Happy Halloween (yesterday)

Halloween is a lot of fun for us right now. Sophia is at a great age for it, and our neighborhood really takes it seriously. As I said last year, the kids who trick or treat in St. Louis have to have a joke ready when they get to the door. Sophia loves the extra minute of face time this gets her. I imagine it's a good confidence booster even for the less outgoing kids. Since they're in costume, they all seem to be a bit braver to speak up.

Sophia's joke this year as she put it: What do you get for crossing Bambi and a Ghost?     Bam- BOO!
She got lots of laughs this year. And plenty o' candy.

Erick and I decided to get festive this year too. I like just pulling things together to see what happens. Erick went with the Leprechaun look... Sophia dressed as Gabriella from the movie High School Musical. It's also where our cat  got her name. Here we all our with our carved pumpkins behind us.

Another one of our favorite parts about Halloween is the neighborhood party. Hot dogs, drinks and cupcakes, all while looking at our neighbors in costume. It was even more fun this year for Sophia because with school, she has many more neighborhood friends, so she could join in the games of chase that preceded the Trick or Treat all clear...

Anyway, it was all great fun. I'm not a huge fan of Wednesday night Halloween, but what are you going to do?

Fall Frolics

 It's been a busy few days full of fall awesomeness. We've spent a lot of time outside, in spite of the thirty degree drop on Thursday after her field trip.

Friday, we were back at her school for Garden Day. Every year, Sophia's school invites the parents and kids to come winterize, weed and plant some hardy flowers. Sophia and I had a lot of fun with friends.

I'll be surprised if these flowers make it too long, but we shall see...

Yesterday morning, Sophia and I carved our pumpkins. This year, she was more than willing to get her hands dirty with the guts.

After carving, Sophia insisted on bundling up so she could go outside and read for a while. Since I completely understand the desire, I was more than willing to oblige.

Once it got dark, we lit up our pumpkins. This friendly ghost and a bat are now welcoming people to our building.

If there was ever any doubt that Sophia is a cold weather girl, this weekend would do away with it. This morning after finishing her leaf project for school, she asked to go outside to practice her swing. She loves being outdoors with chilly temperature.

It has been one of those great weekends. Erick has been nursing an injured back from his own golf outing yesterday, but we have still managed to have a marvelous time together. I love fall.

Field Trip!!

Sophia's Kindergarten class has had three outdoor field trips planned so far this year. Today's was the only one that didn't get rained out. I was so happy for all of them!

Along with playing, picnicking and picking pumpkins, Sophia got to take her first ride on a school bus. I think you can tell by the strut that she was pretty pleased about that...

We walked all around and through Shaw Park in Clayton, collecting leaves and such. Noticing and discussing signs of fall. It was a perfect day for it! Warm and sunny.

These are no redwoods, of course, but the kids had fun seeing how many Kindergartners were needed to stretch around the trunks of the trees. Most were about two kindergartners around, but this one was much bigger. The count was never made official because they kept joining and leaving. Still, it was a lot of fun.

That was a great way to spend a morning that appears to be the last really warm one that we may have for a very long time. 

The Best Day of Her Life

This weekend has been long awaited in our house, but not nearly as much as for our friends Nick and Hillary. They are officially Mr. and Mrs. Frey. I have never witnessed a couple that radiated happiness and love as much as those two did last night.

The truth is that it was a day that will live forever in Sophia's memory. I fully believe that. I'm about to tell you why.

The day started early at the salon. Sophia and I both had our hair done. It took about ten minutes for Sophia to get her hair done. The rest of the nearly four hours that we were there, Sophia was entertaining the wedding party and the other patrons with feats of magical skill. It was just the beginning of her day in the sun. Fortunately, Hillary was generous to allow Sophia some spotlight on her day.

Sophia isn't the first young lady that Hillary has become very attached to. The first was Sarah, seen here witnessing Sophia's magic. If Hillary has half the positive influence on Sophia that she has had in this incredible young lady's life, then I will be thrilled and grateful. Sophia said that Sarah was her favorite bridesmaid to play with. (Sorry, Clare. You, of course, were mine.)

This woman wasn't with us, but she had spent enough time admiring Sophia's tricks, that finally she got one of her very own. 

Here is Sophia practicing in her wedding shoes and giving the bride some tips.

I may be biased. Well, I am. But I love Hillary's friends. Here we are just before she got decked out in her stunning gown.

Nick Frey. Sophia's a fan of his, too, but this is about as close as she gets to touching him. Still a little bit of awe or shyness or something there.

Sophia, Hillary and Anna after the wedding. Such beautiful ladies. Full of love and life!

