Rachel keeps telling me about all the mean things Sidney does. She'll give Rachel all kinds of little treasures, and when Rachel had her crutches she really looked out for her and helped her whenever she could...and yet the other day she pushed her in some weird way down the slide so Rachel fell on her bad wrist (she has been wearing an Ace bandage for a few weeks, now; more growing pains, we think) and she is just, well, mean.
The last thing Rachel told me about was Saturday night as I was cuddling next to her, trying to comfort her because she was just starting to get a bad cold, and said to her, "If Sidney is so mean and does such bad things to you, why are you friends with her?" And Rachel, of course, tried to defend her and say Sidney's not so bad, that they're friends, they give each other stuff, etc.
On Sunday, as I was setting up for the Seder at Hebrew school, I started thinking about Sidney and I got madder and madder, and was thinking of a way to tell Sidney's mom, Nicole, that THIS HAS GOT TO STOP or there will be no more playdates, ever. When we talked about Sidney to Mrs. Rocco, the guidance counselor, last week, she laughed and said, "Yes, Sidney's a character" and that she had had several conversations with her, including going to Sidney's class (thank God she's not in the same class with Rachel) and talking about the importance of not hitting other kids, of being nice to your friends, etc. It sounded to me as if she was hoping that it all would just sink into Sidney's head by osmosis, which, when I think about it, seems to be an inadequate way of addressing the problem.
We know parents of other kids have issues with Sidney and they've talked to the guidance counselor. But what can she do, really? As Drew said to me today, it's not like the kid is a Bad Seed. And I hate the idea of giving up on a kid so young, even if it sounds as if discipline is totally lacking in that house and her mom can't seem to draw the boundary between being her daughter's friend and her parent. It's not by business to comment on other people's parenting unless the kid is being emotionally, verbally or sexually abused.
Today Mrs. McAdam said something astonishing during our parent-teacher conference, after we'd spent most of our allotted time talking about Rachel's interactions with Sidney. She said that Rachel had talked to her about Sidney doing something mean, and when Mrs. McAdam pressed her further, Rachel replied, "Sidney's not being nice because she sees her parents not being nice to each other."
I mean, WOW.
Their lockers used to be next to each other, and Mrs. McAdam moved Rachel's locker a few weeks ago because she had noticed that she and Sidney were at their lockers all the time, chatting, exchanging stuff, etc. so she thought it was best to separate them. I wish I had been informed of that, as well as the reason why (I had noticed Rachel's locker had been moved but she didn't tell me why and I didn't think to ask), but at least Mrs. McAdam thought to do so and said Rachel seemed relieved (she has complained of Sidney following her around a lot and trying to interact and be friends when sometimes Rachel just wants to be with other kids or just left alone).
Mrs. McAdam said she will make sure Rachel and Sidney are not in the same 2nd-grade class next year. Which is fine, but they're not in the same class now and there's still a problem. Sometimes I wish Nicole would just get a better job somewhere and move, or put Sidney in another school, but that wouldn't solve the problem because Rachel will have to deal with people like Sidney all her life. I just hope it doesn't escalate.
Monday, March 23, 2015
The things Drew and I say after Rachel goes to bed
Drew relayed a funny thing that Rachel did the other day after he gave her her twice-weekly bath: He had drained the tub, she was in her bedroom, and she had wrapped her bathrobe around her body. When she saw him she threw open her bathrobe and said, "Introducing...Queen Naked the Third!"
It was all he could do to keep from bursting out in laughter.
Speaking of bath time, Drew says I am missing a lot by not being home to give Rachel her bath.
"You haven't lived until you've heard Rachel act out 'Oklahoma!' with her bath animals," he said. These are things you never expect to hear from your husband when you're both in your 20s and childless.
Tonight Drew and I were talking about Rachel being a triple threat in high school: Funny, smart and pretty. "She's going to be quite a handful," I said. "The boys may be intimidated by her."
"I WANT them to be intimidated," he said. "I want her to decide who SHE'LL date. So that she'll tap one on the shoulder and say, 'You. YOU'RE the one who gets to go to prom with me.' And he'll be so grateful."
It was all he could do to keep from bursting out in laughter.
Speaking of bath time, Drew says I am missing a lot by not being home to give Rachel her bath.
"You haven't lived until you've heard Rachel act out 'Oklahoma!' with her bath animals," he said. These are things you never expect to hear from your husband when you're both in your 20s and childless.
Tonight Drew and I were talking about Rachel being a triple threat in high school: Funny, smart and pretty. "She's going to be quite a handful," I said. "The boys may be intimidated by her."
"I WANT them to be intimidated," he said. "I want her to decide who SHE'LL date. So that she'll tap one on the shoulder and say, 'You. YOU'RE the one who gets to go to prom with me.' And he'll be so grateful."
Working hard vs. being smart
Drew told me of a talk he and Rachel had the other day that really lifted my spirits. They were discussing the kids in school, who was smart, etc. And then Drew told her that it was good to be smart AND work hard, because some kids are smart but they don't work hard, and if they don't, then they don't do well in school. And some kids may not be that smart, but if they work hard, they can do better in school than kids who are smart.
And oh, do I know some kids from Hackensack who fit the first description to a T.
"What kind of person do you think I am?" Rachel said.
"You're the best kind," he replied. "You're smart AND you work hard."
He reports that she was quite pleased to hear that.
And oh, do I know some kids from Hackensack who fit the first description to a T.
"What kind of person do you think I am?" Rachel said.
"You're the best kind," he replied. "You're smart AND you work hard."
He reports that she was quite pleased to hear that.
Parent-teacher conference
We finally had ours with Mrs. McAdam, Rachel's teacher. Our previously scheduled conference had been canceled because of the snow, so it didn't matter that we were stuck in Orlando an extra day!
She showed us Rachel's progress, which had been good, and when I asked her if it was likely that Rachel would test into the school's gifted and talented program, she replied confidently, "Yes. I'd be really surprised if that didn't happen." So glad to hear that, because I think Rachel does best when she's surrounded by bright, inquisitive kids like she was last summer at the three-week Summer Laureates program in July. We have enrolled her again this year.
The kids in the class had to do a self-evaluation exercise, which was a fascinating glimpse into how Rachel views herself. The title was, "This is how I think I am doing." She was happy with herself in only one category: "I try my best on all of my work." (It was pictured as a smiley face). In categories such as, "I follow the teacher's directions, I listen when others are speaking, I am always a good friend to other students, and I am responsible and my teacher and classmates can count on me," she gave herself a middling grade (a neutral face) and gave herself a bad grade (frowny face) under "I am responsible and my teacher and classmates can count on me. (There was question mark there, so I'm not sure she understood the question.)
She also said that she wants more challenges in math (yay!); it's hard for her to get ideas in writing (which is not true, Drew and I know she has a wealth of ideas); word study is confusing (probably because Drew has suggested that some words should go in different categories than Mrs. McAdam says, although he always defers to what the teacher says. Mrs. McAdam said that Rachel should feel free to point out those differing interpretations to her); science is "boring, I love history" (um, yikes, guess we need to go on more science trips on the weekends?). She gave herself happy faces in reading and social studies and one unhappy face in word study.
She got 100 percent on her most recent quiz. Mrs. McAdam noted that Rachel is very self-critical, something that Drew and I need to work on with her before it becomes all-consuming. A typical example: All the kids had to write "New Year's Resolutions" under pictures of themselves that were displayed in the hallway outside of their classroom. The kids said things like, "Read more to my brother," "Watch less TV," etc. Rachel? She said, "Work harder." Sheesh.
