Why did you have a pool party inside your family room in February for your daughter’s fifth birthday?
She wanted a swimming party, and it was too cold to have it outside. Rob and I both love her very much. And also we are both a little bit crazy.
Why didn’t you just have it, you know, at an indoor pool at the local Y or someplace like that?
We were used to throwing “home” parties: over the years we transformed our house into the Magic School Bus Goes Into a Volcano, an Exotic Zoo for Small Animals, and a Campsite, complete with tent and s’mores. It felt like it would be more “her” party if it were at home. And as I said, we are both a little bit crazy.
Was the party “The Little Mermaid” (TLM) themed?
Yes, obviously.
How many Rob-hours did it take to set up and fill the kiddie pool in your family room?
About five. My dad helped too:
How many large plastic bags did you use to protect the TV?
Three.
How many five-year-olds fit in the pool?
Four.
Did you make a cake that looked like an undersea castle and decorate it with gummy-clownfish because you couldn’t find gummy-damsel fish, which is the type of fish Flounder is in TLM movie?
Yes.
What did you use for the castle towers?
Ice cream cones, covered in frosting.
Do you have strong opinions about “TLM” as a fairytale?
Not really. A lot of people are bugged by the anti-feminist messaging in the Disney film, and I can feel that. But that’s really about Disney.
The original fairy tale was written by Hans Christian Andersen. It’s not one of those orally-passed-down-who-knows-who-thought-it-up fairy tales. And as HCA’s middle name implies, he was Christian and his TLM story has a religious moral about doing good deeds in order to attain an immortal soul. Also, his protagonist is as curious about the human world in general as she is in love with the prince. (Disney got this right to some extent, for instance when she excitedly wonders if forks are for brushing hair.) So it’s kind of an empowerment story.
Did you spend a lot of time both then and over the years thinking about the metaphorical connections between TLM “finding her voice” and your hopes for your—at the time quite shy—daughter finding her own voice?
Yes.
How frequently have you been asked these “FAQs”?
Not very frequently.
coolest mom ever!
Absolutely hilarious! And so thoughtful and reflective.