Great Wolf Lodge

Stella and Marni (and mom and dad) have found their new favorite winter place to visit.

Last Friday we headed out to Great Wolf Lodge for a weekend of wet and wild fun. It only took me about a half hour to chip the car out of its icy casing. A nasty snow, sleet, hail and rain storm had passed through the day before and really did a number on the car. Only one door would open and the other four were frozen shut. Finally, I hacked away enough ice to open the other doors. I quickly shoved in our bags, and then our children, and we were off!

The trip was fast and we got to the lodge at around 1:00. But our room wasn't ready and we decided to do some shopping and lunching while we waited. I got a nice pair of Merril boots and the nearby outlet center. Then, off to Friendly's for lunch.

We finally checked in at 4:00.

The room was fantastic. Two separate bedrooms. A living room, kitchen, two bathrooms, and a gas fireplace. The kids were loving it. After we decided who was going where, we changed into our bathing suits and headed for our first water park adventure.

We were greeted at the entrance to the water park by a blast of hot and humid air. The building was gigantic and filled to the brim with every imaginable type of water gizmo. Water was squirting everywhere. The ladies and I did a recon mission to scope out what our options were. It was decided to go for the wave pool first (which eventually became known as "the beach").

Stella and Marni immediately started playing in the warm water and very realistic waves. Next stop was the kid pool where it never gets more than about 2 feet deep. Stella decided to try out some of the small water slides and did great. Marni tried once or twice, but eventually chickened out. We then took a leisurely float down Crooked Creek.

Dinner was some yummy pizza from the in-hotel Pizza Hut Express. We ate in front of the fireplace and then changed into PJs (the kids that is). First stop was a visit to see Santa Claus in the lobby. As expected, they wouldn't actually sit on his lap, but agreed to stand near enough to him for a photo op. Every night at 8:00 is story time in the lobby in front of an enourmous animatronic stage. The show lasted about 15 minutes and was surprisingly well done. Then, as an added attraction for the winter, the animated characters sang holiday songs as "snow" fell from the rafters. Well done.

Day two included a morning and afternoon trip to the water park separated with lunch, naps, and some fun in the snow. Lisa also managed to fit in a trip to the gym and the spa. My high point of the day was my first ride down a big, scary water slide. We escaped the lodge for dinner at Red Robin. Then... Hanukkah gifts.

Our final day included, of course, one more trip to the water park. And this trip included my first ride down the super-big water slides (on a raft). Lisa and I each took turns trying to outdo each other with the scarier rides.

A trip to the outlet mall rounded out the perfect weekend. The girls slept all the way home. We're already planning the trip back there next winter.

Class of 2021

Marni and Stella dance to Tom

The girls have long known about Tom Jones.

They know we played his song at our wedding ceremony. They know we danced to his song at the reception. I sing them two Tom Jones songs almost every night. But they hadn't really ever seen Tom perform before.

So the other night I threw on a DVD of Tom's 1970's tv show. While Stella danced on and off, Marni danced steadily through both "It's Not Unusual" and "What's New Pussycat".

Later they threw their panties and diapers at the tv set.

Thanksgiving 2008

This was our 5th Thanksgiving with Stella and our 3rd with Marni. And this year we celebrated in Natick.

Traffic up to Natick on Thursday morning was reasonable. Audrey, Harold, Karen, Glenn, the dogs, and Glenn's sister Kathy and family joined us later in the afternoon. At 5:30 we all headed to The Sherborn Inn for a delicious turkey day dinner. We even had our own room, so the girls could roam free without disturbing others.

Friday we headed to Audrey and Harold's hotel to make use of their pool. The girls had a blast and made quite an impression on the other guests as they walked through the lobby in their swimming attire. Later that day Audrey and Lisa went on a shopping spree at the Natick Collection.

On Saturday I broke out the Lincoln Logs from my youth. An instant hit with the kids. I also brought out the toy soldier stuff which was a bit dirty and a lot less interesting to the girls. A little later we went outside so Stella and Marni could run through the giant pile of leaves that Papa Art left for them in the backyard. Much fun. That night Lisa and I headed off to the Natick Collection and Metro 9 for "date night" and the girls enjoyed "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" with Nana and Papa.

We headed home Sunday morning. We tried to miss the traffic, but ended up sitting in it most of the way home. It also snowed, hailed, and rained most of the way.

All-in-all a very relaxing and fun visit (even though Marni tumbled down the stairs a couple of times).

Makeup Time

Overheard #13

Marni did something to Stella and apologized to her by saying sorry. Stella's response was "Sorry doesn't cut it".

Halloween 2008

Ooops. It seems that I forgot to mention Halloween 2008.

This year, Stella was dressed as Ariel (from The Little Mermaid) and Marni was Flounder (also from The Little mermaid).

My concern about these choices is the stereotyping of Stella as the princess in the family and Marni as the chubby fish. Now don't get me wrong, the girls each chose their own costumes. We didn't force them into anything. But maybe next year we can suggest that Marni dress as Marilyn Monroe and Stella dress as Buddy Hacket. Enough of that for now.

Mommy Lisa created each of the costumes with great skill. I am more of a "buy the damn thing" kinda guy, so she was on her own. And she did a great job. The Ariel costume even allowed Stella to buy and wear her first bra. Great!

This year Stella and Marni had special guests to accompany them on their trick-or-treating... Nana Beverly and Papa Art.

The six of us made our way up 5th Street toward the Halloween Parade on 7th Avenue. Stella and Marni did a great job going from house to house doing their trick-or-treat thing. Stella even told us that "it was hard work".

We all watched the parade go by and then worked our way home on 3rd Street (still trick-or-treating). The girls scored a lot of yummy stuff and mommy and daddy were more than happy to help them eat it.

Cousins

Tyler and Delia came to visit on Sunday.

Once all the toys in the house became boring, it was time to wreak havoc in the playground. Four kids and only two scooter/bikes equals a lot of crying. Marni, not so happy. Delia, not so happy. But once we got there, all was ok. Marni biked and scooted while the big kids played on the slides and swings. Delia was very happy climbing up the steps and sliding down the slides.

On the way home Marni got the scooter. A little more crying from the big kids who had to share the bike.

Once we got home, we put on the Disney Channel and cooked up two pizzas.

Overheard #12

Stella is now very fond of "What the heck!?" She uses it all the time for all sorts of reasons. It is accompanied by a goofy face.

At least she is using the "clean" version. One less battle to fight.

NYC Marathon 2008

This special artwork was commissioned from Stella Shepard to commemorate the Shepard's Marathon Brunch 2008.

Overheard #11: Marni channels Sinatra

It seems like Marni has started to channel Frank Sinatra and The Rat Pack of the 60s.

She's started calling me Daddy-O and she's now calling her sister Stella-Bella.

I'll let you know when she starts walking around in a tuxedo with a drink in her hand.

Overheard #10

Don't mess with Marni.

If you do something to piss her off she will respond with a very angry "You are not my best friend ANYMORE!".

She didn't make this one up on her own. She stole it from Stella who really doesn't use it anymore. Where Stella got it is anyone's guess.

It's kind of hard to catch this on tape because you never know when she is going to unleash it. But I'll try. Maybe I need to deliberately piss her off (with the camera rolling). Anything for the blog.

The Thawing of Stella

Stellie and I headed off for school this morning, a little late because she and Marni slept until 7:30. She was in a good mood because she had her ChapStick (chopstick to her) and she was good to go. You can see her slipping it into her pocket in the video.

Along the way she spied Uma and called for her to join us. We all walked together to school and were soon joined by Ava. All three girls walked side by side and were very excited about getting there together. Stella was having a blast.

Once we got into the classroom, I handed Stella the little picture book that we made over the weekend. She took it right over to Ms. Cassens and asked that she read it in circle time. This is a big deal because, first of all, she is very shy about talking to Ms. Cassens first thing in the morning. Secondly, she is shy about talking in circle time. So, for her to ask the teacher if she can talk in circle time is HUGE!

In less than two months we have noticed a definite change in Stella. She is very excited about the things she does in Pre-K. She mentions some of them to us at home. She is not always the center of activity there, but she is making friends and bonding with some of the other children. I realize this is not a big deal to most people. But Stella is a shy girl (although we don't use that word in front of her). To see her making noticeable progress like this is thrilling. You go girl!

Prolific

It all started with Popcorn Man (see the April 2008 posting), Stella's first foray into drawing people. Pretty rudimentary stuff.

Then she started drawing the "big head people". Heads so big that they filled every inch of the paper. Two eyes and a nose right between the eyes.

Recently, her people have begun to look like people. Heads. Bodies. Limbs. Faces. Hair. And each drawing signed by her. Drawings for Marni have Marni's name written on them.

The latest change has to do with volume.

Stella has become a drawing machine. Each day she draws almost a dozen new pictures of people. Some for Marni. Some for me. Some for Lisa. Picture after picture. These pictures are all over the place!

