The new Shepard policy of no birthday parties in the house rolled onward with Stella and 11 friends yesterday at the always-popular Bounce-U.
Five years ago Marni missed her first birthday party due to a high fever that sent her to the hospital. Yesterday, Stella's birthday bash was nearly cancelled because Stella was still hanging onto a week-long fever.
We kept Stella home from school (again) in hopes that rest (and Motrin) would allow her to rally for the big event.
It was going to happen with or without her.
Luckily, by 2:30 Stella was rested, fever-free, and raring to go.
After viewing the mandatory safety video, the girls were led into bounce room 1 and the party got started.
I've never been to Bounce-U before, and I have to say that it's pretty cool. The girls ran from one bounce-castle to the next with Lisa and I following (and joining) along.
After 40 minutes in room 1, we were moved to the even more awesome room 2 which included an amazing climbing tower.
After another 40 minutes, the sweaty dozen were herded into the party room for pizza, soda and cake.
The final tally... 5 bandages dispensed. 1 ice pack applied. 1 nose bleed attended to.
Five years ago a construction project started just inches away from our apartment, on property that once was a BP gas station. Actually, the construction project for a 12-story apartment building was so close to our home that part of our patio was taken over by the construction company.
All was going well until the smell came back, worse than ever.
We were able to keep the fumes at bay by closing all the windows and running the air conditioners 24/7. But, on April 26th, the smell got unbearable. Several people in the building called 311. Others wrote urgent emails to the co-op board to find out what was happening and what they could do to be safe from the fumes. We decided to evacuate and I rushed home from work.
Unfortunately, all the hotels in Park Slope were booked. Eventually I was able to find a Days Inn in nearby Sunset Park that had a room available for Thursday and Friday. Lisa and I hurriedly packed our stuff and headed out to pick up the kids at Beansprouts.
The kids were excited to be staying at a hotel, but mommy and daddy were a little less than thrilled with our accommodations. Parking was nonexistent. The front desk was enclosed in bulletproof glass. And, as we headed up to our room, a questionably insane woman in the elevator leaned over to Lisa and told her the rooms had bedbugs. Just what we needed.
The room was tiny. The blankets were disgusting. Lisa and I put up a brave front to keep the kids happy. And we went to bed.
Breakfast at Days Inn
We survived the first night. Stella and Marni were overjoyed to eat breakfast in the little hotel restaurant.
After breakfast I packed up the kids and drove back to the apartment. From there we went to school as usual.
Luckily, Friday was a very breezy day and the smell dissipated. We decided to forego the hotel room and stayed at home.
The following Wednesday the smell returned and Lisa booked a hotel room for three days at a nearby La Quinta Inn. So, again, we evacuated.
Breakfast at La Quinta
The La Quinta ended up being pretty acceptable. Larger room. Less scummy. And in our neighborhood.
We stayed there three nights and then headed to Albany for the weekend.
On Sunday night we checked into Hotel Le Bleu which is directly across the street from our apartment. We instantly fell in love with the snazzy accommodations. Big room. Great beds. Cool bathroom. And a nice restaurant on the roof of the building.
Ever since the first evacuation we had decided to look for a short-term sublet so we could escape the fumes for a month or two. Our luck changed for the better when we found out that a fellow PS 39 family had an empty apartment in their brownstone that we could move into.
And so, on Monday, we moved a bunch of our stuff into our new, temporary home in Park Slope.
Now we have a little bit of stability while we wait for the foundation work to be completed at the construction site.
The girls are happy. Lisa is coping. I am relieved.
In a couple of months we will look back at this challenge and chuckle. Maybe.
But, for now, the important thing is that we are okay.
PS... There were no bedbugs.
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It took 6 years, but I finally got Marni's birthday party out of the house... and into a bowling alley.
Previous parties have been wonderful, but have left the apartment in a shambles.
This year Lisa relented and, after checking out several venues, we settled on Maple Lanes... a nearby Brooklyn bowling alley.
On Saturday, April 21st, the tiny bowlers spread across three lanes and bowled their little hearts out for an hour before retiring to the private party room for lunch and cake.
As the cheery party guests headed home, the Shepard and Hoffman families jumped into their cars and headed for part 2 of the birthday festivities... Coney Island.
