Little Acorn

Vacation time!

Yep, it's our annual beach holiday/adoption reunion trip. The pictures kind of look the same every year except the kids get bigger and bigger! I like it that way - predictable and always fun! Definitely some sad moment this year - one family lost their Mom to cancer this spring and another family had been evacuated from their home due to wildfires and didn't know what they would return to. As always, I counted my many blessings. The weather was a bit chilly this year, but we got in the water as much as possible and we were all glad it didn't rain like last year.

Orchestra Camp

We traveled out of town in July so that Adeline could spend a week at Orchestra Camp. I don't know if we'll do it again, but she loved it and it was a good experience for her and a nice holiday for all of us. Mornings Adeline would work hard and then in the afternoon we would beat the heat in the hotel pool. She learned a lot and had a few performance opportunities including a huge concert at the end. Orchestra work is very different than solo playing, so I think it really stretched her brain and made her think in new ways, which is always a good thing! Of course because Adeline is such a social kid, she had made lots of friends by the first day and knew absolutely everyone by the third. She was the second youngest by a few months and once again she was probably the most advanced player.

I'll have to add some video soon. Her orchestra pieces included "Oh Canada", Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", Bryan Adams "Summer of '69" and "Les Cinq Jumelles" (a fiddle tune). All Canadian music this time to celebrate our country's sesquicentennial. So happy to get to use that word a lot this summer. One of my favourites.

Vivi's Fourth Birthday!

Can you believe it? FOUR! I just have to say all the cliched things? Where has my baby gone? The time went so fast? It was just yesterday that she was placed in my arms... But seriously - all those cliches are true. This amazing girl is four, and so proud to be so big.

June

June was an absolute WHIRLWIND at our house. So much happens at the end of school year - field trips, concerts, special days, track meets... whew. Plus we had some issues crop up with the child who was bullying Adeline which were dealt with immediately and well by both Adeline and her school, but which culminated in a family member of the girl verbally accosting me outside school while I was with Vivian. I was totally in the right and certainly not the monster that she painted me to be, but it's still a stressful situation. In June Adeline also worked hard to prepare for her Royal Conservatoy Exam in violin and she ended up getting an excellent mark. By the time school and violin ended we were DONE and really enjoyed a week of just relaxing at home before we had to pack up for our first summer adventure.

In pictures:

Vivian is a super-speedy sack racer!!!

My birthday was technically at the end of May, but I'm squeezing it in here. Adeline and David made us individual Baked Alaskas and they were PHENOMENAL. I'm a lucky Mama!

Adeline finished out her year in ballet class in June. She loves it and she's a very elegant dancer when gravity doesn't get the best of her. Her ballet skills improved throughout the year and so did her listening skills. She's definitely going to return to dance in the fall.

Last day of school celebration! Both my girls were happy that summer was here, but started missing school on about day three of vacation. I'm so thankful that they both love going to school and that they have an amazing school to go to!

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Vivian's First Preschool Concert

A short video of some of the highlights of Vivian's very first concert. She was SO excited. After watching Adeline have her turn again and again it was finally Vivian's time to perform and she did a fabulous job up there. I COULD NOT stop smiling. Vivian is so confident and happy and she loves school and her teachers so much. Every single day I'm thankful for our amazing school and every minute of every day I'm thankful that Vivian is my daughter.

 

"Out of This World"

 

Performing Arts Festival (and rocking new glasses!)

Adeline loves playing her violin in the Performing Arts Festival every spring! She always takes on a challenge and she works hard in the months leading up to Festival and when the time finally comes she is eager to get up on the stage, show what she can do and get some feedback from the adjudicator. This year she played two solo classical pieces and was in both a small and large ensemble playing some klezmer/Eastern European music with choreography. For the first time I did see some nerves before her performances, but Adeline did really well and one of her groups was given an award and asked to play at the Honours Concert. This is a "threepeat" for Adeline at the Honours Concert so she's feeling pretty proud.

Here's a couple of video's of a practice Adeline did a few weeks before the festival.

 

Concerto No. 2 in G Major, 3rd Movement (Seitz)

 

Ukrainian Medley

 

Happy Familyversary!!!

Three years ago today our family was complete when Miss Vivian joined us! I couldn't be happier that when Vivian needed a Mama that I was the one chosen for that job. The baby we met that day was sick, delayed, hungry and rightfully terrified at being taken from everything and everyone she had known for her first 10 months. It was a long and often hard road over our first weeks and months and even years together but every single day we could see Vivian blossom and it's been amazing to be there to watch her grow and develop. Baby Khanh may have been scared and sick and she hadn't always been given what she needed, but she was SO READY to love and be loved and despite her fear her heart was open. Today at almost four Vivian is happy, confident, loving, creative, bright, opinionated, funny, gorgeous and strong, both physically and mentally. I often send my thoughts out into the Universe in hopes that they can reach the hearts of Vivian and Adeline's first Mothers to tell them that their girls are happy and amazing and loved fiercely.

Then:

Now:

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới !!!

Welcome, Year of the Rooster!

Aren't they lovely in their ao dai? Vietnamese princesses.

It was a fabulous weekend of parties, feasting, staying up late and all sorts of family fun. Now let's bring on spring!!!

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Oh, January

January has never been my month. As soon as the Christmas lights are down my mood always takes a trip to the basement with them. This year is no different, even though nothing is wrong and fundamentally I know I've got a really good life. School is good for both girls. Everyone is healthy. The girls are going through a very happy and harmonious period and are having long amazing plays with each other every afternoon. Violin practicing is going smoothly and Adeline seems to be gaining a lot of skill quickly right now, which always makes her feel good. David got a nice bonus at work. It's even been sunny for the first half of January. But me...mopey...unsatisfied...bored...unmotivated...letting the mess pile up as I lose myself in a book...wanting to change EVERYTHING...wanting a holiday...wanting wanting wanting, but not DOING anything. I know it's me, not January, but all I seem to be able to do is endure this month. February is coming. February is always better.

But for now, how about I resurrect a classic and do "Make My Day, Monday" a random list of ten things that are making me happy right now. It might be a stretch to come up with ten, but I'm up for the challenge.

• Vivian has been in a great mood lately and while we still have crying and tantrums, they do seem to be less all the time.
• Vivian hasn't had a cold in a month...this is AMAZING!

Uh oh. Am I really out of things already? Let's think...

• We were worried that our dishwasher might be broken but we just cleaned it out and it's working better than it has in awhile (although the oven is done for, the computer is on it's last legs, the microwave has been acting funny and our toaster only toasts one side now).
• It's going to rain this week, which should help damp down the allergens that have been making me miserable since December 27th
• Spring break and summer really aren't that far away.
• The girls have been watching "My Neighbour Totoro" together lately and have really gotten into it and it's often a big part of their play. I love this movie, so it's a lot of fun for me to share that with them.

• Adeline bought me yarn for Christmas so I've been doing some knitting lately, and I realized how much I've really missed it.
• A big shout out to Nana for having the girls singly and as a pair for sleepovers! Those breaks are so needed and so appreciated and the girls have a wonderful time at their Nana's.
• I attempted crepes over Christmas and they were easy and now they've become a Sunday staple at our house.
• The days ARE getting longer and even though it's only the middle of January I can already feel the difference. Turn, earth, turn! Bring spring back!

The Million Light House

A few minutes drive from our house is the epi-centre of Christmas spirit in our city - we call it "The Million Light House" since that's what Adeline declared it the first time we visited when she was two. I hope this guy never stops decorating his house and yard. It's such an important part of our Christmas, I don't know what we'd do without it! We always go before supper on Christmas Eve, but we managed two other visits over the holidays despite the wicked cold weather and Vivian's ear infection.

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David insists I call it "The Christmas Wrap-Up"

Just a few pictures from Christmas - Santa FINALLY came through with roller skates for Adeline and Vivian got the "shiny noisy shoes" she's been hoping for and will start tap class in January!

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Merry Christmas!

Tree Decorating

Yesterday was one of those classic west-coast winter days with pelting rain, high winds and temperatures just above freezing, so of course we went to get our tree! I do think the weather facilitated some stellar decision making and we were out of there in a matter of minutes with the best tree in the whole place! After we put the kids to bed David and I put the lights on the tree while sipping sweet adult beverages and watching something festive-ish on television. This morning I insisted that everyone get dressed and have their hair brushed, but then it was time to put on the Christmas music and decorate. I love watching the girls uncover each treasure in our ornament box. We don't have a "theme" or a "colour scheme" and we don't care a bit if some branches are bare and others drag down low with ornaments galore. Each ornament on our tree has meaning and we share memories of all our holidays past as we unwrap the ornaments. Decorating the tree might be my favourite part of Christmas...

Snow Day!

Finally! It's been 3 years since we had any snow. Adeline has been DESPERATE for it to snow. I suppose this really counts as Vivian's first snow experience as all we had was a slight flurry when she was a tiny toddler - it didn't even cover the grass and it certainly wasn't enough to make a snowman. After watching the skies for days, Vivian's and Adeline's wish finally came true overnight and we got snow - real snow! They were THRILLED. Vivi and her Dad built an awesome snowman named "Scarfy" and there was an epic snowball fight. Adeline spent the night at her Nana's so we'll have to hear all about her adventures in the snow when she gets home this afternoon.

Vivian's First Ballet Performance

Vivi LOVES to dance! She asks every single morning if it's ballet day and she can't wait to start the class where you wear the "very shiny and very noisy black shoes".

 

Tiny Ballerina

 

Tiny Dancer

Vivian has loved the idea of ballet every since she heard it existed. I think the outfits have a lot to do with it as well as the general fanciness of the whole thing. This girl loves to be fancy! In the summer Adeline and Vivian put on lots of "ballet shows" for me, complete with sets and costumes and choreography and always accompanied by music by Tchaikovsky. When I asked Vivi if she wanted to take a real ballet class in the fall she replied with a very enthusiastic YES. Viv waited a long time, but her day finally came...

The teacher takes all the little pink ballerinas behind a closed door for the class, so we've got no idea what goes on in there, but Vivian is loving it!

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September

September was quite the month. Whew. HUGE changes for all of us as Vivian went off to preschool for the first time and the transition from summer to school proved to be a challenging one for Adeline (and for me too, to be honest). But it's October now and we all seem to have settled into the new routine. Vivian had an absolutely picture perfect start to her school days. She happily strides off through her classroom doors each day and after a few hours I pick her up and she runs out grinning, gives me a huge hug and says "I missed you Mama! School was so much fun!". Her school and her teachers are absolutely wonderful - I couldn't imagine a safer, happier, more nurturing place for her to be. Adeline started out the school year not wanting to go, which is TOTALLY UNLIKE HER. She was sad to say goodbye to her family in the mornings, but once she was there she had great days and after a couple of weeks she returned to her enthusiastic self.

And now it's October. October is my month.

First Days of School

That's right, dayS. BOTH my babies were off to school today. We have had a truly fabulous summer and I suppose I'm ready (maybe sort of) to get back into the school year routine. All of us are going to miss staying up late and sleeping in, playing all day and relaxing with nowhere to be day after day. Now we're back to packing lunches and alarm clocks and spelling lists and walks home from school and all the other stuff that goes along with the school year... It's going to be an adjustment, especially for me, I think!

Adeline has been looking forward to grade two since grade one ended in June. She is back in her same classroom with one of her teachers from last year and she's super excited to make new friends and get to work! This girl LOVES school.

Today was Vivian's first day of preschool as well. Even a year ago I never would have thought my littlest would have been ready for preschool just after she turned three, but Viv has absolutely blossomed in the last year and she's become much bolder and much more confident recently. She was a little worried in the weeks leading up to today though. She would frequently say "I'll be all alone at school". When I would reassure her and tell her that she wouldn't be alone because she would have her teachers and lots of nice friends she would look at me very seriously and say "But I'll be all alone with no Mama...". Today on the way out the door she wanted reassurance that the same Mama that dropped her off at school would be picking her up. I had said "And when preschool is done, your Mama will be waiting for you" and she grabbed on to the bottom of my shirt and said "THIS Mama?" with a bit of a worried look. Once I made it clear that there would never be any new Mamas for her, Vivian was ready to go and she didn't look back as she strode confidently into her room. David and I basically circled the building with cellphone in hand in case anything went wrong, but she met us with a big grin at the end of her hour and told us it was "GREAT!" and "SO MUCH FUN!" and when I told her she gets to go back tomorrow and have more fun she pumped her fist and said "Yesssssssss!". She told us all about her teachers and declared them "Really really nice". Vivi said she liked playdough and circle time the most. Each day this week gets a little longer until she finally does her full half-day on Friday. I think she's going to absolutely THRIVE at this preschool. Of course I'm a little sad that our baby season is over and it feels very strange to me that my little shadow now has a big part of her life that I know very little about, but at the same time I'm so proud of Vivi and so happy to see her so independent and ready to take on the world!

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Fair Fun

Labour Day weekend means the fair! I can't remember why we didn't go last year (weather related, I think), but I'm so glad we went this year. We all had enormous fun and the weather was perfectly cloudy and cool.

Fall is in the air...

... and what happened to summer? The leaves are turning, the sun is going to bed earlier and earlier and my inbox is being inundated with panicky emails telling me that I am FAILING at back-to-school if I'm not shopping NOW NOW NOW. Summer has been really good to us. Day after day of Adeline and Vivian playing mostly happily with each other, jumping on the trampoline, eating strawberries from the garden, running in the sprinkler and drawing and dancing and singing and giggling...so much giggling! My girls had lovely birthdays and I'm still in shock to be the Mother of a seven and three year old! We had a fabulous holiday at the beach (where I wish I was RIGHT THIS MINUTE) and some other adventures close to home. There's been camping in the woods, violin daycamp for Adeline and lots of busking downtown where the tourists stroll, pony riding, library programs for both the girls and lots and lots of just plain relaxing. Vivian has had her first sleepovers at her Nana's and David and I spent our first night alone in close to three years. It's all been good. Well, apart from Vivian giving up napping, the car crash (not at all David's fault and luckily he wasn't injured) and the impetigo that got diagnosed on Monday...other than that, SUCH a good summer.

Did I take pictures? YES.

Did I feel guilty about not blogging? YES.

Will I catch up in my blogging and swear to do better? YES (but you know how it goes, right?).

My thought is to go back in digital time and publish the pictures in posts on the days when the pictures were taken rather than do a big catch-up post here. I've always seen this blog as our family record and want to be able to go back and see our summer unfold as it did. So watch between my last post and now there are likely to be a few or possibly even many new posts. I might even sneak a few into May and June as well. I just deleted a huge time waster from my life (a digital obsession...I'm not proud) so now I can do all the other things I've put to the side.

And thank you to anybody who is still checking us out, hoping for an update. Your loyalty should be rewarded.

 

Happy Birthday, Biggest Girl!

You can't dispute that seven is squarely in big kid territory. I know someday we'll look back and think "Oh, wasn't she little and sweet and innocent at seven?" but for now I look at her with amazement sometimes and wonder where this long-limbed big kid came from, because surely Adeline was a wee three just heading off to preschool a month a or two ago, wasn't she?

 

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Downtown Busking

We live in a town that gets a lot of tourists. Hordes of them, at times. Many locals steer clear of downtown in the summer because of it, but not Adeline - she's down there every chance she can get, busking! She goes with her violin teacher and a group of kids that changes depending on who's available and they play all their upbeat fiddle tunes and the crowds LOVE IT. Some of the kids do it strictly for the money, but for Adeline it's all for the fun and for the joy of performing and she does like the ice cream you get afterwards and to see the numbers on her bank account climbing!

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Vivian Rides the Pony!

At one, Vivian didn't even want to sit on the pony. No way.

At two, Vivian was ALL ABOUT riding the pony, right up until it was actually time to ride the pony and then she just couldn't go through with it.

At three, Vivian rode they pony! All by herself, while chatting to the cowgirl the whole time.

Turning three has really had a profound effect on Vivian. It was almost like a switch was pulled on her birthday and being three has really made her bold, in all sorts of situations. It's amazing and wonderful and makes my heart so happy to see my girl who was so frightened and so closed off for so long, to be so at ease in the world and so open to new adventures!

 

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, the beach

My happy place. I look forward to this holiday all year long.

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Happy Birthday, Big Girl!

Three is BIG. No denying it!

The swim goggles "just like Adeline" were definitely Vivian's favourite gift. They're her favourite colour, she loves the pool and most importantly they're what big girls like Adeline wear swimming. "Just like Adeline" has been a big theme of the summer!

Happy Canada Day!

From two very proud Canadians!

I have plans (okay, you can all laugh along with me now, because we all know what THAT means) to fill in the blogless past soon. So much good stuff since my last post - my birthday, Father's Day, the end of the school year with concerts and field trips and a report card that made me almost burst with happiness, the summer violin recital, busking downtown, the first couple of weeks of summer holidays when the girls invented their own country, complete with maps, a state bird, a wildlife guide, a flag and a very exclusive explorers club, a camping trip where Adeline lost a tooth eating a marshmallow... So much good stuff. Will I get to posting about it? Resolutely YES. But admittedly not soon. We're busy through a lot of July with holidays and day camps and birthdays for both the girls (THREE and SEVEN? impossible).And of course busy with all the sweetness that summer brings - jumping on the trampoline, sleeping in the tent in the yard, running in the sprinkler, listening for the ice cream truck...those sorts of things that are nothing and everything all at the same time. Lots of good memories being made at our house!

 

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This Face

So Vivian runs up to me while I'm loading the dishwasher after breakfast and says "Quick, Mama! Get the camera! I need to see what this face looks like!" and then she makes this face and holds it until I go get the camera and take a picture for her to see.

Oh how I love this girl! She makes me laugh every single day!

Spring Violin Recital

Once again, I'm bursting with pride. I love watching Adeline perform. Adeline works very hard and performing is where it all pays off for her. She loves to be on the stage and I love to see her so happy and proud and in her element.

This video is long, I know. I tried to just hit the highlights and it was still long...

Highlights of Adeline's Spring Violin Recital  

 

Princess

Perhaps Disney or Pixar are looking for a model for a Vietnamese Princess? Maybe someone is working on a movie about the Trung Sisters? Elephant riding Vietnamese warrior princesses - yes, please! 

Two Years

Two years ago we were in Hanoi for the days around Mother's Day with our sad, sick and scared little one. Vivian cried for most of her waking hours and I walked for miles back and forth in our hotel room and sang the ten songs I know over and over and over again. We didn't take many pictures as it just seemed disrespectful to someone in so much pain, but sometimes Vivi would be watchful and quiet and we did get a few fleeting smiles and giggles that would let us know that her light was dim, but it was there. Now? Vivi is FULL of giggles and smiles all day long. She is a bright spark of joy! She is bursting with love and fun and songs. Being Vivian's Mother and watching my daughter come to life, slowly and not always easily, over the last two years has been one of the great joys and honours of my life.

Then:

Now:

 

 

Mother's Day

Adeline participated in an adjudicated arts festival at the end of April. She did two classical pieces as well as performing with some friends in a fiddle group. They did a choreographed medley of traditional klezmer tunes and it was fabulous! Unsurprisingly they won an award and were asked to perform at the Honours concert, which was on Mother's Day. There are no videos or pictures from the performance (they are very serious about this rule!) but we were allowed to snap a photo as they received the award. There was a cash prize and a plaque that has a complicated traveling schedule so that each girl gets an equal amount of time with it before it needs to be returned next year, but really Adeline was just so thrilled to get a chance to perform with her friends for a very enthusiastic audience. Adeline is rarely excited to practice, but she loves to be on the stage! The concert was a great way to spend part of my special day. I'm so proud of Adeline and all her hard work and dedication. Even when things don't come easily (grapevining while playing the violin is REALLY HARD) she keeps working until she gets it.

Happy Family Day Vivian!

Two years with your family...WOW.

Then:

Now:

I had absolutely no idea how much more love and laughter and fun and mess and silliness and sparkles and singing and hugging my life could have in it! I love you, Vivi!

Job Description Nailed

Vivian whispered this to her stuffed cat this morning...

"I'm your Mama. I love you. I help you become. And to be brave."

Spring Break

I just realized that I didn't post about our spring break adventures which are almost a month ago now. Vivian and I were both very sick with the flu for the first week and Adeline was just recovering, so that was a pretty quiet time with lots of visiting Nana's house for Adeline and lots of couch time for me and Viv. The second week the girls were feeling better, David was off work and I was able to at least fake being well for periods of time, so we went out and had some fun and visited some of our favourite old places and found some new ones.

Adeline discovered a deep love for mini-golf. She briefly abandoned her plans to be an ornithologist who helps save endangered birds in the Amazon and was looking into professional mini-golf careers...

We went down to the marina and fed the seals and otter. Our hands smelled like herring for days as did the inside of our car, but it was totally worth it to get up close to the wildlife. Well, mostly wild - no fear of humans but also likely pretty aggressive if you didn't toss the fish and QUICK. Adeline is so enamored of otters right now that she was glowing with excitement when this guy popped up from under the dock

Adeline kept trying to get closer and I kept trying to pull her back. At one point they almost got in nose-booping-range despite my best efforts, but luckily nothing happened. Adeline was thinking "SOOOOOOO CUTE!", the otter was thinking "I SMELL FISH. GIVE ME FISH" and I was thinking "VICIOUS SHARP TOOTHED BEAST ABOUT TO TEAR THE FACE OFF MY DAUGHTER". But it was all good and after the initial excitement Adeline did give the otter his space which stopped the heart attack I could feel coming on. Adeline still declares this the absolute best thing she did on spring break.

Vivian liked it too, although the raw and bloody fish was too much for her and she let Adeline do the feeding and she tired of watching the seals sooner than Adeline and went for a walk down the dock with her Nana.

We also went the aquarium where Vivian was fascinated by the jellyfish...

And to Butterfly Gardens to visit our favourite bird... The girls are desperate for him to walk on their arms but he only likes women and it seems he recognizes me now and if I offer my hand he walks right up my arm to my shoulder and gives me kisses. I never considered myself a bird-person, but there is something awfully nice about it.

We went on a "bunny hunt" at the gardens. It was crowded, but the girls loved it and Adeline has declared it our new Easter tradition. Even though we were busy hunting for the bunnies hidden all around the gardens we still had time to stop and enjoy the vibrant green beauty of early spring...

...and to ride the carousel. This was Adeline's first solo ride and you can see how happy and proud she is. For a long time she was too scared to do anything but be hugged on the bench as the carousel went around and then last year she finally got up the courage to be held tightly while riding an animal and now she's finally ready to enjoy the ride on her own. Adeline will loudly declare that she isn't scared of ANYTHING, but it's just not true at all.

The bunny hunt prize was a bag of jelly beans or chocolate which was the perfect end to the visit for my sugar bunnies. Our week together made me really look forward to the summer when I'll be home with both my girls. They get along so well (most of the time) and I love to see all the love and fun there is between them.

Our week also had lots of bike riding, visits to parks, and plenty of hanging out at home just enjoying each other. There was a post-haircut pho lunch and Adeline learned how to use chopsticks and to tie her shoes over spring break! Quite the memorable week!

 

 

 

Last week, Adeline performed in the 20th Annual Grade One Puppet Show and it was FABULOUS. Her class sewed their own puppets and worked together to make the scenery and did an extremely spirited rendition of "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly". Adeline was a blue macaw ("How absurd to swallow a bird!") and she loved every minute of it and was very proud of the great show she put on for the packed room of families and friends. My girl was the only kid who absolutely couldn't resist peeking up every once in awhile to see how the audience was reacting. Adeline loves to be on the stage and she loves the feedback of seeing an audience enjoying her performance.

 

 

Love

David and I are both only children and my Mom is the only grandparent that the girls have. Our family is SMALL, but we're so glad it includes David's Mom's sister, Anne. Adeline and Auntie Anne had an instant connection despite their almost eighty year age difference, and there is so much love and fun in the air when those two are together. It takes full day with a lot of car travel to go visit Anne and we always plan to do it once a month but then sickness and busy-ness and stuff needing to get done around the house and garden gets the better of us and then it's once again been way too long since we've gotten together. Vivian is finally starting to warm up to Auntie Anne. I hope they will have many years together to build their relationship.

Neither Adeline nor Auntie Anne are fans of posing for pictures, but Adeline told me on the trip up that she wanted me to take a picture of the two of them to put up in  her bedroom. I saw them sitting on the steps of the woodshed and in just a couple of frames got some lovely shots that I think really capture something about the feelings they have for each other.

So Sweet

Vivian is a very affectionate girl, especially at bedtime. I know all the hugs and declarations of love are partly a stalling tactic, but how can I resist when she's so sweet? Last night she threw her arms around me and said "You're my best Mama in the whole world! You're my best Mama in the whole wild west! You're my best Mama in the whole deep sea! You should have a shiny golden trophy. I love you so much!".

 

Happy Easter!

 

Wha'happened?

Whew. That time sure flew by, didn't it? A lot of it was taken up with every member of my family being sick, first with some wicked colds and then just as we were recovering we were all hit with the flu AT THE SAME TIME. I had lived in fear of this ever since I became a Mom, and YES, it was as bad as I thought it would be. For days on end I had a fever of a 104 and every muscle and bone in my body ached, and I was so exhausted I wanted to cry, but I still had to take care of two very sick and surly girls and a husband who should have been home from work but wasn't. Adeline bounced back first but is still coughing, Vivi wasn't her wiggly giggly self for weeks and would just sit and stare for long periods of time and I probably have progressed to pneumonia or bronchitis or something as I'm still feeling pretty lousy. In the middle of all that my Mom went into the hospital for very minor surgery and ended up staying a few worrying days. So yeah, there's all that. I don't think I took a single picture in February or the beginning of March. Valentine's Day and our 11th wedding anniversary and the first week of spring break fun were all cancelled. Adeline has a violin thing coming up in April and she's taken on a BIG challenge and I'm having huge amounts of worry as we've lost a few weeks of practice. I can't remember the last time I cooked a real meal although with the amount of dishes sitting on my counter you'd think I've been entertaining every night. The house is really and truly filthy and all I can think about is whether my screen-time guilt will allow me to put on yet another episode of the "The Octonauts" for Viv while I lay on the couch with my eyes closed.

 

Whew. That's a LOT of whining. Sorry.

 

But the good...we are all on our way back to health (I think). It's still spring break and David is taking next week off so we'll have some family fun (hopefully in the sunshine) and celebrate Easter and make some good memories. Spring is truly here and despite my illness I'm itching to get out and feel the sun on my back while I work in the garden. Happier times (and more blogging) are ahead, I'm sure.

And just because I can't have a post without a picture, here's lovely Miss Vivian, taken yesterday as we baked some cheese scones together.  Because she was so sick I had to cancel her appointment to get her hair done, so she's pretty shaggy, but she's looking so grown up to me lately. Vivi is so funny these days. I love that she's been telling me her dreams lately - the other night she woke up around 1 and when I went into her room she was sitting up and grinning ear to ear. She said "Oh Mama! I dreamed a COOKIE was sleeping on the edge of my bed! He was so cute!". She also talks in her sleep - mostly mumbles - but the other night as clear as anything she said "Look at that! There are MARSHMALLOWS on that building!". Cute cute cute.

Blue Horses

Adeline was drawing at the easel and starting producing a series of very expressive blue horses, using no outlines only shapes. I said "Wow! Your blue horses really remind me of some famous paintings I know! I'll find a picture of them to show you". She turned to me and said as if it was no big deal "I'm drawing blue horses like Franz Marc. He was an expressionist". We went on to have quite a conversation about different genres of art and why a blue horse was so revolutionary in it's time. Have I told you how much I love Adeline's school???

A blue horse by Franz Marc, German Expressionist painter of the early twentieth century...

Blue horses by Adeline, First Grader of the early twenty-first century...

Did I ever tell you that I should have been an Art Historian? I was confused in my University years and afraid of change and having a LOT of fun as a Theatre major. I really should have taken the passion I felt in my art history classes and the easy excellent grades I got in all those classes as a sign that I should have re-thought my plans, but I didn't (regrets...I've got more than a few).  So you can understand I was pretty excited to be discussing art with my six year old! 

 

 

100 Days

Today Adeline has been at her new school for 100 days. Every single one of them has been a good one. Have I told you how much I love Adeline's school??? Every day she bounces off happily to school in the morning and she bounces out of her classroom at the end of the day, declaring her school day "Excellent!", "Awesome!", "Amazing!", "Great!", "Fabulous!" or "The BEST DAY EVER!". She fakes being well so that I won't keep her home when she has a cold and she counts down the days until she can go back to school when she's on holidays.

Why do I love Adeline's school? Here's just some of the reasons...

• Adeline can work at her own pace. She is doing grade one math and grade two writing and grade three reading and she's following her interests in science and geography and she's progressing with those as quickly or as slowly as she needs to. Not that they actually talk to anyone about those grade levels. Every child is supported to work at their level, whatever that may be.
• Adeline is learning some AMAZING things about how the world works.
• At Adeline's school they study famous artists and do some really interesting art activities.
• We're so  happy to be missing out on Disney Princesses, Shopkins and Monster High. Yes, most of the kids watch television and movies, but they've got a lot more than that going on in their lives and they're just not a big thing at her school. There's no rule against it, but almost no one even wears character shirts or has character lunch kits.
• Adeline is learning to be self-directed and self-motivated in her learning and to be a creative thinker. Actually she always was, but this school is encouraging it to continue!
• Adeline's class has 20 children and 2 really great teachers.
• The teachers are so respectful and warm and passionate about their work.
• The teachers always seem to be having a good day and they're always happy to talk to you at the end of the day.
• The teachers really know each child and work with them individually to develop the whole child - academically, socially, physically, emotionally - everything.
• Adeline is friends with everyone.
• Yes, conflict happens, but children are given tools and support to express themselves and to deal with the conflict in a healthy way.
• The children at the school all really know each other and are very respectful and friendly - even if they've never been in a class together.
• Adeline's classroom and the whole school are beautiful. Bright and full of light and peaceful and orderly.
• There is a lovely natural area for the children to play in.
• Adeline's days are a bit longer, but she gets more outdoor and indoor movement time than in public school.
• Adeline's class is 50 percent children who aren't Caucasian - most of those 50 percent are Asian.
• Adeline's class has 3 children who joined their families through international adoption, so our family doesn't stick out at all.
• Some of her classmates have other kinds of untraditional families too.
• The school is very multicultural and it celebrates everybody's holidays. Adeline has had so much fun and learned so much. She really found some deep resonance in what she learned about Rosh Hashanah and Diwali and she brought those things home to share with us.
• On Friday they celebrated the Lunar New Year in their classroom and with a school-wide assembly. Celebratory outfits were encouraged and Adeline was happy and proud to wear her ao dai to school. She knows she looks beautiful!
• Adeline has separate teachers for gym, French and music - they are all wonderful too!
• Adeline and her classmates will be performing in a musical this Thursday - "It's a Jungle Out There". Adeline will be playing an elephant. This is the grade 1 to 3 musical and there are others for the other grades.
• So much opportunity for music at Adeline's school - choir, recorders, guitars, band, strings, musical theatre...
• Adeline gets to take skating and swimming lessons through her school. She's really enjoying skating now that she's spending more time skating and less time falling!
• All the classes have pets - Adeline can't wait to be in Grade 7/8 - they have guinea pigs AND a cockatiel!
• The parents are all really friendly. At pick up time we all just stand around talking to each other and it's really nice. No one is head down over their phone as they wait.
• The children can get a snack or a drink any time they need it during the morning or afternoon work period. That just seems so much more appropriate for children than making them wait until lunch.
• If a child needs some down time there is a cozy book area with pillows where a child can relax for a bit or do some reading alone or with a friend.
• As much of the learning as possible is done hands-on.
• There are raised beds for gardening.
• There are overhead lights, but often they are turned off and they use natural light or incandescent table lamps.
• The children can work wherever they are comfortable - at a table or on the floor or standing up.
• Children often work in pairs and groups and are often teaching each other things.

Oh how I could go on. I could probably think of 100 things I love about Adeline's school - one for each day she's been there!

So happy we found this special place. I wish it was free, of course, but it's worth the sacrifices to have our girls spending so much time at such an amazing school where they will learn so much and be encouraged to really be themselves.

Welcome, Spring!

Don't my girls look as lovely as spring blossoms? Every time Adeline puts on her ao dai she starts posing like the very elegant dancers we saw on the stage when we were in Hanoi in 2014. Those beautiful young ladies definitely made a big impression on Adeline. Adeline KNOWS she looks good in her ao dai. She even wanted to wear it to school for their Lunar New Year celebration on Friday (have I mentioned I LOVE Adeline's school???).

Tet is the Vietnamese New Year and the start of spring in Vietnam, so I've decided to decide that it's spring here too despite what the calendar may say! The weather we've had the last few days has proven me right and we've had a few chilly but sunny days where you could even take your coat off for awhile and feel the sun on your back. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

We had a lovely long weekend to welcome in the year of the monkey. We decorated our whole house on Friday, we went to a big party with friends on Saturday, we made banh chung and banh tom for our family feast on Sunday which we followed with making as much noise as we could to scare away the bad luck from our house and then staying up reallllllllllllllly late (Adeline made it to 1 am!) to welcome in the new year. We weren't done yet - Monday we continued the celebrating and had a day of family fun in the sunshine.

And yes, I'm SO HAPPY that January is over!

January, my nemesis

Oh, January, how you bring me down each and every year. At least it's happened so often that I now know it's coming, not that I seem to be able to do anything about it. It's dark. It's cold. It's wet. All the sparkle and shine of Christmas is gone from the world and spring still seems an eternity away.

Sigh.

January also gets me thinking big thoughts about CHANGING EVERYTHING, but of course once saner heads prevail in the sunnier month of February I usually realize I've got it pretty good.

Last year I was in such a dark place in January. Much darker than this year. Over Christmas was when we realized that public school wasn't what we wanted for Adeline but we hadn't found the right school for us and January was the month when we found the right place but were told that there was no space for Adeline. I was so desperate last January I was even considering homeschooling which I know can be great for some families but I just don't think it would have worked for us. This January we're making some decisions about preschool for Vivi (seriously - can you believe that???). She turns three in the summer (what??? my baby girl??? three???) and could start in the preschool program at Adeline's amazing and fabulous and wonderful school, but there are some buts... It's five half days a week and that just seems a lot to me for a wee three with a stay-at-home Mom and money is a big issue as well, as paying tuition for two is DAUNTING and can't be done on David's salary alone no matter how we crunch the numbers. I don't want to go out to work just to pay for Vivian to be in full day care and am hoping to continue being at home until she's in school full time at six if I can. Preschool is only slightly less than elementary even though it's half days, so it's a pretty big number. David has started work to get our basement ready for renters and I've moved all the junk from   renovated a corner of our office/computer area/giant closet into a workable if not pretty crafting space, so I hope to earn half or more of Vivian's tuition by doing one or more craft fairs next Christmas and by resurrecting my etsy shop. It's hard to work after dark once the girls are in bed, but I'm going to have to find the motivation. And of course to go to school you have to be out of diapers and finished napping, and I don't know if that will happen by September. Our registration needed to be in by the end of this month so we've gone ahead and signed her up, but there is still time to make a final decision by the summer. We attended an Open House last week, and Vivi did seem very ready. Vivian marched right in and made herself completely at home, she chose activities from the shelves and worked on them with a lot of focus and most amazingly, she made conversation with all the teachers! Viv has really only said a couple of words to people outside our little family and she still often scowls at strangers who talk to her or she hides behind me, but on the Open House night she was obviously completely comfortable in her potential classroom as she was chatting away with the teachers and administration, and laughing and smiling with people while I just blended in to the background and watched her. This was HUGE for me and it almost brought a tear to my eye, thinking of how far she's come and feeling so grateful for the amazing school community that she'll be joining when she's ready. My baby girl was so sad and so scared for such a long time, but that night for the first time I saw her sparkle without me and I knew that she will feel safe and happy at school and that in her heart she finally knows that I'm not going to leave her.

Have I every told you that toilet training has been the WORST parenting job I've had so far and I am DREADING going through it again. Sure, maybe it will all be different with Viv but it was ...years... of drama with Adeline. I vowed never to go into the details here in a public space, but yeah... Whew.

January has also been a month of colds with two back to back ones for Vivian and David and one that seems to drag on endlessly for Adeline. At least I've stayed healthy so far...

Other January stuff... Adeline is doing skating lessons at school and has managed to skate approximately three inches, but she never gives up and she never stops having fun! I love that about her! She had wanted to go back to Rhythmic Gymnastics and was all signed up but then the class was cancelled so she decided to try karate instead. Adeline likes it a lot and seems to be picking it up quickly, but I must admit that at least where she's taking it it's way too violent for me. She loves to try new things - I think if I offer her something new after karate she'll be happy to move on.In January Adeline also prepared for and totally rocked her Grade One Royal Conservatory of Music exam. I was really proud of all the effort she put into it and how she never complained even though it felt like we spent WEEKS AND WEEKS just polishing her scales and arpeggios! Adeline has got a lot of violin happenings this spring and her playing has really had another great leap forward, so I'm excited to see where she's going to take it this year.

One of the bright spots in January has been how great Adeline and Vivian are getting along and how SUPER FUN their shared play has been for both of them lately. I love watching them play "Cockatiels Save Christmas" or "Karate Cats" or "Baby Animal Rescue". I love hearing them laugh together.

Six more days in January. I'll make it. Barely. February will be better, right?

I just looked for a photo to include with this post and realized I haven't even taken any pictures since Christmas. Now we know there's something wrong with me!!!

 

Further proof that my kids never wear socks...

...and that I've even stopped noticing. Sigh.

 

 

Christmas 2015

The weeks leading up to Christmas were hard for us this year. First Adeline and I had colds and then Vivian was VERY sick. Just a virus, but one that brought with it a lot of coughing and congestion, some fever and a whole bucket-load of MAD. When Viv is sick she gets absolutely out of control - nothing like her usual fairly sweet and easy personality. She has full on tantrums complete with laying on the floor kicking and screaming many times a day, she cries at every perceived slight or when she is told no, she wants to be held all the time but then you're not doing it right and she cries, she wants to be carried around (which she is too big for), she doesn't eat or drink or sleep for more than 20 minutes at a time and there's SO MUCH CRYING all day and all night. Oh my ears. I have so much compassion for her, but it's exhausting for everyone around when she's not well. By Christmas Day she was down to just a really runny nose, a bit of a cough, a prickly attitude and just some crying rather than all day crying, so it was a little better and she did rally in the morning for present opening. Poor thing. She was sick last Christmas too. My dream isn't for a white Christmas, it's for next year everyone to be healthy from December 15th through 30th! 

Just a few pictures from our Christmas. I'm having a very needed hour alone right now while David takes the girls to an indoor play space, so I want to get off the computer quick and do some relaxing!

Do you think Adeline was excited for Christmas Eve?

Oh yeah. SO excited. Despite her plans, she slept until 8 on Christmas morning and then she woke us all up so the fun could begin! Yes, in the second picture down that IS a gummy rat in Adeline's mouth - it was her breakfast. We have a rule that you can have anything you want for breakfast on Christmas and Adeline has chosen gummies three years in a row now.

The girls got lots of musical presents this year so we all had a great time making a "family band"! Despite Vivian's being under the weather we still had a really lovely day and we've been enjoying some pajamas, treats and new toys days ever since Christmas. Unfortunately David goes back to work on Tuesday (BOO) so it's about to get less fun around here and back to school is just days away. It all went far too quick this year.

One More Sleep

 

Visiting Santa

Last year:

We didn't know how it would go... Vivian cried SO MUCH last year and she's still very unsure of new people, but this year she's been really into reading books about Santa and has watched a few television shows with Santa and she knows he brings you presents and candy. We had put it off to the last minute as we kept hoping Vivian would start feeling better, but by the 23rd we knew that this was Adeline's last chance. We were in the kitchen making plans for David to take Adeline to the mall and for Vivian to stay home with me, but Vivi overheard us and wouldn't stand for it. SHE was going to see Santa and she wouldn't have any further discussion. We didn't know what to expect, but she was happy and humming with excitement and wanted to show Santa the fancy dress she had picked for herself. She was pretty snotty and had a terrible cough and had been crying off and on all morning, but we knew Santa was probably used to that sort of thing. As we got ready to go we realized that Vivian thought we were going to the North Pole and she was most excited to see the reindeer. Her enthusiasm waned a bit when I explained that Santa had come to see us, so we weren't going to the North Pole, but she was still eager to go. We got lucky and there were only a handful of kids ahead of us in line, so the excitement lasted through the long walk through the busy mall and the wait to see the big guy.

Isn't Vivian's dress quite something? I went to the store to pick out a Christmas dress and David was supposed to keep Vivian occupied until I had picked out and paid for something classic and lovely, but they showed up early and Viv turned her nose up at all my understated picks and chose this sparkleriffic dress. Her favourite colour is blue and it is COVERED in glitter and it has a big twirly skirt, so it really is the right dress for her. Adeline has never cared one bit about what she wears, but Vivian has had some really strong opinions on it from the start.

So back to Santa. They were peeking through the set at Santa and Vivian was wide-eyed and Adeline was hopping with excitement. I STILL didn't know how it would go, but when it was our turn Adeline launched herself at Santa and I took Vivi's hand and walked her over. I asked if she wanted to sit on Santa's knee and she said yes, so I put her up there and stepped a few paces back. Vivian looked worried but she was brave and she sat up there to have her picture taken.

Once the picture was done I suggested that Viv get down and stand in front of Santa as I knew she'd be more comfortable there. Vivian didn't make conversation with Santa but she couldn't take her eyes off him and she was listening intently. Adeline was happy to do the talking for both of them and as we were leaving Viv gave Santa a high-five and thanked him for the candy cane. As we walked away Santa ho-ho-hoed and Vivian broke out in a big smile and she said to me "I made Santa laugh!". I'm so glad Vivian wouldn't allow herself be left out. The picture and the memory are precious to me and we obviously made some Christmas magic for both the girls.

Adeline's Christmas Baking

Adeline helped with quite a bit of the baking and candy making this year, but there was one recipe she did all by herself. The only thing I did was empty the pot of melted chocolatey/peanut buttery goo over the cereal, but she did all the melting, stirring, and coating in icing sugar to make a big batch of "Monkey Munch". This recipe is usually called "Puppy Chow" or "Muddy Buddies", but Adeline found those too "icky", so she renamed it "Monkey Munch". It's a fitting name as it's pretty addictive and you just want to keep munching and munching!

And in case you're wondering, unless they are putting on shoes, my children never wear socks. It actually REALLY bugs me, and their feet always feel cold to the touch, but I've long ago stopped trying to get them to wear socks or slippers in the house.

That's Better!

"The Fang" came out at about three in the morning. Adeline felt it rolling around in her mouth and woke up, so it didn't get swallowed as I really expected it would. I'm really liking the "First Grade Vampire" look much better. Super cute and now she can sing "All I Want for Christmas are my Two Front Teeth!". Adeline is thrilled that she can still whistle and she loves sticking her tongue through the hole.

It's ON

I thought all families did this, but David's didn't, so maybe it's not as universal as I thought. I have great memories of my Nana and I sword-fighting through the house with empty wrapping paper tubes and laughing until we fell over. We gathered up our tubes and today it was ON. It was an epic Jedi/Ninja/Knight battle for the ages. Vivian was more interested in using her tube as a telescope, but she did manage to get a few good whacks in. Adeline and David battled it out until their swords were shredded. SO much laughing and so many great faces from Adeline - even though she's laughing she takes it pretty seriously!