A Foundation for Happy Siblings
People often ask me how at 13 years apart our children are so close, so bonded, so happy as siblings, so thoughtful with one another.
From the moment we told our 8th grade son I was pregnant, we made his comfort level & happiness our #1 priority.
I told him he would be her Superhero Big Brother! I also pointed out that the 
benefit of the huge age gap was that there would be no sibling rivalry ever – she would never want his big teen guy stuff & he would never want her tea sets and Barbies. It was just easy from the very beginning.
I also put him in charge of the baby shower gift registry. Phillip showed him how to use the zapper in the baby section at Toys R Us. He took great pride in our confidence of his decision-making as he compared & contrasted each item. We also let him zap a few goodies for himself so he felt extra special, too!
The baby shower was a big party not just for ladies – we had family, friends…girls, guys, kids. We three opened the packages later that evening. Phillip read the cards, I wrote the list of names & we had our son open the packages. It was exciting because every present was so beautiful and HE chose each item himself. When he found a bonus package here and there for
himself, it was like a birthday or holiday. We made that shower so fun for him.
The following day, he & Dad built the crib, changing table, bassinet, play sets & anything else that needed assembling. Our son felt accomplished & connected!
On the day of her birth, he waited with my Doula, opening a surprise gift from his soon-arriving baby sister. He spent the time reading the instructions for his new IPod & testing all the cool features! What a sister!
When he first held the baby, he noted how tiny & delicate she was. He was in awe.
The Bright Spot – Our son has lived up to his incredibly important role as Superhero Big Brother! He was there for each milestone & helped teach her how to walk, go down a slide, tie her shoes & zip her coat. He saw her 1st missing tooth, took her on her 1st sleigh ride and taught her how to ride her bike. For every 1st, her Superhero Big Brother was there!
For a monumental event in our family’s life, click this link: BHUp
Click here for The Making of a Superhero: Superhero Big Brother
1st Literary Award
Our 11-year-old earned her 1st Literary Award in a competition she entered months ago. She submitted a mini version of her 1st novella. It’s the 38th year of this competition & is open worldwide.
When Phillip read us the letter aloud, she jumped with pure delight feeling the fruits of her accomplishment after having spent months writing. We are so happy for her and very proud of her!
The Bright Spot – Her award! Her friends! Her magical destination created by her favorite female author, J.K. Rowling, click: Wizarding World to see one of the most fun stories I’ve had the pleasure to write!
She was photographed for this Land’s End ad in Spring for the Autumn 2016 polo collection. They interviewed her and used this quote on the ad:
Questy
Following the market crash & recession, we lost everything. Our cars, jewelry, livelihoods, even a 4th miscarriage. It was a time of great loss. 
To say it was a bleak period is an understatement.
Even our award-winning vintage Adenauer, in the family for over 30 years, was shipped back to Europe as our hearts sunk.
We ended up with real clunkers & a car with water damage just to get around. THE very 1st step to rebuilding our lives was the arrival of this magnificent surprise – rolling in sleek & gleaming…and best of all – smelling clean!! She wasn’t new but she was mine – shiny & safe for the kids! See 1-minute video below:
A polished Nissan Quest that could hold 6 kids on trips to the beach, playground, 
anywhere. I was in Heaven! And how perfect – Quest – by definition, a journey, trip or expedition.
Very soon after her arrival, she earned her name Questy from the kids and referral by the feminine pronoun “she†like a ship. After all, she is like a rocket ship, spaceship, voyager. Even her navigation symbol looks like the red Rocket from Little Einsteins, a big hit when the kids were pintsized. A gliding tinted mini spaceship on wheels.
I was super thrilled & still am these 200,000 miles. From toddlers to teens, we’ve had the best of times cruising around to wonderful places. A memory-making kid mobile filled with music, movies, laughter, kittens, puppies & dollies. Perfect for luxurious travel with adults or sparkling with the happy vivacity of kids.
And on occasion, Batman ditches the Batmobile to cruise in Questy who comfortably accommodates his signature cowl with the pointy ears!
Questy came with 5 sunroofs, 2 TVs, an awesome sound & DVD entertainment system, drilled performance rotors, run-flat tires, Bluetooth, comfy 2nd row leather captain’s chairs and 65 other amazing features that would bore you if I listed them. You can look them up online.
Oh, seriously, how could anyone be this excited about a minivan? Well, I was because there’s so much more to the back story but that’s for another time.
