It's been a while now. It started by rolling around from side to side and from her stomach to her back. Then sitting up. Soon enough she was rocking forward and returning to the comfort of her sitting position. Then she started trying to pull herself up things, from daddy to the sofa. Then slowly extending her body and pushing with her legs. And finally, on Thursday, September 4th (just two days before she turned 8 months old) she did it... and she's off...
Monday, September 8, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Flashback, Part 4: Greece
... and then there was Greece. Our return from Colombia found us all tired and jet-lagged. It took a few days to get over the physical toll of flying half way around the world and back, but luckily the days were good to us in Greece. Laurence, who had picked up an illness of some sort in the Andes, found himself feeling better again in the dry, warm Mediterranean weather.
Aleko and the Scan Clan arrived, in bits and pieces and on different itineraries. They came and went (to Milos and back) and came and went again (to Sweden) and, in there somewhere, we saw them, spent time with them and enjoyed the family days our summers have come to signify. The only one missing was Erika (Sammy's girlfriend) who was unable to pop down to Greece this time around. We spent a good deal of time with our friends Stelio and Maria (who now have a baby daughter of their own - Mikaela was born in March), Ralph and Anne (and Maria, of course) and some time also with Peter and Vasil and Sophia as well. Of course, there was always time in there to find some visiting opportunities with Stefan and Vicky too.
We managed just one day at the beach, where Irini was introduced to the Agean Sea at the foot of the temple of Posseidon in Sounio. The day was perfect, as they so often are in Greek summers, the sun was out in full force, with a shy cool breeze from the south. The seaside taverna was the perfect spot to eat some tzatziki and kalamari and enjoy the sea's deep blue and the sun's soft glare on the marble columns in the distance.
The end of (our) summer came as fast as the beginning had. On a day much like any other, the time arrived for us to depart, and off we went. Slowly accending above the Greek isles, across southern Turkey, over Syria and beyond, the darkness slowly found us and the towns below turned into small congregations of glittering dots. The desert turned black and the stars found their way to my window seat as we flew through the night. We found the sun on the other side of the world again as we flew over that (dreaded for Laurence) Bay of Bengal, along with all its bumps and turbulence, though Irini slept soundly as she had on all the flights before.
Flashback, Part 3: Prague
Has there ever been a city with a larger "old town" than Prague? We do not know, but neither does it matter. From our apartment just on the edge of said old town we walked for hours each day, up to the Castle and across the main square, over to the Powder Tower and along the small windy streets, across the Charles Bridge and beyond. For four days we walked and walked and walked in what, as it turned out, was probably the most relaxing part of our summer vacation. With barely anything programmed and with our mindsets of "let's walk around and see what happens" little Irini and her grandfather (Walter), Laurence and Natalia did just that.
Prague happens to have a very large old town, and the cobble stone streets are perfect for a stroller and leisurely walk as it turns out. The gulash was exquisite, the beer (for those that drink it) refreshing and very flavorful, the local taverns numerous and that provided ample opportunity to stop and relax when Irini needed a feeding. The form of travel was very much the same, but the 'laid back' factor needed to be a high priority.
Four days later we boarded the Czech Airlines Airbus to return home with nothing but memories of color and stories, of food and building facades, of artwork (Natalia fell in love with Mucha) and architecture and our little evening hangout, a bookstore/cafe named The Globe.
Walter was in love (again and again and again), Irini was happy as can be (as always) and Natalia and Laurence delighted that the trip - a present to Walt - was such a big success in every way.
Flashback, Part 2: The baptism
Was there something special about this summer? A special event? In all the running around across three continents it is almost a blur but yes, there was... Irini was baptised! Natalia and Laurence had spent a long time preparing her for the "dunk". We had taken her down to the pool, tossed water in her face, even dunked her under water just to make sure she was ready. By the time she got to the church on the morning of June 21st, she was happily looking at the place, splashing her feet in the water and not quite minding the fact that her entire body was slopped in olive oil (Ralph - the proud godfather - did a great job!) and the priest was dunking her in three times in true Orthodox custom. With each dunk the small crowd of onlookers (mostly friends and family) took a breath in anticipation of the crying that would be done. All little babies cry when they are being baptised, it seems. Well, not this one. This one just smiled and looked around happily! The 25 minute ceremony was short, beautiful, and filled with very many happy faces. When it was all over Irini was changed and given her new white outfit with which she can now march on in life, white with innocence and free of worries.
