Wednesday, March 31, 2010

How to Kill Your Back in One Quick Lesson:

Take care of a very active 3-year-old boy!

Despite the pain, I'm quite happy with my latest challenge. It all happened so quickly! Last week my mom told me that our newest neighbor asked if we had a school because she was looking for one for her 3-year-old grandson (she's the sister of the neighbor who died last month and whose dogs we were taking care of). 


My mom explained to her that we're not a school but that we could teach the kid, etc., etc. So she came over Sunday night to check out our setup, was pleased, and that same evening I was hired to teach her grandson every afternoon, Monday through Friday. 

It has actually been exciting because he's at a totally different level then the girls. Alina's been trying to press in with her school work and finish it in the morning because then she participates in all the acitivies in the afternoon, and Laura has been extra communicative with the latest addition to our group. 

So now I have tons more planning to do, yay! My brain has been going crazy. I stayed up till midnight on Sunday and was able to make half of a curriculum for him (it's bilingual), and being that I'm the least creative and artistic person on this planet, it's extra challenging to make or come up with the zillion activites recommended/needed for his age. 

I will post photos soon of my new pupil and the great time we're all having.

P.S. Do pray for my rotten lower back and tail bone because the pain caused by all the bending over is unbearable (due to the scoliosis), which in turn makes me not sleep well. Tks!

Tragic Happening

Wednesdays are my unlucky days! They're the days I've gotten a packed bus and have had to come back standing with Alina. And then today was the worst ever! We waited for 40 mintues for our bus (meanwhile 9 buses passed going in the opposite direction), when our bus finally came, it was full of soccer fans wildly pounding the bus (there was a game in the nearby stadium) and I had a whole 2 seconds to take in the secene and dismiss the bus. 

There was an empty bus right after that one and the driver kindly informed me that he had come to get me as he'd seen me and Alina waiting at the stop when he was going up and knew that the bus before him was full of soccer fans ... touching. 

Anyhow, after thankfully climbing into the bus and praying that there wouldn't be much traffic as we were already late for Alina's class, we were stopped by plain-clothed policemen who were checking the buses thanks to the lunatics going to the game. As our bus was empty, the policeman just looked inside and asked the driver if everything was ok, and after waiting a bit for the bus in front of us to go, we continued on our not-merry way. 

We got off the bus and almost ran to the school (a good 3 blocks away) only to find out that the class had been canceled since the other kids hadn't shown up (due to the Easter holiday). And because we were a whole 25 mintues late, the teacher had been dismissed. I was so frustrated I almost cried! 

To console ourselves, we went to the nearby ice-cream parlor and had some yummy ice-cream while we waited for my mom to pick us up. 

Alina came to the conclusion (without any words of wisdom from me) that it wasn't an adventure because we had to wait so long. She was quite satisfied with the ice-cream though and we arrived home earlier than usual (thanks mom!). 

So all's well that ends well ... even though we were off to a tragic beginning ... sigh!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Disney Parade

Yep, we went to it and had a grand time! We, as in me, Alina, Laura, Mom, Marina, and Miche. 

We arrived at the place 2 hours before it was supposed to start and it was already swarming with people. My mom had had the brilliant idea of staying in the restaurant of the amusement park which overlooks the part of the lake where the parade was going to start from. 

Unfortuantely, she was just one of probably 500 people who had the same idea. The restaurant was packed and they were charging an absurd entrance fee. Jesus is way too good to us though, and in answer to our prayers, He led my mom to a secluded veranda area of the restaurant where there were two empty tables (out of 7). 

Needless to say, we quickly claimed one and thus situated, we were able to watch the whole parade in the shade with seats, bathrooms nearby, a waitress waiting on us ... totally the best! If we hadn't gotten that place we wouldn't have seen anything because the streets were crowded beyond words. 

Alina was overjoyed with the outing. The only downside was that we were stuck in traffic for over two hours on our way home as everyone left at the same time and the streets became no-man's-land. 

Anyway, on to the pics.