Her progress has been amazing. In a short period of time she has gone from Popcorn Man to full-feature people, with her name written on all.

Dancing Queens

Marni has officially joined Stella in her creative movement class at Sherri's Creative Arts Studio. As seen in this exclusive secret surveillance footage shot through the studio's front window, Marni is giving the big girls a run for their money. And a skip for their money. And a hop for their money.

Stella has been on-again off-again in her enthusiasm about dance class. Some days she did great and other days she cried, or only watched from the sidelines. With Marni in the class, they draw off of each others energy and fun is had by all.

Marni absolutely loves the class and is very attentive.

Overheard #9

Yesterday we went to the Great Pumpkin Blaze. So it was dark out as we got to the entrance of the event. I was trying to wrangle Stella and Marni to hold my hand as we entered. One of the event workers saw me with the girls and commented:

"Looks like Grandpa has his hands full."

Ouch!

"Daddy... Why Don't All My Wishes Come True?"

Stella picked up her head while I was putting her to bed last night and asked me this question. How do you answer a question like that?

She and Marni have been doing a lot of "Star light, star bright, first star that I see tonight..." stuff. Inevitably, they both wish for "downtown" or ice cream. "Downtown" is their word for the amusement park in Old Orchard.

So how do you answer a question like that?

I had no real answer. I suggested that maybe the Wish Fairy didn't hear her. I also suggested that it may not be a good idea to wish for "downtown" during the off season.

We'll see if those explanations will suffice.

The Fall Classic - 2008

It was back to Outhouse Farms yesterday for our 3rd Annual Pumpkin/Apple Fest. The usual cast of characters were there (the Asanovics and Stefanoff) plus, we had some fresh blood. Kathy joined us as did Ricky and Laurie with their nephew Alex.

Outhouse was more crowded than ever this year, but we still managed to play on the swings, see the goats, take a hay ride, eat lots of food, run around, ride a pony, and jump on a lot of pumpkins.

And, at the end of the day, we managed to get yet another photo of the group sitting in the back of one of our cars.

New tooth

One possible cause of Marni's recent fever may be her continued teething (she may be teething until she's 20).

Yesterday I discovered that her lower right canine had popped through and more seem to be on the way.

I've lost track of how many that makes for Marni. I think she's at 10 right now. I'll have to do an inventory the next time I can get to her mouth when it isn't crammed with food.

Illin

With the precision of a Swiss watch, the cold and flu season started at the Shepard house within days of the opening of school. A month later the sniffles, sneezing, and fever are still sticking around.

Each girl has taken a trip to the doctor. During Marni's recent trip, she got so upset at the doctor that she threw up all over herself, Lisa, and the examination room. She really has a dislike for doctors (unlike Stella who loves to go to the doctor).

And, for the first time ever, all four of us have been sick at the same time. This was the "perfect storm" that I was always afraid of. But neither Lisa or I were sick enough to keep us from handling the kids.

Handwriting Breakthrough

Last night Stella asked me to help her write Marni's name. I wrote "Marni" on a piece of paper, gave it to her, and forgot about it.

A little while later she called me over and showed me what she did. For the first time ever, she correctly wrote out Marni's name (or anyone's name for that matter). I wrote Stella's name on a piece of paper and a few minutes later she had correctly written it out herself.

Ok, so other boys and girls her age can easily do this. But, in our house, this was a milestone.

Marni's Pirate Dress

She loves it. When she isn't wearing it, she's carrying it around with her.

Question: Exactly how many times does the Pirate Dress appear in The Daddy Diary prior to this post?

Rosh Hashanah

The Shepards went on a two-city Jewish New Year Tour this past week.

On Saturday we were off to Albany with a brief stop in Saugerties to visit the Garlic Festival. Then, on Sunday, over to Troy to take part in Grandpa Sidney's unveiling. The trip to the cemetery got Stella very interested in death and Grandpa Sidney. So much so that she continued to talk about Sidney for days and eventually requested a photo of him so that she wouldn't miss him.

On Monday, Carol and Norman hosted Rosh Hashanah dinner for 29. The kids had a blast and really enjoyed seeing baby Hannah again.

Tuesday we were in Natick for services. The kids behaved themselves in the big service and in the kids' service.

Theo and Cindy joined us that night for dinner as they continued their visit to New England.

On Wednesday we went to services again and then headed back to Brooklyn.

Tickle-Teeth Update

I haven't updated the tooth-brushing status since last January. A lot has happened since then and most of it is due to Marni.

