January 31, 2010 - Children's Mass & Alvin!

Overall today went well -- the children's Mass was really nice and Manuel and Esperanza loved it. I did too especially realizing that one of the lessons was Corinthians 13 -- "Now abide faith, hope and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love". It took me a little bit to catch on in Spanish to what was being read, but I just love that verse and it's definitely something I needed to hear!

Fer and Wendy enjoyed being there a lot more with Tomas. Here are some pics the girls took before, us at the church, and then after enjoying some cotton candy that Manuel was kind enough to buy for them.






When we got back, we made lunch and then the girls played for a little while before we walked over to the Unicentro to get our ticket for Alvin and the Chipmunks (Alvin y Las Ardillas). We got there pretty early, and I thought the girls would want to walk around, but not so much. So we sat and talked -- they wanted to hear the whole story of how Papi and Mami met, so I told them that. Then, we did walk over to Exito for a little window shopping.

They enjoyed the movie, especially the popcorn and soda!




When we returned another family had arrived at the hotel, a French family who adopted their daughter 6 years ago and are now back to adopt a second baby. I realize in trying to speak to them how completely my Spanish has replaced my French which is kind of sad to me. Of course at this point I'd much rather have the Spanish -- in face, it's essential!! -- but it feels so strange to not remember the most basic things in a language I really used to speak well!

Tomorrow, our first day with no camp! Laura is going to come in the late morning for English with the girls, and I am going to try to wrangle the child who is not doing a lesson with her into some other schoolwork. In the late afternoon, they can each take a class at Fitness Infantil, so that will be some exercise. But it's not the same for Mami as the whole morning taken care of!! Oh well, I will try to adjust. :)

Muchisimas Gracias Mami!

Mom left for NYC this morning at 6:30 -- I got to see her briefly before she left. Thanks so much for a great week Mom! It flew by and we had such a good time with you!! As we said to Fer and Wendy last night, hopefully we will all be together again very soon in NYC.

Last night the girls were playing with Tomas and we were chatting a bit with his parents (Manuel and Esperanza from Spain). I told them that Mom was going back and I would be alone with the girls until Chris gets here on Wednesday. Manuel's response: "No, not alone! we are all here together!!" They are so friendly and nice and they really seem to enjoy our girls. So hopefully we can hang around with them some to break up the time. We had planned to go to Mass with them this morning and I suggested the 10 a.m. at the small church very nearby, but Fer wanted to go with Tomas to the children's mass at Cristo Rey, which has more music and puppets and is (as the name would imply) really geared to kids. So the girls are showering now and we will leave in about an hour to walk down there.

After church we have leftovers for lunch and then I wanted to walk down to Unicentro to see the chipmunk movie in the mid-afternoon. The girls have really been looking forward to it, so that should be a lot of fun. And more chance to practice my Spanish!

January 30, 2010 Bogota -- Coffee Farm

Mom and I had a great day today with Fer and Wendy -- we went on a tour to a coffee farm! It was about 2 hours away, but through beautiful countryside, and we stopped along the way for lunch.



Mom got to try the girls' Barbie sunglasses on her nose:


And Fer was totally psyched when her "mixto" lunch plate arrived!



After lunch we drove just a little further on to the farm where we had a tour of beautiful house and grounds and saw the whole process start to finish of the coffee!








The coffee plants were really beautiful and many of the trees had orchids growing on them.




The farm had its own chapel which was beautiful as well.




At the end Mom and I enjoyed a taste of coffee with coffee liqueur, all grown/made at the farm. Yum!!

January 29, 2010 Bogota

We had a very relaxing day today. The girls went to Fitness Infantil for swimming, skating and gymnastics, and then we took them to Archie's for lunch. When they got back, they did their English lessons with Laura. Wendy went first, for maybe 30 minutes or a bit more, and then Fer for more than an hour. While Fer was working, Wendy got very involved in some creative play with a teddy bear she found in the playroom, and then did some playing on the computer.




I had promised ice cream, so we went to the drugstore that has an ice cream cooler and they each picked one. One proof of the food encouraging attachment dynamic: as we walked back Fer said "Gracias Gracias I love you!!"

Very sweet -- as we left they both said, "We have to buy one for Tomas -- he bought us chips yesterday!" (Tomas's parents very kindly gave them each a "paquete" before dinner when they had one for Tomas as well). So we asked his parents who said ice cream wasn't allowed but chips were fine, and we went back for a treat for him. Here we are enjoying our ice cream:



Other news: Fer called me "Mami" at least 5 times today, which is new. And Wendy practiced a lot of English, saying to Fer this morning, "Eh-sweetie, get up! What are you doing?!" So in one way or another they are continuing to adapt to the idea of their new family.

one other funny exchange -- last night

Dinner always feels a little breathless. The staff at Zuetana bring the food out pretty fast -- first soup and then just a few minutes later everything else but dessert. Wendy and Fer almost never do much more than taste the soup so it works out that I am still on my soup and then there's all this food to serve with attendant negotiations about trying a little of everything etc. etc. The girls tend to eat fast and then want to leave the table, but often leaving the table is not a permanent situation if they realize they want a little more, or get bored in the living room, or whatever. It's not great and definitely something we will work on when we get home!

