Check-up Time

Zoe had her 8 year-old check-up today and it was markedly different from all other check-ups we've had.

First of all, the nurse and the doctor talked primarily to her and she primarily provided all the answers.

Second, there was no drama. None. Not over peeing in the cup -- which she managed by herself with only a little coaching from me. Not over getting undressed. Not over the eye exam (I accidentally told her last year she might need glasses.) And not even over the finger prick. I was amazed.

Most amazing and wonderful of all is that Zoe is 100% healthy and in my opinion perfection in a child. I am ever grateful and am feeling kind of like I won the lottery tonight.

Shopping with Zoe

It started about a month ago. Every pair of pants that Zoe pulled on (that aren't leggings or yoga pants) were too small. As of last week we were down to one pair of jeans that fit, but they weren't a particularly favorite pair so they weren't worn either except under duress. (I.e. me saying, I can't stand to see you in yoga pants again!)

The straw that broke the camel's back was when her favorite sneakers were too small. That meant that surely some of the other lesser worn shoes were small too. So, yesterday we were off to the mall. Not just any mall, however. We went for it and drove to the Palisades Mall in Nyack, NY. They've got every store you want from Target to Macy's and everything in between. The place is enormous!

We shopped for about 5 hours and I think we managed to get Zoe a wardrobe that will carry her through spring and summer. There was a break for lunch and a break to ride the Ferris wheel (yes, the mall is that big that it can hold a Ferris wheel), but otherwise we were shopping the entire time.

When we were looking at clothes for Zoe the conversation went like this:

"What about this shirt?" I would ask holding up something I think she would like.
"Yeah," she would reply.
"Yeah you like it, or yeah it is a shirt?"
"Yeah I like it."
"Do you really like it?" I would ask.
"Yes, I really like it."
"But are you going to wear it?" I would implore.
Brief hesitation usually followed by, "Probably not." And back on the rack it goes.

I just don't remember being that picky. Actually I don't think I ever had a choice when I was 8. Alas, I give choices.

However, my goal this year has been to cut down on the amount of unworn and worn once clothing in Zoe's closet. I love my nieces and I am very happy to pass along Zoe's hand-me-downs to them, but it does drive me crazy when I know I am giving away brand new items. I sometimes feel like I might as well be stuffing cash into the bag as well. So, I had to wait for Zoe to actually look around the store we were in and then actually pick something up that she liked or I had to wait for the "Yes, yes I really like that!" accompanied by vigorous head nodding to be sure I picked something that would actually get worn.

Now you can see why it took 5 hours.

And we didn't even get to shoes.

Blog-iversary

Celebrating 5 years of ZoesMom!

Time flies when you're having fun.

These Were the Days

My neighborhood is the kind with postage stamp size lots and the ability to see into the next house from your own. My block happens to be packed with kids who are all about the same age. There are 4 second graders (including Zoe) in a row with a 5th a few houses further down. There are 3 fifth graders, a third grader and some kindergartners too. In other words, it is an instant play group.

Over the winter during the few snow days we had all the kids got together outside a few times to play in the snow, but since the weather has turned nicer in the last few weeks they are outside playing almost every day after school, weekends, and today they've been out there all day because it is spring break from school. It seems like they are all suddenly old enough to go out without their parents and without being fenced in to one backyard or set up on designated "playdates". At first I was nervous about Zoe being out there unsupervised, but then I realized that I can see Zoe just about anywhere without leaving my yard so checking up on her is pretty easy. Also, she has a pretty loud voice so I can usually just hear her too. We set down some rules and she seems to be sticking to them pretty well.

These are the days I remember most about being Zoe's age. The endless games of tag, the riding of bikes, the staying out until "dark." It was a constant playdate with no parental intervention and it was a first taste of independence without any worry since home was right there.

To top of the joy that is spending the entire day outside running around, having water gun fights, playing catch, and using sidewalk chalk, the ice cream man just came down the street. Zoe came screaming into the house and I swear I thought I was going to have to call 911 until I heard, "The ice cream man is here! Hurry I need money before he leaves!" Despite the fact that dinner is in an hour I gave her money because what could possibly be better than the first ice cream from the ice cream man of the year?

Nothing I can think of.

Open

Recently a book was thrust upon me by my father -- Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi. As a lot of you know, I am a very big tennis fan (as is my father -- where do you think I got it from?), but I am not a big reader of biographies, I was always more of a Sampras fan, and my TBR pile is already two stories tall so I didn't really need another book on the pile. Despite all of that fraternal pressure won and I decided to give it a go.

I was hooked almost instantly. I know Agassi had a ghost writer (J.R. Moehringer) who helped him with a lot of this, but it doesn't matter. It feels very authentic and is quite moving. As one reviewer wrote, "It's a completely unexpected trip to places you've never been." Of course I never knew most of what is in this book and I never would have guessed.

This was one of those books I could not put down. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about the next chance I would get to read it. I think it probably helps if you follow tennis just a little so you know most of the players, but other than that this book stands on it's own as an incredible journey of growing up.

I mean, this book was so good I was motivated to write a review despite the fact that I don't like to write reviews. So read it already.