuke, a cute little turtle, struggles to find acceptance from the other creatures in his sea home.  He gets picked up by some researchers and then returns to the sea, continuing his quest for praise and love.

Will he or any other creature ever realize how special he really is?

SPOILER ALERT

Yes.

But I will let you read the book to find out how.

This book is worth checking out for its illustrations and the valuable message about the importance of sea life and conservancy.  The writing is, at times, a little awkward in its attempts to maintain a rhythm and rhyme.  But, for what it's worth, Bug loves the book and wanted to take it everywhere we went last weekend.

*Chowder, Inc. provided me a copy of this book to review.*

Jinxing it

Squish woke up crying the other "morning" (at about 4, which hardly feels like morning).  When my husband wasn't able to soothe him, I picked up dear little Squish and said, "Do you want to go rock in the rocking chair?"

He said, "yeah."

So, to the rocking chair we went.  After some calm rocking and quiet snuggles, Squish seemed restless again.

I cannot for the life of me remember why, but that was when I went to the couch.  Perhaps it was simply a desperate attempt to lie down again.  The rocking chair is nice, but when it's still dark outside, lying down to sleep is nicer.

COMMUNITY NEWS: Habana Outpost - 2013 Kid's Corner Schedule

Just got a note with the following schedule for the summer at Habana Outpost - enjoy!

Germs: friends or foes? (or, ten minutes in the life)

When I arrived at Bug's side of the playground (the "big kid" side), one of his new little friends approached me with her recently common refrain: "Can I come to [Bug's] house?"

Most days I say, "Oh, sure.  I will drop a note in your cubby, and then we can find a good time for you to come over."

Lately, I also have to add, "Remind me again.  I will put the note in your cubby next time!"

Yesterday, I realized it was time to make good on my promise to this little Friend-o-Bug.  So I said, "I will go write a note and put it your cubby now.  Then, [Bug], I will come back to get you and we'll go home.  You have four more minutes to play."

Squish and I went into Bug's classroom.  I stole a piece of paper from the teachers, which hardly seemed the ethical choice, but desperate times . . .

I wrote a note for Friend-o-Bug's  parents/guardians, whom I have never met, hoping they would not be put off by the oversized blue marker I had to use to introduce myself via their child's cubby.  But desperate times . . .

Note safely tucked into Friend-o-Bug's cubby, I looked to Squish, who had decided the little water fountain in Bug's classroom was where it's at. 

I said, "Okay [Squish], let's go get [Bug]!"

As I was walking away from the water fountain and toward the playground, one of Bug's classmates came in with her mom.

This little classmate washed her hands (as instructed by her mom).  Then she left the sink and headed toward the dramatic play area. 

Before she could get very far, her mom said, "Don't touch anything!!!"

I thought to myself, "Ah, yesssssss, the Germs . . . well, time to get [Squish] and [Bug] and get out of this Petri dish masquerading as Pre-K . . ."

I turned back to Squish - still at the water fountain - now alternating between splashing his hands in the water that had pooled by the water fountain drain and stretching his little body as long as possible so that he could get his mouth to cover the spout.

Bounce

Today, the four of us went to a birthday party for one of Bug's best friends.  All in a backyard with an inflatable kiddie pool, burgers, hot dogs, chips, drinks and an enormous Bouncy .

It was wonderful. 

Soon enough Squish wanted to climb in, and who am I to deny a toddler his time in a Bouncy?

I went in with him thinking my presence would create a protective aura - preventing any young pirates from tumbling into or over the little squish in what felt like a bouncy field.

happy day

On Friday morning, preschool/daycare was celebrating all the moms in advance of Mother's Day.  In the front entrance way, there was a tray of bagels and a bowl of strawberries in honor of all of our mothering.  Bug and Squish swooped in as if they hadn't eaten in days.  So, we filled a plate with their plunders and went down the hall to Bug's classroom. 

(The symbolism of my children devouring the Mother's Day Treats was not lost on me.)

magic spell

Bedtime is my favorite time of day - a secret I am willing to confess now.  I used to worry that loving the kids' bedtime was a sign that I didn't love my mothering hours enough.  And while I do love the glass of wine that almost inevitably follows bedtime, I also love bedtime for itself - for the time with each of my little lovies - so squirmy and busy all day long and so willing to be held and snuggled when the sun sets.

