Adelaide Rose turns 6

Yay! Another birthday to celebrate.  Ashlynn's got "Happy Birthday" down now along with the blowing of the candles and the clapping!  We love celebrating and this week it was for our sweet Addie.

With every year that passes, on my first born daughter's birthday I inevitably think about that first memorable moment when I became a mother.  That first trip to the maternity ward and all the emotions that went along with it.  She was my first and she's been nothing but magical since.

This year has been full of change for Addie. Starting kindergarten and learning to read has opened up a new world for her. It's been amazing to see her personality blossom and watch the excitement in her eyes when she writes her own stories.  She's still very artistic and I am amazed at some of the fantastical scenes she draws with great detail and care.

She is truly the leader of her sisters.  As the oldest this comes naturally but I am thrilled that Addie loves both her younger sisters and cares for them.  She is fairly responsible and more than once I've seen her take care of Bella and Ashlynn in sticky situations.  She's a wonderful big sister.

Adelaide has embraced jeans and tennis shoes.  Thank God!  There was a moment when I thought she'd be pure princess and I am so happy to see that she's so much more than that.  She's athletic, clever, smart, and creative.  She just also happens to be beautiful.  I love watching her climb onto the school bus with her gym clothes just as much (maybe even more) than when she climbs on with her skirts and dress shoes.

Some of her favorite things are movies!  She takes after her father in this regard.  She loves to sit and get absorbed in a story.  On the other side of things, she also loves to read and be read to.  She adores writing her own stories and then reading them to me.  She still loves wrestling with her Dad. She loves playing catch, riding her scooter and now her new bike.  She loves spaghetti, cheese burgers, fish and rice (her choice for her birthday dinner), and watermelon.  She's the only of our daughters that has a limit on her sweet tooth.  After a few bites of something too sweet she pushes it aside.  She's not extremely keen on breakfast but she gets CRAZY when she's hungry (just like her mama).  She loves to bake with me and is better than most adults at cracking eggs and whisking together ingredients.  She loves playing make believe with Bella.  In fact, the two of them love playing together so much I rarely have to plan play dates for either of them any longer.

Addie is pretty cautious when it comes to new things.  She doesn't like being the center of attention (unless she's at home with her family).  At home she'll act out elaborate variety show type productions with her sisters but in a different crowd she won't even stand in line to take a turn at hitting the piñata at a birthday party.  The other night she expressed her nerves about going to the first grade and having a new classroom and classmates.

Sometimes, I find myself expecting Addie to act older and be more mature than she really needs to be.  I think this is simply because she's the oldest and on most occasions rises to the challenge.  But she is only 6 now and I have to remind myself that she's allowed tears and meltdowns just like her younger sisters.   She's allowed to whine and fuss at times.  She certainly is allowed to be six years old.

Every new thing Addie learns and does amazes me.  Just the way she uses such grown up words to describe her feelings and situations at school with friends.  It reminds me that she is growing so fast.  I like to keep a memory of her and I close to my heart when I feel like she's growing too fast.  I was home from work still on maternity leave after Addie's birth.  I was rocking her on my chest in her rocking chair.  The creaking lulled us both to sleep and for a few blissful minutes I slept while she slept perfectly contented to have her little cheek pressed to my chest.  It was just the two of us and the afternoon light shone through her nursery window and I could have rocked like that for eternity.

She's going to grown, no matter how often we urge her to slow down and stay little.  She triumphantly announces that "It will happen...I will be _ "(4, 5, 6, 7), ever year now.  I can only hope that every year my lovely daughter and I can hold on to this precious bond we've developed and hopefully keep it strong and let grow right along with her.

The other night Justin and I were reading in bed and like most nights one or both of us comments on how amazing our children are and how much we love them.  This night I said "Isn't it amazing that for the rest of our lives we get to be apart of our daughters lives?"  I think about that often.  It truly is an amazing gift!

Adelaide and the Tooth Fairy

Addie has had a loose tooth now for a week or more.  Wiggly enough that I had to look at it and then gasp because her adult tooth had already come in behind the baby one.  She was relieved to find out this was supposed to happen and has been happily wiggling and tugging away at it.  She came home from school today with a shy closed mouth smile and then the huge announcement that her tooth had fallen out!  During art class!  She saved it in a plastic bag!  Everyone wanted to see her new smile!  Her friend Justin at school lost his first tooth today at school too!

