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Saturday, December 23, 2006

Tea parties and window cleaning

Both this morning and this evening Alexandra ate a yogurt, a banana, and a cookie. I expect I am not exactly regaling you with stories of her eating but it is extremely exciting for Candace and I. We want our little one to be not so little. We are counting down the days to go home in a couple of ways...20 more sleeps or 40 more bananas. At our last visit, Candace brought a little porcelain tea set which we played with for about 30 minutes. Also, the girly-girl stuff continues...Candace put two pigtails in Alexandra's hair and she loved them. She was actually a bit upset when we had to take them out at the end of the visit. Most of her behaviour is typical of a girl her age in Canada but she does occasionally do something that surprises us. This morning, for example, I lifted her up on the window sill about five feet from the floor so she could have a look outside. I turned away for a minute and Candace told me to check out what she was doing. I looked up to see Alexandra running her tongue back and forth across the glass to remove the condensation. I am not sure if baby wipes are supposed to be used on tongues. I will have to check when I get home.
After lunch we went to a bookstore to get some reading material. Imagine a store the size of Coles with one shelf of about 20 English language books. I had hoped to buy a couple of current novels, a newspaper or two, and perhaps a magazine. Instead, I left with four books that would be equivalent to Grade 6 novels. As I go to bed the next couple of nights I will be reading "The Adventures of Ulysses", "Jason and the Argonauts", "Tales of King Arthur", and "Hounds of the Baskervilles". If it had not been for concerns about baggage weight restrictions, I would have filled my suitcase with books. Now I regret taking all of that extra underwear instead of a few Golf Digest. From the bookstore, I went to our room for a nap while Candace went shopping. We have been here for two weeks now and today was the first time I felt comfortable letting her go off on her own. I was wiped and I needed some rest I guess. Our visits at the orphanage pass quickly and our evenings end early...but the afternoons could not be more dull. There really isn't much to do in this city other than eat out or shop. Sightseeing opportuntities are limited. Candace enjoys regular afternoon naps (what a surprise, hey Perry) but I just can't seem to get into them as much.
I finally understand why the sounds of fireworks are heard so frequently. Every store carries them and their doesn't seem to be any age restrictions on their purchase. As we were walking through a large square today, we saw several young boys (perhaps 9 - 12 years old) setting off firework after firework.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Stephen,
Not surprised! I guess all the napping that she's done over here has prepared her for... the napping she does over there. We'll be thinking of you on Christmas!
Perry

Roza said...

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Roza said...

Merry Christmas. Your first as family - a truely special holiday.

Althought I read your blog daily, I haven't responded that often as I wonder - how many different ways can you say I am so happy for you I could cry? again!

Stephen, you will need to learn how to lay down in the afternoon as one of life's sweetest pleasures is the family nap! Although I suspect you both will want to lay awake and watch your daughter sleep.

It seems as though not only is your life focused on family, but on seeing things through the excited eyes of your very own little one. Seems too, that your experiences are making life richer, more bright and colorful. And isn't that how you would also describe Christmas?

God bless,
Roza

Anonymous said...

Merry, Merry Christmas to the three of you, we wish you the best

the Fortunes