Expectations

I have decided to revise my morning routine expectations.  I will no longer try to feed my children between 6:30 am and 7 am.  I will no longer try to get the three of us dressed and out the door by 7:30 am.

I rarely succeeded on that schedule.  We were rarely out the door by 7:30, and I was rarely succeeding as my best self.

From now on, I have decided to try to leave the apartment by 8:15.

So, this morning the boys and I read books until 7, when they started their breakfasts, and I was feeling pretty proud of myself.

"Ahhhhh, so this is all it took?  A shift in perspective?  Less pressure to meet an unattainable goal?  Done and done.  We are all so much happier right now.  No one is yelling or throwing a fit.  This is awesome!"

Variations on a theme

For whatever reason, I cringe a little when I hear my three-year-old use the word "butt."  I know this makes me a bit of a prude.  I know there are plenty of civilized, worldly, perfectly lovely people in the world who use the word.  In an effort to avoid passing on my weirdness about the word, I try not to have a reaction when Bug says it.

But in the last ten days or so, the kid says it just about all the time.

He says it to be silly - "Oh, hi, Mr. Butt-butt!"

He says it to show his anger [when he gets a timeout] - "You are a stinky butt!"

He is exploring all possible variations on the theme.

COMMUNITY NEWS: Children's drawings needed for a production in the New York Children's Theater Festival

I just got a note about the following chance to get your munchkins' art on stage ---

Pennydog Puppet Productions is looking for children’s drawings to enhance the set of Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater!, a new musical that will be featured in The New York Children’s Theater Festival April 26-28.

A component of the show’s aesthetic will include elementary students’ drawings affixed to set pieces.

“Why attempt to replicate a child’s style, when we could have the real thing?” remarked producer Staci Rosen. 

All drawings should be done in crayon only and not have any writing on them.  Submissions should be scanned and sent to PennydogPuppets@gmail.com. Please write “CCPE Drawing Submission” in the subject line and include the child’s name and age in the body of the email. Also include a contact name and phone number for notifying the family of selected drawings. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, April 12th.

All students who submit a drawing and attend the show will be entitled to a Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater! poster signed by the cast and characters as well as a photo with the cast. You can see the characters on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pennydogpuppets.

Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater! is a puppet musical about honesty, friendship and believing in yourself.  Maddie has to decide whether or not to cheat in order to become a star. As the story unfolds with great humor and fun songs, Maddie and the audience learn the importance of integrity and being true to oneself. 

Performances will be Friday, April 26 at 5:30 PM; Saturday, April 27 at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM and Sunday, April 28 at 2:00 PM at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater at the West Side YMCA at 10 W. 64th St. The show is recommended for elementary-aged kids and pre-purchasing tickets is strongly encouraged. Tickets to the show are available at www.NewYorkChildrensTheaterFestival.com. 

In its second year, The New York Children’s Theater Festival provides a birthplace in New York City for new live children's entertainment from around the globe, and serves as a platform for writers and producers who are passionate about developing innovative theatrical experiences for children.

Yoga and wellness workshops - discounts for my readers!

Good morning, all.  I received a note about the following yoga classes and wellness workshops - A Momma Grows readers also enjoy a discount - namaste!

COMMUNITY NEWS: NY International Children's Film Festival

I received a note about the NY International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF), which takes place this month - through next weekend (March 24).  Seems like a great way to spend an afternoon with the 3-18 crowd... 

NYICFF 2013 is packed with over 100 animated, live action and experimental shorts and features from around the world plus gala premieres, special events, filmmaker Q&As, filmmaking camps, audience voting, and the NYICFF Awards Ceremony. 

Below are some links to give you more information:

Tickets available at: http://www.gkids.tv/intheaters.cfm

Photos from the films: http://gkids.com/press2013.html

COMMUNITY NEWS: Free Theater Event - March 25

I just got a note about the following free (and family-friendly) performance in Park Slope on Mon., March 25 at 10 am - enjoy!

 

SPARKLE: The Princess Spectacular!

 

This new 40-minute musical features Cinderella, Tinkerbell, and Snow White, who all work to rescue Prince Charming from the Witch's evil spell. Highly interactive and filled with educational elements, children crescendo while singing, count while jumping, and laugh while dancing all in order to help the princesses break the curse and save the prince. 

 

The show is ideal for kids ages 1-7, who are invited to dress in their finest royal attire. Afterward there will be pizza, a raffle for some great prizes, and pictures with the cast!

 

Monday morning, March 25th, at 10am. 

The performance will be in the catering space/concert stage at Holy Family-St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 9th Street at 4th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn.

 

You can find us and like us on Facebook at: www.Facebook.com/SparkleThePrincessSpectacular

COMMUNITY NEWS: Earth Day at Habana Outpost reopening 4.13.13 Noon - 5pm

For those of you in or around my old stomping grounds, I got a note about the following Earth Day activity at Habana Outpost . . . enjoy!

 

Spread Earth Day Love, The BK Way!

Habana Works to host 2013 Earth Day Expo at Habana Outpost reopening

757 Fulton at S. Portland, Brooklyn, NY - April 13^th, 12:00pm – 5:00pm

            Spring is in the air and that means it’s almost time for the 2013 Habana Works Earth Day Expo at Habana Outpost – New York’s first solar powered restaurant! Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 13th to celebrate the re-opening of the restaurant and a day of eco-friendly fun – Habana style.

            Habana Works is the non-profit branch of the Habana family, which provides free, hands-on programs that celebrate urban environmentalism in the Brooklyn community. Each year we invite various organizations to participate in our Earth Day event, from composters to beekeepers to sustainable retailers!

            The Earth Day Expo is an opportunity for our neighbors to join us in spreading the love by participating in the Earth Day program while sharing resources and ideas about sustainable living! The Earth Day Expo also marks the day when Habana Outpost will re-open the restaurant for 2013. The day will be filled with fun, learning, and food!

 

The 2013 Habana Works Earth Day Expo is brought to you by Habana Outpost owner and Habana Works founder - activist, artist and restaurateur, Sean Meenan. For more information on Sean’s many projects, please visit www.seanmeenan.com

all before 7:20

I refused to get up this morning.  Not just refused the day or the universe or the alarm clock.  I sank to a new low and refused my child.

Did this week really happen?

Sunday evening, I left home to fly to Canada for work.

Monday, I was in meetings in Toronto all day.  One of my colleagues mentioned that she was nauseous that day, and later that night she got the pukes (for lack of a more delicate phrase).

Tuesday, I flew back to Boston.  On the plane, I felt a little weird but dismissed it as just travel weariness.  In the cab from the airport to my apartment, I felt like I was about to get the pukes.  Within an hour and a half, I was sick at home, and my husband sent me a text letting me know he was coming home early from work (which he never does).

I had visions of the two of us incapacitated by the pukes, taking turns barfing while Bug and Squish run around with rolls of toilet paper, watching hours of a certain television show about a train and a little family of pteranodons, eating nothing but 4-ounce containers of yogurt and leaving the yogurt containers wherever they pleased.  So I called my mom.

the circus

As we were finally nearing the door this morning to get to daycare/preschool/work, I had Bug but no Squish.

"[Squish], time to go... come on to the door, please..."

Nothing.  Then I heard some banging around in the bathroom.

I left Bug at the front door and went in search of Squish the Rascal.

like crazy

On Sunday afternoon, about ten days ago, the boys were napping, and I was at the dining table crying.  Telling my husband how awful it felt to put them in daycare/preschool for nine or more hours a day.  Telling my husband how much I hate the occasional travel I do for work. 

My husband kindly said, "They are thriving.  You do not have to feel bad, love."

I replied, "Maybe they are okay, but maybe I am not.  Maybe I need to spend more time with them."

Then, about thirty minutes later, I was getting in a car to the airport for a work trip to Houston.  That Tuesday night, I was home again.

Wednesday morning, before the sun was up, before I was willing to get out of bed, my husband dropped Squish in my bed as he left for work.  Squish, Bug, and I were a little pile of cuddles and jokes and giggles. 

Then, Squish barfed.  Everywhere. 

Lofty New Year's Resolutions

In 2002, I started the year by making a resolution to tell the truth and only the truth.  This resolution prompted some people to ask, "Were you lying your way through 2001?"