Existential crisis: Do I get the minivan?

Ray was suspicious. “Who’s this party for, anyhow?” he asked, as I dragged in yet another bag of materials for Annabelle’s birthday party, launching them onto the already-overflowing dining room table. I bristled, but of course he was right — the party wasn’t just for Annabelle. She had a hell of a time, though. My […]

Today was Project Annabelle — the DIY birthday party that would have put me over the edge, or at least under the kitchen table, were it not for my friends. Handmade Birthday: The Finale is coming to a computer screen near you, soon, complete with a lot of photos. But first, I must devote a […]

The drama camp was optimistically entitled, “The Best Week Ever.” I don’t know that the week lived up to the name, but Sophie had a good enough time. We gathered this morning for her stage debut. The kids acted out scenes they’d created themselves (as much as 5, 6 and 7 year olds can, I […]

Basketball camp ended today, and not a moment too soon. I don’t think I could have taken much more. My stomach was in knots all week. Annabelle tried to smile this morning when I said it was time to get ready, but I could tell she was wishing the day was over. At 2:30 I […]

A small voice came from the backseat. “Mommy, why did you sign me up for basketball camp?” We were on our way to the third day of basketball camp. The first two days of camp, Annabelle insisted she loved it. Til last night, when she admitted that she cried once during warm ups, because she was […]

This morning at camp drop-off, it was smiles all around. I think Sophie would prefer basketball to drama (in the abstract, anyway) and maybe Annabelle would still rather have it in reverse, but both girls are happy. Phew. As we walked down the steep ramp to the basketball arena yesterday morning, the First Day, I […]

Happy Father’s Day to all the fabulous dads out there — including my own, and Ray. I’ve already burned several batches of Toll House cookies this morning, in your honor. (Turns out duct tape works really well for holding the broken oven door shut. And good thing I always make a double batch of dough.)

The other day, Ray said something that’s stuck with me. It went something like this. “You know,” he said, “the majority of people who are mentally retarded have Down syndrome. So society’s definition of ‘retarded’ is a person with Down syndrome.” (I didn’t fact check this, but Ray tends — annoyingly — to be right.) […]

Over the rainbow? Try over the moon. Cloud 9, for sure. “I really didn’t want this week to end,” Annabelle said dreamily, as we stood in line this afternoon to order her a peach smoothie at the coffee shop next to the dance studio. Who can blame her? She was Dorothy in the combo Wiz/Wicked/Wizard of […]