Blue Moon...

As we welcome a blue moon today, I am happy to stop and reminisce a little bit... when I started this blog just over two years ago, I was just about to move in Celestial Apartments.  This morning, I've already had my final walk-through and have said good bye to a wonderful apartment with many happy memories.  It's especially striking to think about the changes that AK has been through - the main tangible one that comes to mind is that she's gone from a toddler bed to a big girl bed, and of course so many leaps and bounds with her words, intelligence and abilities.  That apartment wasn't just a place to live, it was our home, and a very happy one.

It was a bit startling to look back into the apartment with all our stuff cleared out and realize how BIG it is!  Stuff sure takes up a lot of space!!!  It brought me right back to when I first viewed the apartment and saw so much potential and possibility.  I shed a few tears, and then promptly wiped them off my face and looked forward to the potential and possibilities at our new place.  The future holds so much promise and I can't wait to enjoy it day by day. 

After moving stuff in last night, Richard and I stepped out onto the balcony and marveled over the way the moonlight shone on the water in the canal.  I am really looking forward to checking out the same scene again tonight with a glass of champagne in my hand :) 

The past few weeks have been very busy with organizing, packing, moving and, oh yeah, a holiday to Canada in there!  Richard joined Annabelle and I on our annual summer vacation and we really enjoyed our first trip together.  It was fantastic to visit with family and friends, and to be able to show off MB in all it's glorious summer splendor.  Even the mosquitoes weren't too bad.

No pictures today, I'm afraid, no idea where the camera is at the moment!  Soon come...  vacation photos and new home photos...  am really looking forward to sharing adventures with you all!!!  xoxoxo

My daughter, the accountant!

When I picked up AK from daycare yesterday, I was half-heartedly listening when she said "Mommy, 1 + 1 = 2, and 2 + 2 = 4".  I figured she was reciting by rote so told her she was really smart but honestly, wasn't overly impressed. 

I decided to ask her what 3+3 and 4+4 and 5+5 were, and she pulled out those fingers on each hand, and figured it out...  now I was impressed!  I then changed it up and asked her different combinations, using numbers under 5, of course.  You ask her "what's 5+1?" and she holds up her hands and says "5 on this hand and 1 on this hand, 1 2 3 4 5 6".  She wasn't wrong once!

I have no idea what the age for starting to do simple addition is, but I'm so thrilled that AK is showing such an aptitude with numbers!

She also loves counting to 100, and will direct those who are playing hide and seek with her to count to 100 while she hides...  shame for her that she's not savvy enough to realize that most of us who play with her most often "forget" decades in the counting...  ha!  She's still learning that part of it. 

AK's imagination is also quite vivid these days and she very much enjoys playing pretend.  The other night, I was the little kid and she was the mommy.  She let me have a nap because I was tired, tucked a blanket around me and gave me a pillow, then when I woke up, she made me a snack (half a banana and an empty sippy cup), then she took me into my bedroom to pick what I was going to wear to "school".  She even gave me a bath!  She is an absolute chatterbox and it is really fun to hear what comes out of her mouth.

Weekend plans are minimal...  happy hour with Richard, Mike and Julie tonight and nothing else on the calendar so far.  We may do a bit of shopping and I believe I'll start to do a bit of packing.  After this weekend, AK won't be sleeping at Celestial Apartments again...  somewhat sad but we are onwards to new adventures. 

I will go through my pictures from the trip soon, there have been some amazing photos shared by the other yogis with fancy cameras, so I need to sort through them and put together a good album.  xo

My little yogi ♥

Namaste!

Tree pose!

Feels good to get back to blogging, if only for a week and a half before the next vacation!!!

I decided to put AK into a yoga camp one afternoon this week for something different as she seemed keen on the idea when I suggested it to her.  It was naptime when I picked her up at daycare and she popped right out of her nap-sack...  no way was she sleeping when she was so excited!!! 

When we got to the studio, she picked out her own mat and rolled it out all by herself, funny enough, in my favorite spot in the room!  I stayed with her until the camp started, and watched her through the window for a few minutes before I tore myself away to come back to work. 

She was happy to see me when I picked her up and proudly showed me her tree pose.  The teacher said she was one of the youngest kids in the camp and had a great time!  I tried to sign her up for another session next week but unfortunately they are all full already.  Shame!

Having AK enjoy this camp so much really warmed my heart.  I've just returned from a retreat in Honduras and Guatemala that really did me good.  Under loving guidance from two of my yoga teachers, I was able to let go of some stuff that was holding me back and open my heart to some good things that I've been resisting...  what an amazing experience it was to be able to channel my energies into that.  I am hopeful that AK will learn to enjoy and live a yogic life as well ♥

Feels like April Fool's Day around these parts!!!

First, we woke up to no power this morning...  AK and I managed just fine to get ready for work / school without power, but it was interesting to explain to her what uses electric power and what uses battery power...  and I must admit it was a relief to come to work and find the generators going as I was in need of a cup of coffee!!!  The outage was island-wide and I do believe it's caused a few issues for businesses today. 

