Kindergarten Orientation

Our big girl is much more ready for kindergarten than we are. We have been trying to decide between a charter school that is Waldorf based and our neighborhood school. Ava’s gone back and forth with which one she would prefer. At first she wanted to go tot the neighborhood school because it’s closer and she could ride the bus. Lately she’s been wanting to go to the charter school because some of her friends from preschool go there.

Last night we were on our way to kindergarten orientation for the neighborhood school. She whined on the way there saying she didn’t want to go to that school and she was too tired to visit it. I explained that we were waiting for the people who work for the schools to tell us if there is room at the charter school or not (it’s a lottery system and then a wait list). We talked about things we can choose, like our clothes, and things we cannot, like the weather. I started whining for the sun to come out to prove that whining could not change something that I could not choose. I’m pretty sure that conversation had a profound effect on Ava

Once we got to the neighborhood school, she asked me if I could walk a little ways with her to the room where they were babysitting the kids while the parents listened to the principal. I said, “Of course,” and she tightly held my hand down the hall.

Once we got into the room, Ava let go of my hand and darted towards the learning toys. I had to pull her away to give her a hug and tell her I’d see her in awhile.

After the grown-up meeting, we all visited the three kindergarten rooms and the three kindergarten teachers. Ava was quite comfortable and mature in this setting and we couldn’t be more happy for her that she seems ready for kindergarten. I’m continually surprised and relieved to see what a confident, well-adjusted child she is.

Speaking of kindergarten readiness, here’s a list of things they told us to teach our kids:
-how to write their first name
-how to write most of the letters
-how to wipe, flush, and wash hands
-how to put on winter ware

I think we can handle all of that! They assured us that we do not need to teach our child to read before kindergarten like so many of the parents in this area tend to do. Nathan and I are anti-academic for kindergarten, so we were happy to hear that. We want her to continue to develop her imagination, and social and emotional skills before she tackles the academics.

One more relief came when the secretary said we don’t have to have an American birth certificate for her. Most people do an adoption validation when they come home, so they can get their child an American birth certificate. We are trying to do this, but our homestudy agency in Colorado has closed down and nobody can find any of their records (including our homestudy), which we need to get the birth certificate. I’m not sure what will happen with this, but our new homestudy agency is working on it.

We should be finding out in the next few weeks if we’re accepted at the Waldorf based school. Either way, we are very happy with the options for Ava’s school next year. (At this time I can’t even think about the sadness we will feel leaving Ava’s preschool where she’s been for the past three years. The thought brings me to tears.)

Cruise 2009

For Christmas, we went on a cruise with four other families who are good friends of ours. In fact, Nathan went to high school with the men, so I’ve known them ever since I’ve known Nathan, which has been about 16 years. All of the families have children ranging in age from 3 all the way to 17.

We never thought we’d be interested in a cruise, preferring a more cultural and adventurous experience when we travel, but we ended up having a blast with our friends. We were pampered for sure with food available every minute, breakfast delivered to our room each morning, three pools on the ship and beaches at each stop, and at least 5 bars on the ship with two happy hour times each day.

Ava and our friends’ daughter, Autumn, are only days apart, and they were inseparable. A couple of times we had the teenage girls watch the younger kids while the adults had some grown-up fun.

The cruise took us to Key West, Grand Caymen, Roatan, and Cozumel. Roatan was my favorite because it was the least touristy and it seemed like it would be the most relaxing. Unfortunately, by the time we finished our glass bottom boat tour and watched the native drumming and dancing performance, it was time to get back on the boat. We’ll definitely be headed back to that island sometime soon.

Our friend Kulin made all of the travel arrangements and got us upgraded to a cabin with a balcony. It was amazing to step out of our room and watch the vast ocean go by. I compare the experience to going to Vegas for the first time- I couldn’t have imagined it beforehand, it was quite impressive, and I’m not sure it we’ll do it again (only if we know another group of friends or family members who are interested).

Thankful for. . .

Each night Ava and I make one wish and say one thing we’re thankful for. Ava’s was too cute tonight.
Mom: I’m thankful for all of our family that we celebrated Christmas with this week.
Ava: You should do mine, Mom. It’s more nicer. I’m thankful for everyone in the whole wide world- even beggars and strangers.
Mom: That is pretty nice, Ava

(In one of the Christmas songs we have, it talks about beggars begging from door to door. Ava is very interested in what beggars are and why they ask other people for money. We’ve had some great conversations about helping others who don’t have family to help take care of them.)

The Nutcracker

I thought she was too young, but Nathan really wanted to try it this year. I’m glad we did. Here are a few things we heard from Ava today during the Nutcracker ballet. . .

“Here they come! Are they real?”

“Mom, they are wearing their holiday clothes and that is why we had to wear our holiday clothes, right?”

“Is it almost over?”

Ava’s ballet teacher was the Sugar Plum Fairy in this performance and she asked, “Mom, when will Miss Lilly, I mean my teacher come out again?” (Miss Lilly is the ballet teacher in the Angelina Ballerina books.)

“Is she real? Are they real? Was that real?”

“When will it be over?”

“When can I be in the Nutcracker?”

“They are very flexible, right?”

“Are they wearing toe shoes?”

“Mom, that was an arabesque.”

“Did that little girl grow up? Was that real?”

“Are those girls in my ballet class?”

The ballet was done by the Boulder Ballet school which is the one Ava attends. It was a surprise to see her teacher in the Nutcracker. Ava was waving to her from the balcony and said, “I think she saw me!”

We’ll let everyone know when it’s Ava’s turn to star in the Nutcracker

I couldn’t be more lucky

At Ava’s Waldorf-based school, they tell a story for each child’s birthday celebration about how the children start out as star babies in the heavens. The star babies peer down at earth and choose their parents; shortly after, they are born to those parents. In Ava’s story, she chooses her first set of parents in China, so the angel takes her to them first but for only a very short time. Then the angel places Ava in our arms, gives her a kiss, and leaves. I love the sweet story.

Last night while waiting for the bus to Boulder, Ava and I were looking at the night sky and I told her I thought the brightest star was actually the planet Jupiter. She said she wanted to go to Jupiter so I told her that when I was younger, I wanted to be an astronaut. But when I was older I changed my mind and decided to become a teacher.

She said, “And a mom, right? And because I didn’t have a mom, I chose you.”

I’m not sure if she meant she didn’t have a mom while she was a star baby in the heavens or if she meant after she was born. Either way, I am the luckiest mom in the world that she chose me.

Ava’s Wishes

In our new house, we can look up at the stars as we lay in Ava’s bed. Each night we make a wish (and say something we’re thankful for).

Last night’s wish from Ava:

I wish that I could have a baby in my tummy.

Ava’s wish tonight:

I just wish the same thing as I always do- that I can be a fairy.

So far, she’s been thankful for her teacher Ann, our new house, and that I am her mom. We just added this part and I like it a lot. I read in my parenting magazine that families who regularly give thanks are happier. I also read that families that are able to be satisfied with what they have are happier, too. We’re pretty happy over here right now

“Are you adopted, Mom?”

Tonight in the grocery store, Ava had put some balled up ribbon in her shirt and said it was her baby. All of a sudden, she exclaimed, “The doctor’s taking my baby out!”

“Oh my goodness, a baby is being born,” I went along with the story.

Then Ava asked me, “Mom, are you adopted?”

“No, honey, I’m not.”

“Oh,” she said, “so you staid with your birth mom?”

“Yes, Grandma Sandi is my birth mom. Do we know your birth mom, Ava?”

“No, we will never know her,” she said sounding a little sad.

“Who is your forever mom, Ava?”

“You,” she laughed as if it were a very silly question.

Soon she’ll start wanting to know more about why she didn’t stay with her birth parents. We’ve told her a very simplified version, but it never seemed to sink in.

