Wednesday, July 30, 2014

A Perfect Day in Cooperstown

We started the day at the Cooperston Farming Museum which couldn't have been more charming. It was a quaint place for a quaint town and we were very lucky to be there for Story Time.






Here are the story tellers, complete with hand puppets and farm animal noises. After the talk, we leaned about clouds by experimenting with a humidifier and then went off to find all of the farm animal pictured in the book.








How about a go on New York's oldest (restored) carousel? I think we will! Forget horses, this merry go round has New York natives only...Zahra chose a skunk, Zayd a moose.






And tiny replica farm trucks? Yes they will!




WE inquired about a restaurant with a view of the water and were pointed to the Fenimore Art Museum cafe. What a view! We got to talk about lakes which Zayd had never even heard of before our long windy drive to Cooperstown alone Lake Ostwego.











We finished up to a trolley ride to the train station and two happy but tuckered out kiddos. Perfection.


Sunday, July 27, 2014

We Must Be Doing Something Right: Generosity

Last night in bed...

Me: I need you to get a good night's sleep, Zaydie, because we are going to Nani and Nana's house tomorrow.
Z: OK. Why?
Me: Well, Monday is Eid so we are going to celebrate with our family like Nani and Nana and Uncle Jon and Uncle Moon and all of the big boys.
Z: What's Eid?
Me: You know how its been Ramadaan (Yes) and how Mommy has been fasting (yes)? Well, the end of the holy month of fasting is coming and we celebrate with a holiday called Eid. We will visit family and you might get some presents. I will give you and Zahra something and Nana will probably give you some money.
Z: Really?
Me: Yes, we can go buy something with the money, if you want. You could pick out something.
Z: Can I buy presents?
Me: Of course.
Z: OK, but I am only buying presents for people I know, not for people I don't know.
Me: Oh! Who do you want to buy a present for?
Z: Uncle Moon. I want to buy him a helicopter.
Me: OK, get some sleep. We will definitely go get a helicopter tomorrow in Houston so you will be ready for Eid!

Here are some adorable pictures of Zayd and Daddy turning a big box into an Alien Robot.






Friday, July 25, 2014

Two weeks, two trips, buffered by Sesame Street

We spent two weeks trekking along the East Coast recently and we have come a LONG way, folks. Frankly, it was a bit hard. (And every time Zayd freaked out about being in NY or Delaware, we thought, "what will say about Germany!!") BUT, it was also wonderful. Seeing our families in Utica and then at the beach was great. The time together was great. Sesame Place was a huge hit with the littles, and happens to be perfectly between Syracuse, NY and Bethany Beach. Who could've planned it better? (No one, that is why I am a travel agent.)

Here are our beach pics and I will follow up with the NY side of things.



































One of my favorite things is watching the kids since we got back. They grew so much by being pushed outside of their comfort zone. Zayd went to the playground yesterday and immediately went up to a group of (much older) boys and just started playing with them and telling jokes. He was overdoing it, and I think the boys were laughing at him versus a friendlier option but I was so proud of him. This is our little boy who doesn't like change and has told me everyday this month that if there are new kids at school in the fall he is going to be mean to them. (Let's be clear on the fact that Zayd has never attended school so he is the newest kid and everyone he meets will be new to him.) BUT after a few playdates with his older cousin in NY and then endless late night hours of wrestling with his cousin Hayden, he has learned how to relate to boys...some. Or, at least, he wants to try.

Zahra has had some good with the bad on her return to Texas. I definitely slept in her crib three nights this week. (Bad. But her mattress is nicer than Zayd's.) Then I discovered that if I explain to her what I am doing, she seems OK with it. Asking her to lay down or ignoring her while staying nearby led to screams that led to vomiting; talking to her like a grownup makes her accept that its bedtime. Who knew! Amazingly, I can lay her in her bed awake (though drowsy) and tell her that I am going to get Zayd ready for bed and she says OK. And then, "bring Zaydie to me". (No lie!) She's asleep when I make it back.