Second, word on the street is that the Cayman government is planning to impose a 10% (!!!) tax on expat workers in Cayman!  No word on when it will become effective but it is a bit surreal to get news like this.  This also involved a suspension of our pension contributions.  I'm not so much opposed to the taxation as I am to the suspension of my pension contributions.

Such is life...  sounds like the power is coming back on, I should be able to cook supper tonight and finish up my laundry!  I was starting to think I'd have to pack dirty clothing for my yoga retreat as I have a couple of loads of laundry to do tonight so I can pack tomorrow.  At least my yoga clothing is clean :)

Annabelle has been really lovely to hang out with lately.  On Sunday, she and Richard and I spent some time out in East End at a beach house that some friends had rented, that had a private pool and beach.  We swam, played in the sun / shade, and then AK crashed in the bedroom and watched some cartoons.  It was a perfect idyllic day, and I look forward to many more of those!

xo

Forgot one little story from last night.  AK and I were at the grocery store and she was hanging on to the basket, pulling on it and swinging it around, and I was getting annoyed and finally said "AK, can you please stop doing that, you're driving me up the wall!" and she pouted and said "I don't want to drive you!!!".  Ha ha!  At least she made me smile and stopped hanging off the basket!!!  

Alright, I'm back!

I know, I know, I've been slacking on the blogging again...  here's a few random things to get us back into the swing of things.

First up, album of photos from England. 

Second up, a photo of AK with bubble wrap.  See the concentration on her face?  Take that times about two hours.  SO.  MUCH.  FUN!!!

And one last story for fun!

  A while ago, I wanted to chat on the phone but AK was a bit ornery.  I just ignored her and called up my parents anyway.  She kept coming into my room and glaring at me, not responding when I asked her if she wanted anything.  She'd shrug her shoulders at me, give me a dirty look and walk away.  Whatever...  Can't give her what she needs if she won't say it out loud, right? 

After a while, I noticed her walking by with the salt shaker.  I was talking with my grandma at that point, and mentioned that to her and said I should probably get off the phone.  What did I find...  but little piles of salt and pepper EVERYWHERE in the apartment!  About three piles in the living room, one in the dining room, one in the hallway...  even one in my bathroom, and she would have had to go past me to get in there, and I did not see anything in her hands!  I asked her why she had done that and she said "well, I asked you for an apple and you didn't hear me".  Ha!  I couldn't even get angry with her as it was so mischevious and she is very rarely naughty.

The best part was when I told my mom about it the next day and her response was "well, she's certainly her mother's daughter!".  Ha!  Guess I'm getting a taste of what it must have been like for my mom :) 

See you soon!  AK has a dermatologist appointment tomorrow as she's had a rashy toe for quite some time, but of course Murphy's Law dictates that the toe has pretty much cleared up now, right? 

AK's ballet recital

Showing off her sash for passing her first level of exams

Flowers from Jess!

My bashful ballerina

AK's first ballet recital was held while I was away in England so unfortunately I had to miss it.  I was able to convince Jess to go to the concert for me and take some video and pictures.  I'm waiting on the video, so will share that once I receive it but I am happy to share these photos with you! 

I'm thrilled that AK enjoyed her first year of ballet lessons and I plan to sign her up in the fall once again. 

First Day of Big Girl School!

Ready for the first day of "big girl" school!

The new classroom

I have SO much to catch up on...  but we'll start with a few stories about AK and her transition to her "Big Girl" classroom at school.  Wee Care has a tradition of moving children up to their new class at the beginning of July so that when September rolls around, they are already familiar with their new classroom and teachers.  The students in each class seem to stay the same, so that helps a lot with the transition.  AK's old teachers worked very hard to get the students ready for the change, and AK was quite excited to make the move.  She helped pick out her outfit for the day and walked very confidently into the room when we got there.  As soon as she saw her friend Marley, she took off and I didn't even get a goodbye!

The kids hang their bags on a hook outside the room and take only their lunch bags into the class.  They also no longer have bathrooms attached to each classroom...  they must go down the hall to use the washroom.  How grown-up!

I had neglected to organize myself well enough to get thank you gifts together for AK's old teachers on her last day in that classroom.  We went shopping last weekend instead and AK helped me do the thank you cards by writing her name in them.  (Yes, she can write her name now!!!  As well as type it on the computer)  She questioned what I was doing while I wrote my words of thanksgiving in the cards, and when I told her, she asked me "Why don't you just send them an email, Mommy?".

Tonight AK asked me to "download Umizoomi for me please, Mommy".  How on earth does she know about downloading???  Guess I'd better learn how to download movies...

As AK was saying her prayers tonight, she thanked God for her new classroom upstairs.  She seems very proud to have moved up to a different classroom.  She also told me that "When I turn 5, Mommy, I go to..." and I prompted "Kidnergarten" and she said "Yes, kidnergarten, what's that, Mommy" and I replied "That's REALLY Big Girl School!" and her eyes got so big, she was so excited! 

Lots of posts coming up hopefully, I need to update on AK's birthday, my trip to England, maybe even my mom's visit?  I need to go back and see what I've put up and what I haven't!!!  xo