Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Halloween, Wonder Years Update, Play Dates & We Crossed the Pond

Halloween
Halloween was fantastic fun this year....primarily because Lucy was old enough to have an idea of what was going on.....and because we were not moving, she did not have a double ear infection or croup

We carved pumpkins Saturday night - Lucy helped by plunging her hands into the bowl of pumpkin guts, laughing at how squishy and gross it felt and then yanking her hands out as fast as possible which resulted in pumpkins seeds and ooey gooey pumpkin guts being strewn about the room....but who cares.....we have sponges and a mop, it can always be cleaned up. We might have had more fun throwing pumpkin guts around than carving....at least Lucy and I did. Sean, as always, carved three totally kick ass pumpkins...the best one being the haunted house. I'm sure I can get him to post some pictures

As we were carving pumpkins, she would make her obligatory ghost noise and witch laugh randomly and collapse in giggles each time.

At some point, I thought I could be one of those mothers who makes a brilliant costume out of masking tape, markers, an old shirt and some pipe cleaner.....then I remembered I don't have much of an imagination, zero artistic ability and even less patience, so I bought her costume

Best thing about her costume? It was $3.75...yep, found it on clearance. Marked all the way down from $30.00 and no, it was not one of those cheap plastic ones we wore as kids...you know the ones that ripped as soon as you tried to run after your brother who just reached into your bag and snatched your favorite candy bar....the ones that had those plastic masks that as soon as you started breathing got all wet and gross on the inside....and had that weird hole for the mouth that you kept trying to stick your tongue through......no, Lucy's costume was a fantastic fluffy warm puppy dog costume that she stepped into like a par of overalls. The hood was the puppy dog head and the belly had extra padding......kept her so warm she did not have to wear a coat over her costume...which as we all know having to wear a coat OVER your costume can totally ruin Halloween

So we started the day by attending the Annual Woburn Lion's Club Halloween Parade........hands down one of the best parades I have ever been to! It lasted 2.5 hours and had old cars, fire engines, Clydesdale Horses, Harley Davidsons, show ponies, marching bands, cheerleaders, muscle cars, Elmos, Harry Potter Floats, Santa Clause, Mrs Clause, more Elmos, an entire Sesame Street Float, a gingerbread house, Dora, Boots, ......Lucy was on sensory overload and like a champ, lasted the entire duration of the parade (sustained of course by some of the candy they were throwing from the floats!)

After a nap at home, we joined our neighbors in the circle for a pizza party and a pinata (I have no idea why there was a pinata.....my only explanation is the woman who organized it is Indian...dot not feather....but again, who cares, the kids loved it and had a blast) We then went to a few houses begging for candy (mostly just socializing and letting the neighbors see Lucy dressed up) and called it a night.....after I feed Lucy a dozen Willy Wonka Bottle Caps and a couple Tootsie Pops....seriously, Mother of the Year Award is so close I can taste it.............

Wonder Years Update
We definitely made the right decision moving Lucy to a new day care. As hard as the decision was and as emotional I as I got, we did the right thing. Lucy is eating better, sleeping better, does not fight me when I try to put her in the car and in general, just seems to be in a better place.

We know she likes it because when her Dad drops her off, she yells YEAH!!! as they pull into the parking lot, cannot get out of the car and to her classroom quickly enough and says Buh Bye to him before she even has her coat off! She sits each morning at the little table in the classroom and has a second breakfast with the other kids and they jabber back in forth in a language only they understand.....

Sean typically does drop off but I've done it a couple times...and both times, I walk in with her and the kids  yell Lucy Goosey!!!!! And crowd around her as i try to pull her coat off.....and before I know it, she is running around with Jack looking at all the Elmos or pushing the trucks and buses across the floor with her BFF Ryan.

So glad we made the move.....

Play Dates
Having said that, we still miss the kids Lucy hung out with at Puddle Duck which prompted us to schedule a couple play dates.

A few Saturdays ago, Chase and Cora came over to play.
When they arrived, they sort of all circled one another trying to figure out who was who, how they knew one another and just what they should be doing....within minutes, the whooping, laughing and screeches of delight started as the toys were pulled out, books looked at, balls thrown around the room, stuffed animals tossed in the air, cabinets opened and pots and pans dragged out......it was loud but it was great fun.

Lucy had a blast and two and a half hours later, all three kids, and three sets of parents, were quite satisfied with the results and planning a second play date

The next day, we went over to see Catherine. Just as much fun though not as loud
Liz and her husband had just had their wooden floors redone so poor Lucy and Catherine were slip sliding all over the place! We actually had more fun watching then fall on their bums than playing

We Crossed the Pond
After 5 years, a marriage, a child and a house, we finally made it to England......Britannia, the United Kingdom, Great Britain, the island across the Pond, the Mother Land.......

It was my first time going there, the first time Sean's family was meeting Lucy and the longest period of time (3.5 years) Sean has gone without seeing his family.

We were gone for 10 days...flew out on a Wednesday, arrived there on a Thursday (which took me a couple days to figure out) and then flew back here on a Saturday (and got here on a Saturday which again, really screwed with my head)


No I did not drive AT ALL while we were there, yes I drank warm beer, and no, I do not now say things like lift, telly, loo, bloody or cheers....somehow, none of that sounds right coming out of my mouth.

Yes, we went to London, no I did not get to have tea with the Queen (she was out of town and never returned my calls).

Yes I saw the guards, no I did not try to make them laugh (I actually think that is disrespectful, they are after all just doing their job).

No, I did not take my picture in a red phone booth though I did walk into one with Lucy's stroller as I was staring off at Big Ben (yes, I know that Big Ben is actually the bell not the tower clock itself but it is now accepted and commonplace to refer to the tower as Big Ben)

And yes, I have loads to share about the trip...the good, the bad, the ugly and the jet lagged....all in due time....but let me just say this, the trip was everything I had hoped it would be and I hope that someday, when Lucy reads about it, she (and Elmo) forgives us........!!!

Maria, the Mum