The combination of Marni growing some teeth, and wanting to do everything that Stella does had led to teamwork and healthy competition in the tickle-teeth department.

Now, whenever we announce that it is time to brush teeth, Marni screeches with joy and rockets down the hallway into the bathroom. Not wanting to be left behind, Stella chases after her and gets on her pink stool. And the dual teeth-brushing event is off to the races! I think Marni would gladly brush her teeth 15 times a day if we let her. And Stella is finally done with her tooth brushing battles.

Visiting Tyler and Delia

It was time for a road trip to New Jersey for an afternoon of fun in the sun with cousins Tyler and Delia. Nana Audrey and Papa Harold were babysitting along with Grandma-In-Law Carol.

It was boiling hot outside, so the kids stripped down and "painted" the deck with water. Next, time to play on Tyler's new mega swing set. The slide was broiling from the sun, so we cooled it down with water. This led to wet and muddy bottoms. This, in turn, led to a fun-filled play time in Brian and Jills mega-shower.

It didn't take long for both girls to pass out on the ride home.

Sisters

Overheard #8 (Stella)

Over the weekend we pulled into a gas station to fill up the car. Stella asked why. Lisa explained that the car needed food just like people so it would have energy to move. She went on to explain that instead of food like people eat, cars "ate" gas.

Stella then asked: "The kind of gas that comes out of our tushies?"

We wish that was the case because the Shepard family could then solve the energy crisis!

Stella Starts Public School

Today was a milestone for our big girl, Stella. This morning the four of us walked over to P.S. 39 to start Stella in Pre-K.

We met Ms. Cassens, Stella's teacher, and got a look at her new classroom. Stella was very excited and in good spirits. She told Ms. Cassens her name when asked and even told everyone what her sister's name was.

After the one hour orientation, Stella went over to have a little chat with Ms. Cassens and thank her for sending her the book Owl Babies.

Tomorrow Stella goes back to school on her own (for an hour). Hopefully no drama. It's hard to believe that we have a girl in public school. How did this happen!!!

Bye Bye Summer

And so the three New York Shepards sadly packed up the cottage; said goodbye to Beverly, Dana, and Steve; and motored back to Natick to join up with Stella.

Lisa and I kept looking at each other in disbelief as we prepared to head home. How did the summer go so fast? Even Marni seemed a little confused by it all. I have to say that the summer in Old Orchard is the highlight of my year. It's what I look forward to most in the year. And to have it slip away so fast is devastating.

Although the idea of staying at the beach for a whole month seems heavenly to some, it is really quite an undertaking for Lisa. She has the kids 24/7, and is running a virtual bed and breakfast most of the month. She did a fantastic job as the head of the household, but next year we may have to make some changes in order to reduce her stress.

Just before we headed home from Maine, we added a set of super-cool bike roof racks to the mini van. This will make it a lot easier and a lot less stressful to carry our bikes all over the place.

After a 24 hour visit with Nana and Papa Shepard, we found a few square feet of extra space in the Odyssey to shove in Stella, and headed back to Brooklyn. Stella slept part of the way. Marni didn't sleep at all and never shut up for one second!

Brooklyn was just as we left it. The girls were happy to be home and were thrilled to be reunited with the toys they left behind. Soon the apartment was in shambles.

That night Marni work up crying at about 12:30. That's a bit unusual, but I guess she wasn't quite use to her bedroom yet. After I got Marni back to sleep, Stella came up to sleep with us. This marks the one year anniversary of the beddy-buddy truce (when I decided not to fight with Stella if she wants to come up and sleep with us).

Today we took a walk with Stella (and Marni) to see her new school. Then we biked to Prospect Park and had a picnic. The girls are now asleep and tomorrow is Stella's first day of public school! Marni starts back at Raindrops on Wednesday.

I've been asked by a lot of people if the constant commuting between New York City and Maine in August is disorienting. Not really. The most disorienting event is the end of the summer when we all come back from Maine into the city. I feel completely lost. It will probably take a week or two to get back into the regular flow of life. But for right now... things are just strange.

Fun with Nana and Papa

Nana and Papa Shepard came up to OOB last Wednesday and brought Stella back with them to Natick for a few days of fun.

The main event was a trip to Boston with a very ducky theme. The threesome took the T into town and headed for the Boston Public Garden to ride a swan boat and see the statue of the ducks from the "Make Way for Ducklings" book that Stella loves so much.

Next stop was a ride on the Boston Duck Tour, where they all took a sightseeing adventure on land and sea.

