Dec. 6, 2010

Yesterday Sabine woke up from her nap with a horse book on her tummy, sat up, and immediately said, "I'm gonna ride this one!" which is what she always says when looking at those books.

September 29, 2010

Today when Dad picked up Sabine from preschool, which she started this month and only cried twice and has been loving ever since, Sabine's teacher said that her "cognitive abilities are extremely well-developed."

Vivian was ambivalent about school for a couple weeks--she even cried one day at dropoff, which was sad for Dad to see but he couldn't really do anything but reassure her that she would be OK & he'd be back to pick her up soon-- but yesterday she said she likes it now. She's sad to say goodbye to us and misses us but she has fun during the day. She didn't want to go to homework club because she was bored at the end of the year last year but this year she's doing Young Doctors and after the first day when I picked her up she said, "I LOVE HOMEWORK CLUB!"

August 29, 2010

We have been in Ventura the last week, renting a house by the beach for our vacation. The first day, Sabine got knocked over by a wave so she has been kind of scared of the ocean since. But yesterday she stood in the wet sand for the first time since then, holding Dad's hand, letting the water wash over her feet. Vivian has used this time to learn how to ride her bike! She is really great at it. Yesterday she rode around for about 2 hours, 1st with Dad and then with Mom. She & Dad stopped at a restaurant for a fish taco. We've also gone fishing, played in the sand, went into town and had dinner at a restaurant, and Sabine and mom went to a kids' museum which she really liked. The highlight was last night when we went on a boat ride and saw a whale! The boat was supposed to only go around the harbor but they'd heard there was a whale nearby which is very unusual for this time of year so we went out into the open ocean. The waves started rocking the boat and you both just laughed and laughed-- you weren't scared at all (unlike some of the adults on board!). Then someone saw the whale and we went outside to see. Several times we saw its fins on its back and saw it blow air and water up, and a few times we even saw its tale which was the most exciting. A whale's tail looks just like it's supposed to, it's funny. Then you girls danced to the music and then we went home. 

Aug. 17, 2010

Tonight you girls are having a slumber party in Sabine's room. I carried the top of Viv's mattress in there. Right now I'm listening to you on the monitor; you sang songs together for awhile, now Viv is reading S "Go Dog Go." 

Aug. 16, 2010

Hi girls,
Yesterday we went to the Ventura County Fair. We went last year too but I think Sabine was too young to really remember. We took the train this time which was fun and easier for Dad since he didn't have to drive. You girls watched TV most of the way; Sabine got very sleepy from the motion of the train. Soon as we got there we went on rides; Vivian's favorite was the Wonder Wheel-- Dad was more scared than she was! Sabine went on some helicopters and other stuff with Mom and laughed and screamed and just loved it. Daddy took you both on the long slide and you went again and again and again. We had lunch then Viv did some jumping on a bungee jump thing while Sabine napped in the stroller. We saw some cowgirls roping steers then went on more rides. Vivi liked the haunted house; Sabine liked the carousel. Later we took the train home. Next week we'll be back in Ventura at the beach for a week.
Things have been very busy as Mommy is setting up Wallaby. We've been having a fun summer with Viv in camp 3 days a week-- first Summerkids, then art camp-- and Sabine doing stuff with Cassie. Luckily it hasn't been too hot.
Vivian's reading is getting much better and her drawing is now better than Mom or Dad's. Sabine is singing very well. Sabine's favorite thing is to ride the plasma car fast down the slope of the driveway while Mom or Dad or Viv runs along side her. Viv's favorite thing is probably setting things up or playing pet store or drawing.
Tomorrow Dad will take you to the natural history museum and we'll have a picnic on the lawn.
We love you lots.

May 18, 2010

Yesterday Mommy took you both to Bronson playground. After about 20 minutes, she noticed Sabine sitting by herself on the wall. Mommy asked what she was doing and she said, "I just sittin here on na wall feelin sad." "Why are you sad?" "I miss Daddy."