Ultimately, she’s trustworthy, reliable, great in the snow, with a super-sized, mega-view windshield, just an amazing vehicle all around with her airy cabin, polka dot rear cameras & rounded design, nothing boxy like a regular van. 
And believe me, I know what I love in a vehicle! I’ve enjoyed wonderful cars throughout the years ~ my 1st car at 16, a new Camaro Z-28 in sparkly midnight blue with a t-top & the coolest silver seats. Then my 1st stick-shift 2-seater, a zippy MR2, followed by Mercedes’ in white, slate grey, black, ivory, green, maroon, champagne and even matching silver, BMW & Bentley Mulsanne. Questy floats like the Mulsanne.
And the lovely painted license plate, a gift from the Mayor of Wolcott, during my year: http://www.theletstalkmom.com/missconnecticut/
People often ask how do I keep her so clean? It’s pretty easy really; I just ask the kids any time they leave the car to grab an item on the way out. And for wet skiis, sandy beach suits, muddy gear, I
line the back with a large thin plastic party table cloth from the dollar store. A $1 covering in a pretty color, perfect. I keep a supply in the trunk.
And for Mother’s Day, I know a lot of women who might prefer Springtime flowers or a lovely luncheon. But my husband had something custom made for Questy – these gorgeous honeycomb mats ~ and I love them!!
The mats cover every part of the vehicle wall to wall, back to front. Love!! Perfect for this floating Goddess of the Road! Every inch of comfort is a necessity when you sit in the car as much as I do…nearly 200,000 miles…most of it waiting for kids to finish up school or heading to piano, track, ballet, summer camps, tennis, swimming, beaches & playdates and, with our youngest, countless hours back & forth to NYC for her career.
Questy is a rolling office, a spacious mobile command center loaded with every convenience from hot spots & Netflix to laptops, Smartphones, chromebooks, backrest Ipad holders, charging stations, you name it, she’s got it. The kids have been enjoying the space & amenities for years. Here are some pics of our daughter from 1st Grade, 4th Grade, and 6th – 8th Grades using these long commutes to complete homework & even write an award-winning novella. And, of course, Skyping with friends. I love the photo with the Intrepid in the window. In the night photo, she’s taking a class with a teacher via Facetime!!!
Um, yeah, that’s a ship surrounded by wild kraken in her hair ~ a cool October photoshoot with the amazing creative team of The New York Times.
With her many skylights, Questy is always bright & cheery even on rainy days.
I snapped these beautiful raindrops recently. They don’t even look real!!
If I won the lottery, I would have the entire engine & undercarriage made brand new so her odometer read “1.†I would also buy a new driver’s seat because 6 years ago I watched a <<mechanic swing out of the front seat breaking the frame but he wouldn’t fix it. I’ve been sitting on an uneven cushion & backrest for years. It makes my back ache and my hips & spine feel crooked now but apparently a motorized seat for that car with installation is about $3,000 give or take and when you’re coming out of a recession, you just tuck a big, thick piece of fabric under your backside & keep rolling.
There’s always a Bright Spot – the silver lining – I left that guy that day and that’s when 
I
found the Service Department at Nissan City of Port Chester, New York and am so very happy!!
Don, John & Thalita take very good care of Questy and me. Vasco and Brian make sure every detail is covered so she’s running smoothly.
Ozzie, the owner of Nissan City of Port Chester, is simply marvelous and helpful and we are so fortunate to have found this golden dealership & service department!
And that keeps this Nissan-driving Mama happy!
Harmony and Magic
Do you remember the love the young boy and the 7,000 pound Orca in “Free Willy” had for one another. I love to see such a connection between people and animals.
I have witnessed the most remarkable relationship between our 5-year-old daughter and a young Beluga whale ~ the two just make my heart swell.
 
Sometimes there’s a crowd, sometimes we’re just there on our own,
but the two of them take no notice of anyone but each other.
He will look directly and intently at her, swim to her and play
with only her no matter how many people are around.
He brings her his toys – balls and floaties,
and she will stay and play for ages, cooing and singing and encouraging the activities…
even in the rain!
They have a unique and beautiful friendship.
The young beluga will swim up to her and sing his whale song…
and await her return.
And we will make the long journey back and forth because this connection, this love, this tie to nature is an incredible gift.
Our little one has begged to swim with her beloved Beluga. The rule is that children must be 6 years of age. Guess where we’re going in a few months! 🙂
The Bright Spot 
– may we all be so blessed to be that in tune with the world around us.
