conuly

I love handing out candy, and I love going out with the nieces.

Last year we had 108 children. This year we had 125 - and not only did I not go outside until after they'd been coming by already (more about that later), but we're going to get another 5 - 10 stragglers before I turn off the light! Three of the kids were friends of Ana's from school - twins and their kid brother. I duly called them all by the wrong names and told them I'd tell Ana hi for them - why calling them the wrong names is funny I don't know, but it just is and they request it of me every time I see them.

Thank goodness I bought the Halloween bags of pretzels or I wouldn't have had enough! (And this is *with* not giving candy to those with no costume and no story to explain their lack of costume, either. Though I give pass to teens singlehandedly chaperoning a gaggle of little ones if they're polite about it. Their costume for the night is "responsible adult", and I don't begrudge them a little candy in exchange for giving up their night.)

Every day for the past month and a half, she's asked me if I was making a chocolate cake for her birthday. Sometimes she didn't ask, she just stated it. Recently, she even started upping the ante: Connie? Connie? You know, I yuv you. Yeah, I yuv you because you making CHOCOLATE CAKE for my birfday!

*eyeroll*

So I *did* make a chocolate cake, and despite having to use goat milk for sheep yogurt (that would have itself been replacing sour cream), and having to use cocoa powder for baking chocolate, and not knowing if I put the right amount of boiling water in and having to guess... yeah, despite all that?

Best cake I've made this year.

Light, spongy, delicious.

The frosting was good too.

I rock.

Those of my friends who celebrate, of course, have a good holiday and a happy new year. And those who don't, well, enjoy the next two days anyway. Any day is a good day for apples and honey :)

Interestingly, in a tangent from a conversation I'm having with leora right now, I'm quite impressed that the Kindergarten standards for Social Studies in NYC say that by the end of the year your average Kindergarten student should be able to "identify with his or her ethnic background" and there's something in there about being able to identify and enjoy ones traditional celebrations, food, stories, etc.

Perfectly correct, if you ask me - but I wonder, is this something common to most of the country? Or is it only common to areas like NYC, with high immigration?

A shit-ton of people didn't show up, and only two of them bothered to call. The smaller party size worked better, yes, but that's not the point. I mean, seriously. The whole reason I don't send out invitations, but call up, is to get RSVPs immediately.

I totally flaked out on doing a lot of the things I'd planned to do (like the eye spy bags), so instead of favors we had them pot their own basil to take home. This was the perfect favor and activity - it was easy, I could throw it together at the last minute (I had Michele pick up the stuff, in fact), and it makes me look like a rocking aunt who totally overachieves. (In some ways, I really do understand why people look at the childcare gig as a competitive sport!)

I made a lemon cake with a lemon-honey frosting, the second cake fell apart so my mother cut it up to make a 5 and we layered it on top like we planned it. (Hey, they do that on Ace of Cakes all the time!) Everybody at the party knew how this had happened, but if more people had shown up they would have been completely taken in. Remember that!

Ana, as per request, got lots and lots of dresses and skirts, so hopefully I'll never hear "Why don't *I* get a dress???" until the cold weather sets in. (Evangeline has all of Ana's hand-me-downs, and I often put her in dresses because, as she's potty training, it's a lot easier. That's why they used to put little boys in dresses too, isn't it?)

Nobody overstayed, the person who has a tiff going on with the other people didn't show up (I like her well enough, but she *is* a lightning rod for all kinds of drama), Ana behaved very nicely even when she got overwhelmed, it was great.

I just wish I'd had the foresight to take a picture of her when we all yelled SURPRISE at her!

We had an egg dying party on Friday. Evangeline took her nap (that wasn't the original plan, but it was best), and Ana and a friend dyed well more than five dozen eggs. See, I started with five dozen (60), and then added a few from downstairs (so now we're at about 64), and then they brought over eggs (a whole dozen - I had asked them not to), so... yeah.

