Developing vocabulary and other stuff

Nico (upon hearing that since Luca was sick, he would stay home from nursery school that day): But Mommy! Without me here with him, won’t he feel terrified and isolated?”

Speaking of feeling terrified, check out my latest Family Matters column

“Halloween is coming up and although this isn’t normally a holiday I go in for, this year is different. This year I went and spent €40 on fake spider webs, black balloons and orange paper napkins. This year I have plans to make a cake topped with an entire Playmobil family (along with their tasteful living room set) being terrorized by a Playmobil zombie! That’s because we’re having a Halloween party! During the past few months of this column, I have told you all that I do not like fireworks, the beach or crowds. In short, I am a prime candidate for becoming a grumpy old lady. That is precisely why, every now and then, I feel that it is healthy for me to break out and do something totally uncharacteristic. Like having a party during which I plan to ply 26 energetic six-year olds with copious amounts of candy!

Also, I was inspired by my son Nico’s desires to dress as an invented superhero named ‘Blue Face’ who wears, among other things, a swimming cap, a knight’s hood and H&M monster print pajamas. I decided that ‘Blue Face’ must be given an opportunity to show his stuff! Surprisingly, the alter ego of ‘Blue Face’ is a bit apprehensive about my party idea and he has insisted that he be nowhere in sight while I pass out the invitations to his classmates tomorrow. When I asked him why he was feeling embarrassed about the idea, his response was “Well, Mommy, I just think that some of those Catalaners are going to think it’s a little weird that you’re inviting them to something that is very American in a place that there are going to be A LOT of accents…” Um, okaaaaay.” Read more here!

By the way, I’d assumed that all those horrible American Halloween movies would have gotten the word out, but apparently, “trick-or-treating” is still an elusive practice to much of the global community. When I gave the parents in Nico’s class the invitation below, many of them asked me what “treek orr treeteen” is, and furthermore, what are “treets” in the first place. There is so much knowledge to impart! So much culture to spread!

Recently Reading:

-*A Passage to India by E.M. Forster

-Death in the City of Light by David King

-*Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl