Picks of the Week 10/17/2011-10/25/2011

10.17

By the time we finished with this bubble hat, it was almost as tall as Stella. 

10.21

Story time at the Edmonds Library is much more than stories.  In fact, it's 40 minutes long but we usually only read one book.  Instead, the librarian rocks.  And, by rock I mean she wails on an accordion, sings and leads the kids in circle dances.  Claire (front and center) loves her - and the little egg shakers they are all playing here. 

10.24

Monday's festive Halloween shirts. 

This shot was taken right before school.  Gary is using his jedi mind tricks on Claire, silently persuading her to remove the rice cake from her mouth and hand it over. 

10.25

Tuesday's shirt selection is outshined by what was apparently "wild hair" day. 

10.26

On Wednesday morning, Stella and I enjoyed our regularly scheduled coffee date with my friend Steph and her daughter Josie.  We parted ways about ten minutes before Stella's gymnastics class was supposed to start.  On our way up the hill, I saw several little girls dressed in costume.  "Look Stella, it's Darby.  She's dressed like a princess."  Humm, I thought.  Why is Darby dressed like a princess?  "Look Mama," Stella squealed, "It's a pumpkin."  Sure enough.  There was Lily.  Also from her class.  Dressed like a pumpkin.

Then it hit me.  (I'm a little slow these days...) I forgot the costume.  I looked at the clock.  Four minutes until class.  I was about seven minutes from my house.  Ughhh.  Should I just take her to class?  Was it really that big of a deal?  Then I looked at her in the rearview mirror.  Her big eyes following all the little girls as they walked into the building... 


Yep.  It was a big deal.  I couldn't let her be the only kid without the costume.  (And, I couldn't be the one Mom that forgot.)

I gunned the accelerator, pulled away from the three way stop in front of the Frances Anderson Center and raced up Main Street Hill.  When we got to the house, I flew upstairs and looked around.  This year's costume was no where to be found.  I swore.  But, there, on the floor of her room was the butterfly she wore when she was 11 months old.  Thankfully she and her sister had been playing dress up the night before.  And, thankfully I hadn't picked up her room.

After breaking one or two traffic laws, we made it to class about ten minutes in - right before the group photo.