Bell said, "That's pretty awesome, Addie!" and completely meant it.  We hoisted her up to look at her beautiful new holey smile in the mirror.  She pulled out a perfect little treasure box to put her tooth in  under her pillow for the tooth fairy.  The conversation continued like this:

Addie: Do you think the tooth fairy will come tonight and find my tooth?
Mom:  I'm sure she knows about your tooth.
Bella: Maybe we should call her just to make sure.
Mom: She'll come, she's magical like Santa Claus.  He found our home for Christmas. I'm sure the Tooth Fairy is just as clever.
Bella: (looking in the mirror with a toothy grin) When are my teeth going to come out?
Mom: Hopefully no sooner than they are supposed to.
Addie: What do you think the fairy will leave me? I want chocolate!
Mom: Well when I was little the Tooth fairy left me money for my teeth.
Addie: I wonder if she'll bring American or Ethiopian money.
Mom: I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Addie couldn't stop mentioning how exciting it was that she lost her first tooth.  She said she feels like a six year old.  I can't help but wonder if there is anyway I can make time stand still, just a little bit, so the girls stop growing up already.  Ash is saying "Night Night", drinking from a big girl cup (no lid) and using a spoon. Bella is drawing faces with arms and legs sticking out the heads and putting on her own clothes (not without mishaps). Addie's loosing her teeth.  Sheesh!

thoughts on having a kindergartner

We are on week two of kindergarten and school is still on a shortened schedule for the three kindergarten classes at the International school where Addie is attending.  Meaning, she gets off at 1PM instead of the 2:50PM that will begin next week.  These first two weeks are meant to ease the kindergartners into the longer schedule.  Lord help me when the days are even longer than they are right now.  As it is, Addie is on the school bus at 7AM and not back home until 1:45PM.  Next week I won't see her until 4PM.  That's an eight hour day at school for my five year old.

Addie's adjusting well, loving her teacher and making new friends.  She's happy to get on the bus in the morning. She's still smiling when she comes through the front door in the afternoon.  I helper her get situated at the table for her snack and I sit down with her and we talk about her day.  She tells me about so-and-so and lunch time.  Play time outside. The girls getting chased and tackled by the boys (already?!)  Learning to sound out the "th" letter combination.  Creating cut out pictures of herself. Experiencing new situations with friends.  There are too many boys in her classroom, she says.  She learned the word "boyfriend" from another kid at school (already?!). Life is happening for my little girl at school. It all sounds very interesting and I love hearing her tell the tales. I  knew she'd do well, she's a very mature and responsible little girls but it's fun hearing the bits and pieces at the end of the day.  She's even good about passing on messages from Ms. Vicki. I'm getting flyers and notices about parent night, back to school supply requests, prepaid hot lunch cards...soon I'll be signing permission slips.

She starts to melt down about 4PM.  She's tired and voraciously hungry.  She bursts into tears about silly things and acts even more dramatic about situations with friends or her sisters. Her baby sister loves Bella more than her now.  Bella won't share! It's all my fault!  I don't feel happy about myself! Drama queen tendencies have clicked up a few notches for sure. She's passed out cold for the night at 6:30PM, even earlier sometimes.

Kindergarten is new for me too and I'm surprised at the feelings I am having.  I didn't realize how long she'd be gone from the house every day.  I'm mostly shocked at the realization that she's spending more time with her teacher, other grown ups and her peers than she is with her mother.  I'm filled with a strange mixture of pride, relief and sadness about having my first born off at school now.  She's learning to read and socially engaging in situations that will help her grow. A love for school and learning is hopefully blossoming from her experiences at kindergarten. It's all good stuff but putting my daughter in the hands of others for eight hours every day has me feeling a little left out.