I pawned off several eggs on our guests as they left, leaving us with only 4 dozen. (Only!) They, in turn, passed us a box of cookies (I insisted they take the second box home - those cookies were in scary colors) and stickers. Curse them!

While the kids napped today, I ran around hiding eggs and Jenn made a list. Every one of the 47 eggs (Xiggy, who is visiting, ate one) got hidden and then found. For 20 minutes, it was *runrunrun* A EGG! A EGG! IN THE FREEZER/SHOE/SINK/TOILET PAPER ROLL! *runrunrun* up and down the house. At times, I resorted to dropping hints. (Why don't you PUT daddy's HAT in the FREEZER now? Why don't you COLOR with the CRAYONS for a second? Do you need to put your SHOES on???)

It was great fun for all. Apparently, people give their kids gifts on Easter, in big elaborate baskets? I never did that growing up, and it seems really weird to me. All we ever got were eggs, some jellybeans, a few chocolates, and, occasionally, a basket. Not a basket of toys. Just a basket. Y'know, to put our eggs in. I wonder if Easter baskets are what happened when people stopped celebrating May Day...? Anyway, I don't see the point when the kids are just as thrilled to run around and get eggs, and one of them doesn't even *like* eggs.

Now I just have to find a way to use up 46 eggs. (I ate one too.) Hardboiled. Egads. Ideas?

Did you know those things come with a nifty pin?

I know. Because, see, when you leave things on the counter, little hands grab them. Honestly, I can't so much as blow my nose without marching into their room and demanding they give whatever-it-is back. (I'll post the syrup story one day soon.)

I found them pretending it was a cup cup for their dolls.

...

Yeah.

So I took it away and stuck it, more sensibly, on top of the fridge. Angelique asked why, so I told her it's Mommy's, and asked her "You know, for her period?", and she remembered what a period is! It's bleeding! Yay! And I ran through that most women don't like their clothes to have blood on them, so Mommy uses something to catch the blood so it doesn't get on her clothing.

I found the pin later. I didn't know there was a pin to find, or I'd've been more diligent about looking for it, you know.

Anyway, Jenn called me up this morning to inform me that the DivaCup rocks, and is the best invention since sliced bread, condoms, and that it's "more liberating than the ability to have sex without having babies... although not by a lot".

I'd call that a happy customer.

It's not as pretty as my pads, though.

What gets me is the pure meanness of some of the comments. Mostly from Santa Story Supporters, which doesn't make any sense to me. I mean, I've been told several times this year that people who don't think the traditional way of handling Santa is dishonest lack Christmas spirit, right? But if they're so chock-full of the spirit of the season, shouldn't they be nicer about it? I mean, it's okay for me to be a scroogy grinch, but they do Santa, so... yeah? Did I miss something?

Some of these comments (on all sides, really) are hysterical though.

( Nobody should care, the earth is dying!!!!111 )

( People are only commenting because if you read the news, you become cynical and mean )

( I HOPE SANTA BURNS YOUR HOUSES!!! YEAH! )

( If you don't believe in Santa, you go on the naughty list. St. Nick doesn't support freedom of thought or the scientific method )

( I have no sense of irony. And you're all mean. )

( My daughter honestly believes she's a cat, and I encourage this and make her say meow a lot. Or something )

( Obligatory intentional humor )

( Telling kids the truth about Santa is overprotecting and shielding them )

( A good first paragraph marred by more unintentional irony )

( The author is clearly delusional because of her beliefs )

( Santa is anti-Christian. And evil )

( People who don't believe in Santa are anti-Christian. And evil )

( It doesn't matter one way or another, but don't expect my kids to lie to yours just because you do )

( Being told to believe a fabricated lie does not build imagination. (Well, duh!) )

( A middle way! )

Whew! There's more where those came from, and they're only a tiny sampling of the commentary out there. Most people are at least marginally sensible, but some people get really upset on both sides. Right now, I'm a bit irritated that the overlying message in popular culture seems to be, for kids "Disbelieving in Santa is bad". I wouldn't mind "Santa is real", but the mutation I see is... troubling, to say the least.

This year, we all winked a lot. Ana likes winking, and Evangeline doesn't get any of it yet anyway.

Gravy (made with stock and drippings) was good, if a bit salty.

Mashed potatoes (made by the prodigal Elise, who was sent home but did not stay there anyway) were delicious.

Stuffing was fantastic.

EVERYTHING ROCKED.

And? Best part? I did not slave away all day, I merely toiled in a manner befitting one who works for love and/or money. I did stress, but not quite as much as I had expected.

At one point, I'm doing... I don't remember, something at the counter, and behind me I hear Jenn comment that "She'll really be surprised" or somesuch. So I ask "Who she?" meaning "Do you mean me, or can I turn around right now?"

Well, we've been doing a lot of winking and nudging with Angelique lately. She thinks it's fun (it is fun!) and she likes to feel involved, preferably by actually being involved at some level. So Jenn responds, very dramatically, "Oh. Nobody. I didn't say anything!"

And do you know what Angelique said? "It's Nanen's!"

(I know it's really mine, of course, but if I didn't already guess by Jenn's deliberately bad playacting, I would have been fooled by Angelique's deception.)

Later, I asked Jenn what she got me outright, and she pretends (wink wink nudge nudge - say it with me!) she did not get me anything. Angelique then pipes up that it's a pillow. After making faces at my sister for a bit, I ascertain that no, it is not a pillow.

Last year, she would not have done that. She did lie, but not well enough to *ever* fool me, and not at socially approved times. If asked to keep a secret, she'd go "Okay!" and then run to share the secret with the person she was supposed to be keeping the secret from. Or she'd blurt it out by seeming accident (I was never too sure about that one way or another) going "I won't tell you that your present is whatever" or something.

This is such a major step, and I didn't even see it coming until it was here. Wow.

Most of the questions on my poll were opinion questions. If you're curious, though, fairly reputable sources* tell me that ( Read more... )

*_{Okay, so one of them was Wikipedia, but what Wiki said was backed up by what I've read elsewhere, okay? Naturally, I accept commentary, criticism, corrections, compliments and cookies by actual Jewish people!}

Total count:

81 children in costumes
10 babies
15 children sans costumes

Next year, I'll have some big sized toys for the babies and anybody who requests, and raisins for the kids who think they're too cool to wear their mask, or even *have* a mask.

Switched off with Michele for a while - she took the kids out in her neighborhood, then I took them all around the block here while she handed out our candy. It was so different from going out when I was a kid, a completely different type of neighborhood.

And do you know what the kids were most excited about? The juice. One house near us (like living in a fishbowl - the people there like to have big displays in their windows instead of curtains. They don't ever have mess or even walk around naked, presumably because of this) gave a thing of juice to the baby - and the bigger ones wanted juice too! And then they all wanted to open their juice RIGHT THEN (we didn't have that problem with candy) and when they got home they wanted Michele to examine the juice RIGHT THEN so they could open it RIGHT THEN, and Angelique said it was the best part later.

Next year, I might buy juice too. Clearly, it's what kids like.

Four day weekend!

This is what Judaism 101 has to say about Sukkot.

I have to say, I've always thought Sukkot sounded like a fun holiday, and, as a completely and totally non-Jewish person, I still totally agree with them when they say that "It is a sad commentary on modern American Judaism that most of the assimilated Jews who complain about being deprived of the fun of having and decorating a Christmas tree have never even heard of Sukkot." (especially as Sukkot is supposed to be an important holiday, isn't it?) Even if said Jews have totally heard of Sukkot and this is all just rhetoric, it still sounds like a really fun holiday to me that should be observed early and often. Like Easter - is there a law that says I can't dye eggs in July? No? Well, then, there probably isn't any reason people can't build their Sukkahs seven times a year if they want, or put up trees in September, or throw water at each other all year long. Think about it.

But I thought I'd update you all on yesterday, aka Burmese New Year.

We all went out (to Elise's new school, yay!) and, after a brief period of eating food and (for me) making special emergency trips for some urgent supplies (you know what I mean, and if you don't, I'm sure you can guess)...

After all that, we ran around splashing each other with semi-wild abandon. Hey, it's the reason for the season!

Today, it is rainy. This is much less exciting than buckets of water.

Off-topic, am I the only one surprised that nobody in the last book ( Minor spoiler )

Just like last year, I came out of it wishing I knew the lyrics, tunes, or even names of some of those ring dances. Help?

Oh, and I only peed twice in the whole day. Not on purpose, it just happened, and I was kinda upset when I realized. I really should've gone earlier, probably when I neatly bypassed the line in the ladies' room in favor of the men's room for Deniz and Ana (hey, they're 4 and not-yet-6 - it was that or have pee all over the ground where people were walking, and I didn't think that was very nice). The only person I even saw in the men's room was... a woman. Walking out of a stall and obviously trying to avoid seeing me and the kids. Because we weren't there for the exact same purpose she was, right?

And I got some vegan cream cheese for Jenn and Evangeline. Jenn almost didn't get any, I had to go buy more, it was that yummy. The texture wasn't quite the same, and of course it didn't taste exactly the same, but it was still really good.

And that was my day!

Seth since Saturday, Ana today :)

I called Seth and wished him a happy birthday. Ana, I don't have to call - we're having her dinner soon today!

I don't know about Seth, not having seen him much this past year, but Ana - even though I really feel sad that she's growing up, I've been saying for weeks that already four is shaping up to be a better year than three. Apparently there's something about odd numbered years...? At any rate, already Ana's showing more ability to reason, to control herself. Already there's less tantrums, less misbehaviour. Already, she's sillier and funnier and generally more fun to be around. I loved her at three, don't get me wrong, and I'll love her when she gets to be 13 and annoying - but so far, this looks like it'll be a fun year.

It's been 2007 for six whole minutes now. The year is no longer new. Stop banging your pots and pans, stop shouting "Happy New Year" with more and more enthusiasm by the minute, and go inside and go to sleep. Get drunk, for all I care, even the kids.

It's now been seven minutes. Your own baby is crying. While this adds to the noise level, it's not exactly a good omen for the coming year, now is it? Some of us stay up past midnight every day. It's not that special.

I rang in the new year by moving boxes to the basement. I'm not inclined to be generous.

(Eight minutes and counting.)

In his magazine piece, Dobson criticized Mary Cheney’s decision to become pregnant. “[T]he majority of more than 30 years of social-science indicates that children do best on every measure of well-being when raised by their married mother and father,” he wrote last week. Dobson backed up his claims by citing Gilligan’s work. Gilligan is a renowned expert on gender and human development and is a professor of education and law at New York University.

“I was stunned to hear that James Dobson quoted me in Time magazine,” Gilligan says in the video. “I had no idea. I was mortified.” She says that there is nothing in her research that would lead anyone to agree with Dobson’s claim that same-gender families are unhealthy for children.

(Emphasis mine, but I think she probably felt it when she said it anyway.)

This whole article rocks, except for the part where bigots are distorting research, but what else is new?

Anyway, just wanted to share. I'm sure I'll have a merrier Christmas for it, and I hope you have one too - even if you don't celebrate, go out and be happy anyway. Why not?

I mean, it works and everything! I brushed my teeth at the sink!

There are no words to describe how awesome this is, and if you do not understand precisely why this is the most awesome thing ever, I can't explain it to you. It just is.

Additionally, I have lately been waking up to the warmth of my radiator working. This is mostly awesome, except I actually prefer waking up in a cool room. I'll have to start turning it off when I go to bed or something, since most nearly everybody else prefers their rooms heated.

My sink works, my radiator works, we're getting a new stove, I have a bed....

Happy midwinter, everybody! (Or midsummer, if that is your wont.)

Different events every day until Christmas, at which point the countdown will begin for Little Christmas.

Ana remembers Christmas from last year, so she's already hyped up for it. Halloween, she'd mostly forgotten, but Christmas she remembers. So far, she's learned that Christmas means trees, wreaths, lights, and lots of candy and cookies.

...

Well, I'm sure her grandma's got the whole "birth of Jesus" thing covered, anyway. I suppose I could start telling her about how early it's getting dark now, and how when Christmas is over it'll start staying light longer. Do you think she'll get that yet, or would it be over her head?

(Ana's also learned that horses eat shoe celery and leave candy in its place. Okay, I know I disagree with lying to kids, but it sure is fun. Remind me to tell you all about the lies I told Elise growing up someday, 'k?)

(Well, I was thirteen when she was three! I was stupid! And threatening her with vampires, werewolves, and cannibalism was the only way I knew how to make her mind!)

Here's the cute story I forgot to tell you:

We were in Snug Harbor's little rose garden yesterday, and Ana was having fun running around looking at and smelling all the roses. Suddenly, she reaches down and starts to pick a rose.

( Read more... )

Naturally, we refrained from picking any of the roses, but still.

Happy birthday *hugs*

I didn't bother with the story of Thanksgiving, figuring that would go way up high over her head, but I did try to expain why we're having the holiday, what being thankful is, and no, candy is what you get on *Halloween* which is over, sweetie.

So I explain that "thankful" is like "thank you", and we think about things we're happy we have. Then I tell her I'm thankful for her and her sister - something not too abstract, but not "I'm glad I have tons of toys" either. (They do a somewhat secular grace before dinner, so it's not that new a concept. Well, everybody does it secular but Ana, and we're not quite sure *what* the heck she's saying!)

And then to really drive the concept home, I ask "So, Ana, do you have anything you're thankful for?"

And she did, and there's no suspense here, she's quite predictably thankful for milk. "Because I have it with mommy, and I always have milk when mama's home, and I snuggle, and I like it, and I like milk."

We told her mom :)

I'm trying to fill up old blank days with entries, and I'll have to do a month's of haiku over the long weekend, so if you see a bunch of oddly dated entries, that's why.

And if you don't celebrate it for religious reasons, please, do like everybody else does and shut off your porch light, put a sign on your door. Or at least make life easier for you and me and just don't answer (also like everybody else). I don't need to know why you don't have candy, I just would like to know that you don't, preferably in advance so I don't bother you.

Thanks.

Jenn hadn't really done Ana's costume yet (in fairness, this was in part because Ana changed her mind from "cat" to "butterfly" and didn't inform her parents until the last minute), so I was stuck scrounging around for an outfit for her. I don't mind scrounging, but I like some more time to do it in, y'know? Eventually, Ana got kitted up as the "Pumpkin Princess Butterfly" in her mom's orange Burmese dance shirt, the glittery flamenco shawl (I was upset at Jenn, can you tell? Or else I would never let Ana near these things for fear of my life :P), Ana's purple glittery ballet skirt and star wand, orange pants, these heavy-ass wings made from hangers, and a home-made paper plate mask that was still wet with glue and glitter as I gave it to Ana. It had a stick instead of strings so she could hold it up.

All in all, not a bad costume for 15 minutes work!

We immediately fell in with a family of six or seven girls (and a boy on the way! BIG family!), all of whom thought that the homemade outfit was amazing (YOU MADE IT????), and the baby was cute (when they had their own baby) and that carrying her in a kanga was fascinating and amazing (HOW DO YOU DO THAT????). Very nice kids, very polite. Spent an hour outside, didn't realize. Ana got a lot more haul than I'd expected!

Not a bad day, really.

Honestly, sometimes it seems like "dressing up in a man's array" must have seemed like a really good career choice back in the day. Because there sure are a lot of confirmed cases of people doing just that.