Snow White

I don't remember if it was Nicole's 3rd or 4th birthday when she received a 300.. THREE-HUNDRED ... piece puzzle from a friend (not my friend, that's for sure). The puzzle was of a favorite princess... Snow White ... so, of course, she wanted to put it together. I agonized over that blasted puzzle. It took FOR-EV-ER. And, I swore, the box would never be opened again until she was a pre-teen. But, just in case, when taking it apart, I broke the puzzle into six sections, carefully putting each section into plastic bags and labeling them.

The puzzle remained safely forgotten in the closet until last Thanksgiving. That's when my Dad visited. And Nicole saw the puzzle. Of course, "Papa Sedenko" wanted to have this bonding experience with Nicole. I warned him. I told him the evil stepmother had placed some kind of "impossible" curse on this puzzle but he wouldn't believe me. Honestly, I think ... even with the help of the "sections" ... it took him longer to put the thing together than I did the first time. (Nicole's participation was rather minimal these first two times.) Papa and Mom now share a similar distaste for Snow White and each of the seven dwarves.

Then came the day, not too long ago, when Nicole asked for the puzzle again. I tried everything I knew to dissuade her. Personally, I don't enjoy puzzles. And I especially don't enjoy this one. But I gave in. And, somewhere, somehow, Prince Charming bestowed a kiss and broke this "impossible' spell. Well, that's what I like to believe. Because it's just too humbling to admit that my four-year-old put this thing together in just a few days with only minimal help from a babysitter and myself. Here are the magical final moments.