Don't Worry Mama, You're Going to Love Five!

Those were the exact words of comfort she told Mama Mer when Mer said, "I'm feeling a little sad that you're turning 5." One day we're fighting with her swaddle and the next we're organizing a snake party. Yes, you read that correctly. My princess and Dorothy loving daughter requested a snake party... a python party to be exact. Alas, we could only come up with a 5 foot long rat snake which suited the kids just fine. Lucia loved being "queen cobra" for the day and even shared candle blowing duties with her little sister. Thanks again to Auntie Cathy for providing the trick candles... who doesn't want to eat a cake covered in kid spit??

To the Victor(s) Go the Spoils...

...and the lollipops, and Snickers and Twizzlers, etc. etc. The girls thoroughly enjoyed their first trick or treating tromp through the 'hood, but they especially enjoyed the aftermath. Tigger made it about a block before I had to carry her home and Ida (have I explained that one yet? No? Her costume was based on the main character of this book) would have danced all night if we had let her. Speaking of tromping, on our latest adventure Luce took her camera along and produced some interesting results... I think we may have a future Annie Leibovitz on our hands.

A Luce Tooth...

On October 16th, we went to bed with a wiggly tooth and didn't think much of it. These things usually take a few days right? We should have known better...the very next day we received this picture from our awesome sitter, which sent the Tooth Fairy scrambling. Luce was very excited of course and Mamas were in no way emotionally prepared for this momentous occasion. Where's that pause button when you need it?
In addition to painted ponies going up and down, this month was also filled with fantastic fits of fall fun with friends, phew. From corn mazes to Blue Hills we tackled the great outdoors with gusto... and what's more fun than climbing a mountain? Running down the back of it of course. Finally, it's hard to believe that in two short weeks we went from swimming in the ocean, to snowpants. While I froze my tootsies off on the field, the girls enjoyed all the typical pre-Halloween activities. Let's hope it melts in time for our trick or treating adventure... these costumes won't quite look the same under winter coats.

So Long Summer, Thanks for Everything...

So this picture was taken on October 9... on a beach... in Maine. Nah, there's no such thing as global warming. No matter, the Mothers Goose will take advantage of melting polar ice caps if it means long weekends spent like this. In addition to frolicking by the seashore, we also took a minute to celebrate my birthday. A word about the cake, the girls each had creative input. Luce thought I would really like a Patriots cake (she's right) and Carmen insisted that my cake have "GUMMY WORMS!!!" (she says it like that every time). So, Nonne took those demands to the bakery department... and came back with this. I'd like to know who this "Fram" person is.

Other random acts of cuteness:

Carmen has been very concerned about fire safety and is excited for Halloween.

Lucia has been practicing her oratory skills... perhaps leading up to her run for the Hawaiian state senate?

In addition to her impromptu speeches, Luce has also given us these gems:

"Everyone is lucky in their own way."

"It's ok mom, you just worry about yourself... I'm fine."

"Mom, is it ok if we just pop our heads in the gift store?" (said during a recent trip to the science museum)

Sometimes I find it hard to believe that we still have 8 years to go before she's officially a teenager.

Dialogue From the Backseat v.II and Other Trouble Tales...

Lucia's Mimi taught her a fun new game to play in the car. It involves thinking of a number and the other passengers trying to guess it (we keep it simple, nothing over 10). Carmen decided she wanted to play, so when she said "My tuurrrrn!" Lucia agreed... it went something like this:

C: I got my numbah!

L: Is it 2?

C: No.

L: Is it 7?

C: Nope

L: Is it 9?

C: Nnnnnope!

L: (lists all the numbers 1- 10)

C: Noooooo!

L: What is it?!?

C: It's L!

L: THAT'S NOT A NUMBER!

Ah that Carmen... she sure loves a good game. She also has a new one that sorta resembles a magic trick. (or twick as she would say).

C: Cwose your eyes!

Me: (eyes closed)

C: Now open your eyes!

Me: (eyes open)

C: It's chocowaaaate!

Please note: 1) the "supwise" is always chocolate and 2) no actual chocolate (or anything for that matter) has ever been produced by the magician. She just likes saying it.

Finally, today during lunch whilst I was in the kitchen I heard Carmen say, "Here you go, you can have some." (mind you, it was just me and Carmen) I turn around to see Carmen feeding Pirate's Booty to one of the kittens - who was happily licking it. I exclaimed, "Carmen no!" So she looked at me, semi-guiltily, then popped the piece of Pirate's Booty in her mouth. Lovely.

For more classic Do-Dah moments, please observe here.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Please Give a Warm Welcome to: Cash and Dazzle

Can you tell them apart? Neither can we.

We spent the long Labor Day weekend relaxing at home, preparing for the new school year and kitty shopping. Truth be told, we only went to one place and there they were -- two adorable sisters, just like ours. We hadn't intended to get all black kitties again, but the girls fell in love and then well, the rest is history. A note about the names: Lucia has always liked the name Cash (as in Johnny) and it seemed perfectly fitting given her coloring. The other name came out of left field. It was going to be Volcano for the longest time (Lava for short) then she thought that Scorpion would be a good name - - because, "like scorpions, cats walk with their tails up." Luckily, at the last minute, inspiration struck and Luce turned to Mama Mer and said, "I know, how about Dazzle?!?" Yes. Please. Anything but Volcano.
In case you're wondering, no Carmen did not get a say in the naming process. Though she has been asserting herself more and more. Case in point, today's sibling argument on the ride home from school:

C: "blah blah blah Mama Mer's towel dwess...."

L: "It is not a towel dress, it is called a robe."

C: "It's not a wobe, it's a towel dwess."

L: "ROBE!"

C (full lung capacity): "TOWEELLLL DRREEEESSSSS!!!"

I'm with Carmen on this one, I much prefer towel dress. In fact, I think I'll go trademark that now.

And August Goes Out with A Wooooosh...

See what I did there? With the hurricane Irene reference? Anyway... hot off the heels of camp the Mothers Goose decided that they needed MORE FUN in their lives and headed down to Connecticut to attend a good old fashioned state fair with our long lost friend Schindler and her adorable family. Lucia wasted no time buddying up to Annie and the two of them had a blast "fairing it up." The road trip started off a bit shaky with Carmen projectile vomiting the contents of her lunch, but luckily that was just when we were picking Mama Mer up from the office, so we had time to hose everything down... Carmen recovered from the incident quite nicely, must be all that tiger blood. Upon returning to Boston, we had another treat waiting for us in the form of another Seattle cousin visit! Jackson had a blast hanging with the cousins and Carmen did her best to "use her words" with him. "No Jackson, I don't wike dat!" was heard on more than one occasion. Luckily, we had the beach with the pre-Irene waves to keep us all busy and tuckered out.