She showed us Rachel's progress, which had been good, and when I asked her if it was likely that Rachel would test into the school's gifted and talented program, she replied confidently, "Yes. I'd be really surprised if that didn't happen." So glad to hear that, because I think Rachel does best when she's surrounded by bright, inquisitive kids like she was last summer at the three-week Summer Laureates program in July. We have enrolled her again this year.
The kids in the class had to do a self-evaluation exercise, which was a fascinating glimpse into how Rachel views herself. The title was, "This is how I think I am doing." She was happy with herself in only one category: "I try my best on all of my work." (It was pictured as a smiley face). In categories such as, "I follow the teacher's directions, I listen when others are speaking, I am always a good friend to other students, and I am responsible and my teacher and classmates can count on me," she gave herself a middling grade (a neutral face) and gave herself a bad grade (frowny face) under "I am responsible and my teacher and classmates can count on me. (There was question mark there, so I'm not sure she understood the question.)
She also said that she wants more challenges in math (yay!); it's hard for her to get ideas in writing (which is not true, Drew and I know she has a wealth of ideas); word study is confusing (probably because Drew has suggested that some words should go in different categories than Mrs. McAdam says, although he always defers to what the teacher says. Mrs. McAdam said that Rachel should feel free to point out those differing interpretations to her); science is "boring, I love history" (um, yikes, guess we need to go on more science trips on the weekends?). She gave herself happy faces in reading and social studies and one unhappy face in word study.
She got 100 percent on her most recent quiz. Mrs. McAdam noted that Rachel is very self-critical, something that Drew and I need to work on with her before it becomes all-consuming. A typical example: All the kids had to write "New Year's Resolutions" under pictures of themselves that were displayed in the hallway outside of their classroom. The kids said things like, "Read more to my brother," "Watch less TV," etc. Rachel? She said, "Work harder." Sheesh.
Rachel the emotionally sensitive child
On the way home from school today, Rachel said, "You're worried about me, aren't you?"
In fact, I was -- she felt warm when I picked her up, and she looked exhausted, and I'm worried that this cold is really sapping her energy and I wondered if I should have just kept her out of school this morning. I had the day off, after all. Parenting fail?
"I am," I replied. "How can you tell?"
"Your voice," Rachel said. "I can always tell when you're worried, or mad at me, or anxious. It's your voice."
She is one amazing kid.
In fact, I was -- she felt warm when I picked her up, and she looked exhausted, and I'm worried that this cold is really sapping her energy and I wondered if I should have just kept her out of school this morning. I had the day off, after all. Parenting fail?
"I am," I replied. "How can you tell?"
"Your voice," Rachel said. "I can always tell when you're worried, or mad at me, or anxious. It's your voice."
She is one amazing kid.
A day off? Um, not really.
I spent much of today in kitchen, baking two loaves of pumpkin bread as part of my fulfillment to last year's McKinley Elementary School auction. Someone had bid $40 for four loaves of homemade quick breads, and the bidder and I have had a devil of a time trying to catch up. We finally did, and I promised her two loaves this week and two after spring break.
So, I started the morning baking two loaves of pumpkin bread. Then I raced to to the pool to swim my usual half-mile. Then back home, where I parked the car in the driveway and fell asleep in the sun, it was so warm and I was so tired. Then inside, where I baked a chocolate-chip cake (Drew and Rachel have been so patient watching me bake chocolate-chip cakes for other people, it was really time for me to do that for them). Then I started some beef barley soup because we had run out of soups (we usually have two or three of my soups/stews in the freezer during winter). And because I had tonight off from work, I figured I'd make us all a really nice dinner, so at 5:30 I put roast beef into the oven. (In between all this, I made a doctor's appointment for myself and another appointment for a manicure/pedicure before work tomorrow). Then I picked Rachel up from school, brought her back, and we cuddled for a bit on her bed before she fell asleep -- her sniffles and cough are really taking a lot out of her -- and then I went downstairs to mix up the batter for Yorkshire pudding.
Then I wrapped up the breads in the fancy paper I had gotten at Michaels on Saturday and took them over to the person who had bid on them. Turns out she is the mom of two kids who know Rachel pretty well and the girl told me to tell Rachel that she hopes she gets to feeling better. Meanwhile, Drew served the beef and Yorkshire pudding to Rachel.
I got home, finished up dinner with Drew and Rachel, and then just sat for a while because my feet, legs and back were killing me -- I had about a half-hour at breakfast and a half-hour at lunch to sit down and eat. As soon as I finish writing this I am heading upstairs to turn in early. This mama is TIRED.
So, I started the morning baking two loaves of pumpkin bread. Then I raced to to the pool to swim my usual half-mile. Then back home, where I parked the car in the driveway and fell asleep in the sun, it was so warm and I was so tired. Then inside, where I baked a chocolate-chip cake (Drew and Rachel have been so patient watching me bake chocolate-chip cakes for other people, it was really time for me to do that for them). Then I started some beef barley soup because we had run out of soups (we usually have two or three of my soups/stews in the freezer during winter). And because I had tonight off from work, I figured I'd make us all a really nice dinner, so at 5:30 I put roast beef into the oven. (In between all this, I made a doctor's appointment for myself and another appointment for a manicure/pedicure before work tomorrow). Then I picked Rachel up from school, brought her back, and we cuddled for a bit on her bed before she fell asleep -- her sniffles and cough are really taking a lot out of her -- and then I went downstairs to mix up the batter for Yorkshire pudding.
Then I wrapped up the breads in the fancy paper I had gotten at Michaels on Saturday and took them over to the person who had bid on them. Turns out she is the mom of two kids who know Rachel pretty well and the girl told me to tell Rachel that she hopes she gets to feeling better. Meanwhile, Drew served the beef and Yorkshire pudding to Rachel.
I got home, finished up dinner with Drew and Rachel, and then just sat for a while because my feet, legs and back were killing me -- I had about a half-hour at breakfast and a half-hour at lunch to sit down and eat. As soon as I finish writing this I am heading upstairs to turn in early. This mama is TIRED.
Hair trouble
Rachel is extremely adverse to Drew or me combing her hair, probably because we have to really work on getting the knots out. She claims that she brushes her hair when we ask her right before she leaves for school, but Rachel brushing is different from Mommy or Daddy brushing.
This morning she said, "When I'm 19, I'm NEVER going to brush my hair."
"That's fine," I replied, "because I won't be responsible for you anymore."
"I know," she said confidently.
Where does this hair-brushing phobia come from? Mom, was I this difficult when I was Rachel's age?
This morning she said, "When I'm 19, I'm NEVER going to brush my hair."
"That's fine," I replied, "because I won't be responsible for you anymore."
"I know," she said confidently.
Where does this hair-brushing phobia come from? Mom, was I this difficult when I was Rachel's age?
Happy Passover!
...a week early! At Hebrew School yesterday, the first-graders participated in a Seder. I volunteered to set up beforehand and help clean up afterward. I met some very nice moms, including one whose daughter is in Rachel's class and asked for a playdate after spring break. Since my mind isn't capable these days of thinking beyond next week, I said, sure.
The Seder was pretty basic, and Rachel was very upset when she thought I wouldn't be there (I was chatting with one of the moms upstairs), and when I came down to the multi-purpose room she insisted on sitting on my lap through the 45-minute ceremony. All the while I was thinking how amazing it is that Tia Daniella has gotten the Seder down to about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. I don't think I'd have the discipline to get through it that quickly!
There was haroset, horseradish, some matzah and a marshmallow (why? Just because, apparently) at each plate, and the afikomen was hidden under a random chair. Only in our case, Rachel's chair was hiding the second afikomen, so she was able to get an unexpected prize of a package of beads to string together a bracelet in Hebrew, which she really liked. We took home three boxes of matzah, since I eat it every day as part of my lunch, and then waited for Drew to get back from all the errands he was running. (Rachel was nursing a cold, which made her unusually clingy. I notice that when she's sick or worried or anxious, she tries to cuddle with me and murmurs, "Mama," over and over again.)
