June 16-20: Ballerinas and fishermen (and women)

Vivi and Tonito have really been enjoying their summer: we have daily swimming lessons, weekly playgroups, and Vivi just started her first ballet class. What is cuter than precious little 3 year old girls in pink leotards and tutus twirling around to music!!??

For Grandpa's birthday, we took him fishing. I'm not sure if corn-eating bluegills put up as much a fight as muskies or walleyes, but the kids thought it was exciting (and you don't need as much patience or skill:). Both kids caught one fish, learned to stretch the truth about their fish's size, and then we were finished and onto the park.


Tonito has been learning more English and can say useful phrases like "That's mine," "Can I see it?" (which sounds like 1 word: caiseeit?), "Can you help me?", and one he hears Vivi repeat 1000 times a day, "I can do it." It has been perfect to have our little chatterbox Vivi playing with Tonito all day because he gets nonstop stream of English, Spanish, and made-up Vivi-isms from which he can pick and choose as he needs. They make up little games together like their game "choo-choo," which involves one kid pulling the back of the tshirt of the other, while the kid in front tries to run around in circles on the trampoline. You "win" if you can pull the back kid down, and then you get to switch. For some reason this game can go on for an hour, alternating turns and laughing hysterically the entire time. Note to self: the perfect time to make dinner!

I have a habit of making up songs for everything, so sometimes our day seems like a musical (not a Broadway musical, more of a run by volunteers and you don't need any talent kids musical). Each family member has their own verse to one of my simple tunes, and Tonito has learned them all and will sing the different names to whoever needs a "boost" (i.e. the Vivi-squirt verse if she has an owie or the Maya-boo verse if she is crying). He also is starting to dance a little when we turn on music, and LOVES to make a parade with instruments with us marching through the dining room and kitchen. I need to post a video of that, it is too cute. All in all he is showing such remarkable progress that most people who do not have experience with adoption are amazed at what he is now able to do. Although people who have adopted just smile, because they know that showering them with love helps kids develop faster than any special school or therapy- and there is no lack of love here:).