The girls also often interrupt us and each other as well as have trouble staying in their chairs for very long at one time (especially Wendy), so that adds to the feeling of high speed. Last night, I made a special plea for one at a time conversation, that we would take turns. The girls don't really see the point of that, but were complying somewhat. Gigi and I had a few exchanges about her attempted phone call home, then Fer had something to say, and Gigi added in a few words. In Wendy's opinion, Gigi was interrupting, so she said me "Digale a Gigi to stop wohrking! No! Stop wohrking!" (Tell Gigi to stop barking! No! Stop barking!). Not only her accent but her tone was hilarious, and exactly how we say to the dogs, "No! Stop barking!"

January 28, 2010 Bogota -- Balloons for Haiti

The girls went once again to Fitness Infantil in the morning today, and then we went off to meet Manuela for lunch. We took a cab (rather long ride, I think the rather surly driver didn't really use the best route) to her house, and then we went off once again to Archie's for lunch. This time, in addition to make your own pizza and the gift bags, the girls also were given Archie's balloons! It just keeps getting better and better.

We didn't get back until almost 4, and then both girls did some English with Laura. They are wanting to stop Fitness Infantil in the morning, so we are thinking that we will switch their English lessons to the morning and have them do a class or two in the afternoon instead. I have to get the schedule tomorrow, but I think there will be at least one class every day that they will want to do, so it should work out well.

One very sweet exchange tonight -- the girls were playing with their balloons in the room. Fer's balloon had lost some air so she was cutting it to pieces, but Wendy's balloon was still fine and as she was bouncing it around in the air, she said, "Yo tengo el globo mas bonito en el mundo y yo voy a llevar a Haiti para los ninos alla!" ("I have the most beautiful ballooon in the world and I'm going to send it to Haiti for the children there!"). Fer responded that she would send her balloon and some toys, and Wendy came back with her balloon, toys, and presents, to which Fer answered that she would send her balloon, toys, presents, food and earrings, which seemed to be the best offer possible! They haven't seen anything about Haiti in the last few days, but they were very concerned about the earthquake when it happened and in the days following when there was so much on the news -- we tried to limit the worst images but we also did spend time explaining and talking about it. They are very curious about the world and they really seem to remember what we discuss.

January 27 2010 Bogota - Monserrate

After we picked the girls up from Fitness Infantil, we came back to the hotel for lunch and then went with Laura to Monserrate. The Spanish couple decided not to join us because Tomas has had a cold and they were worried about him being in the colder air up on the mountain. That was a good call, because not only was it kind of chilly, it also drizzled a bit.

Here are some pics:











When we got back, we had some much-needed tea & hot chocolate, and then the girls played for awhile and Mom and I hung out. Fer and I worked out a subsitute arrangement for Divercity in that she is going to give up a day of computer use instead, so that's taken care of (for those of you closely following my parenting travails). I was really touched that when I asked her to write what had happened and then to write what are the rules of the family, she wrote "Palabras amables. Paz. Amor." (Kind words. Peace. Love.) I guess some of our conversations have made an impression!

We had a late-ish dinner and then the girls played with Tomas some and also hung out a bit with a nice Dutch couple who are staying here as they are attending some sort of charismatic Christian convention. After we called Papi (still working on the switch!) I read them two books, then Kitty, then bed! It's getting late so I will turn in as well.

Jan 26, 2010 Bogota

Mom and I had a really nice day yesterday (Tuesday) with the girls. After breakfast, we took them to Fitness Infantil, then came back and relaxed at the hotel for a little while before walking down to Pomona, where we had a coffee and snack. We picked the girls up and took them to Archie's for lunch (the pizza place we went to in October with Manuela where the girls made their own pizza). The girls loved making their own pizza and this time, for reasons unknown, they also scored Archie's gift bags with little toys and art supplies.

When we got back, it was time for English class. Fer went first, and we tried to do a little math with Wendy. Mom brought her Stern math blocks, which are great teaching tools. We worked with Wendy on making pairs that add up to 10 -- she lasted about 20 minutes. Then, Wendy and I played with play-doh and Connect 4 pieces. For that, we had about an hour of concentrated play, where we made beds for all the pieces and she set them up for the boys and the girls. At first they were taking turns but then all the "novios" (boyfriends/girlfriends) were sharing, until the boys went on the bus to get water while the girls slept, and then the girls went to work while the boys slept. Finally 4 boys and 4 girls went to France to live for awhile before coming back, and we left them in the middle of the table to wait for their parents! I don't know what it all means, but it was kind of like participating in a dream sequence.

During Wendy's English class, Mom did some math work with Fer. She is still working on ideas of place value and re-grouping numbers for addition and subraction, and the Stern blocks are great for being able to visualize and understand those concepts.

