Pea in the Pod

2011-06-24T14:38:00.000-05:00

Kitty graduated kindergarten today. It was a very emotional morning. She really enjoyed the year and became very attached to her friends and teachers. It was great to see the whole class perform a modified version of "New York, New York" ("I want to be a part of it... first grade, first grade"). Her teacher presented awards, and Kitty received a diploma look-alike that gives her the "Cat Award" for her passion for all things feline. Very cute. Along with the diploma we received her scorecard. Once again her reading skills blew the benchmark away, even topping her earlier January scores. She scored 102 points for reading (benchmark is 28), and 96 out of 100 for math (a small decrease from her perfect January score). She is reading at 3rd/4th grade level now.

2011-06-16T03:52:00.000-05:00

It's been such a long time, but we are so busy now that it doesn't feel that way. Since the last post, Kitty developed "shark's teeth" when two permanent lower teeth came out behind the baby teeth. Since the baby teeth wouldn't fall out on their own, the dentist had to pull them. I was horrified by the idea but it turned out to be relatively easy. Kitty had a quick one-day down time, and was already back in the school the next day.

She spent Easter in Texas with the grandparents, and already has a beach trip planned with them for the summer. It's hard to believe she graduates kindergarten next week. Her reading has continued to evolve rapidly and she easily reads 3rd grade books on her own. This week she got her own library card.

A couple of months ago I got an iPad tablet, and she has taken it over. In addition to a number of books, she has several games that she figured out entirely on her own. Her favorite is Tiny Zoo, a sim game that also has Jeff completely addicted. Her ease with technology continues to amaze me.

2011-01-17T15:13:00.001-05:00

Kate is a spoiled traveler. After flying to Japan in first class, she overheard us talking about possibly not being able to upgrade on the flight home. Later that day, out of the blue, she told me: "Mama, can you call the flight people and ask them not to put me in Economy? I don't understand why they want me to fly in Economy". I almost collapsed in laughter. Fast forward to our return home from France (in Economy), over a month later. I had my headphones on when the flight attendant collected our lunch trays. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kate say something, and the flight attendant laughing so hard she could barely breathe. I took off my headphones and asked Kate what had happened. Kate looked very puzzled and replied "I don't know, Mama. All I said was that the food was pretty good for Economy".

2011-01-17T15:06:00.001-05:00

Now that the holiday madness is finally behind us, I can take a few minutes to write about the amazing last couple of months. In October, Kate enjoyed "Boo at the Zoo" dressed as a black cat, then went trick or treating on Halloween dressed as Marie (white cat). In November, I left for a 2-week business trip to South Africa. I sent Kate photos of my safari and the day I visited a sanctuary and petted a couple of young cheetahs. Kate has been obsessed with wild cats ever since. Three days after I got back, Jeff and I took Kate to Japan. It was an unbelievable experience. Kate charmed every Japanese who crossed her path, and then proceeded to enchant the flight attendants on our trip home. She was a great traveler, and I will be forever grateful for the games and apps on my iphone, which kept her entertained on long train rides. As soon as we got back, it was her 6th birthday and we celebrated with a cooking class for several of her friends. The next thing we know, it's Christmas. We had our traditional Christmas Eve dinner at home, then visited Jeff's family the next morning and rushed to the airport to meet Gigi, GrandDad, and David. The six of us flew to Paris, then drove 7 hours to my beloved Beynac. We spent New Year's there, and a few days in Paris before getting back. Time just flew, but I wouldn't trade those memories for the world. Photos soon.

2010-10-17T15:37:00.003-05:00

Kate joined the Girl Scouts as a Daisy, and I volunteered to be one of her troop leaders. We had our first meeting last week, and she had a blast. Some of her new school friends are in the same troop, so it was an easy experience. For me, the best part was when each girl was asked to stand up to introduce themselves, and to share one thing they really like. When it was Kate's turn, she stood up and said "My name is Kitty and one thing I really like is my Momma!"

Here's a photo of her with one of her Daisy friends, Megan.

2010-10-05T08:04:00.000-05:00

About 3 days after starting school, Kate completely fell in love with it. She jumps out of bed in the morning and doesn't want to be late. Last week she had a little bit of a cold and was sad because we kept her at home for two days. No more anxiety, tears, bedtime serious talk, or complaints. It helps that her teacher is very young and energetic, and that she made quick friends with many of the kids in her class. One interesting thing is that she no longer naps in the afternoon during the week, so by the time she gets home at the end of the day, she is falling asleep standing up. Her afternoons are almost entirely booked - ice skating on Mondays, tennis on Tuesdays, drama on Wednesdays, voice lessons on Thursdays. We left Fridays open, but if it was up to her she would have some class on those afternoons as well. As a result of so much activity, we are slowly moving her bedtime up to give her a few extra minutes of rest.

2010-09-14T14:57:00.003-05:00

Kate decided to change her name. On the first day of school, she told everyone her name was Kitty. Her teacher even made a name tag for her that said "kitty". Funny enough, I had been calling her kitty for years because of her love of all things feline. Only after her teacher called me and introduced herself as "Kitty's kindergarten teacher" I realized she actually made it stick. And then I learned that Kitty is not an unusual nickname for someone called Katherine. Go figure.

2010-09-08T09:21:00.002-05:00

I was a wreck all day yesterday worrying about Kate. I had to almost physically restrain myself to avoid calling the school, but it paid off when I saw her happy smiling face at the end of the day. She LOVED school (and apparently stopped crying 2 minutes after I left). She chatted non-stop about all the fun she had, her new friends Colette and Ester, and - surprise, surprise - PE class. Kate inherited my laziness and hates exercising so this was great to hear! Unfortunately, all the wonderful fuzzy feelings about school faded this morning at drop-off time. There were some tears and mild clinging, but not nearly as bad as yesterday so perhaps tomorrow will be a dry morning!

2010-09-07T14:03:00.003-05:00

On a scale 1 to 10 - 10 being the most awful drop off possible - I'd say the first day of kindergarten was about a 7. Kate was alternately excited and sad through breakfast, dropping a few tears now and again, but the situation really escalated when we arrived at school. She was sobbing so hard I had to stay there for 45 minutes, but there was nothing I could say or do that would comfort her. Surprisingly she was the only child crying in a room full of kids on "Extended Day". Colette, a cute little girl who will be in Kate's class, tried to strike up a conversation but Kate was only interested in crying. When the staff led the kids away to their classrooms, I said goodbye and caught a last glimpse of Kate still drying her eyes and holding Colette's hand. If tomorrow is this bad, I might jump off a bridge.

2010-09-05T13:49:00.002-05:00

My first bento lunch for Kate was a huge hit. Definitely easier than I thought, and she now wants bento every day.

2010-08-30T11:53:00.002-05:00

The first day of kindergarten approaches and we're in a quiet turmoil. Kate alternates between scared and excited, while I change my mind every other day about the "drop off strategy" for that first morning. The good news: her new school's PTA had this wonderful idea for weekly play dates leading up to the beginning of the school year. We've had a chance to meet several parents and their new kindergartners and Kate became good friends with one of the little girls. The bad news: when class assignments arrived, we learned that Kate and Megan will not be in the same class. I'm sure it will be fine, but the news sparked some anxiety just when Kate seemed to be leaning more towards excitement. For my part, I've been busy assembling a gorgeous Fall wardrobe for our 40lb girl. That's right, she finally hit the threshold we had been waiting for! It seems like a small thing, but the fact that she can fit into size 5 pants is a miracle. On top of that, I've also put so many lunch menus together we might still be working off the list when she goes to high school.

2010-08-20T13:18:00.002-05:00

Kate rarely gets sick or hurt and so I often forget what kids are truly like. Yesterday I was at work and speaking with Gigi on the phone when we heard Kate in the background wailing in the scariest way. It turns out she was building a "bridge" between the couch and the ottoman using a pillow, and then tried to walk across the "bridge". Naturally, the pillow gave in and Kate flew forward, smashing her face against the ottoman. I rushed there and missed most of the commotion but there was still a sizable egg on her forehead and a big bruise spreading across the bridge of her nose. She had stopped crying and was just lying on the couch with ice on her face to reduce the swelling. Minutes after I arrived she convinced me that she was well enough to go to the county fair. My heart was still in my throat but then I remembered that at her age I already had multiple scars, a permanent collection of bruises and scrapes, and my first broken bone. As scary as every "boo-boo" is, Kate is still a pretty intact little girl. Resilient, too.

