July Pictures

Hi Everyone. Sorry it's been so long since I've written or posted pictures. As my dear friends from Brooklyn who are here visiting can attest, things are beyond busy keeping all three children happy and healthy! (Melanie says that she was checking the site every day for pictures and feeling frustrated, but now that she's personally experienced life down here with us, she understands why I haven't posted!)
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Ravi's Observations:
"I go to school in a different class. In my new school they speak Spanish. They only speak a little English—poquito! One of my teachers speaks a little English."

(Editor's Note: They have an hour of English instruction a day. It is a bilingual pre-school but no one except the English teacher seems to speak a word of English.)

"There's tambourines and instruments (marimbe) here and they play. And you can get candy there (at her favorite restaurant) and watch the woman make tortillas and I got to make one. Liat and Shira are good. Well Shira hits but she's getting better of hitting and learning not to throw her food or pizza. And Shira likes Patty-Cake and playing cards."
************************************************************************************* Julie's Report:
All is calm here in Guatemala. Hope and Melanie and their son Aaron are visiting us right now. It is great to see them and to have people over age 8 to talk to in English!

Ravi started school this week and I am SO proud of her. She is a real trooper going to school for 4 hours a day with kids who only speak Spanish. She is exhausted and a bit out of sorts but doing well. She loves riding on my back in the Ergo to school (about a 20 minute walk) and taking the tuk-tuk home (3-wheeled bicycle-like vehicle).

Liat is a bit moody right now and could use a bit of cheering up. (We have passed the honeymoon period, as we've now been here for a FULL MONTH and things are not fresh and exciting any more for her, I think.) She continues to enjoy horseback riding twice a week and yoga classes. Her friend Elianna is coming to visit her on Sunday so that should help cheer her up substantially!!

Shira continues to do well. She is speaking more and more each day (in Spanish). She now says Liat (cha-a) and Ravi (Raba) very clearly and is even trying to articulate her own name--very cute. She waves "adios" to me each AM when I walk Ravi to school and screams "MAMA" every time I return to the house. Her natural personality of playfulness and stubborness has come out more clearly now that she is used to being with us. She is even getting used to sharing her primary caregiver with 2 other children--something that was VERY hard in the beginning. Going from basically a first child to a third child was a bit of an adjustment, but she is doing well.

It turns out that Shira had Giardia (parasite) and two amoebas when we received her, but that's all taken care of and she is digesting much better now!! The rest of us (knock on wood!) have been extremely careful with handwashing and food-preparing and have been very healthy so far. (If you can't find any Purell up north, it's because I brought it all down here with me!)

So that's the Guatemala report for now. Hope all is well with everyone! Keep those posts and emails coming. We love to read them!

Julie

The first family photo in 14 months!

(Daniel came to visit for a few days in early July.)

Besitos...


Hanging Out...


Shira wearing a traditional Guatemalan skirt

Backpack time (which is whenever we venture into town).

Thanks for the great Brandeis hats, Julie #2!!

Mommy Jane and Ravi head to town

Liat and Aaron, our special visitor from Brooklyn, explore beautiful Antigua.

(Notice Volcan Agua in the background.)

Guess who LOVES ice cream!

Time to brush our teeth...

In the absence of a playground,

the door will suffice for little climbers.

Poppy John teaches Ravi how to make pancakes (one of his specialties).