City Girl

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.

Our little skier

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.

ChrismaHannakahKwanza

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.

School begins

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!

Labor Day of Love weekend

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 family

Now I am 4

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.

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.

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.

Happy Campers

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.

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.