The 4 cousins whipped through the 40 dollars of ride tickets in record time. Once that was done we moved over to Nathan's for an early dinner of hot dogs and fries.
The next day Marni got her new bicycle from Nana and Papa, and completed a scavenger hunt in the apartment to find all her presents from mommy and daddy.
And so ended the most tranquil and stress-free birthday in Shepard family history.
The party guests
Coney Island
Sitting with the loot
The new bike
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As her birthday drew closer she would make us watch the how-to video more and more often.
Lisa and I determined that we could probably handle the challenge, but decided to make a practice cake a week before her actual party... just in case.
So a week before her party (and while the kids were visiting with their grandparents) we undertook the practice cake.
Practice cake
Lisa gathered the ingredients and baked the 4 layers. I spent the night decorating. When the confectioners sugar settled, we ended up with a cake that pretty well matched the video. We marveled at it for a while and then gave it to neighbors because we didn't want the girls to see it when they got home.
A few days before her party, Marni began to complain that she didn't see enough cake-making action on our part. She was beginning to worry that we weren't actually going to make a cake. Two days before Marni's party we gathered more ingredients and tweaked our process. And the night before her party we once again crafted a princess castle cake.
The final cake
Cake #2 came out much better. Stella and Marni were appropriately impressed.
Needless to say, the cake was a big hit at the party the next day. We even had some requests to make cakes for other parties.
No thanks.
Now we move on to Stella's party. Originally she requested that we make the same cake for her. But lately she has changed her mind and has opted for an ice cream cake.
The other morning I was walking down the street with Marni. As usual, she was non-stop talking.
At one point she asked me about the black writing that you see on some trucks. She didn't like it. I eventually figured out that she meant graffiti. I told her that it was writing that some people did on other people's property, and I showed her an example on a nearby wall.
She thought for a moment and then told me it reminded her of when the Jews painted their doors with blood at Passover.
Just about six years ago, Marni had the doctors at NYU Medical Center rushing into the delivery room because she was in a hurry to be born.
Fast forward to April 7, 2012.
After watching big sister Stella ride around on her two-wheel bike in the park across the street, Marni decided it was time for her to try biking without training wheels. So she asked me to help her take a spin on Stella's bike.
She did a couple of laps with me holding onto her shoulders, and then I asked if it was okay to let go. She said yes, and away she went.
Marni successfully rode to the end of the handball court before coming to a bumpy, but safe, stop.
Immediately she demanded I go home to get a screwdriver and remove the training wheels on her own bike.
A few minutes later I returned with the necessary tool and took off Marni's training wheels. She mounted up. I gave her a push. And Marni graduated to the world of big-kid biking.
We visited the playground three times that day, and once the next day so Marni could practice her biking. Within 24 hours, Marni had become a seasoned bicyclist.
To put things into perspective, it took Stella a month to learn how to ride without training wheels. It took her until just a few weeks ago for her to figure out how to start without a push. Marni did it in less than an hour.
Social Studies has arrived at Marni's kindergarten class. Each student was asked to describe the history of their family. Where they are from. What their traditions are. You get the picture.
Evidently, Marni was interviewed about her family, and the results of the interview were posted on the classroom bulletin board along with all the other family histories.
Lisa stumbled across Marni's family history on a recent visit to the classroom and took a picture of it.
For the record... daddy is NOT from "upstate", and Marni has never been to Israel. But I guess a 60% accuracy rate isn't bad for a 5 year old.
And, as Lisa says, this is why you don't put children on the witness stand.
Marni's been taking hip-hop dance class for about a year now. The results have been pretty damn entertaining. She's actually quite good at it.
Last week was "observation day" for parents to come and see what their little hoofers have been learning.
All the new eyeballs watching them resulted in a bit of stage fright from the students, but the teacher soon loosened them up and the dance floor at Creative Arts Studio soon looked like the Nickelodeon version of So You Think You Can Dance.
Below is some video of a number that they've been working on. Keep your eyes peeled at the end for a special guest performer.
This sweet thank you note was left for us on our bed last night by Stella. She insisted we read it before she went to sleep. It's so nice to have a kid that can write to you!
In case you can't decipher Stella's work-in-progress handwriting, it says:
Dear Mom and Dad, Dad, Thank you for teaching me how to make 3D shapes. Dear Mom - Mom, Thank you for being nice to me when Daddy's away. To: Dad To: Mom From Stella
On the right hand side there's an example of a 3D shape and a picture of Lisa being nice to Stella.
The California Gurls had an uneventful flight. Food. Movies. Naps. We landed at LAX around 9:30 pm and headed to pick up our rental car. A little snafu resulted in us getting a nice, red SUV which the girls loved and quickly named Reddy.
We got to our hotel in Orange County an hour later and transferred the sleepy kids to their beds. So ended Day 1.
Day 2 started early because we needed to get to DisneyLand to meet up with Uncle Theo and Aunt Cindy. Mr. Theo hooked us up royally. First ride... "Soarin' Over California". Then, "Ariel's Underwater Adventure". And more, and more, and more! Everyone (including Theo) was having a blast.
We did hit a bump though when we tried to take the girls through the Haunted Mansion. As the lights dimmed and the scary noises got louder... the two girls went mad! And not in a good way. Time for an emergency extraction out the closest exit.
Things went smoothly the remainder of the day.
Even though Theo had made special arrangements for us to view World of Color, the girls' energy was gone after dinner. So we bid Theo and Cindy a fond farewell and headed back to the hotel and to bed.
Day 3 was also spent at DisneyLand, but sans Theo and Cindy. The wet whether didn't dampen our enthusiasm and we spent a full day doing everything! The favorite ride? Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.
On Day 4 we attended the Bat Mitzvah of Lisa's friend Mark's daughter Kira. The girls' first Bat Mitzvah! In the afternoon we took the girls to meet the Pacific Ocean at Balboa Beach. Then, it was time for the main event... Kira's Bat Mitzvah Party Spectacular!
Stella and Marni busted out their most awesomest party dresses and headed for their first ever grown up party. Their heads almost popped off when they got a load of everything going on. Candy galore. Photo booth. DJ. Dancers. Food. Pinball machines. Custom hat makers.
The daughters did a great job of keeping up with the teenagers. They ate. Ran around. Danced. Played DJ games.
But by 10 they were begging to go home. And so ended day 4.
Petting sharks.
Day 5 started with brunch at the beautiful Rapp home in The O.C. Then we jumped into Reddy and headed for the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Pretty nice place. There, the gals got to pet sharks, sting rays, and jelly fish. We also let exotic birds sit on our heads.
On Day 6 the Shepard family moved north for a very special visit to Disney Studios. Uncle Theo gave us a great tour of the lot. We even got to watch them mix sound for a TV show.
On Day 7 we headed for home. All was on schedule until we checked out and got onto the airport shuttle bus. It was then that we noticed that Marni's Bear was missing. Everyone off of the bus. I quickly retraced our steps in the lobby. Nothing. Then I headed back to the room, where I found Bear sitting on the bedroom floor.
Back on the bus.
The flight was smooth and without meltdowns. By early evening we were back in Brooklyn and getting ready for bed. Tomorrow was a school day.
As I write this post almost 2 months later, the girls are still talking about the trip. Pretty much every day Marni talks about wanting to go back to California.
But we have lots of other places to explore. They want to see the Great Wall of China. They want to go to Clearwater, Florida. And I think I've heard them mention something about visiting penguins in Antarctica.
Hanging with The Man
Meeting the Pacific.
Marni, Stella, and Bat Mitzvah girl, Kira.
Surrounded by candy and covered by bling, Marni is wiped out after the party.
From the Bat Mitzvah photo booth.
Stella (Adler) the star.
With Theo and Cindy at DisneyLand.
A wet day 2 at DisneyLand.
Bird on head.
Marni and Kendall.
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"I want to be in the Winter Concert! I want to be in the Winter Concert!"
It appeared that my chicken-shit kids were finally ready to perform on stage.
I would believe it when I saw it.
After a few weeks, notices began to show up from school outlining the rehearsal schedule and various other logistical items for the annual performance.
I half expected one or both of them to drop out as rehearsals progressed. But they didn't. They actually seemed to be enjoying it.
More details of the performance filtered out to us...
They would be performing in their pajamas. Cute.
Marni would be standing front and center. Huh?
And before you knew it, it was time for dress rehearsal on the actual stage. Lisa attended the rehearsal as a chaperon and sent me a video showing Marni up on stage, doing her thing.
Hmmm... this thing might be pretty interesting.
The performance was scheduled for 6:30 on December 20th. I showed up at 6:15 and visited the girls in the cafeteria where "the talent" was being prepped. Absolute bedlam with 170 hyper kids. Stella and Marni were raring to go.
I moved to the auditorium and situated myself in a good location for videotaping.
Moments later, the stage began to fill up with kids. Stella was nowhere to be seen. Too short to be seen from her position in the second row. But little Marni was in her spot... front and center. Right in front of music teacher, Mr. Trust.
The crowd hushed, the music swelled, and the performance began.
I'm sure Stella was probably awesome. But no one could see her.
On the other hand, Marni could be seen... and she was totally awesome!
She had every move down and was selling it like no one else on stage. I was amazed. Her enthusiasm never flagged through the eight songs.
So proud.
Afterwards, every parent that knew me or Marni came over and complimented her on her amazing performance. Marni just glowed with all the attention.
Marni's kindergarten teacher, Ms. Imperiale, bragged to all the other teachers at the performance that the little firecracker in the front row was from her class!
The next morning Marni was a minor celebrity in the schoolyard as parents came over to tell her what an amazing dancer she was.
So now I'm thinking we may just have something here. Time to think about how to nurture this talent.
Watch out world... superstar Marni is coming your way!
PS... You can catch a glimpse of Stella in the last video (Jingle Bells). She's in front of Marni.
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On our way home from visiting "The Tree", little Marni gave everyone quite a performance on the D train platform. We should have put out a collection hat.
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She had been warning us for weeks that she wasn't going to California with us. But we just thought Marni was being her kooky self and didn't pay much attention.
That was a mistake.
We were now only a couple of hours away from wheels-up and Marni wasn't changing her tune as we busily finished getting our bags ready to head to the airport. As far as everyone but Marni was concerned, we were heading off to California for 7 days to attend a Bat Mitzvah, go to Disney Land, and visit with friends. Flights, hotels, and car rentals were all booked. All we had to do was get into the car-service mini van to Newark Airport.
And then, all hell broke loose.
As we began to wheel our suitcases out the door, Marni began a meltdown of biblical proportions. Screaming, crying, fighting with me, and refusing to leave the apartment. We let her be as we moved the suitcases to the car. But I eventually had to carry her to the building's front vestibule. This is where she attached herself to anything solid and refused to be moved, all the while screaming and crying in terror in a way that we had never experienced before. She pleaded with me to find someone in the building that would stay with her in the apartment for a week so she wouldn't have to go on the trip.
I eventually detached her from the woodwork and stuffed her into the car where she stiffened her body and refused to get into the car seat. Screaming! Luckily, our driver was understanding... because this pretty much looked like a kidnapping.
The intensity of Marni's terror was shocking. It's something I never want to see again. Where this terror was coming from is anyone's guess. She's flown before. Happily. Something was surely spooking her now.
All that was going through my head was the possibility Marni was somehow prescient about an impending disaster. Maybe she sensed that our plane was going to crash and she was trying to save us. But we weren't listening, and were foolishly dooming the whole family to death. Or, then again, maybe she was just a scared 5 year old.
We drove for a while with a sobbing Marni standing in the car. Eventually she relented and we buckled her into her car seat. I gave her my iPhone and fired up Netflix so she could watch a show and get her mind off her fears.
She was calm when we arrived at Newark. A trip to an overpriced but brilliantly located kids toy store in the terminal resulted in a lighter wallet and a calmer kid.
By the time we reach security, Marni was back to her normal abnormal self. Joking. Dancing. Singing. Playing with the conveyor belt that fed our bags into the x-ray machine.
The girls played happily as we waited to board. I slipped away to the check in desk and had a chat with the lady behind the counter, explaining that we may have a terrorized tot boarding the plane. She understood and agreed to allow us to board early so we could deal with another potential meltdown.
But the meltdown never happened.
Marni skipped down the Jetway and into the plane where the captain invited her and Stella (yes, Stella was with us too) into the cockpit for a tour. Marni in the pilot's seat and Stella as co-pilot. Stella even got to wear the captain's hat.
After the tour, we made our way to our seats, settled in, broke out the iPad, and took off for California. Without further incident.