The next day Stella got a haircut and played a lot around the house in Natick.

On Saturday we were greeted by a crazy-happy Stella who met us at the top of Nana and Papa's driveway as we arrived from OOB.

I Can't Take It!

Last Labor Day weekend I got really bummed out about the end of the season at OOB. The girls really had a great time at The Cottage and I just couldn't bear to take them back to Brooklyn. My sadness was quite overwhelming.

I was kinda hoping that this year would be different.

Well, all indications are that I will be just as bummed out this year as I was last year.

Just like last year, my parents came up during the last week to bring Stella back to Natick for fun and frolic. Marni was evidently not very happy about this and everyone realizes that next year Marni will be too big to leave behind!

Just like last year I flew in and was greeted by just my youngest girl. Unlike last year, the weather today is not cool and gloomy. And after her nap this afternoon we will be able to get into our bathing suits and have one last adventure on the beach.

But I really have to stop getting bummed out about the end of summer!

Overheard #7 (Stella)

Not sure where it came from, but this past weekend Stella started with the nonstop use of the phrase "Oh my God!". Whenever anything was the least bit exciting... OMG!

Her delivery is very reminiscent of the character Janice in Friends. Remember? Chandler Bing's on-again off-again girlfriend.

Now even though her use of OMG is kinda cute right now, if she begins to sound too much like Janice, then we are going to have to have an intervention.

Animal Time

Sunday started out a bit cloudy so the Shepards and Hoffmans jumped into the minivans and headed down to York's Wild Kingdom.

The kids saw monkeys, goats, an elephant, bears, tigers, deer, all types of birds, and even butterflies. Stella and Tyler rode a pony and we also helped to feed the elephant. The best part (IMHO) was the petting zoo where the kids got to hang out with and feed little goats. When we were last there two years ago, Stella was too scared to feed the goats. This year she had no fear and was demanding that I buy more food so she could keep feeding her new friends. Marni (who was 4 months old the last time she was there) was also quite a brave girl.

Fun With The Hoffmans

Cousins Tyler and Delia came to visit this past week. Shortly after their arrival on Thursday, the four cousins headed off to the beach for some splashing, digging, and running. The next day I flew in and it was back to the beach for more of the same.

Over the weekend the were bike rides, a trip to "downtown", and lots of ice cream eating. The kids played together without bloodshed and the newest member of the walking club, Delia, kept up with her three older playmates (while wearing her favorite hat 24/7).

On the last night of their visit, Brian and Jill joined us for a lobster-fest. We were joined by Stella who has found a taste for lobster to go along with her taste for gruyere cheese and Perrier. We are so screwed!

Tale of the Tape - OOB Edition

For the past two years we have kept track of the girls' growth by marking their height on a wall in the kitchen at The Cottage. Rachel and Noah have their progress recorded there too.

The tale of the tape shows that Stella has grown about 2 inches since the same time last year. Marni has grown over 4 inches since then! Interestingly, Marni is an inch taller right now than Stella was at the same age. Watch out Stella! She's coming for ya.

Happy Birthday Blog!

We're just a couple of days short of this blog's first birthday! It's been a great year and I've had a lot of fun blogging all of the family's adventures.

So far, 61 posts. Hopefully many, many more to come.

The Duck

While in Portland on Thursday, the family embarked on a new adventure... the Downeast Duck Adventures!

The tour started at Long Wharf. Stella was super excited. Marni, not so much. After a few minutes Marni got into the swing of things and was screeching with delight. Eventually we made it to the water's edge and, just as promised, the bus became a boat! Big smiles from Stella. After tooling around Casco Bay for a while, we drove back up onto dry land for the remained of the tour. A definite "two thumbs up" from Stella and Marni.

My Vacation Week

Sunday the 10th marked the beginning of my vacation week at OOB. The previous week was a mostly rainy week. But the Rapp family from Texas and Nana and Papa Hoffman helped make the week a whole lot of fun for the girls. The Rapps actually took Stella to see her first movie in a movie theater (Wall-e).

The beginning of this week was still rainy. So there were trips to the Mall and to the brand new Cabella's. By mid-week the skys were clearing and we were able to get to the beach for some of the day and also take some bike rides. Lisa and I discovered the Eastern Trail in Scarborough. On Friday we brought the bikes out again and headed to Huot's in Camp Ellis. We all enjoyed a delicious lunch in the sunshine at the town dock. We also bumped into OOB neighbors Dana, Isabella, and David as they were fishing and crabbing. The girls jumped right into the action. On Saturday, Lisa's childhood friend Amy and her family dropped by for the day and took advantage of the sunny beach, delicious lobster rolls and a trip to "downtown".