Drew got back in time for me to walk to the Metro (I usually drive on Sundays since parking is free downtown, but it was such a beautiful day that I decided to walk, plus I need the exercise because I'm heading to a conference later this week in Pittsburgh and I'm not sure when/if I'll be able to exercise) and I had a pretty light night at work.
The Seder was pretty basic, and Rachel was very upset when she thought I wouldn't be there (I was chatting with one of the moms upstairs), and when I came down to the multi-purpose room she insisted on sitting on my lap through the 45-minute ceremony. All the while I was thinking how amazing it is that Tia Daniella has gotten the Seder down to about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. I don't think I'd have the discipline to get through it that quickly!
There was haroset, horseradish, some matzah and a marshmallow (why? Just because, apparently) at each plate, and the afikomen was hidden under a random chair. Only in our case, Rachel's chair was hiding the second afikomen, so she was able to get an unexpected prize of a package of beads to string together a bracelet in Hebrew, which she really liked. We took home three boxes of matzah, since I eat it every day as part of my lunch, and then waited for Drew to get back from all the errands he was running. (Rachel was nursing a cold, which made her unusually clingy. I notice that when she's sick or worried or anxious, she tries to cuddle with me and murmurs, "Mama," over and over again.)
Drew got back in time for me to walk to the Metro (I usually drive on Sundays since parking is free downtown, but it was such a beautiful day that I decided to walk, plus I need the exercise because I'm heading to a conference later this week in Pittsburgh and I'm not sure when/if I'll be able to exercise) and I had a pretty light night at work.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Two sweet notes
...from Rachel:
Yesterday, as I was heading over to Dan's place, Rachel -- who had commandeered Ruth's phone -- sent me a sweet text: Mommy, i love you so much! Love, Rachel." She used emoticons, too. It made my day and I told her I would never erase the message.
Just now, as I was writing on the blog, Rachel handed me a note: "Dear Mommy I Love you so much
Love Rachel
"Love" and a smiley face were enclosed in a heart around "Love Rachel."
Really, that kid is incredibly sweet.
Yesterday, as I was heading over to Dan's place, Rachel -- who had commandeered Ruth's phone -- sent me a sweet text: Mommy, i love you so much! Love, Rachel." She used emoticons, too. It made my day and I told her I would never erase the message.
Just now, as I was writing on the blog, Rachel handed me a note: "Dear Mommy I Love you so much
Love Rachel
"Love" and a smiley face were enclosed in a heart around "Love Rachel."
Really, that kid is incredibly sweet.
Awesome Saturday
...it's always awesome when you get to start the day with brunch at a terrific breakfast place (Ted's Bulletin, famous for homemade Pop Tarts, OH MY GOD) and end it with drinks and late-night appetizers with your dear cousin (Ruth, who was in town to visit Uncle Dan). Too bad I didn't get to see much of Drew and Rachel...
I met Warren Binford, a Willamette Law prof, in town at American University to deliver a lecture on legal education, for breakfast with four other people, all of whom are Willamette Law grads. One brought her boyfriend, a guy named Bishop, who is a graduate of West Point and William and Mary School of Law. He and I ended up getting into a long talk about STEAM education, whether I should push Rachel harder toward science (no, he said). Warren has been asked to be part of the Hillary Clinton campaign, so we talked about that, and about Oregon politics, etc. It was a very stimulating breakfast and a reminder that I need to do this sort of thing more often.
Afterward I raced over to Uncle Dan's just in time to give Rachel and Drew hugs before they took off for a birthday party that Rachel went to at a bowling alley. She had a couple of strikes and the birthday girl's mom, Caity, told Drew that "Rachel's so SWEET!" I hung out with Dan and Ruth for a while, drove home, stopped at a crafts store to get wrapping material for some bread I had agreed to bake for last year's McKinley auction (the woman who bid $40 finally connected with me, and I'm on the hook for two loaves this week and two after spring break), then went back to Rockville to meet Ruth for drinks. She insisted I eat something for dinner, so I had three appetizer-sized sliders. Yum!
When I got home, Rachel and Drew had just finished watching a movie, so I went upstairs to her room and crawled into bed with her (Drew had said she was starting to sound like she was getting a bad cold, and she seemed really out of sorts, whimpering, "Mama," so I stayed with her until she was close to falling asleep. That seemed to reassure her). Afterward, Drew and I talked until nearly 1 a.m. about our days, and then I went to bed.
I met Warren Binford, a Willamette Law prof, in town at American University to deliver a lecture on legal education, for breakfast with four other people, all of whom are Willamette Law grads. One brought her boyfriend, a guy named Bishop, who is a graduate of West Point and William and Mary School of Law. He and I ended up getting into a long talk about STEAM education, whether I should push Rachel harder toward science (no, he said). Warren has been asked to be part of the Hillary Clinton campaign, so we talked about that, and about Oregon politics, etc. It was a very stimulating breakfast and a reminder that I need to do this sort of thing more often.
Afterward I raced over to Uncle Dan's just in time to give Rachel and Drew hugs before they took off for a birthday party that Rachel went to at a bowling alley. She had a couple of strikes and the birthday girl's mom, Caity, told Drew that "Rachel's so SWEET!" I hung out with Dan and Ruth for a while, drove home, stopped at a crafts store to get wrapping material for some bread I had agreed to bake for last year's McKinley auction (the woman who bid $40 finally connected with me, and I'm on the hook for two loaves this week and two after spring break), then went back to Rockville to meet Ruth for drinks. She insisted I eat something for dinner, so I had three appetizer-sized sliders. Yum!
When I got home, Rachel and Drew had just finished watching a movie, so I went upstairs to her room and crawled into bed with her (Drew had said she was starting to sound like she was getting a bad cold, and she seemed really out of sorts, whimpering, "Mama," so I stayed with her until she was close to falling asleep. That seemed to reassure her). Afterward, Drew and I talked until nearly 1 a.m. about our days, and then I went to bed.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Friday afternoon with my daughter
We got snow today, the first day of spring (of course!), but luckily it didn't stick and by afternoon had turned into cold, miserable rain. I ran around like a crazy woman today -- baked orange bread because we are going to visit Uncle Dan and Auntie Ruth (who's in town this weekend, yay!) tomorrow, then rushed to Vienna (a hike away) for a haircut, then back home, then changed into different clothes, then picked up Rachel early from extended day so we could go get a gift for her friend, Simone, whose birthday party is tomorrow. This season seems to be the one for birthday parties; Rachel has one to go to every week!
She was very happy to see me, but disappointed when I said no to a sleepover with Sidney. (I do not want that child in my house, especially not overnight). I later found out she meant a sleepover at Sidney's house, which I said maybe to. She cheered up a bit and focused on reading her book on the way to Toys 'R Us. By the time we were ready to get out of the car, she said, "I love you, Mommy," with a smile on her face, and all was well.
We wandered around for bit before Rachel spied a big stuffed hedgehog (no joke -- this thing is huge) and decided it would be a perfect gift. We chose a card and then I got wrapping paper while Rachel looked at some of the drivable toy cars ($250) nearby. "You can check out while I stay here," she suggested, one of many things she said today that made me think she seems to have grown up in about the last three days -- maybe because I haven't really seen her because I've been working a five-day week.
When I came back she pointed out three things she wanted and then made her trademark Rachel puppy-dog face, but I held firm and she started sulking and crying. I ignored it until we got back home, and then when we got out of the car to walk to a play that her school was doing, I said, "We're going to this play because you wanted us to. Are you mad at me because I didn't buy you anything?"
