"Mollie's Steppin' in!"

We took Mollie to Roger William's Park on Sunday and it didn't turn out so great. Mollie wanted to bring her rainbow colored kick ball which we recommended she leave home. Of course, she threw a fit and we gave in. Along came the ball. When we got to the park we shlepped the ball around while Mollie played at the newly renovated playground. After that, Mollie and I took a ride on the carousel. Mommy held the ball. Comparing the carousel to the one in Coney Island would be so unfair, but, that's what I did. This Merry-Go-Round did not come close to the craftsmanship of the Coney Island masterpeice. In Brooklyn, the horses were painted beautifully and they always had the brass ring arm jutting out for anyone that wanted to grab at it. Music was produced inside the centerpeice of the carousel and it was vintage!! Animal drum skins, pipes and more. Mollie did have a great time on the Roger Williams carousel--what a broad smile, from ear to ear. After that we went for a walk and were kicking around the ball. Mollie kicked it down a hill and she ran after it as it splashed into a lake. Strong winds took it out to the middle of the water and ducks were checking it out. Mollie cried and cried and said no other ball would ever take that one's place. Then she slipped and fell smack onto dog crap. Now covered in it and smelling to high heaven, we removed her shoes while she walked to the car in her socks. It's a day we'll never forget.

Letter to Mort Twain

Hi Morty,
I actually dread the moment when Mollie says, "I'm moving to my own place dad." This morning she crawled into bed with me and watched TV for a little bit. We were both laughing at these goofy cartoons on the great, great, baby sitter, known as...cartoon network. In regards to your concerns about whether or not Mollie would like a doll like you described, I can tell you that she would love a fancy doll and understands the difference between those, and lets say, Brats. My sister bought her a doll called American Girl or something like that--an expensive handmade porcelein job that came with all kinds of accessories. Mollie put it up on her shelf and would play with it carefully. The doll came with 2 pets---a black kitten and a white puppy, appropriately named Licorice and Coconut. Those pets, although part of the doll entourage, have been in the tub too many times to mention. Whatever you send her, she would love. Would you mind sending her a picture of you and Sue either with the doll or just at anytime soon? We want her to associate gifts with the people that send them. She still has the pink rabbit you gave her which has been through all kinds of torture. Also, we still have the Trickster Rabbit scroll, which we take down from a high shelf from time to time. I think of all the gifts she has gotten, something about the written word has been very special. When we read to her--especially if it's made for her--it's really magic. I'm now writing stories for her to read at bed time. (As opposed to me just winging it.)
Mollie's Godparents stopped by our apartment after not being around for a year or more, but we always had a picture of them in her room so she'd recognize them and be able to associate any gifts from them, or even phone conversations, to a visual image.
The pajamas in the pumkin pick are Mollie's favorite. They have little duckies on them--unlike Aetna Insurance tie duckies, which were meant to relay middle management aspirations.

Mollie's Halloween

On October 31st 2008, Mollie went trick or treating as a vampire. Last year she was raggedy Ann. Her first Halloween was when she was only a few months old and we dressed her in a skeleton outfit. The following Halloween she went as a lady bug and at the age of 3, Mollie went as her favorite cartoon character, Sponge Bob. It was a great costume where Mollie's body, from the neck down, was the big yellow square on which you'd see Sponge Bob's face. There were these little yellow dangling arms---and Mollie's little head poking out from the top of the square--it was hysterical!!
Back to 2008. We went up and down the streets of Providence where Mollie collected candy from people that still participated in this age old tradition. It seems like more people are less likely to dole out the goodies then when I used to go trick or treating back in Roosevelt. Too many weirdos these days and everyone's afraid of what may wind up in a candy wrapper.