The baptism included a number of local friends (Peter and Vika, Stelio & Maria, Vasil and Sophia to name a few) and, of course, the godparents (Ralph and Anne, along with their own daughter Maria who was baptised there years earlier), but also involved Natalia's two aunts - Patricia and Marta - who now live in Madrid. Their whirlwind visit (from Friday evening to Sunday morning) was as action-packed as it could, including, in addition to the baptism and post-ceremony lunch, a visit downtown to see the Acropolis and take a stroll around the Plaka area, and a Greek dinner or two.
Flashback, Part 1: Colombia
It now seems like too long ago, but y it's only been a month and a half since we were in Colombia. So much has passed since then, and so many people seen, miles flown and things done, routines begun. The passage of time waits for no one, and so we felt it important that, today, our first weekday without school (in celebration of Malaysian Independence day), we make the time to go back and reminisce, re-create, re-examine, re-enjoy it all.
Colombia was a bit of a mad dash. Between the extended family and the friends of old there were, literally, hundreds of people who had to meet little Irini. Add to that the arrival of Kate (our great friend from our days of teaching in Colombia) for a week and it was a true adventure in human contact. The only 'down time' so to speak was our three days in beautiful Villa de Leyva with Kate and Natalia's immediate family. The village, as always, was friendly and welcoming. The only thing that seemed to 'stand out' from earlier visits was the cobble stones. Our stoller was left behind after one foray into the small streets and Irini was happy to be carried anywhere and everywhere.
In there somewhere, in a small tienda on the side of the road where we stopped for a drink just about in the middle of nowhere, it was announced to the world that Ingrid Betancourt and another 14 hostages were freed after years in captivity. It was a moment of national pride when a nation's people could give out a collective (though temporary) sigh of relief. Pride was evident everywhere, from the livingroom discussion as we watched the developments, to the statements made by those who were freed, to the flag waving cars honking their horns in the plaza of the otherwise sleepy village.
As the collective euphoria gradually turned into daily get-togethers with friends and relatives, so too our time in Bogota become a little more goal oriented. Our days turned into rituals of preparing food for hosting get-togethers or of buying little gifts for visiting ones. In there, of course, were the requisite warmth of friendship and laughter, sweet communication between Irini and her extended family. Perhaps the most rewarding experience was the visit with Irini's great-grandmother who immediately turned a wine red in her glow of love. We had never seen her like this, but her giddiness and childish appreciation for Irini's demeanor ("un angel") and personality was obvious from the first moment to the last. Over our three weeks there, Irini sat in countless laps, was passed on from one friend to another cousin and back again with nothing but a smile. She was content and so was everyone else. In there somewhere, she began to eat fruit, beginning with papaya and moving on to mango and 'granadilla'. The feeding ritual, normally conducted by Natalia's sister, was observed by the whole family - from little cousins TTmouz and Avihurik to grandmother Emilia - and generally included the necessary "ahh" and "ohh" as well as a variety of styles of smile and giggles.
We counted 19 social events in the last week alone and, between us, Irini fared the best. Laurence got sick somewhere in the middle of the visit. By the time we got on the plane to Greece (Kate had left a few days earlier) we were ready for a slower pace of life.
The flights were generally uneventful. Irini slept through the entire first flight from Bogota to Madrid (waking up only for a quick meal somewhere over the Atlantic). She also slept through the first portion of the second flight but, at about half way, she woke up and worked hard on getting blood pumping through her muscles. She tried to climb onto the seat in front of her dad, or wanted to reach the things in the magazine rack, she reached down to the floor while daddy held the rest of her body up. Laurence decided to walk her down the aisles and was very glad to see so many other passengers enjoying a few seconds with Irini. They smiled, talked to her, touched her little feet, and generally admired her sweetness.
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