tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81678609713656561652024-03-12T17:28:43.863-07:00phoebe's worldsharing my journey with the most amazing little girl in the whole wide world.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-9404405871339946352013-10-16T07:52:00.001-07:002013-10-16T07:52:18.955-07:00Our AnniversaryI share my wedding anniversary with not one person, but two. October 14th, 2012 was the day that Jeff and Phoebe and I officially became a family. We made vows to love and listen to each other and we truly live those words every day. "How old were you when your parents got married?" Phoebe asked me the other day. Well, most people are not alive to see their parents get married. But our little girl was so much a part of the day, I can't think of our celebration without her. It was very much because of her that we decided to turn our committed 10 year relationship into an official, government sanctioned union. In the past year, we've paid our taxes together, we've worked on our official name changes- from Social security to birth certificates to passports. We are officially now the Yates Family, and so begins our adventure together.<br />
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This year has only strengthened what we had as a family. Our days are filled with love and caring and affection for each other. Even when we are apart, we think of each other through out the day, and are excited to be back together at the end of the day- together. We are so happy in our little home. Our son Michael is now going to college in the city and lives not too far away, so he is a regular presence in our orbit, giving us one more element of happiness. He and Justin made our wedding so special as they acted out their two lines from the Princess Bride to kick off our ceremony. Justin, with an impeccable sense of timing started with, "Marriage, that blessed arrangement, that dream within a dream..." and Michael followed perfectly with "Love, true love, is what brings us together today." At least half of those in attendance were cracking up. The rest, had to figure out what that was all about. For me, it was a highlight to a day that perfectly reflected who we are as a couple, and as a family. <br />
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So I guess this is as good a place as any to end this blog. It was originally designed as a place for a single Mom, adopting a baby from Vietnam to share her struggles and triumphs. How far we have both come from that chilly January day in Vietnam when we first hugged each other six years ago. I truly never want that hug to end. These words are for you, Phoebe. They were written so that you will know how those first precious years felt to me, and how much love there was for you every day since. Perhaps it's time to start a new blog as we start together on this next part of our lives. Now that you can read and are writing, perhaps you can share in the writing of our story. For now, just know that you are the spark that lit a flame of joyful fireworks in our lives. Sometimes, all we can do is sit back and enjoy the glow you bring.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHnaT9hqPPLui5vxaJUin1Fm-eQ0KLRf1WVCTPMq648wWAuNfNu9QVs9hLWsdffkJtsaDacFi0TpmlMDPQTHMBrsHSWcEqXmbaWpOq7tMJO_odn_9KLVB7EqXEi6AStEhXY-DG88-N8DWE/s1600/IMG_2510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHnaT9hqPPLui5vxaJUin1Fm-eQ0KLRf1WVCTPMq648wWAuNfNu9QVs9hLWsdffkJtsaDacFi0TpmlMDPQTHMBrsHSWcEqXmbaWpOq7tMJO_odn_9KLVB7EqXEi6AStEhXY-DG88-N8DWE/s400/IMG_2510.jpg" /></a></div>phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-53197974295619813122013-08-13T07:58:00.000-07:002013-08-13T14:01:05.560-07:00Dear FAEver since Phoebe and I got home from visiting Jordan at Camp Forest Acres, we can't stop ourselves from singing camp songs. "We'll follow, the swallow, to the camp of all our dreams..." Forest Acres your girls are marching..." These infectious old songs, some of them more than 50 years old, have a way of sticking with you. Much like the camp itself, the songs are among the many traditions that FA keeps up that pulls girls back to their beautiful surroundings of Fryeburg, Maine year after year.<br />
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This time was particularly special because Jordan was in Log 1, had been voted to be one of the Green Team captains and, on our last night at camp, would get one of the highest honors the camp offers. How wonderful it was to see the natural leader Jordan has become. How the girls flocked to her, listened to her and looked up to her. She led her team with enthusiasm and pride- and even after a defeat at the sing, she was emotional, but also happy for her best friend's win on the Tan team. <br />
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At Friendship circle, all the songs and poems came back to me as if they had never left my brain. When Bert stood up with the glow of the fire behind her and called Jordan's name to join the White Pine circle, I was filled with such pride. The tears were unstoppable. What a deserving girl she is for such an honor.<br />
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As a parent, being back up to camp and having the privilege of staying in a cabin with Phoebe, I was able to see how much care goes into their philosophy. The girls, regardless of their fierce loyalty to their teams, showed so much love and care for each other. There is acceptance, respect and an abundance of affection. What a rare bubble to witness girls of such tender ages showing such kindness and love to their fellow campers of every shape, size and background. For a full 7 weeks, they truly do disconnect from our technology-tethered world and reconnect on a human level.<br />
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For Phoebe, camp was a chance at rare independence. In New York City, there are not many times she can go off by herself and find her way back. She checked in with me often, but also was able to find her way from the pool to our cabin to Tanglewood or Tip Top and back. She made fast friends with some of the youngest girls in Cabin 4 and even discovered the stables and made friends with the horses. Watching her wander around FA and connect with the girls was pure joy for this ex-camper. So many people asked Phoebe if she was ready for Rookie camp next year. For now, I think Phoebe likes being at camp with her Mom, but when she's ready, I know FA will embrace her. I know she will be cared for. I know she will learn and grow and maybe even become a leader like her big cousin.<br />
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When I asked Phoebe what the best part of camp was, without hesitation she said, "Being with Jordan." I am so grateful for this moment they shared and to know that camp will connect us all for years to come.<br />
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Here was one poem I had not remembered, but came back to me in an instant. It is read before the girls elected for unit honor come up to throw a pinecone in the fire.<br />
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"For lowly deeds, <br />
for unkind thoughts,<br />
for words so hastily spoken,<br />
the burning of this pine cone is forgiveness,<br />
our woodland token."phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-53734702576165462442013-07-24T14:19:00.000-07:002013-07-25T10:53:10.265-07:00Vietnam Culture CampWhen I first heard about this 4-day camp, I wasn't sure it was for us. I thought Phoebe might be too young to absorb it all, and I didn't think we had the issues some people have of their child having no one in their school or town who looks like them.
Boy, was I wrong.
The camp was founded by a visionary Vietnamese American named Caroline Nguyen Ticarro-Parker founded. The main idea was to inspire connections between families and celebrate Vietnamese culture. Over one long weekend, their counselors–all teens and college students who were also adopted from Vietnam, treated the kids to games and activities. At the same time, the parents attended workshops (one was on DNA testing that was fascinating) and saw documentary films. The Teen panel was made up of middle school and high school students. They talked about their experiences of being adopted, finding birth parents, not wanting to find birth parents, the gamut. How amazing it was to see in their faces and picture how my child might be in 9 or 10 years. How enlightening it was to listen to their struggles and fears and triumphs. It was a small window into the future. It filled me with emotions and questions I had no idea I would have.
In the evenings we participated the talent show (with our own rendition of a Pippin song) and attended a culture show where the kids got to dress up in traditional Vietnamese Aoi Dais and perform with their groups. They were all so beautiful in their vibrant colors.
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Caroline uses these camps and the travel and volunteer projects she runs to fund her philanthropy– the Catalyst Foundation. (http://www.catalystfoundation.org/) They build schools in poverty stricken areas of Vietnam and have worked to curb the tide of human trafficking. Every year, they put together cultural tours of Vietnam with families from the U.S. The tours are designed to give families a safe and easy way to explore the country where their children were born. They help with side trips to your child's hometown and even help facilitate visits with birth families, should you and your child be interested in uncovering and discovering that part of their lives.
It was a lot to take in. I don't know how Phoebe will feel about that part of her identity. As a parent, I just want to be armed with as much information as I can offer her. I have always wanted to take her back to Vietnam, and we have talked about it a bit. Now, I feel like I have a great resource to take our family to explore that part of her that only lasted for 5 months, but is written on her face and in her heart forever.
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As for Phoebe, she seemed to really love being around all these kids – especially the bigger girls. She has already told me that she wants to go back next year. When we came home, she played back a lot of parts of the weekend to her Dad and brother over dinner. She even met a girl at camp who lives only 7 blocks away and is in her day camp at Asphalt Green.
Overall, it was just an amazing experience. We met so many wonderful families. We even had a reunion of 6 kids who had all been adopted from the Vinh Phuc orphanage– three teenagers and three 6 year olds. Now that the program is closed to Americans, it will be interesting to see how this program develops over the next decade. Caroline says she already has a plan for these kids with leadership camps and volunteer opportunities. I hope we find ways to stay involved and keep learning about the culture that brought us our incredible Phoebe.
phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-58385515361038296312013-07-01T10:12:00.000-07:002013-07-02T13:01:40.403-07:00Kindergarten. Done.Hard to believe Phoebe's first year of school is already over. She started at one school and finished at another. I thought the transition would be devastating for her, but it wasn't. She loved the friends she made at P.S. 158, but she also worked really hard at finding her way into a new group of friends at Lower Lab. By the end of the school year, she found new best friends and maybe even a potential husband! (Even tho' Teja told her he's not ready to get married. Phew!) Getting into Lower Lab was beyond lucky. The teaching staff, the program, the parents and the school culture will put Phoebe on track for great success in the future. Phoebe got top scores on her teacher evaluations and they all said what a smart and flexible and pleasurable girl she was to have in their class. We are so very proud of our girl.
Next stop, first grade.
