I feel like the world is divided up into people who really get into Halloween, and those who feel rather ambivalent about it. I definitely fall into the latter category. I don’t think I’ve really dressed up in costume since third or fourth grade. Otis, however, enthusiastically falls into the first category. Thanks to the relentless hinting of Fifth Aunt Grandma K, he’s been talking about his costume for ages. (Ahem, she’s also been talking about Christmas for the past month or so.) Luckily for me, Otis is pretty decisive. He went to see the Ringling Brothers Circus a few months ago, and well, the rest is history:

The costume was surprisingly easy to make, despite how scary and stretchy swimsuit lycra is. And, well, if you’re going to make one spandex Halloween costume, you might as well make two:

Hers was a little more challenging because I actually had to make a pattern for it myself, but it came together without too much fuss. I basically traced one of her old onesies. Here’s F, working with the kids on the show they’re going to take on the road. What a stage dad!

And I just love this picture with his friend, Mr. Incredible:

It feels so indulgent, making Otis a costume just to wear for this one day. And not just any old costume, but one that is flamboyant enough to guarantee embarrassment by the time he’s got a fuzzy upper lip and a driving permit. I’ve felt guilty and embarrassed each time people have commented on how much time it must’ve taken to make his costume because for sure, there must be more worthy ways to spend my time. But it has also been so totally worth it to see the shameless pleasure on his face. I can already see him starting to feel self-conscious here and there, and it breaks my heart to think that his innocent enjoyment will soon be replaced with something more grown up. I want to enjoy this too-short time for as long as I can. Pretty soon, he won’t want a homemade costume anymore. So for now, he will get the costume that he wants. And of course, the tenderness in my heart doesn’t stop me from putting on video tape an interview where he states quite emphatically that the idea was his and his alone.

F and I are staring at his bag of loot, wondering what our candy policy should be this year. Hope you all had a great Halloween!

We are now a fully bicycled family! It started with Otis’s purple Craigslist special, continued with my supercute! bicycle, and ended with F’s recent purchase (sadly, not Craigslist. It feels like we’ve betrayed an old friend!) with our old bicycle seat attached to the back. I love the idea of the whole family biking together. F or I have been biking with Otis to school regularly, and the ride back from school is on a slight incline. F and I agreed that while it is by no means a workout, it’s just invigorating enough to wake up our stiff muscles.

I searched high and low for a bicycle helmet that would not make me feel dorky, and I ended up with this Bern helmet (I think it’s clever how they have different accessories for the different seasons). It has this funny little visor on it, which I thought would be rather useless, but actually it’s been great. While I’m biking, I’m constantly thinking, “Hey, this visor thing really works!”

See?

The whole family went out for a ride this past weekend to the Farmer’s Market. Hey Bee, how do you feel about your first bike ride?

No, really, it’ll be fun! What do you think?

Girl, don’t be a hater. Actually, she really enjoyed herself, and she showed no signs of being scared, which was just as surprising as the fact that Otis was terrified the first time he got in the child seat. Here’s the rest of the fam. Can you see a tiny bit of Otis’s sparkly fuschia streamers? Even though I have a daughter now, I’m still trying to girlify him!

I don’t have any illusions that we’ll become a true biking family. I’ll confess that we are thinking rather seriously about buying a second car, although I wish wish wish that it didn’t have to be so. But in the meantime, I’m thinking about one of these cool setups, which allows you to carry groceries and your kid at the same time, but not in a bike trailer, which appear dangerously low for a car to see. (And hey, they’re a local company!) It’s become more evident to me that I will not make going to the gym a priority anytime soon, so I’m looking for ways to make my every day life a little more active. How are you guys keeping yourselves from becoming lazy lady lumps?

We celebrated F’s birthday over the weekend. Although I’m not sure it was that much of a celebration for him, as this weekend was Otis’s school’s annual camping trip. My birthday always falls on the annual sleepover, where all the kids sleep at school and parents get a night to themselves. Let’s just say that I have the better end of this deal. But don’t worry about him, we did actually have a birthday dinner with friends, and the celebrations will continue into this week and perhaps the next.