Later that evening (after everyone had left), we all walked down to the beach to watch the full moon rise over the ocean.

Old Orchard Beach 2008

A little over two weeks ago the Shepard family packed up the minivan and headed up to our annual month-long vacation destination, OOB.

A lot of traffic and a healthy amount of stops contributed to a 10-hour trip. Many of the stops involved me pulling over to make sure that our bikes were still attached to the back of the car. The girls did great throughout the whole trip. Since Nana and Papa Shepard were still winging their way back from Russia, the visit in Natick was a short one. Just long enough to grab some lunch, change a diaper, and stretch our legs. At 8 pm we pulled up to the cottage and began the unloading process.

The first thing we did was eat the pizza and pasta that we picked up from the nearby strip mall while picking up some essential groceries. After dinner the beds were made and Stella got a first look at her beautiful princess bed linens that mom bought for her. She loved them. The girls finally got to sleep somewhere between 10 and 11.

Unfortunately, August 2008 has got to be one of the wettest Augusts in the history of Maine. There was no beach day the first weekend (there would be very few beach days for the next two weeks). Nana and Papa Shepard showed up Saturday and stayed until Sunday. Nana and Papa Hoffman arrived Sunday to stay the week. Cousin Marcy and baby Hannah also arrived Sunday for a few days. Sadly, I had to fly back to NYC on Monday morning. Although I missed the rain. I also missed the girls.

Overheard #6 (Marni)

Last night I had to pry Marni away from her drawing in order to put her to bed. Of course, crying ensued.

Once she quieted down in the rocking chair, I started to read her a Clifford book. After I couple of pages I heard her mumble something. Then she repeated it... "It's not fair". Not believing what I was hearing, I asked her to repeat herself. "It's not fair" she said.

"What's not fair?" I asked.

"I want to draw" she replied.

We've never heard the "it's not fair" concept before. Not even from Stella. Not even from Lisa! So this was a bit mind-blowing.

Marni repeated the "it's not fair" line a few more times that night and again this morning when Lisa asked her about it. It just goes to show you how these kids are sponges and they pick up things not only from in the home, but from school too.

Wild Weekend

This past weekend was action packed...

Saturday we headed up to Hartsdale to Joel and Adrienne Belmont's 2nd Annual (as far as we know) Pool Party. The pool was warm and the dogs were a-jumpin'! Stella took to the water like a fish. Marni, not so much. Nana and Papa Hoffman; Carol and Norman; Jill, Brian, Tyler and Delia; Carol Solomon; and Jill and Bea Schaffer were all in attendance.

The highlight of the day for me and Stella was when the youngest dog, Cody, jumped into the pool, swam over to Stella, and pushed her under the water. I rushed over and pulled her back up to the surface. She was sputtering and soaked, but luckily not traumatized (although I was a little traumatized). Later, Stella recounted the incident and said that I resuced her and pulled her to shore, just like Ariel and Prince Eric (cute).

The food was plentiful, delicious and never-ending. The evening came to a close with a chocolate fountain which did quite a job on the kids' faces. Then... into pajamas and into the car. We transferred the sleeping girls into their beds at 10.

Thanks Joel and Adrienne for another wonderful visit.

Then... Sunday we went to the Asanovics along with Baby Stefanoff and Cherches. First stop, a carnival in Westport. Stella was all over the carousel and ferris wheel. Marni, not so much. The Asanovic boys were all over the scary rides. Then, a delicious lunch of pizza, hot dogs, french fries, sno cones and funnel cakes.

Back at the Asanovics the kids played in the pool and in the backyard. The adults drank and talked. Dinner was chicken on the grill prepared by Chef Tomo. After some ice cream desert the girls were back in the car and then transferred, alseep, into their bed (and still in their clothes). Another fun summer day. Thanks Lisa and Tomo.

I Want To!

Marni's favorite phrase right now seems to be "But I want to".

This usually occurs when she wants to do something that we don't want her to do. For example, if she wants to go upstairs and we say no, the next thing you will hear from her (over and over) is "I want to".

I want to!
I want to!
I want to!
I want to!

Over and over again until she bursts into tears.

Together At Last

On July 8th, Marni joined Stella for summer camp at Raindrops. Look out everyone, the Shepard sisters are together at last!

Stella was very excited to have her sister with her. Marni was just kinda going with the flow.

Day 1 went smoothly. Stella went out with the big kids and Marni stay with the younger bunch. Marni took her nap on the floor with everyone else. Stella, as part of the big-kid group, had no nap at all.

According to Yvette, "Marni is no Stella". She has a mind of her own and is not afraid to tell you what she wants to do. Ms. Marni told Yvette exactly where she wanted to go when it was playground time and what she wanted to do. According at Yvette, "Now when I come to work, I really need to work... thanks to Marni".

When Stella got home, she was exhausted. No nap for the big kids. Part way through dinner, she excused herself, went to her bedroom and put herself to sleep.

And so ended day 1 of the Shepard sisters at summer camp.

Marni Graduates

Marni's last day at Kiddi City was June 27th. It's finally time for her to join big sister Stella at Raindrops. The decision to move Marni was one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make. She loved going there every day. She loved Magdalena and Aksana and all of the other kids (especially Milo and Gilbert). When I dropped her off for the last time, I was so upset I couldn't even tell Magdalena and Aksana how appreciative I was for all of their love and guidance. What a wuss!

Marni started at Kiddi City at 4 months old. We would drop her off in her car seat and hope she didn't get trampled by the other kids. Now, it's Marni doing the trampling! She was one of the senior students. The mayor of Kiddi City!

But most children at Kiddi City are young. Marni has probably reached the end of the road there. Raindrops is geared more towards older children. She will have plenty of room to grow. And, at least for the month of July, she will have her big sister to show her the ropes (although she is already very familiar with Raindrops).

How time flies!

Stella Graduates

On June 20th Stella officially "graduated" from Raindrops Daycare (Her actual last day of school was the 26th).

The ceremony was very sweet. Dancing and singing and speeches, and handing out of "diplomas". Stella, as usual, preferred to sit out most of the activities on Lisa's lap.

Our big girl has come a long way in the past two years. Still occasionally shy, but no longer mute. Carlos, Yvette, Jacy, Maria, Javier, Devine, and Stephanie have done a great job of taking care of Stellie.

Family Affair

Stella and Marni got to meet a whole new bunch of Shepards this past week as Cousin Noah celebrated his Bar Mitzvah. The girls attended the services on Saturday and watched on as Noah did a fantastic job reciting from the Torah and making us laugh. Later that day the girls went to Muscoot Farm and visited with goats and sheep and cows.

The next day we were back up in Westchester at a brunch at Andy and Linda's house. There they got a great chance to meet Stanley and Reba and Neal, Kate and Anna.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day weekend is the traditional weekend for opening the cottage in Maine.

This year we drove up to Natick on Saturday morning. We met Nana and Papa at Snip-Its where Stella got a haircut and Marni got her FIRST haircut! Stella was a trooper. Marni was a little nervous at first, but was fine by the end. Neither Marni nor Daddy cried at this first haircut. Next was lunch at Joan and Eds followed by hours of playing and then a delicious cookout courtesy of Chef Papa.

The next morning we piled into Nana and Papa's two cars (because our minivan was a bit sick) and headed to OOB. It was a gorgeous, warm day. The cottage was made ready for the new season and the girls headed to the beach for a messy dig in the sand. Then, off to Kens with the Brenner family. Stella was so pooped from the activities of the day that she actually put herself to bed in her pink bedroom. We headed home later that afternoon and ended up at The Olive Garden for dinner.

Monday was another beautiful day. The girls played at a playground in Natick and then we headed home after a pizza lunch.

Birthday Girl

Yesterday was Stella's actual birthday and, after at least a year of whining about it, I was hell-bent on getting a scooter for her!

I had ordered a purple and pink Disney Princess scooter online from ToysRUs, but when I opened the box (the night before her party) the box inside was a mess. The fine folks at ToysRUs had shipped us a previously opened, damaged scooter.

Time for Plan B...

Yesterday after work I headed for the giant ToysRUs in Times Square. I braved the crowds, found the same scooter, and rushed home.

Stella was overjoyed and insisted I put it together right then and there. So I did. She put on her helmet and took it for a spin in the hallway. She's a little slow right now but I'm sure she'll be zipping along and scaring us to death soon enough.

I just liked seeing the smile on her face when she saw the scooter.

Stella's Birthday Bash

Stella had quite a birthday bash last Sunday. The party had an Ariel/Under The Sea/Little Mermaid theme and was pulled off perfectly by Lisa (all I did was buy some ice and bagels).

