And that’s it for soccer for at least a little while. This was the first year where we had both kids in soccer programs, and we found trying to get both kids to practices and games on weekends a bit hectic. We had a few cancelled games, but we did our best to make it to almost all the games and weeknight practices.

Josh has gotten a bit better, as this was his 4th season playing soccer in this particular league since last year. He’s never been very interested in athletics (neither was I growing up), but I think he’s beginnng to grasp the fundamentals and generate an interest in sports.

Autumn was Lily’s first season of soccer. To be completely frank, with Lily’s personality, we expected her to really shine at soccer. Instead, I witnessed a complete lack of interest. Oh, I know she’s just 3 years old. I’m just saying I thought she’d be running and going for that ball. Nah, most games she either wanted to sit and snack on the sidelines, or just stood on the field twirling around, or talking to her friends. Well, better luck next time. Interestingly enough, she’s been enjoying her ballet dance class much more. Who knew?

I’m a little late with this, but I finally scanned in the team photos.

Fall 2011 - Joshua's soccer team

Fall 2011 - Lily's soccer team

On Friday, I requested to work from home. Lily’s school (and Josh’s former school) has hosted a lunch in honor of Mother’s Day for years now, but nothing for the fathers. I’m not taking away any credit from the mothers here, but we fathers could use a little respect. . Hey, it’s he sentiment that counts.

My wife wouldn’t let me go the cheap route and buy pre-made supermarket pasta salad, so she got up early to prepare it for me to take there. That’s how these parties usually work — parents in each class sign up to bring in a particular item. I got to the school around 12 noon, and yes, slight bedlam. Most of the tables, chairs, and food were out, but it was still in progress. My daughter’s class was already seated, but the teachers were trying to keep the kids seated and hydrated. Not being a lazy jerk, I helped out where I could with getting various kids juice boxes, and putting additional tables out.

Father's Day BBQ Lunch

Once all the kids were out and seated, and fathers had arrived, everyone started eating. Oye, more bedlam. For some reason, the dads were relegated to a separate table from the kids. Uh, what was the point of this? I got food for Lily, and sat for a minute or two at the dads tables, but got bored, so I decided to just stand behind Lily’s seat. At least I could interact with my flesh and blood.

The other fathers weren’t really talking to each other anyway.

While eating my lunch, I tried to be helpful by bringing juices and extra stuff for Lily and her classmates. I give credit to the teachers, because without naming names, some of those kids are crazy. Two boys were spraying juice and water all over, then stomping in the resulting puddle. I had to separate them twice. One of those boys then proceeded to entertain himself by running through the parking lot.

Towards the end of the lunch, the fathers started disappearing, leaving cleanup to the teachers and whoever else was left. Unbelievable! I stayed with maybe three other parents to help the teachers clean up the trash, and bring tables and chairs back in. A few more hands would have helped, so I can’t understand how these other parents can just walk away and let someone else clean up. How are these young female teachers supposed to watch YOUR kids AND clean up after everyone’s mess?

Jerks.

I’ve already mentioned that this is a very busy month for the kids. In addition to all the birthday parties and soccer games, the kids have end-of-year school events. On Friday June 12th, it was a busy day of concerts, parties, and errands. I took a 1/2 vacation day so I could attend. In the evening, we had Lily’s 7pm “Spring Sing” concert. What a day!

Apart from the concert photos available in the June 2011 gallery, I’m publishing a few home videos of the performances. Below is the performance where Lily’s preshool prep class did a little song. I got most of the song. Midway through the video, watch what Lily does to the classmate that gets in her way.

Lily’s Spring Sing 2011 Group Song from Joel Ipe on Vimeo.

Well, we’re now in week 4 of “The Great Experiment”, and it’s been a long tough slog. She hasn’t had any “terrible” accidents, but she is not a good judge of how soon she needs to sit after realizing she should. We’ve had four weeks of accidents in the bed, accidents in the bathroom, accidents at school, accidents in the living room. She’s trying, and we appreciate that. We’ll keep trying, and she’ll slowly get it. She’s improving every day. Until then, I’ll keep doing her laundry.

My wife and I call Lily the monkey, but we’ve also made the disturbing realization that Lily is a lot like a cat. Specifically, a lot like our departed, long-term family member Missy. The big black hair, the running out of the room, the need for constant supervision. I swear to you that we even caught her once licking her arm for no apparent reason, so was she grooming, feline-style?

Missy also had some bad behavior issues, which included urinating on clothes, corners, bathroom mats, and beds. It was bad, disgusting, and we never were able to find a remediation for it. Finally, after researching and speaking to professionals, it seemed the bad behavior at her age was ingrained, and we wouldn’t be able to get her successfully adopted. Sadly, I had her euthanized in Oct 2006, and I still miss that sweet, stupid cat.

Since Lily turned three years old late last month, my wife and I have been attempting to potty train her. As I’ve learned, all kids handle potty training in their own way and time frame. A coworker of mine potty-trained her son at 18 months old, which I think is phenomenal. Josh had a few accidents, but he was basically potty-trained in a week. Lily hasn’t quite grasped the concept. Well, that wouldn’t be accurate. After the first week or so, she’s sitting every hour at school, and now she’s making it through the night without experiencing an “accident.” I think she still goes way too often, instead of holding it, but I don’t know if it’s because she’s small or a girl.