2010-08-06T14:09:00.003-05:00

I remember a time when Kate would refuse to talk on the phone. I could be on the other side of the world, missing her terribly, but there was no convincing her. Oh how things change... Kate is currently on vacation with the grandparents in Maine, and she has called me every single day (sometimes at 7:30 in the morning). It's wonderful to be able to hear her voice. I wonder what is a reasonable age to get her a cell phone.

2010-07-13T08:19:00.002-05:00

I'm worried about Kate. She is showing a tendency to over-think things to the point of frightening herself (and me!), and asks questions that are too deep and complex for a 5-year-old. I know she's smart, but this goes beyond intelligence into something I don't understand. Example: dialog while we were crossing a parking lot the other day:

Kate: "Is that car coming to hit us?"
Me: "No sweetheart, it's just coming in our direction but it won't hit us"
Kate: "What if it hits us?"
Me: "It won't, it's far away"
Kate: "But what if it comes faster?"
Me: "We will move out of the way"
Kate: "What if we don't move out of the way fast enough and it hits us?"

She is like a chess player trying to evaluate and understand all possibilities (mostly negative ones). Then, there are the questions I have trouble answering, like a couple of nights ago:

Kate: "Momma, do we ever know ourselves?"
Me: "What do you mean?"
Kate: "How do we know who we are?"
Me: "We learn about the type of person we are as we grow up and have experiences"
Kate: "But do we ever really know who we are? Do you know who you are?"

or, when she was spending a weekend away with the grandparents and asked "Are we really here? Is this real? How do we know it's real?"

That's the stuff they never tell you about when you're planning to have a child.

2010-06-18T05:38:00.002-05:00

Last week Jeff had a conference in Baltimore, and Kate and I joined him on Friday night. Kate is in love with the city and I have to admit, it's paradise for kids. We didn't have time to go back to the aquarium but the Children's Museum was wonderful. Definitely worth a visit! Kate also enjoyed dinner at PF Chang's. After a big plate of calamari, shrimp, broccoli, and tofu, she still had room to order a gigantic dessert, some kind of chocolate mountain surrounded by berries. I didn't think so much food could fit into a little girl, particularly one who seems to be stuck at 36 pounds. Here she is, having a blast!

2010-06-18T05:25:00.003-05:00

Kate graduated from pre-K this week and we celebrated with a family dinner party. At her request, the menu included lobster bisque, shrimp scampi, and white cake with pink frosting. I gave her a gold heart locket with tiny pictures of me and Daddy and she can't stop opening it. Before the party we enjoyed a graduation ceremony at the school, complete with cap, gown, and certificate. The kids performed their favorite songs and each had a little speech. Kate's part was "What I want to be when I grow up". Her statement, word by word: "When I grow up, I want to be a musical instrument... (pause)player!"

2010-06-07T12:25:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I witnessed the following exchange between Kate and David:

Kate: Daddy, can you pick me up very early from school tomorrow?
David: What do you mean by very early?
Kate: Earlier than early

2010-06-04T11:02:00.004-05:00

While I was in Southeast Asia for work and vacation, Kate went on a short trip to New York with the grandparents. She saw two Broadway shows, spent an entire day in Central Park and visited all the tourist sites. She has absolutely decided that she will live in New York when she grows up. I just nod and smile, remembering that last year she wanted to live in Paris, and the year before it was Brazil. On the good news side, the anxiety over school has eased up, perhaps because graduation is approaching and she will have the entire summer to play and travel with the grandparents. She is also looking forward to going to Japan with us for the first time in November, and spending New Year's in France. I am so happy that she enjoys traveling and that we can provide the opportunities. When I was a child, I dreamed of seeing the world. Now, my dream is to show it to her.

2010-05-14T12:20:00.000-05:00

Funny scene in the kitchen: Kate picked up one of the cat wand toys we have spread out around the house and held it under her arm.

Jeff:"What are you doing?"
Kate: "It's my thermometer"
Jeff: "What is your temperature?"
Kate: "Well done"

2010-05-11T12:00:00.002-05:00

Of all the traits Kate could have possibly inherited from me or from David, I wish she had his laid-back disposition. Instead, she seems to have my type-A, anxious, high-speed, obsessive nature. In recent days, she has been very emotional, crying at night and getting worked up over small things, such as the number of buttons on a sweater. It's really been mounting over the last few weeks but until now we had not made the connection between the many isolated incidents. Time to play Sherlock Holmes:

Clue 1: Kate cries at breakfast because her sweater has 5 buttons, and she likes the sweater that has only 4 buttons.
Clue 2: Kate asks me if the teacher in kindergarten will help her tie her shoes (and by the way, none of her shoes have shoelaces)
Clue 3: In tears, Kate repeatedly asks me to promise her that I will not forget to take clean blanket and sheets to school on Mondays. No amount of promising calms her down.
Clue 4: Kate declares that she hates her pre-school and can't wait for graduation.
Clue 5: Kate says she likes zippers because she can "zip" her sweatshirt very fast.
Clue 6: In school, Kate refuses to remove her sweater even though it's 75 degrees and sunny.
Clue 7: Kate tells me she will never ask for help at school.

Figured it out? We did, after an agonizing period of head-scratching. At first, we thought she was upset about having to leave preschool and go to kindergarten without any of her friends. It turns out, it has more to do with being at preschool. Apparently, the teachers have a checklist of developmental milestones that all children should hit before heading to kindergarten. They never shared the list with us parents, but they seem to have done so extensively with the kids. Kate, being obsessed with perfection, is freaked out because there are a couple of items she has not mastered. Among them - of course - working buttons and shoelaces. Our precious girl, instead of asking for help, simply tortured herself. The whole story is coming out slowly, but Kate believes that the teachers at her preschool will not help her, and kindergarten teachers will expect her to know everything already. At the age of 5, Kate is suffering real performance anxiety and feeling under qualified! Obviously, while pointing out her "deficiency" in button-management, nobody bothered to point out that she's been doing additions and subtractions for months, while the milestone for kindergarten is to identify numbers 1-20 (which she was doing over 2 years ago).

2010-05-03T10:52:00.001-05:00

We had a joint yard sale this weekend with Gigi, GrandDad, and Daddy. Kate was distressed when she looked at our "junk" spread on David's lawn. She immediately started salvaging items she didn't want us to sell. Strangely, she didn't try to rescue any of her old toys or clothes. Among the items she kept: a bouquet of artificial flowers, a brass candlestick, a brass flower pot, and a Christmas centerpiece. But the funniest part was her shocked face when she saw everything on the lawn.

Kate, flabbergasted:"Why are we selling all these beautiful things????!!!"
David, deadpan: "For money".

2010-04-28T05:48:00.003-05:00

Kate is showing a very strong interest in drawing and painting. I shouldn't be surprised, since Grandmother Leila was a renowned artist. We bought her a cute little easel with chalkboard, white board, and drawing paper. She got right to work, wearing an old t-shirt of mine. I need to get her an apron and beret!

2010-04-26T07:53:00.002-05:00

Empathy is a word being tossed around a lot these days because of the bullying in schools. I had never really thought of it but paying more attention to Kate these days I realized how easy it is to teach generosity, empathy, and compassion to my little girl. From books to simple conversation, there are so many opportunities to explain the importance of kindness, and she seems to "get it" so easily. Last week I was diagnosed with tendinitis on my right hand so I had to take it easy for several days. For Kate, that meant Mommy couldn't pick her up, or make her breakfast, or help her towel off after a bath. She was not only understanding of my temporary limitations, but also very empathetic, asking about my hand and offering to help me do things around the house. As I keep saying, I don't know how I got to be so lucky with this kid, but I am most thankful for it.

2010-03-31T12:35:00.002-05:00

I keep hearing about child obesity in the United States, but it wasn't until recently that I saw definitive proof of how widespread that is. I don't know any obese children - there are none in Kate's school, none in the neighborhood, none in friends' families. Kate has consistently been average to slightly-below-average weight for her age. But when I switched her winter wardrobe for new spring/summer clothes, I realized that not a single pair of pants fit her. They are all size 5T, and Kate is almost 5 and a half years old. One would expect them to fit, right? Not so fast. Every pair of pants she tried on literally fell off her hips. You can fit a Kate and a half in them! They are from the same store (Gymboree) where I've always bought her clothes. At this time last year, she was wearing 4T pants. So how could this happen? Well, it is clear to me that Gymboree - and probably other stores - are adjusting their sizes to match the expanding size of American children. Unfortunately, Kate is not only average in weight, she is also average in height, which makes her old 4T pants way too short. While I search for better fitting clothes, Kate gets her wish: I stocked up on dresses.

2010-03-25T09:00:00.004-05:00

Kate is a girly girl. I find that fact hard to swallow because I was such a tomboy as a kid and really don't know how to handle her obsession with dresses, jewelry, and nail polish. She recently had two birthday parties back to back and while I could convince her to wear pants and pigtails for the first party (since it was in a giant inflatable bouncing place), I had to cave in on the outfit for the second event (a tea party). I have to say she looked beautiful in both outfits but she definitely prefers the dress. Her latest request is a make-up table. A WHAT? I wasn't allowed clear nail polish and clear lip gloss until I turned 15! Now my 5-year-old wants eye shadow and red lipstick. Here are the two party outfits I mentioned... I still prefer the first one.

2010-03-15T08:17:00.002-05:00

We've been busy moving Kate to a bigger bedroom, which involved new furniture, painting, built-in shelves, electrical work, etc. Two full weeks of hell, but she loves her new room - particularly the Barbie fashion comforter (very grown-up). We had to go to IKEA yesterday in search of last-minute items and much to my surprise, Kate had a blast. She wanted to seat on every chair, lie on every bed, and play with every toy. It was looking like a very long afternoon. She got so excited that I had to crouch down, look at her in the eyes and ask, very quietly: "sweetheart, you are very excited. I need you to calm down a little bit, ok?". She took one deep breath, looked back at me and said "it's not working!" and ran out again.

2010-03-08T15:16:00.003-05:00

Kate was watching a Barbie DVD in the car on our way to school, when this exchange almost caused an accident.

Kate (very matter-of-fact): All the boys in the movie want to marry Barbie because she is so pretty... (pause) That's the same thing that is happening to me.
Me (nearly driving us into the sidewalk): Excuse me??
Kate (explaining patiently): All the boys in school want to marry me. But I told them no. I'm going to marry Goran. Just Goran.

Side note: Goran is a 5-year-old boy who Kate used to hate. As she explained to Gigi later, "Goran used to be with Samantha, but not anymore. Now Goran and I are together." Apparently Goran isn't Kate's first boyfriend, either. And if that wasn't enough, she added "Gigi, I like talking to you about boys."

2010-03-01T09:46:00.001-05:00

Kate surprised me the other day by saying she didn't want any more dolls and that she was ready to give away all but two of her Ariel dolls. She sounded very grown up when explaining that she was more interested in games and puzzles now. When we were at the Homestead last month, she played checkers with GrandDad several times, and started to learn chess. So it all made sense. Yesterday we went to a store and I told her she could choose a toy. And she chose an Ariel doll! "I changed my mind, mommy", she explained calmly. That is probably Ariel doll number 25. I really do wonder how many different dolls can be made of a single character.

2010-02-05T09:51:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I took Kate to the doctor for her annual check-up. She did great until we got to the eye exam. Her eyesight is 20/40 on both eyes, which prompted the doctor to refer us to a pediatric optometrist. Kate is finished with her shots (she enjoyed hearing that) and has grown more than 3 inches since last year's check-up.

2010-01-17T15:01:00.002-05:00

Kate got her ears pierced today. She had asked off and on for several months, but we were concerned about her ability to withstand the pain. Today I finally relented, and off to the mall we went. She picked out her earrings, a pair of tiny crystals in the color of her birthstone. Then she sat on the stool and smiled as the woman approached her with the little tool they use these days. One second later she was struggling not to cry. She just whispered "Mommy, it hurt!" and I held her hands. Then the other ear was pierced and she cried softly for about 10 seconds. By the time I got her down from the stool, she had stopped crying and promptly chose her "comfort gifts", a plastic necklace and blue fairy wings. The woman at the store said "I've seen adults cry more. She is really good!". And here is the photo to prove it, taken just a couple of minutes later.

2010-01-11T15:14:00.003-05:00

Holiday season is a hectic time and 2009 was even busier than usual. Kate enjoyed Christmas (of course), showing great interest in decorations and holiday songs, particularly "All I Want From Christmas". She sang it so often and with such gusto, I could hear it in my head for days and days afterward. She received an astonishing number of gifts and probably doesn't even remember half of them anymore. Her favorite at my house was a stuffed Marie that purrs and meows when brushed. We had Christmas Eve dinner at our house, went to Grandmother Natalie and Grandfather Jim's house for lunch the following day, and ended Christmas with a wonderful dinner at Gigi and Granddad's condo. On New Year's Eve we stayed home, avoiding sub-freezing temperatures and a steady rain. On New Year's day, we had friends and family over and offered a kaiseki (Japanese banquet) with several elaborate delicacies that we enjoyed over our many trips to Japan. It was a tremendous effort and quite a culinary accomplishment for me and Jeff. Kate got a pair of training chopsticks and is doing really well with them. She continues to love Japanese food, particularly miso soup, broiled eel and raw salmon. We may have started a new holiday tradition.

2009-12-20T16:18:00.000-05:00

Kate can make me laugh out loud even in the crappiest of days. She recently started telling about this made-up "cat island" where thousands of cats live.
Kate: "...and you can only enter the island on Halloween"
Me: "Really?"
Kate: "yes, it's very far away. REALLY far. At the end of the world, actually. Near Honduras".

2009-12-20T16:13:00.003-05:00

Yesterday our area was hit with the biggest snow storm ever - 20 inches! Kate refused to go out while the snow was falling but this morning it was sunny (if not warm) so we bundled up and stepped outside. Kate got buried up to her waist in places, and we were in danger of losing the cat at some point, but she had a wonderful time.

2009-12-09T15:57:00.004-05:00

Kate's 5th birthday party was a success and her happiness was worth every second of hard work throughout the weekend. It was a small Princess-themed celebration for her best girl friends (no boys allowed) at Gigi & GranDad's condo, but we all worked tirelessly to bring it together. I spent the weekend in the kitchen, baking and decorating crown-shaped cookies and making a pink cake with an edible image of the Disney princesses. The party was on Sunday, a day before her real birthday. On Monday I baked cupcakes for a party at her school, and at night we took her to dinner at a Japanese restaurant (her choice). Now we can take a moment to breathe, and then switch gears to prepare for the holidays.

2009-12-04T07:38:00.004-05:00

I took a 12-day vacation in Japan this month, without Kate. I've done this several times before, always walking the fine line between wanting her to grow up independent and self-sufficient, and at the same time hoping that she will miss me a little bit. She never seemed to care much when I was gone. This time, it was very different. As I usually do, I set up a schedule of calls and emails that could be read to her every day. Much to my surprise, she was very aloof when I called and David finally told me that she was upset and refused to let them read my emails to her. My heart broke in a million pieces. Kate is so smart and articulate that I sometimes forget that she is not quite 5 years old yet, and take from granted that she will understand and rationalize like an adult. When I got back she asked me for the first time why I didn't take her with me. I tried to explain the concept of a balance between fun together and fun apart, using her trips to the beach with the grandparents as an example. She quickly warmed up to me again (aided by the many gifts I brought from Japan), but I made the decision to take her to Japan with me next time. It's exciting to think of all the wonderful things I want to show her.