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Last day of K-106 with Ms. Liz & Ms. Chanel
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Movie night with Teja
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International night with Gabi and Lillian
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School Sing
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgUJJAYe1HvKJcHIqEpc8NeT78ZMOrmam7bV0ZNnrZBUd-jbRWufEFmiAzzKQ2vDKwqrVAFqXilxPqqHExVQXIh3JaAUbqNjvCmiDa_QKoFOqSiQR9iIgsRt9WiSPMhhwjvXiqklmgDfs/s1600/IMG_1436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgUJJAYe1HvKJcHIqEpc8NeT78ZMOrmam7bV0ZNnrZBUd-jbRWufEFmiAzzKQ2vDKwqrVAFqXilxPqqHExVQXIh3JaAUbqNjvCmiDa_QKoFOqSiQR9iIgsRt9WiSPMhhwjvXiqklmgDfs/s320/IMG_1436.JPG" /></a></div> Triplet Day with Gabi and Arianaphoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-46189341298720086252013-04-08T08:31:00.000-07:002013-04-08T08:31:09.228-07:00Back to Cali
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOkBey1hbm3QYUUzy7SSkivdatHlCu-d7l838ItZY7V_Q7-CxpsoDbGpONAfmOSkKNuWIa9FTafpzQfTjBufCOdU7UTukW9_EGqiZLPqpJ31IUy_iakQ_s0KlYCLqdRniwIkoOYkJBWvB/s1600/IMG_1504.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOkBey1hbm3QYUUzy7SSkivdatHlCu-d7l838ItZY7V_Q7-CxpsoDbGpONAfmOSkKNuWIa9FTafpzQfTjBufCOdU7UTukW9_EGqiZLPqpJ31IUy_iakQ_s0KlYCLqdRniwIkoOYkJBWvB/s320/IMG_1504.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljfKoE44hA9GJPL8-9BawPjmJcRiOiYaUXKXsHKvV2mgLoo087GNZm-Go2e2ocjypj-RxQ8jbzNa_2UlhJi0xQACIdnew9vk2hyQiOBwLSZsyLevyOzCinOYQl3Nc2WyODMwqaasOyhw1/s1600/IMG_5040.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljfKoE44hA9GJPL8-9BawPjmJcRiOiYaUXKXsHKvV2mgLoo087GNZm-Go2e2ocjypj-RxQ8jbzNa_2UlhJi0xQACIdnew9vk2hyQiOBwLSZsyLevyOzCinOYQl3Nc2WyODMwqaasOyhw1/s320/IMG_5040.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHdsCoU70iwOuWlhVAesa86JMy5Qu3pY0yEUhK3K_s5ORM6ahlA4SOxaXunAkIpWoKk8KrZqnBbiA6jYsnNsL36RsOoYD_enWAT9xHVqftF_rOlILgA5IrmZRw-N0ko1cTILdLlZ_72Qd/s1600/IMG_1499.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHdsCoU70iwOuWlhVAesa86JMy5Qu3pY0yEUhK3K_s5ORM6ahlA4SOxaXunAkIpWoKk8KrZqnBbiA6jYsnNsL36RsOoYD_enWAT9xHVqftF_rOlILgA5IrmZRw-N0ko1cTILdLlZ_72Qd/s320/IMG_1499.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10GSUcDIwd8BWzZlG9aHHTT0U6IBVHLYmBj26Wlm5CCN0YB6i4FkPu2hV5Wl8bLr_uCtlcU5X6bR28HUmSGQuLTuX8fAqF047GVO4LmJv0RgIhyuWEUwR_uMpc5Fo-i87pVm_Pz-qOHUz/s1600/IMG_1536.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10GSUcDIwd8BWzZlG9aHHTT0U6IBVHLYmBj26Wlm5CCN0YB6i4FkPu2hV5Wl8bLr_uCtlcU5X6bR28HUmSGQuLTuX8fAqF047GVO4LmJv0RgIhyuWEUwR_uMpc5Fo-i87pVm_Pz-qOHUz/s320/IMG_1536.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUUfQCKTztmy31qynz4apHnlxZEaqq67YwnCziq_TxIhT04ReAe9uJnKQAbWLdKLfgJi4xgECK56sTyTOrIlK1zmo2BE7FbuBnPmU3n8TgdXKIEGIcIzp6VETpaCsFFy-kf1rnoNapakI/s1600/IMG_1474.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUUfQCKTztmy31qynz4apHnlxZEaqq67YwnCziq_TxIhT04ReAe9uJnKQAbWLdKLfgJi4xgECK56sTyTOrIlK1zmo2BE7FbuBnPmU3n8TgdXKIEGIcIzp6VETpaCsFFy-kf1rnoNapakI/s320/IMG_1474.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0enbFL2vWrqwJf1RAILaCXnd-z47iMZRrUkIotNOTYqy_FOykaAsR8SJ_xsdTbuQt1zZC-3Rx0Nwo6ewV2xY1Lo3EspuNEi5KRQYUj2ieKys259hbY9H52AHJdOm34ew-24jJ3Bgzk8dw/s1600/IMG_1529.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0enbFL2vWrqwJf1RAILaCXnd-z47iMZRrUkIotNOTYqy_FOykaAsR8SJ_xsdTbuQt1zZC-3Rx0Nwo6ewV2xY1Lo3EspuNEi5KRQYUj2ieKys259hbY9H52AHJdOm34ew-24jJ3Bgzk8dw/s320/IMG_1529.jpg" /></a>
The last time we were in California- Phoebe was not yet 3 years old. This time, she's a kindergartener who loved being on a plane and was a trooper of a traveler. (actually, she's been that since the very first trip we took back from Vietnam).
We started the trip off in San Diego as guests of the Cortese family. Phoebe had fun playing with the big kids and running around their house together. Brooke & Talia took us to Sea World and helped us see all there was to offer in the world of seals, walruses, dolphins and whales. From there, we drove north and spent an afternoon with our Kaplan cousins- Will, Elana, Harper & Lucy at Disneyland. We made sure to hit the small world ride, the kiddie roller coaster, a Nemo submarine ride and the highlight- the Disney parade of all our favorite characters. It was a little crowded for Mom's taste- but Phoebe had a great time.
From there, we spent a night at the beautiful home of the Shevins in Manhattan Beach and then headed to the Valley to spend Passover with the family. Jimmy, Joi, Chloe and Jordan hosted a family filled affair with fun puppets for the kids to enjoy the Seder. We even brought Grammy & Grammy into the party by linking them in on Face-Time! They got to watch the whole thing from their winter home in Florida. From there, we were hosted by the Schwartz-Susskind clan: Lori, Scott and 3-year-old Sadie in their warm home in Sherman Oaks- with a little house to ourselves. (sweet!)
Jeff got to spend some time with Justin and a day at the beach with his friend Shep and I got to visit the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena with my sweet friend Maha and his 4-year-old son Tenoch.
We spent our last day and night back in Venice beach enjoying the funky atmosphere and the warm breezes. At night we were invited for a delicous grilled dinner at the home of Justin's friends, Jason & Aimee. We had such a nice time, we are looking forward to going back again next year.
phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-19365004428016576402012-10-25T06:38:00.000-07:002012-10-25T06:38:02.677-07:00Big Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After years of being happily unmarried, Phoebe's Mom & Dad decided it was time to make it official. In the weeks leading up to the wedding, friends were arriving from all corners of the world- James & Scott from Sydney, Punam from Hong Kong, Brooke from San Diego, Stef from San Francisco. There was a festive feeling around us. It was so exciting to have all these people traveling all this way just for us. It made me feel so happy and so loved. On Friday morning, we got a call that would add another crazy celebration to the weekend. Phoebe had been given a late placement to the gifted & talented citywide school called the Lower Lab. After six weeks at P.S. 158, all settled in with new friends and new teachers, we had assumed that while she had made the list of top kids who were eligible, she had not made the cut in the lottery. All that changed with one call. I was in a panic thinking about all we had to do right in the midst of getting married.
Friends (and Jeff) told me to try to put it away for the weekend, and I did try, but underneath I knew that this would be a big week for our whole family.
Phoebe and I stayed at the Bryant Park Hotel the night before the wedding with Alana having a little girl's night before the big day. We got up early, I had my hair and makeup done and we walked across the street to the Bryant Park Grill to meet Jeff and Justin, Michael, Aunt Jane, Chloe and Jordan for our wedding party pictures.
Phoebe, the cutest flower girl ever, was not quite sure she wanted to participate in all the festivities. But by the time we got up to the roof of the grill, she had her friend Sammie by her side helping her putting down the flower petals on the aisle. With Grampa Bob officiating, it was a family affair to remember. The sun broke through as if on cue, and the wedding proceeded without a hitch. Justin and Michael spoke the first words, some of our favorite lines from "The Princess Bride" and the crowd erupted in laughter. A tear or two were shed when Phoebe got called up to get a special ring from her dad as he promised to love, protect and listen to her. Phoebe too said some words in return: Daddy, I promise to love you to listen to you and to always have fun with you. It was such a special moment for all of us.
The party was filled with fun dancing, lovely speeches from Bob, Jimmy, Bill, Linda and Justin. Everyone seemed to have a great time mingling and taking silly pictures with Bob's hats and Uncle Chip's mustaches at the photo booth. Before we knew it, the day was wrapping up and people were heading out with kisses and warm wishes.
Phoebe went home with Grammy & Gramps, Aunt Jane and Whitey while the happy couple stayed at the hotel for a honeymoon night. The next day we were packing up, dropping our stuff at home and heading up to The Lower Lab to sign Phoebe up for her new school. It's a wonderful community with some very special kids. Phoebe had a going away party at P.S. 158 on Wednesday and started at the Lab on Thursday. She is such a resilient and strong girl, making friends and participating from the first day. Over the weekend, she had a few tears over missing friends and her teachers at 158, which is certainly natural. But when we were feeling blue, we got up, headed over to John Jay Park, and instantly ran into friends from her old class, her new class and even her ballet class. We are so lucky to be surrounded by friends on all sides, living in a community that welcomes us and embraces us.
We are now officially, Phoebe, Nancy & Jeff Yates. A true family, as we always have been in our hearts, moving on to a new beginning and a new adventure for all of us.
phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-85502991906286887972012-08-27T07:24:00.000-07:002012-08-27T11:38:18.048-07:00Things I learned at camp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For the first time this summer, Phoebe was signed up for an all day camp called Asphalt Green. It is located right at the top of East End Avenue and it went for a full day from 8:15am to 4:30 in the afternoon. No small task for a little person about to turn 5. But it was an amazing summer and worked out so well for all of us. Especially Phoebe.
Every day, we started our day walking up the block to the bus. Phoebe got to ride the big yellow bus 10 blocks up to camp every day with her friends and counselors, feeling like a really big kid in the process. I would stand there, waving goodbye to my little girl, who seemed to be growing into her new life so very fast.At camp she had swimming almost every day, learned about baseball, soccer, tennis, karate, yoga and basketball. Each week, she got to go on a field trip to great New York area places like the Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn Children's Museum, Coney Island Aquarium and Victoria Gardens in Central Park. We got wonderful reports from her counselors that she was a great kid to work with, fun and well behaved. We are so proud that she's doing so well out there in the world with out us.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKH0QODibz5uE8KQYBcqu9XehMtvq9FFglhU2f1aFaxR8iXSKVWdGFJ8eakmx8EiMMG9d2mtLC_teiqhhr2nIqyD6Jr2VPjive5eF-mbP5XCwFY5v1fvMbR2BBLWIwW8q8KM6D2zveL5f/s1600/AllAttitude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKH0QODibz5uE8KQYBcqu9XehMtvq9FFglhU2f1aFaxR8iXSKVWdGFJ8eakmx8EiMMG9d2mtLC_teiqhhr2nIqyD6Jr2VPjive5eF-mbP5XCwFY5v1fvMbR2BBLWIwW8q8KM6D2zveL5f/s320/AllAttitude.jpg" /></a></div>
Phoebe also learned a few other things at camp this summer.She came home saying "like" in every sentence.(like a teenager might) For example, "Joanna is like so allergic to chocolate her Mom has to give her like pills for it." Another funny thing that cracked us up: "Chloe wasn't at camp today. Her family went to the Han-tins" Okay, so now Phoebe knows there's a place people go called "The Hamptons." I'm just happy she doesn't really know how to say it just yet.
All in all. It was an amazing summer for our little person. Turning 5 and taking on the world in her very own way.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-21529701812414640472012-06-06T11:09:00.002-07:002012-06-06T11:09:28.169-07:00Last Day of Pre-KJune 6, 2012
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTgnrjQMrdVacMeAEf6pPRK_62lgsE-HxYpxvJhbxwYNJOI-TPEcTTqXeSCZQroYUQUGaQKVzO8uMYZtIkpUCBUaNXyMTpBZU2rEaumELol8NNLGkC70pN2Sc3jPc2muJ5qGqI48z4KyM/s1600/citygirl.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTgnrjQMrdVacMeAEf6pPRK_62lgsE-HxYpxvJhbxwYNJOI-TPEcTTqXeSCZQroYUQUGaQKVzO8uMYZtIkpUCBUaNXyMTpBZU2rEaumELol8NNLGkC70pN2Sc3jPc2muJ5qGqI48z4KyM/s400/citygirl.JPG" /></a>
Today is the day Phoebe finishes Pre-school. Two years at All Souls have come and gone in a flash. She started just after she turned 3, not shy, but not exactly sure she wanted to be separated from Mom and Dad for most of the day. Now, on the cusp of 5, Phoebe is confident and truly enriched by the days she spent with the teachers and students of All Souls Pre-School.We still have our separation issues in the mornings. We take a moment each day to read a book together before I rush off to the subway on my way to work. We still have our ritual good by with our special hand signal to each other. She's still a little kid, but one I feel is really on the cusp of so many big kid things. Her language skills are amazing. Her ability to understand complex problems always astounds us. Her art work is beautiful, complicated and always interesting to look at.Phoebe has made some great friends; Rafa, Eva and Will, Dylan and Sofia, just to name a few. Some will join her at P.S. 158 next year, some will go on to various public or private schools around the city and some will spend another year inside the safe and familiar All Souls walls. For now, it's Phoebe's time to move on towards the future. I'm so very proud of all she's done and all she's become. I just can't believe this moment as a pre-schooler has come to an end. Phoebe may be moving on, but Mama's still in denial.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-60555787543780411682012-04-13T08:23:00.003-07:002012-04-13T08:31:58.105-07:00Oh Mexico<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRFV7AHSlh4m0aYMG5-_-ndYkkkD4TKcUBmEbZQkmxCpQGj3O58KAC9oXGL9volouHik1ss8t3XZmmMKZ5uPyGkKKewb9PzqZtamoF4zTkNZS7TfusyME1rth8aIleJa_crFkb3RMhwox/s1600/mex5.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRFV7AHSlh4m0aYMG5-_-ndYkkkD4TKcUBmEbZQkmxCpQGj3O58KAC9oXGL9volouHik1ss8t3XZmmMKZ5uPyGkKKewb9PzqZtamoF4zTkNZS7TfusyME1rth8aIleJa_crFkb3RMhwox/s320/mex5.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730907194692991010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgISg1tK5zhJzKWztni0mYlY6OMeVeaAgOS7WYK7NJRVORg0BJJ8l5kthSBxElegoBuyvmXkiMu5veXIElhzispx7wamx5BQlxJjG6M4jrXXVyG_zphUySC_sCjCp-FosWsygrl4JJId0/s1600/mex4.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgISg1tK5zhJzKWztni0mYlY6OMeVeaAgOS7WYK7NJRVORg0BJJ8l5kthSBxElegoBuyvmXkiMu5veXIElhzispx7wamx5BQlxJjG6M4jrXXVyG_zphUySC_sCjCp-FosWsygrl4JJId0/s320/mex4.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730907169507466706" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8Xa9JFwiAkVQ7Ui0msslbOit4h3vnSbi-RAbMOqv9_ADFz7oUMh2lsYA00zct2iUWZpkfxlfkIeJ4TwQMuc8sUrjzo-64o3sDASr3VWqwQGXLm2-jdf75MpC5SWo9Oy4rsj2G7gYXIL1/s1600/mex3.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8Xa9JFwiAkVQ7Ui0msslbOit4h3vnSbi-RAbMOqv9_ADFz7oUMh2lsYA00zct2iUWZpkfxlfkIeJ4TwQMuc8sUrjzo-64o3sDASr3VWqwQGXLm2-jdf75MpC5SWo9Oy4rsj2G7gYXIL1/s320/mex3.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730907160856371490" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKL2xEQN9yN-iWMmbizKyNtcoI9i6gaGlI3j-J6m_QkFwoGSmfDJR1cDkTChmVIUNwIj0lbwBe8iiGrGfvuThi_UYuGD8VsgYUZxpLl1qS7nyXLDbLX9qQrw6KJzx5cN94C5mM4ByrsTpY/s1600/Mex2.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKL2xEQN9yN-iWMmbizKyNtcoI9i6gaGlI3j-J6m_QkFwoGSmfDJR1cDkTChmVIUNwIj0lbwBe8iiGrGfvuThi_UYuGD8VsgYUZxpLl1qS7nyXLDbLX9qQrw6KJzx5cN94C5mM4ByrsTpY/s320/Mex2.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730907144697231170" /></a><br /><br />Our first family outing to a vacation destination was a sunny success. Jeff and I had traveled to Cancun a couple of years ago on our own, but this time we had two families in tow. Carol and I have traveled to many far flung places together, but this was our first adventure with the girls. It turned out to be a great getaway for everyone. The girls went to a kids club on site after breakfast, and we usually picked them up by lunchtime. They had a great time doing crafts and feeding iguanas, while the parents crashed out on beach chairs, caught up on reading and much needed sleep. The kids club also offered a 'pajama' party during the week where the kids got to run around a carpeted conference room in the hotel, order dinner and watch movies. We got to go out and eat like adults at seaside restaurants, breathing in freedom of parents on the loose. A lovely time was had by all, not even spoiled by 2 hours at JFK immigration on the way back. Now it's time to start dreaming about the next trip!phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-73102696050956419322012-04-11T10:56:00.002-07:002012-04-11T11:10:47.136-07:00Smarty Pants!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWagXPfVv31mBV54kXxjtDt-IMn4AlYNRlmpKnzHSzRcQ7csfYvOWms5WTUOHpWqiFjIzci0v9Q9DbMvdIHRUdaP1xr2hvr1fszYv4btBp3ikEhwnth6lOtmkoDrRt43jl89RfHASTjUb6/s1600/P4Aclassphoto.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWagXPfVv31mBV54kXxjtDt-IMn4AlYNRlmpKnzHSzRcQ7csfYvOWms5WTUOHpWqiFjIzci0v9Q9DbMvdIHRUdaP1xr2hvr1fszYv4btBp3ikEhwnth6lOtmkoDrRt43jl89RfHASTjUb6/s320/P4Aclassphoto.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730204489753620754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KVW90-FC5jIJIrWztesfaug0ybCrCDfpvOKhyphenhyphenurF4RF0ITtcu2vMgyFLoa_So1gX8h7LPG0Fp5jXDn0eD0kTypj93SR4KDDaoHSaklANsD6Zn7sfg1r8kqAeyI0G5pgzcYD5Lx-ZPVbV/s1600/P4Aclassphoto2.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KVW90-FC5jIJIrWztesfaug0ybCrCDfpvOKhyphenhyphenurF4RF0ITtcu2vMgyFLoa_So1gX8h7LPG0Fp5jXDn0eD0kTypj93SR4KDDaoHSaklANsD6Zn7sfg1r8kqAeyI0G5pgzcYD5Lx-ZPVbV/s320/P4Aclassphoto2.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730204474384217138" /></a><br />Every parent thinks their child is a genius. We all have our moments of boasting and bragging about how our child learned their numbers or colors or shapes. How they said something super sophisticated. How they seemed to understand complex situations. I have always believed all these things about Phoebe. My friends Debbie & Dan have often joked that they probably got her birth date wrong in Vietnam and she's really much older. Not so, but it does sometimes feel that my 4 year old is going on 14.