Some strange things happened on the way to Clean!

When you get gum, ultimately you get gum in YOUR HAIR!

Phebe & Nora!

They showed up for a quick little Sweet 16 trip to the big city. For the second time they braved the subways and came out to hang in Brooklyn. I remember when Nora was about 2 years old when Phebe brought her home from China. I just can't believe Finley will one day turn into a long legged teenager! Sooner that you think, I know - just look at Mac. She's been all arms and legs since 9 years old. Metamorphosis!!!



She got that sweet camera for her birthday from her Grandparents. Her excited face as she snapped away was a sight to see. We love you Nora! Next time was have a sleepover on the roof!

Happy Father's Day Craig!

And his Pop and my Dad and Mattmos and all our brothers and all Papas EVERYWHERE!

Happy Birthday ANNIE!!

We hope your day is full of fun and ease and joy and yummy things and lots and lots of all the things you love! We love you so much!!!!

We saved a Goose!

Honk if you're Lost! Sandy and I saved this poor guy who was wandering around Washington Square Park all day. Some people said dogs had been chasing him in the morning. When we saw him first it was nearly 8pm and he was almost getting run over on Macdougal Street on the southwest corner of the park. Someone called the cops and we wrangled him back inside the park. The cops showed up and said "what do you want US to do with it? Just put it in the fountain!" Seriously. That was the guy said. I said "put him in your car and take him down to the Hudson River!" So Sandy and the two cops and I kind of wrangled him over to the open door and then Sandy kind of popped him up on the seat. There was about 100 people watching all this. The cop shut the door and off they went! This all took about 20 minutes and is now one of my favorite New York moments. So Righteous!

Gafield Street Block Party 2010!!

Bebe rockin the pork pie.


You have to be a pretty sick ticket to upstage a toddler wearing bright yellow poof head to toe sparkles and flounce... Ok, the Starz antennas I wear for every stoop sale but the pink vest and gold sequins were my neighbor's halloween cast-offs that found themselves on my body, somehow. No, I do not own them now!


Miss cheese eater of fantabulousness!


There were a LOT more people there a couple hours later along with the sun that eventually showed up but this video looks a little sparse to me. Could be the long length of freshly paved street we had. It was so fun watching Finley ride around with wild abandon (and skill!) with all the other kids - that should have been the video. Anyway, it was a barrel of fun this year. I met a lot of neighbors and one great possible babysitter. I also scored a sweet pair of blades fo' cheap! Can't remember why I hated roller blading so I need to remind myself::)) Craig had to work but made an appearance and Bebe even came out (and scored Craig's old pork pie!) Finley found herself this yellow ballet number that when on a stage might frighten me but on her scooter made her look like a glorious darting ray of sunshine!

Goodbye Sucky Baby

True to her word, the Sucker Fairy came on Sunday night and took the last of the suckers in exchange for more gum. So, there you have it. After three years and four thousand sucker hunts, the gig is up - our big girl is coping. Sleeping, being sad and getting boo boos all without suckers. The first night was Awful and had me second guessing myself, wondering if she wasn't ready yet. The way she cried for almost 2 hours - howling. "Ohhhhhhh, OOOOOOOOhhhh! I want to be TWO - I'm just little!!" It was truly harrowing. The second night was just as sad but shorter and I know in a few days she will be fine. The interesting thing is I can see already that her bedtime routine will be easier. She kind of keeps herself in a sleepy state for a long time with the suckers. Without it is stories and sleep - pretty fast. No more waking up and crying and looking. She has already slept deeper. Only waking up to stir cry out and promptly pee the bed.

No more night diapers either... The Diaper Fairy came on the same night but turns out she doesn't give you sh*@! Figures... :)

Destin, Florida

My cousins have had a house here for close to 20 years. This past week and for the first time we had an opportunity to go. My Aunt Anne invited us way back in January but all plans got pushed forward until June. They rent it out for most of the year but Anne was able to sneak us a week. First and foremost on everyone's mind was the DISASTER that is now The Gulf. It was heartbreaking to hear all the stories and see the looks on people's faces. This is their home, their way of life, their food - everything. The daily uncertainty of "is today the day the oil comes?" combined with the waiting and the knowledge it most certainly will was painful to watch. I was half expecting that we would be there with the oil and just be looking for ways to help or something OR that it wouldn't hit but turns out we just missed it. Hard to feel good about that - though we did have some stellar moments.

Rachelle (Anne's oldest) and Finley with some light reading


Rachelle's video:





One day this crazy storm rolled in - and just made you feel the impending doom. :(((( Sucks!!!

Gracie is Pink-a-rific!

Gracie came for a birthday week celebration and boy did we do it UP as you can see from the last couple posts. Well, she left yesterday and we are sad but Finley assures me while patting my arm "you'll see her again, Mama." Her big birthday gift to Finley was her first show. Pinkalicious is one of her favorites books at the moment for obvious reasons. It's about a girl who eats so many pink cupcakes that she turns pink. It is also an off-broadway show down on bleecker street. Gracie also gave her an amazing pink cupcake fairy costume - she almost out-pinked the star of the show. The show was SO good. Finley's jaw was dropped the entire time. I am always awed and humbled by broadway shows. I am hoping to go back soon - maybe Bebe wants to go? hmmmm?




Gracie doing her pretty princess pose. We love and miss you G - come back any time!!


We also hit Coney Island (a couple days before the new Luna Park).

Yes, we are on The Wonder Wheel in a swinging car at Coney Island!! She wanted to go, I swear! She was singing "...I ride the biggest rides! Bravery, I'm brimming with bravery..."

Lordy, I'm Forty!

The best birthday I EVER had. I can't imagine beating this one. (well, actually the BEST one was the birthday when we brought our two day old baby girl home:) The day started out with Craig and I leaving at 6am to drive to Connecticut to work - you KNOW you are grown up when that sounds great (Girosa Post forth coming - Promise!!) the crew had birthday cake for me and let us go early. Craig gave me the most gorgeous stained glass of the Tree of Life since the one we painted on the wall upstate had to stay with the house:( The action portion of my birthday happened Friday with a two hour class on the flying trapeze! Craig, Gracie, Pops and Lisa were there to witness while Sandy and I both flew. We learned to put legs over the bar and swinging upside down, a backflip and finally - a catch! Let me tell you, for this chicken - flying is the way to go!! Though I am sore as hell and have some strange bruises, I know I will be going back someday. Then it was a stroll across town to the Spring Street Natural restaurant which was the perfect choice because they had something for everyone - delicious veggie fare and meat for those who partake of the carcass (it's my birthday post, I can say what I want!) but especially lots of space and windows and plants with a groovy eclectic flair. One my very favorite parts was watching Finley's face sing me happy birthday for the first time very sincerely. She even sang "... to Cami..." SO sweet. After dinner Gracie, Craig, Finley and I - we took an even longer stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge which I haven't done in years. For me, the perfect celebration. Not to mention all the great gifts (c'mon - that cookbook??) and wishes and songs from far and wide. I feel extremely blessed and loved - strong and ready to face the next forty! In honor of this marked day, I am also going to increase the size of this text on this blog just an itty bit:)











A Contented Woman, Forty Years Old