I’ve been wanting to make F ever since I saw this post from The Purl Bee. I love their projects, especially their projects for men, but I actually really had some trouble with their pattern and ended up having to take apart one of F’s old ties and make my own pattern. So what would’ve been a Father’s Day present turned out to be a birthday present. But don’t let that deter you from trying this pattern yourself, as it appears that plenty of people have had success. I was really excited to buy some Liberty fabric, which I adore, but is so pricey that I felt like I needed just the right project to justify the purchase. I’m pretty pleased with the results, and F even had occasion to wear it on this overcast day. I just love it when my presents get used!

Remember our beloved chalkboard table that I made for Otis? Well, it’s a goner. We had to get rid of it some time ago when Ms. Bee, who might more aptly be known as The Silent Menace, became more mobile and extremely interested in anything that belonged to Otis. We had to get him a grown-up table, and we still hear shrieks of agony as her tiny, groping hands continue to clutch at the edges and manage to snag something precious. Lately, though, Bee has started to show an interest in pencils and art making herself, so it seems only fair that she have her own Bee-sized table.

Before we gave the old table away, I removed the legs that I had purchased from Ikea. I had been saving a large end of a butcher block counter from a recent kitchen renovation at a relative’s house, and it made a perfect kid-sized table. We just put the old legs on the butcher block, and now we have a nice, hefty table that can withstand a lot of abuse. I love how Ikea components can be so flexible. In recent times, Otis has been enjoying these small construction projects (he loved taking the table legs off), so I thought he would enjoy doing this with me. I drilled some holes in it, and gave the screwdriver to Otis. But one screw later, Otis lost interest and the following conversation ensued:

O: You can do the rest!

me: Oh really? I thought you wanted to help me make this table.

O: I do. But I don’t want to do this work. I’ll be the manager.

F and I exchange glances.

me: The manager? Uh, what does a manager do?

O: Oh, a manager says, “Good job!”

me: Hmm. And what does a manager say if a person doesn’t do a good job?

O: They say, “Do it again! And again! And again!”

Does this kid have potential or what? Right after we finished the table and brought it in, Bee climbed right up there and made herself at home and promptly made pencil marks all over it:

Today, I just covered it with grey chalkboard paint, so we once again have a kid-sized chalkboard table. Later on, I may reattach the magnetic strip and paper holder, and we’ll have a complete reincarnation!

Otis at graduation

School started this week, and all week long I’ve been thinking a lot about change. Last Friday was graduation at his school. I know that many people laugh at the concept of a preschool graduation, that we congratulate our children for insignificant “achievements” but this was not like a cap and gown ceremony at all. Since Otis’s school is a mixed age preschool, it’s a really significant rite of passage. At the same time that the graduates are saying goodbye to this place that they’ve ruled for the past year, the next oldest group of kids glimpse what’s to come in the upcoming year, with a new role in the school and the accompanying responsibilities. Two years ago, there were only two graduates that I only knew vaguely, and it mostly special because of the party afterwards. But this year, I knew these kids. I’ve spent a lot of time with them, and I felt a real sense of loss. It also made me think about this community that we’ve built at this school: not only do I know the kids intimately, but we also know the parents and the teachers, and I could call them all my friends. I hang out at the school, and I’m a part of school life. It feels like all of that will change in kindergarten. Things will happen at school that I might not hear about from the other kids or the teachers. I won’t be able to dawdle and spy. I won’t know all his classmates anymore, unless they are playmates. He will be growing up. I cried from the moment we got to school.

I’ve already noticed changes at school. The school is quieter, and the play has changed. Even his identity has changed: the other Otis graduated, so we are slowly getting used to being just “Otis” and not “Otis T,” as he has been known for the past two years. Otis, however, is excited as can be. He’s looking forward to his role as one of the big kids. With little competition, he is the first one at the swing every day. And he is taking his role as mentor and teacher very seriously, as he leads the new students around and shows them the ropes. There is much talk about “sponsibilities” very day. And he can’t wait until graduation.

It feels like I spend a LOT of my time thinking about presents for kids, and I’ve been so happy that lately I’ve been making craft kits, sticker books, and t-shirts instead of buying toys that may or may not ever see the light of day. I recently came up with another idea: an on-the-go doodle kit. We have a little flexible plastic pencil tote that contains a lightweight sketchbook (I bought a ton of them at Muji when we were in Taiwan) plus some oil pastels or crayons. I usually throw this kit into my purse or under the stroller when we go out to eat or when we are running errands that require waiting. It has saved us tons of times during long and otherwise restless waits at restaurants, and I thought other kids/parents might enjoy the same.

I wanted to have something a little special in our kit, though, and I decided that it needed a fun drawing tool. Otis and I recycled some crayons that we acquired at East Bay Depot by breaking/cutting them down to small chunks and melting them in a star-shaped silicone cake pan. It’s a great way to use up old, broken crayons, or even the crayons that you get free from restaurants. You can use any shape you want – use an old muffin tin, or even melt it in a big sheet and cut them into shapes while still warm with a sharp cookie cutter (though I’m not sure you’ll want to bake anything edible in the pans afterwards). We broke up the crayons together and Otis arranged them in our cake pan. Then we sat in front of the oven and watched them melt very slowly. (We baked them at 200 until they were melted, about 15 minutes.) It was a fun project to do together, and he found the cutting of the crayons quite satisfying:

yes, there he is with the superman outfit again

I found a great substitute for our beloved Muji notebooks in these fantastic little sketchbooks from Moleskine. I love their regular sketchbooks, and they make these thinner versions in a variety of wonderful colors. They fit just right into a clear plastic “binder pouch” that I found at Target (I need to go back and buy a bunch before all the back-to-school supplies are gone!) and I added a star shaped crayon tucked into a little sewn drawstring bag. I will attach a little tag that will inform our gift recipient that the crayon was “Made by Otis.” I know some prefer to limit their use of plastic, and you can definitely sew a larger drawstring bag instead; there are so many possibilities.

I love this little doodle kit! And I hope our gift recipient will, too.

We finally got Otis a big kid bike. He’s been speeding around on his beloved pedal-less bike, but he’s finally outgrown it. We got a second-hand bike from Craigslist (thanks, Craig!) so it comes complete with a horn and a white plastic basket with pink flowers on it. He was excited to take it for a spin, so we biked to school.

During the inaugural bike ride Otis:
- fell over but got right back on
- crashed into a parked car
- almost biked right into the street when he couldn’t remember to brake
- got tangled up in several bushes and curbside plantings
- started to get the hang of braking with the pedals instead of putting down his feet
- got really scared, but kept going
- conquered his fear temporarily while we crossed the biggest street during our ride in order to honk continuously: “honkee! honk! honkee! honk!” He also thought it necessary to honk at one car that was a block and a half away.

During the inaugural bike ride I:
- almost flipped over the stroller while trying to push it and catch a runaway bike at the same time
- felt a few more hairs turn grey
- had a few of those “heart caught in the throat” moments while I realized that Otis was one step closer to growing up

I think one thing that made that first ride especially difficult is that there is a slight decline to the route. I realized that when we rode home one day on the returning incline, and I was quite sure that snails were creeping faster than we were, especially when I was getting a steady stream of orders: “Hold me! Don’t hold me there! Push me! No, don’t push me so hard!” F and I were remembering his extreme caution when he was learning how to push around on his Like-A-Bike and it looks like he’s doing the same thing now. He wants us to hold him until he’s “ten or maybe twelve years old.” F confessed to feeling very sad when he put the bike in the basement for Bee. Looks like he had his own “heart in the throat” moment.

Since that first bike ride to school, I have purchased my very own bike too (thanks, Craig!). It’s a very cute retro-style aqua green bike. It was a very defining moment for me when F asked me: “So, what’s more important to you – safety or looking cute?” Answer: “Well… of course, safety…. but looking super cute is VERY cute.” We’ll soon be tooling around, looking very cute together, although unfortunately I don’t have a costume to wear.

I am head-over-heels smitten with this girl. I just can’t get enough of her. I could spend all day: rubbing the soles of her feet; inhaling her sweet baby scent at the back of her neck; brushing her hair; watching her with Otis, the two of them starting to invent their inside jokes; obediently feeding her bits of fruit as she signs more! more! I am her willing slave, just to catch a glimpse of her face, lighting up with happiness. I never thought I would know the joy of having a cuddly baby, full of kisses and hugs and the want and need to be held close and tight, and I tell you it is heaven.