Afterwards, the girls played on the computer while Mom and I rested and read (I read my book group book for the first time in months -- go me! -- Sarah's Key by de Rosnay. It was really good, I thought, though very sad too. Holocaust account focusing on the roundups of Jews in Paris in 1942 and the complicity of the French people/government.) After dinner, we called Papi (trying to make the switch from Madrina and Padrino) and then to bed!

The girls are at camp right now and this afternoon we will go to Montserrate (take a cable car up a mountain for a view of Bogota) with the Spanish couple and Tomas. Should be fun and hopefully some good pictures too!

Jan 25 -- Bienvenido a Bogota Mami!!

Mom arrived tonight -- we are thrilled!! The girls insisted on coming to the airport, but ended up falling asleep in the car while we waited (her flight was a bit delayed). But at 11:00, there she was, gamely emerging through the double doors! Julian was great getting us to the airport and back, and the girls did wake up to greet her. Then, as soon as we got back to Zuetana, they jumped into their pajamas and to bed -- I think they were asleep again by the time I got back from showing Mom her room.

Tomorrow, we will have one of our "usual" days, and hopefully Mom will do a little math work in the afternoon with both girls.

January 25, 2010 -- 47 out of 50 hours ain't bad!

The above title refers to the 47 hours that the girls were wonderful since Chris left -- sadly, the behavior kind of fell apart at dinner tonight. Wendy was upset b/c I wouldn't let her play on the computer for another half hour after more than 2 hours this afternoon, and Fer I think was upset because Wendy was upset. Anyway, they were both pretty rude, and Fer much more so. So, boxing myself into a maternal corner, I told her that she had lost the chance to go to Divercity next Monday! (Divercity is a theme park for kids that we plan to go to with Monique and Sebastian, and both girls are really looking forward to it). Now I have to figure out how she can earn it back, because I really do want them both to go. Ack!! Onwards, tomorrow.

This morning, the girls went to Fitness Infantil for swimming, skating and karate. The girls had their English classes with Laura and then entertained themselves with some technology time: Fer on my cell and Wendy on the computer.




A Spanish couple arrived yesterday and met their new son (Tomas, a year and a half old) this morning. He is so cute and they are just thrilled. He is overall doing fine -- some tears but totally normal given he is in a strange place with strangers!! We did a little party for them this afternoon -- Fer helped make a welcome sign for him and their teacher Laura had a cake and juice for all of us. Below, some pics of the party.

January 24, 2010 Bogota -- OsoLandia (Bear-Land)!

We had a great day yesterday -- went to Mass in the morning and then spent the afternoon with Monique and her son Sebastian. The girls were so excited to go out on a "paseo" (field trip). Monique picked us up and we drove about 30 minutes out of the city to "OsoLandia" - Bear-Land -- where they had a park with bouncy castle and play equipment, a petting zoo, a restaurant, and a show about bears! Afterwards, we went to a nearby mall to see a movie. We meant to go to the chipmunk movie, but in some ways fortunately for us, it turned out that our show was cancelled. So we went to see "Hada Por Accidente" - Tooth Fairy -- instead. More fun for the adults, and the kids liked it too, especially the "mais y gaseosa" (popcorn and soda) -- a major reason for going to the movies at all!

My camera ran out of batteries but I did get some pics of Bear-Land! But now they won't post. I'll update later as I'm off to get the kids at Fitness Infantil!

UPDATE:

January 22-23, 2010

We had a really nice day yesterday -- we went with Manuela to Fitness Infantil to see the girls in their swim class and it is amazing to see how much progress they have made in 2 weeks! They can both swim the width of the pool without standing, and Fer has developed an amazing crawl stroke. We predict they will both be Whitehall Dolphins this spring!!






After the class Manuela took us to lunch at El Corral Gourmet, a really good hamburger place nearby, and then we had ice cream at Basking Robbins, always a treat! And, a taste of home for me, they had my favorite Mint Chocolate Chip. :)

Today was very relaxing. The girls woke up late and we hung around for awhile. Then, they went on a top-secret errand with Chris and returned with the most gorgeous roses and homemade cards to give me as a present!




In the afternoon it rained, so we didn't go anywhere. I was feeling a little sick, so I took a nap while the girls played with Chris, and then when I got up we all went for a walk to check service times at a new church very close by which we just located yesterday, and also to pick up a few things at the store. We had dinner, and then we went with Chris to the airport. True to the girls' personalities, Fer went jumping into his arms 3 or 4 times to say goodbye, while Wendy was backing away and waving! (We stopped her from walking into traffic). It was hard to see him go, but Mom arrives on Monday night so it's only two days on my own. Tomorrow we have a very nice plan of church in the morning and then off to lunch and a movie with Monique and her son Sebastian. Monday the girls have Fitness Infantil in the morning and English lessons with Laura in the afternoon.

Well, the girls are sound asleep and I should take advantage and go to sleep myself. Love to all --