AC/DC

A BIG birthday and a ballerina/mommy/doctor

It's almost Jesus' birthday. That means it's almost Alex's birthday. He's going to be SIX! 6! Six! How many different ways can I write this so it doesn't look so ... I don't know ... so it doesn't look like we're entering a whole new phase of childhood? The phase where you lose teeth, get a little gawky, question the existence of Santa Claus, graduate to "adult" shoe sizes, want to read instead of being read to ... 

Lucky for mom, none of these things has started to happen yet, or at least not all at once. While Alex's baby teeth appear to be holding steady, his x-rays at a recent dentist appointment show his permanent teeth are right there! He's wearing a size 12 1/2 or 13 shoe. Also, Alex has just begun to want to practice his reading at night--THIS is a GOOD thing! There are little ones in his Kindergarten class who read aloud during their Christmas performance. These little narrators were very impressive! So while we're encouraging Alex to read and helping him to sound out words at every opportunity, it's still a bit of a transition for me. I've been the one reading to him since he was a baby, something I've loved and cherished doing with both my kiddos. I'm adjusting to the fact that he wants to read to me.      

 
Alex and "Ho Ho," our Elf on the Shelf.

On the other end of the spectrum, Daniella in her infinite 3-year-old tenacious wisdom insists that I read to her every night. Of course, I always do. It takes longer than it used to though because she asks so many questions along the way. Wow. It's like a million synapses in her brain are created every minute! Just writing that sentence makes me want to do research on child brain development. It's truly miraculous to watch these incredible stages of development. Daniella never stops talking, singing, asking questions, showing whoever will watch her latest dance moves she's learned in her ballet, tap and tumbling class. Her preschool teacher told me when Daniella stands in front of the class during show and tell, she never wants to sit back down.

It turns out my little girl is quite comfortable at the head of the classroom. No surprise there. This suits her center-stage personality to a t. At the Christmas performance, her teacher told me that as Daniella gets older I better clear my calendar because my "smart, beautiful and independent" one is going to keep me "very busy." Just ask Daniella what she wants to be when she grows up and she'll tell you, "a mommy, a doctor and a ballerina." Tonight, she added "an artist who paints" to the career lineup.

 
Daniella and her preschool teachers the night of her Christmas performance. 

As for Alex, I remember when he was 3 he also wanted to be a doctor when he grew up. In fact, he was a  doctor for Halloween that year. He told me tonight when he grows up he wants to be the guy on TV who tells the news ... and a home builder ... and a rock star, of course. I wonder if Santa will bring him a drum set this year. 

Happy 6th birthday to my prince!       

 
 Alex as one of the three Wise Men in his Christmas program.

 
A recent pic of the kids at their first wedding for a special nanny (and real-life princess!). Daniella loves flowers and really wanted that bouquet!

 
With a fabulous friend at the Polar Express. Believe.

Ode to Kindergarten

Has it been three full weeks of Kindergarten already? Alex rocks! He's been a trooper since his first official day of "real school" and has been enthusiastic about going to school ever since. One of his teacher's aides from pre-K told me recently that Alex has the attitude of a First grader. I can see why she said that given there are still quite a few kiddos in his class who are crying when they get dropped off in the morning.

I'm grateful we did pre-K last year, which had the same all-day, Monday through Friday schedule. There was virtually no transition this school year, which has made it easy on both of us. It's the only reason I didn't cry my eyes out on my baby boy's first day of Kindergarten. In fact, instead of walking him to his classroom every morning, I'm now dropping him off in the carpool bay in front of the school (parent volunteers are there who help him out of the car). Of course I hang out in carpool bay until I see Alex go through the main gate of the school. Then, I call my mom friends (who I know are in the classrooms) to make sure Alex got to his class Ok.

Thankfully he always finds his way, even when I've dropped him off with two minutes to dash to class before the bell rings. Poor kid. Me and mornings never have gotten along, ever. And now that I've got two little ones to rush out the door in the morning, it's by the grace of God that I get there even close to on time. Last year in pre-K I (along with some other moms I love) helped the class achieve the most number of tardies in the entire school (pre-K through 8th)! It's not something I'm proud of, but you're either a morning person or you're not.

