Ohio déjà vu

Melissa found the Sesame Street exercise tape on amazon - the same one she and the sibs enjoyed when they were grade schoolers. It's still fun and timely in 2014

'nastics

Sylvie is going to a new gymnastics place this year.

Pros of the new place include:

1. It is much closer to home (Holliston as opposed to Ashland);
2. The program is considerably less rigorous;
3. Three of her buds from school are in her class (Sammie, Jax, and Maeve).

Cons of the new place include:

1. The program is considerably less rigorous (as Melissa put it, "at least she's getting some exercise");
2. The instructors seem kind of bored and disinterested; and
3. The place has somehow managed to distill the odor of little girl sweat to an intensity that could easily be deployed as a biological weapon.

All that really matters at this point, though, is that Sylvie has a great time!

Next time Daddy makes it to class, though, he's bringing a gas mask. P.U.!!

"Another Chapter In Bike History"

This morning Sylvie unexpectedly declared that she wanted to try her two-wheeler again, without training wheels. We'd tried enough times this summer, with no success, that I'd decided to wait until next year to press it again. She just didn't seem to be getting the hang of it.

For whatever reason, today it just clicked. Maybe it is all the time she's been spending on the scooter Willow and John got for her? In any event, she did a few yards "by herself" with me running alongside, and we called it a victory.

Then this afternoon she asked if we could go out again. I decided to take her to her school parking lot, where she'd have some room to run if she got the hang of it. Here is the result:

Evolving art

Two more fairies:

Snow fairy (she put her in red, Syl says, to avoid confusion with Elsa from Frozen):

And rainbow fairy:

These are pretty cool, Daddy thinks. But not so cool as this mermaid:

The reason I think this one is so cool is that Sylvie explained she made it by first drawing a bunch of shapes, circles and ovals, and then erasing the lines in between them to make the mermaid. I love that, because it wasn't an assignment someone gave her. It was just the artistic fancy that struck her this morning. Cracks me up!

An unseasonably beautiful weekend

An investment in Sylvie's future

That is how I choose to view the decision to take up my friend on his offer of a slot in a consortium of Patriots' season ticket holders. I have been on the ticket waiting list since 2001... along with who knows how many Super Bowl band-wagoners. No luck. So when this offer came around to buy into a group of ticket holders with field-level seats, 15 rows off the turf... well...

Here's the view from today's home season opener. Tell me I made a mistake...

I brought Sylvie home a Revis jersey. Every Sunday through the season: she's Sylvie Island.

And then on to Canobie

Immediately following the parade, Sylvie and I piled into the car and rocketed to Canobie Lake Park, where we met the Greens for some late-season amusement park fun. Sylvie's life doesn't stink...

Celebrating Holliston

This (chilly!) morning Sylvie marched in the Celebrate Holliston parade with a bunch of her friends and cast-mates in the upcoming Prana Center production of Peter Pan. Sylvie is "starring" as Fairy #__.  It is sure to be an epic performance, but for today she and her pals contented themselves with whipping candy at spectators. Afterwards, she casually remarked, "throwing candy... that's what today is all about." So at least she gets it.

Always good to find a friend. 

Braid by Daddy 

Peppy the Penguin (school mascot), with his bodyguard

Holliston Farm Day 2014

I'm a week behind, but last Sunday Sylvie had a great time with Jake and Madeline at Newfound Farm in Holliston, helping to celebrate Holliston Farm Day.