2009-11-17T08:20:00.002-05:00

Kate is really into baking now. We've baked enormous batches of cookies for two weekends in a row, and I'm finally getting good at decorating them (who would have thought that a pastry bag filled with icing required so much dexterity?). Kate, on the other hand, is only interested in pouring the ingredients into the bowl and watching the mixer. She looks adorable in a little pink apron with "Marie", the kitty from the Aristocats. Speaking of cats, she is being tormented by Tempest in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, Kate's bedroom door doesn't shut so Tempest can sneak in at 3am and nibble on Kate's toes to wake her up. It's gotten so bad that we started locking Tempest in the basement during the night. Twice she's broken free (we don't know how) and we wake up with Kate's shouts "Tempest, no! No biting!". It would be funny if it wasn't the middle of the night.

2009-11-17T08:16:00.001-05:00

I took Kate ice skating for the first time over the weekend. She loved it! It was pretty funny to watch her struggle to stand even before we got to the ice, and it was no better once we were "skating". I had prepared her for the inevitable falls and the cold and wet bottom, but was surprised to see that she didn't mind falling at all. She was having such a wonderful time and didn't want to leave. The only way to get her away from the ice was to promise her lessons.

2009-11-12T14:37:00.001-05:00

We had a week from hell. David was exposed to H1N1 (i.e. the swine flu) at work, and Kate started showing symptoms on Halloween night. Her fever spiked at 103 and for several days I kept her at home and separated from David to make sure they both recovered. When the fever would not break after several days, I took her to the pediatrician, who confirmed that she had the swine flu. Luckily her symptoms were mild enough that we continued to use over-the-counter medicine and didn't have to go to the hospital. The fever finally broke after a week, but it was several more days until she went back to school. This all happened the week after 19 kids died from the swine flu. I was terrified, but she is back to normal now and I - for once - didn't catch it.

2009-11-03T15:54:00.001-05:00

We took Kate to Brazil a couple of weeks ago to visit my mother. It wasn't a happy visit, because I had to explain that grandmother is very sick. Kate was a real trooper, from the long and uncomfortable flight to the twice-a-day visits that cut into any fun time she might have had otherwise. She ate impressive quantities of pao de queijo and brigadeiro (a sweet snack made of chocolate and condensed milk). On the positive side, she enjoyed hanging out with Uncle Carlos and really loved meeting cousin Clara, who is her age and likes the same Disney princesses.

2009-10-08T08:02:00.002-05:00

Last night we took Kate to our new favorite Japanese restaurant. She usually eats a lot of steamed rice and shrimp tempura. Every once in a while she will even try some mushrooms. But last night, she made us proud. Starting with an entire bowl of miso soup (including tofu, which she calls "cheese"), moving on to fish cakes from my mushroom soup, then salmon sashimi, shrimp sushi, and ending the meal with eel (her new favorite). I was speechless.

2009-09-28T13:13:00.001-05:00

Kate, noticing a band-aid on my thumb: "I am TIRED of you hurting yourself, Mommy!".

2009-09-11T09:43:00.000-05:00

Conversation with Kate at the dinner table:
Me: If you're finished with dinner, let's go upstairs and take a bath.
Kate: Mommy, why don't we have bird baths?
Me: Because we are not birds.
Kate: No, Mommy! A bird bath in the yard.
Me: I don't know. We don't have that many birds.
Kate: We should give them washcloths.
Me: What?
Kate: We should take washcloths outside, so the birds can pick them up and wash themselves.
Jeff: But then they will take our washcloths. Would they give them back?
Kate: Yes, after they are done.
Jeff: How long would that take?
Kate: Four and a half minutes.

2009-08-24T08:56:00.002-05:00

The grandparents took Kate to New York last week. They managed to get tickets for the Broadway musical The Little Mermaid, and of course she had the best time (and it rekindled her fixation on Ariel). She talks about it so excitedly that I can barely understand her, but one thing is clear - she is ready for more live entertainment and I look forward to taking her to see the Nutcracker in December.

2009-08-22T04:59:00.002-05:00

We have a new kitten called Tempest. We picked her up at an adoption drive after much debate. Jeff, Kate and I each wanted a different kitten, but in the end we embraced Jeff's choice of a 4-month old "girl cat", as Kate puts it. Tempest appeared so docile, snuggling and purring loudly while the other kittens were bouncing around all over the place. I foolishly assumed they had named her Tempest because of her beautiful gray coat. After our first day with her, we realized that was not the case. Tempest is the most hyperactive, playful kitten in the world, and although we enjoy the acrobatics and the occasional snuggling (she is very affectionate), we are not thrilled with the middle-of-the-night antics. Kate has been spared most of it as the kitty sleeps in our room, but Kate very seriously attempted a conversation with Tempest about the "house cat rules", which she made up as she went along. Among the many rules Tempest happily ignores: no biting, no jumping on the dining room table, no playing with Kate's toys, and no chewing on her coloring books.

2009-08-10T15:47:00.003-05:00

Another funny Kate dialogue happened this weekend when I was supervising her homework. She is reading very well now and when I pointed to a word and she read it correctly, I said "excellent", to which she responded "gosh, I know everything..."

2009-07-13T11:14:00.001-05:00

More funny moments with Kate...
"Mommy, I am not a poolish girl"
"A what?"
"A poolish girl"
"Foolish?"
"POOLISH!"
"What does that mean?"
"I don't like the pool very much. Can we go to the beach?"

2009-07-10T11:41:00.000-05:00

I thought "phases" would replace each other. Ariel phase was replaced by Aristocats phase, which in turn was replaced by Tinkerbell phase, and so on. But Kate's passions seem eternal. She is still into the Aristocats, still into Ariel (Tinkerbell, not so much) and now added a new phase - The Rescuers. That was my favorite Disney movie as a child, but almost unknown these days. Kate is now roleplaying Penny, the little orphan in the movie. At her request, I "adopt" her every day.

2009-06-24T07:26:00.000-05:00

More fun quotes from Kate. Last week I picked her up from school and she said, excitedly: "Mommy, I need to tell you something really funny. It's hilarious!" She sounded just like David!

2009-06-23T17:06:00.001-05:00

Here's a photo of Kate enjoying some pasta in Paris.

2009-06-03T12:29:00.002-05:00

We spent the last week in Paris. The entire family traveled for the celebration of GrandDad Jim and Grandmother Elsie's 40th anniversary. Kate was a real trooper most of the time, despite what she called "back and forth, back and forth" of subway trains, a lot of walking, and many places to visit. We took her to the very top of the Eiffel Tower, the Tuilerie gardens (she loved the trampoline) and Euro Disney (where the lines were so much shorter than Disney in Florida). It was a great trip, and it taught us a few things about traveling with a 4-year-old to a place with a big time difference.

Besides being a good traveler, Kate also surprised us with some hilarious quotes. The first - and in my opinion the best - came at the end of a busy and tiring day, when she started getting whiny. Jeff picked her up to go down the subway stairs and she shouted, very offended: "Put me down! This is ridiculous!". When we laughed, she got even more upset: "Stop laughing. It's not funny!". I disagree.

The other funny quote came the next day, when we were all gathered in a hotel room watching her play with her Disney dolls. When she took it upon herself to wake up the Sleeping Beauty doll with a kiss and we asked her why, the justification was "I couldn't find any good men!". GrandDad Jim and Jeff, both in the room, took notice.

2009-05-18T13:34:00.001-05:00

In early May, Kate moved up to the pre-K class with her friend Willa. She seems to really enjoy the new class but that came at a price - a few days ago, the teachers told us that Kate would no longer be allowed to have Bunny with her at school. I envisioned this heart-wrenching scene where she would cry and I would have to take away her most precious possession. To me that equaled waterboarding for 4-year olds. Much to my surprise, after just a couple of conversations, this morning Kate voluntarily told David she would like to leave Bunny at home. I've been keeping an eye on the phone, waiting for a call from school telling me to pick up my distressed, wailing child, but so far only silence. If she indeed is ready to let go of Bunny, I think I will be the saddest party involved. I've come to regard Bunny as a symbol of Kate's childhood, something she's carried her entire life with such devotion, it is almost like a part of herself. I can't think of many pictures of Kate taken over the years where she isn't clutching Bunny. In almost 5 years, she has never - not once! - gone to sleep without holding Bunny. The thing even had his own birthday party not too long ago! Bottom line, if she really is ready to outgrow Bunny, how do I explain that I am not ready to outgrow it?

