Rhys took a little sojourn to open up her mom's house on the Vineyard. It gets rented for most (all?) of the summer, and Rhys is taking over the management of it. So the kids and I went out to dinner last night in downtown Northampton. I didn't realize it would be photographic moment, so sadly, I suffered camnesia and missed taking a picture of the two of them. So I will describe for you, instead, what I saw.
Now many of you know Northampton, but it's one of those towns that's full of people who are kind of painfully cool. Something about the five colleges locally, a sort of artsy-fartsy, latte-sipping, volvo-driving (link to wmv video) kind of New England thing going on. This is not true of the whole town--there's a healthy parallel universe known as Hamp, but when you're downtown, it's Noho all the way.
At not yet four, the kids fit right in. Henry had a smoothie at the restaurant that he couldn't finish, so they put it in a cup that looks like a take-out coffee cup. Henry liked that it looked like he was drinking coffee. He was wearing a fleece-lined vest, and was carrying his "coffee" and his map under his arm like a newspaper. Eleanor had found a hair stick that I am saving for when my hair FINALLY gets long enough to use it again, and I put her hair in a bun with it, and she wore her pink velour blazer from Old Navy. V. fashion forward. V. shabby chic.
So while I may be a bit pudgy, kind of tired-looking, with bad hair most days and exclusively machine washable, stretchable clothes, my kids look like they fit right in downtown. The two of them, walking along Main Street, with the cool clothes and the papers tucked under their arms--it was just ridiculous. If they're cooler than I am at not-yet-four, then I'm pretty much doomed. Remember when I was one of the girls downtown? Hanging out at the Baystate? Being the shockER and not the shockEE at Pride? Sigh.
"Hop in the minivan kids!"
Hey, at least it's not a Volvo. But truly, only because I don't understand how a rear-wheel-drive car is good in snow. I'm that cool. Yes I am.
Sounds like you got yourself a pair of fashion police there...look out...they'll be after you soon enough!
Posted by: Diane | March 13, 2006 at 01:43 PM
Love the Hamp article!! My working class upbringing and my Smith education collide at the corner of Hamp and Noho. Identity crisis...
I'm with ya -- Little Man consistently looks like a cuter dyke than me. Just remember, since we're still dressing the wee ones, we can take credit for the attacks of cutie pie.
Posted by: The Feminist Mafia | March 13, 2006 at 01:59 PM
Oh, I can so picture this!
When I was up in Noho with the kids the other day I thought, "Oh, I could so easily live here." And yet...the volvos etc. might be a bit much.
I'm not sure that even my kids are hip enough. Sigh.
Posted by: Katy | March 13, 2006 at 02:07 PM
I wish you did have a picture but your description is great. I can just see them!
Posted by: Carole | March 13, 2006 at 02:10 PM
Cool, shmool...you da bomb, no matter what.
Posted by: margene | March 13, 2006 at 02:10 PM
I gotta say, whem I'm in Northampton, I'm NoHo all the way, with Hamp roots, of course.
Posted by: colleen | March 13, 2006 at 02:13 PM
I have to dry my hair in the morning just to keep up with the hair coolness around here...it's a bit of a hardship, actually ;-)I tried just putting it up like little person does, in the ubercool braided thingies, but...well...you know you're in trouble when you try to do Bjork and instead end up looking like Heidi on a bad Mountain Day...
Posted by: Lee Ann | March 13, 2006 at 02:19 PM
Oh my, I can just picture them . . . you did a great job, even without the camera.
And, um, I drive a Volvo, but it's a relatively cool S60 AWD Volvo, so . . .
Okay, I'm going to go sigh about Rhys being on the Vineyard . . . nine weeks and I'll be there, too!
Posted by: --Deb | March 13, 2006 at 02:46 PM
Ah, but where do they get their coolness from?
Besides - you're the mother of twins. If I were you, I'd being doing great just to get out of my pajamas every day.
Posted by: Imbrium | March 13, 2006 at 02:46 PM
I remember when my 14 year old was about five or six, she had (still has) a fashion sense that came from somewhere in her head. We were walking around NYC and she was dressed in a black from head to toe outfit, black turtleneck, mid-calf straight skirt, tights, shoes and a chic black sweater. She has always been small for her age, so she looked fourish and turned heads everywhere we went. Lots of them. Her older sisters even noticed that she always looked so much cooler than anyone in the family. At fourteen she still does.
And my Volvo is AWD. Though I love the town when I am out there, I never really feel as if I fit in, Volvo or no.
Posted by: Teresa C | March 13, 2006 at 03:04 PM
You're the coolest, "infertile lesbian fiber arts breastfeeding parent of twins, left-leaning democrat employed in research and education" that I know! ;)
Posted by: Bookish Wendy | March 13, 2006 at 03:53 PM
What Wendy said! You're so cool you've created your own style :)
Posted by: Martha | March 13, 2006 at 04:08 PM
You obviously didn't read the fine print in the Mommy Contract. It's one of the costs of parenthood. Without even consciously knowing that you're doing it, it just happens: You give up cool (quite happily, it turns out) in exchange for handing all the cool quotient over to your progeny. After a while you don't even notice it anymore. ;-)
Posted by: Norma | March 13, 2006 at 04:11 PM
I can just imagine how cool they looked. Yes, it is sad when our kids become cooler than we are. ;-)
Posted by: Helen | March 13, 2006 at 05:33 PM
My little man who's turning 5 next month can spot a Volvo at 100 yards. I kid you not. And there is absolutely no question that he dresses WAY better than I do. (well, when I choose his clothes anyway...)
Posted by: Rachel H | March 13, 2006 at 05:36 PM
Fantabulous description - I picture them sauntering along, with you behind to wait upon their whims...
Rear-wheel drive SUCKS ASS in the snow. Why, yes, I have a rear-wheel drive car. Why, yes, we did have 8" of snow last night. Why ever would you ask?
Posted by: Chris | March 13, 2006 at 06:19 PM
Ah yes...I my son still looks that cool walking around NoHo umm...Hamp. Carrying his guitar to Downtown Sounds after a coffee from Haymarket.
We do live in a very cool place to live and raise children.
Posted by: deidre | March 13, 2006 at 07:41 PM
I can so relate. Mom the dork -- yup, that's me.
Posted by: Kathy | March 13, 2006 at 09:06 PM
Each generation always defines a new cool. Who knew it was at age four?
Posted by: Laurie | March 13, 2006 at 11:10 PM
There is an area like that not far from our house. It seems that there are a lot of incredibly "cool" young families living there, all walking around with their (admittedly) adorable children and their own cool coifs and clothes and other high-cost accessories. A nice hint of geeky chic and New York style all blended with a bit of Martha Stewart or Real Simple magazine. They all seem at first glance to be very impressed with themselves, but on closer inspection, it is such a facade. As if they are hoping no one will notice they aren't really cool under all their expensive surface layers and yoga classes and beach vacations. It seems as though they think if they appear bored and detached and entitled (and occasionally a little snotty) it will complete the effect. Which is sad, because it is a really beautiful area and there is so much to see and do that I really don't see the point of working to be bored by it. One day my sweetie looked at me and said, "I don't know where these people think they are." And it was true. Most of them seem so unhappy. To me, *you* are the cool people. Powerful woman, thoughtful parent, interesting children, etc.
Posted by: Rachel | March 14, 2006 at 07:16 AM
My little cousin lives in Southie and he's a real "yuppie southie" kid! Complete with the khakis, leather "casuals", and the button-down shirt. :) He's 2... and adorable! My other cousins live in Maine with NoHo like parents (ummm...actually,I think even NoHo would think these hippy parents were a little out there)--- their names are Rain and Moon (yup, 3 and 18mos) and Rain dresses for her surroundings: Tevas with wool socks (knit by me), cords,and lots of cardigans. My boyfriend says she's the youngest middle aged hippy! :)
:) Kate... who needs a trip to NoHo soon!I wish I knew my way around out there better.
Posted by: Kate | March 14, 2006 at 08:05 AM
Yeah, I can totally relate. From the mom who has no idea where her 6 year old daughter got the makeup, cool clothes, hair stylin' genes. Oh, and a wicked interest in shoes.
Posted by: Lisa | March 14, 2006 at 08:45 AM
If you're still in Northampton, check out the Spring Bulb show at the Lyman greenhouse; free and soul-fulfilling, warm and good-smelling. Take pictures of kids next to flowers. What could be better?
Posted by: Liz Stein | March 14, 2006 at 12:40 PM
Don't
forget that in any conversation, with alomst anyone, everything has either a subtext or is meta-something.
It's sad that my 7 year old son has an edgier haircut than I do (I mean I had my head buzzed and bleached white in 1979!)And my daughter dresses in a sort of sporty, boho, funky mix that works....I on the other hand rock nothing but my LLBean clogs, jeans and a t shirt...
Posted by: amysue | March 14, 2006 at 03:16 PM
i'm with margene.
Posted by: mrspilkington | March 14, 2006 at 10:45 PM