Waiting:


This fellow sure found a good spot:

Still waiting:




Marina and Miche:

Pooh Bear!!! (ah, yes, all the pics of the parade have these great cables in them because I had to zoom in and they were in the way)



Princessess and princes (one of Alina's favorite):



A lousy version of Captain Jack Sparrow:

The Little Mermaid (according to Alina this Ariel was ugly):


Mickey Mickey and Minne Donald (along with wannabe Sandy and Junior):

Our privileged view:

The end (horrid amount of people!):

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Girls' Night Out

One of our friends asked us to visit a friend of hers who became quadriplegic after a car accident and has been in the hospital since December. I went with my mom and Heidi and another friend joined up with us and we sang a few songs to the girl, prayed for her, etc. as well as for her mom and sister who were with her. 

Afterwards, we went over to a friend's place to "hang out". The original plan was to have dinner and then watch a movie, but the fellowship and dinner were so good that by the time we finished it was midnight and too late to do anything else. 

It sure was pleasant and relaxing, especially after having been in that oppressive hospital environment.

At Dinha's apartment:

The Professional Scribbler

Who turned 1 and a half yesterday.

Here she is during one of her many, and all too frequent, artistic moments:




Goop time:





Attempting to put Alina's nightgown on and acting like a nut in the process:






This pic is from the day the electricity went off and she had to take a cold bath:

Sunny, rainy day:



Comical

On our way back from ballet class a few days ago, we passed by some large tents that were being put up by the lake. Cristina informed us that there was going to be a Disney parade. A few minutes after this grand piece of information was shared Alina asks:

Alina: Bob, what are all the other people from the movies?
Me: What movies?
Alina: You know, the ones like Aladdin, the Little Mermaid, Bela (meaning Beauty and the Beast), Mickey Mickey and Minnie Donald ... those ones.
Me: Ohhhhhh (trying not to laugh), you mean the Disney characters.

And I proceeded to name several others.

Alina's ecstatic because she's going to go to the parade this afternoon. Hopefully we'll find a good enough spot to see "Mickey Mickey" and "Minnie Donald" and all their friends :D.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Self-portrait

... with a cold (thank God for make-up :D).

And Then There Was In House

We had this year's first gourmet dinner last night. Not too many people came so it was easy enough, being that I was basically the only waitress. In a way I was thankful for that because I wasn't feeling well due to my cold. 

Everyone that came enjoyed their time here AND it didn't rain (an answer to prayer). Some folks stayed till pretty late, but I was soooooo tired and my feet, legs, and back were aching, AND Laura was awake, so I went to bed. 

Oh yes, in case you were wondering, the food was as scrumptious as could be!! Pity no one took any photos of the dishes.

Mother, Rafa, and I having a bonding moment:

With Mom, siblings, and a little friend:

The three happy chefs:


Marina and Rafa with a friend of theirs:

Mom and friends:

Croaking:

And we get to have left-overs for lunch today! Hurray! :D

Friday, March 19, 2010

A Little Angel Called Alina

I was thinking today about what a blessing and big help Alina is to me. Other than the fact that she's my daughter and the joy that that brings, she's been trying real hard to help me take care of Laura since I'm alone. 

She always wanted a little sister and would ask me every-so-often if she could have one (sure! let's go choose one from the supermarket shelf!). Ever since she got what she wanted, she frequently exclaims her joy in having a sister and constantly tells me how she's going to teach Laura to do everything she knows how to do and loves having her around ... except for when she's playing, because then Laura inevitably wants to play with what she has.

But back to the adoring, older sister part, I had to take Laura to Alina's ballet class on Wednesday and Alina was so proud to show off her little sister. She told me she was hoping her friend Lara would go to class that day because then she'd get to show Laura to her (and then commented on how similar their names are). And then again today, Laura went with her to swimming class and she proudly told her teacher that "that" was her sister ... such love!

