First Day of Skewel!

 Annie Kate is clearly very bright, confident and full of personality! After only 10 weeks in this country she was admitted, to top rated Binghamton University!

Today was her first day of "skewel."

As we tried to prepare Annie for the start of her school career she was a bit confused.  Initially she thought "going to school" meant on her daily, early morning rides she was finally going to be able to get out of the car and march into  Vestal High School with Molly. Once we explained she accepted that she had her own school. Next was the idea that Mama would not be staying.  No" was followed by, "Ok, Annie said: " mama be white back."

Before leaving we took the traditional Myers family first day of school photo by the light post in the yard.

We arrived at BU preschool 8:50 AM. Annie Kate ran into the classroom practically trampling over classmates and parents in her path.  Her teacher greeted her with a warm smile and showed her the cubbie to keep her belongings in. As she took off her panda hat to reveal her panda hair tie and her panda dress while putting away her panda backpack and stuffed panda bear, her teacher commented : "Oh my, it all matches!" She obviously has no idea who she is dealing with.

Was Annie comfortable in her new class? ... Mama was back home by 9:07AM...alone and wondering what I was supposed to do until pick up at 1:00PM.

Baba wasn't much better. At 12:15 the car was running in the driveway ready to head out to scoop her up.

 Upon entering the classroom (early) at dismissal time our first clue that she was not only ready for school but eager was when we told her it was time to go she said" "no" and ran to the play kitchen area.

Finally she bounced out the door proclaiming she would be back "a mar row" which is really Thursday!

Trip to FL...Go High!

  Every new experience seems to be pure joy for our Annie Kate!

Last week was her first trip to sunny Florida and the beach! In preparation for the trip we tried on sun dresses, swim suits and shorts! Each outfit was received by, first "my can do it" (dressing herself) then "so pity" while twirling around in circles.

Every morning  mounted on the back of Mom's bike, it was off to bagels with helmet, sunglasses and new flip flops.

The first trip to the beach was priceless. Before the ocean was even in sight Annie Kate was offended by the sand touching her toes. Raised on her tip toes she exclaimed : "dirty! " When she actually got to the beach and tried to walk in the soft, dry sand she looked as if she was 85 years old. Clutching her bag, head down, hunched over each tiny step looked as if she was walking on a tight rope with frightening perils on either side. 

The small waves rolling in were totally perplexing to her. First the water is here then it's gone but here it comes again!

As with each new adventure Annie adjusts in record time. Within 10 minutes she was in the water with big brother Timmy and making birthday cakes for mommy out of sand requiring a chorus of "hoppy bird day to ewe ,Mama" with each presentation.

Annie Kate would have stayed at the beach all day. Lesson learned: bring an extra bathing suit. When her bottom is full of sand....off comes the suit, refusing to put on the "dirty" outfit.

Back at the pool her favorite activity was to have Baba throw her into the air and catch her as she splashes back into the water. While wiping the water out of her eyes she yells: "Go high!" 

Leaving the pool even for the occasional "she she" 
(bathroom) was torture for Annie Kate. So when nature called and Mama wasn't present, this 3 year old convinced Baba that peeing along side the bushes next to the pool was acceptable behavior implying this wasn't the first time and Mama was on board with this. Not!

GMA's shovel and the Tiny Dancer!

 Finally a snow fall worthy of a family effort to shovel the driveway. Most people do not realize snow shovels can come in sizes other than adult or colorful plastic child size.  We are fortunate to have inherited my beloved mom's, (aka GMA, Grandma Mary Ann) snow shovel that could have been considered by Goldilocks as not too big, not too small but just right! The solid wood handle and perfectly curved metal blade makes this petite instrument effective and manageable when loaded with heavy snow. I am sure GMA is smiling and pleased at how skillfully Annie Kate can help clear the driveway with this unique 40 year old shovel. She considers this to be her shovel refusing any type of "toy" looking option.  We just need to help her understand that turning her shovel up side down and dragging the snow from the lawn onto the driveway is a bit counter productive to our common goal.

Annie Kate loves playing in Molly's room every chance she gets. Two older sisters with a combined 25+ years of ballet lessons have a fair amount of influence over Annie Kate's future dance skills. Today she refused to wear ballet shoes that were too big even though they stayed on just fine. Her turns were just not "clean " enough. It was only a matter of searching to find, among the dozens of out grown dance shoes, before we found an acceptable style and size.

 The "Tiny Dance" in her purple tutu had a ball attempting to perfect her maneuvers! Dizzy dance may be more accurate!

Home 2 months today!

What an incredible and fast two months it has been since we touched down with Annie Kate. Somehow it feels as if she has always been here with us.

To mark the occasion we thought a trip to the park, one of Annie's favorite things to do, ( despite the 30 degree weather) would be fun.

First we needed to run a few errands. The post office was not crowded, Annie only tried swinging on the blue straps that divide the lines twice,( tipping the posts over once) removing all the priority mail labels from their slots and made friends with a women in line by reciting her famous: " hello, how are you?" In short the USP was uneventful...not so at Lowes Home Improvement Store.

 The display of toilets was just what Annie's weary legs needed. $145. seemed like a fair price but to be sure one should certainly try it out. Luckily she did only use it as a resting spot and didn't not use it literally.

At the park Annie ran from one piece of equipment to another.  The slides, the swings, the climbing bars...oh what shall I try first?I could not help but feel overwhelmed at seeing this little girl playing so happily without a care in the world!

When we look back to Dec 8th, she hardly seems like the same child. What a miracle to see that scared somber face of 60 days ago transformed to  the ear to ear smile and giggles that fill our lives each day.

Yesterday she went with me to have my nails done. The owners spoke Chinese, were incredibly kind and tried desperately to engage her in conversation. Annie, once again, acted as if she had never heard the language before. Yet if I spoke to her she responded including running to pick out a pink bottle of nail polish for herself. By the end of our visit she was allowing the people to shower her with candy and give her rides on the rolling chairs but refused to react or reply to her native language. I wish I knew why.

Regardless...what a complete joy!

Thank you God for bringing her to us.

I ride my bicycle...Janis Joplin a.k.a. Annie Kate

"I ride my bike I roller skate don't drive no car

Don't go very fast but I go...pretty...far

For somebody who don't drive,  I been all around the world

Some people say I done all right for a girl"... Janis Joplin

Today was unusually warm and sunny for a January day in the northeast.

Annie and Tim ( Baba) decided to take the pink Cadillac of bicycles out for a spin. (Tim's oops, Santa's Christmas present to Annie)

As they were cruising down Southwood Dr. Annie's, plastic hard wired to the handle bars, (not real) cell phone started to ring.

An abrupt stop was made by tiny Nike sneakers scraping on the blacktop in order to answer it.

 She announced it was Timmy and proceeded to have, what appeared to be, a conversation...all in Chinese. As I tried to interject, Annie raised her finger to her lips and shushed her mother saying, with the phone cocked to one side, "just one minute!"

This bicycle does not have a Lance Armstrong celebrity endorsement nor a famous label such as Schwinn but this is no ordinary 3 year old trike either!

 Oh no! This bike has a seat belt, cup holder, cell phone, removable seat cushion, luggage compartment & canopy to shield its driver from the sun.

It also has the option to lock the peddles, extend the handle located behind the seat, to allow "Baba" to become the power source just in case Annie becomes tired or bored with that pesky peddling thing.

So far she shows no signs of any willingness to give up that control. 

"Baba" and Annie have made many laps up and down the street and all around the "hood."

New  phrases: ( with palms turned upward) "I don't know!" and "oh boy!"( then clasps hand over her mouth in excitement)

This just keeps getting better!