By the time guests arrived at 11, the apartment had been turned into an undersea wonderland. The kids' activities included creating mermaids out of toilet paper tubes, coloring-in pictures of Flounder, and creating fish out of paper plates. Then there was a fishing game where each kid "caught" a fish with a magnetic fishing pole and got a prize. The final activity was a Pearl Parade out in the parking lot. There was plenty to eat for kids and adults alike.

The main meal for the kids was octopus hot dogs and/or fish sticks. Finally... Lisa's delicious birthday cake was brought out and everyone sang happy birthday to Stella. This was followed by a crazy frenzy to open presents (If you gave a present, thanks. We just don't know who gave what.)

Special thanks to our helpers Nana and Papa Shepard and Nana and Papa Hoffman, and Bubbles and Laurie-Doo.

This was quite a party!

Bounty of Teeth

Well Marni's teeth finally have started to show up. Just as she hit two, she popped out two lower molars, a tooth next to her lone bottom front tooth (aka The Hardest Working Tooth in America), and two upper canine teeth. Watch out corn-on-the-cob... she's comin' for ya!

Birthday Girl

Marni finally attended her own birthday party (a mini-party due to Passover)! Last year's first birthday party was a bust due to Marni's nearly month-long fever.

This year she was in good health and great spirits. She even blew out her own candle.

Passover 2008

The Brooklyn Shepards and the Natick Shepards and the Salem Kennedy/Shepards all trekked to Farmington to attend the Kaplan Family Seder. The last time we attended was 2005. Pre-Marni.

The day was spent at the hotel swimming pool. Stella in water-wings and Marni in a tube. Later, Marni and mommy took a nap and Stella, Nana and I all went shopping and found a Dairy Queen.

At the Seder, Stella was super good and sat all night in a chair next to Nana Bev. Marni was good, but a handful. The chicken was good too.

Popcorn Man

This is "Popcorn Man".

An original Stella production. The materials are dry-erase marker on white board. She named it herself.

Beddy Buddy

It'll be a little more than a year since Stella graduated to her "big girl bed". Since then it has been pretty common for her to get up in the middle of the night and "request" that she come upstairs to sleep with us. This occurs usually between 1 and 3 a.m. I will hear the door open and will go down to retrieve her.

This became a regular routine during August of 2007 when she could just walk out of her room at the cottage and into our room. I would then get scared to death when I opened my eyes to find her staring at me.

When we returned to Brooklyn after Labor Day, the routine continued and I decided not to fight it. I realized that eventually she would stop doing this and I would miss having my beddy buddy.

Well... over the past few weeks Stella has begun to sleep all night in her big girl bed. It's getting more and more unusual for her to wake up and come upstairs. I miss her, but now I can cuddle with Lisa all night without a little one between us. And besides, Stella is a major snorer!

Biker Chicks

Lisa and I have each bought a new set of wheels. Bicycle wheels. These new mean-machines are tricked out with the hottest Park Slope bike accessory... kid seats!

Lisa picked up her bike yesterday and inaugurated it by riding home with Stella. Later, she gave Marni a spin around the block. Both girls loves it although Stella's first comment was that she was a little scared. Marni's first comment was one word... "faster!".

A typical night

Most of my posts deal with a special event or happening or thought. Well, what about just a regular ordinary day? What's that like?

Most week nights I get home between 6 and 6:30. The girls are usually done eating by then and are playing. When I come in they both shriek "Daddy!", run over to me, and give me a hug. Then, back to playing.

Eventually, I am down on the floor with them, roughhousing. This involves picking them up, throwing them around, chasing them, or being jumped on by them.

The video above shows a typical few minutes of activity leading up to bath time.

Overheard #5 (Stella)

Marni has a promising future as a proctologist.

When in the tub with Stella, Marni will often get a little devilish. If she is sitting down and Stella is standing next to her, Marni will sometimes attempt to stick her finger up Stella's tushie. This will, in turn, tend to make Stella jump a mile!

Stella finally tired of this and, upon becoming the victim of another Marni tushie-attack, screamed out at her "Marni! Stick your finger up your own tushie!"

Overheard #4 (Stella)

Stella's latest obsession is her height.

"Look how tall I am" she says as she stands up in front of you. "I'm getting bigger, bigger, bigger!"

"When I get this much..." (holds up 5 fingers) "...I can eat gum!"

Overheard #3 (Marni)

The words are turning into sentences now. Her favorite thing to say lately is "What's that?" as she points to absolutely everything. Also popular... "Sit down", and "I did it!".