Zoë's Big Week (Part 1)

I signed Zoë up for a combo ballet and tap class this year, after she told me she loved her tip toes ballet from last year.  I should have known it would be a long year after she decided that what she loved about it was her dance costume from last year.

Tip Toes Ballet, May 2014

She started out the year "ok" with each Saturday class, but after a few months it was clear that it was going to be a long haul until the end of the year, and the May recital.  I'm not one to push my kids into multiple activities that they don't want to do, but if they sign up for something that they say they want to do, I at least want them to finish it through to the end.  Then they can just not sign up the next year.  She was one of the younger girls in the class, I'll give her that.  The other youngest girl in the class would often be seen during practice, together with Zoë, sitting on the floor and paying more attention to the dust bunnies rolling by then what the teacher was teaching.  By January Zoë started protesting Saturday mornings, not wanting to go to dance class at all.  It turned into a game with Mike and me, who would be the one to have to take Zoë on Saturday.  I would keep nudging her into going by reminding her that she had been fitted for this year's costume, and adding a quick "you might get your costume this weekend!!".  That worked for about a month and a half before she called my bluff. Luckily the costume came soon after, and she got a little more motivated to get through to the end.  One morning she stuck to my leg like cling wrap, resisting to go in to the dance room.  I did peak in to watch her when she finally went in... she was having fun!  So I didn't feel so bad.

Anyway, Zoë's love/hate relationship with dance this year came to a screeching 180 degree turn last week when she experienced her first recital.  All it took was to put a little make up on her cute little face on the day of the show, and she was immediately in love with the whole idea.  Since then, she's been obsessed with my make-up, wanting to put it on any chance she gets.  I've caught her rifling through my drawer looking for something to put on her face.  She BEGS me to put some lipstick on her when she sees me with it. 

Here's Zoë shortly after getting her all ready for her recital.  All smiles!

Mom!  Why didn't you tell me make-up is SO fun!?

She got so excited just getting ready at home, she didn't even make it on the ride over to the auditorium.  Had to take this shot, love my baby girl!

The youngest dancers had crayons and paper at their tables, along with older dance girls assigned to chaperone.  I quickly snapped some shots with some friends before Zoë shewed me away like an embarrassed teenager.  "Mom, go upstairs and wait like the other moms!"  I couldn't believe it! 

Zoë and Lilah, the other youngest in the class... these two were quite a pair

We weren't supposed to take video or pictures during the performance, so we bought the 40 dollar DVD.  It will totally be worth it.  Here's the best I could get, when the whole team cam out at the end, she's the purple blur with her hands together, to the left of the light blue dressed girl kneeling down

Some flowers for the dancer

She beamed when she saw daddy and Vince and grandma!

 Vince grumbled for most of the show, then fell asleep on the way home.  So we dropped him with the sitter who watched Luca, and took her for a celebratory dinner. 

 She was all smiles the whole night, and it was so incredibly adorable to watch her in her two shows.  We got home after 9pm, she was exhausted, but still happy.... went straight over to the bathroom and started opening my make-up.  Mike told her it was time for bed and no more make-up would be put on... that's when the s*it hit the fan.  Wailing and crying, screaming and whining.  Ah.. back to reality.  I'll spare that picture.  Now she is insisting on signing up for the intro to hip hop class that her dance school offers.  Sigh... we'll see how far we get with that :). 

Mother's Day 2015

As Mike posted on Facebook, nothing screams Mother's Day like a Star Wars themed day at the zoo.  Vince had seen an advertisement about the Star Wars day at Franklin Park Zoo, and it suddenly became what we were doing to celebrate Mother's Day this year.  I must admit, we actually went to the zoo last year on Mother's Day as well, and it was a nice day.  It was only after we circled for what felt like an hour, looking for parking at the Arboretum.  We had no luck.

So going back to the zoo, with the added twist of perhaps running into stormtroopers or sand people.... well that sounded great.

We were greeted by a fabulous peacock showing off it's feathers

attempted (a few times), to get a photo with the kids on this cool giraffe bench

We had walked almost all over the zoo, and hadn't seen one hint of Star Wars characters... and the kids were getting hungry, hot, and tired.  Never a good combination.  We sat down for a bit in the shade, got Mike to buy us overpriced ice cream, and tried to recoup a bit.  Some people at the table said they saw the characters over by the far entrance of the park.  Vince suddenly got some pep and motivation in him, and we jumped up and headed to that side.  I only heard Mike describe this, but when Vince didn't see any characters at the gate, he started to slowly break down, and melt....  into a crumbling and defeated sort of look.  It was truly sad.  We turned down one more little side lane to make sure they didn't dart down that way.... when all of the sudden, there they all were.  In all their "movie quality costume" glory:

We got the snowtrooper

awesome Jawas, but missed getting a photo of his eyes

oh hello, x-wing fighter pilot

Vince and the sand people

Notice you won't find Zoë in any of these pictures... because she grabbing me to go hide in the corner with her, while she clutched onto me and secretly watched from behind me.  She wouldn't go anywhere near them.

