Summer started with a new (and final) season of T-ball for Allie, this time as an Astro. If she could have kept playing T-ball, Allie might have stayed with it as she rather enjoyed the languid pace of the game. Unfortunately, one could only play for two seasons before matriculating to coach-pitch softball. Allie didn’t take to the concept of hitting a moving target. So ended her softball/baseball career.
Rounding third, heading for home 
Outstanding in short field 
2002 trophy – everyone’s a winner!
Evidently we gave soccer one more try, though I guess it may have been later in the year (or maybe earlier, whatever “winter” meant). No action photos this time, but here’s a trophy to show we were there.
Allie and Barb went to a pool party with Christine, most likely for her birthday. Photos are courtesy of Patti’s sister, Debbie. I can tell because they are good. I’m not sure where the party was held and I don’t think I was there.
Patti and Barb with Debbie’s husband Charley 
Jimmy, Christine and assorted other kids…and Allie
Summer also included a second (and final) season of piano lessons with the Olenka School of Music. Exposure to keyboards complete.
There was also a dance recital, this time with Allie and her young cohorts as French maids doing a dance to “Be Our Guest” from “Beauty and the Beast”. It was quite cute, especially the bit with feather dusters, but we don’t seem to have photos of the actual dance. Maybe somewhere…
Finale with everyone, French maids on the right. Allie’s in there somewhere but obscured by others. 
Fuzzy picture of Allie as French maid
Rather than walk again for the Avon 3-Day March, Barb volunteered to help at registration. I think this was in the Baltimore Convention Center.
Barb with Dawn Popp and other registration volunteers 
The crowds await
On July 20, Barb and I ventured down to DC to see “The Full Monty” at National Theatre. I remember the movie being more fun. Some shows are not really meant to be full scale musicals.
The next day, on July 21, I was invited to an Orioles game in one of the corporate sky boxes and was able to bring Barb and Allie. I can’t remember who invited us but we all remember enjoying the bottomless snacks and other amenities available on the Club Level at Camden Yards. Barb was especially drawn to the free shrimp platter in the suite. Allie asked her if she wanted to come out and watch the game and Barb said, “Why? There’s shrimp!” It was our first time at Club Level and we were pretty excited. We don’t remember anything about the actual game, but thanks to the Internet I can tell you the O’s lost 8-7 to the White Sox.
At some point Allie went to the Baltimore Zoo with someone. Your guess is as good as mine.
The summer also included Allie’s first foray into lacrosse, something of a religion among some Marylanders. She started in a camp with her friends from school, Blair and Lily. Getting to know Blair led us to meet her parents, Debbie and Jay Dettmer. We became longtime friends with them, especially once Debbie found out I played tennis. Lily and her family were Blair’s neighbors and were also very nice.
Allie with Lily and Blair
Allie also attended a Brownies summer camp at Camp Ilchester near Elkridge on the other side of Howard County. She had the coolest sunglasses, so our summer was a success. I’m not sure where she got this “business card” but it seems to be mostly accurate.
Mom and Dad came up to see us in time to celebrate Mom’s August 1 birthday while Laurie was on summer break from Beirut. We were glad to see them all. We took a day to tour around Harper’s Ferry National Park.
Birthday for Granma 
Our goofy girl
During this visit, Allie introduced Granpop to her version of checkers. It was a game that Allie always managed to win based on convenient changing of the rules. We called it “Allie checkers”. Granpop didn’t stand a chance.
I think while Laurie was on this same trip to the states (or maybe it was more wintertime, based on Laurie’s clothes), she spent some time in Florida with Mom and Dad. Mom sent along these photos but I’m not sure of the occasion…or who the other lady is.
Nice shot of Laurie, maybe at Helen’s club 
Mom, Dad, Laurie…and someone.
Just a little later in August, Allie managed to lose one and then two front teeth in short order. She came through it none the worse for wear.
Allie was still a member of the The Washington Post KidsPost Summer Book Club, this time under her proper name (albeit fuzzy with all those colors).
One day, in late August or September, Allie and Barb went grocery shopping together at the Dorsey Search Giant near home. There was a girl outside the store with a sign saying “Free Kittens” and a box of said kittens there for the choosing. (I must say, I’ve shopped there hundreds of times and never seen anyone giving away kittens or puppies or anything else.) Allie and Barb were immediately smitten and by the time they finished shopping they put dibs on one of them, Allie picking the most playful one. Barb was leery of taking the kitten directly from the young girl and used the excuse that they had to check with me. She got the name and address of the girl, then Barb and Allie came home squealing about getting a new kitten. At that point, we’d had just Maxie for several years and it seemed like as good a time as any for a new one, so I quickly acquiesced. After all, there was no saying no.
The next day, Barb went to the girl’s house near the Giant while I took Allie to dance class. Barb wasn’t sure which one Allie had put dibs on so she chose again…there’s some dispute over whether she ended up with the same one, but in any case we had a new family member, which we’d decided to name Emma. The girl’s mom was more than happy to get rid of the kittens and tried to get us to take the mother cat as well.
Barb took the kitten directly to the vet to get checked for health and fleas, where the vet informed her that Emma was a he. Barb called us (while we were driving back from picking up sandwiches at our favorite deli, Allie recalls) and said we’d have to come up with a boy’s name. That’s when Allie decided it should be Harry Potter. She and Barb had just started reading the J.K. Rowling books.
Harry’s first day at home 
We spent time on the deck getting to know him so he wouldn’t get flustered by Maxie 
Eventually he made it indoors 
Welcome?
Allie and Trish give Harry a ride 
Allie’s school sold Christmas gift wrap as a fund raiser and, just as with Girl Scout cookies, Allie got credit for being a top seller though it was Barb and the nice people at her office that did all the work. Way to go Allie (but really Barb)!
Pretty soon it was October and birthday time. We started the celebrations at home.
Time for a little dance with Mom 
Maddie was on hand for a new doll present 
Another stylish present: matching hat and muff
One of my gifts to Allie that year was the first of what became a series of CDs featuring music I thought she should know and hoped she would enjoy. I called the first one Allie’s Now 7, ripping off the Now That’s What I Call Music concept. It was a hit in its day, or at least I made her listen to it (and its successor CDs) a lot. I’m pretty pleased with the selections to this day.
Then it was time for the actual party. I think maybe this was at the Egyptian Cinemark theater in Arundel Mills. I can’t figure out any particular theme but there was a lot of girl energy going on.
Allie and Trish 
Going for a ride 
Pink haired lady was from the theater, then there’s India, Maddie, Trish, Allie, Blair, Lexi and two more 
Not sure what this game was 
Mayhem 
Allie didn’t like the song? 
Cupcakes! 
Lexi, India and Blair
Later in October, as part of Barb and Allie’s birthday presents, we ventured back to New York for a Broadway and museum long weekend. We took the train up and back. I think for this trip we stayed at the Marriott Marquis on Times Square, back in the days when I had lots of Marriott points.
We started the trip with a stop at the Toys R’ Us store in Times Square where I was surprised to find a full-size Ferris wheel inside the store (the store is now closed but the wheel components live on, a la the Enchanted Forest in Ellicott City).
On the Ferris Wheel inside the Toys R’ Us Store 
We made a cultural day on Saturday of museum hopping at the Met and Guggenheim. We spent a few hours zipping through the Met and hardly did it justice; I was very impressed with the Frank Lloyd Wright room inside the museum and wanted to spend more time at the Temple of Dendur and the Egyptian collection but there was some reception going on. Allie most enjoyed the playground adjacent to the Met which was uncrowded and where she could have spent hours…but we didn’t have hours. The Guggenheim’s biggest appeal to me was the building itself designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. I’d never actually been in the museum and was more impressed by the ramping interior design than by the actual collection of modern art. I admit that I have little understanding or appreciation for most modern art.
