Thursday, September 27, 2012

getting ready...

School starts in just three days, and the question everybody seems to be asking and answering is: "Are your kids ready?"
That is not in ANY way the same as "Are your kids excited, looking forward to it, emotionally prepared."
It means one thing: do they have all their ducks in a row.  Will they be able to start Monday or not.
Registered?  Uniform?  All books?  Ribbons?  Shoes?  Backpack?
Most everyone is answering "not quite.  Maybe we'll send them in a few more weeks."
Whether Lily is American-ready or not, we will see.  But she IS Haitian ready.  
Her name is embroidered on all her uniforms, though Googling "How do I embroider my kid's name?" resulted in many stranger-danger warnings that you should NOT.  That would be an American thing.  

Her name is on, and this morning, she gleefully washed them all with Gertha.   Then, this afternoon, we worked on her "uniform" hair do, which is required to be like this, or in five braids.  
No one needed to tell Lily she looked darling.  She was SO EXCITED, and kept gushing, "I feel BEAUTIFUL.  All the other girls wear their hair like this at church, and I'm doing the same as them!  We're matching.  Oh.  I am beautiful."

It was so cute.
Frankly, I'm not sure how I'm going to have time for all of this and to drive her to school and be back in time to teach myself.
Watching Lily in her mirror for the first time and smile at herself was the BEST.  I wish that somehow we could protect that chip in our children that tells them they are beautiful and smart and fun and loved.  

When did we all start looking in the mirror and thinking, "Uh. Oh well!"

Ready or not in any culture...the time has come!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

my artist

Aunt Lisa sent Lily this little drawing pad, and suddenly, she's gone from crazy scribbles to fantastic pieces of art...or at least I think so.

We're catching her in bed at night under the covers with a flashlight, coloring...

Here is this morning's self-portrait:

She couldn't stop long enough to eat breakfast.

This is Lily, above, Mommy and Poppy below, and a caterpillar on the left.  "Sofie is in her crib somewhere else, sleeping."
Sofie, of course, wants to do it if Lily is doing it...but only for about 10 seconds.
This is Poppy, with his new haircut.
This is another caterpillar.
And this is a "silly man".  

I know, I know (Martin :)...she is no Van Gough.

But it's crazy how proud
a mama can be
of three fingers
and a fat red happy face! 

Saturday, September 22, 2012

far too fast

We sure do try.  To keep Sofie away from Boone, that is.  But man.  This girl LOVES this dog.  It is a full time job to keep her away from his playful teeth, especially when she's always trying to grab his face and kiss him square on the jaws.
They also both really love Noel.  At lunch the other day they both left their plates and crawled onto Noel's lap, leaving me childless :)
Lily always says that her name begins with L, but that Noel's name has NO-L.  Even though it SOUNDS like it has an L.  She's totally confused about how this works.  
The kids would all be together 24-7 if permitted.  Well, except for maybe Sofie, who finds bigger kids a bit rough for her overly sensitive tastes :)

Boone really is well loved, despite Sofie's scar.  Which is why he is getting to wear this "castle hat."  


I took this photo of our mango tree to prove that fall IS here.  Even if it's 96 today.



Sofie is SO glad her Daddy's home.  Though she still calls him Mama.  Still.
Sofie gets a special kind of pleasure out of doing things that she shouldn't do, or things that are dangerous.  That's why she's grinning at the idea of trying to stand on this cup, and waiting to see if I tell her she shouldn't...which will make it even MORE fun.
My dad says this means that we have a long 20 years ahead of us.
yeah.
Girly loves to swim as much as her big sis, frequently plunging under the water and grinning when you save her, especially if you have a panicked expression on your face.
It might be a long 20 years ahead...
but so far, it feels like it's going far too fast.


Monday, September 17, 2012

how are the girls?

BUSY.
















Thursday, September 13, 2012

more soap. faster shutter speed.




what I need to keep up with these two.