The stormtroopers.  Both Vince and Luca were enamored. 

This was the best we could get of Darth Vader, very popular of course.  No one left him alone.  He posed for a few guests, then all of the sudden threw his cape back and walked off, he'd had enough I guess.  It was a dramatic exit, my heart jumped a bit when he walked by. 

After the Star Wars activities concluded, everyone could relax with a little carousel ride.  Zoë still wasn't sure whether a stormtrooper would jump out at her.

The last half of Mother's Day was spent at our dear friends house Kevin and Danielle.  We all had some good laughs, and some good glasses of wine.  Here's my mom and I after a few of those glasses, and a great evening

More Vince

Today Vince asked me "how many days till I turn 7, mom!?".  What!? 7!?  I gasped a little when I realized he was right.  My oldest is going to be 7 soon!
Life with kids has made me feel somewhat like I'm stuck in the movie Groundhog Day.  Same challenges every day: get them dressed, get them to eat breakfast (or any meal!), brush teeth, put socks on, then shoes, get in the car, etc..  So much to do.  Then flop in bed exhausted at night, trying to catch some sleep before getting up to do it all over again.  It makes it easy to let so many days, and weeks, and months slip by, before realizing your child is another year older.   

May he always love his Lego toys    

I look forward to my "Vince time" right before kindergarten drop off.  Luca and Zoë have been dropped off at their schools, so Vince and I get to hang out in the van while we wait in line with the trail of other cars waiting for drop off to begin.  He waits until I put the car in park, then jumps out of his booster and climbs into the front seat next to me.  We spend the 10-15 minutes we have by usually talking about Lego's, or listening to some songs, or taking selfies like the one below.  I love his big grin

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Vince came home from kindergarten today and showed me his favorite St. Patrick's Day project

It's hard to believe our first born little baby boy is so big, and flying through his kindergarten year.

He's changing and growing so much every day.  Before I know it, days go by and weeks march on before I realize he's not so little anymore.  So when he was excited to show me his leprechaun mask from today, I initially was about to keep rushing around the kitchen frantically getting things done for the next day.  But I stopped, and we snapped this photo, and he shared with me all his stories of the day... And that was so much better then tackling the kitchen duties.. Which could wait.

Happy 80th Birthday Mom!

Wow, my mom turned 80 years old last Tuesday!  Now that is something to celebrate... We surprised her with a big dinner party at a restaurant that we can now say is on our list of local favorites.  Once you see the steak below, you'll understand why it's now my mom's new favorite restaurant.

Look at the size of that steak!! (I'm having chest pains just looking at it)

I started making the guest list, and thought about how fun it would be to get some sort of impersonator to come and surprise her during the dinner.  Imagine an Engelbert Humperdinck look-a-like walking in and serenading my mom with happy birthday!  Or someone who looks like John Wayne strutting in to give my mom a happy birthday kiss.  I started a futile attempt at Google searching impersonators, but quickly gave up when I laid eyes on the actors that resulted, especially when matched with their prices.  What I did find during my search was that the REAL Engelbert Humperdinck (yes folks, he's still alive), was going to play in concert at Foxwoods in April!  The combo of casino plus mom's longtime heart throb pretty much sealed the deal.  We'll be headed downt here next month, just mom and I.  That'll be another blog post...

We missed our friends and family in California, and always wish and wait for visitors... but my mom has always been the type to get along with everyone, and has quickly become very well loved among all my friends, all the kids nannies, and all our neighbors.  I dare say some even like her company better than ours! 

our beloved neighbors wouldn't miss the celebration!

mom's friends from New Hampshire

The McKenna clan representing

Our best sister nanny pair

mixture of nanny and coworkers turned Irma fans

I did the next best thing to a "real" John Wayne.  Amazon prime delivered Johnny in quick time

 It took 80 years, but she's aged to perfection

happy birthday to you mom!

Luca blew out the candles and grabbed the numbers for a quick lick

Out to a free lunch on her actual birthday, Luca and Zoë not wanting to pose for a picture

 

It's hard to believe how much time has flown by with my mom being out here in MA with us.  I can't imagine her not being here every day, and we are so grateful every day to be able to spend time with her.  There's been so many memories created in the time that she's been here, and I hope we still have many more to come.

someone especially loves grandma's cuddles