First trip to the Guggenheim 
Behavior modification outside the Guggenheim 
Allie enjoyed the cool playground near the Metropolitan Museum of Art
We got Saturday night tickets to the very popular revival of Oklahoma. Hugh Jackman was no longer in the production but it featured a number of other top-flight folks including Patrick Wilson, Josefina Gabrielle, Shuler Hensley and Andrea Martin. Aasif Mandvi was featured as Ali Hakim. It was Allie’s first official Broadway show. She was very well-versed in the film version after years of watching it with us. We enjoyed the show so much we stayed after at the stage door to collect autographs. We wanted to imprint the experience a bit more firmly so we asked Allie to write her version of the event and framed the collection.
I think those are autographs of Patrick Wilson and Shuler Hensley 
On Sunday morning we took Allie to FAO Schwarz and the ice rink at Rockefeller Center, favorite spots from our previous visits to the Big Apple.
Appreciating modern art at FAO Schwarz 
Photo op at FAO Schwarz 
Checking out the skaters 
Someday I might learn how to focus the camera
We saw the Sunday matinee performance of The Lion King. It was the second time for Barb and me (first in 1998), but the first for Allie. I think she was suitably impressed.
Excited to see The Lion King 
For Halloween, Allie dressed up as a Spanish senorita. I’m not sure exactly how she got it into her head but she had assistance from Aunt Laurie who provided much of the outfit, including the fan and castanets. Laurie was still teaching in Beirut in 2002, but Maggie had moved to Madrid and Laurie would visit her there. I think that’s where Laurie did her shopping.
The Halloween parade at Centennial Lane Elementary was a big deal as the whole school marched around the athletic fields for the appreciation of parents and everyone.
Allie’s 2nd grade class decked out for Halloween 
The Halloween parade at Centennial, with Alexi and Lily, I think 
There were some serious costumes going on; ninjas were in among the boys, evidently
Back at home it was time for more fun with Harry. Somewhere in there Thanksgiving came and went.
On December 15, Allie went to Lily Wei’s birthday party.
Allie went to a gingerbread house making party with a couple of friends who, for the time being, remain unidentified.
December brought a sizeable snowstorm, enough to introduce Harry to snow and build a pair of impressive snowmen…actually a snowman and snowlady.
I had some proper help shoveling the driveway.
Christmastime came once again. Allie prepared by writing a note to Santa, actually two versions…one of which leads with her accomplishments and the other leading with her very particular wish list. I’m not sure which one came first or which was actually sent to Santa.
We celebrated Christmas at home with Harry.
Allie and her Christmas haul 
Harry’s first Christmas 
He’d already gotten so big!
Cookies for Santa 
Hoping Santa read her note
I think Santa did pretty well delivering the requested items. I recall that the Avril Lavigne CD (her debut, Let Go) was the first one Allie owned and she played it over and over. And over.
I also burned a new CD, Allie 7c Xmas (I’ve lost track of Allie 7b), featuring Avril’s two top hits, Complicated and Sk8trBoi. The rest of the selections are pretty good, with the exception of Who Let the Dogs Out. Sorry about that one. I think I included it because it had become a cheer at Orioles games that year.
We went to Patti’s for Boxing Day, per tradition. Debbie took some nice pictures of the occasion.
Allie and Barb 
Barb and unknown puppy 
Christine and Allie 
Jimmy and meats, our traditional gift to him 
Jay watching Jimmy 
Pyromaniacs unite! 
I guess just after Boxing Day we took Allie in to Dr. Bonebreak (his real name) to get braces for Allie. Dr. Crafton had recommended that she get braces very early to make sure she had room for her adult teeth to come in properly. She had the starter braces on her top teeth by the time we were in Florida but not the Christmas festivities before, so it must have been around December 27.
After Christmas, we headed down to Florida to celebrate the holiday and New Year with Mom and Dad.
Grandmom teaches Allie needlepoint 
…or is that cross-stich? 
Gransmom teaches Allie solitaire
Card shark 
Ho-ho-ho
Barb brought work with her 
Allie and I…at Helen’s club? 
Allie and I again…and Mom on the right
We stayed over New Year’s Eve and then headed up to Disney World for a couple of days. See more in the next post!
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