Dec 30, 2008
Dec 29, 2008
Chicken Sunset
These are from Raluca & Ed's yard, where we've been going to let the chickens in & out each day (which Julia enjoys but I don't - let's just say chickens aren't the brightest animals around...). I hope these pictures remind our Mexico-travelling friends of CT at this time of year. Sorry no pictures of the chickens.
Christmas Vacation 4 (Last One)
Julia making "music" with vôvô's keyboard.
Doctor Fufu.
(Julia's been correcting us: "not Tia Fufu, Doctor Fufu")
Making a ribbon bracelet.
Vóvó looking like a China girl.
Julia and her doll-house (Mariana's old house, repainted - looks great!).
This is basically what Benjamin looked like the whole time after he got his toy trains.
Doctor Fufu.
(Julia's been correcting us: "not Tia Fufu, Doctor Fufu")
Making a ribbon bracelet.
Vóvó looking like a China girl.
Julia and her doll-house (Mariana's old house, repainted - looks great!).
This is basically what Benjamin looked like the whole time after he got his toy trains.
Dec 28, 2008
Christmas Vacation 3
More pictures!
Vôvô, with his three grandkids.
Lumber-Jack.
This is when they took a break from running around the house.
(This was not intentional...)
Vôvô, with his three grandkids.
Lumber-Jack.
This is when they took a break from running around the house.
(This was not intentional...)
Christmas Vacation 2
Some more, in no particular order...
Ted, reading to Julia at breakfast. I like her look of concentration.
Playing horsy with vóvó (Julia is also a little mop-haired these days...).
Mama took it easy.
Our mop-haired nephew, as cute as ever.
Vóvó.
Cousin reunion.
Ted, reading to Julia at breakfast. I like her look of concentration.
Playing horsy with vóvó (Julia is also a little mop-haired these days...).
Mama took it easy.
Our mop-haired nephew, as cute as ever.
Vóvó.
Cousin reunion.
Dec 27, 2008
Christmas Vacation 1
We spent a very relaxing week in Montreal, and apparently escaped just before 2 days of freezing rain across Vermont. Here are some pictures from the trip:
Tanta and Julia reading the adventures of "Ladybug Girl".
Playing with the musical moose.
Here's how it works: you squeeze the moose's hand, and then run around it while he sings. Remember to change direction once in a while...
Reading with Tavi (in his unique fashion).
Tanta and Julia reading the adventures of "Ladybug Girl".
Playing with the musical moose.
Here's how it works: you squeeze the moose's hand, and then run around it while he sings. Remember to change direction once in a while...
Reading with Tavi (in his unique fashion).
Dec 19, 2008
Dec 18, 2008
Bloom County
She was wearing pyjamas, "reading" a book to herself for a long time, talking quietly as she did. After a while, I turned to look, and saw that it was one of my old 'Bloom County' books (not terribly appropriate for a 2-year old, but not that bad either). She seemed pretty comfy though, so we let her be.
Dec 15, 2008
YaYoYo
For those of you who know the lyrics to the traditional version of Old MacDonald, here's the version the kids are singing today:
Thanks a lot, Beatrix Potter!
Julia loves to read, and some of her favorite books are a collection of Beatrix Potter's stories. I've never read these stories before I started reading them for Julia, and they're quite different from the typical children's books I'm used to. They're a little more old-fashioned, but Julia loves them, and that's what counts. It turns out that somehow, we ended up with 4 different books which are all "The story of Peter Rabbit" in different versions: one is a short version for babies, another is a slightly longer version, and two of them are the original version in different book formats. Anyway, the other day, we were at the library, and Julia wanted to borrow some books to bring home, so I took her pile of books to the librarian's desk to check them out. As the librarian is checking them out, I notice she chose yet another Peter Rabbit book!!! They're all the same story...
One afternoon, before nap-time, I told her she could choose 3 books to read, and she chose two Peter Rabbit books. I explained that it's the same story, but that didn't seem to dissuade her.
Recently, we were reading another Beatrix Potter book, "The Flopsy Bunnies". At one point in the story, Mr. McGregor's wife says to him "You silly old man!!", so a day after we read the story, out of the blue, Julia looks at me and says "You silly old man!!!" and starts laughing. Great! Since then, she's said it a few more times, a few times to Ricardo or to me.
One afternoon, before nap-time, I told her she could choose 3 books to read, and she chose two Peter Rabbit books. I explained that it's the same story, but that didn't seem to dissuade her.
Recently, we were reading another Beatrix Potter book, "The Flopsy Bunnies". At one point in the story, Mr. McGregor's wife says to him "You silly old man!!", so a day after we read the story, out of the blue, Julia looks at me and says "You silly old man!!!" and starts laughing. Great! Since then, she's said it a few more times, a few times to Ricardo or to me.
