Happy Halloween!

(More pics by clicking on the pic)

As a journalist, my friends and relatives are always susceptible to becoming supposedly independent sources for J friends. Anymore, this potential source of quotes includes my kids.

Behold Martha in this month's Eltern (Parents) magazine (pg. 126):

For those of you who don't read German, the accompanying article is about whether or not Berlin is kid-friendly. In her sidebar, Martha says her favorite capital city spot is Volkspark Friedrichshain.

Note to Eltern contributor Kerstin: I'm 37, not 39 (!).

Ruby came to spend the night a couple weekends ago.

The next day, we made waffles.

But not fast enough.

Then we went to the playground where Martha "Stinkfoot" Bulkeley didn't want to climb on the jungle gym, wasn't about to play soccer in that wet grass and certainly wouldn't deign to participate in a round of Red Light, Green Light on the basketball court.

I think I need new glasses.

From the terrible twos to teen-ager in one year. Martha last night:

This is mean. I always have to do what you tell me.

She rocks.

We always wait about three months too long to get the kids' hair cut. Afterward, we always wonder why we waited so long. To be honest, it's a mix of thinking that anything attached to them is worth more than gold and that we've never found a decent place to get it done.

That has changed.

And it's right around the corner from the house and near where Martha has drawing/dance/Iaido lessons and next to our favorite cafe.

Lately I've been leaving evening engagements early because the next day is just too painful with small children. As I mentioned this on my way out of a particular Kreuzberg locale recently, a friend of a friend asked me what my verdict was on having children.

I told her kids can push you to your very limits for banal reasons. But at the same time I've had some of the best weekends of my life with them. She asked me to explain but I couldn't really.

I wish I could just show her this series of photos from a recent Saturday morning: