The Holidays

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas Anika and I attended both an art class (see previous post) and a music class for three sessions each. After our trial period, it was clear that music class was by far Anika's favorite, so we've signed up to continue for ten more weeks. When we returned this week, Anika was so excited to be back that she began tearing around the room. Plus we were also given a CD of songs from this program, which Anika happily listens to whenever we're in the car. It's driving me nuts, but I guess it's preferable to complaints from the backseat. She now has three or four songs that she is attempting to sing.

Anika does enjoy painting though. We've been doing it at home quite a bit recently, and she's adopted her mother's enthusiasm by exclaiming "Whoa!" with every brushstroke. On Monday, we are going to begin going to a nearby community center to participate in a toddler art co-op group. In theory, there will be eight toddlers and parents will routinely bring art projects for the group. I'm looking forward to meeting and collaborating with the other parents.

Here are a few photos from our trip home to Denver at Christmas (I'll add more if I can coerce the garndparents into contributing theirs):




And then returning home to play:


The tea party attendees (clockwise from the bottom): Sammy, Tashi, Mr. Bananas, Barnacle Bart, Davely, Dr. Chartswell, Anika, Doggy Wog, Kitty, Gormandy and Señor Mono.

In other news, Anika has just begun attending Pura Vida Preschool two days a week. We're both still grappling with the separation anxiety a bit, but the school (er, daycare) seems great and so far (this is week one) it feels like Anika and I are both ready to be apart on occasion. We're also really excited to have Anika in a Spanish immersion program--and particularly one that uses sign language in order to bridge English and Spanish. Anika is one of the older kids (there's one other girl who is the same age and four others who are younger) and her teacher is very impressed with her sign language skills. It's our hope that he will take particular interest in educating her, since Anika is currently the only truly communicative child there (I stopped counting a few weeks ago, but she has over 100 signs and words).

At any rate, we look forward to seeing her Spanish vocabulary expand beyond "hola" and (occasionally) "adios". Mama also looks forward to learning a little Spanish in the process.

Perhaps it will come in handy when we take a (much needed) family vacation to Cozumel, Mexico the first week in February? Or maybe even when we visit San Francisco with Grandma Karen next week (for Mama's final MFA review)... Stay tuned!