<br /><br />As we approached the next phase of her school life, we decided that we would not spend 30k or more a year on private school, but go for public school, and do our best to get into one of the gifted programs around the city. We are lucky to have a good school in our neighborhood and have been excited talking to the kids and families about joining them at P.S. 158 in the fall. We took the G&T testing more for the experience of testing than thinking we would be one of the few to score high enough for the specialized programs. We decided not to do any prep classes, but to just keep reading to our girl and doing puzzle books and brain quest on car rides. The day of the test, Phoebe seemed to have fun with her teacher. She came out with drawings and stories, one of the last to appear. And that was it.<br /><br />Last night, we were informed that the scores had been posted. When I saw that she had gotten in the 99th percentile I just screamed with excitement and overflowed with pride. Now a new process begins. I have learned that over 900 kids in NYC have gotten into that 99%, so there are no guarantees that we will get into our chosen school. For now, we're just happy that it expands our options and gives my little smarty pants a chance at a better education.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-62695292217866385972012-03-12T14:07:00.003-07:002012-03-12T14:12:10.104-07:00City Girl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmcZNNNG3VlPpI4tOhymsv19oS5MmmGpXYrG5WejXCoXSbyc33WecKbGML7lPPYn9OvHp4fd9j5SYfwP_OoAvO709dENf963gw3ACus8pzMa6soVVowTZ-r79uTUc1g7sMtymiKldGr_X/s1600/Plaza1.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmcZNNNG3VlPpI4tOhymsv19oS5MmmGpXYrG5WejXCoXSbyc33WecKbGML7lPPYn9OvHp4fd9j5SYfwP_OoAvO709dENf963gw3ACus8pzMa6soVVowTZ-r79uTUc1g7sMtymiKldGr_X/s320/Plaza1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719120428088070706" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTb1kZwTsq7Mg8-pT5G29TnsuHyZ6UJMnSNcnAF5XW9WYRwjHITZy9bFiCScTTXcFzJ_wf5e12vEmHJ5ZW2qqMVjy7322Cz-zZkj3I6aVTIKvsiiFyrKiI3zyhj0WJ6aBHbi58-Ti3Qit4/s1600/Plaza2.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTb1kZwTsq7Mg8-pT5G29TnsuHyZ6UJMnSNcnAF5XW9WYRwjHITZy9bFiCScTTXcFzJ_wf5e12vEmHJ5ZW2qqMVjy7322Cz-zZkj3I6aVTIKvsiiFyrKiI3zyhj0WJ6aBHbi58-Ti3Qit4/s320/Plaza2.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719120415676405906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPNeJ9D6SFnVHS89RXggjjJVY2xwoxaKtzvx_1z2DNjmgC6nVsCVq1Nn0qGgxtqWUHuGKYRLiL09vDTOpLmGOLfMkIfYbPVQtzqwUYkQkHvjm73lNAnh7RFvSZ14JDROFGhWcAq9VSKou/s1600/Plaza3.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 252px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPNeJ9D6SFnVHS89RXggjjJVY2xwoxaKtzvx_1z2DNjmgC6nVsCVq1Nn0qGgxtqWUHuGKYRLiL09vDTOpLmGOLfMkIfYbPVQtzqwUYkQkHvjm73lNAnh7RFvSZ14JDROFGhWcAq9VSKou/s320/Plaza3.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719120402227744866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWom5SPtyeOkSO0tS1C35xAclZOmcJw7qwxRn8N8Z1TqRDD2-Pg7A59i2MAdxMT74YYDUOxLAi7HsH5ZypWDwKOperSQEs-5sDNBuLxEwOnp0EXf44pZE2QtXJ6sfJbWuaLP4R7L5nEs-/s1600/Plaza4.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWom5SPtyeOkSO0tS1C35xAclZOmcJw7qwxRn8N8Z1TqRDD2-Pg7A59i2MAdxMT74YYDUOxLAi7HsH5ZypWDwKOperSQEs-5sDNBuLxEwOnp0EXf44pZE2QtXJ6sfJbWuaLP4R7L5nEs-/s320/Plaza4.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719120393373786194" /></a><br />Much like our beloved literary friend Eloise at the Plaza, Phoebe is a city child. In the past month, she has been to the Plaza Hotel 3 times! These pictures were from our friend Michaela's birthday. Phoebe got to dress up for a fashion show, have pink cupcakes and spend time in Eloise's living room. When we were done, we decided to take a ride through central park in a horse drawn carriage. Our horse's name was Hudson. he clip-clopped through the park on a crisp late winter day, while his passengers enjoyed every minute. I love the city I live in, especially when I get to feel like a tourist doing some of the wonderful things visitors do here every day. Doing them with Phoebe made it all the more wonderful.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-87936643419849370742012-01-06T12:37:00.000-08:002012-01-06T12:45:15.490-08:00Our little skier<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMzwEDoSSYze38dG3jTfZAXxo3MdIVDEAV-WMJ38syOqgo6DuTfhy58Ry-AqFnByW3PJiXHoGNDrkba8FtxWaTKrl079qaXXy4ZII11O-MMlOEY6xGXo9gy4f1wxdhxVXplXLtPZe7ahK/s1600/ski3.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMzwEDoSSYze38dG3jTfZAXxo3MdIVDEAV-WMJ38syOqgo6DuTfhy58Ry-AqFnByW3PJiXHoGNDrkba8FtxWaTKrl079qaXXy4ZII11O-MMlOEY6xGXo9gy4f1wxdhxVXplXLtPZe7ahK/s320/ski3.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694621814637688322" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhY-HqcEfFfHMkCy9vt51iX6kNXzkRmpxzfaW5DfHAa89nKD9_IBD3ujnFGhhXQhyphenhyphenn72WsyoyhGAki3CDZ7oj7IZfuUqjpcqT7PUP16qOHQDxlDZldFdrsRMC_oDD2Et8b0hjDJs3Q3ZB/s1600/ski2.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhY-HqcEfFfHMkCy9vt51iX6kNXzkRmpxzfaW5DfHAa89nKD9_IBD3ujnFGhhXQhyphenhyphenn72WsyoyhGAki3CDZ7oj7IZfuUqjpcqT7PUP16qOHQDxlDZldFdrsRMC_oDD2Et8b0hjDJs3Q3ZB/s320/ski2.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694621812263303874" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpE0zrdD5PzH7S0WHt9QVGmCtmMpR8J0_GCHS7cJoaLrMrsMjQY_hoWJuZCysf3jTHMwF09dRNImdiV_EkxC3-gEACennk4G_aITAdZuVwumz_TT2xaV9SDb75rf7dbnkZ0AX_A2uM1jP/s1600/ski1.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpE0zrdD5PzH7S0WHt9QVGmCtmMpR8J0_GCHS7cJoaLrMrsMjQY_hoWJuZCysf3jTHMwF09dRNImdiV_EkxC3-gEACennk4G_aITAdZuVwumz_TT2xaV9SDb75rf7dbnkZ0AX_A2uM1jP/s320/ski1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694621812421464690" /></a><br />This Xmas break, the ski conditions were awful. It had snowed very little and much of the mountain was only barely covered with man-made snow. That did not deter our Phoebe from getting out on the slopes for her first 2 days of ski school. Even with the temperatures dropping, Phoebe was intrepid, getting out on the slopes for a full day of ski school. After one day on skis, she was able to step on the "magic carpet" and take it to the top of the hill. She learned to stop and go with skis pointed straight and together. She really seemed to have fun being a big kid on skis. Both Jeff and I took ski lessons at Bromley, so now the next generation steps up to learn a great winter sport. I guess this means I will have to get back on skis myself one of these days. For my Phee, I will brave the cold and try to remember how much fun it is to glide on snow. Can't wait 'til we can enjoy an afternoon at Bromley together.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-27322953295265564752011-12-21T12:37:00.001-08:002011-12-21T12:44:08.695-08:00ChrismaHannakahKwanza<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxMkiOf-mg4Gxu9rblTAHrgCGOy9UJtA_quGAXKqav6r_QHWk8pE7o-1t5Gw0qMvhccS19mJpktRoKIA7NI2ksu3WCx9gKt8EaEM2-KbYkQGcH2buvps1g4lKKHLds4hb5NMV0_Q6WaY_/s1600/ourlittlexmas+tree.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxMkiOf-mg4Gxu9rblTAHrgCGOy9UJtA_quGAXKqav6r_QHWk8pE7o-1t5Gw0qMvhccS19mJpktRoKIA7NI2ksu3WCx9gKt8EaEM2-KbYkQGcH2buvps1g4lKKHLds4hb5NMV0_Q6WaY_/s320/ourlittlexmas+tree.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688683653923746018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9l7LiMnUDH0PjptJZOVYL-PSsApYGpDO09K4zFWiRzG1IndTmfZ15MODiSWYAQPBI_5bIjUTV9avwkFydqNR-aZJh_5Ts5fqxCXyTzAdNe7znqCtUAbnbOuWpJszAx_q-h6HJChXwkMXi/s1600/hannukah.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9l7LiMnUDH0PjptJZOVYL-PSsApYGpDO09K4zFWiRzG1IndTmfZ15MODiSWYAQPBI_5bIjUTV9avwkFydqNR-aZJh_5Ts5fqxCXyTzAdNe7znqCtUAbnbOuWpJszAx_q-h6HJChXwkMXi/s320/hannukah.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688683647319499794" /></a><br />It's hard to believe that' its been two months since I was able to post anything. It's been a sad reality that work has taken too much of my time away from the little things. But now it's Holiday time and life turns towards time off with family. Phoebe was so excited to get our little Xmas tree for our house this year. It sits right next her wooden Menorah that seems to hold equal fascination for her at this moment. I love that our Vietnamese, Jewish Princess has so many things to celebrate. When we took out the ornaments for the tree with her Dad, I could see that this holiday holds so much nostalgia and sentimentality for so many of us. I am just happy to celebrate the season with our little family. We are so lucky in so many ways.