My Artists & Writers in Training

Chloe’s Latest Little Masterpiece

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Chloe’s teacher asked the class to write about “how you would feel if you fell out of a tree and what you would do if you fell.”

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It was a nice, breezy, cool autumn day when some cute little 5-year old came toddling up the sidewalk. I thought he was just going to walk right past, but no. He was trying to pick ME off the tree! But luckily, I was just out of reach. Then I started getting worried when he started jumping to pick me off. I was saying to myself that this was the end and I hadn’t even been able to say good-bye. But fortunately, the kid’s mother came along and took him away. I gave a sigh of relief.

Then I realized that NOBODY gets that lucky without something unlucky happening. So I waited and waited and waited. I was just starting to think that I was wrong. Then it happened. A big gust of wind blew ME off the tree! Man, I should’ve known something like this would happen. I can’t believe I was the first to come off the tree. It was so embarrassing. So I tried to look at the bright side. Then it hit me. I was the FIRST to fall off the tree!

What I mean by that is it was like winning 1st place in a race! Thinking about it from that point of view made me feel better. There was only one little problem. Leaves can’t MOVE on their own. So I was basically stuck on the sidewalk. Then I waited for a gust of wind or something that could move me. Eventually, a little girl who was 3 years old came waddling along. I thought she was just going to step on me so I braced myself for the pain. I was wondering if this is how I was going to be moved.

She was coming closer and closer and CLOSER. Then she stopped, bent down, picked me up and started waddling back toward her house. This was NOT what I was intending when I said MOVE. Luckily (for me) she tripped over a root, fell down, dropped me, and started to cry. I kind of felt bad but that was not MY problem. Once I was clear of the little demon, a gust of wind blew me across to the other side of the street.

Then something I had never thought of before came to me. It was this: now that I wasn’t on the tree anymore I would only have (at most) about 3 days to live. So once I got that processed into my mind I waited for it to happen. I was kind of glad that I died because it was really rather boring sitting on the sidewalk all day. Plus, I couldn’t wait to see the other leaves again.

Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

My Blog Book

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I have a fan! Chloe started to read Volume One of the Pink Me Not book yesterday. And she likes it, she really, really likes it!

Chloe laughed and laughed and laughed. Mostly at the stories about Sophie, which Sophie didn’t particularly appreciate. Sophie doesn’t understand what it is, so when she saw some of the funny two-year old photos of herself, she claimed I was making fun of her. She’ll understand and come to appreciate the books soon enough. In the meantime, I’m going to continue to capture as many silly moments as I can.
Chloe also claimed that I got my facts wrong a couple of times (as if she would actually remember something she said over two years ago) to which I responded – if it’s the blog, it happened. She’s still skeptical. She also pointed out a grammatical mistake. I told her that I don’t have an editor, but she’s welcome to the job.

Seeing my big girl engrossed in the book, smiling and guffawing gives me no end of pleasure. Honestly, I never thought I would have continued the writing for this long. I tend to get sick of things quickly – but I love this blog. And I am thrilled that we now have physical tomes that the girls can share with their own kids someday.
Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

The Papa

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It’s been a long while since I’ve posted a photo with Papa in it. So here you go. Papa does exist – not a figment of our imaginations. He’s a great Papa, too.

I realize he gets short shrift in this blog. But that’s honestly because what the girls’ antics are a lit more interesting than his antics. He and I are just supporting characters in our children’s world.
Here’s what Chloe has to say about her Papa: “He’s a baldie. His eyebrows are really bushy compared to his head.”
Here’s what Sophie has to say about her Papa: “He’s silly and he’s silly. I call him ‘la la goo goo’ and most of the time I like him. He’s pretty. Papa is my favorite dad.”
There you have it. Concise and to the point. Love you, pops!
Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

The Museum

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We took the girls to the Metropolitan Museum of Art today. Got there early enough to avoid the crowds (which were immense when we left after lunch) and hooked up with a family lecture that took us to a few different parts of the museum that I hadn’t seen before. The girls got to sketch and I played “I Spy” with Sophie.

The tour ended with a story in front of a statue by Battista Lorenzi of Alpheus and Arethusa. Arethusa was a nymph who was being pursued by the river god Alpheus – she wanted no part of his advances and asked Artemis (Diana, for those of you who prefer the Roman nomenclature) for help. Artemis transformed Arethusa into a river leading to the Underworld and she was able to avoid Alpheus, who turned into a river himself, from then on.
You know you’re in New York when 20 kids – ranging in age from 4 to 12 – are told a story in front of a statue of a naked man and woman (and there was no mistaking it – the man’s nether parts were as clear as day). You know you’re in jaded New York when not one kid openly reacts with a laugh, a smirk or pointing fingers when confronted with the nakedness. We definitely were not in Kansas. No morality police around here, that’s for sure.
When the storyteller asked the kids what they thought the man and woman in the statue were doing, one girl innocently said that it looked like they were dancing. The little girl obviously wasn’t jaded enough. Or maybe she wasn’t from New York. Clearly, the two figures were not dancing. Chloe then raised her hand. “It seems to me that the nymph is looking at him resentfully.” Eight years old and using SAT words already. My kind of girl. The storyteller, clearly impressed with Chloe’s verbal acuity, adopted her phrasing as he told the tale. Chloe was very proud of herself. As was I.
Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

Ringing in 2010

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As 2010 approaches (now only a couple of hours away), I think about where we were 10 years ago, and all that has changed since then.