2009-04-23T10:49:00.004-05:00

Inspired by a conversation with Jeff and a product in a catalog, I decided to write here my life wishes for Kate.

1. I want you to fall in love completely - at least once - and do something crazy because of it. And if things don't work out, I want you to accept it as a life lesson and feel that it was worth it.

2. I want you to travel the world with an open mind about the people, history and cultures you encounter.

3. I want you to experience the extremes of nature, where humans were not supposed to be: climb a high mountain, dive deep into the ocean, cross a desert, walk through the jungle.

4. I want you to learn as many languages as you can because you will realize the importance of communication and understanding.

5. I want you to be politically engaged - vote, campaign, organize - because the world sometimes requires loud voices.

6. I want you to see extraordinary beauty in ordinary things. Appreciate sunrise and sunset, enjoy making food from scratch, watch a tree grow, take time to really listen to a piece of classical music.

7. I want you to place your happiness above all else. There is no higher duty than the one we have to ourselves - to arrive at the end of our lives with wonderful memories and few regrets. I want you to defend and never sacrifice your own happiness for anyone or anything.

8. I want you to know that you are loved unconditionally and that although I will encourage you to reach high, my love for you will be the same whether you fail or succeed.

9. I want you to love yourself and see you as I see you: a beautiful being with many facets that include qualities and flaws. A single flaw or quality will not define you, because you are a sum of those things.

10. I want you to always know the difference between who you are and what you do. During the inevitable low moments of your life, when your job is awful, your relationship is damaged, you can't seem to do anything right, money is short, or whatever else may happen... I want you to remember that you are still you, amazing and special and worthy of enormous love.

11. I want you to be kind and generous to people, animals and the world around you. There is always a chance to leave the world a little better than you found it, always a chance to make someone's day or life a bit better, always a chance to exercise your power to do good.

12. I want you to measure your life in memories, not things. Remember that the only true measure of success is happiness.

Those are my strongest wishes for Kate... joined by my deepest hope that she will also not be a model, an actress or a spy!

2009-04-20T12:02:00.002-05:00

Kate gave us the scare of a lifetime last week. She goes to math and reading classes twice a week after school, and her grandparents pick her up at the end of the lessons. On Thursday, because they were a little late, she decided to simply walk out on her own while the school teachers weren't looking. She took the elevator down, walked out and sat on the curb to wait. In the meantime, people noticed her missing and started a manhunt in the building. I only learned of the incident after she was picked up safe and sound, but the "what if" thoughts kept me up all night. Elsie tried to explain to her why it was dangerous (a concept she didn't have) and ended up scaring her with the notion that a stranger could take her away and she would never see her family again. My heart broke at the thought of her being so scared, but if it helps to keep her safe, so be it.

2009-04-16T11:54:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago Kate (out of the blue) said to me "It's going to be Bunny's birthday, he is going to be 5!". Bunny is the stuffed animal/blanket she's had since birth and continues to be her most prized possession. I went along and asked when Bunny's birthday was (Easter, obviously) but then Kate asked me to throw a tea party for Bunny on his birthday, with cake and guests. I was envisioning a pretend party with other stuffed animals and empty tea cups but Kate was dead serious. We ended up with 10 real guests, printed invitations, an Easter egg hunt in the backyard and - for me - a weekend filled with baking. The cake decorating tip and I became best friends and I don't think my fingers will ever be the same. It was well worth it, though. Her party was a great success, she had a lot of fun and we even brought all the replacement bunnies together (they live in Gigi and GrandDad's house and Daddy's house).

2009-04-09T12:07:00.001-05:00

Things got a bit dramatic here for the past couple of weeks. I had gone to France for a week on vacation. Unfortunately, that trip coincided with Elsie's sister taking a turn for the worse in San Diego, and Elsie flew there to be with her. With both women gone, Kate was set to spend a lot of time with Daddy and GrandDad... and then she got sick. No school for a week, no time outside the house, and almost no interaction with GrandDad. Her routine was messed up so badly (coupled with news from Elsie's sister's death) that Kate surprised us with consistent meltdowns each day we tried to drop her off at school. One day I had to walk out to my car staring at her crying face at the school window, calling for me. I'd go for a session of fingernail-pulling before I sign up for another morning like that one. It's been a very tough couple of weeks but we seem to be getting back to normal. This morning she shed a few tears but - unlike other days - didn't hold on to my leg or sobbed uncontrollably. Cross the fingers, maybe the meltdown days are coming to an end.

2009-03-27T12:42:00.001-05:00

On the way to school today, Kate asked me to set up a play date with Willa, her friend from school. I said I would call Willa's mom, to which Kate replied matter-of-factly: "Willa's mom is a fairy and she lives in a forest. I think you should call her dad instead".

2009-03-11T14:13:00.001-05:00

We enrolled Kate in Kumon classes for math and reading. She started both at beginners level but math was clearly too easy for her and she has now been bumped up one level. She enjoys doing homework (could it please last through college?) and is already reading quite a few words. Yesterday she started writing numbers.

2009-03-01T15:31:00.001-05:00

Speaking of flatulence...

Jeff and Kate were playing in her room when she let out a loud fart.

Jeff: "Pea, you cut the cheese!"
Kate (looking confused): "But I don't have any cheese!"

2009-03-01T15:28:00.002-05:00

Another great Kate moment. I was putting clothes away in her room and she was sitting on the floor playing. Without notice, she says: "Excuse me, that was my bottom. I farted. But it was a silent one." I broke out in laughter. She looked at me calmly and said "Thank you for laughing, Mommy".

2009-03-01T15:22:00.003-05:00

Kate being overall a very healthy child, it is no surprise that we all freaked out when confronted with the first real possibility of something wrong. A few weeks ago she was playing on David's couch and fell backwards, hitting her head on the coffee table. She cried for a short time but there seemed to be no consequences. Three days later, she woke up early in the morning as usual but went back to bed an hour later, saying she was tired. That was a first. She refused to eat when she finally got up again, and later in the afternoon cried out from her nap and told Jeff that her bed was moving and she was getting tired of it. Later that same night she complained of dizziness and said the room was spinning. When we rushed her to the pediatrician the next morning, he found no signs of a concussion and tentatively diagnosed her with a benign type of vertigo, which he said should disappear in a few weeks. In the days that followed, she consistently complained of the "bed moving" during nap time at school and we decided to taker her to a pediatric neurologist. Thankfully, nothing was detected and she has not had another episode since then.

2009-02-13T10:35:00.002-05:00

Children really are amazing. About two weeks ago, we had to put down our dog Alley, who was old and very ill. Kate was not with us when that happened and had asked no questions until last night at dinner, when she suddenly said "What happened to Alley?". I explained that the dog had been very sick, was not going to get better and that she had died. Kate looked like she was going to cry and I asked her what she was thinking. "I'm thinking this is very bad". "Why?", I asked. "Because we won't see her anymore". I said that was true but there were many good memories of Alley and she had left us her paw print on a mold, which we could put in the garden. Later that night she said "Mommy, when we plant flowers are they alive? I think we can plant some outside and then Alley will be a red flower and I will pick it and kiss it and she can see us and we can see her! Alley will be alive again". That was a very sweet and touching moment and made me feel so much better about Alley. Add healing powers to the list of incredible things this little girl can do.

2009-01-24T20:29:00.002-05:00

While watching an episode of Dora the Explorer, Kate pretended to wave an imaginary magic wand and said "I am turning the witch into a mountain. I'm going to recycle the witch!"

2009-01-07T06:07:00.004-05:00

We had a great Holiday season. Kate helped us decorate the Christmas tree and enjoyed a true mountain of gifts. From us she got mostly Marie things, from David she got Tinkerbell and Disney Princess things. We had Christmas Eve dinner here then spent Christmas day bouncing between places. For New Year's, Jeff and I went to France and Kate went to Albany, NY with the grandparents. There she had a lot of snow and enjoyed a sled pulled alternately by Gigi and GrandDad. Here is a photo of Kate on Christmas Day.

2008-12-07T14:18:00.002-05:00

One of Kate's smartest moments: we were in the car one morning this week, heading to school, when she asked me why we didn't have a Sleeping Beauty DVD. I told her maybe she would get it for Christmas and she replied "No, I have other plans for Christmas". I chuckled and forgot about it. Two days later her school sent me her weekly paperwork along with a letter to Santa that the kids had dictated to the teachers that afternoon. Hers read:

Dear Santa Claus,

How are you doing? Fine I hope. I wish that I can get a Sleeping Beauty movie. I have been a good girl this year.

Thank you,

Kate

So I now realize what her "other plans for Christmas" were.

2008-12-07T14:11:00.003-05:00

Kate turned 4 today and we celebrated with a big party. Many of her friends from school came, including best friends Willa, Kincaid and Goran. We spent literally months planning the "Under the Sea" party, which kicked off with invitations sent inside bottles with fake sand and real sea shells. We decorated the party room with floating balloons in the shape of sea creatures, projected the Little Mermaid movie on a screen, had the soundtrack playing in the background, and had a gorgeous cake topped with an Ariel ceramic figurine. I will post photos later. The best gift she got from me was a stuffed Marie from the Aristocats, her new favorite movie. I also bought a character scheduled call from Disney so at precisely 9am she received a phone call from "Ariel", who wished her a happy birthday. It was a perfect day (despite the cold and wind) and she was a perfect hostess. Right now I can hear her talking to Marie in her room instead of taking a nap. She might be still fueled by sugar from the cake, ocean animal cookies and sea shell chocolates.

2008-11-04T16:25:00.002-05:00

I have again fallen behind in posting to this blog but there is not much to tell. Kate continues fixated (David doesn't like me using the term obsessed) on Ariel. She goes "into character" a lot, and in those occasions she calls me Gabriela (Ariel's mermaid friend) and Jeff becomes Sebastian. She even calls Grandmother Elsie "Ursula" (the evil sea-witch). I actually started getting worried the day she had a meltdown because she had to wear green pants with a purple shirt to match Ariel and of course, no such combination was available. My concerns did not stop me from planning a great "Under the Sea" party for her birthday, complete with a call from Ariel herself - yet another unexpected but smart way Disney found to make money.

2008-09-19T21:29:00.002-05:00

Hilarious moment while shopping with Kate: I took her out to get some new panties and chose several packages with Dora the Explorer, Ariel and other Disney characters. While waiting in line to pay, she grabbed one of the packets are said, loudly: "My Daddy has these!". The line stopped and stared. I would have said "You mean you have those at Daddy's house" but I was laughing too hard to say a word.

2008-09-04T03:42:00.002-05:00

Tonight we took Kate out to dinner with Nemo, his Mom, and his cousin who are visiting from Brazil. We went to Kanpai, our favorite Japanese restaurant, and Kate stuffed herself with rice, tempura and dumplings. On the way home we had the most hilarious conversation. She claimed to be an "animal scientist" and described to us a "hamster-cat" creature that lives on trees in Africa, eats coconuts and chicken, and is as old as a dinosaur. Her creativity was impressive. She went through so many physical and behavioral details of the hamster-cat, I could almost see the thing in my head. When I asked her if she had seen one before, she replied "Obviously!".

2008-09-04T03:34:00.002-05:00

This Labor Day weekend we took Kate to visit Jeff's family in Colorado. They have four children, the youngest - Marya - only a month older than Kate. I thought they would have a lot of fun, but it exceeded all expectations. Kate surprised us by wanting to sleep with Marya from the first night, and even taking a bath together by the end of the holiday. In between, they played and squabbled (that's what you get when one is an only child and the other is the only girl in the house). Marya shared her toys, and Kate introduced her to Dora. On Sunday, everyone watched a bizarre rubber duck race down a river. Surprisingly, Kate insisted on joining the other kids on a rock in the middle of the river with almost freezing water. Then we went out for dinner and she had two firsts - drank chocolate milk and assembled her own cheese pizza. Several times throughout the weekend Kate asked "Mommy, are we staying here forever?" and even now she is still asking when we're going back.

2008-07-19T16:16:00.002-05:00

This was a rough week. On Thursday night I went to pick up Kate from swimming class and she surprised me by having a meltdown and saying she didn't want to be with me, she wanted to stay with Gigi and Granddad. We had a conversation about saying hurtful things to the people we love - since she had done the exact same thing to David a couple of nights before. In the process, I told her she is lucky to have a Mommy and a Daddy who love her so much, and she asked me about my Mommy and Daddy. I had previously tried to dance around the whole death subject but this time there was no other way. So I explained how my Dad got very sick and couldn't get better and that he "went away'. She asked where. I said no one knows for sure where people go when die, but that I like to believe in what my Dad said when I was little, that living things who die become little stars in the sky. Her reply: "When I am bigger I will buy a big car, put you in a car seat and drive you to see your Daddy up in the sky". I was bawling at that point. Luckily the subject changed but the next morning, she asked me flat out "Mommy, are you going to die?". I said yes, we will all die some day but not for a very long time and she shouldn't think of death as a bad thing, only as something natural that happens to everyone. As heart-wrenching as the conversation was, she didn't seem scared, sad or worried about it. I felt relieved but the next day learned that one of our dogs is in her final days and the issue of death will have to come up again.

2008-07-05T08:29:00.002-05:00

It's been a long time and a lot has happened. Kate had her first ballet recital in June. She looked absolutely adorable in her little pink tutu, but she was far from thrilled. She had just come back from spending 10 days in Texas, and during that time I went on vacation in Honduras. As a result, she didn't see for almost 3 weeks. Naturally, she was a bit "clingy" when she got back and had an incredible meltdown right before the recital when I started to walk out of the room where she was supposed to stay with the other little girls. She grabbed on to my pants and cried so desperately my heart almost broke. I had to stay with her until she went on stage, but after that she was fine. She lingered on stage after the other girls had left because the auditorium was dark and she was trying to find us in the audience.

2008-04-27T07:24:00.002-05:00

Funny conversation in the car on our way to school:

Kate: What do turtles eat?
Me: Vegetables, carrots...
Kate: ...and Plankton!
Me: Well, there are two kinds of turtle. Sea turtles eat plankton, and land turtles eat vegetables.
Kate: And there are three kinds of fish!
Me: Three?
Kate: River fish, ocean fish, and fish tank fish!
Me: Sweetheart, fish tank fish come from the ocean or from the river.
Kate: No, they don't! They come from the pet store.

2008-04-27T07:12:00.003-05:00

It's been a while and there's a lot to tell. Earlier this month, we took Kate to a long weekend at Disney World in Florida. It was a truly magical trip and such a delight to watch her joy and wonder, and to remember my same feelings as a child visiting for the first time. We stayed at the Disney Animal Kingdom lodge and got to watch giraffes, zebras and other wild animals right outside our window. Although the plan was to visit Sea World on our arrival day, we were not prepared for Kate's bio-schedule. She was full of energy and ready to go at 7 in the morning, but by 2 pm grumpiness set in and we had to put her down for a nap which killed the entire afternoon. We missed Sea World but she enjoyed the hotel pool instead. The next day we did Disney in the morning: carousel, playground, train, even a great little roller coaster, but Kate's favorite - as we knew it would be - was to meet "Ariel". On our last day, we went to Animal Kingdom Park. My expectations were low because it was a very hot and humid day, Kate looked tired and a lot of rain was on the forecast. With all that, we still had a wonderful time in a jeep safari and watching The Lion King Festival, a great show that got Kate mesmerized and squealing with excitement. Lessons learned: remember nap time when making plans; buy the meal plan (it was so convenient!); only 2.5 days is not enough!

2008-03-05T10:49:00.002-05:00

Children come up with very odd things to say, and Kate is no different. Totally random and unexpected conversation from a few weeks ago while I drove her to school:

Kate: "Mommy, do you like tuna casserole?"
Me: "No, sweetheart"
Pause. Silence for a couple of minutes.
Kate" What are we talking about?"
Me: "We were talking about tuna casserole"
Kate: "I want to talk about green beans next. I think it will be fun!"

My stunned silence was the only reply. Ever since that day, she has been asking everyone (repeatedly) if they like tuna casserole. I don't know where the obsession comes from, but it's pretty funny to watch their reactions to such a bizarre question.

2008-03-05T10:47:00.002-05:00

Yesterday Kate went to her first ballet class. I can't begin to describe the feelings when I saw her dressed in her little outfit and ballet slippers. She was beautiful and a lot more graceful than I expected (being my daughter and all). Unlike me at her age, she enjoyed the class and wants to go back next week. Grandmother Elsie took photos and I will post them here as soon as I get them.

2008-02-03T18:58:00.001-05:00

I leave today for a trip I didn't want to take. Like many other times before, I explained to Kate that she wouldn't see me for a few days. Unlike those other occasions when she either didn't seem to understand what that meant, or my absence didn't bother her, this time it was like she sensed my mood. I gave her a hug and said "I love you" and she hugged me back and said "I love you too, mommy". She then sat on my lap and asked me if I would stay with her. I said "of course". And she then said "Will you stay with me forever, mommy?". I can't remember ever being so touched in my entire life. I gave her my gold necklace with an Ankh pendant and told her to hold it every time she misses me. If I had one for myself I would be holding it 24/7.

2007-12-13T05:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Kate had her annual check-up. She is now 36.5 inches tall and weighs 29.5 lbs. That puts her only in the 25% range but the nurse told me kids go up and down in the scale all the time so she happens to be small right now but that is likely to change with the next growth spurt. They tested her vision, hearing, and intellectual development and all is well. She got a flu shot, the second dose of Hepatitis A vaccine, and TB test. She was very brave and only cried for 10 seconds.

2007-12-13T05:22:00.000-05:00

Kate loved the Disney Cruise. I was a little disappointed at first when I realized she wouldn't be able to join many of the kids activities because she isn't fully potty-trained yet. However, she was totally happy hanging out with the family. The short flight to Florida was uneventful and the ship boarding very easy. The next day we docked in the Bahamas and, as predicted, Kate had a fantastic time at the Dolphin Encounter. I will post photos when I have the time to scan them, and we bought the video as well. Aside from the dolphins, she also enjoyed meeting the "princesses" Cinderella, Snow White and Belle. Her favorite Ariel was not on board. That evening we celebrated her birthday at the ship's Caribbean restaurant with a "Pirates of the Caribbean" theme.

2007-12-05T05:19:00.000-05:00

It's been so long because I was once again traveling all the time. Kate will be 3 this Friday and it is amazing how fast she can grow in just a few weeks. She is incredibly articulate and very curious. Her favorite toys/books/movies continue to be Clifford, Madeline and Hello Kitty. I think she's outgrown the Little People stuff.

She had two costumes for Halloween. During the day she was a pumpkin, and at night she wore a hilarious green dragon costume. Instead of saying "trick or treat" she would growl when people opened their doors.

While I was away on the latest trip, Grandmother Elsie doubled her efforts and Kate is now nearly potty-trained.

Tomorrow we will take her on a Disney Cruise to celebrate her birthday and as a surprise gift I booked a dolphin encounter for us in the Bahamas. I can't wait to see her face. Today I arranged for a small party at her school, with angel food cupcakes and Hello Kitty theme.

Her eclectic taste in music reflects each of the family member's tastes. With her grandparents she listens to classical music and can name several pieces. With me she enjoys bossa nova, samba, tango and more recently, Christmas songs. Every now and again she falls in love with a pop song from the radio. It was the case with Shakira (she called the song "hips don't like"), Gwen Stefani, and now with Black Eyed Peas ("let's get it started"). With David she listens to blues. In all cases she sings rather well, remembers the sequence of the songs on a certain CD, and does a little dance from her car seat, which is priceless.

Speaking of dancing she was recently on a river cruise and danced all night long, with any adult and another little girl. She is definitely not shy with strangers.

Below is a photo of her at the Homestead during Labor Day. The pure ecstasy on her face is because she was riding a huge horse, still one of her favorite things in the world.

2007-09-12T09:53:00.000-05:00

Last night Kate got her first punishment from me. I stepped away to get her PJs while she was in the bathtub, and returned to find that she was using a cup to pour water all over the bathroom. I took her out, handed her a towel and told her to dry the floor. She obliged without complaint, and in the process slipped on the water and fell on her bottom (no injuries). I took the opportunity to explain why water on the floor was dangerous, and that she would not get a bedtime story because of the mess she had made. I was surprised and grateful to see that she understood cause and consequence, and did not argue. She also said "I'm sorry mommy" and I told her how nice it is to apologize when we do something wrong. I was really amazed at how calm we both were through the process. I hope discipline continues to be this easy.

2007-09-10T20:41:00.001-05:00

I took Kate to The Homestead for Labor Day weekend. She was really good despite the 4-hour drive. We had a lot of fun in the pool and the gardens, but the amazing part of the trip was the horseback riding. Kate's face was pure delight as she looked up at "her" horse, a large white called Limestone. She had no fear, and positioned herself perfectly in the saddle for the entire ride. For the whole weekend, we were "momma horse" and "baby horse", and sometimes "momma river dolphin" and "little baby river dolphin". The great weekend ended on Monday, and on Tuesday she had her first day of preschool . I was really afraid she would cry, but the moment she walked in, she was fine and said "bye-bye mommy" very quickly, before turning her attention to the toys and other kids.

2007-08-28T19:03:00.000-05:00

Kate has been at the beach since Saturday. I noticed that she is not always willing or happy to stop playing when I call to speak to her, but today was really tough. I could hear her telling grandmother Elsie "no speak with Mommy, I don't like her". I could have read any number of books explaining the tantrums of the terrible 2's, what kids say without meaning to, but nothing really would have prepared me for the heartbreak of that single moment.

2007-08-24T20:44:00.000-05:00

It's been such a long time, and lots of new things have happened. First, Kate moved from crib to "big girl's bed", which is a very low-to-the-ground toddler bed. I noticed an instant change to her sleeping habits once that happened; a lot less whining at bed time, and a much nicer Kate in the morning. She now gets up on her own, and plays quietly in her room if I am still in bed.

Another major change was the housing situation. Kate now has bedrooms in three houses (there's Mommy's house, Daddy's house, and Gigi and Granddad's house). She adapted quickly and well, and learned to pack her favorite toys in a little Hello Kitty suitcase everyday to take them to whichever place she will be spending the night at. She doesn't seem affected by the divorce or the constant rotation between the houses.

Finally, she is also about to start preschool in a week. At first she will be going only in the mornings, and continue to spend time with the grandparents in the afternoon, but the plan is to slowly build up her school day. She is not exactly excited about school, but she does like the idea of carrying a backpack ("just like the little people").

Her vocabulary now includes hilarious grown-up expressions. I've been away on business trips often, and last time I asked her if she missed me, and she said "Oh, I guess...". When David put her to bed one night she turned to him and said, in a very conversational tone "So... what's going on?".

Potty training continues, with no big progress.

2007-05-31T18:00:00.001-05:00

This is the photo of Kate's first pony ride

2007-05-29T13:42:00.001-05:00

This weekend we went back to the farm and Kate finally got her first pony ride. She was a natural, unafraid, perfectly positioned on the saddle. Grandmother Leila would be proud.

On a side note, she can now count to ten in Portuguese. When she counts in English, she still says "seben" and "eleben" which is very cute and we do not discourage!

2007-05-27T19:45:00.001-05:00

I mentioned before that Kate is obsessed with the "Little People" figurines by Fisher-Price. Recently, she has been asking to have them in the crib at night time. Much to our surprise, however, she got into the habit of unzipping her pj's and stuffing the figurines inside. Then she obviously can't sleep, and we have to extract Little People out of her clothes before putting her to bed again.