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-81305237198056611772011-10-06T19:11:00.000-07:002011-10-06T19:18:55.252-07:00School begins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipeJ9tZtGHGTVlDJocGoQEel2ugqO4EabrPDVU9GWPo0kU3-5VXzmKl4MhxP7pgqI32v5-0WNGM6tFs5kAAYJNHJMEEaVMxxst0gSN1GHwh0zpMcwUHz_fEQ4afAawPwdPIDkuxWjsKykc/s1600/Phee+4A.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipeJ9tZtGHGTVlDJocGoQEel2ugqO4EabrPDVU9GWPo0kU3-5VXzmKl4MhxP7pgqI32v5-0WNGM6tFs5kAAYJNHJMEEaVMxxst0gSN1GHwh0zpMcwUHz_fEQ4afAawPwdPIDkuxWjsKykc/s320/Phee+4A.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660567592366507890" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WsAM3-UWGjcCQN2k3hKAKiZ8qdvIlCWuZHS2bDx7tDyp_se-ZmkuKczcQ8tiLBQ5di-WH693IczkF8tujlfXubSu9p1qh0-xUFSL3UatEYGF7SUVxr1JPe5eCWV2xSF9XHkihwBsoTAs/s1600/Class+4A.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WsAM3-UWGjcCQN2k3hKAKiZ8qdvIlCWuZHS2bDx7tDyp_se-ZmkuKczcQ8tiLBQ5di-WH693IczkF8tujlfXubSu9p1qh0-xUFSL3UatEYGF7SUVxr1JPe5eCWV2xSF9XHkihwBsoTAs/s320/Class+4A.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660567586545822978" /></a><br />At last! The summer has come to an end and Phoebe's 2nd year of school at All Souls has begun. It feels so different than last year. Our girl is now in a morning class. We take the bus together and I get to drop Phee at school on my way to work. Phoebe has no hesitations about her learning environment. She's in a new class, with new teachers (Susan, Nikki and Jackie) and yet she is unfazed and ready to be a part of it. At open school night, the teachers told us that Phoebe is a pleasure (of course) so nice to other kids and inclusive in her play, (so nice to hear) and one teacher even told us that in all her years of teaching she has never encountered a student like Phoebe. One day, when Phee was waiting to be picked up, she asked her teacher to sit down next to her. Then she proceeded to ask her teacher what she liked to do when she was at home. Not the typical question from typically solipsistic 4 year olds. We are so proud of our Phoebe and just so happy to hear that she is her best self at school; fun, engaged, kind and great to have around. That's our girl!phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-68054010429861028292011-09-22T07:41:00.001-07:002011-09-22T07:46:11.652-07:00Labor Day of Love weekend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTI3WXupfWo3R5H8F2oTdktUhWEmf3m3yES1DzTTCuHbXRHRPA8YNNQnW8Mk9qxj9Bdwr91Pn_9EOeB6jLma49vy9nL1KcS_eBpr1xOHa9QCrjNx4wEeLCpB55_L7dkGMcK5bSZLA8bvE/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-09-22+at+10.38.40+AM.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 249px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTI3WXupfWo3R5H8F2oTdktUhWEmf3m3yES1DzTTCuHbXRHRPA8YNNQnW8Mk9qxj9Bdwr91Pn_9EOeB6jLma49vy9nL1KcS_eBpr1xOHa9QCrjNx4wEeLCpB55_L7dkGMcK5bSZLA8bvE/s320/Screen+shot+2011-09-22+at+10.38.40+AM.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655194666460191922" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2s-ybkz9crhypfxX5lCZmWeM0XGu4ZqB8Vs8dOBIjmg2vg7XY8Sb1KtlHwc76mS3hIs_knqii1LDKwzWz5LQNPBAWVsQkjFV2-diPyYu_4ofqkDwJuAAAk9sq2QwbUzi53Mz2RGjmbKr/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-09-22+at+10.39.50+AM.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2s-ybkz9crhypfxX5lCZmWeM0XGu4ZqB8Vs8dOBIjmg2vg7XY8Sb1KtlHwc76mS3hIs_knqii1LDKwzWz5LQNPBAWVsQkjFV2-diPyYu_4ofqkDwJuAAAk9sq2QwbUzi53Mz2RGjmbKr/s320/Screen+shot+2011-09-22+at+10.39.50+AM.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655194655247616082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQ5Ny5lyk7dVQIh4hWfhNQ4eHkLozLnKg2ngfEFZHHNSMOCXHNusuqe3iG5hkyKApyPAk3JOxLOjb1R6FRlrHZycO3DuUmRh1F4Oy7_bLumEg8Na_QqWaLBKMWvKXKUy48z0aX885nRt0/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-09-22+at+10.40.33+AM.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQ5Ny5lyk7dVQIh4hWfhNQ4eHkLozLnKg2ngfEFZHHNSMOCXHNusuqe3iG5hkyKApyPAk3JOxLOjb1R6FRlrHZycO3DuUmRh1F4Oy7_bLumEg8Na_QqWaLBKMWvKXKUy48z0aX885nRt0/s320/Screen+shot+2011-09-22+at+10.40.33+AM.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655194646459080210" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudwXrKyorTqsZxCL0gXwK2a9luXYNwPnEZQiPltCfOjx_J_IkvLEzmmSum-zVXjsQhJbrf_H6t5NauDKdxQnwpGI5MA8s4fY_SFahzVKsKzf8GeolQqMS-ntjXKTy4xOWApg995a3Njqn/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-09-22+at+10.41.03+AM.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudwXrKyorTqsZxCL0gXwK2a9luXYNwPnEZQiPltCfOjx_J_IkvLEzmmSum-zVXjsQhJbrf_H6t5NauDKdxQnwpGI5MA8s4fY_SFahzVKsKzf8GeolQqMS-ntjXKTy4xOWApg995a3Njqn/s320/Screen+shot+2011-09-22+at+10.41.03+AM.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655194632132440434" /></a><br />The whole family gathered from near and far, to celebrate Grammy's 80th and Grammy & Grampy's 55th wedding anniversary. It was wonderful to see everyone together in our beautiful Vermont home in the late summer. We ate, we drank, we played games and laughed. Vermont is always a special place for our familyphoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-48030960660154250932011-08-24T10:29:00.001-07:002011-08-24T10:37:56.331-07:00Now I am 4<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBAb92jG-f5fOQRW_JPANkCzJfgJlG3jDXztz16jy1efkuD_E8LchyphenhyphenbgvMqxVUVmkLRtY0cOQ2u3CzScX-SPg8zsQ81mY1DVw3xJIGY7uG9njrmhsyMDKXE2NEn3n7y6FnOkQUNeViVP0/s1600/im48.17.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBAb92jG-f5fOQRW_JPANkCzJfgJlG3jDXztz16jy1efkuD_E8LchyphenhyphenbgvMqxVUVmkLRtY0cOQ2u3CzScX-SPg8zsQ81mY1DVw3xJIGY7uG9njrmhsyMDKXE2NEn3n7y6FnOkQUNeViVP0/s200/im48.17.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644476453386090562" /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAlZbFHdSeQEsXXzPoDMIyvybcTWK6DSuI8Lh0v04-8dfrmUk69yrgO9mFcLvow_bAA_mi1bDkTKJ2aWbLgAg0xZeO8UqlWY21Uj4D7AuiZ60FBoAI0dgH-jhppTb3ky_u6kWRj6N_7QT/s1600/family8.17.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAlZbFHdSeQEsXXzPoDMIyvybcTWK6DSuI8Lh0v04-8dfrmUk69yrgO9mFcLvow_bAA_mi1bDkTKJ2aWbLgAg0xZeO8UqlWY21Uj4D7AuiZ60FBoAI0dgH-jhppTb3ky_u6kWRj6N_7QT/s200/family8.17.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644476442867798226" /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHRg1yKAZ0PXsv1kdUG-pzM5DJaC0GBfde7dwkq0_XdZC3pOC_2nVYUszkm0kTNXohZVPc_owVy0GbviSPI7fkcK4vwQDE47CDpdmH3M6bSelN3Ojj_eEW4ycH3R0oLfG9F0uTPtSiBvR/s1600/Phee48.17.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHRg1yKAZ0PXsv1kdUG-pzM5DJaC0GBfde7dwkq0_XdZC3pOC_2nVYUszkm0kTNXohZVPc_owVy0GbviSPI7fkcK4vwQDE47CDpdmH3M6bSelN3Ojj_eEW4ycH3R0oLfG9F0uTPtSiBvR/s200/Phee48.17.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644476435548703138" /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1rh0rMM0x5ViOiYZcc39Uqa1AlddvKQXMBiCaCrmBng25o_2xido34NQQf3jW8zsODH7RTWbgCUlSO0xUBnHn4JBWBAVr31pqq2z5Raqfi9hDW0A98FkdVG6Lg5Sxnrsjpxg0HrNujiU/s1600/DebPhee8.17.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1rh0rMM0x5ViOiYZcc39Uqa1AlddvKQXMBiCaCrmBng25o_2xido34NQQf3jW8zsODH7RTWbgCUlSO0xUBnHn4JBWBAVr31pqq2z5Raqfi9hDW0A98FkdVG6Lg5Sxnrsjpxg0HrNujiU/s200/DebPhee8.17.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644476423757999074" /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZ9VnhY_go6-je2FMhoUlvDhrd8XXl0UVdSXAsrXXncPyGfMpMYMHSL84nmqiOeH4G3eYw5YzndaWkiSmZxgbwHYex_KAVR9Q29Udj4r1lBV6pIcO2gzzfeJ4WKLvnB_UvFthpVh-6n-Y/s1600/10EEgang.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZ9VnhY_go6-je2FMhoUlvDhrd8XXl0UVdSXAsrXXncPyGfMpMYMHSL84nmqiOeH4G3eYw5YzndaWkiSmZxgbwHYex_KAVR9Q29Udj4r1lBV6pIcO2gzzfeJ4WKLvnB_UvFthpVh-6n-Y/s200/10EEgang.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644476413415159074" /></a>
<br />I'm not sure how it happened, but Phoebe has turned four before our very eyes. This year has been full of changes for all of us, and yet, my intrepid girl has weathered it all. She has morphed from a little baby to a big girl who speaks with emotion and clarity, who knows who she is and what she wants (and how to go about getting it). Smart and clever, strong yet polite, and always fun and funny.