Just this week she changed Laura all by herself for the first time and naturally, was as proud as could be at that great feat. Then yesterday I had to work on something that needed to go to print that afternoon. As it was market day and there was no one to get the girls for me, I asked Alina if she could take care of Laura until I finished. She happily gathered Laura's things (flashcards, quote posters, verse books, etc.), and when I checked on them, Laura was having a grand time looking at some things while Alina was putting away the quote posters with an I'm-so-responsible air. She always says how much she wants to have kids and that that's why it's good that she helps take care of Laura because then she can learn and practice.

I got a nasty cold today which left me feeling terrible, so after giving the girls a shower, I laid down to rest a bit before dinner while they played. A short while later Alina loudly exclaimed: "Ew! Bob! Laura pooped in her diaper and she stinks!" and after getting a groan from me, she said: "Bob, it's a sacrifice, remember?". I playfully told her I was going to bequeath my sacrifice to her. I thought she was going to say something along the lines of "no way!", but instead she replied: "Ok, but you're going to have to get a bazin (I think she meant basin) for me because I can't pick her up to wash because she's too heavy!" ... suuuuch a happy helper!

So I changed her and laid down again, but a few seconds later Laura was wailing and pointing to the door wanting to leave. Alina, trying to be helpful, offered to take Laura to "walk around the house and see what's going on". Being that hardly anyone was home, there wasn't much going on and a minute later Laura was happy again. 


I told Alina that I was resting because I wasn't feeling well and right away she asked: "Do you want me to pray for you?". It's little things like that that make me ever-so-thankful that I have her in my life.

Naturally, there are times when she tries my patience, I get upset and frustrated at her and then at myself for not having more patience, and end up feeling like a failure as a mom. But then a little kiss from her, a "you're the best Bob in the world!", a tight squeeze followed by "I love you Bob!", reminds me of how blessed I am to have been entrusted with this angel 6 years ago.

One of my most fervent prayers is that I'll be a good sample and what she needs because she's registering most everything in that bright mind of hers and will copy it to a certain extent.

Which reminds me of one of my favorite lines from Little Women which is: "I must try to practice all the virtues I would have my little girls possess, for I am their example." Now that's a tall order! As a parent (or if you live with children) you're on stage 24/7 ... God help us all!


The happy helper:

My ballerina angel:


Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Alina's Adventures (as she calls them)

Well, one of them was last Wednesday when we got a bus back home after her ballet class and it was pretty full so we both had to go standing up. I was worried about holding her safely while the bus sped up and down the streets and simultaneously holding myself in place. And all she was interested in was playing with a baby that was on the opposite side of the aisle, completely unaware of my struggle to keep her from flying around the bus :). 

Thankfully, the ride home is quick (about 15-20 minutes), and shortly before we reached our stop, a kind-hearted person offered his seat. By the time we had to get off, the part of the bus where we were was so packed that, as we were trying to get down, the driver closed the doors and started driving away. Some people standing closer to the driver told him to open the doors as Alina and I continued squeezing our way through the crowd until we finally got out. Very exciting ... for Alina, heh.

Another adventure was on Sunday which was a bright, sunny day, and in which we had planned to go to the zoo to see the latest addition. The day seemed perfect for our outing but then, before noon, huge black clouds filled up the sky, and much to our dismay, there was a summer storm. It rained like crazy! 


Great! Change of plans. A few hours later, the sun came out and it was so warm, we decided to go swimming. While we were swimming, the dark clouds appeared again, so we got out and next thing we knew, it was raining ... again. Alina was happy enough with the excitment the crazy weather brought to her day and she was able to watch the beginning of "Jesus of Nazareth" (for the second time).


Then yesterday the electricity went off for a few hours due to another summer storm and made it quite impossible for Alina to go to ballet class. We had a grand time playing and reading until it got too dark to do so. Alina didn't mind taking a cold shower because it was, and I quote, "part of the adventure". Naturally, Laura wasn't the least inclined to follow her sister's sample and so had a not-too-cold wash up in the bidet. 

