Any idea what Noel dressed up as this Halloween? Here is a hint - something her mama really wants :)
After the "violin costume" two years ago, this is the second time Noel's Halloween costume "won" the most creative award in the kids Halloween concert! Well, how about that for my artist resume?
There is no way of keeping Noel indoor on Halloween anymore, kids talk in school and for weeks, little girl has been planning on trick or treating on this very day. Let's not forget how many peanut candies are out there, that one alone is spooky enough for us, but thanks to our wonderful neightbors, Noel got lots safe treats, all in that matching apple bag (thanks to uncle Mark sending it all the way from NYC!) Of course Noel was mature enough to say no to families who just do not have the safe candies : " no, thank you though, happy Halloween!" I was so proud of her!
booooooooooooo!
One more photo I just have to share - when an iphone meets a pirate!
It's the season of fall. I have a friend who lives thousands of miles away from me, but I miss her dearly. Someone who stands by me through good and bad times, someone who truly understands me and someone who says she can "smell" the season of fall!
If I can make one wish for my baby girl, I hope she will find at least one such friend!
A true friendship is priceless.
Noel started school in August, a complete life changing experience for both of us - a positive one for the little girl; but as for mama, sadly, it has been stressful.
Perhaps I should use this post to finally pull myself out of the ditch, I am missing so much, missing the fact that my school girl is growing intellectually and physically every day, missing that she now talks about her little friends at school with a bigger smile than when she talks about her dinosaures.... I hate being an angery person and a month and half is long enough. Whatever disappointments others brough on, I am putting a stop to it.
Now, speaking of my school girl :) I am a proud mother! Noel loves school. She loves learning and most of all, she loves making new friends. We had some initial "social issues" during the first few weeks. But as I learn to "let go," Noel "grabs on" the technique of social network within her little circle of friends without any major problem. I have to admit, the decision of sending her to school rather than homeschool was not easy (peanut allergy was one of the biggest concern) but seeing her blossom in school is priceless. We had a few scares on the peanut issue, but let's just say that Noel was not harmed, the school took the responsibility and handled the situation well.
I miss my little girl who followed me in and out, but yet, when I sit back and look at her lately, I still see that little girl, who tries to copy everything her mama does, but does it with her own style now.
I hope this school girl still thinks her moody mama loves her dearly.
A good lesson learned from the previous year - pumpkin patch, the sooner, the better, while the weather is still warm!
One thing to brag about surrounding our little town, is that the pumpkin patch farm really is super, many themes, acres of space for the little ones to run around, variety of different pumpkins and squashes, and this year, they even add a corn maze ( I was too chicken to go too deep into the maze as for the sun is setting, people are leaving, for someone who does not have good sense of direction, I guess we will try it next time!)
We actually "squeezed" this pumpkin patch into our insanely busy schedule, but looking at such beautiful weather and my increased level of stress, I just had to announce it to Noel when I pick her up at school : " we are, indeed, going to pumpkin patch... NOW!" In hope that the outing with the nature will do us both some good.
It surely did the magic. For a moment, my world is just Noel, pumpkins and corns, the only "worry" was how in the world do I get out of the maze :)
So here you go, a more relaxed me, able to finally update a long ingored blog!
Breakfast time, if I am fully awake?
My 5-year-old is eating her breakfast waffle, turns and tells me : " mama, we need to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, you know?"
Amazed at the big words, I say to her : " you are one smart cookie, such smart brain God gives you, better use it in a good place when you grow up!"
Noel replies : " Sure, speaking of 'brain,' in ancient Egypt when they made mummies, they put the brains in the canopic jars."
Impressive! Children have some many resources nowadays.
Just when I thought my little girl is so very mature, she has a cute way of reminding me - that she is still 5!
Noel came to me yesterday, had a serious look on her face. Holding her "flower pot," she said : " mama, look, this flower is not growing, I give it a lot of love and sunshine, but it still does not have a flower!"
"Mama, look at this, it's made in China, AGAIN!"
Noel did not forget to bring up the tone of her voice when it comes to "AGAIN!" Noel reads labels (finally, a positive thing for having a peanut allergy!) and it's not difficult for her to spot the fact that, nearly every household product, big and small, is made in China!
Nothing new, she had made that discovery a year ago....
"....but I know something I LOVE that is not made in China, but made in Taiwan!"
Noel, took me by surprise after declared her "discovery," now I am curious, so I asked " oh, yeah, what is it?"
"You, mama, you! You are made in Taiwan, and I LOVE you!"
Seriously, who teaches her all that stuff!!!!!!
So I asked : " Hey Noel, why do you love mama?"
Noel answered : " Because you love me!" with a mouth full of mac and cheese!
