Strawberries!

Camp

Ethan has been in Habitat Camp this week. The camp that everyone raves about or covets. The camp that always fills by the preceding December; that we've not been able to get into for years, and finally did this year, last minute, from the waiting list. I was so excited! (I rejiggered our entire summer schedule around it.)

But my little prince couldn't care less. He tells me that he hates it, that it's too long and too boring. He BEGS and PLEADS to stay at home. Just like he did with gymnastics, karate, baseball, music and...school! So far, of all the things we've tried, only swimming, ice skating and skiing have been embraced. He would rather hang out at home, ride his bike, his scooter or his half-bike/half-scooter around Ivy road and visit his much-older love, Margot, or his younger one, Hattie.

What am I to make of this? How do I navigate the endless activities? How many and which ones do I assign? How many and which ones do I..."push"??? I almost said ENFORCE. (Yikes.) That's the problem right there. Never mind the lost money and the terrible stress we go through whenever it's time to go--I'm worried that Ethan is starting to hate me! What does he make of all this scheduling (a small fraction, by the way, of the kid-scheduling that goes on around us)? And how will it impact his life later on? Have I become my parents already?? I very well remember my dreaded violin lessons, my dented, blistered fingertips and aching chin. I still remember the grotesque breath and personality of my piano teacher, my suffocating ballet slippers, and the biting chill of the skating rink. And now that I think of it, I even remember my first camp experience, sobbing and begging to stay home. And I definitely remember hating my mom and dad. But I also remember (much later) wishing that I had stuck with something and developed a real talent. For years I held my mother responsible for letting me quit. She couldn't win, I guess, as she didn't have the 'magic formula.' Or maybe it's a Time Machine that lets children see their talentless, full-of-resentment future selves--for just a moment--before whisking them back to that oboe lesson. Whatever. She didn't have it, and I don't either. Unless she had it, didn't recognize it for what it was, and--duh--forgot to pass it on to me when I became a mother! ;) That's the best case scenario (for me). Worst case: I am my parents, Ethan is me.

MUST...FIGURE OUT...PROPER BALANCE...

But I digress. This camp entry was meant to tell the following:

I forgot to pack Ethan's snack today, and was harshly reprimanded (by him) at pick up. I felt so terribly guilty, I promised him that I would be his "puppet" for the rest of the day. Anyway, not only did Ethan demand an extra "treat" before dinner (and of course that meant one for Cami too), he also made me tie a jumprope around my waist and run up and down Ivy Road while he held on to the other end and chased me. I think he must have heard "puppy".

Here they are enjoying their bonus Popsicles:












Note the toenail polish courtesy of Aunt Hildi.

Pho and Play with Dudu

Neigborhood BBQ

It's so nice to live just ten minutes out of the city and yet have such a wonderful suburban community. There are twenty children between the ages of two and seven just on our street and the next one over.... It's almost like a kibbutz considering how much shared food and childcare goes on. Strong friendships are forming and you can always find someone to play with when you go out your door. In a fast-paced world, where it's becoming more and more difficult to schedule play dates, we're so lucky to live in this adorable oasis. Tonight Sarah and Tom hosted, and our Little Gobbler had a feast.

Sleeping Pretzel

Rainy Day Art

Though the weather has been awful this week,  it's given us some much needed down time.  We spent the whole day in our basement art room, and I was rather impressed with the focus, independence and creativity that I observed.  For some reason,  both artists refused to wear pants....  I guess they must be somehow stifling to the process!



Glitter




Dots




Paint




Stencil




Collage









Beading




Flubber!

Home

We finally made our way home from nani and grandpa's. Camryn drove for the first time, so it was slow going. When Ethan tried to take over, she just wasn't having it.

Girls' Night In

Tonight was "Boys' Night Out". Normally Ethan and daddy go for Chinese, belt out "The boys are back in town" in the car, and do whatever else boys do. But tonight the boys headed off to meet the Cousins Silbert at a Japanese steak house. (I was sick, and the 7pm reservation was too late for Cami). So, technically speaking, Boys Night Out was just the drive to the restaurant in Westport.

Although it's become a cherished ritual for Ethan, boys' night is tough for Cami, who always feels left behind. She was particularly upset tonight, and only the promise of cereal for dinner appeased her. She had two bowls of her favorite, raisin bran, and some yogurt and blueberries for dessert. Afterward, she asked to go for a walk, and in my attempt to prove that "Girls' Night In" was just as fun, I went, even though I was barely conscious.

It happened to be a perfect summer evening - the sun was just starting to set, the smell of fresh blooming gardens and BBQ filled the air, and best of all, the mosquitos hadn't yet come out for their evening kill. We walked up and down Coventry Court, played chase around the cul-de-sac at the bottom of the hill, acquired a few new boo-boos, found a bird's nest, an army of ants, a neighbor's new puppy and some stones for walking and balancing. But by far, the most thrilling was coming upon our very own shadows. They were somehow more vivid and enchanting than ever before, and because of the time of day, were considerably long. Camryn was captivated and couldn't get enough, even though this wasn't her first encounter. She kept going back to play with them, and whether or not she understands the physics of a shadow-- intuitively, maybe?--in that moment she played with ours as if they were her dearest friends. A few minutes later she initiated a mirroring game with me, which I found so interesting... Was she comparing and contrasting the difference in how I, a real person, and her shadow reflect her movements? This extraordinary childhood ability to see magic in every reality-- coupled with a quest to understand it--is stunning to me, still.

I was able to capture the moment that she kissed my shadow, on video, and after you see it, I'm sure you'll understand why tonight marks the beginning of OUR OWN special ritual!

Peephole

Sleeping Beauty

With a beast of a bruise!