On turning 2...

Esmé's birthday was a great success which is a relief considering how much we had built it all up for her. For weeks leading up to the big day, Esmé made her wishes very clear. She wanted a cake. This cake had to involve a pig. And it better be pink. Well thanks to Sarah, the Girl was not disappointed. She produced a veritable work of art that tasted as magnificent as it looked.



















The party was tons of fun. And we couldn't have pulled it off without the generosity of our super neighbors and friends– Cynthia, Tara and Sofia. Without their yard we would have had a lot of sweaty, uncomfortable people crammed into our tiny garage. The celebration would have definitely been compromised.

The little ones swam. Crafted. And had an all around good time. The grown-ups seemed to enjoy themselves as well. Esmé received so many wonderful gifts, she's enjoying getting to know each one. Here are some highlights from the day, starting with the unveiling of her new kitchen in the morning...





















































































































To see more photos from the day, click here...

Mile High, Revisited

So we made it back to Denver last month. And what a different experience it was traveling with a nearly two year old versus a nine-month old. Being the thrifty folks that we are, we decided against getting Esmé her own seat on the flight. We just made it as children two and up are required to have their own seats. Fortunately the seat next to ours was never filled, so for the outgoing trip we had the luxury of three seats. We decided this would be the perfect moment to introduce Esmé to Elmo. The portable DVD player proved invaluable, and Esmé was taken with the red beast the first moment she laid eyes on him. All in all she was a good traveler, and we received compliments on her behavior from surrounding passengers, something I always consider a good sign.

The Oxford Hotel has become quite the home away from home for Kristopher, and the place couldn't be warmer or more accommodating. They treated us like old friends and treated Esmé to all sorts of stuffed animals as well. They keep a birdcage in their lobby, and Esmé grew quite attached to the two birds who call it home. She still asks to go see them sometimes.

Since we arrived on the weekend, our first order of business was to take a day to go to the mountains. Something we missed out on last time around. We headed out to Breckenridge, a beautiful ski resort town nestled in the Rockies. In addition to taking in the town, its playgrounds and farmer's market, we were also able to take a short hike to some spectacular views. We also enjoyed a super lunch at Relish, a place recommended by one of the stand operators at the farmer's market, she even introduced me to the owner. And yes, if you click through, that was our view.





































Even as the weekday began, we were still able to do some sight-seeing with Daddy. On Tuesday he had to head out to Boulder for business. We tagged along and took in the sites. We visited a playground that was in the most spectacular setting. With mountains rising up all around and a babbling creek nearby it was nothing like our playgrounds at home. Boulder also features a pedestrian-only shopping avenue, Pearl Street, that's full of all sorts of amusements including boulders (of course) for climbing and water features that kids are encouraged to explore. We had a terrific lunch at a place called The Kitchen that features almost all locally sourced cuisine.




















































Back in Denver we had plenty with which to amuse ourselves. One day we visited The Children's Museum of Denver which was super entertaining for us both. There was room after room of fun stuff to do. Here's Esmé dabbling in some gardening. There was a train room that kept her quite busy. Some arts and crafts. And finally, what was I believe her favorite part, a room just for dancing.




Another day we hit the zoo. The Denver Zoo is quite impressive with a huge selection of animals all in a beautiful, easy to navigate setting. Esmé had a great time.































We also spent a lot of time exploring the city itself. Denver also has a pedestrian-only street that is closed to cars, though they do have a free shuttle bus running the length of it in either direction. Esmé loved this bus and every time she saw it, she insisted we climb aboard. Often feeling worn out from the heat, altitude and a lack of sleep in general, I often acquiesced because it was a perfect (and free) way to keep her amused and rest my weary feet.

The food was great. The local food movement is alive and well in the Mile High City and we ate at a wonderful restaurant called Potager one night. Esmé wasn't as taken with the food as she was the Mr. Potato Head the waitress brought over for her amusement.



Esmé napped really well which meant I spent a lot of time in a dark hotel room. Though I was glad she was getting the sleep she needed, this was not the easiest part of the experience for me. Especially since I wasn't sleeping well at night. I became quite acquainted with those four walls, that's for sure.

Before we knew it, it was time to return home. Esmé was suffering from a low-grade fever which definitely mellowed her out for the flight. Again she was a champ and very well behaved, and after a few days back in her own element she was feeling just fine.

(Belated) Fourth of July

Mainly due to technical difficulties, the blog is way behind schedule. I'm hoping to play catch up this week. So without further ado: the fourth. A steamy, yet thankfully sunny day that started with a 5K for all three of us...



We finished in 28 minutes, Esmé coming in slightly ahead.

This was followed by some drumming...




And then some super messy painting...
















Maplewood does the fourth up big. There was a circus. Pony and camel rides (and yes, for the record we gave Esmé every opportunity to partake in a genuine pony ride, she, however, refused). And, of course, fireworks. For now we're sticking to the simpler activities, but it's nice to know there's much to look forward to.

Father's Day

Father’s Day this year was super great. We started our weekend with a train trip into NYC and trek to Chinatown for Dim Sum at the Chatham Square Restaurant. The food was great (and dirt cheap!) Esmé loved the sticky rice and tried many dumplings – we tried to screen them for shellfish but the Cantonese waitresses simply smiled at our questions and served the plates anyway.

After lunch we took a rainy walk through Chinatown and Little Italy and then over to SoHo where we let the girl run around the Scholastic Store. Finally we headed uptown to Penn Station and back to Maplewood. Esmé just loves rail transit – actually she’s pretty amused by just about any kind of ground or air transportation. Perhaps we’re looking at a future Secretary of Transportation here.

On Sunday we visited chez Sarah and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon with the Takacs clan – a rare event where everyone was present. It was great witnessing how happy this made our patriarch – and seeing Esmé and Rich together, imagining the Father’s Days to come.

June: You Can't Always Get What You Want

We're well into July now. So much so that June almost seems like ancient history. It was a busy month to say the least. And to say that the weather was a disappointment may very well be an understatement. A separate Father's Day post is coming, with a guest author to boot. I'll cover everything else here.

Weekend one turned out to be a bake-a-thon for me. Back in the fall I was very involved in our church's services auction. In addition to writing and editing the catalog I donated some French pastry to the cause. The assistant minister turned out to be the highest bidder and much to my surprise wanted all three pastries offered on the same weekend. In order to facilitate this, Esmé spent a day at the temporary day care with whom Kristopher's company has an arrangement. I was apprehensive about her going there. Other than the occasional hour or so at the nursery at the gym, Esmé hasn't had too much exposure to that sort of thing. Well, she handled it like a champ. She walked right in, took the teacher's hand and hardly looked back to wave "bye-bye." She lunched, snacked, napped, painted and played.

Here's some eye candy, er, pastry...




The next week brought a visit from Nana. For the most part the weather cooperated and we were able to take in the Statue of Liberty and the zoo. A visit to Nonnie and Pop-pop was also on the agenda. Kristopher and I managed a night out as well.




Nana's visit led into Kristopher's stay-cation week which turned out to be a bit of a wash, unfortunately. At every turn we felt we couldn't win. If the weather wasn't foiling our plans, then it seemed the fates were. We attempted a day in Central Park only to find the parking situation so dire that we had to turn around and go home. Then, since Esmé kept talking about "riding the pony," we dashed off to the Turtleback Zoo only to find the gates closed earlier than expected. Esmé was so distraught. As we turned the car around she kept listing the animals she had hoped to see, "Otters, sob, birds, sob, piggies, sob, Esmé ride the pony, sob..." It was heartbreaking. So we took her to Petco, the poor man's zoo. It did the trick. "Look Esmé, hamsters!"

With more rain in the forecast Kristopher wound up working from home a few days in order not to waste his vacation days. Still determined to give the girl a pony ride and make up for the Petco fiasco, we did take a day to visit a new zoo, Van Saun Park Zoo. After confirming that kids as little as Esmé could take a pony ride, we cued up for the big event. The only requirement since she was under two was that one of us would have to accompany her in the rink. As we waited our turn we both started to notice the condition of the rink: an absolute sea of mud. The poor pony could barely lift his feet. The handler was in Wellingtons which were caked. I was wearing flip-flops. Kristopher, his leather Cole Haan loafers. Hmmm. Then I remembered that the zoo had a carousel. So, yes, once again we pulled a bait and switch on our daughter.



Fortunately she didn't seem to mind.

Apples & Trees

So yesterday morning after cleaning up the breakfast dishes I wandered into the living room to see what Esmé was up to. And this is what I found. Mind you, we don't make it a habit of keeping coasters on Esmé's play table. This means she had to seek one out. And who could blame her? I mean those sippy-cup rings are so unsightly. Much more troubling than crayon scribbles, that's for sure. Of course this gives me hope that her Elizabeth/Kristopher DNA will predispose her to all sorts of other tidy behaviors. I see a future of toilet lids left in the down position. Shoes thoroughly wiped on doormats. Napkins in laps. Sinks free of toothpaste blobs. Of course, I'm getting ahead of myself now.

Mother's Day, Memorial Day, etc.

Mother's Day was absolutely perfect. We spent the day in Brooklyn, first revisiting a favorite breakfast spot followed by picnicking in Prospect Park with the Klopfers and Grandma and Grandpa. A visit to the zoo and a spin on the carousel were also on the agenda. We finished up the day at another one of our old neighborhood spots, and somehow we still managed to squeeze in some gelato, too. Like I said, absolutely perfect.

Well if Mother's Day was a banner day for me, then I could only describe Memorial Day weekend as Esmé's dream weekend come true. Let's see... we had Sofia's birthday party combined with an Ethan and Ella sleepover. I mean what more could any little girl named Esmé Lilly Takacs want, besides, maybe an endless supply of snacks always within reach.

We kicked off the long weekend in true holiday fashion with a popsicle. This new experience wasn't lost on Esmé. She already loves ice. Now her world has expanded to include flavored ice. I mean... wow.



Sofia's party was a blast. It included friends both old and new and plenty of cake. Birthday cake. Cupcakes. Lots of sugary goodness. The rain held off and as soon as the festivities wound down, Ethan and Ella turned up, suitcases in hand.


We introduced the kids to English muffin pizzas– a concept that was a little old-school for them, I think. And finished out the night with a movie (Bedtime Stories) and popcorn. Ethan and Ella will remember their Aunt Lizzie fondly for her "popcorn blanket." For now it's a novelty, a big picnic blanket spread out on the living room floor where (and only where) they can munch away. Later they'll see it as one of the many manifestations of their dear old aunt's overly anal-retentive behavior. Oh well. At least my couch has lived to see another day fingerprint free.

Speaking of our couch, Kristopher re-staged the picture from our last sleepover in November. You can view the original here.



In the morning we walked to the diner for pancakes. Then burned off the excess sugar at the local park. The Klopfers and Grandma and Grandpa hit the Turtleback Zoo while Esmé recharged with a nap. Then we finished the day with dinner on the patio.

So it looks like the summer is off to a good start.