Stella's 9th

Over the past year the plans for Stella's 9th birthday have changed on an almost weekly basis. She finally settled on taking 4 of her dearest friends (and Marni) to Coney Island for a day of rides and hot dogs.

Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate with this plan and rainy weather forced us to improvise. So, instead of amusement park rides, we ended up bowling at our favorite Maple Lanes.

Along the way, Nana and Papa Shepard got lost and ended up in Mill Basin. And Stella's friend Caitlin got in a minor fender-bender on the drive over. But eventually everyone arrived and the bowling commenced.

There was a really spectacular bowler practicing in the lane next to us. A strike almost every time. But it became clear that our lunatics were beginning to distract him, so I went over to have a chat. He smiled and said it was fine. He explained that the kids allowed him to practice bowling with distractions. I told him we would be giving him lots of practice.

The vending machines cost more than the bowling!

Meanwhile, it was hard to tell if we were at the bowling alley to bowl or to stand in front of the vending machines and feed in dollar bills.

Eventually we finished our bowling and headed for some pizza lunch and then back home for cake and presents.

On the way home I spied an orthodox Jewish neighborhood patrol "cop" and proceeded to sing a Jewish version of the "Cops" theme song ("Oy vey, oy vey, what ya gonna do?") The 5 girls in our car immediately began to serenaded Lisa and I with their version of my singing.

Once home we blew out candles, ate cake, did a scavenger hunt for presents, and then sang and danced some more.

Things began to wind down around five.

That evening Stella told Lisa and I that this was the best birthday party ever. That was very nice to hear, and it just goes to show that you don't always need to spend a ton of money on an over-the-top party.

Let the planning begin for next year!

 

 

Using the same 9-month candle for 9-years

Performing "Rolling in the Deep"

 

More Work for the Tooth Fairy

Marni summoned the tooth fairy to Brooklyn on May 6th to take care of business.

Here's how it all went down...

Lisa got a phone call that morning from a class mom who was chaperoning the class trip that Marni was on. The first thing the mom said was not to worry, Marni was okay. Then she went on to explain that Marni lost a tooth and that she had packed it in a sandwich bag and put it in Marni's lunch box.

Luckily the tooth remained safe throughout the rest of the day.

Later that night we placed the tooth under her pillow and waited for the tooth fairy to do her thing.

In the morning Marni happily discovered her new $1 coin.

And now, for the time being, she can get back to eating corn on the cob and apples.

Overheard #38

STELLA: "Daddy, was I a (test) dummy so that you would know how to raise Marni better?"

Marni Turns 7

Birthday girl at school (with cupcakes).

Marni's birthday festivities started Sunday morning with her first Bounce U party. The girl was all smiles throughout the morning as she got ready and she could barely contain herself once we arrived.

The next two hours were bouncing, sliding, yelling and fun. Only a couple of non-fatal injuries. No blood.

When it came time to eat, Marni took her rightful place on the birthday girl throne. Then there was pizza, soda, ice cream cake... and then it was over.

Later in the afternoon we had a BBQ for the family back at home. Marni and friends got to partake in her beloved scavenger hunt for presents which took them from laundry room to car to freezer to oven. And so ended day 1.

Yesterday was Marni's actual birthday. So the day started with ice cream for breakfast. She then headed off to school with a load of cupcakes for her class.

We finished off the festivities with dinner at the "fire restaurant" (Hibachi) with Laurie-Doo followed by some more present-opening before bed time.

Then our new 7-year-old headed off to bed with one of her new dolls. And happily drifted off to sleep.

Ready for fun at Bounce U with Nana and Papa.

Birthday girl and Mom.

The grandparents.

Instructional safety video time.

With special guest, Raine.

Rocking with Raine.

Sherri Bubbles and Lisa on the scary slide.

Parents and birthday girl.

Taking a break with Mia.

Pizza time.

Signing Marni's shirt.

Birthday dance.

BBQ time with cousins.

Heading off to the "fire restaurant".

In Their Own Words... #1

Today I introduce a new feature to The Daddy Diary entitled "In Their Own Words".

Over the past year the girls have started making up their own words to describe things. I guess they find it easier than to learn actual words! Stella has penned "hypergenic" and "catakosys". Marni has recently come up with "kookakanis".

"Hypergenic" seems to mean energetic and seems to relate to Marni. "Catakosys" seems to mean having an illness that makes you crazy. This also appears to relate to Marni.

"Kookakanis" is a part of the head or skull that makes you crazy. I think we have a theme here.

The videos below are the girls' trying to explain their home made words. Good luck.

Season Opener at Coney Island

We had no big plans for last Sunday. But the weather forecast was good and I had a hankering for hot dogs.

And that means... Coney Island.

Coney Island got hit hard by super storm Sandy last October. Among other things, the boardwalk was destroyed and Nathan's Hot Dogs on Surf Avenue was severely damaged.

We parked Goldie in front of the still-closed Nathan's. There was plenty of parking. Luckily there's a second Nathan's on the boardwalk and we sat down there for a delicious lunch before we hit the rides.

There was much discussion (arguing) between the kids as to which amusement park we would attend (Deno's or Luna Park). Daddy was the tie-breaker and we headed to Luna Park.

Mom and dad sit back and relax while the kids play.

The smartest thing we did all day was to buy unlimited 4-hour passes for each kid. We put the bracelets on each kid and then sat back for the next 4 hours and watched Stella and Marni run from ride to ride without any need for mom or dad.

We appreciated that.

After their 4-hour passes expired, we headed to our final ride on the Wonder Wheel.

And so ended a great day at one of our favorite Brooklyn destinations. A day that lasted so long that daddy ended up with a sunburn on his head!

Well worth it.

 

 

Great Wolf 2013

On March 23rd the Shepards headed back to our favorite indoor water park, Great Wolf Lodge.

It didn't take long for the girls to get back into the swing of things as we checked into the hotel for the third time in the past five years.

Back in 2008 little Marni would not even ride down the smallest water slide. This year she graduated to the big slides. And the two sisters happily floated down Crooked Creek together, without any parents. Five years ago they insisted that we carry them through Crooked Creek.

The girls with their MagiQuest wands.

This year the girls were finally old enough to enjoy the MagiQuest electronic scavenger hunt adventure that is scattered throughout the hotel.

I think the girls' favorite part of the weekend may have been the robotic yogurt machine.

My favorite part of the weekend was splashing around in the 84 degree water park while watching a little snow storm swirling around outside. I love that!

Our aquatic adventure came to a close on Monday morning and we slowly shopped and ate our way through Pennsylvania and New Jersey on our way to the Hoffmans in Bridgewater for the first night of Passover.




 

Running Away... The First Threat

Well, it had to happen eventually.

Stella was having a bad day back on March 11th. Her mom was really pissing her off. So she went to the easel and penned this note to Lisa.

In case you can't read it, it says...

"If you don't like me, then set me up for adoption and I am not joking. 

Love, Stella" 

I'm most impressed with the correct spelling and the correct usage of the comma. 

Way to go, Stella!

Brooklyn Nets meet Brooklyn Nuts

It's pretty cool living only 1.1 miles from New York's newest, snazziest arena... Barclays Center. We've been watching the construction over the past few years, and the completed building is very impressive.

Lisa and I saw The Who there a few months ago. But on March 8th we got to take the kids to their first Barclays Center event... a Brooklyn Nets basketball game.

This was actually a P.S. 39 event. About 300 parents and kids from school attended the game against the Washington Wizards.

What made this night extra exciting was that Stella won a contest that allowed her and some other lucky classmates to go onto the court and high-five the Washington players before the game.

Marni wanted to join her sister, but it all got a little too much for her, so she stayed with us and munched on chicken fingers while we watched Stella greet the players.

She was ecstatic!

Stella rejoined us for the game and we spent the next couple of hours cheering, eating and drinking.

Marni spent the entire night gabbing with her classmate, Alexi.

At the end of the game we bid everyone adieu, jumped on the B63 bus, and were home in our beds within a half hour.

Oh... and the Nets crushed the Wizards.

The Valentine's Day Dance

P.S. 39's Valentine's Day Dance took place on February 22nd. This year's dance featured a contest called "Dancing With Our Stars", created by non-other than Stella and Marni's mom... Lisa Shepard.

There were three teams of students, each dancing to a different tune and led by a mashugana teacher.

Lisa was one of the hosts of the contest, and Stella and Marni were in Team #1.

All the kids danced their hearts out. But, in the end, Team 1 did not win.

And, therefore, Marni cried.

Team 1 wins a consolation prize.

Marni plays with her pals.

Overheard #37

Feverish, unconscious Marni.

Marni has strep, and decided she would feel better if she slept upstairs in our bed last night. I had the honor of sleeping with the feverish little snore machine.

At about 3:30 am she awoke and asked for some water. Once she was done quenching her thirst, she decided to get all Ophthalmological on me.

What ensued was a lesson from her on how the "pimples" (pupils) in your eyes get bigger and smaller depending on the light. 

Once she was done schooling me on this topic she declared the workings of the eye "impressive", rolled over, and went to sleep.

She's Got the Music In Her

Last night Marni begged me to put on some music so that she could dance for us. How could I refuse a request like that? The result is below.

I'm crossing my fingers that it will eventually be included in the documentary that will be created about her as one of America's most beloved entertainers.

New Years in Natick

I forgot to mention that we spent New Years in Natick this year. First time ever with the kids (or Lisa, even).

The night we arrived, Natick got hit by a pretty good snow storm. That gave the girls plenty to do the next day, and they took full advantage of their own private sledding hill (Nana and Papa's driveway). The same driveway that Aunt Toots and I sledded down a couple of hundred years ago.

New Years in Natick also gave Lisa and I the opportunity to leave the kids with the grandparents and actually go out for New Years. And then I got the bright idea to get a hotel room for the night for a little mommy and daddy private time (wink wink)!

Lisa was asleep before midnight.

Nana and Papa had a great time with the girls and woke them up at midnight to see the ball drop (another first). Marni was awake. Stella, not so much.

Art with Art

Marni throws snow in her own face. Why not?

Playing "Attraction" with Uncle Glenn.

The First Big Snow of 2013

Last Friday the northeast got walloped by the first blizzard of the winter season. Although other areas received as much as 35 inches of snow, Brooklyn's 11 inches was definitely respectable.

On Saturday we all bundled up, grabbed our sled, and headed to Prospect Park to have some fun. We ended up at the hill behind the Picnic House and got in a bunch of good slides before getting cold and wandering back to Barnes and Nobel for some hot chocolate.

By the way... this is the first time, since the kids were born, that we went to Prospect Park for sledding.

Marni is overwhelmed by the snow suit.

Prospect Park panorama