The 1st Chapter Book done!

The girls love having daddy (or mommy) reading to them. Though both of them are taking steps toward being independent in that regard it's always special time reading on the couch or in bed. A while back - perhaps a month or so - daddy found a book in the school library and decided that perhaps it was a good multi-night read. The book was a success and though we didn't cover it cover to cover on night one, it was finally finished just this evening. The girls, happy as can be the Judy Moody overcame her problems with trying to help the world out, were quite satisfied that, in the end, and despite the setbacks, Judy was able to save the day!  Daddy loved the fact, of course, that it involved planting trees. Overall a great first book!  Now, what's on the schedule from here on?

Love & Laughter: Random Moments

One of the best parts of parenting is watching children grow. While our girls' growth has come with an increase in in-fighting, especially when other friends are around and the girls are struggling to gain attention, most of the time they are simply having fun enjoying time with family. It would be hard to explain their growth, their development, but each and every day they do something different. One day it's reading with a little bit more ease. Another day it's working on two hand passing. Or perhaps it's a dive into the pool. Or a new game created in the living room?  Perhaps is baking some banana cake, or doing each others' hair!

Lately we've been playing "Peck" (Daddy's name. There is no formal name for this). The game goes like this. Each girl holds on to a stuffed animal (usually a bird). Daddy's job is to catch the girls and, once caught, he is allowed to give them kisses - lots of them - until the said girl is saved by her sister who brings the bird up and "pecks" daddy to let her sister go. The rules state that he has to let go by the third peck, but is able to catch either of them if they have not slipped away. He, of course, wins the game if he can catch both of them and give them kisses to his heart's content. There are a couple safe zones as well. These days this game is nearly the only way daddy can get a kiss when returning from work. Complicated stuff!  

So, with smiles and laughter. Wish hugs and kisses (and even "pecks") we grow together. Love is always there. Laughter, not always. But these days the laughter and the love go together a good deal!

New Styles on Mother's Day

It was a bit of a last second organized thing (daddy's always like that) but it was an outing none-the-less. It started with cards written by the girls to their mother. As cute and beautiful as one could expect of little girls filled with a willingness to share their love with mommy. Then it was a lunch outing at a buffet meal with Tia and Avi too!  As things are set up in Malaysia it's hard to be too far away from a mall and this was no excpetion. In fact that hotel we were in (fancy!) was in a mall (that too, is all too familiar here) and so it was followed by a wander around, to move a bit, to find a little this or a little that and so on. 

Strangely the girls were the victors of the shopping spree. Amalia ended up with the socks she was hoping to get (lots of colors and designs of princesses and everything!). Irini wasn't sure, going in, what she'd end up with, and there was some stress there for a while, but in the end she too was sporting a big smile, clothed with a new light cotton jacket. 

Then, just before we headed out the door, mommy turned back. Guided to a corner of the store where daddy couldn't quite tell what there was, she then took mommy to the counter and bought something. Amalia, not to be outdone, ran over too, wanting her own version of what this was. 

Next thing you know, the two of them are wearing frilly hats. As Tia so very well pointed out, their choice of hats (colors and styles) spoke volumes about their personalities and were 'perfect fits' for either of them.  What's more Irini, sporting her new hat, was doing her best to emulate the cover of a fashion magazine. Stylin'! 

Sleepover with Hazel the Hedgehog

Mrs. Curtis was Irini's teacher two years ago. This year she's had the pleasure (she tells us) to have Amalia as well. It's been a very good year for Amalia who has grown by leaps and bounds. But perhaps the biggest highlight of the year came this weekend, with the visit to our house by Hazel the Hedgehog. The story is long but suffice it to say that Mrs. Curtis' youngest son decided to allow his mom to adopt Hazel for a few months in her classroom. Hazel has such a perfect demeanor that she makes a "very easy" pet, requiring minimum amounts of tending while providing kids with hour upon hour of entertainment, company and learning about small animals. Over the course of the last few months the kids have taken turns hosting Hazel in their homes for the weekend. This weekend was our turn!

Daddy had to head over to school to pick up Amalia since, strangely, the bussing company doesn't like hedgehogs on their busses. So, mommies and daddies make the transfer instead. We were given Hazel's cage, a small plastic basket with some extra wood carvings, food, a small book of how to take care of her and her very own travelogue where the kids put pictures and descriptions of the visits of Hazel throughout her semester. It's filled with pictures of Hazel playing with all the kids at their houses. Quite lovely, really.

Normally on a day when daddy picks up Amalia she wants to spend the time with him and head out for lunch, but this time there was no such luck for daddy. The directive came loud and clear. He was to drop off Amalia and Hazel at home immediately, so that the two of them could bond and have some play time together. And so it was. 

By the time Irini got home a few hours later Amalia was an expert. The girls played with Hazel, let her run around the house (who knew hedgehogs were so quick) and sat her in their laps. She is really quite adorable. Tomorrow Hazel's time with us will come to an end. She's had lots of visitors while here and it will continue tomorrow when we take her to Kira who lives in the same condo as us. She too, we know, will be delighted. As the time draws near the questions start up... "can we get a hedgehog daddy?"

Grade 1 Share Day!

A while back we were told that we had to put May 8 onto our calendars. No reason was given at the time. Then a reminder came around. Again, no reason was given. Finally, about a week ago we were sent an email saying that the children were doing a timeline of their lives and could we be prepared with a bit of information for our children with the basics: Birth date and place, first time walking, etc. We were also asked to send some pictures that the students could make their own timeline. We oblidged and then went to the event. 

Once there, the kids were lovely. They stood at the front of the classroom, looking out on the visiting parents who were trying, as best they could, to properly fit in those little classroom chairs. The kids shared the plan for the day, each taking their turn through a script about the hour or so we would be together. They wished all the mothers a very happy Mother's Day (and, in fact, Natalia had to then rush off to another Mother's Day event in Amalia's class too), offered the parents some drinks or snacks and then took out a folder with their timeline, opened it up and started taking notes. What ensued was a beautiful interchange of students asking questions and parents answering, going through stories and bringing back memories for all of them. Irini loved talking to her mommy but didn't want to do the amount of writing that was required. Still, it wasn't anything that another half a muffin couldn't fix. :-)

Thank you, beautiful girl, for being part of our life, from reminding us of your time with us, for going through your special moments and for being a wonderful daughter in every way!

Half a Decade young!

As adults we're often spending time trying to forget just how old we are, hoping that, one of these days, some new technology will be able to bring back memory, smooth skin and the bounding energy we once had. But for a four year old getting older is pretty nifty stuff!  Amalia had us all on a countdown for months, asking every few days and making the adults in the family have to count the days ("How many days in February this year?") over and over again. But then the number got small enough for her to keep up herself and she was delighted to find out that all of Malaysia took her day off as a holiday as well! How cool was that?!?  

The night before, as the girls slept, mommy and daddy arranged all the presents, prepared the food and put together what is quickly becoming a tradition in our house. The number of years ("5" in this case) cut out from colored paper, indicating the direction from the bed to where the presents are... when Amalia woke up she just followed the fives stuck to the floor, leading her into the living room. There, waiting for her, were her presents from the family, including a game we would play later on during her party. 

The down side of parties on a holiday is that some of your friends are actually out of town when that happens, but we had asked Amalia is she preferred to keep her party on 'her day' with less people or have more people on a different day. She chose to stick to the day. And in the end it made for a great, but smaller event. 

One wouldn't know from the pictures that she had difficulty with the idea of sharing goodies (say by hitting open the pinata or putting them around the building for a scavenger hunt) and mommy and daddy were often trying to persuade her that the party was for others as much as it was for her. Thankfully Ms. Brooke, who taught Amalia last year, was an invitee (as she always is) and was able to get Amalia to part with her personal wants and get into the sharing sprit. By the end of the event all was well and happy. 

To the rest of the children it probably didn't matter and, by the time the last few friends were jumping in and out of the pool, one would never have known that we have "our moments" on that day. Growing up can be emotional sometimes, but the love? It's still going strong. We love you little one!