Keeping up with Moolah: International Travel

"Mama," says Moolah, coming into the bedroom where I am folding laundry. "What if I lived in China?"  

"I'd miss you."

"Pretend went to China and pretend that I missed some of my favorite things so you sent me a package in the mail,"  

"How are you going to get to China."

"I'm going to walk."

"It would be faster to fly in an airplane."

"Yeah, but I'm going to walk.  Bye!"

"Um... OK."  

(Moolah goes to the small space between the couch and the TV.)

"Hmmm.  I bet Moolah misses pink baby, and her hug-a-planet,"  I say loudly.  "I should mail them."  I go to the living room, deliver the pretend package, and go back to the laundry.  A few minutes go by.  I start to get Ace ready for bed.

"Mama.  Pretend you came to see me in China.  Pretend you came to China right now."

"Well, I have to get Ace to bed.  Can I come to China later?"

"No, you have to come with Ace right now. You can fly on a plane.  I already packed for you,"  showing me her little silver purse.

"Where will Ace sleep in China?"

"I'll make a room for him right here..." gesturing to Ace's room.  She had covered all contingencies.  

"OK.   Hi Moolah. We missed you and we came to China to visit you."  

"Ace, you can go to bed right here, in China."

Ace does not protest, and goes to bed, in China.  After pjs, book and happy thoughts, I come out of Ace's room and go back to folding laundry on my bed. 

"Mama, pretend your bedroom is my office in China."

"OK."

"I have a bed in my office." 

"Really?"  

"Yes.  I work in a hotel."  

"What is your job in the hotel?" 

"I bake cookies for the people who stay at the hotel."  

"How do you do that." 

Moolah goes to her room and gets a photograph that is lying on the floor, and a few fairy magnets from a toy.  "I put the chocolate chips on the cookie like this," she says, putting the magnets on the photo, "and then I put it in the oven," she says sliding it onto a toy shelf, "and then it's done. Do you want to try?" 

"Mmmm.  That's delicious." 

"Careful.  It's hot.... You can stay in my hotel tonight.  My house in China is in my room."  

"It's a very nice hotel.  I'd love to stay in your China hotel tonight."

Ballet for the Birthday Girls

December 18, Moolah and I will have a birthday date to:  

The apple game

It took awhile to get the image, but here is the tangible part of the apple game, as promised. Teacher Jessie had several apples. They cut the apples and each child got to serve to the group. They tasted the apples and described them using adjectives (sweet, tart, crispy...).  They also learned the names and wrote them. The favorite was the Jonagold because the class includes a boy named Jonah.  They also wrote the names:  

Wee dark hours with Ace

Ace has been waking up early since the time change.  Yesterday I was lying in the dark with him in the living room sometime before 6 am trying to keep him quiet and snooze a little.  He was giving me hugs and kisses.  He was playing "tent" with the blanket and deciding who could be covered and what part of them ("arm out, Mama").  Then, suddenly he sat straight up and said 

"CHOO CHOO TRAIN, MAMA! CHOO CHOO TRAIN!"

There was a faint train whistle from across the river.  Something that a grown up would have tuned out.  It blew 5 or 6 times and was the most exciting thing of the day. 

Puff the Magic Dragon

Not the best video quality.. and the sound gaps are to cover up Ace's name (I'm not as sneaky smooth at editing as Daddy is). But... the performance art is all there!

Ballet Class

Off to class, with Princess Leia hair and shoes in a grown up purse...

Miss Kate taking the class into the studio (no peeking/photography allowed during class) 

Demonstrating after class.  

Just posing... 

Pas de deux....

Not letting his sister have all the fun! 

Your guess is as good as mine...

Halloween

Kitty Moolah 

Firefighter Ace (Daytime/Inside)

Trick or treat

Ready or not, here we come... 

Mama's Pumpkin