Some more pics from Zoe’s party, which included a Jedi-training class from Anakin Skywalker. I think the last photo is my favorite…

-M

Zoe had her (early) 6th birthday party today. Everything really worked out: The weather was gorgeous, lots of Zoe’s friends – both old and new – came, and our Star Wars theme seemed to go over well. Most importantly, every time I saw Zoe at the party she was grinning or laughing – which, of course, made all the planning worth it.

More pics soon!

-M

Speaking of cuddling, the girls were all lovey-dovey and playful the other morning at breakfast. (Bad parent alert: Yes, they ate while sitting on the counter. Good parent alert: Yes, we let Avery wear her tiara. Freedom of expression, right??)

-M

We just got back from our first parent-teacher conference at Zoe’s new school. There’s not too much to report – Zoe’s happy, the teachers are happy, things are going well – but I had two favorite moments. First the PE teacher told us that Zoe was caring and compassionate towards her classmates, noting that this isn’t always the case with children of this age. (“You guys have done a good job,” he told us – but I laughed and said I think we just got lucky.) Then, her art teacher (who I’ve never before met) walked in the room, looked at me and said, “Wow, you look just like your daughter.” After years of hearing that Zoe was the spitting image of her father, I’ll take it!

-M

Zoe may not be old enough to officially vote yet, but she held her own little election – complete with ballots and write-in candidates – at home yesterday afternoon. Her vote for president? Her teacher, Mr. Ferris!

-M

I’ve written before that (the very energetic) Avery doesn’t stop moving to cuddle very often. But I love it when she does!

-M

Avery has entered a new phase of throwing the (almost) daily fit, complete with loud screaming and red face. Tantrums aren’t news to us – Zoe still occasionally has them - but I had forgotten how intense they can be, how quickly they can come on, and how quickly they can pass. (Avery can be screaming her head off one minute and then laughing the next.) It’s also new – and entertaining - to have a little mommy around to chime in. “I think she’s just tired,” Zoe said to me on the way home from school on Friday, as Avery kicked and screamed because I wouldn’t let her eat any challah. And last night in the car, as Avery wailed about wanting a marshmellow and I whispered to Q that she needed to go to bed right away, Zoe piped up, “I’ll say!”

-M

A very brief taste of the scene on our front step around 6:30 PM on Halloween.

-M

A few more photos from Halloween, including ones of Avery heading out to trick-or-treat with her dad (and later checking her loot), the line-up of kids that wound up handing out candy on our front step, and Q’s Darth Vader pumpkin creation.

-M

Halloween wasn’t quite what we expected this year, as Zoe wound up with a case of strep and didn’t trick-or-treat or get to hang out with Cousin Isaac. After a day of rest she did feel well enough to give out candy (wearing gloves), though, and luckily I had gotten some shots of the girls all dressed up the day before.

-M