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!".

Even More Culture!

This past weekend the Shepards and Nana Audrey and Papa Harold attended a PuppetWorks production of Cinderella.

Although Stella has attended a puppet show before, this would be crazy-Marni's first such adventure. I was pretty sure I would have to remove her from the theater within minutes because she's just not a sit-down kind of gal.

Marni spent all of her pre-show time running around the theater like a lunatic. I figured we might as well let her tire herself out before the lights went down. At one point (for no apparent reason) she sat herself down on the lap of a little girl about the same age as herself. Not sure why.

When the main puppeteer came out to talk the the kids, Marni climbed onto my lap (I was sitting on a mat on the floor in front of the stage). She was riveted to what the man was saying. Stella raised her hand and said "Excuse me!". She then asked the puppeteer if the puppets were going to come off the stage and "get them". He laughed and said no. Then, the lights went down and the show started. Marni was craning her neck to see the puppets and eventually ended up standing in my lap.

Then, slowly but surely, she crept off my lap and sat by herself on the mat. Then she crept closer and closer to the stage. All the time with fingers in her mouth and holding a stuffed dog.

When the first act finished she smiled and clapped with everyone else. During the second act she moved so close to the stage that I thought she was going to climb on. She was retrieved.

She spent the rest of the play either sitting by herself or on my or Lisa's lap. She loved the whole thing and behaved perfectly. Go figure. Oh... by the way... Stella loved it too (from Nana Audrey's lap).

After the performance, the puppeteer brought out the Cinderella puppet to meet the kids. As you can see from the video, Marni was a little scared but got a kiss from the puppet nonetheless.

A Day on the Town

Last Sunday (2/10) Stella and I attended the New York Theater Ballet presentation of The Magic of Dance. Joining us were Steve and Emma Sledzik and Jill and Tyler Hoffman.

Stella enjoyed the subway ride in, and enjoyed the ballet even more. Emma and Tyler were also fascinated. The middle portion of the performance was a demonstration of ballet moves and theater arts. All three kids followed along with the dance moves while standing in their seats.

After ballet, the Sledziks went on their way and the Hoffmans joined us for lunch at a coffee shop. Lots of fun there.

Then, off to a handsome cab ride around Central Park. The kids had a blast. They were yelling to people and waving to everyone while snuggled under their fluffy red blanket.

Next stop... F.A.O. Schwarz. The kids played on the giant piano keys on the floor and spent a lot of time in the Barbi area playing with a Barbi computer. Then, big-pretzel time on the plaza outside of the store.

We bid farewell to Jill and Tyler and headed home on the subway.

Tiny Dancer

Last week Stella's dance studio allowed parents to stay and watch the class.

I wasn't expecting too much because Stella has been a little shy about participating in the class. Although she had been getting better as of late, I had a feeling that she would clam up again when her parents were in the room.

I was wrong about that.

Stella pretty much participated in every dance. She skipped, danced, rolled, spun around, and did all sorts or ballet moves. She was wonderful! I'm very proud of her. She's come a long way (but she's still the tiniest kid in the class).

A big thank you goes out to Lisa, Sherri (Bubbles) and to Stella's teacher, Storm.

Toofies!

As soon as I left for San Diego, Marni's two top teeth decided to pop through the gums. They had been sitting there, taunting us, for several weeks. But they hid just beneath the gums... afraid to come out lest they get pulled (like her first tooth).

So now Marni is well on her way to becoming a multi-toothed baby. Finally, her lone bottom tooth can have some toofie friends to play with.

Milky, Booky, and Kitty

Marni's new shtick seems to be carrying things in groups of three.

Her favorite group of three: her sippy cup full of milk, her pink kitty doll, and her favorite book - The Gruffalo.

She will rarely go to bed without taking all three with her. Later in the night we will rescue the milk. But most nights she ends up sleeping on top of the Gruffalo book.

Not So Fast!

The Stella teeth-brushing miracle lasted for a day and a half. Then it was back to World War 3. Not sure why it started. Not sure why it stopped.

But...

As I sit here in San Diego at the winter Fancy Food Show, word comes from Brooklyn that Stella has started brushing her teeth again. In a phone conversation with her, Stella told me she tickled her teeth and she got lots of stickers. She also demanded that I bring her back a scooter from California because of her good behavior.

I think I'll wait to see how long this lasts.

Breaking News!

Last night Stella emerged from the bathroom holding her toothbrush and brushing her own teeth! This came as a total shock to Lisa and I since brushing Stella's teeth is usually quite an ordeal.

Stella was rewarded with kisses, praise, and 2 stickers. Let's see if this lasts.

Winter Wonderland

The gals went on their "Nana/Papa Tour 2007" over the Christmas/New Years holidays. First stop... Natick.

There was tons of new snow for Stella and Marni to play in, and they took full advantage. We ran, sledded, threw snow balls, made snow men and made snow angels. Marni even insisted on pushing a stroller through the mess (for which she was rewarded with a bump on her coconut when she fell on the street).

Toots and Glenn stopped by, late Hanukkah presents were exchanged, Popsicles were eaten, and Nana and Papa were treated to the full Stella/Marni experience.

On Christmas Day they girls headed to Albany for part 2 of the tour and I headed home on Amtrak for another day or two at work.

Stranger Than Fiction!

You've gotta love the Interweb. After putting in a search for the words Stella and Marni, what should Google pop up but a book entitled Assignment Stella Marni. Written in 1957 (the year I was born!!!), it seems to be a steamy private eye novel centered around a dangerous blond who was "murder on heels".

What an strange coincidence.

I've purchased a couple of copies of the old paperback. A nice oddity to have around. Although I don't think it will be one of the books we read to the girls each night.

Season's Greetings

From the world's cutest elf... Marni Narno!

Stella-isms #1: I'm all finished!

"I'm all finished" is used in one of three ways:

1. To indicate she is done eating.
2. To indicate she is done sleeping (she yells this down to us when she is sleeping up in our bed).
3. To indicate she is all done peeing or pooping on the potty.
   

Off to visit "The Tree"

For probably the third year in row, the Shepard family joined everyone else in NYC and trekked to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

The subway ride was quite exciting for the girls. We're getting very good at carrying the Phil & Ted double stroller up and down stairs with Marni in it and with Stella walking along side us!

The crowds were thick as usual at The Tree. And two seconds later, we were done.

Off to Sacks so mommy could pee. At this point Marni was getting a little bit difficult and insisted on walking through the crowds on the street and in the store on her own. After a few near misses with shoppers, she was put in the stroller which led to the most energetic meltdown of her short life. The meltdown was so traumatic (for all) that Marni fell asleep afterwards. This allowed the three civilized Shepards to share a big pretzel and walk down to the Bryant Park "village" for some sightseeing and noshing.

The little restaurant in the village was even nicer this year then in previous years. Stella and mommy and I shared hot choco, chili, corn bread and salad. Marni was still passed out.

After lunch, we watched the ice skaters for a few minutes and then headed to the subway. Marni stay asleep all the way to the station, down the steps, and onto the platform. An incoming subway train woke her and she was back in good spirits.

The subway ride home was uneventful and we got home safely. Once home, we wondered (as we do every year) "why do we do this"?

First Snow!

This morning NYC was covered by a light coating of dry snow.

In the Shepard tradition, it was time to take the kids for a drag around the parking lot. After WAY too much clothing was forced onto them by mom, the girls were ready to play in their urban winter wonderland.

We walked, touched snow, cleaned off some cars, took a toboggan ride, threw snow, and ate some snow.

Then Stella declared that it was freezing outside so it was time to go in.

Thanksgiving 2007

We were back at "The Gris" in Essex, Connecticut after a 1-year hiatus.

Everyone arrived Wednesday afternoon and checked into their rooms in the Hayden House. Lunch was at The Gris. The weather was nice enough to allow everyone to take walks around town and do some shopping. Dinner was at The Black Seal.

Thanksgiving Day was exceptionally warm and everyone walked down to the water to play on the grass and look at the boats and ducks. Harold kicked around a ball with Lisa. We pretty much took over the entire Hayden House and there was a nice nosh put out to tide everyone over until turkey. Thanksgiving dinner was at 4:30. It was very nice aside from a metldown from Stella that required both of us to go back to the room to calm down.

Friday was spent in Mystic at the aquarium with Nana and Papa Hoffman and Toots and Glenn. The girls had a blast. Then a nice lunch at The Ground Round with Nana and Papa Shepard topped it all off.

Overheard #2

Stella has some interesting phrases and customized words that should be noted:

• "Prettyful" - This seems to be a cross between beautiful and pretty.
• "C'mon, you can do it!" - She uses this when encouraging others.
  
• "Listen to my words!" - When you aren't paying attention to her, this is what you get.
  
• "I want something really, really special!" - Usually pertaining to a present or food.
  
• "You saved the day!" - When someone does something to fix something.
  
• "That's my rule." - When she explains how something is going to go, or what her plan is.
  

Off the Bottle

Last week Marni went cold turkey and kicked the bottle habit. It took a couple of days of crying, but she did it and is now exclusively in sippy-cup land. A couple of years ago when Stella was weaned off the bottle, she went two days without drinking any milk before she finally gave in.

The Marni Vocabulary - Part 3

The latest to pop out of Marni's mouth (other than half-chewed food) are: apple, pizza, papa, bubbles, and balloon. Also... "piece" as in "I want a piece of that to eat".

Marathon Girls

The Shepards hosted yet another NYC Marathon Party today. Special guests were Nana and Papa Shepard. In total we had about 18 people drop by. Lisa provided quite a feast.

As far as the girls were concerned, the most interesting guest was Margaret's dog named Luke.

The Littlest Trick-Or-Treater

Halloween 2007 was Marni's first as a walking person. Evidently, humans are born with the trick-or-treat gene, since Marni instinctively knew what to do. Outfitted in her pink ballerina costume and a fuzzy white sweater, Marni grabbed her white candy bucket and insisted on walking around on her own.

She watched Stella to see what the routine was and happily went up to each treat-giver, picked her treat, and placed it in her bucket. There was no stopping this girl.

When we finally made it to the parade, she was fearless and marched down the street with all the other ghouls and goblins.

PS... the headless clown in the photo is Lisa Stefanoff.