A Tea Party Birthday

A few weeks ago, my little girl turned 5 and although it was a party at our home, it was actually quite nice. She wanted a tea party and so I obliged and transformed our living room into a parlor and we even had a visit from Belle the princess. The girls came dressed in their loveliest frocks and boys in their button downs and khaki's. We served tea, scone, pizzelles, muffins and mini cinnamon buns. It was a crisp October day in New York which luckily gave us the opportunity to spill out into the backyard since we ended up having more people than I expected. Everyone had a great time and my close friends and sisters stayed until pretty late chatting, laughing until the kids were thoroughly exhausted then we cleaned up and everyone left. I was so nervous that we'd have broken tea sets everywhere but the kids were very careful with pouring their tea and drinking from the tea sets, in fact the only thing that was broken was by me. It was a beautiful day for the most part.

Early that morning while I was frosting the cupcakes, Evalie snuck to take her seat at the table and began eating the snacks. It was cute to see her sitting quietly helping herself to a pizzelle I had to take a picture.

Happy Halloween

We spent the evening with a dear friend of mine who is leaving in a few weeks to move to Colorado so although it was a great party, it was bitter sweet. The kids (and I) had a blast but there was the undertone of how much we'd miss them in a few weeks. Its been so hard to find friends in this town, and really find genuine people (in life) that are honest and really care for us so I was a bit sad but really happy for her, her husband and three kids to move on happily to a new opportunity and a new start. Her lovely husband got a great opportunity and so they are moving to be with him..

Anyway, for Halloween...drumroll..please..Arielle wanted to be a swan! yay..so I made Evalie a baby swan to match. On wednesday, two days before, we had no costumes and Arielle gave me the guilt trip about being the only child without a costume...really, my reson for not buying them costumes was because I was lukewarm to the ideas she had proposed..Sophis the first (princess on Disney Junior), fairy princess (which she may have been already)..so when she said swan I got inspired and then I went out and bought everything I could find to make them these costumes! In a few hours the first night we had masks for all three of us and then we stuffed Evalies costume and begun to attached the feathers. I also did Arielles skirt that night. The next night, we just did a little feathering and fluffing and the swans were born! I thought they came out darling..

Arielle's friends were spiderman, a pirate, a material girl and Darth Vader while the the little girl was a ladybug. Evalie road in the wagon with her for sometime but also made friends with a scarecrow, a fox and some other characters along the way.

Apple Picking

I love the Fall in New York for a few reasons, one of which is Apple fest! By mid October, the apple orchards open up their farms to the public to come in and pick apples,drink cider and really just explore this otherwise closed space. Its like being in another world, surrounded by apples and just leisurely picking and eating them. We went on a nice warm and sunny day and the kids probably ate as many apples while we walked around as we picked to take home. u was really intrigued since it was her first time..she tried really hard to pick up a pumpkin and eating the apples right of the trees. She eventually figured out you could pull them off..but not before she left little bits marks on many apples.

First day at Kindergarten

 I have been thinking about this day for a while, probably since the moment I noticed how much Arielle had grown up and how mature she became over the year since her sister was born and she started Montessori school. I was nervous, happy yet anxious and unsure I had chosen the best thing for my sweet girl but as the day approached the excitement built up and alas, Monday morning arrived and we ( me and her daddy) escorted her down to the bus for her first bus ride to school. Although she has been institutionalized ( in the nicest possible way..daycare, Montessori school etc) I have always dropped her off and picked her up ( beside a few time when my mother would get her) so it was a big step for me and for her to be so indepedent. I was sure she would cry because she was still crying at drop offs in May..but we held it together.

She had lots of friends at the bus stop and two of them would be riding the same bus as her everyday so I knew she would not feel alone. Then the bus came and she waved goodbye with a backpack that was almost as big s she is. She found a seat in the front and off she went. 

 We looked at each other and jumped in the car to follow the bus...

we arrived at the school and waited..and waited and waited...I started wondering if we had missed her. But finally her bus arrived at school and she jump off smiling then she saw us and ran to us for a last hug but calmly walked to the front door of the school and went in. We wondered for the next few hours how she was doing, what she was doing and if she made it to class. We the bus arrived at the house, me, her daddy, Aneta her nanny and Evalie were all there waiting to get her and she was very happy to see us. I was relieved and when I asked her what she wanted to do to celebrate, she said she just wanted to go home. I felt good, she did great, we were all proud of her and she missed us. She is excited about school, she likes her teacher, she's  making friends and its been great everyday since.