Dec 13, 2008
Yes, but is it art?
We did a little experimenting today with Roxi's long-forgotten watercolors. Julia took to it right away.
Look ma: two hands!
We call this one "number one"...
...and this is "number two".
There were 4 in all done today, and something tells me we'll be making many more over the next few days.
Look ma: two hands!
We call this one "number one"...
...and this is "number two".
There were 4 in all done today, and something tells me we'll be making many more over the next few days.
Vovos
Catching up on some week-old pictures. The paternal grandparents were here last weekend. Here they are, in West Hartford, showing Julia and Ricardo how it's done:
Later, some dominos.
We had a very relaxing weekend, as you can tell. :)
Later, some dominos.
We had a very relaxing weekend, as you can tell. :)
Dec 5, 2008
Doctor Fufu
My little sister is now a PhD!
Mariana successfully defended her thesis this morning. The title is "On the Spatio-Temporal Radial Growth Response of Four Alpine Treeline Species to Climate Across Central Labrador". It sounds very exciting. Way to go Fufu! (Julia can say 'Doctor Fufu', and is working on 'dendrochronology')
Who would have thought? After a few years where it wasn't obvious what she'd end up doing, she found 'dendro' (aka dendrochronology), and grabbed on, and the rest is history. The hook was apparently a few trips North to do 'field work' in the Yukon, where the black flies are the size of small birds and you have to constantly wear a net over your face. The study at the time was pollen dispersal (which involved setting up the collectors and then waiting around several weeks for the pollen). We would hear on occasion about how they avoided bears and battery acid, learned to fight fires by helicopter, and got drunk with the locals. Lately, it's been tree rings in Labrador with long truck rides in the middle of nowhere. She would email spectacular pictures taken from a small float plane, and other pictures of her dendro buddies, nets over their faces, carrying their equipment to a campground or something.
Anyways, I ramble. The point is, she made it. Jane Goodall had her chimps, and Mariana has her tree rings.
Fufu, we are proud of you.
(just please don't use "spatio-temporal" in a sentence, ok?)
Addendum: here are some pictures of the event.
Mariana successfully defended her thesis this morning. The title is "On the Spatio-Temporal Radial Growth Response of Four Alpine Treeline Species to Climate Across Central Labrador". It sounds very exciting. Way to go Fufu! (Julia can say 'Doctor Fufu', and is working on 'dendrochronology')
Who would have thought? After a few years where it wasn't obvious what she'd end up doing, she found 'dendro' (aka dendrochronology), and grabbed on, and the rest is history. The hook was apparently a few trips North to do 'field work' in the Yukon, where the black flies are the size of small birds and you have to constantly wear a net over your face. The study at the time was pollen dispersal (which involved setting up the collectors and then waiting around several weeks for the pollen). We would hear on occasion about how they avoided bears and battery acid, learned to fight fires by helicopter, and got drunk with the locals. Lately, it's been tree rings in Labrador with long truck rides in the middle of nowhere. She would email spectacular pictures taken from a small float plane, and other pictures of her dendro buddies, nets over their faces, carrying their equipment to a campground or something.
Anyways, I ramble. The point is, she made it. Jane Goodall had her chimps, and Mariana has her tree rings.
Fufu, we are proud of you.
(just please don't use "spatio-temporal" in a sentence, ok?)
Addendum: here are some pictures of the event.
Dec 3, 2008
All done for the year, and my hidden talents
Every once in a while, Julia will say something really funny, and just crack me up.
The other day, she asked for some watermelon. I explained to her that "the watermelons are all done for the year", and that we need to wait for next summer. She seemed to understand, and didn't ask again. Then a few days later, I said "Can I have a hug?", and she replied "The hugs are all done for the year". I thought "Oh well, it looks like it will be a long cold winter...". Luckily, it turns out she was all talk, and I am still getting lots of hugs and kisses (phew!).
Another time we were doing some cooking in the kitchen, and she said "Mama, you are really good at peeling garlic". I guess that's a talent I've overlooked. She also told me that I'm the best at reading books. Next time I have a job interview and they ask me what my strengths are, I'll be sure to let them know...
The other day, she asked for some watermelon. I explained to her that "the watermelons are all done for the year", and that we need to wait for next summer. She seemed to understand, and didn't ask again. Then a few days later, I said "Can I have a hug?", and she replied "The hugs are all done for the year". I thought "Oh well, it looks like it will be a long cold winter...". Luckily, it turns out she was all talk, and I am still getting lots of hugs and kisses (phew!).
Another time we were doing some cooking in the kitchen, and she said "Mama, you are really good at peeling garlic". I guess that's a talent I've overlooked. She also told me that I'm the best at reading books. Next time I have a job interview and they ask me what my strengths are, I'll be sure to let them know...
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