As for me and AC/DC, we're settling into our new morning routine (albeit inherently stressful for me). I don't want Alex to have the "tardy" label. After going to curriculum night and finding out about everything he'll be learning this year, not to mention a strict color-coded discipline system, he's got enough on his plate ...

Each and every day, each Kindergartener gets a stack of cards. At the top of the stack is a purple card, then green, yellow, orange and red as the bottom card. With every infringement on classroom rules throughout the day, cards are taken away. The child has an opportunity to earn them back, but only like yellow and above--once you get down to orange and red, you're toast. There's no earning back. And if you're already on red and continue to misbehave, you get a "Boo Hoo Blue" card which goes home to parents and to the principal's office. Boo Hoo Blue is a big deal.

So what do you think is the first thing I ask Alex when I pick him up after school? That's right, the color of the day! Recently when his response was "yellow" and I of course expressed disappointment, Alex said something hysterical: "Yeah Mom, yellow. I haven't been able to get anything better than yellow. I'm like, enough with these cards!"   

I'm proud to report he's recently got a couple of purples. ;-)

The tail end of two

My baby girl is almost 3! Whew, what a difference a year makes! (I'm pretty sure I've said that before.) Daniella Rose is an independent little spitfire. She's still as decisive as ever. She's Little Miss Bossy. She's tenacious. And she wants what she wants when she wants it.

Though we definitely went through some "textbook 2's" this past year, many times it was tough to distinguish what was "terrible 2" and what was her personality. I know one thing for sure: Daniella Rose isn't a shrinking violet. And I wouldn't have my tough cookie--who also happens to be a Mama's Girl--any other way!

Like when she went to a board meeting with me for Reach Out and Read,an early literacy organization I'm involved with. She walked into the board room and didn't hesitate ... beelined for a chair, sat down and pulled herself up to the table! She proceeded to sit there throughout the hour-long meeting. Of course I had snacks and activities to keep her occupied, but she especially loved "joining in the conversation," nodding and repeating things people were saying. I was so proud of her! I can remember thinking: With her comfort level in the board room, she could give Trump a run for his money!

When I took her to the dance studio to sign her up for her first class, she didn't want to observe little girls her age dancing, she threw a fit--she wanted to go in and dance with them! Then she proceeded to throw herself into a heap in the lobby of the studio, refusing to leave, sreaming at me, "I want to do ballet, Mommy!" The director took one look at her wet little face and said, "That's a good sign."

I couldn't agree more. I don't know who was more excited when she took her first little combo class, Mommy or Daniella. She's been "doing ballet" around the house ever since and her current favorite book is "Ballet Bunnies." Both of us can't wait to get back in the studio, especially for the Mommy and Me class!

In the meantime, I'm prepping for her Pretty in Pink Poolside birthday party, hoping she officially potty trains someday and admiring the hell out of her ambition as she said to me the other day: "When I grow up, I want to be a doctor and Michael Jackson." Happy 3rd birthday, my gorgeous girl!

Note to Self

Dear Blog:

Happy 2010! I sure hope your Christmas was merry and bright. I miss you and all the catharsis you bring me. Most of all, I miss the chronicles of my kids.

Alex turned 5 two days before Jesus's birthday. And while the number certainly has a ring to it, mom's still wrangling with the fact that her baby boy is growing up. Not to mention the fact that I STILL haven't figured out the best day to have his birthday party!

Meanwhile ... Daniella has hit her stride as a textbook 2-year-old. At nearly 2 and a half, she started part-time preschool this week and did amazing! There were no tears, just an inquisitive quest for learning and discovery and making new friends. Of course, she brought her favorite blankies and babies and stuffed animals, etc. to help ease the transition. We're so proud of her!

There's never a dull moment though with a toddler in the house. Though she did well in school this week, she has been extra clingy with me at home. And for a girl whose been sleeping through the night since she was 8 weeks old, she's now been getting up crying the past few nights at 3 a.m. Nothing will soothe her unless I bring her into bed with us. This too shall pass.