Jonathan was the ring bearer. And of her friendship with him she said, "Sometimes the world puts us where we find people who were meant to be our friends."

All weekend, Sophia was bringing little gifts to give to Hillary. She understood better than anyone, I think, how this was the biggest event of Hillary's life. This particular gift was Sophia's placecard with, "I love you" and part of her flowers inside.

Another unbelievable but true anecdote. As Sophia watched Hillary and her dad dance from here, she began to get some tears. When I looked at her with a question on my face, she said, "I'm crying happy tears."

Oh, and then started the dancing. Nick's aunt Pattie was the first to take Sophia onto the dance floor. She would not be the last.

Especially after the costume change.

Sophia literally danced the night away. She so enjoyed the dancing, but she liked being the center of attention even more. I hope she never forgets how much fun she had last night. Dancing, dancing and dancing.

Erick and I were so proud of our girl last night. She was fun, respectful, sweet. She seemed to understand what was happening, as much as any six-year-old can. Hillary's day was beautiful and perfect. I'm so grateful to have been able to share that with her and that she also shared it with Sophia. 

Now we have to try to recover for a normal week ahead... And hope that Sophia isn't too disappointed at not having an audience.

One Full Day of School - for me

Sophia's school is very proud, and rightly so, of the high level of parental involvement that they expect and receive. Especially in Kindergarten, they encourage parents to be there - a lot. I was at Sophia's school three times today, not including pickup and dropoff.

First event was the Storybook Picnic. It was the second outdoor excursion that has had to be brought inside for this Kindergarten class. The kids did amazingly well with the adjustment. I had a great time picnicking and reading with Sophia in her classroom. She is really working hard on reading. Every day she's a little bit closer to taking off entirely.

Second trip, was the usual Friday Sing Along. So much fun. This week fewer parents were there, so I had the pleasure of the company of three little girls instead of one.

Finally, every year, Captain parent teacher organization puts on an International Night. It was so much fun. The cafeteria is filled with tables that are occupied with Captain families who are first, some second, generation to the United States. They each provide a tasty treat that is common to their culture and any other facet they choose to share. For supper tonight, I had Borscht from Ukraine, sushi from South Korea, dumplings from China and many other delightful surprises.

Afterwards, we were entertained with Turkish music and global styles of dancing put on by some of the older kids.

I was so grateful to become more familiar, not only about global cultures, but about my literal neighbors and our friends.


Quite a day at Captain. Now I'm off to bed. Grateful for a weekend at home!

Birthday Weekend

It's safe to say that Sophia's birthday weekend was a huge success. A family day with Grandmary on Saturday. We went to St. Charles Oktoberfest (yes, they know it's September). Sophia got to make some crafts and buy a little something too. Of course a little family park play is involved pretty much any time you give us some open ground. 

It was a beautiful day to be next to the Missouri River.

Today was Sophia's birthday party. She chose to go bowling with her friends from preschool, Kindergarten and from life in St. Louis. That was a shockingly huge success. 

Quite the group of cute little hooligans. Sophia is blessed with the gift to make great friends. And I couldn't be happier for her.

I would love to know what she's so intently wishing for here. She knows better than to share it though. I just really hope that it comes true for her.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Dear Sophia,

I will try to remember not to call you baby in public because you've reminded me many times already that you are no longer a baby. Ever so true, darling, but as the saying goes, you'll always be my baby.

I have enjoyed watching you transform, this year especially, from a little kid into a kid who has plans and dreams of her own. As every year does, the year of being five has come with some growing pains. As we get used to you doing things for yourself, and you adjust to the expectations that brings, we have had to work to find our groove together. At times it's been a difficult adjustment, but it has been completely worth it. I can't wait to see what you get up to next.

Although many things have changed, your personality is still just the same. Loyal, glamorous, brave, affectionate, kind, thoughtful. Hilarious, of course. You do come by that naturally. We have had some incredible laughs together this year. My favorite part of humor that you've really taken off with is your word play. It's been fun to watch you use words to make your own original puns.

I am so grateful for the countless moments bursting with joy that we have had together this year. I cannot believe how lucky we are to get to come alongside you as you become more fully yourself. And I'm grateful to you, Sophia, for still allowing us to share in all the facets of your mind and personality. I can only hope that we can continue to earn your trust and that you will continue to give it as you get into your school years. I know that won't always be easy, but I will try to be a safe place for you to rest.

For now, I'll just wish you a very happy birthday, Sophia. I hope that you can feel today just a fraction of how much you are adored by all who know you. We can't help it. It's just that you bring out the love in us. Thanks for that today and always.

Your devoted

Mama