No, she said, it turned out she'd had a bad day. "Daddy made me rush around this morning, which hurt my legs, and you didn't walk me to school, and then we had a mystery reader AND IT WASN'T YOU!!" she sobbed. I apologized for oversleeping and then she threw herself into my arms, and I carried her a bit, and then set her down.
She was okay when we got to the school, although she was looking for Sidney who thank heavens did not show up. The play, entirely student-written and produced, was a musical about "tall tales of the frontier" featuring Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Calamity Jane and others. I was starving by the end of it -- didn't have time to eat lunch today -- but I thought it was actually pretty good. We chatted about it on the way home, and got back to discover Drew had done EVERYTHING to get dinner ready -- heated up the last of the homemade matzoh-ball soup and homemade challah and set the table -- so we had a quick Shabbat dinner. The bottom of my left foot was aching (I believe I have planter fasciitis) and Rachel was so sweet -- she went to the bathroom and came down with some wet cotton pads and a cotton washcloth and rubbed my feet. As she was ready to go to bed, she spread some liquid cucumber-and-melon soap on my foot, which I told her felt very refreshing. I thanked her profusely for taking care of me.
When I went upstairs to the bathroom about a half-hour later, she called out softly from her bedroom. "Are you calling me?" I said as I went in. "Mama," she said softly, taking me into her arms as I kneeled next to her bed. "I love you so much, Mommy," she said, and I replied, "I love you so much, too, Rachel. You are the best kid in the world." And then we said our good-nights, and I closed the door and went back downstairs.
She was very happy to see me, but disappointed when I said no to a sleepover with Sidney. (I do not want that child in my house, especially not overnight). I later found out she meant a sleepover at Sidney's house, which I said maybe to. She cheered up a bit and focused on reading her book on the way to Toys 'R Us. By the time we were ready to get out of the car, she said, "I love you, Mommy," with a smile on her face, and all was well.
We wandered around for bit before Rachel spied a big stuffed hedgehog (no joke -- this thing is huge) and decided it would be a perfect gift. We chose a card and then I got wrapping paper while Rachel looked at some of the drivable toy cars ($250) nearby. "You can check out while I stay here," she suggested, one of many things she said today that made me think she seems to have grown up in about the last three days -- maybe because I haven't really seen her because I've been working a five-day week.
When I came back she pointed out three things she wanted and then made her trademark Rachel puppy-dog face, but I held firm and she started sulking and crying. I ignored it until we got back home, and then when we got out of the car to walk to a play that her school was doing, I said, "We're going to this play because you wanted us to. Are you mad at me because I didn't buy you anything?"
No, she said, it turned out she'd had a bad day. "Daddy made me rush around this morning, which hurt my legs, and you didn't walk me to school, and then we had a mystery reader AND IT WASN'T YOU!!" she sobbed. I apologized for oversleeping and then she threw herself into my arms, and I carried her a bit, and then set her down.
She was okay when we got to the school, although she was looking for Sidney who thank heavens did not show up. The play, entirely student-written and produced, was a musical about "tall tales of the frontier" featuring Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Calamity Jane and others. I was starving by the end of it -- didn't have time to eat lunch today -- but I thought it was actually pretty good. We chatted about it on the way home, and got back to discover Drew had done EVERYTHING to get dinner ready -- heated up the last of the homemade matzoh-ball soup and homemade challah and set the table -- so we had a quick Shabbat dinner. The bottom of my left foot was aching (I believe I have planter fasciitis) and Rachel was so sweet -- she went to the bathroom and came down with some wet cotton pads and a cotton washcloth and rubbed my feet. As she was ready to go to bed, she spread some liquid cucumber-and-melon soap on my foot, which I told her felt very refreshing. I thanked her profusely for taking care of me.
When I went upstairs to the bathroom about a half-hour later, she called out softly from her bedroom. "Are you calling me?" I said as I went in. "Mama," she said softly, taking me into her arms as I kneeled next to her bed. "I love you so much, Mommy," she said, and I replied, "I love you so much, too, Rachel. You are the best kid in the world." And then we said our good-nights, and I closed the door and went back downstairs.
Women's History Month
I volunteered to read to Rachel's class during Women's History Month. I headed in last Tuesday with a couple of books, two of which I actually got to read. Rachel was very upset that I didn't read the book she wanted me to read -- it was about women's suffrage in Wyoming -- but the class wanted me to read about some of the first women in flight (the book I chose was distressing in that it focused a bit too much on the Jazz-Age cuteness of the one of the women) and I chose another one about a girl who had fought for a union at a garment factory in the 1920s (this is no doubt where Rachel gets her indignation around women's rights).
I tried to engage the class while I read, pointing out how silly it was that men once thought that women didn't have the same brains as they did and thus couldn't be given the right to vote, or that they didn't think women were capably physically to do the jobs men could. A couple of boys agreed with those sentiments, to my exasperation and annoyance, but Noah (mentioned in a previous post) was very mature in his responses that, of course, girls could do anything boys could do. The fact that BOTH his parents are pilots for the Air Force probably helped.
Anyway, at the end, Rachel got very upset when the kids got up and left to get ready for their extended-day activities. "Some of the boys at recess said girls can't do everything that boys can do," she said, sniffling, and I told her that of course they could, and women are doing all sorts of things now that men do, and then she started really crying and said, "I wish they would do more. I wish we had a woman president."
I replied that we very well might next year, and she was still crying and said, "I wish there was a woman president NOW!"
I couldn't really answer that, except to hug her close and try to comfort her. The hapless substitute teacher handed out chocolate Easter eggs to everyone, and that seemed to make Rachel feel better.
I tried to engage the class while I read, pointing out how silly it was that men once thought that women didn't have the same brains as they did and thus couldn't be given the right to vote, or that they didn't think women were capably physically to do the jobs men could. A couple of boys agreed with those sentiments, to my exasperation and annoyance, but Noah (mentioned in a previous post) was very mature in his responses that, of course, girls could do anything boys could do. The fact that BOTH his parents are pilots for the Air Force probably helped.
Anyway, at the end, Rachel got very upset when the kids got up and left to get ready for their extended-day activities. "Some of the boys at recess said girls can't do everything that boys can do," she said, sniffling, and I told her that of course they could, and women are doing all sorts of things now that men do, and then she started really crying and said, "I wish they would do more. I wish we had a woman president."
I replied that we very well might next year, and she was still crying and said, "I wish there was a woman president NOW!"
I couldn't really answer that, except to hug her close and try to comfort her. The hapless substitute teacher handed out chocolate Easter eggs to everyone, and that seemed to make Rachel feel better.
Thomas Jefferson
Rachel is starting to chafe at our desire to keep an eye on her. At the airport in Orlando, she insisted on going to the bathroom by herself to change. I agreed only because I had a view from a nearby lounge chair.
"I'm independent, like Thomas Jefferson," she said to my protestations. Once in a while she'll pull out that card when I'm trying to convince her that she needs my supervision, and I'm always a bit nonplussed when she does that. I haven't quite thought of a suitable reply.
"I'm independent, like Thomas Jefferson," she said to my protestations. Once in a while she'll pull out that card when I'm trying to convince her that she needs my supervision, and I'm always a bit nonplussed when she does that. I haven't quite thought of a suitable reply.
What happens when you have breakfast with your kid
Last Saturday, Rachel, Drew and I had some time together at breakfast before racing off to do the usual stuff we end up doing -- in my case, I wanted to run some errands, but because of the hellacious week I'd had at work (in a good way; I edited my first project for The Post, which ran last Friday and extended over three inside pages) I ended up completely crashing on the couch for two hours while Drew took Rachel to a birthday party in Manassas and for a haircut afterward.
