Trifecta!

You would’nt think being a toddler would involve a lot of parties but I’m here to tell you that it does. The past two weekends have seen three birthday parties, two for friends of Donovan and one for the Prince of Polish Hill himself.

The other two parties were at the Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library which, I must say, is a fantastic place, especially for a birthday party. All those big toys you don’t want to buy but you know your kid would love? All in the same huge room: big plastic rocking horses, huge plastic castles with slides, trampolines, balls of all sorts, playclothes—everything all in one place. I took Donny to his friend, Brendan’s party there and Mike did the honors yesterday for Leo’s party. I stayed home to get ready for our event.

I have to say that I was not too sure about how Donny’s party was going to go. I mean, I’ve thrown some good parties in my day but not for the younger set. Because I’m fond of feeling superior to folks I’ve never met, I’ve read lots of articles about how ridiculous some parents get with their kid’s parties (tho if anyone wants to rent a real live tiger cub for my birthday: May 24). I did’nt want to go that way but what to do? Its not like we have a usable yard or anything. I asked Mike’s mom if she would do bubbles for the kids as she has an arsenal of wands and a secret bubble formula. She was kind enough to agree but it rained all day. I ended up clearing the kitchen to be a playroom of sorts and making a fort out of the kitchen table and a bedsheet.

I need’nt have worried. Get a bunch of kids in a house with toys that are new to them and everything is copacetic. There were a couple times that Donny got a little overwhelmed—one time Mike had to take him to the dining room to read Uncle Andy’s Cats to him and another time he and Grandpop sat at the piano together for awhile. Still, he did really well. He played the piano with Brendan and Leo (LOUD, lord so loud!), ran back and forth from the kitchen to the living room with some of the kids and, this was too damn cute, sat down with all the kids in the kitchen for a Cake Picnic.

Here are some photos of his party—enjoy!

Phone Photos: Apres Waldorf

Thaw

Yesterday was the first day since—well, probably since last year—that I was able to take Donny to the Montessori playground to run around while we waited for Mike to get off of work. It was bright and sunny and there were a lot of kids there already, none of whom were wearing their coats. I could’nt convince my Waldorfized child to shed any layers but that did’nt seem to slow him down. He was all over the place—climbing up the faux rockwall, across the gangplank walk, down all the different slides so many times that I’m glad I did’nt try to keep count. It was so fun to run around with him and see how happy he could be climbing, running, jumping and sliding. I know its not actually spring but it was spring enough. Can’t wait for more!

Tea Party in the Non Pejorative Sense

Starbucks is problematic in a lot of ways but they do make very nice mugs. A few years ago I fell in love with a set and ran around to the various Oakland/Bloomfield Starbucks snapping them up when they hit the sale table. I ended up with a set of 6 and 3 little tiny ones that came filled with that hard candy no one eats

That should tell you I have a weakness for china and the like. Last year I found a fantastic Lustreware teapot in one of the strange thriftstores around West Penn. I think I got it for $3 or something insane like that.

Today was the day to get them out and have Hot Chocolate with the boy


He wasn't too sure at first--he had a bad hot chocolate experience when he was drinking from a bottle (Physics: not my area of expertise). He finally tried it, tho and then got really into me pouring more for him. I didn't capture it in these photos but the little tiny rim of his cup gave him a fantastic Salvador Dali Hot Chocolate Moustache.

A few cups into our party, he got up from the table, ran out of the room and came back wearing this:
Sometimes you get a little sign that you're raising your kid right.

Snowday #6: Valentine's Day Cookies for Grammy & Grandpop

Snowday #5 Continued: An Invitation to the Donner Party

Considering this was the 5th (6th? 7th?) day Donny and I have been trapped in the house together, its amazing I held out this long. A couple of weeks ago I took the boy to Super Cuts where he's gotten some good haircuts fairly cheap. I'm trying to get out of the habit of longwinded bitching so let me just say this last time I took him they were understaffed, had quoted me an appointment time that was an hour and a half off and, by the time I put him in the stylist's chair he was not having it. Plus, I don't need some 20 something chippy giving my kid a sucker and then yanking it out of his mouth saying, "Oh no. I don't play that--you only get the sucker if you're good."

I'll stop now.

ANYhow, I spent a little time during the kid's nap looking up advice online about how to cut his hair. I watched a couple of videos and it seemed like something I could do. And, really: how much worse could it look?

Here is Donovan with the prerequisite bribe: a sucker. The sucker is a good bribe for many things but haircuts? I had to rinse it off 3 different times because it got so much hair on it.

The boy was not happy. In fact, at the very end, I had to get him in a headlock so I could make sure that BOTH ears were cut out as opposed to just one. One is much more neatly done but at least he won't look quite as lopsided.
It's not done--there was no way I was going to get the front without him going grande mal tantrum on me--but I must say it looks a sight better than it did when we started.

I have half a mind to mail that Super Cuts stylist the hairy sucker.

I gave him the traditional apres trim shower to get off all the little tiny hairs and that seemed to retore his good mood

If this snow doesn't abate soon, he and I are going to end up giving each other manicures. Or I'll make him a pageant gown out of vintage table linens and teach him how to sing, "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart."

Snowday: 5 for 5!