On Saturday, Jolee celebrated her 3rd birthday. Can you all believe it! Next thing you know, her Aunt Alicia will be starting college or something (actually, this Saturday, Occidental '03, Bell-Young Hall). Anyway, Shayna stayed home with Grandma Cyndee, and Melanie and I took Jolee on a long journey (R train to Pacific St, transfer to the 4 train to 42nd Street (Jolee described the ceiling of Grand Central Terminal as "wonderful", transfer to a Metro North train to Rye, NY, in Westchester County, to a shuttle bus that took us to the famous Rye Playland, one of 2 government-run amusement parks in the country, and one of the more famous.) Playland was built in 1927 and maintains most of the same rides, including the famous Dragon Coaster. Jolee had a wonderful time on all the kiddie rides, though there was concern she might hurl on the twirling balloon ride. Joining us were one of Melanie's oldest friends Diane Metviner and her husband Jim. Diane is Jolee's new best friend, but it helps that Diane is so silly.
Despite a harrowing trip back, due to a lack of a nap, we returned home around 8:30 pm when we celebrated more with a birthday cake and presents with Shayna, Grandma Cyndee and her boyfriend Michael. We thought Jolee's Potty Dotty doll was the hit gift, until she opened her matching Barbie and Kelly dolls with playground accessories, courtesy of Grammy Donna, Grandpa Leon, Aunt Alicia and Uncle Seth. She loved the fact that there were two of everything as, in the spirit of racial equality, one Barbie and Kelly were African-American and the other Barbie and Kelly were Caucasian. On Sunday, Jolee added to her entourage by using birthday money from Grandma Diane to buy a Barbie carrying case which is just like the travelling luggage that Melanie uses on her business trips, only Jolee's is hot pink and has Barbie pictures all over it. She wheeled it all by herself all the way home from the store on 86th Street (that's 6 1/2 blocks--no easy feet on the streets of Brooklyn).
That's all for now, except that Jolee would like to welcome her new cousins to the world, Helen Olivia and Sophie Elizabeth Bujold were born last week in Vermont! Jolee and Shayna can't wait to play with them in years to come.
That is all.