(Some Halloween pictures on Flickr)

More pictures on Flickr

We’re settling into our new house, getting ready for Halloween, and having fun in the snow.

About a month ago we were told that there were only two families ahead of us in the adoption program we’re in, but we haven’t heard anything since then- except that all of our paperwork has expired and we need to redo it. BUMMER

Ava’s changing and growing so quickly. She wants to earn how to read now, she’s excited to go to kindergarten next year, and her imaginative stories are becoming more and more sophisticated.

She recently learned an important lesson (actually a few lessons) when she and another boy at school took the teacher’s keys out of her purse and hid them. The kids went home without telling the teacher and the teacher had to call a cab to go get her daughter and go home. The next day, she found the keys at the school and Ava and the boy admitted to what they did. I love how the teachers handled it and I’m so proud of Ava for admitting it and discussing what she’s learned from it. I told her this time it was a mistake and she learned some important lessons, but next time there will be a serious consequence. She is doing some extra chores around the house to earn some money to give the teacher for her cab expenses. We’ve had some good conversations about saying no to friends when they tell us to do something we know is wrong. I feel really bad for the teacher’s inconvenience, but the lessons learned are important ones and I know Ava will take them seriously.

Today happens to be a second snow day in a row, so Ava and I are going to bundle up and go play!

Ava is 5!

I would love to post some pictures, but my super duper Mac is having some issues. Maybe because it’s my husband’s cast off, throw-away computer!? I decided I deserve better. It took about 6 hours, HOURS, to download 34 pictures from the camera and I’m completely out of patience to try to get any onto Flickr. I know, something’s wrong. We’ll look into it as soon as we (Nathan) have a chance.

In the meantime, I’d like to announce that we’ve moved to Lafayette, CO about 10 miles east of Boulder where we used to live. We love our new place- it’s simple and modest (and brand new so it’s very clean) and we’ll be saving so much money. We want to take time off work, travel more, and put money into savings, so we decided to move where an average house isn’t half a million dollars. It’s working out quite nicely so far.

Ava turned 5 on October 2nd and she’s had a few small celebrations. She asked me yesterday if she seems more grown up. Yes, indeed, she does. She’s using bigger and bigger words all the time; she’s making up the best stories with her toys; and she sometimes bundles herself up in her hat, mittens, boots, and winter jacket to “surprise” me.

Ava loves our new house and is content with the most simple things- watching cars outside of her bedroom window, seeing the geese fly over our house on the their way to Canada (that’s where she says they’re going), a working fireplace (have to admit I’m pretty happy with that, too, after the last two places with broken fireplaces), riding in her teacher’s van on a field trip to pick wild plums, and feeling so much older now that she’s 5.

Our house is a chaotic mess, but we’re happy to be on the downhill slope of this long transition.

I can’t wait to get this computer fixed or get a more modern one to start posting pictures again

Life’s about to be a little more relaxing

In just one week, we will move into our new house in Lafayette, CO. It’s only 10 miles from Boulder and it’s still in Boulder County, but we’re pretty sad to leave this beautiful city after living here for 12 years.

The new house is actually half of a duplex, but it’s nicer than anything we’ve ever lived in. It’s brand new and after we finish the basement it will be about 2500 square feet. A couple of years ago Nathan and I decided we wanted to do more with our money than live in Boulder, so we looked into areas with cheaper houses.

Our future plans include more travel, time off work for me when the new child comes home, some furniture, and probably a new car since ours are both over 10 years old. I know we’ll be happy in the new home for a long time. Lafayette is a cute little town where we can walk and ride our bikes almost everywhere. We also have some very good friends and family who live there.

One more update- we heard from our adoption agency the other day and there are only two families ahead of us waiting for referrals. Once we get our referral, we still have to wait 6 months to travel, but at least we know things are moving.

The other day I was telling Ava how we were going to pack up our things and move into our new house where we’ll live for a long time. She said, “Well, until you’re a grandma. Then you will move out.” Great, sounds like my daughter will be kicking me out of the house