After having a candlelit dinner, we went to the room for more playing and reading (this time with candles). Alina thought it was the funnest thing in the world and wished we could always use candles but also have electricity to be able to "watch videos and do other fun things".

Alina's fertile imagination whilst playing last night:
 
Alina: Bob, my daughter is sick.
 

Me: Your daughter?
 

Alina: Yeah! I have three daughters and this one's the oldest (holding up her largest doll).
 

Me: Oh, I see. And what is she sick with?
 

Alina: Oh, just like a cold and a cough. What should I do?
 

Me: Well, make sure she drinks lots of liquids, maybe you could make some chicken broth for her, and make sure she's dressed warmly. Check her temperature regularly to see if she gets a fever.
 

Alina: I already did. This is the thermometer (holding up the rolling pin from her kitchen set).
 

A few minutes later:
 

Alina: Bob, I already gave her tons of juice and water and I put a wet cloth on her forehead.
 

Me: Oh, she got a fever?
 

Alina: No, but it's to make sure she doesn't!

And to end this wonderful post, here are several photos of my funny, creative, expressive, HUGE monkey:

The "feast" she prepared for me one Sunday ... such love:

Studying:


Observing moss on a piece of bark (the slice of bread on the plate was one of her Science experiments, "making mold"):

Doing her homework:

Ready for ballet:

One day she's begging me to take pictures of her, and the next she doesn't want me taking any of her ... premature adolescent:

Friday, March 12, 2010

Laurie's Progress

The crazy monkey was dry for most of the day and used panties for the first time in her little life! She also did quite well in her fine motor-coordination skills activities today.

She doesn't say a single word yet, but understands most everything that's said to her and already knows her daily routines. She's really into getting her own plate and spoon at every meal (and any time she feels like it throughout the day), and likes being read to and "reading" books by herself now.

Unfortunately, she's becoming a picky eater. I read an interesting article the other day about toddlers and their pickiness when it comes to eating and how at this age they're extra sensitive to textures -- it's their big thing. It's new for me because Alina skipped this phase, as well as the "terrible twos" (luckily for me).

I noticed that Laura stopped gobbling everything that was served to her. For example, before she would eat zucchini and think nothing of it, whereas now she'll take a bite of food and if there's a piece of zucchini in it -- no matter how small -- she'll try to take the piece out of her mouth. And if that doesn't work, then she'll spit it out. Very exciting new phase of her life! Argh!!!!

It's very funny when she comes running up to me pointing in whichever direction and babbling away thinking that she's talking. Oh, and she doesn't know how to say "no", so you can ask her anything and she'll nod her head to say "yes" (not like that's progress though).

Thursday, March 11, 2010

To Nini ...

... with lots of love!



(Oh, yes, I'm posting this on the 11th since it's already your b-day where you are :). Hope you have a great one!)

For Daddy

Here are lots of pics and a few videos. Most are of the little nut :). We love you!!



Having fun with the fan:



Trying to get Laura to sit still so that we could take a photo of our beautifully painted toenails ... obviously it didn't work:

Pretending she's a good girl:


This was from the day she decided to hose herself down (and she wasn't the least bit sorry):



She likes taking a shower by herself, but hates it when I wash her hair:




Such a big girl!

(that purple-green spot by her eye is a bruise she got one afternoon when she was with Miche)

Watching the rain (which they were able to do to everyday since it rained for a whole week):


Couch potato:

Another rainy day:


Silly girl:






Last Sunday Alina wanted to make cookies for her to munch on while she watched Disney's Robin Hood. So I made these vanilla blobs and she was supposed to help me, but completely forgot because she took a very long time to eat lunch and then went off to read. They don't look good but they tasted good enough, hehe, and the girls were quite happy with them :). They are definitely the easiest cookies in the world to make!

The piggie with 2 in her hand and eyeing the plate with the rest of them:

Reading (some more) before watching the video:

Oh, look! It's the couch potato again!



These are from today ... she finally managed to hold the umbrella up and walk around at the same time: