The Theater, The Theater

Last week Gabe had a first.  The theater.

I can't remember the first show I saw in the theater.  I'm guessing it was "The Nutcracker" ballet.  My mom and I (and later my sister) used to go watch the ballet every year at Christmastime.  I always loved going to the theater, for ballets, plays, musicals.  I loved getting dressed up in my fancy clothes and sitting among all of the fancy adults.  I loved the lights, the music, the dancing.  It was all so magical to me.

I've dreamed of having those kinds of special nights out with my children.  Now that Gabe is a little older, he's shown so much interest in all things new and different. He has always been so shy, resistant to change, scared of things outside of his routine.  But now, things like a hockey game, the skate park, putt putt!  He has LOVED them.

I had literally just mentioned to J that I though Gabe might enjoy seeing a show at the theater (after watching Sing with the kids).  Not a day or two later, I heard an advertisement for "Matilda: The Musical."

Matilda was my absolute favorite book as a child.  I must have read it at least ten times.  I was so excited to read it with Gabe a few months ago.  After we finished the book, we watched the movie.  I've heard Gabe pretending to be "The Trunchbull" while playing.  This was definitely the perfect first show for him.

What a special date we had.  We went out to dinner, just the two of us.  Red Robin was his choice.  (Apparently they have the best corn dogs around.)  Then we headed downtown to the theater.  We found our seats.  Seeing his tiny little body sitting in that big grown-up seat, reading the Playbill, was basically the cutest thing ever.

Until the show started.  Wide eyes, glued to the stage.

During intermission, we shared a giant cookie and talked about the show.  He was interested in the actors, the scenery, the songs.  He was excited to get back to his big seat to see the conclusion.  During the second act, I could see his eyelids getting a little bit heavy.  But he refused to fall asleep.  He made it all the way to the end, and about two minutes into the car ride home before he was out.

As much as I want my children to stay babies forever, I am also so excited to be able to share these types of experiences with them as they grow up.  So many things that are old new to me are just magical for them.  Being able to experience these firsts with them sends a little bit of that magic back my way.

My Mom is Cooler Than Your Mom

This past weekend my mom came to town on a mission.

My babies love the sandbox, but our green plastic turtle just wasn't cutting it anymore.  Margot frequents the sand most often, and her little body takes up that whole turtle.  Charlotte tries to muscle her way in, then gets angry when she's denied entry, and Gabe just stays away because he knows he doesn't have a chance.

We needed an upgrade.  Enter Grammy.

To say that my parents don't fit into traditional gender rolls is no understatement.  My mom is super handy, and we don't even hand my dad a screwdriver.  And if I inherited the crying gene from anyone, it was not my mother.  (Sorry, Dad, I know you're reading, but I cannot tell a lie!)

Early Thursday morning, my mom packed her car full of tools (Including child-size hammers so my littles could assist.  And a circular saw, you know, because doesn't every grandma have a circular saw?) and headed down to North Cackalacky.  Once she arrived in town, she hurried over to Home Depot to purchase the necessary lumber (which she loaded into the car by herself, thankyouverymuch), and then set to work on a sandbox extraordinaire.

The kids really got into the process.  They were measuring perimeters, pulling up roots and stumps that were in our way, and hammering posts.  They were so excited to be a part of the project.  And by the end of the day on Friday, they had a brand new super-sized sandbox.

I love that they'll spend hours outside, digging holes and building castles.  I love that our backyard is an even cooler place for my kids to hang out.  But mostly I love the memories that they just made with my mom, and that hopefully they'll think of her when they're out there digging away.

Holiday Traditions in the Making

It is no secret that I LOVE the holiday season.  Every year I am so excited to decorate the tree, hang the lights, watch Christmas movies, shop for the perfect gifst, bake a million cookies.  This year, my excitement has doubled (if not tripled or perchance even quadrupled).

There is something so special about starting holiday traditions with my own little family.

Now that the nugget is a year older, I cannot wait to share all of my holiday excitement with him.  I know that he's still a little too young to really know what's going on, but I feel like he's old enough to realize that it's something out of the ordinary and special.

So far, we have gone to pick out Gabe's 2012 ornament for the tree (Epic fail.  He picked a truck, of course, but would have no part of said truck hanging on the tree out of his reach for playing.  Said truck is now "all gone," hiding in the back of the tree where it cannot be seen.  Try again next year!), I have purchased his Christmas jammies and story book for Christmas Eve (a tradition that I am carrying on from the Nana), and we have watched a few Christmas specials here and there.

And this past weekend, we took Gabe to his very first parade.  Neither J nor myself could even remember the last time we had been to a parade.  This was made painfully obvious when we found a parking spot and started to unload the car, only to realize that we had been so stupid as to not bring chairs or even a blanket to sit on.  (I blame the pregnancy brain.)  But we soldiered on to our chosen spot, which was luckily right outside of a Rite Aid.  J promptly purchased us a little blanket to save our backsides from the wet grass.

Gabe loved it.  He watched and watched, occasionally waving to the paraders, clapping his hands, pointing, and oohing and aahing at all of the cars.  Some classic cars, some race cars, some mini-Shriner-cars, some big trucks hauling floats, and also some motorcycles thrown in for good measure. He also caught on quickly to the fact that candy was being thrown.  Man, did he love that lollipop...

The many faces of Gabe.  

I am so looking forward to the rest of this magical month with my boys.

A little list to make you feel old.

I've come across this list several times lately.

Apparently, it's put out each year to enlighten college professors about the things that the year's incoming freshman have and have not experienced in their lifetimes.

A few of my favorite tidbits about this year's college freshmen?

They have never really needed to wear a watch- they just check their cell phones.

Speaking of phones- the landlines have always been cordless.

John McEnroe has never played professional tennis.

Many of this class do not know how to write in cursive.

And my personal favorite?

Nirvana = classic oldie.

How's that for ya?

Free To Be

Now I realize that I am in a highly emotional state these days, what with the raging hormones and all...but I saw a Target commercial the other day that brought on the tears!

When I was little, I had a record that I played over and over again.  My parents eventually replaced it with a tape.  And finally, as an adult, I bought it on CD for my classroom.

Are there any other children of the 70's or 80's that had a love affair with "Free To Be, You And Me" like I did?

How I loved that album.  I listened to it over and over again.  I longed for William to get that doll, and for Atalanta to win the race, and for Dudley Pippin to catch a break.

This new Target commercial shows some little tykes heading off back to school, while in the background the title track plays.  When I heard it, it stopped me mid-sentence and instantly brought me back to my childhood, laying on the floor in front of the record player, chin propped up on hands, feet swinging back and forth to Marlo Thomas and Friends.

Ah, nostalgia.

Thank you, Target, for bringing me back to those simple days.

Like I needed another reason to love Target, right?

Remember these?

Oh, 80's.  You were such fun.

I found this little slide show to be delightful!  If you are a child of the 80's, and you cared AT ALL about keeping up with the trends, you will certainly remember some of these.

And if you are a teacher...this will help you remember that our slap bracelets were certainly as annoying- if not more so- than Silly Bandz.

Enjoy!