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<br />Phoebe's actual birthday was the first day of a commercial shoot for me- my first in over 10 years. I made the decision to miss the shoot and be at her party quicker than I ever could have imagined. It was the only place I wanted to be on August 17, 2011. We took over the roof top pool at 180 East End Avenue and spent a beautiful day (the only one in a crazy week of rain) splashing around, enjoying each other and the friends and family who came to be with us that day.
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<br />Phoebe at 4 is a wonder to behold. I am so proud to be her Mommy and to call her my daughter. She is the light, the joy, the gem that brightens everyday. On this particular day, she was shining in all her 4 year old glory. I'm so very glad I could be there to witness it, to be a part of it and to soak in every minute.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-4786936192739452932011-08-05T12:08:00.000-07:002011-08-05T13:18:17.738-07:00Happy Campers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Olr1sceRS8NGYPzvkwzqYDmKTeQNWCjUggM8PyRCJOiQ7gIY0PsRp87z9PwW4YkKTnE28uv9pkPTBWDjACKsr3eBrJFbHViuRjfBd6eW9m00d8vlsazn-yh1o5u1jFpjAMIXp-ixd9oX/s1600/PheeJoFA11.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Olr1sceRS8NGYPzvkwzqYDmKTeQNWCjUggM8PyRCJOiQ7gIY0PsRp87z9PwW4YkKTnE28uv9pkPTBWDjACKsr3eBrJFbHViuRjfBd6eW9m00d8vlsazn-yh1o5u1jFpjAMIXp-ixd9oX/s400/PheeJoFA11.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637451372293972050" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4qxPxNtjqp3NYaRu17ruIJfcbju0FKFvvQHqmhTizRh91zf2XS_twpB7wV5JvGF1zVa7xDYiDkcTQEu9cnPLnBvdbQvbrix0bp1I2HLRCya73Ufzcm_Kefg6KBh6bOiJ9OE-VeKduZG2/s1600/lannanphee.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4qxPxNtjqp3NYaRu17ruIJfcbju0FKFvvQHqmhTizRh91zf2XS_twpB7wV5JvGF1zVa7xDYiDkcTQEu9cnPLnBvdbQvbrix0bp1I2HLRCya73Ufzcm_Kefg6KBh6bOiJ9OE-VeKduZG2/s400/lannanphee.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637451359102735314" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UsFAqhVWJyUdSGINaW8QN3JbOAIYI-jpb6udPX41YufmCRjYE7z5Sg9ti9kL-rYGvkiHvDxb1PwbxPhw_lSFLYy4NlYDMjVgb1vs8wknE9wiXIkgoUvbA-uISrXh7GGN6KYax6rk8yqd/s1600/FA1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UsFAqhVWJyUdSGINaW8QN3JbOAIYI-jpb6udPX41YufmCRjYE7z5Sg9ti9kL-rYGvkiHvDxb1PwbxPhw_lSFLYy4NlYDMjVgb1vs8wknE9wiXIkgoUvbA-uISrXh7GGN6KYax6rk8yqd/s400/FA1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637451355395751570" /></a><br /><br />After four hours of driving from Vermont to Maine, we missed the turn that leads into Camp Forest Acres. Panicked that we would miss dinner and excited to return to camp after so many years, we turned the car around, found the way into camp, grabbed Phoebe and rushed into the dining hall. We were greeted by 120 girls singing, "We welcome you to FAC we're mighty glad you're here..." Phoebe's eyes were wide open, mine were filled with tears. Forest Acres had been my summer place for 8 summers. I loved every minute of my time there and it very much molded me into the person I am today. I hadn't been back in more than two decades, and yet it was like it was only yesterday that I sat at those tables and sang those songs a the top of my lungs. The days that followed were jammed packed with activities, teaching creative writing for me, yoga for Alana and dozens of new friends for Phoebe. <br /><br />For three nights, we slept in Cabin 3 (Alana on the floor) and disconnected from the real world. Time moved so slowly that after the first day, Alana and I looked at each other like we'd been there for weeks. It was wonderful to see my niece Jordan, a true camper now after 3 summers, totally connected to the FA world and now connected to me in a whole new way. She and her cabin mates pulled Phoebe right into their world and made her one of their own in no time at all. I am so excited to have my daughter be a part of Forest Acres and for her to get comfortable with going back year after year. It was amazing to reconnect with old friends, even one of my counselors, who is still working there. I realized that camp is truly the fountain of youth. Those who have kept camp as part of their lives look as young and vibrant as they did when I went to camp. Forest Acres and Indian Acres welcome new campers every year, and yet they are stuck in time in such a beautiful way. How comforting to know there is still a place where kids can go to develop friendships without the use of technology, where they can discover themselves in a way they could never do at home, where they can just be. I absolutely can't wait o go back next year, and hopefully, for many more summers after that.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-56535409208622757742011-04-11T12:58:00.001-07:002011-05-17T08:13:04.541-07:00Big Changes for our Big Girl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdNxdpnCKzUuKRlfOH8CzO0EACvsu1JX9bLyzKro7MJOH2TpV5hNgyGHhw6mPoquq_eJJJ9xDw5kY8znxR3WoIaWD6wv5yYjoBBVapPP1NaMe90GOn_pMEIoEhR04TPrlR2v63bZJcoeP/s1600/pheebigbed.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdNxdpnCKzUuKRlfOH8CzO0EACvsu1JX9bLyzKro7MJOH2TpV5hNgyGHhw6mPoquq_eJJJ9xDw5kY8znxR3WoIaWD6wv5yYjoBBVapPP1NaMe90GOn_pMEIoEhR04TPrlR2v63bZJcoeP/s400/pheebigbed.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594417976809521874" /></a><br />Over the past month, Phoebe has had a challenge before her.<br />The task was to see how many stickers she could get for each night she slept through the night. (no screaming for Mom or Dad, no waking up and trying to get us to come in…) A lot of this had to do with me going back to work. There was a morning I had to leave for a meeting before she woke up, and that set off a string of bad nights for all of us. So Jeff drew up a beautiful, colorful chart and each night our girl slept through, she would get to put a sticker on her chart in the morning. The goal was to get a “big” bed like many of her friends. Maddo and Luca and Kai who all live in our building and who all have turned 4 already, all have big kid beds. (Nothing like a little early peer pressure to motivate a child.) We heard from Phoebe’s teachers that she would report to them about her chart every day and what kind of sticker she got that day. We’ve had butterflies, smiley faces, elephants, pigs, gorillas, pandas and even a giraffe. Her current fav. is a whole week of heart stickers.<br /><br />After a full month of successful nights, we took out the bed side-rail we’ve been saving since she was a baby. Phoebe helped her Dad as he got out the tool box, took the old ‘baby’ rail off and put in her new ‘big girl’ side rail. <br /><br />As you can see from this photo, the pride in her accomplishment is undeniable. This morning she woke up, got herself out of bed and headed for the bathroom like any big kid would. We are so proud of our little person, growing up so very fast before our eyes.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-83610656752189959862011-03-29T13:06:00.000-07:002011-03-29T13:13:06.491-07:00Death Comes for Biscuit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5n4MUlrr0tkcX_9tGul5Zr9l48Es_LgPkqkH8TteM5NzEWpKpU2Ndco-Y7jS40ICkcw5hAW2qIhlIEdZ_z98cjSDyE3C_-pAyDPuvCPefgungE0YPttkydkokCZRWYsNd3lNwtUUG5lmh/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-03-29+at+3.50.17+PM.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 301px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5n4MUlrr0tkcX_9tGul5Zr9l48Es_LgPkqkH8TteM5NzEWpKpU2Ndco-Y7jS40ICkcw5hAW2qIhlIEdZ_z98cjSDyE3C_-pAyDPuvCPefgungE0YPttkydkokCZRWYsNd3lNwtUUG5lmh/s320/Screen+shot+2011-03-29+at+3.50.17+PM.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589596851183403362" /></a><br />Talking to children about death, especially when you have atheistic leanings , is never easy. You don’t want to mention Heaven, or earth for that matter. You don’t want to bring God or any master plan into play. You just want to say that they are gone and hope that’s enough to keep the questions at bay for awhile.<br /><br />Recently, Phoebe would ask, “where’s your Grandma?” “Where’s your Grandpa?” She’d ask me or my parents and we would typically just say, “They are gone now.” One of her babysitters, Siobhan told Phoebe that her dog had died. Phoebe translated that conversation to me by saying, “Siobhan’s dog dived.” “Like under the water?” I asked. And she confidently nodded, yes. So we left it at that. To die or to dive, seemed about the same for the moment. Then her class hamster, the beloved Biscuit, took a dive. Phoebe was sent home with a note for the parents along with an article on how to speak to your children about death. The article said, “The most difficult part is examining your own feelings and beliefs so you can talk about them naturally with your children when the opportunities arise.” Growing up in a secular household, I remember being fascinated by death. I knew I had Catholic friends who believed in Heaven, and I was almost jealous of their certainty. Being an Atheist means embracing the unknown. I once heard death described as a “Secret” that you can’t know the answer to until you get there. Phoebe did not seem to want to know more about what happened to Biscuit. She seemed to like saying the word ‘dead’ and knowing that it meant ‘gone.’ Should she ask again sometime, maybe I’ll say that Biscuit now knows the secret of death. At this moment, I just feel grateful that the very first experience she has had with loss was a hamster. When the time comes for us to lose someone special to us, she will have had an the gentlest possible introduction to one of the hardest things we face as humans. Biscuit, thanks for teaching my girl this difficult lesson, rest in peace little friend.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-87639747155775062152011-03-03T14:40:00.000-08:002011-03-04T06:46:26.906-08:00Culture Kids<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkr2lCACDY19qUu2BKlN4-V7inn5nnGMnQzCMmOykwODoUkVXJxFTDTmuysZ1GED_qiuDq3tkW50p7r2F99RFZp3TCMlNtdeA_t0xSN7V3hyphenhyphen9VA8zq4cbxgrX05efzGz2gkTsYGYliN-pU/s1600/pheesammie.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 181px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkr2lCACDY19qUu2BKlN4-V7inn5nnGMnQzCMmOykwODoUkVXJxFTDTmuysZ1GED_qiuDq3tkW50p7r2F99RFZp3TCMlNtdeA_t0xSN7V3hyphenhyphen9VA8zq4cbxgrX05efzGz2gkTsYGYliN-pU/s320/pheesammie.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579987692877022946" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFlIhQhlpzgP1tNsFskjHo_V1tvfw4I_RzD0npIeXlAeb4rBVUBMlyIwB0up1x8fZtRUmk-EAEcmNFVPkpnGIB8Zl4VV3v2B-SZcmRJeTw2eLUUcCduYYvU4K9UYCUOgiTIxuvgDRv2Wp/s1600/Titigirls.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 181px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFlIhQhlpzgP1tNsFskjHo_V1tvfw4I_RzD0npIeXlAeb4rBVUBMlyIwB0up1x8fZtRUmk-EAEcmNFVPkpnGIB8Zl4VV3v2B-SZcmRJeTw2eLUUcCduYYvU4K9UYCUOgiTIxuvgDRv2Wp/s320/Titigirls.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579987687350773010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVu0uKkukupDLSghPA8EEdlbulbmZZM4geDgL8kYS7MqcqFLRHSrkWUX2mYrviGSL8pDbBsB8J6IwdwUa6Z78RLp95pzp6w8nG7O_31X3PAZNdfJeMDzluQtJMtv4F2fLPKwNi9O0uOhV/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-28+at+11.51.03+AM.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVu0uKkukupDLSghPA8EEdlbulbmZZM4geDgL8kYS7MqcqFLRHSrkWUX2mYrviGSL8pDbBsB8J6IwdwUa6Z78RLp95pzp6w8nG7O_31X3PAZNdfJeMDzluQtJMtv4F2fLPKwNi9O0uOhV/s320/Screen+shot+2011-02-28+at+11.51.03+AM.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579987680596277266" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZioRijFMNBozAp3hLUyDxv2RHGpCiYsZq9cOA0-0PgHchprt7rvNCeVi3txv21Ho-LKhviYYkLm2Vf5LGXVbOxrZFO50pApkbZeqUc3HRjFuLTVuvmBSLs5L-UQWZQfCLpBIgcCMlgqk/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-28+at+11.49.49+AM.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZioRijFMNBozAp3hLUyDxv2RHGpCiYsZq9cOA0-0PgHchprt7rvNCeVi3txv21Ho-LKhviYYkLm2Vf5LGXVbOxrZFO50pApkbZeqUc3HRjFuLTVuvmBSLs5L-UQWZQfCLpBIgcCMlgqk/s320/Screen+shot+2011-02-28+at+11.49.49+AM.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579987677104601042" /></a><br />We started young. And then it became a habit, or maybe you could say, an addiction. I can still remember the first shows Carol & I went to see when we were kids. We saw Shenandoah and Raisin in the Sun. We had special trips into the city, usually with our Moms, to see and experience Broadway. <br /><br />The show we took Phoebe and Sammie to see last Saturday wasn’t exactly Broadway, but for kids of the toddler set, <span style="font-weight:bold;">Knuffle Bunny</span> has become the new favorite. The writer, Mo Willems is a modern day Dr. Seuss. He turned his popular book into a musical aimed at the 2-6 age group and the kids just loved it. <br /><br />Phoebe has been to a few shows before this one, Freckle Face Strawberry, also from a book, the Gazillion Bubble Show, a kids version of the Nutcracker and a multi-media Butterfly show. Each time, I just love watching her eyes open up to the sights and sounds of the stage. I hope she will become a life-long lover of the arts as we are. I can’t imagine a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon with my favorite girls.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-72835765486280615112011-02-23T13:10:00.001-08:002011-02-23T13:14:17.707-08:00Phoebe on Ice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAh_pYpkqbZyaJrfYdmFT5CLmSojuryrOYqez8E_sfWYWRugk62DkEvbXtMNyDDZfo-jlsR301eoZ5yPIwuautxP_rA6CrHY9GiIDMykiTjPkvp-2myArKt6hDYJyNiLAqM7Q7jpWgec2v/s1600/VT4.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAh_pYpkqbZyaJrfYdmFT5CLmSojuryrOYqez8E_sfWYWRugk62DkEvbXtMNyDDZfo-jlsR301eoZ5yPIwuautxP_rA6CrHY9GiIDMykiTjPkvp-2myArKt6hDYJyNiLAqM7Q7jpWgec2v/s320/VT4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576996287056378546" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjXVE6wM163v7-d9IrcoyjrZeJgwi-N0UUqVC12ng_shrzuc6oJrKb1cZdKy9dCdc3XKT7tCDd_GQKSK4OzDx2lkZ43lLBgpBDHE31O30Z5Ik4DPMKcSqIxYSERDkZWs70SSxDPQhcrh2/s1600/VT3.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjXVE6wM163v7-d9IrcoyjrZeJgwi-N0UUqVC12ng_shrzuc6oJrKb1cZdKy9dCdc3XKT7tCDd_GQKSK4OzDx2lkZ43lLBgpBDHE31O30Z5Ik4DPMKcSqIxYSERDkZWs70SSxDPQhcrh2/s320/VT3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576996284139657170" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxE4SOzCJekEFhPutmKCqwxqOrlrAok31HUZr90-MoBq9PQEHN0gR8ztvOd8sVifeiWVv_9XliX0FYZvK8YhOzMHalZ7v5a9bR4YEbMkVxNYzCGK1zh5ztRrQJiPSFEW4eDwDLXNX3ZT1/s1600/VT23628.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxE4SOzCJekEFhPutmKCqwxqOrlrAok31HUZr90-MoBq9PQEHN0gR8ztvOd8sVifeiWVv_9XliX0FYZvK8YhOzMHalZ7v5a9bR4YEbMkVxNYzCGK1zh5ztRrQJiPSFEW4eDwDLXNX3ZT1/s320/VT23628.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576996280037439458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLu40G8qykJi3OQMtB0npAgpSsGWztfIdLtDkIrJI-A0uFz-xS8w5LpBoQW5RpDcrFE5DDXk1CmvAFDCx1QNEhxf3tywVNkLI0TJDbglnuVCRQ4S1r8UIEakeyKB9wXk4eSt9cOPxjqQDn/s1600/VT1.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLu40G8qykJi3OQMtB0npAgpSsGWztfIdLtDkIrJI-A0uFz-xS8w5LpBoQW5RpDcrFE5DDXk1CmvAFDCx1QNEhxf3tywVNkLI0TJDbglnuVCRQ4S1r8UIEakeyKB9wXk4eSt9cOPxjqQDn/s320/VT1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576996275419024434" /></a><br />This weekend was a first for Phoebe. We had decided to use the long holiday weekend to go up to the house in Vermont. Plans had been made with various friends and their children, but all had fallen through leaving us blissfully alone. A happy threesome. The weekend was a snowy one. We watched most of it through the big windows of the house, content to do very little and just enjoy our change of scenery. On Sunday, we decided to venture out and give ice-skating a try. I wasn’t sure if a three year old would be able to stay upright on the ice, but Phoebe had an amazing first outing. The Riley Rink of Manchester, Vermont is equipped with sliding metal hand-rails that allow little kids to find their feet while learning to skate. The first go around the ice, Phoebe was being helped along by Mom and Dad, but was constantly looking around at the bigger kids doing it all by themselves. We talked to one girl who stopped near us. “How old are you?” we asked. “7” she said with a missing tooth smile. “See Phoebe,” I said, “You’ll be skating like that when you are 7.” Not satisfied with waiting that long, Phoebe soon abandoned the hand-rail and would only skate holding our hands. I was so impressed by her determination to figure this new sport out on the very first try. The whole outing didn’t last very long, but by the end, Phoebe could walk off the ice balancing on her skates. Coming soon: Skating in New York City before the ice melts.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-11793029158892805342011-01-31T09:23:00.001-08:002012-08-27T11:43:40.944-07:00Tet Celebration 4.0<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0HPBR2GWJkKsJJAzDRGNCtonbn1I5WKbfP412XlyNpNf8WhLBS5fib2VOi4o4yi0d3mD2ttwuY3B7p2AWS8P6ovJPHG0N6CklRZ65FNakgKPoemS9AhyphenhyphenVVb0n7ka3Hc_2B-6qHyZ5uwA/s1600/Tet+group.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0HPBR2GWJkKsJJAzDRGNCtonbn1I5WKbfP412XlyNpNf8WhLBS5fib2VOi4o4yi0d3mD2ttwuY3B7p2AWS8P6ovJPHG0N6CklRZ65FNakgKPoemS9AhyphenhyphenVVb0n7ka3Hc_2B-6qHyZ5uwA/s320/Tet+group.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568402210330746178" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1k3fBmB1dSqLVoESEL__zEKyps9Z7ekfyozSFc5A1TELMB20m4TO68v4Rfn3m3pxSrTSYq0pvsu1LU6_lRFS3oJuAXTdAmGOLKkZJhoo30jCegw8rf6aPAG7sofOgR200cIC13SOs4Dj/s1600/simonephee.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1k3fBmB1dSqLVoESEL__zEKyps9Z7ekfyozSFc5A1TELMB20m4TO68v4Rfn3m3pxSrTSYq0pvsu1LU6_lRFS3oJuAXTdAmGOLKkZJhoo30jCegw8rf6aPAG7sofOgR200cIC13SOs4Dj/s320/simonephee.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568402205075502530" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtri4pjInQgkt1Vlav6zIvjSP8jLjj62ILNabXosEpP-tliS9dX2Hy2ynnuIDiKd_zoyl8ehn_U12gKWImAO-yAvaHdF7uVAqTxwVNH1vVPUw_RZLYdlIpHAsSwJgR7Z_4zbm0UAdfCX6S/s1600/pheeguitar.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtri4pjInQgkt1Vlav6zIvjSP8jLjj62ILNabXosEpP-tliS9dX2Hy2ynnuIDiKd_zoyl8ehn_U12gKWImAO-yAvaHdF7uVAqTxwVNH1vVPUw_RZLYdlIpHAsSwJgR7Z_4zbm0UAdfCX6S/s320/pheeguitar.