Anyway, here are two things she said:
"I like Noah," I said. (Noah is a kid in her class whose parents are both pilots for the Air Force. He was one of the few kids in Rachel's class who stuck up for women during Women's History Month).
"He's sweet on me," Rachel said.
"How can you tell?" Drew asked.
"Well, he stays near me a lot and on Valentine's Day, he sent me two valentines," she said. (She later told me that he had given her one similar to the one he gave the rest of the kids in class; and a second one that said, 'Roses are red, violets are blue, you are cool and I love you').
"I've never had anyone sweet on me and I don't like it," Rachel continued.
"Why not?" Drew said.
"It's EMBARRASSING!" Rachel exclaimed.
***
"Everything is awesome when you're living your...dream!" she half-sang as she was clearing up her breakfast dishes. "That's how you can tell I'm excited," she said.
***
"Ivy never wears long-sleeve shirts or pants, which I like to do," Rachel said. "I kind of like them, since you can NOT climb a tree in a dress. Otherwise, you show your underwear."
Okay, Jo March. Thanks for the update.:)
Anyway, here are two things she said:
"I like Noah," I said. (Noah is a kid in her class whose parents are both pilots for the Air Force. He was one of the few kids in Rachel's class who stuck up for women during Women's History Month).
"He's sweet on me," Rachel said.
"How can you tell?" Drew asked.
"Well, he stays near me a lot and on Valentine's Day, he sent me two valentines," she said. (She later told me that he had given her one similar to the one he gave the rest of the kids in class; and a second one that said, 'Roses are red, violets are blue, you are cool and I love you').
"I've never had anyone sweet on me and I don't like it," Rachel continued.
"Why not?" Drew said.
"It's EMBARRASSING!" Rachel exclaimed.
***
"Everything is awesome when you're living your...dream!" she half-sang as she was clearing up her breakfast dishes. "That's how you can tell I'm excited," she said.
***
"Ivy never wears long-sleeve shirts or pants, which I like to do," Rachel said. "I kind of like them, since you can NOT climb a tree in a dress. Otherwise, you show your underwear."
Okay, Jo March. Thanks for the update.:)
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Crazy Saturday
I was in a grumpy mood when we got home from vacation -- the house seemed messy, we had a lot of unpacking to do and a very full Saturday -- I really didn't want to do Odyssey of the Mind, I just wanted to sleep, and then Rachel had to sell Girl Scout cookies, and our synagogue had a Purim carnival on Sunday -- all I wanted to do was relax and slowly get back into the cold before I had to head back to work on Sunday.
I went to bed in a foul mood, but on Saturday morning I found myself with a lot of energy. We headed off to Odyssey, Rachel's team competed for all of 10 minutes (it was a weather-related theme that I can't really explain, but she, Libby and Simone were "weather girls." I had stayed up late making a rainbow to pin on her tie-dyed shirt that we had fortunately bought at the resort, since all the girls were supposed to dress in colors of the rainbow -- and at one point during the competition, she, Libby and Simone linked hands and twirled around trying to imitate a tornado. Don't ask).
Rachel got a purple ribbon for her contribution, and then she, Drew and I went out for a donut at Dunkin' Donuts to celebrate. On our way out of the restaurant, Rachel forgot her book and something else she'd brought, and I realized how much kids frustrate parents. It's like the part of their brain that you think would remember to gather up, oh, mittens, jackets, books, scarves, is just blocked until they're adults. Sorry, Mom and Dad, for all the times that drove you crazy.
Then we got home, I raced around unpacking and carting suitcases and summer clothes back up into the attic (when all I really wanted to do was sleep because I was exhausted), and at 12:40 we left to sell cookies at a Giant supermarket about 15 minutes away from our house. Out of guilt, I have volunteered to spend the entire four-hour shift at Giant and at the Ballston Metro station next Friday because I can't lead the troop or do the cookie-related sales stuff that Drew is doing. I've already volunteered to coordinate logistics for next year's Odyssey of the Mind team, so I can participate more in Rachel-related stuff.
Anyway, it was a sunny day and much warmer (46 degrees) than when we had arrived, so we set up a folding table and chairs, and Sydney and her dad, Chris, joined us. I thought he tried the hard sell a little to aggressively, but Sydney was a whiz with the math; she figured out quickly how much change people needed, and we sold a lot of cookies. More than 300 boxes by the time the shift ended at 5. (Rachel got upset when I let Sydney figure out the change, but as I pointed out to her, "You said you hate math, Rachel," which she had said, to my distress, early in the shift. So I put her in charge of noting down how many boxes of what cookies we sold).
By mid-afternoon we were out of samoas, tagalongs and thin mints, and then the savannah smiles, so by the end we had three boxes to choose from. We got lots of donations, too. Rachel's line was, "Girl Scout cookies for sale! Get them now...or next week!" She was remarkably poised and didn't lose interest (like some of the other kids who joined us later did). She also insisted on staying the entire four hours, which NONE of the other girls did, and Drew and I praised her profusely for her commitment. Chris bought us fruit and dates, and Kelly (Libby's mom and the troop leader) contributed apples, so we were fed, if not exactly full, by the time Rachel said, at 4:45, that we was done and "I just want to spend time with my family!" Both she and I were pooped, and my back was aching, but we kept at it until Drew arrived to pick us up.
At home we reheated pizza and watched "The Great Mouse Detective" about "Basil of Baker Street," a mouse who lived in England in 1897 and modeled himself (and his friend, Dr. Dawson) after Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The movie came out in 1997 and it was unexpectedly great. While Rachel and I were selling cookies, Drew gathered together our tax documents (he is attempting to do our taxes himself this year) and bought us a bunch of cupcakes for dessert as a surprise. So, we had pizza and cupcakes, and it was a very relaxed evening after a very hectic day.
After Rachel went to bed, we watched one episode of "House of Cards." Nothing like that show to get me right back into the swing of things as I prepare to head back to work and real life!
I went to bed in a foul mood, but on Saturday morning I found myself with a lot of energy. We headed off to Odyssey, Rachel's team competed for all of 10 minutes (it was a weather-related theme that I can't really explain, but she, Libby and Simone were "weather girls." I had stayed up late making a rainbow to pin on her tie-dyed shirt that we had fortunately bought at the resort, since all the girls were supposed to dress in colors of the rainbow -- and at one point during the competition, she, Libby and Simone linked hands and twirled around trying to imitate a tornado. Don't ask).
Rachel got a purple ribbon for her contribution, and then she, Drew and I went out for a donut at Dunkin' Donuts to celebrate. On our way out of the restaurant, Rachel forgot her book and something else she'd brought, and I realized how much kids frustrate parents. It's like the part of their brain that you think would remember to gather up, oh, mittens, jackets, books, scarves, is just blocked until they're adults. Sorry, Mom and Dad, for all the times that drove you crazy.
Then we got home, I raced around unpacking and carting suitcases and summer clothes back up into the attic (when all I really wanted to do was sleep because I was exhausted), and at 12:40 we left to sell cookies at a Giant supermarket about 15 minutes away from our house. Out of guilt, I have volunteered to spend the entire four-hour shift at Giant and at the Ballston Metro station next Friday because I can't lead the troop or do the cookie-related sales stuff that Drew is doing. I've already volunteered to coordinate logistics for next year's Odyssey of the Mind team, so I can participate more in Rachel-related stuff.
Anyway, it was a sunny day and much warmer (46 degrees) than when we had arrived, so we set up a folding table and chairs, and Sydney and her dad, Chris, joined us. I thought he tried the hard sell a little to aggressively, but Sydney was a whiz with the math; she figured out quickly how much change people needed, and we sold a lot of cookies. More than 300 boxes by the time the shift ended at 5. (Rachel got upset when I let Sydney figure out the change, but as I pointed out to her, "You said you hate math, Rachel," which she had said, to my distress, early in the shift. So I put her in charge of noting down how many boxes of what cookies we sold).
