An Attempt at a Family Photo

The first of the leaves to fall.  Five minutes later were the first snowflakes to fall.  Autumn where did you go?

First Dance Class

I don't know how many dance classes Vivian has observed in her three years.  Last spring we spent hours watching her sister prepare for her recital.  Viv always sat patiently, watching her sister behind the double-sided mirror.  Today it was finally her turn.  She burst into the class with pent up rhythm.  She free-styled while waiting her turn in line.  She spun and pranced, twirled scarves and smiled for the entire forty-five minutes.  We were so proud.

Ella Explores Cartoon Art

Because nothing screams children's Halloween party like bloody shards of glass in your cupcakes!

Cousins have moved to Oak Park

Judging by the amount of hotdogs we had left over (not many), I'd say we had close to 40 people over to our house last Friday night.  We had prepared for 50.  It is fair to say that Jerry and I are certifiably crazy.  We scraped together some costumes for the kiddos, lit a fire, made a pot of mulled wine, popped some popcorn and hosted an outdoor screening of "The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown".  Afterwards the kids ran around in the dark, tulle and capes flying.  Tinkerbell and Merida almost had their wigs catch fire and a princess had to have her dress cut free from tricycle spokes, but other than that it was a great evening.      

Passing time this weekend as Tito Jon and Tita Jo get their new house ready to move in.

Hanging Out at the Oak Park Historical Society

Sonny Acres Pumpkin Farm
 I think that mask on the bottom, third from the right resembles what Viv
looked like the night before.  Seriously.

Viv and her Fat Lip

It was a weekend of ups and downs.  A birthday party, a trip to the Oak Park Historical Society to learn about the history of our home.  A trip to Sonny Acres for a little distraction.  A lice scare and facial/dental trauma.  I realize that in the grand scheme of things, this weekend's lows register about a .1 on the Richter scale of family drama...but it was enough to make me realize how vulnerable I am when it comes to the health and well-being of my children.  On Saturday I got a text from our neighbor announcing that she would be on her back porch at 8 p.m. with a bottle of wine.  From what I could gather, she had been running a bunch of numbers for a grant at her clinic that day and needed to unwind.  Jerry and I had been at a five-year-old's birthday party earlier that day and figured that we too needed to unwind.  We got the girls bathed and in their pajamas and we settled in on Fran's porch.  We didn't stay late.  Just long enough to share a glass and trade a few stories.  We returned home and as I was putting dishes away and Jerry brushed Ella's teeth we heard a loud thud, which turned out to be Viv tripping and falling head first into the foot of our bed.   Now I know that every parent has one of these stories, but when it's your kid the world comes to a screeching halt.  She was screaming and choking on a mouth full of blood.  Ella simultaneously started screaming/crying, "I love her, I love her, I love her" over and over again as if this would take it all away.  Thankfully the two households next door both have doctors and both are moms.  They immediately came to assess the situation and determined that an ER visit was not necessary.  Viv's teeth were pushed in and back.  I'm not sure I will ever forget the image of my white tank-top stained with her blood.  Or the droplets puddling on the kitchen floor.  I held her, but could not bring myself to look at her mouth.  Jerry demonstrated strength I could not find in myself.  He was the one to run and get Dr. Fran and Dr. Amy.  He reached into her mouth the next day to insure that her teeth were no longer loose.  We made scrambled eggs, applesauce, oatmeal and offered her ice cream and popsicles but she did not take food for almost twenty-four hours.  We finally got her to sip chicken broth through a straw.  I was not the calm in the storm like I'd hoped I could be.  We found Ella sleeping under her bed that night; no doubt trying to hide from everything she felt and saw.  I felt like joining her.  Jerry's bravery continued late Sunday evening.  An email from the teacher confirmed that the first case of lice had made it's way into the Kindergarten classroom.   The subject heading was simply "LICE" in all caps and the content was something out of a CDC briefing.  Jerry got out his loop and calmly checked the girls scalps and afterwards made a solution of tea tree and lavender oils to spray the girl's hair with as a preventative matter.  Jerry, you held it together this weekend.  You were focused, purposeful and calm.  I so admire that about you.  As far as Viv is concerned, she is now eating most foods.  Her poor mouth is just begging to get rid of these baby teeth.  Between a three year history of thumb sucking and this recent incident it will be a miracle if we don't have braces in our future.  We went to the dentist on Tuesday and she literally refused to open her mouth and openly denied the incident when Dr. McKenna asked her where it hurts.  We have a visit scheduled for next Tuesday in hopes that we'll achieve more cooperation from the patient.  For the record, I'm betting against Dr. McKenna.  Viv, I'm so glad you get your guts and spunk from your Dad.  I'll try better next time...wait, there better not be a next time.  Ever...ok?

The "Academy" Uniform (minus the DC shoes)

We can't count on many more evenings like tonight.  Sunny skies, seventy degree temps and an early Kindergarten dismissal lead to an impromptu picnic at the Arboretum.  We grabbed some watermelon, carrots, fried chicken and lemon pound cake and spread out on the grass.  No picnic blanket, no cutlery, not even napkins.  Just greasy fingers and a beautiful sunset.  The girls were thrilled with the prospect of staying up this "late".  Thank goodness Ella hasn't yet learned about the Earth's rotation and it's affect on daylight...because I was officially crowned "the best Mommy ever" tonight.  In their eyes, staying up to see the moon is like getting away with murder.  We watched a grasshopper and lay in the grass.  We talked about how the sun changes the color of the world around us.  From orange, to pink, to purple.  They sat contently in their car seats on the way home, trying to search for stars through our sunroof as I watched the sun fade completely from the horizon in my rear view mirror.  I'm hoping this is a night we'll remember for a while. 

Garfield Park Conservatory