Movin' On Up

Today was Sarek's last day at Ana's Daycare. He has been going there twice a week since he was 7 months old. I was less teary this time and Sarek is definitely ready to move on, but it was nonetheless a bittersweet milestone. I remembered a lot of firsts....incredulous and despondent new mom on her first day back at work, first practice run at Ana's with me refusing to leave after the door had closed...Ana shooing me away through the window... me walking the 1/2 block back home in a daze. There was also the first time he was so eager to get there, he broke into a run. First time he charged back into my arms at the end of a day. First time he didn't want to go home. First time he didn't want to go at all. First time he rode his bike there. First time he said to me, "Aye yie yie, Mama, te vas a la cuna." First art piece he brought back. Our tradition of going to the corner to watch the buses pass after a pick up (me super pregnant with Nola).

Sarek starts preschool on Monday morning. Certainly gallons of tears will be shed by this very tired but very grateful Mama. Stay tuned!

Sarek's friends.

Erica, Veronica, and Ana with Nola and Sarek at the ninth hour. Countless times at the door, saying, "Quien Es??" Mil gracias to Papa for the drop offs and pick ups this year! Family and friends.

Missing Our Better 1/4

Doesn't Sarek take a great picture?

Ha, but you actually thought it might be true, didn't ya?

What can't the boy do these days?

Whining Beauty

Can you say.....DRAMA? I didn't put the camera down fast enough for her.

Girls Will Be Girls

Pictures from Gigi's birthday, which happened to be the weekend we had Sarek's birthday party. The sisters pictures is pretty classic. So much is being conveyed in our faces, but it's a mystery exactly what that is. Maybe, "How did we get here? Who made us the grown ups?!"

Little Miss Mozart

Nola plays with the keyboard that Sarek got from Dexter for his birthday.

Top of the World Ma!

Sarek and Daddy hiked to the top of Bernal Hill tonight at sunset. Sarek walked all the way there and back by himself. We did this last week with Thomas, Imke and Nele when they were here and Sarek wanted to do this again. He said he wants to do it every night. His favorite thing to do is look out across the city for police cars and fire trucks.

Avatar

Nola is starting to speak more and more. She sounds a lot like the blue chick from "Avatar" right now.

Crime Scene

She was a doll in the wrong place at the wrong time. What an untimely end for this Turkish gal.

"This doll is really frustrated Mommy." A Sarek quote after dismembering one of Nola's dolls for the first time. I bet she throws a train in the potty for revenge. Let the games begin!

A Chapathi Lesson

Gigi Sundra teaches her grandson how to make chipatti, an Indian flat bread. Sarek loves to cook so he was all over it.

Dress Rehearsal

Sarek dressed himself (correctly) from head to toe, naked to everything on, for the first time tonight!

It's Better Wet

Perry, Amy and Amy's brother gave Sarek a water table for his birthday. Nola likes it too. Eventually this will be played with in the back yard.

Lisa's Laka Laka Lulu

Birthday Boy...THREE!

Pix from Sarek's big day on July 10th. We fled the city fog and spent the day in Tilden Park near Berkeley/Oakland. We were not disappointed. We had beautiful weather, rode a steam engine through the Oakland Hills, and took a few spins on the Carousel. We have the official party with cake and friends next Sunday. We did S'mores for the actual day. Sarek is intrigued by S'mores...toasted marshmallows feature strongly in a current favorite bedtime story, Curious George Goes Camping.

A Roaring Retirement

It's time to say goodbye to our Latino Lion Walker. We reluctantly welcomed your slick plastic self but ended up really appreciating your purple nose, salsa music, and wimpy roar. Thanks for being someone to lean on during unstable times! Here are parting shots of 16 month Nola and 2.99 year old Sarek with their beloved lion.

Social Climber

Nola just started really walking. Now she is getting her monkey on at the playground and around the house, climbing anything she can.