As an aside, we had been having such issues with Otis, who at some recent point decided that there was no greater joy in life than torturing his sister. Never did an opportunity go unseized where an innocent foot could trip up a baby or a long-forgotten baby toy suddenly beg to be played with. I was pulling my hair out trying to get him to treat her with the same consideration that he treats his friends at school. I empathized with him, of course, but it was getting to the point where I couldn’t leave a room for 3 minutes without someone complaining loudly of the other’s crimes. One day, though, I asked him if he needed to be shown how to play well with Bee, just like the way his cousin Dede had done, paying attention to her cues to see what she was interested in, and trying to figure out what her limits were. He declined my offer, but it seems that he started to think about it because I noticed a few days ago that things were suddenly more harmonious. After this went on for a couple of days, he told me that he was trying to play well now, like Cousin Dede did. I’ve been really proud of his efforts, and Bee has been lapping up his attentions. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that things will just go uphill from here. Now I’m just going to have to make sure that Bee doesn’t take advantage of him!

We’ve returned from our trip visiting family in Ohio, and have been settling back into our old routines. We had a great time seeing F’s family, and in fact, it turned into quite a reunion as more and more family members showed up. Otis and his 6-year old cousin, Dede, instantly fell into a great rhythm, playing amazingly well for the majority of the trip, which was really wonderful to see since they’ve never had much opportunity to spend time together. Some highlights from the trip:

snowballs in summer:

Dede and her family made 6 snowballs in February and packed them away in the freezer. Mid-July was the perfect time for those snowballs to come out, soften a little in the heat, and be tossed at the shed in the backyard:

3 cousins hanging out with Grandad and Vaba:

grocery stores so big that one can drive their children in enormous shopping carts:

visiting a dairy for ice cream and playing:

(Whose brilliant idea was it to fill a children’s play area with tons of kernels of dried corn that are almost impossible to resist putting in one’s small, tender mouth?)

Bee getting ready for her first swim:

verdict: hated it, then loved it. Looked irresistible in her first bathing suit.

We even had the chance to visit a dear friend, whose family farm is one of my favorite places in the world:

It is here that Otis caught his first glimpse of how magical fireflies can be.

It already feels like summer’s over, since summer session has started at Otis’s school and the weather’s been surprisingly cool here. We’ll have to pack in our last bits of summer fun while we still can. Have you been traveling this summer or staying close to home?

One of the best presents I received after Otis was born was a collection of three CDs made by a couple of our friends who happen to be really knowledgeable about music. I am pretty clueless myself, and would probably still listen to Duran Duran if I could, so I like learning about other music. And I appreciate the time and thought that goes into making such a present. It’s like sewing or knitting a present.

We are attending a mini-family reunion of sorts, and I made copies of these two CDs for Otis’s cousin. One is good for sleepytime, and the other is good for all-around fun. We like he likes it. I thought I’d share it with you, too. You’ll recognize much of it, as I did, though I never thought of much of it as good kids’ music. And I’m not necessarily saying that Otis prefers listening to this over music about monsters and animals, but I sure do like it, especially the Asleep collection, which I would play when Otis was screaming in the car. If you have other grown-up favorites that are good for kids, I’ve love to hear about them.

Otis Awake:
Ooh Child – Nina Simone
Blackbird – The Beatles
The Lion Song – Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Three Little Birds – Bob Marley and the Wailers
Cupid – Sam Cooke
Car Song – Woody Guthrie
Buckets of Rain – Bob Dylan
I Had A Good Mother and Father – Palace Brothers
Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor – Woody Guthrie
Paradise – John Prine
Joshua Fit The Battle – Elvis Presley
What The Deep Sea Say – Woody Guthrie
Loves Me Like A Rock – Paul Simon
Blueberry Hill – Loretta Lynn
Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding

Otis Asleep
To Know Him Is To Love Him – Dolly Parton
Love Me Like A Song – Willie Nelson and Kimmie Rhodes
Can I Sleep In Your Arms – Willie Nelson
How’s The World Treating You – Allison Kraus and James Taylor
Hobo’s Lullaby – Arlo Guthrie
Over Yonder (Jonathon’s Song) – Steve Earle
Birds and Ships – Billy Bragg and Wilco
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Johnny Cash
This Side Of The Blue – Joanna Newsom
La Noyee – Carla Bruni
Rene and George Magritte With Their Dog After The War – Paul Simon
Prelude No. 7 – Chopin
Gymnopedie 1 – Satie/Jean-Yves Thibaudet

See you next week!