I know it's normal to feel this way.  I know I'm not the first mother to have these revelations about kindergarten but I'm still navigating this new life my daughter is having.  I'm trying to sort it all out.  Now, I feel guilty for mentally rolling my eyes when other mothers (with older children in school) would say things about not wanting to put their youngest in preschool yet because they still want them at home with them during the day. When they hit kindergarten; off they go.  I guess I get it now.  Maybe I'll be slower to enroll Ashlynn in preschool because of this revelation.  I guess time will tell.

It's hitting me how very important it is to have my child in the very best school with the very best teachers.  She's with these people all day long.  The influence they have on her is vast and I have an urge to somehow ensure the greatness of her classroom and learning experience.  I guess it's the Mama Bear in me trying to give her the very best.

Part of me wants to go to her classroom after hours and hang pretty lanterns and fabric garland around the room and deliver soft colorful pillows for the library.  It's silly and yet I can't help but imagine transforming the classroom into a beautiful oasis for my daughter to be immersed in at school.

I guess this is where people will tell me it's time to let go...maybe just a little bit.  

she's in kindergarten!

Adelaide started kindergarten at International Community School Addis Ababa this week.  We attended an orientation on Monday with her then on Tuesday morning she got on the bus all by herself for her first full day at school.  She was fine.  I was not.

When she returned home for the day she was tired but energized about her first day.  She thought Miss Vicki was "gggrrrrrreat!" and when I asked what she liked about her she said it was because she is "like a Grammy".  Miss Vicki has been teaching kindergarten or first grade for 37 years.  I got that warm cozy feeling when I met her and apparently, so did Addie.  The first day was fun, she said.  They read a story, drew, had recess where she got to meet up with her preschool friends and play.  They had lunch and snack and well, it was a good time.

She was pretty drained from the long day (on the bus at 7AM home at 1:45PM).  The first two weeks they get off at 1PM.  The regular day ends at 2:50 PM!  Which is an insanely long day for my five year old.  I was smart and had a snack waiting for her when she got home yesterday.  I think that's going to be key!

I am so proud of her for taking this big step in stride.  I had no doubt she could do it with grace.  It's just her style!  I on the other hand, am contemplating how just last week I couldn't wait to get her bored little self out of my hair and after just one day I am missing her.  She's gone all day!  She's the leader of my little girl pack and it's strange having her away so much. I'm sure I'll get use to it.

Here's to the next 12 years of school for Adelaide.

Her first full day of school.  Ready for the bus complete with her reading material for the long ride.

graceful and not so graceful ballerinas

Addie and Bella couldn't be more dissimilar when it comes to grace.  Adelaide is swift and purposeful with her movements, especially when dancing.  Arabella on the other hand is clumsy and awkward with her movements, especially when dancing! I think these pictures say it all

mama's hair salon

I never thought I'd be the mom who'd plunk down my kids and get out my Fiskars.  Much like my own Mother did for my sisters and I while we were young.  But here we are in Ethiopia and I have no plans of taking my kids to the salon for a trim.  I also didn't think I'd be the Mom making field journals and homemade potato chips so there you go.

Band Aid Bean's hair grows like ivy out of control and Addie just likes to be pampered.  Both got cuts the other day.  

shaggy

grooving with her new cut-you didn't think she'd sit still for a photo did you?

I guess this is her hair pose face

Addie and Bella: the musical

We recently added the 1982 version of the musical Annie to our movie selection. It was one of my very favorites as a little girl. Don't you love this movie?  For a few days after each viewing, I'm pretty certain Adelaide things she's living in a real life musical.  Every thing she says is sung to the tune of "Maybe".  Everything rhymes and falls in the same cadence as the lines: 

Betcha he writes
Betcha she sews
Maybe she's made me a closet of clothes

It's absolutely precious and makes me smile uncontrollably.  The girls have a entire new world to stage their imaginary play in.  The mystery and wonder of an all girls orphanage with a cruel head mistress has been the reoccurring theme lately.  I catch Addie and Bella playing with toys and someone is ALWAYS Mrs. Hannigan.  They've been sweeping the floors and skipping about with "Hard Knock Life" as the theme song.  "Let's go to the movies" is another favorite.  They love that Annie falls asleep at the movie theater. To the girls it must seem absurd that one could fall asleep in a movie theater!  It's the movies!!! The popcorn!!!