Something I hope and pray never passes, her telling me, "Mommy, I wuv you."
And another thing I hope and pray never passes, Alex's belief in Santa in his heart.

Something to remember when Alex is a teenager: The other night he told me and Joe that we're SUPERHEROES! 

Alex on Santa: When I asked him to stop playing with a toy of his sister's by telling him, "Santa brought that toy for your sister." He replied, "Santa made a mistake."

Out of the mouths of babes: We were driving the other day listening to a Scorpions song. I told Alex the band was called the Scorpions. He asked, "Does that mean they dressed up in Scorpions costumes?"

Back to school and beef jerky

What a whirlwind week! I'm not sure who was more excited, anxious and exhausted -- me or Alex. At 4 1/2, he officially entered pre-k at a "real school" (private Catholic, pre-k through 8th). He's there from 8:30 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. -- by far the longest stretch of time he's been away from home (and me) during his preschool years. The week's highlights:

MONDAY: He was so excited about his first day of school he couldn't eat breakfast. "Mommy, I just want to get dressed (in a uniform, no less) and go to school now!"

TUESDAY: Alex's teacher suggests I put beef jerky in his lunch box as a source of protein. (My former excellent eater is going through a "refusing to eat just about everything" stage, a topic for another post.) I question her: "Doesn't beef jerky contain nitrates along with a bunch of other crap?"

WEDNESDAY: Alex is anxious to share his "all about me" bag (his first class project) with his classmates. The small paper bag is stuffed with planes, trains and automobiles along with a Spider-Man puzzle piece, a couple Legos, a dinosaur and family pictures, including one of him blowing out the candle on his Lightning McQueen cake when he turned 4.

Though Alex gets nap time at school, he's been really tired when he gets home from these long days. Today's he's especially tired and cranky and wants nothing to do with anyone other than mom. Me and my shadow.

THURSDAY: "Mom, I don't want to go to school today and wear a stupid uniform!" I bribe him to get dressed ("and tuck in your shirt!") with a monster truck his dad brought home from a business trip.

And for the fourth morning in a row, I run around like a maniac trying to get a 4 and 2 year old out the door with their entourage of juice, lunch box and other school supplies, a morning snack to hold Daniella over until we get home along with her baby doll, blanky, etc., etc. Did I mention we got a tardy slip on Tuesday?

I finally buy the beef jerky from Trader Joe's (my family's favorite grocery store!) as the teacher recommended. Not only is it nitrate free, it's free of all the bad stuff, it's very low in fat and packed with protein. It also happens to be delicious! Take it from someone who swore off beef jerky long before tanning beds.

I gave some to Alex to try that night after the dinner he refused to eat, and he practically ate the entire bag (with my help).

FRIDAY: We're all a little tired and looking forward to a half-day today. Alex now understands the meaning of TGIF. Beef jerky's in the lunch box, and life is good.

An ode to lost youth and the King of Pop, RIP Michael Jackson

1958-2009

As I turn up the collar on/My favorite winter coat/This wind is blowin' my mind/I see the kids in the street/Without enough to eat/Who am I to be blind/Pretending not to see their needs?

Michael Jackson's public and private memorial ceremonies will be held today, putting to rest what's been a mournful last two weeks in the world of iconic pop culture. Mournful and tragic for so many reasons.

Despite your personal opinion on the controversies that overshadowed the legend, the extreme talent in his later years, there's no denying that no child-prodigy-turned-mega-superstar burned brighter than Michael Jackson at the peak of his career.

Despite his huge success as the Jackson 5's front-boy wonder, that peak started after he broke away from his brothers and released Off the Wall in the late 70s, earning him his first grammy for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." There would be many more firsts for this musical genius throughout the 80s--a decade he dominated like no other. Perhaps that's why I'm so sad he's gone.

