Family Update

It's about time I give an update on how we are doing, but most of this is about our girl. Ella will be four later this month!  We'll be in the US and Canada with family (we leave in 6 days) and it will great to celebrate together there.  It's our annual furlough when we get a month to travel around North America. We'll be splitting our time between Colorado, North Carolina, Alabama and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Andrey has additional work-related travel to Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Seattle.

These days just seem to be going by fast.  It's been a busy season and I can barely keep up on some things I used to do often, like blogging.  I find myself splitting my time between bringing Ella along in whatever I'm doing in the community and spending focused time with her doing fun things she enjoys.  We may go to play area in the mall or the pool or a play date or baking together at home.  She is such a trooper and doesn't seem to mind joining me on most things I do, although I can occasionally leave her with someone.

In general she is doing great.  She frustrates and delights me every day.  I guess that's the way it is with kids.  It's hard to keep up with all the new things she is doing/into because she is always changing.  I guess that's how things go when you have a healthy, growing child.  I'm so thankful that she's thriving and loving life. 

I am planning a small home school pre-school for her in our home November to March.  I will hire a teacher for two afternoons a week and one of the three moms of the four, four-year-olds will rotate so one of us is here to assist at each class.  I just have to find the right curriculum.  I think this will be a great intro to school for Ella.  Depending on how it goes, we will either continue to home school next year or I will put her in kindergarten in a school I checked out last year and really like. I had considered putting her in pre-school there last year but wasn't ready to put her in 5 days a week.

Ella treasures her time with Daddy more than ever.  This includes a morning walk, evening play time during the week and swimming on the weekends.  She just loves her time with him and can really get thrown off emotionally if she misses out on any of it. 

Heading out for a morning walk

We have seen a real increase in her confidence lately.  She doesn't mind the camera like before and even poses sometimes!  She plays more with other kids and has lots of friends.  One time during a visit to Ana Mae's neighborhood all the local kids were play in a separate room of a bamboo hut.  She really wanted to go in but looked to me for permission to join them. When I encouraged her to join them she flung the curtain dividing the two rooms open and announced to the kids, "Hey guys! I'm here!"

Photo shoot in the garden!

With a good friend, V

 

 

 

Ella amazes us at her fearlessness when it comes to animals.  We recently took in a grasshopper from our garden and managed to keep it alive for about a day, even after Ella tore off one of his legs. She let "Hoppy" crawl all over her.

Ella loves playing with "Ate Rau Rau."  Raulyn is a good friend and watches Ella about once a week. 

 The other day, Ella and I brought a young mom and her baby to the pediatrician for a check up. Ella said sincerely, "Baby going for ketchup?"

Ella is quite amazing at pretending these days. Here she is as an adorable little doctor.

I'm still exercising regularly! I'm not sure what's gotten into me, I can't ever remember a time when I was this consistent.  I've been working out at home with Jillian Michaels five days a week since the end of May and I'm loving it!  I'm getting stronger, I've lost a few inches and pounds and I'm feeling great.  Sometimes when I'm just hanging around doing nothing in the evenings I have a strong urge to get into a plank or do some push ups.  Weird.

Not much is new with Andrey except that he is busier than ever with work. Somehow he still manages to be totally present with us for family time and doesn't let the stress of work get to him too much.  (If I were him I would be one big stress ball and NO fun to be around).  He travels regularly but it's usually for just a few nights at a time which is quite manageable for us.  He is amazing and wonderful and we still get out almost every week for a date night.

To wrap this up, I'll add a few recent photos.

Mud at the beach during low tide (definitely a father-daughter activity!)

Have to watch this girl with the sugar packets!

Still dominates Gerald