Arabella's favorite song is "Tomorrow" and she's always singing it but sometimes she gets confused and sings  "The Next Day".  We always have to remind her how it goes.  As a side note Bella has reached in and grabbed a special little spot of Justin's heart because she's decided that she NEEDS to see Star Wars in the movie theater with her Daddy.  Star Wars is big in our house.  You can only begin to imagine how huge this is for my husband.

The girls love movies almost as much as their Daddy.  In the past few weeks Justin has taken them to the movie theater in Addis Ababa to see Ice Age 4 (a story that didn't need to be told) and Madagascar 3 (excellent).  It's been pure luck these children's movies have been showing at noon on Saturday.  Now every night Bella says she wants to go to the movie theater with Daddy.  It's kind of become a Daddy daughter thing.

What other movie musicals would be appropriate for Addie and Bella at this age?  I am loving this sing-song life we are leading.  It needs to continue.

headbands

On occasion grown-up things can work well for children.  I ordered this white flower headband on sale for Addie and Bella for our holiday photos this year.  Yes, I'm the nut who is already thinking about the holidays and our family photos.  It's a sickness I tell you!  Sometimes buying off season for things will get get you pretty awesome deals though. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 Adelaide is always complaining how her child size headbands are too stiff and hurt when they press behind her ears.  This adult size headband is looser and made with higher quality materials. Instead of hard plastic, the band is a flexible metal wrapped with a pretty satin ribbon.  It's mega over-sized on my little girls but I think it just adds to the charm.

How to get the headband off of her head for safekeeping until photo time, is the real question. 

forgotten surprises

 One of the downfalls to having so many loving grandparents, aunts and uncles is that sometimes a present gets received and set aside for wrapping and giving and instead of the later happening, it just gets forgotten.  

That's what happened to this sweet little tea set Aunt Emily sent Addie for her birthday.  It sat up on a shelf in a sad brown box waiting to get opened, squealed at in surprise and then lovingly played with.  Quite honestly, I think Adelaide enjoyed opening this forgotten surprise today more than she would have if she had received it back in May.  Today was just an ordinary day until she suddenly had a bright beautiful shiny new tea set that was all her own.  "Just like A Bargain for Frances!" she exclaimed.  Immediately we set to work making tea, filling the sugar bowl and creamer and washing the cups and saucers.  We sat and had a lovely spot of tea together.  Probably the best 5 minutes of my day.  Thank you Aunt Em!

If you want to get a bargain for your little Frances you can find this lovely tea set here!

rain, rain go away and a bonus variety show

Wishful thinking on my part.  The rainy season continues through much of September in Ethiopia so we have a bit of a wait until the rain actually does go away.  In the mean time we are trying to be creative with indoor activities, play dates, crafts and taking advantage of the sun when it does peak through the clouds.

I blessed the rains down in Africa

Yesterday we had bit of sun for two hours and the girls had spent the early morning hours getting inspired by The Muppet Show season one (the original which is totally awesome and hilarious).  Adelaide and Arabella decided to put on a variety show for me, Teklu and Eneye.  They set the stage, had costumes, props and  short acts.  I sat there watching, amazed that these two clever little girls were mine.  Moments like that, when your kids amaze you, make it all worth it.  Here are a few videos (the grandparents are going to love this).  The first one is multiple acts, the second is the "Fairy Lost Princess" act and the third is Addie solo. I apologize for my poor video skills, I was holding Ashlynn for much of the performance. 

Addie's Unbirthday Party

The Mad Hatters Tea Party was so fun!  We had most of Addie's classmates and their parents come to celebrate with us.  The house was full of laughter and giggling and good food.  Addie was thrilled and it was so fun to see all her little friends interact.  After the time together at school I love seeing the friendships that have blossomed.  I didn't get any photos of the Queens croquet with the flamingos and spiky balls but painting the roses was a huge hit!

The tea party in pictures:

The kids table

Addie helped make a Cheshire cat

5 candles

painting the roses red

a few of Addie's close friends: Addie, Avery, Fiona and Ellie

Addie with her new birthday dress and scooter from Grammy and Grandpa

party in motion-everyone lining up to have cake