March 23, 2010

Today Alicia was late so Daddy took Sabine to the Natural History museum. We had a good time looking at the big animals and the pretty rocks; Sabine ran around pointing out all the turquoise ones after I told her it was Mommy's favorite color. Then we went downstairs to the Discovery room where there were lots of bugs and fish she could look at up close. She kissed the glass of the fish tank where the shrimp was (when she was about 1, 1-1/2 she was very into kissing everything: "Can I kiss it?" Or she's just point her lips in the direction of the thing, if it was far away). Then we went into the birds exhibit and rainforest exhibit but she was a little scared of the bird sounds. "Somethin makin that noise." Then we had a picnic on the grass outside and she gave me lots of hugs and kisses. She fell asleep in the car home, holding a toy horse in one hand and Gumby in the other.

Later, Mommy and I went to out parent-teacher conference with Vivian's teacher Mrs. Hovesepian. She said Vivian is "a star"! She said Viv tries very hard, is very kind and helpful, and does very well with all the math and writing. We were very pleased.

Jan. 25, 2010

Sabine made her first "why" questions today: "Why Daddy turn light on?" and "Why Mommy turn off nice music?" Vivian made a cool desert diorama in Sunday school.

Jan. 23, 2010

Yesterday Vivian completed a project in school-- in one day--that Mrs. Hovesepian says usually takes months. It was a snake divided up into sections with a word in each section; when you see one of the words in something you're reading, you fill in that section. She brought it home and we kept it.

Sabine continues to expand her speech capabilities; now she it using pronouns more correctly and prepositions more often ("This one too big FOR me").

Jan. 20, 2010

Sabine has suddenly learned how to jump! I guess all that practice has finally paid off. It was the same way with Vivian: you would both lift one leg off the ground and fling your body up using your arms but there'd always be one foot on the ground. Same thing jumping off of things, like the curb (or, as Sabine was doing last night, Mama's guitar case): You'd take one step forward and then fall down, but the front foot would hit the ground before the back foot left the platform.

Then this morning Sabine & I were playing race cars while Mommy was taking V to school and she jumped up with both feet leaving the ground. Not sure she could tell the difference but I sure could. When Mama came home we showed her.

xox

Jan. 19, 2010

Sabine is getting to that age-- we remember when Vivian started doing this; we were living in NYC-- where she starts talking to random strangers. Today she was in the library in Atwater Village talking to the librarian about things. Before we left she was drinking apple juice and said, "I really really tired drinking apple juice. Better put it down." Such good talking!

Vivian is writing and reading full sentences for homework. This semester she's taking woodworking bus on Tuesdays after school.

On Saturday we went to Kidspace and Viv finally met our friends' Jeff and Jennifer's daughter, Ingrid. They had a fine time riding the bikes around, first Ingrid driving & Viv riding, then Viv driving & Ingrid riding.

Vivi got a fish! His name is Siah. She's very proud of how she takes care of him.

1/7/10

Yesterday Sabine had her 2-year-old checkup. Before Vivian had hers, we played doctor a lot so she would not mind when the real thing came-- 2-year-olds don't like strangers touching them. Also Vivian was going to a new doctor since we had just moved to New York so we wanted her to be comfortable. But although Sabine got a new doctor kit for Xmas from Aunt Tracy, and I tried to play with her a couple times, she did not like it so neither did she like the visit with Dr. Diamond. After much coaxing we managed to weigh and measure her and she is growing just fine.

After that Mommy went to work and I took Sabine to the West Hollywood playground that we used to go to with Vivian. Sabine enjoyed going through the tunnel and down the slide. When she got to the bottom she'd say, "Where tunnel?" and I'd point it out to her. "Oh." We ran into a friend of ours from when we used to live here. After that we got pizza and went home for nap; Sabine fell asleep in the car just before we got home and when I was transferring her to her crib she said "Can I seep coves? Can I seep die-po? No jammas."

Vivian has been going to camp a few days; every day she says she doesn't want to go then when I pick her up she's all excited and had a great time.

Yesterday at bedtime Vivian was very understanding of not getting a long bedtime since I had Sabine and she went to sleep at 7. After that, Sabine wanted a snack and said, "Want raisins. Ack-shee, want goat poop." When I was putting on her jammas she was standing on one leg and said, "Now I doin yoga!" She is turning into quite the little comedian.

Right now Vivian is getting a bath with Alicia and Sabine is at Camelot Kids with mommy. Later we're giong out for Thai food.

We love you both!