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568402199243860242" /></a><br />The Vietnamese New Year 2011 is the year of the Cat. Unlike the Chinese who are celebrating the Rabbit this year, the stealth and cozy cat is the perfect mascot for our yearly gathering to honor Phoebe’s Vietnamese heritage. We had Josephine & Steve with their 6 month old daughter, Simone, Diana and her two girls, Liana and Julia, Carol and Sammie and Grandma Lynn and Jonfer to round out the family festivities. Bagels and lox were on the menu (to honor our Jewish heritage too) and all the girls played well in Phoebe’s big new room. We had a lot of discussion beforehand about sharing and taking turns with all the toys. Sharing is certainly the challenge of this age group. Phoebe seemed to understand that all the toys and dolls and crayons would still be hers at the end of the day when everyone went home. Much to our delight, she was an excellent host and did really well the whole day. It felt like a turning point for our little person.<br /><br />It’s hard to believe that it was only 3 years ago that we were spending Vietnamese New Year in Vietnam picking up our little girl and trying to get her back to NYC. Time really does move quickly, making each celebration one to cherish. Now that I am back at work, I miss being the one to spend every day with Phoebe. It’s been a tough transition for both of us. I miss her face all day long, but try to remember how lucky I have been to have these three years at home with her. Every day, just me & Phee. Now it’s time for us to both get used to a new routine. I guess Mommy & Phoebe are both growing up.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-66814258434222795932011-01-06T11:15:00.000-08:002011-01-06T11:50:52.813-08:00Mom, Dad Switcheroo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxu_4qmQYVz1J7-apmH6rzToCST1VxGMAYjj6k08Q3DYFVUUE-AN9VxYFPF-msEboAv0Z_MEigir5wqBcmrcE2OU_2xi_9hn7DUXK8GaLdTF0YprckIi5cran1QQ67yZKvA8Q89-ui9pG2/s1600/photo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxu_4qmQYVz1J7-apmH6rzToCST1VxGMAYjj6k08Q3DYFVUUE-AN9VxYFPF-msEboAv0Z_MEigir5wqBcmrcE2OU_2xi_9hn7DUXK8GaLdTF0YprckIi5cran1QQ67yZKvA8Q89-ui9pG2/s320/photo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559154365109653090" /></a><br />It’s a strange world when I find myself working at DraftFCB and Jeff is home taking care of Phoebe. I am in his workplace and he is in mine. We’re in bizzarro world right now. As far as childcare goes, I could not ask for better coverage. Phoebe gets to be with her Dad every day. They play, they draw, spontaneous puppet shows happen, as well as fun mustache projects (seen here). Not to mention the fact that he is a wonderful cook, caretaker and domestic god. I have often mused that Jeff could teach a course for men on how to rule their domestic sphere as much as they rule their workplace. I’ve never been a particularly good morning person, always staying in bed until the last possible moment, but these days, my man makes sure I don’t miss the alarm, makes an excellent cup of coffee and reminds me to take my vitamins.<br /><br />This job is only a freelance assignment for now, but it is giving me a taste of what it would be like to get back into the working world. I don’t like leaving Phoebe in the morning and she’s not too keen on it either. The transition is a touchy one for both of us. I miss having the time to lounge around with her in the morning. I miss taking her to school and being the one to see the teachers and her friends. I found a yoga class that meets near her school I managed to get to a few times. That’s history now. But working also means time to do other things being with a child does not allow- like updating the blog I’ve nearly abandoned in the past few months.<br /><br />In my dreams, I hoped that Jeff’s last job was going to be a new beginning for him and I would be able to stay with Phoebe until she started kindergarten. Now I’m sitting at a desk looking at a computer screen and he’s sliding up next to Phoebe’s desk, drawing her fantastical pictures in crayon. Perhaps he’ll be back at work in no time and this will be just a moment in time where he gets to enjoy his daughter. Perhaps this freelance job will end and I’ll be back with the Mommies at school pick-up. Life is strange and wondrous and I must remind myself that the only constant is change.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-13848530835986925782011-01-06T11:14:00.000-08:002011-01-06T11:55:37.930-08:00The Octogenarian Club<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TD_eAxWZjYlh4vrwnUdlxHyYsTGFqlSdI2-cvJPECbZoFwDSr_oM8JLWU-10_GvVf3LL4ZUS0xpvCm6O7fmdwVGBh0h6UAV_PqRmdvEbh27Nce9SkIvWWAR3A4QLCJnJDdXI05AcP5Rw/s1600/MD.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TD_eAxWZjYlh4vrwnUdlxHyYsTGFqlSdI2-cvJPECbZoFwDSr_oM8JLWU-10_GvVf3LL4ZUS0xpvCm6O7fmdwVGBh0h6UAV_PqRmdvEbh27Nce9SkIvWWAR3A4QLCJnJDdXI05AcP5Rw/s320/MD.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559163966699058082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmBSqUtwAaQyXYPo42IiXAqeobUccrDlwEXdPYlwZB1TG3VPKIwlQnVRIlCv4qlIf0SmWSHcSiSnJq-XToUYluGWk6w8kyEZJPaEJuxm-eIHnv2EsJHHtkVgk0eX8m7lh8_fGdaWd8Jwe/s1600/family.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmBSqUtwAaQyXYPo42IiXAqeobUccrDlwEXdPYlwZB1TG3VPKIwlQnVRIlCv4qlIf0SmWSHcSiSnJq-XToUYluGWk6w8kyEZJPaEJuxm-eIHnv2EsJHHtkVgk0eX8m7lh8_fGdaWd8Jwe/s320/family.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559163961401412322" /></a><br />Grampy’s 80th birthday celebration was a wonder to behold. Who knew that 80 could be so fabulous? To look around the room, it was hard to imagine that all of my parent’s contemporaries are doing so well. When my Grandparents were this age, they were in steep decline; not nearly as vibrant and sharp as this crowd. Many of the people in the room had been at Bob’s 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th & 70th birthday parties. Micki made sure to make each of these occasions super special parties everyone would remember. My Mom sure knows how to throw a party. It took me to my adulthood to realize that most people could not throw a party for 50 or 100 people together in a blink of an eye. I grew up watching a master entertainer at work. And yes, I too love to host parties and have a given a few good ones in my day. I guess she passed the love of celebration onto me. This one was particularly elegant. 50 people at the Water Club overlooking the East River. Great food and accompaniment on the piano by Joel O, a lawyer who volunteers his skills at our soup kitchen on Monday nights. My brother gave a moving speech about what it was like to have a Dad like ours. I introduced a video we had made that had the room roaring with laughter. My nieces, now 12 and 15 looked beautiful and stylish in black & white. Hard to believe how they’ve grown into such gorgeous young women. It was a wonderful weekend of family and friends. A moment to remember how truly lucky we are to have each other, our health and the promise of more good days to come.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167860971365656165.post-888422597545518942010-09-13T19:51:00.001-07:002010-09-14T08:12:28.781-07:00Ready for School!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7fUk9WteDVF_MgspxIHJRBWrD5ABQ-wAYPt4Rm-tltZcgdcpOPGTod8G7SBOquccjxO0-SfK7aGx0C9rFVLkS3waAlJVbdaYnescAXuw2hONsb7dxpMocXTHImTjxUbvf9ytZ_tbWeIP/s1600/pheeVT.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7fUk9WteDVF_MgspxIHJRBWrD5ABQ-wAYPt4Rm-tltZcgdcpOPGTod8G7SBOquccjxO0-SfK7aGx0C9rFVLkS3waAlJVbdaYnescAXuw2hONsb7dxpMocXTHImTjxUbvf9ytZ_tbWeIP/s320/pheeVT.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516785914528033874" /></a><br />Can it be that Phoebe is almost ready to go to school? It might only be pre-school and only 4 days a week for 3 hours at a time, but it seems like a big move to me. People will tell you that these early years go fast, but you don't believe them until you see it for yourself. These three years have flown by in a blur of laughter and exhaustion. I am excited for her to become part of the All Souls community. Having worked in the basement almost every Monday night for the past six years, I now get to be a part of the school upstairs. Phoebe has grown much more independent this year, able to be away from me without hardship or drama. The separation process is a delicate one, but I believe we have eased our way into it as well as we possibly could.<br /><br />When she starts school, I have to start a new process of my own. After 9 years of living the off-peak life in New York city, of writing novels and doing freelance work, of traveling and having time for my girl and my family, I think the time has come to get back into the advertising industry I left after 9/11. I wanted to see if I could make a living as a writer, to see if I could publish my work and build a family at the same time. I many ways, I achieved the goals I set out for myself. I did not become the next big thing in fiction, but I got to create and craft the stories I wanted to tell and I got to experience the life of a writer outside the industry I first joined as an intern high school. Now, with my girl in school, I think it may be time for Mom to get back to work. Money dictates much of this decision, but I also have a part of me that would like to re-engage with the adult world. My industry has changed dramatically since I was in it full-time. It may take me awhile before I find the right gig, but I have decided to start looking and hope the right thing comes my way. It seems that Mommy & Phoebe are both on a path to a new adventure.phoebesmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17585585019546550461noreply@blogger.com0