The time has flown by. It’s been almost 10 years since my father died. I still find it hard to believe that that he’s gone. In 2000, I was in my second year of law school. Chloe was a little more than a year away from being born. The Twin Towers were still standing and most of us had not yet heard of Al Qaeda. We weren’t at war. Our main concern was whether or not our computers would still work on January 1, 2000.
Since then, law school diploma, a few short years as a practicing lawyer, a new career in legal marketing, two home purchases, and most important, two beautiful children. It’s hard to imagine what life would be like without Chloe and Sophie. Aside from the random moments of “I wish I had a few minutes alone,” they bring me so much joy that I’m sometimes overwhelmed by the power of it. Earlier this evening, Sophie came up to me and looked at me with those big brown eyes of hers and planted an unsolicited kiss on my cheek, and I melted. My dear, sweet, happy Sophie. And when I watch Chloe buried in her books or playing word games, I’m transported back in time to my own childhood. I see so much of myself in her it’s uncanny.

Who knows what the next ten years will bring? What I do know is that when we celebrate the arrival of 2020, Chloe will be 18, Sophie will be 14, I’ll be 51 and my husband will be 50. Those numbers, in of themselves, are crazy enough. But I’ll stop projecting into the future. We still have 10 more years to go until then – what I hope will be 10 wonderful, fulfilling years.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

Wii Fit!

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Chloe was a sight to behold this morning. This is a child who has absolutely no interest in sports (a fact that leaves us in no doubt as to her parentage, by the way). And yet, miracle of miracles, she spent two hours experimenting with at least ten different Wii Fit activities. Jogging. Juggling. Yoga. Various balancing games. Skateboarding.

Most shocking revelation of all? Her favorite program was the running course. Let’s face it. She does not possess the grace of a gazelle. And she can’t run in place. But she was having fun. And it was fun to watch her have fun.
In the end, she burned off close to 200 calories. OK – so it wasn’t a “Biggest Loser”-style workout. It was, however, a million times more enjoyable.
Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

Reserved

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We’ve each had our set seating at the dining room table for a few years now. However, now that Sophie is 4 years old, she’s decided that it’s time for a change.

She doesn’t want my seat. She doesn’t want Papa’s seat. She wants her sister’s seat. Chloe, who is like a 20-year old when it comes to certain things – like vocabulary – is still an 8-year old kid when it comes to her sister doing things to annoy her.
When Sophie set the table yesterday, she played musical seats with everyone except my husband. Chloe was upset that she had to seat in what had been Sophie’s seat for 4+ years. It took her way too long to get over it.
It was Chloe’s turn to set the table tonight. Not one to take any chances on some last-minute Sophie shenanigans with the seating arrangements, Chloe made herself a ‘reserved’ sign at her usual spot. Fortunately for Chloe, Sophie was too tired to care. But I don’t think the story is over yet, not by a long shot. Because Sophie has a long memory, and will gleefully remember the consternation on Chloe’s face when she had to switch spots. This saga is going to continue for a long time to come, I just know it.

Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

Oh, the Crowds!

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We went into the city today to see a show called “The Flaming Idiots” at the New Victory Theater. With a title like that, we knew it was going to be good, and we were not disappointed. A trio of irreverent, clever jugglers had the four of us in stitches from start to finish.

Before the paid entertainment got underway, however, we decided that we’d go in a little early and enjoy the festive holiday scenery. It took us an hour to get into town (it usually takes about 25 minutes) – not a good sign. The streets were full of throngs of people. To the point where I kept wondering what the hell would happen if there were any kind of emergency. The area around Times Square was so frenetic and so crowded – I haven’t seen it like that in a long, long time. Then again, that’s because I try to avoid New York City during Christmas week. Duh.
Anyway, we first went into Toys ‘r Us in Times Square. Nightmare! Fire hazard! Jammed with masses of tourists. We did, however, become the proud owners of a zhu zhu hamster. That Sophie creatively named Zhu Zhu. We survived the toy store, barely. And made our way, because we’re masochists, to Rockefeller Center. Never again.
After the show, we tried to go to dinner. First at Junior’s. A real epitome of gourmet dining. With a 40-minute wait. John’s Pizzeria was just around the corner. With a line of at least 50 people out the door and yet another line once inside. I told the bouncer-looking dude that while the pizza there was good, it wasn’t that good. So we walked back to the car and ate on the other side of the Hudson. New Jersey does serve a purpose, you see.

A Mom's Ramblings About the Marvels & Mishaps of Parenting, the Joys of Family Travel & the Writing Life