I say she’s not quite potty-trained, because she still hasn’t gotten a hold on estimating if she’ll have enough time between realizing she has to go, and making it to the actual toilet. She is still experiencing accidents, mostly in bathroom as she’s about to sit, though she’s left quite a few puddles in the dining room. Earlier this week, she had an accident on my wife and the couch, and also the bathmat. After spending the past two weeks blotting and cleaning urine from the floor, the couch, clothes, the and the bathmat, I experienced my Missy flashbacks.

My wife and I have constantly joked that the cat came back, reincarnated in Lily. I’m starting to believe it’s very true.

Lily's 3rd birthday party

Phew! April 2nd marks the end of the kids’ birthday parties for this year. We closed it out with Lily’s birthday party at Junglerrrific, and it was great party. I was happy that we didn’t have to do much except to show up with a cake, and then pay for the event. For the kids who showed up, I believe everyone had a great time. I published the photos last night.

I’ve already expressed my frustration with the lack of responses from people. My wife and I have sworn off any major parties for the daycare classmates next year, as it’s just not worth the aggravation. We spoke to other parents in the classroom, and they’ve experienced the same lack of involvement. My favorite anecdotes from this event were:

1. The three families who said they would attend, but were then no-shows. Thanks for nothing.
2. The family who brought a sibling without asking. You know, we’re paying by the child here.
3. The folks who showed up 5 mins before the main party ended, and then their children cried because playtime was over. Good job.
4. The parent who had never responded, then after my wife saw her at the supermarket the next day, said she left a note at school on Friday that her daughter couldn’t attend. Yeah, I checked, and there was no note, liar. Also, you couldn’t respond via the phone number or email address that was provided on the invite or the reminder? Really? Too tough for you?
5. The parent who called me Saturday morning, and asked me if the party was still on. I replied, “Uh, yes, the party is still on.” Of course, they were a no-show as well.

Next year, I just want to do a party for a small group of their friends, and leave it at that. Smaller, yet higher quality. We don’t want to host any more parties, then try to twist the arms of ungrateful people to convince them to attend. The parties are not for the parents. The parties are for the kids to get together and have fun.

It was a party for our monkey.

Apart from the big birthday party last Sunday, Josh wanted to eat at IHOP on his actual birthday. Apparently, he’s a big pancake fanatic. Who knew? After we got back from work, we took the kids out for dinner. To pass the time, Joshua devoured one of his new Magic Treehouse books (birthday present), and Lily & I made faces.

Joshua loves his books

Making faces

I guess the kids like their new respective game systems… Josh’s Nintendo DSi XL, and a hand-me-down Leapster handheld for Lily.

Josh & Lily like their handhelds

Jiss & Aji

Wow, you know you’re getting old when:

1. You find gray hairs in odd places on your body.
2. You get called an “uncle” or an “auntie” (if you’re Indian.)
3. People (including relatives) who were kids when you were growing up are now getting married.

My little (young and in stature) 2nd cousin Jiss is now engaged, and we attended a luncheon celebrating her engagement on Saturday. It was supposed to start at 11:30am, but we were running late as usual. I drove like a maniac all the way up to Rockland, but there was no real rush. The lunch itself was running, as they were waiting for some folks from their church attending a baptism to arrive, including also waiting for their minister. The appetizer hour was stretched an additional hour.

Josh & Lily before they ruined their clothes

I wish we hadn’t stressed ourselves out rushing to another event that was running on IST (Indian Standard Time.) It’s always the case though. We’re always running an hour late, and the Indian events that we attend are late to start as well. We rush, but maybe we shouldn’t. What we should do is start getting ready an hour early, as we need that extra hour of buffer time to get the kids dressed and out the door.

I felt the lunch was highlighted by Lily spilling an entire glass of mango lassi on the new salwar that my parents got her from India, and this was the first occasion to wear it. I’d say Josh was better behaved and more careful while eating, but that would be an untruth. He ruined his new shirt by rubbing his right sleeve through his plate of Indian food. You KNOW that curry powder is going to permanently stain. Sigh. Life with kids, folks.

Congratulations are in order for my cousin Jiss and her fiancee Aji. I wish them the best on their big endeavor. I hope they remember this important adage from the Dalai Lama:

Don’t sweat the petty things, and don’t pet the sweaty things.

Late Sunday afternoon, we drove down to my sister’s place to have the kids trick or treat. In our own neighborhood, we don’t see too many kids. Meanwhile, in south Jersey, it’s like the 50′s in America. Everyone sits outside with tables and chairs, hand out candy, drink beer. The sidewalks are full of kids trick or treating. It’s all very odd to me. It’s nice, but still odd. Ah well, as my mother would say, “When in Rome, trick or treat with everyone else.”

The kids looked great. This year, Josh was dressed as Luke Skywalker (with a purple lightsaber), and Lily was Wonder Woman (one of her favorites.) Namita and I hadn’t dressed up for Halloween in many years, but this year ew borrowed someone’s Double Dare costumes. After we got to the house, all was well until Lily saw Kitty’s scary Mummy costume, started screaming, and jumped into our arms. She wouldn’t relax until Kitty took off the makeup later in the evening. In the meantime, we kept them apart in different trick or treating groups.

Robbie and I took the kids out for trick or treating, while Julie and Namita stayed back at the house to watch the baby and hand out candy. It was a cold night! More folks came over, and ended up staying for dinner there. By the time we got home, it was almost midnight, and on a Sunday night! It was rough getting up the next day for work/school for everyone.

Josh as Luke Skywalker	Nums & Wonder Woman
Emily, Lily, Joshua	Family photo, Halloween 2010