Three

Mariana had her 3rd birthday party today at a park here in Brooklyn. Fortunately the weather cooperated and fun was had by all. What craziness, trauma, excitement, and laughs does she have cooked up for us this year? We shall see.

Mariana and SeverineMariana with Sasha and local girl
Mariana with her main squeeze Benicio

hello again

Hello out there there there there.... Is there anyone there there there there...? I know I have not written in a long long time. I just wasn't feeling it. Life is settling down a wee bit lately. I have a steady job and my Dad is moved into his new place so I have a little bit more space in my brain for writing about my favorite topic: my daughter. She's turning 3 next week. Holy cow.

Here are a couple links to videos. One is from a long time ago that I did as a test but it's fun to see how Mariana has grown in just 1 1/2 years. The other was taken this summer as Mariana tries to beat the heat by "going to the pool" Bed Stuy style. I love that she can be so happy "swimming" in an old cat litter bucket on our front stoop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aS2geOTGR8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFumezTVaiU

Just a few pictures. Mariana last summer playing croquet. Hanging with Grandma and Grandpa at the Brooklyn Museum. And Mariana doing her Walrus impression.

the art curse

Portrait of a young artist at work in this photo. Here is Mariana working at a table found by her Aunt Maria and passed on to us. So far her drawings are just scribbles of color. Breaking crayons in 2, drawing on her feet and arms or the table are all more interesting at this point than making "drawings". I'm wondering at what point I'll be able to recognize things. She likes to ask us to draw things - cats, characters she likes ie: Elmo and Shrek, animals etc. Then she obliterates them with her marker or crayon. Hilary thinks it's her way of trying to follow our lead. Hmm, not so sure about that. She enjoys painting too - but I think mostly because she can make a huge mess. We'll expose her to this art thing if we have to- but only as a HOBBY.

Bomba Azul

Just ride baby

We went out tonight because Mariana wanted to ride her bicycle. It's actually a tricycle but hey, close enough. I was dragging my ass after working all day and really didn't want to go down to the basement to get her tricycle. This activity also often involves going up and down the block in the cold with breaks for hysteria. She has a tendency to get really frustrated by scooters and ridey things if she can't do it herself. Very independent that one. However since we last tried this tricycle she's grown a few inches and she can now reach the pedals easily. It made a big difference. We went up and down the block once with her just pushing along with her feet and me pushing from behind. On the 2nd trip I asked her to try putting her feet on the pedals while I pushed so she could begin to learn that motion, that wonderful magical spinning in circles motion that is bike riding. I WILL MAKE HER A CYCLIST DAMNIT! It was so cool to see how she can steer now too. The whole thing ended up reminding me of the inevitability of her growing up. That however she may seem now it won't last as she continues to learn and develop new skills - good and bad. I think I felt a simultaneous wave of pride and pang of regret that she's not so little anymore.

BrooklynVerni Day

I was going to write tonight to congratulate myself on how easily Mariana goes to sleep. Then she rolled around talking and jumping up and down and going wild for 1 1/2 hours. Hilary went up there twice to field bogus diaper alerts. At some point she cried out "Daddy? Are you there Daddy?" Usually we do as we (ok I) like to call it the drag and drop. There are no books, no story time, no singing- just a quick tickle on her chair, a family hug and then into the crib. Hilary and I live in mortal fear of this changing. Someday she'll have to go into a real bed and then she won't be contained anymore. I can't imagine her not coming out of her room repeatedly once she realizes she can. yikes.

Tomorrow is a big day for us. It's the 2nd annual BrooklynVerni Day. 2 years ago tomorrow we met Mariana for the first time. It's hard to imagine. We're going to celebrate by going out for dinner at Saraghina. yummy pizza. It's amazing how much she's grown in 2 years. From a little lump who couldn't sit upright without a pillow surround to the little girl she is today. Tonight she kept going into my backpack and pulling things out. I admonished her twice. I couldn't quite see and I thought she was doing it a third time so I started in on her. Only this time she wasn't. She put up her hands as if to say "whoa, whoa" and she said "I wasn't going in there". All that was missing was Jeez as in "I wasn't going in there, Jeez Dad, what a spaz.." In 2 years from lump to attitude.