So, 2010 has been a fun run already. It started on New Year’s Eve when we decided to go watch the fireworks in Boston. Boston has cleverly decided to run 2 firework shows; one at 7pm (midnight GMT) and one Midnight local time. We can take the kids down to the 7pm show and still get them in bed in time for us to get some semblance or normalcy. We took advantage of our work by parking at Harvard’s Science Center (our parking pass allows us to park in any Harvard pooled lot after 4pm) and took the T to Boston. We assigned each child a parent and got out at the massively crowded Park station. Since the fireworks and some of the big events were at the Boston Commons. 

Unfortunately, we got separated. Luna and Jay held back and left the T last while Soleil and I were pushed along the crowd. I stopped at one point to explain how the Green Line works as opposed to the Red Line (the Green line gets the power from a cable above the trolley and the Red Line uses the third rail), so I assumed that Jay had gone past us. We waited outside the station for a few minutes because once I started moving again in the station, we were swept up the stairs. Jay assumed that I wouldn’t leave the secure area so he and Luna did a few circuits in the station. I had left my cellphone at home, so I didn’t have a way to call him.

I told Soleil not to worry and we went out, trying to see the ice sculptures, the skating pond and the fireworks, all the time looking for Jay. I tried to get Soleil to go to the statue on the hill because that is where we always go, but she was getting freaked by misplacing dad. We finally met up at the car and Jay asked me "why didn’t you borrow someones cell to call me?" It was a smack the forehead type of question and I had to admit the thought never hit me. I just figured we could do with out worrying. Can you remember when cell phones were not ubiquitous? When you would need to use a payphone? Sigh

The next day, my future was revealed to me in a very strange manner. A Girl Scout Dance party. It’s been a VERY rough year for my co-leader. So I’ve been doing alot for the troop this year with the hands on stuff and she has been doing the email organizational stuff (thank g-d because I suck at that). I had tried to get this dance party set up so the kids could go to someone else’s house. Sadly, their house took on water during Christmas week, so it was my house. We allowed the girls to bring CDs or ipods. Yes, 2 girls had iPods and I have to admit that Soleil and Luna both have simple MP3 players (although not Apple versions). We also got a few of the girls songs that they like on Jay’s computer. Remember, we are geeks, so we could hook up the iPods directly to the downstairs sound system and we can play iTunes through those speakers as well (which, you have to admit is kinda cool).  At first, no one was dancing. But slowly, slowly, they got drawn in. When we switched to Taylor Swift’s "You Belong with Me", all 11 girls, including Luna were dancing. Then to Miley Cyrus’ "Party in the  USA", we had all of the girls doing the actions to "put your hands up, they’re playing my song and the butterflies fly away. And I’m moving my head like yeah, and moving my hips like yeah" OMG, it was so funny. And scary. I thought of how my friends with 10-11 year olds are buying training bras and how these girls are 7 and 8. Soleil is one of the youngest with her summer birthday. Even her best friend in town is almost a full year older than her.

Life is no longer toddler stuff and little kid stuff. We have KIDS. Real KIDS. KIDS that listen to the radio and can talk on phones and want Cell Phones. Scary scary stuff. Life is moving forward.