With both kids barely back to health and the grounds still soggy from Saturday’s torrential downpour, we decided to skip the crowds this year and have our own little egg hunt at home … old school German style. Every Spring, the local art supply store orders the old-fashioned, German cardboard egg container that i grew up with as a child. Apparently, there is one single manufacturer left in all of Europe who makes them – using the very same technique, traditional artwork, and floral liners they did 40 years ago. In the evening, there was a second eggstravaganza, Italian style: our neighbor gave Mika and Tobin two over sized chocolate eggs, each about as big as it’s proud new owner’s head.
Although Tobin still enjoys making abstract scribble pictures, his drawing style has matured a bit over the past months. A few preschool staples have found their way into his repertoire (spaghetti rainbow, yellow sun, blue sky, etc.), but he is still very fond of cars and people. In the top picture, you can see two people in a car on a sunny day, who are about to hit an apple tree (the cherry tree is protected by a fence).
The picture below are Choo Choo Train children on a field trip, riding his beloved yellow school bus. Obviously, Tobin can’t spell the name of his school yet, but he wanted to write it on the picture and was able to copy the letters we spelled out for him.
We weren’t planning on swimming in the ocean anyway (…), but today’s wind chill at Coney Island came nowhere near the forecast of upper 50s temperatures. It felt more like in the mid 30s. Still, it was the last dry day before a weekend of rain and showers, and we got what we had come for: the biggest sand box in the city all to ourselves! The kids had fun running around, playing with Tobin’s diggers, and dipping their rubber boots into the superlow waves. Good thing we dressed in our winter coats though, so we could enjoy a snack at Luna Park before heading back home.
Mika pointed out that she has matching animals to the two best childhood friends i brought over from Germany. We decided to introduce them to each other:
Bunny (2006), meet Dickkopf (Big Head, ca. 1970) Horsie (2004), meet Max (ca. 1975)
I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship…
This Spring season is relentless … sick kids all around! In our family as well. Mika had been holding up very well all winter, and even dodged Tobin’s two-week bout of whatchamacallit. Now she finally came down with a fever to call her own, and moderate cold symptoms. Consolation for Mika: she got to snuggle with my old childhood pal “Max”, who i brought over from my recent trip to Germany. He’s freshly washed, brushed, and looks as cute again as he did when i was her age…
It’s the first time we got together with Team ArandaLee since last year’s Birthday Season. A beard has grown, hair has been cut, and little Halo has blossomed from helpless infant into an active and very observant member of her family. What hasn’t changed is the fact that our kids – now all five of them – always get along beautifully. Even if they’re busily playing around us, we’re always having a relaxed afternoon. Thanks for making the trek out to Brooklyn today!
After a fun play date and dinner, Mika still had her reading assignment on the to-do list before bedtime (3 books daily). The balmy temperatures inspired a public reading to her friend Mica and both their little brothers on the doorsteps. It’s so nice to have her read fluidly at a level that’s entertaining to other people than her immediate family…
20+ trucks up close. Free to touch, climb on, and honk the horn … on a sunny Spring day in Park Slope. What could possibly go wrong?
It seemed that about every little boy under six in a 5-mile radius brought their extended entourage to this hugely popular PS 295 fundraising event. It took us about 30 minutes in line just to enter the block. By that time, massive lines had formed to “drive” any vehicle of interest. Tobin had set his eyes on one of the popular fire trucks, and we patiently queued up for about 40 minutes. Above you can see how close we got … when the firemen suddenly got called to duty and had to leave the event. Crushed, Tobin and Mika just wandered past the non-lineup attractions: fire safety education, an open Corvette engine, and a few vintage cars. We spent another 40 minutes in line for food, and on our way out got lucky: 10 minutes wait to “drive” the garbage truck, right before they packed up and left as well. Note to self: next time, arrive early!
We wish you the very best for today and hope you will have an extra special birthday. Not having to go to work is probably a good start, and the weather outlook seems to be perfect as well. Unfortunately, our package won’t make it until Monday, but here’s at least a preview of the kids’ card. Mika drew a “cool car” after Tobin’s toy, because she felt self-conscious that her usual car drawings wouldn’t be up to a real enthusiast’s expectations…
Thanks to Sung, who took care of the kids last week, i was able to attend my grandmother’s 90th Birthday in person. Omi Hilde has been an important part of my life from day one, and we have grown very close through countless childhood summer vacations, grownup visits, and frequent phone calls. She is my confidante and inspiration*, and i know how lucky i am to have her around throughout my life to date. Happy Birthday, Omi Hilde!
* Check out the picture of her at age 16, taken the Summer she received her DLRG rescue swim certificate. The year after, she met my grandfather and the rest is history…
For their final performance, Mika’s after-school theater class performed The Towering Turnip. This story is an adaption of an old Russian folktale and Mika played the roles of one of the birds and the sun. (Sorry for the shaky cam, I had to deal with a still-sick Tobin)
Tobin has been fighting a mellow, but persistent stomach bug for the past 6 (!!) days. He’s only thrown up once (last Tuesday), and got sent home from school. Since then, his fever has been going up and down: never over 102°F, but no whole day under 99°F either. Lots of tummy aches, but BRAT and mild soups stay down. In the few hours he felt alright on Saturday, he enjoyed throwing pebbles into the water with Mika and Sung in DUMBO, but most of the week and weekend, he spent rather listless on the couch, or sleeping. Today was a steady 102°F, so he’ll be staying home yet again tomorrow.
