Before and After

Well actually, an "after" and a before:

Moving on up

Jakie passed Pre-Beginner 1 (not that there is a test or anything) and Miss Annie said he's ready for Beginner 1 next fall. Now, the trick will be to find a class that she teaches. Jacob learned so much from Miss Annie this last swim session. She's kind of a legend at our local pool...kind of a baby swimming whisperer. She's off to Alaska for the summer, the outdoor pool is open, and we're ready to keep on swimming!

Jakie in the City

We took a little weekend trip to Manhattan last month to visit friends and just hang out. The trip was a test of sorts: It was the first time we traveled with Jacob to a destination other than a family home or a family vacation spot. (Read: Child must be on somewhat decent behavior at most times.)

Although the drive took six hours slogging up 95 and the NJT in the rain and Friday afternoon traffic, the trip was well worth it and the test was passed with flying colors. And, in retrospect, our parenting style was as much on the line as the behavior of our little son.

There were many wonderful moments but perhaps the highlight was when a waiter at a small corner pizza/bar said Jacob is the cutest kid he's ever seen and asked us if we lived in the neighborhood. Was it the minimalism of the hoodless Maclaren stroller? Our casual yet quietly effective parenting style? Was it the fact that our 3yo ate every bite of a "Shroomtown pizza" with portabellos, oysters and shittakes and truffle oil (much to our shocking surprise)?

Nothing like a sibling to cut you back down to size. When I relayed the weekend's events to my sister, she immediately reminded me of the SATC episode where Carrie cautions Berger that his novel is flawed because no self-respecting Manhattan woman would wear a scrunchy. To prove her point, Carrie asks the scrunchied woman ahead of them in line where in Manhattan she lives. The poor out-of-towner virtually beams at being mistaken for a local.

Was our waiter toying with us? Angling for a bigger tip? I don't know but, whatever his motive, it worked. (And, I don't wear scrunchies...anymore.)