Snowy skirts

We are getting some super snows this year! In all truth, we may have gotten a lot of snow the last two winters, but P spent those seasons naked and indoors so I’m really not sure… This year, he slides his jacket on as if he's been doing it his entire life. Its probably a perfectly normal developmental milestone, but honestly seems like a miracle to me Every time we leave the house. In fact, as we walked down the stairs during the last snow, P called up to remind me that we’d need mittens. Wow.

For P, snow is perfect biking weather. He regularly bites it riding in such slick snow, but doesn’t seem to care. He pops right back on and chatters to himself as he BAMS ice pieces and smooshes snow tracks. I’ve decided that walking with him in freshly falling fluff is one of the nicest activities around. He is so peaceful and happy and occupied that its contagious.

You may notice the pretty skirt. He’s knee deep in Dakota Fanning admiration. In an(other) attempt to differentiate between movies and real life, we've watched two non-animated videos (Bonus: these films tend to skip the constant tirades of “stupids!” and “idiots!” and also goes beyond much of the really simplified good guy vs bad guy plot lines (which is fairly nauseating on a philosophical level) to a more nuanced description of life). We started with Mary Poppins – it has that fabulous live action/animation combo scene when they jump in Dick Van Dyke’s chalk painting. It gave us a chance to compare how the two approaches differ visually. And Van Dyke plays two characters, providing P a perfect opportunity to understand the idea of actors behind a role. I don’t remember ever looking behind the magical media curtain like this when I was a kid, but it seems important to P and his constant questions so...

So, a few weeks after Mary Poppins we watched Charlotte’s Web (we’re also reading it). (There was an animated version out when I was little that, quite honestly, planted vegetarian seeds. I find it a little nerve wracking how much movies effect kids. All part of the Big Picture, I know, and a “controlled upbringing” is just as scary as excessive info, but I’d love to hear if my folks would still show me Charlotte’s Web, now knowing it would forever set me apart on Thanksgiving :) Seeds already planted in P, he watched and loved the movie. He wants Gramps to raise pigs and cows now. (“Gramps has a farm Mama!) He was fascinated by the idea of animatronic pigs and CGI mouths. But most of all, he loved the fact that a kid could make a movie.

Cuz, after all, he can’t drive a car. He can’t get a paycheck. Can't leave the house by himself whenever he wants. Can't dangle off of the third floor fire-escape as desired. The list is never ending. Kid’s, apparently, miss out on a Lot. But this, a movie, well, a kid can make one of those?

Not only does Dakota save a baby pig while in costume, she has a real Job. And her job made this amazing story unfold in front of P. And then she sheds her jeans and galoshes and goes to the fair in a lovely yellow dress. And everyone tells her how lovely she looks. So P was ready to wear a dress and look lovely. He tore apart my closet looking for something appropriate and then hiked it on over his camouflage pants and boots. As he wrestled his coat and mittens on to head to the library he gave me my script.

P: Mama, BB sees me and asks why 'akota is wearing Phoenix's coat and mittens. BB thinks 'akota is going to the library with Phoenix's Mama and, and ....
Cue BB: Hey Dakota. Um, you going to the libarary?
Phoenix: BB thinks 'akota is taking Phoenix's coat.
BB: Um, excuse me, Dakota, but that coat actually belongs to my big brother, Phoenix. He's really nice and would probably let you use it, but, um, I'm nervous he might be cold without it...
Phoenix: BB! Its ME, Phoenix!
BB: Noooo! For Real??

And so it went, BB being confused repeatedly so that Phoenix could set things straight (a fairly common theme for his play these days). And then he'd hop off of his bike to twirl in circles and show BB how pretty his dress was when it caught the air. Then he'd hop back on to smash some ice pieces and tell me how confused BB was... Its really lovely how a three block walk in the snow can fill an entire day :)

His skirt and pants were littered with snow splashes when we finished our outing so they all went into the dirty clothes. Two days later, as we prepared to head into the city for an outing, P was upset his dress was dirty. Off to the closet he went, searching for something to fill the bill. Unfortunately for P, his mother's closet isn't full of tulle or hoop-skirts. Nevertheless, we were able to finagle a fabulous frock for Phoenix with a few safety pins. Wearing his big bowed dress over his sweat pants he was ready to travel. But BB! Poor BB. He was dreadfully underdressed. P grabbed his bag of satin ribbons and requested they be tied around BB. All of them. The little monster was a good 2 pounds heavier once fully fabricated.



Truth be told, this was one of the many times I am thankful I moved away from the Midwest. The homogeneity that overwhelms me in Kansas is obviously absent here, allowing people to be exactly who they are. And so traipsing through the Lower East Side with P was a simple, no nonsense affair. We went to our library craft day, where P was surrounded by other kids and the two children's librarians, who didn't even blink at his full on fabulousness. It wasn't until he was slowly scooting down Mott street to his favorite pizza shop that a comment came his way. A man called out to us, telling us that P reminded him of, are you ready for this? Dakota Fanning. No joke. The child's shine could have lit up the entire Empire State Building. Properly validated, he lay his dress to rest that night and hasn't requested it since. But its nice to know that if he wants to revisit that character again, he can do it fear free in his wonderful city.

(Our past bouquets having perished, P thought the house needed more flowers. Here he is in smell heaven, having bought a mixed bouquet with multiple fragrances:)