Make fun of the big hair and the shoulder pads all you want, but coming of age in the 80s had its perks. And make no mistake, Michael Jackson was one of them. My memories are vivid of watching Michael light up the floor in "Billie Jean". The Michael Jackson Special Commemorative Edition of Time describes this groundbreaking video best:

"'Billie Jean,' the first video off Thriller, snapped the neck of everyone who saw it. ... The video is a straight-on display of Jackson's star quality. Any pavement flagstone his feet land on glows a magical green. His moves are no less radiant. The spins, the strutting and the hunching, show what Broadway missed out on when Michael decided to make pop music instead."

I remember Michael's debut of the moonwalk, not to mention his single rhinestone-studded white glove. He made high-water skinny pants and penny loafers look cool with scrunchy white sequined socks.

When we watched "Beat It", we disected his every dance move. And if Michael's moves weren't enough to have us glued to the TV, we couldn't take our eyes off the screen for the split-second possibility of catching Eddie Van Halen leaning against the wall waaaay in the background at the end of the video. Did we ever confirm that was really Eddie?

So by the time "Thriller" hit the airwaves, it was official. We were Michael Jackson maniacs. Add to this I spent quite a bit of time in a dance studio back in those days, five days a week to be exact. His chart-topping music, his signature moves and his brilliant choreography were a force of nature that forever altered the worlds of music and dance--entertainment as we know it.

From dancers in the studios to the streets, we were all trying to imitate him back then. No doubt, Michael was partially responsible for my aching muscles, cramping feet, and my black and blue knees from all those knee spins!

Again, to quote Time's commemorative issue:

"Put Thriller on right now and you'll be amazed at how easily the troubling last years of Jackson's life melt away. For Generation X the magic is partly nostalgic; everyone between the ages of 35 and 45 remembers exactly where they were when they heard "Beat It" for the first time."

And so it goes. An ode to lost youth. Michael's music will forever hold the magic to transport me and my fellow Gen-Xers back in time. Music has those kinds of triggers. Funny how the memory remembers what it wants to.

Fast forward to today ... My kids and I have been dancing a lot lately in the living room to Michael's greatest hits. And my ever inquisitive four-year-old chatter box has been asking a lot of questions about death due to all the media coverage since Michael's passing.

"Mommy, Michael Jackson's up in heaven, right? He's performing for God, right?" Alex asks. "Michael Jackson was so famous, everyone knew who he was, right? Even Daniella (his 23-month-old sister), right?"

When I respond, "No, Daniella doesn't know who he is," my son in his infinite wisdom says, "But someday she will, right?"

"That's right, someday she will," I tell him.

So tonight, gotta leave that nine-to-five upon the shelf/And just enjoy yourself/Groove and let the madness in the music get to you/Life ain't so bad at all, if you live it off the wall

'That's Lucy in the sky with diamonds'

As any parent of a preschooler can attest, my 4-year-old comes home from school with oodles of art projects. And when you ask the question, "What's this?" you never know what he's going to say, where his imagination is going to take me.

That's why I was awestruck when I read recently that Julian Lennon was just 4 years old when he came home from nursery school with a drawing and told his father, "That's Lucy in the sky with diamonds." He had named his picture after his classmate, a girl named Lucy.

Well, as you know little Julian's dad was none other than John Lennon, and the rest of the story is psychedelic history. I don't know much about history of the Beatles, so it was news to me that the imagination of John Lennon's then preschool-age son was the inspiration for the Fab Four's classic--yet controversial--Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. Even my husband, my resident Beatles history buff, had no idea the featured track on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band--the song that had questionable references to LSD--was playgroup-inspired.

Today, more than 40 years later, Julian has reconnected with "the girl with kaleidoscope eyes" after hearing that she is seriously ill with lupus, an autoimmune rheumatic disease that causes joint pain, extreme fatigue and other symptoms.

I'm sorry to hear that Lucy is struggling with serious health complications related to lupus (a condition I'm familiar with, as my best friend lives with the disease). I believe there's much inspiration to be drawn from the story of little Julian and Lucy beyond the title of a Beatles classic: The innocence of childhood. The critical role imagination plays in childhood. The seeds of friendship sown at such a tender age.

In this latest installment of my son's drawings, he told me, "That's a volcano with hot lava going down the mountain."

I can't help but imagine what John Lennon would do with that.