2007-05-24T17:11:00.000-05:00

Lots to tell. First, Grandmother Elsie and Grandpa Jim are working on potty-training Kate. Yesterday she peed in the potty for the first time. Nothing today, but it's progress. Hopefully she will be all ready when her new school starts in August. We selected the Children's International School here in Alexandria. Kate visited once and really liked it.

On a different note, Kate is growing more and more mischevious. Two nights ago I left her alone playing in the living room for maybe 15 minutes; when I turned around from my chair in the office, I saw that she has snuck in, gone into my closet, taken out all of my shoes and lined them up perfectly on the floor. Once I put it all back, I stepped into her room and saw that she had emptied all of her drawers and clothes were all over the floor. She had also reached the box of wet wipes on her changing table and pulled them all out, one by one, and it was all over the floor. After cleaning that mess, I saw that she had gone into the hallway bathroom, emptied the drawers there as well, broken a bottle of massage oil, and unrolled the entire roll of toilet paper on the floor. After cleaning THAT mess, I stepped into the living room and there she was, peacefully playing exactly as I had left her.

2007-04-27T20:55:00.000-05:00

The terrible 2's are here in full force. Whining and crying for no reason is a daily occurance. Kate is still cute despite the temper tantrums, though. She is very into the "Little People" characters from Fisher-Price, and wants to watch the DVDs every day. Last night I let her bring the figurines to bed and when I picked her up from the crib in the morning, I found out she had stuffed all 4 "Little People" into her pajamas and slept that way all night long.

Last weekend we visited the Leesburg Animal Park, and she got to play with sheep, a donkey, and baby goats. She also saw geese, bunnies, lhamas, cows, horses, and surprisingly also a pair of lemurs that seemed very out of place. When it was time for a pony ride - which I thought would be the highlight of the day - she refused to go because she wanted the black pony, and the only one available was the brown pony (more tantrum). All in all it was a great day, and we brought back fond memories, cute photos, and a lot of cow poop stuck on the soles of her shoes.

2007-03-21T09:02:00.000-05:00

Kate got sick just in time for my 2-week trip to Japan. She seemed fine until lunch on Sunday, when she threw up at the restaurant where we had gone to lunch. She seems to be on the mend now, without fever but with a runny nose and some coughing. It breaks my heart to leave her when she is sick. On a separate note, some of her new favorite things now are Clifford books, anything Little People (she knows all the names!), and three little books by Margaret Brown: Goodnight Moon, Big Red Barn, and Runaway Bunny. She requests a full reading every night.

2007-03-13T18:37:00.000-05:00

It's been a while because I had lost my blogger password. Kate continues to develop at an alarming pace. She is learning about the days of the week and the planets. Good manners are also on the menu; Grandmother Elsie is using a book called "The Polite Elephant" and Kate is already saying things like "May I be excused, please?" when she is ready to leave the table. Unfortunately, these past few days also brought signs of the "terrible 2's" - she gets easily frustrated when something is not according to her wishes, and there is plenty of whining and tears.

2007-01-20T15:12:00.000-05:00

This week Kate started spending every day with her grandparents. We sadly let Teresa go, but not before we found tens of families interested in hiring her. Kate was very sick for a day or two (stomach virus) but is on the mend now. One of her new favorite things is to brush her teeth (or, as Grandmother Elsie put it, to eat toothpaste).

2007-01-11T14:07:00.000-05:00

Kate surprised us the other day with something that may be as advanced as reading, or at the very least extremely clever: David was wearing a t-shirt she had never seen before, with the words "Don't mess with Texas". No other graphics. She pointed at his shirt and said "cow". We asked her "where is the cow?" and she said "Texas cow". I then realized she has a little pink sweatshirt with a drawing of a bull, and the word "Texas". Now we don't know if she can read Texas or if she simply realized the word on David's shirt was the same as the one on hers, and made the cow connection. Either way, scary!

2007-01-05T11:58:00.000-05:00

The Holidays are over, and Kate still hasn't finished opening all the presents she got. On Christmas Eve, we hosted a small dinner and dressed her up in a beautiful pink and black dress, which she modeled around. Two other small children came over and all was well until our friend Kevin showed up dressed as Santa. Kate was terrified of him and cried heartily until he left. So much for the Christmas lore. Our concerns about the safety of the Christmas tree ornaments proved unfounded. Kate pointed at the tree every now and then, but did not seem interested in anything hanging from it (not true of the boxes under the tree though - she was very curious about them!). Among her favorite gifts were "Little People" sets, Madeleine videos, and a little pink purse she carries around.

2006-12-15T15:25:00.000-05:00

I feel like knocking on wood, but it looks like Kate's sleeping issues are going away. For two nights in a row she went to the crib without fussing, and slept through the night. Let's hope the good trend continues.

2006-12-15T15:20:00.000-05:00

Kate had two birthday parties - the first, on Thursday, was just pizza and cupcakes at home for the family. She got a lot of gifts, including a little electronic keyboard I brought from Japan, a Madeline DVD she adores, and stuffed animals. On Saturday, we all went to Generous George's for Italian food. That day, David and I took her to Toys R Us to pick a trycicle, but even before we got to the right aisle she fell in love with a huge "Nemo" stuffed fish, and carried it home. She said "birthday" several times, rode the trycicle, played the piano, carried the stuffed animals around, watched Madeline, and had a great time.

2006-12-08T11:04:00.000-05:00

Kate had her 2-year check up this morning and all is well. She is 35 1/4 inches tall, and weighs 26 lbs. That puts her in the 90 percentile for height and 50 for weight. She received her first dose of the flu vaccine and only cried for a minute. The doctor recommended switching to low-fat milk and - unfortunately - no longer allowing her to fall asleep on the bed. It will be hard ignoring her crying from the crib, but apparently it's a common issue with toddlers that can lead to behavioral problems later on if not addressed properly. Sigh.

2006-12-07T13:33:00.000-05:00

Kate is 2 today. Among her many talents, she can now eat regularly holding a spoon or fork (with a little mess left behind), count to 10 flawlessly, recite her ABCs, ask for things with "please" and "thank you", and unfortunately, also express her distate for the crib ("no night-night" is a pretty standard statement these days). She surprised me by running her fingers through a black-tie gown I was wearing while saying "wow moma, pretty". I think full sentences are not far out. She's also been referring to herself as Kate, although David and I continue to call her Peanut or Pea. I spent almost two weeks in Japan last month, while she spent time in Texas with Gigi (Grandmother Elsie) and Grandpa Jim, learning a lot of new things. On my end, I learned the Japanese word for Peanut, and started calling her Piinatsu.

Here is a photo of her taken this morning.

2006-11-27T21:10:00.000-05:00

Kate's cutest words:

- "ani" (bunny)
- "dooog-a" (dog)
- "grog" (frog)
- "seben" (seven)
- "ef" (Jeff)
- "mimo" (Nemo)
- "melk" (milk)
- "ish" (fish)

2006-11-08T15:37:00.000-05:00

Kate's vocabulary has increased at amazing speed. She has also started repeating words when she hears them for the first time. About a week before Halloween, Grandmother Elsie and I took her to Babies R Us to pick a costume, and she fell in love with a cute chicken outfit (bright orange pants and a white fluffy sweater with a hood and crest). From that moment on, Kate was 100% committed to being a chicken. She would bring us the costume (still in the hanger) repeating "chicken, chicken" until we dressed her up. She would then admire herself in the mirror and repeat "chicken" a few more times. I believe she wore the chicken outfit every day before Halloween, and for a couple of days afterwards. I tried to get her to say "trick or treat" but when we went knocking on neighbors' doors, all she would say was "chicken".

2006-10-07T22:05:00.000-05:00

Kate has been showing strong signs of separation anxiety. She can't see me or hear my voice without clinging to me for dear life. It makes it difficult to leave the house, and to put her to bed at night. While it's a very sweet and endearing sight to have her follow me saying "momma, momma", on the other hand it has been exhausting, particularly in the middle of the night. Everything I've read, and what I learned from her pediatrician, tells me it's a common phase that will go away eventually. While most kids suffer from separation anxiety at some point in the first 3 years of life, most go through it between 12 and 18 months. Duration and intensity vary, so there is no telling what's ahead.