By mid-afternoon we were out of samoas, tagalongs and thin mints, and then the savannah smiles, so by the end we had three boxes to choose from. We got lots of donations, too. Rachel's line was, "Girl Scout cookies for sale! Get them now...or next week!" She was remarkably poised and didn't lose interest (like some of the other kids who joined us later did). She also insisted on staying the entire four hours, which NONE of the other girls did, and Drew and I praised her profusely for her commitment. Chris bought us fruit and dates, and Kelly (Libby's mom and the troop leader) contributed apples, so we were fed, if not exactly full, by the time Rachel said, at 4:45, that we was done and "I just want to spend time with my family!" Both she and I were pooped, and my back was aching, but we kept at it until Drew arrived to pick us up.
At home we reheated pizza and watched "The Great Mouse Detective" about "Basil of Baker Street," a mouse who lived in England in 1897 and modeled himself (and his friend, Dr. Dawson) after Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The movie came out in 1997 and it was unexpectedly great. While Rachel and I were selling cookies, Drew gathered together our tax documents (he is attempting to do our taxes himself this year) and bought us a bunch of cupcakes for dessert as a surprise. So, we had pizza and cupcakes, and it was a very relaxed evening after a very hectic day.
After Rachel went to bed, we watched one episode of "House of Cards." Nothing like that show to get me right back into the swing of things as I prepare to head back to work and real life!
Thoughtful little girl
There was a Disney store at the Orland airport, where I stopped to buy something for our Odyssey of the Mind coaches, David and Kelly, because I felt so bad not being there all week for them to work with Rachel on their weather-themed package. (David reassured me not to worry. Turned out that the week we were in Florida, D.C. got the biggest storm of the year. School was closed Monday, open Tuesday and Wednesday, and closed Thursday and Friday for parent-teacher conferences, which were cancelled because of the snow; as Rachel's teacher pointed out when I told her we were stranded in Orlando, "You picked an excellent time to go to Orlando." She had been there the week before we left!)
I was about to leave the store when I saw Rachel whispering to Drew a few feet away, and they ordered me not to come near. I had a feeling she wanted to buy something for me, so I hurried in and found a Mickey Mouse-shaped charm with peace signs on it for Rachel's book bag (in recent weeks she has begun collecting things and attaching them to the zipper of her bag) and bought it, intending to surprise her.
On the airplane, she surprised ME with a Mickey Mouse pin with the words, "World's Greatest Mom" on it. She had seen it in the store, rushed out to show it to Drew, and asked him to buy it. No prompting from him; it was a spontaneous gesture on her part.
As Drew noted later, every time I think I'm not a good enough mom, I should remember that Rachel thinks otherwise.
I was about to leave the store when I saw Rachel whispering to Drew a few feet away, and they ordered me not to come near. I had a feeling she wanted to buy something for me, so I hurried in and found a Mickey Mouse-shaped charm with peace signs on it for Rachel's book bag (in recent weeks she has begun collecting things and attaching them to the zipper of her bag) and bought it, intending to surprise her.
On the airplane, she surprised ME with a Mickey Mouse pin with the words, "World's Greatest Mom" on it. She had seen it in the store, rushed out to show it to Drew, and asked him to buy it. No prompting from him; it was a spontaneous gesture on her part.
As Drew noted later, every time I think I'm not a good enough mom, I should remember that Rachel thinks otherwise.
Stranded!
Rachel suggested the title for this post, which is a good one.
We were supposed to leave on Thursday, but it was snowing in D.C., with the weather expected to get worse around the time of our arrival (around 5:30 p.m.). We had planned our return in order to attend Rachel's parent-teacher conference on Friday, plus we needed to leave the resort on Thursday, anyway, and Friday was going to be a catch-up day; Drew had taken the day off from work; I had planned to make some calls on a possible magazine story, unpack, work on Rachel's Odyssey of the Mind and Purim carnival costumes, etc. etc.
When we heard about the snow, we were all hoping that would give us an extra day at the resort. (Our plane wasn't scheduled to leave until 4 or so, so we figured we'd stay the morning at the resort to get some last swimming in, then head to the airport in time to return our rental car and catch our flight). When Darryl notified Drew that he and Daniella's flight was delayed two hours, I told Rachel that that probably meant ours was delayed, too. We spent the next hour or so playing a new game called Rachelball (Drew and I tossed Rachel between us in the pool, to her delight, until our arms gave out) and hoping that the flight would be delayed, but noon came and it was still on time. Rachel burst into tears when I told her she had to get out of the pool, and I hugged her and said I wished we could stay, too, -- and it was compounded by the fact that the peace charm in her beaded braid had fallen off (we paid a woman $30 to work the beads, braid and ribbon in her hair at the beginning of the week; it was expensive, but she wanted it badly and it did make her look great).
We left the resort sadly, returned the rental car, boarded our plane...and sat. And sat. For about 45 minutes. At one point the pilot came on the air, tried to tell us what was happening and then said, "Uh, just wait a moment, folks, while I figure out what's going on." And then, we were told to leave the plane. Perhaps no one was more stunned that Rachel, who, as I pointed out, got her wish after all -- and then, while I called her Odyssey of the Mind coach to explain what had happened, Drew rebooked us for the next flight out -- at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
We got a discounted rate at a nearby residence hotel, courtesy of U.S. Airways, and Drew wisely talked me out of keeping the rental car because, as he pointed out, we probably wouldn't have much time to explore Orlando (I had called a former boss of mine who is now at the Orlando Sentinel to meet us for dinner, but he was running in a 5K that night and couldn't make it). We relaxed around the pool and fire pit, with Rachel reading and Drew and I talking to a guy named Randy who had a dead-on imitation of Donald Duck (which delighted Rachel).
We ate dinner at a steakhouse, where I had way too many martinis and ended up carrying Rachel back to our room (sound familiar)? I fell asleep at 10:30, woke up at 12:30, couldn't go back to sleep, tried sleeping in Rachel's bed (we were in a suite with a separate bedroom, so she got the sleeper couch while Drew and I took the king-size bed), then finally took a sleeping pill at 4:30 a.m. and was dead to the world until Drew and Rachel brought me back some breakfast from the buffet downstairs. I was groggy most of the morning, but we managed to extend our checkout; walked to TGI Friday's for a leisurely lunch, then back to the hotel and waited for the shuttle bus. We got to the airport and found that our flight had been delayed 40 minutes, so that gave us some extra time to shop, and then, finally, we boarded our flight. Rachel had discovered a Pippi Longstocking book at the airport bookstore and of course persuaded Drew and I to buy it for her; she spent most of the flight reading it.
We arrived to bitterly cold weather, but most of the snow had been cleared. We hustled Rachel to bed at 11:30, stayed up until 1:30 a.m. putting things away, and collapsed into bed only to wake up the next morning at 7 for Rachel's Odyssey of the Mind competition.
It's good to be home.
We were supposed to leave on Thursday, but it was snowing in D.C., with the weather expected to get worse around the time of our arrival (around 5:30 p.m.). We had planned our return in order to attend Rachel's parent-teacher conference on Friday, plus we needed to leave the resort on Thursday, anyway, and Friday was going to be a catch-up day; Drew had taken the day off from work; I had planned to make some calls on a possible magazine story, unpack, work on Rachel's Odyssey of the Mind and Purim carnival costumes, etc. etc.
When we heard about the snow, we were all hoping that would give us an extra day at the resort. (Our plane wasn't scheduled to leave until 4 or so, so we figured we'd stay the morning at the resort to get some last swimming in, then head to the airport in time to return our rental car and catch our flight). When Darryl notified Drew that he and Daniella's flight was delayed two hours, I told Rachel that that probably meant ours was delayed, too. We spent the next hour or so playing a new game called Rachelball (Drew and I tossed Rachel between us in the pool, to her delight, until our arms gave out) and hoping that the flight would be delayed, but noon came and it was still on time. Rachel burst into tears when I told her she had to get out of the pool, and I hugged her and said I wished we could stay, too, -- and it was compounded by the fact that the peace charm in her beaded braid had fallen off (we paid a woman $30 to work the beads, braid and ribbon in her hair at the beginning of the week; it was expensive, but she wanted it badly and it did make her look great).
We left the resort sadly, returned the rental car, boarded our plane...and sat. And sat. For about 45 minutes. At one point the pilot came on the air, tried to tell us what was happening and then said, "Uh, just wait a moment, folks, while I figure out what's going on." And then, we were told to leave the plane. Perhaps no one was more stunned that Rachel, who, as I pointed out, got her wish after all -- and then, while I called her Odyssey of the Mind coach to explain what had happened, Drew rebooked us for the next flight out -- at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
We got a discounted rate at a nearby residence hotel, courtesy of U.S. Airways, and Drew wisely talked me out of keeping the rental car because, as he pointed out, we probably wouldn't have much time to explore Orlando (I had called a former boss of mine who is now at the Orlando Sentinel to meet us for dinner, but he was running in a 5K that night and couldn't make it). We relaxed around the pool and fire pit, with Rachel reading and Drew and I talking to a guy named Randy who had a dead-on imitation of Donald Duck (which delighted Rachel).
We ate dinner at a steakhouse, where I had way too many martinis and ended up carrying Rachel back to our room (sound familiar)? I fell asleep at 10:30, woke up at 12:30, couldn't go back to sleep, tried sleeping in Rachel's bed (we were in a suite with a separate bedroom, so she got the sleeper couch while Drew and I took the king-size bed), then finally took a sleeping pill at 4:30 a.m. and was dead to the world until Drew and Rachel brought me back some breakfast from the buffet downstairs. I was groggy most of the morning, but we managed to extend our checkout; walked to TGI Friday's for a leisurely lunch, then back to the hotel and waited for the shuttle bus. We got to the airport and found that our flight had been delayed 40 minutes, so that gave us some extra time to shop, and then, finally, we boarded our flight. Rachel had discovered a Pippi Longstocking book at the airport bookstore and of course persuaded Drew and I to buy it for her; she spent most of the flight reading it.
We arrived to bitterly cold weather, but most of the snow had been cleared. We hustled Rachel to bed at 11:30, stayed up until 1:30 a.m. putting things away, and collapsed into bed only to wake up the next morning at 7 for Rachel's Odyssey of the Mind competition.
It's good to be home.
Best line of our vacation
The kids were discussing the origins of their names one night, and Rachel asked what her name meant.
"Little cow," Drew replied.
"What does MY name mean?" Valerie asked.
"It's from the Latin word for 'courageous,'" Daniella replied.
"You mean, she's courageous and I'm a COW??" Rachel said.
And with that, the adults cracked up. I banged the dining-room table so hard I thought I'd break it.
"Little cow," Drew replied.
"What does MY name mean?" Valerie asked.
"It's from the Latin word for 'courageous,'" Daniella replied.
"You mean, she's courageous and I'm a COW??" Rachel said.
And with that, the adults cracked up. I banged the dining-room table so hard I thought I'd break it.
Disney World, part 2
So...Tuesday was DISNEY DAY. So grateful that Mom and Dad took Daniella and I to Disney World when I was 8 and Daniella was 6. The memories came flooding back as we pulled into the park. We girded ourselves for long lines, no food (Drew had forgotten most of my lunch back at the resort; we had, on the advice of Darryl and Daniella, bought lunch the day before at Publix so we wouldn't have to stand in line and pay for Disney's overpriced food) and what I thought would be a pretty unpleasant experience.
It actually turned out to be FANTASTIC. Not as crowded as last year, apparently; we had FastPasses for three rides, which allow you to skip the long lines on popular attractions, and for the one ride we waited for (45 minutes), a slightly scary roller-coaster, the wait was worth it because of the quality of the ride and the little things along the way that they had to keep kids busy (a feature where you could stick your hand under the water and it turned different colors, for instance), so that the time seemed to fly by. We of course took Rachel on the "It's a Small World After All" ride (halfway through she said, "This is getting annoying," but later claimed she'd really loved it) that I remembered from way back when. Mostly we walked around looking at stuff and resting when we were hot, eating lunch and then drinks when we were dehydrated.
During one of our rests, Rachel turned to us and said, "Thanks so much, guys, for taking me to Disney World." That is one of the most wonderful things about our daughter -- she is generous about expressing gratitude.
I should note here that Rachel's first FastPass ride request was the Hall of Presidents. How many 6 1/2-year-old girls do YOU know who would choose that? (Thought so). Anyway, it was actually a good exhibit; they had some presidential tchotkes and a dress that one first lady had worn, and then there were animatronic (at least, I think they were animatronic) characters representing Lincoln, Washington, Clinton, and even Obama -- we all enjoyed it. (On a "jungle cruise" with funny cruise guides and animatronic animals representing different jungles of the world, the cruise guide seemed quite surprised that Rachel's favorite event so far had been Hall of Presidents. This is what happens when you have a kid who is as obsessed with history as Rachel is...)
Also at one point, after the slightly scary roller-coaster ride (that was a couple of hours after what I thought would be scary log flume drop, and I almost didn't go, but then said sure and was glad I did, because it was only 3 seconds and very doable, and then the teacup ride, which I thought would leave me horribly dizzy but wasn't so bad) I called Mom and Dad and said that now I know what Dad went through when he felt compelled to go on all the scary roller-coasters I insisted on going on (including Space Mountain, which is still there, Dad!). He wasn't much younger than me when we all went to Disney (I believe he would have been around 40 or 42), and I can't believe what I put him and Mom through (she reminded me that she and Daniella refused to go on anything scary, so they had each other for company). So...thanks again, Mom and Dad. Yet another small reminder that I get the whole parenting thing in some small way.
We had dinner at the Crystal Palace, which Darryl and Daniella had smartly reserved for 7:30. It was buffet-style and the food was quite good (I got to to try spoon bread, which I am now determined to recreate), and Disney characters kept coming around to our table -- Winnie the Pooh, Eyeore, Piglet and Tigger -- and Rachel got their autographs for her autograph book (the only thing we would buy for her; she was actually very good about not nagging us for things) and I took pictures like mad.
(The other thing we bought her was a key chain for her teacher, Mrs. McAdam, that says, "#1 teacher," because, as Drew said, "We're buying this for you because you wanted to get something for someone ELSE, not yourself.")
We finished up just in time for fireworks, which Rachel watched after sitting on Drew's shoulders, and then I offered to carry her back. And then, she fell asleep in my arms. Just totally conked out. Which means I carried her for what felt like 5 miles (was really probably 3, between the walk, and then holding her on the ferryboat back, and then the walk/wait for the tram, and then the walk back to the car); she is about 50 pounds and getting heavier by the day, but I refused to let Drew or Darryl help me. (Call it the legendary Lisa Lednicer stubbornness).
On the way back I whispered into her ear, knowing she couldn't hear me, "I hope you remember this, Rachel. When you're 13 and you hate me, remember I once carried you 5 miles -- 5 MILES! -- back from Disney World to our car."
I hope she'll remember this trip for the rest of her life.
It actually turned out to be FANTASTIC. Not as crowded as last year, apparently; we had FastPasses for three rides, which allow you to skip the long lines on popular attractions, and for the one ride we waited for (45 minutes), a slightly scary roller-coaster, the wait was worth it because of the quality of the ride and the little things along the way that they had to keep kids busy (a feature where you could stick your hand under the water and it turned different colors, for instance), so that the time seemed to fly by. We of course took Rachel on the "It's a Small World After All" ride (halfway through she said, "This is getting annoying," but later claimed she'd really loved it) that I remembered from way back when. Mostly we walked around looking at stuff and resting when we were hot, eating lunch and then drinks when we were dehydrated.
During one of our rests, Rachel turned to us and said, "Thanks so much, guys, for taking me to Disney World." That is one of the most wonderful things about our daughter -- she is generous about expressing gratitude.
I should note here that Rachel's first FastPass ride request was the Hall of Presidents. How many 6 1/2-year-old girls do YOU know who would choose that? (Thought so). Anyway, it was actually a good exhibit; they had some presidential tchotkes and a dress that one first lady had worn, and then there were animatronic (at least, I think they were animatronic) characters representing Lincoln, Washington, Clinton, and even Obama -- we all enjoyed it. (On a "jungle cruise" with funny cruise guides and animatronic animals representing different jungles of the world, the cruise guide seemed quite surprised that Rachel's favorite event so far had been Hall of Presidents. This is what happens when you have a kid who is as obsessed with history as Rachel is...)
Also at one point, after the slightly scary roller-coaster ride (that was a couple of hours after what I thought would be scary log flume drop, and I almost didn't go, but then said sure and was glad I did, because it was only 3 seconds and very doable, and then the teacup ride, which I thought would leave me horribly dizzy but wasn't so bad) I called Mom and Dad and said that now I know what Dad went through when he felt compelled to go on all the scary roller-coasters I insisted on going on (including Space Mountain, which is still there, Dad!). He wasn't much younger than me when we all went to Disney (I believe he would have been around 40 or 42), and I can't believe what I put him and Mom through (she reminded me that she and Daniella refused to go on anything scary, so they had each other for company). So...thanks again, Mom and Dad. Yet another small reminder that I get the whole parenting thing in some small way.
We had dinner at the Crystal Palace, which Darryl and Daniella had smartly reserved for 7:30. It was buffet-style and the food was quite good (I got to to try spoon bread, which I am now determined to recreate), and Disney characters kept coming around to our table -- Winnie the Pooh, Eyeore, Piglet and Tigger -- and Rachel got their autographs for her autograph book (the only thing we would buy for her; she was actually very good about not nagging us for things) and I took pictures like mad.
(The other thing we bought her was a key chain for her teacher, Mrs. McAdam, that says, "#1 teacher," because, as Drew said, "We're buying this for you because you wanted to get something for someone ELSE, not yourself.")
We finished up just in time for fireworks, which Rachel watched after sitting on Drew's shoulders, and then I offered to carry her back. And then, she fell asleep in my arms. Just totally conked out. Which means I carried her for what felt like 5 miles (was really probably 3, between the walk, and then holding her on the ferryboat back, and then the walk/wait for the tram, and then the walk back to the car); she is about 50 pounds and getting heavier by the day, but I refused to let Drew or Darryl help me. (Call it the legendary Lisa Lednicer stubbornness).
On the way back I whispered into her ear, knowing she couldn't hear me, "I hope you remember this, Rachel. When you're 13 and you hate me, remember I once carried you 5 miles -- 5 MILES! -- back from Disney World to our car."
I hope she'll remember this trip for the rest of her life.
Disney World!
So, the reason the blog has been quiet lately is that we've been to...Disney World! Rachel was so excited to see Valerie at the resort where Darryl and Daniella have a timeshare. Those two were completely adorable the entire week. Some highlights:
--They spent most of their time playing with we adults in the resort's two pools -- one of which featured a pirate ship; the other of which had a great water slide that Drew and I took liberal advantage of (we loved the rush of swishing down; it was addictive). We ate breakfast in the condo after buying basic groceries, and then lunch and dinner at the resort's grill. I tried several alcohol-infused beverages during the time we were there, and each one gave me a nice, comfortable buzz for the afternoon. The weather was perfect; it was raining when we got there, but then the weather cleared up fast and by Thursday (the day we were scheduled to leave), it was in the mid-80s. I lay out in the sun, went in the pool and played with Rachel and Valerie (I was a monster at one point and Valerie was delighted when I kept growling, "To the shippy!" as a way of dragging her and Rachel to the pirate ship), read from my vast collection of New Yorker magazines, went in the water again, went back out to read...you get the idea. For the first time in a long time, I really tried to just be present and in the moment. And for the most part, it worked.
--The resort had all sorts of activities, but they weren't cheesy or overbearing. They had a magic show the first night, and Rachel and Valerie spent most of the vacation practicing the tricks they'd learned. (And Darryl has mastered a perfect imitation of his daughter: "Can I tell you a joke? You wanna hear a joke?"). On two other nights, they had a campfire and s'mores, and Drew and Darryl got to help the girls roast marshmallows. There was a different guy who played acoustic guitar each night, and the combination of the guitar, the s'mores, the gorgeous sunset and the balmy air was incredibly relaxing and soothing. I didn't realize how much my spirit needed that.
--One night they had a "Downtown Abbey" event -- it was the last episode of the season, and the staff had baked some fancy little cakes and offered tea for guests to watch the show in the big communal TV room. It was lovely, and I got to bring several of the desserts back to our rooms, which Darryl, Drew and Daniella enjoyed.
--The last night we ate at a very good restaurant, the Bonefish Grill, and I was able to top off the meal with chocolate creme brûlée. Fabulous! We all ate well, but because Drew and I were so busy chasing the girls in the water during the day, neither of us seems to have gained any weight. Fingers crossed that we can keep up this trend...
--They spent most of their time playing with we adults in the resort's two pools -- one of which featured a pirate ship; the other of which had a great water slide that Drew and I took liberal advantage of (we loved the rush of swishing down; it was addictive). We ate breakfast in the condo after buying basic groceries, and then lunch and dinner at the resort's grill. I tried several alcohol-infused beverages during the time we were there, and each one gave me a nice, comfortable buzz for the afternoon. The weather was perfect; it was raining when we got there, but then the weather cleared up fast and by Thursday (the day we were scheduled to leave), it was in the mid-80s. I lay out in the sun, went in the pool and played with Rachel and Valerie (I was a monster at one point and Valerie was delighted when I kept growling, "To the shippy!" as a way of dragging her and Rachel to the pirate ship), read from my vast collection of New Yorker magazines, went in the water again, went back out to read...you get the idea. For the first time in a long time, I really tried to just be present and in the moment. And for the most part, it worked.
--The resort had all sorts of activities, but they weren't cheesy or overbearing. They had a magic show the first night, and Rachel and Valerie spent most of the vacation practicing the tricks they'd learned. (And Darryl has mastered a perfect imitation of his daughter: "Can I tell you a joke? You wanna hear a joke?"). On two other nights, they had a campfire and s'mores, and Drew and Darryl got to help the girls roast marshmallows. There was a different guy who played acoustic guitar each night, and the combination of the guitar, the s'mores, the gorgeous sunset and the balmy air was incredibly relaxing and soothing. I didn't realize how much my spirit needed that.
--One night they had a "Downtown Abbey" event -- it was the last episode of the season, and the staff had baked some fancy little cakes and offered tea for guests to watch the show in the big communal TV room. It was lovely, and I got to bring several of the desserts back to our rooms, which Darryl, Drew and Daniella enjoyed.
--The last night we ate at a very good restaurant, the Bonefish Grill, and I was able to top off the meal with chocolate creme brûlée. Fabulous! We all ate well, but because Drew and I were so busy chasing the girls in the water during the day, neither of us seems to have gained any weight. Fingers crossed that we can keep up this trend...
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