The months roll by

As we come to the end of June, rainy season on Manila has really started.  Not so bad since it should finish up by December or so!  Actually, the rain predictably comes every afternoon.  The showers can be really heavy which is a problem since Manila does not have an infrastructure to deal with the water, so there is frequent flooding.  Sometimes an intense downpour for just a short time can snarl traffic for hours since people drive through flooded streets and get stuck.

The photos I am posting are from these past few months.  They just completed their second week back in pre school - following their summer break (March to June) - and it is interesting to see their development since their break started.  They are so much more verbal now and are no longer among the youngest there.  They seem to be enjoying it and the reports from school have been good.

Our other milestone since my last posting is our 2nd Family Day anniversary.  Stacey just wrote our adoption report that we need to submit periodically to the Chinese government.  Although it feels odd to have to continue to report on our status, the benefit is taking time to reflect on the past couple of years.  

I posted some videos among the photos below, so I hope they work.

Clara and Lucy have a project at school to put together a photo book of things they like.  They are getting a bit of assistance from Stacey on this (please do not disclose this to the school since it may be an academic integrity violation).  Clara posing here with one of her favorite books.

Lucy doing the same with her favorite book.  We read/sing this almost every night.  The book has great sketches of NYC and the lyrics to "New York State of Mind" accompanying the images.  It is fun.  Both girls frequently declare they are in a New York State of mind or that they want to "hop a flight to Miami Beach or to Hollywood."

Clara with Piggy - another favorite thing of hers  (a gift from Aunt Loran/The Saitos)

Stacey and I both deny making this hairdo for Clara, but it was pretty funny to see her with maybe a flapper style.

Big rocking chair near our apartment complex.  Lucy on the left.

Mommy pulling one of their scooters while they ride double.  Clara at the wheel.  They can actually power these things pretty well on their own and they zip all over the place.

More scooter riding on their own.  Clara is sporting the cool shades.  Lucy had a pair of white ones that she still regrets leaving behind somewhere - it has been more than a month and she still misses them.

The girls have a medical kit that they love to play with.  Clara has her operating apron and stethoscope on.

Lucy and I ran some errands one day and I took this photo from the rooftop of the mall down the street where we were shopping.

A while back we spent a good part of a day at a farm outside Manila where they horses (as you can see) chickens, rabbits, and some other random livestock.  It is not a functioning farm, but a place for people to interact a little with the animals.  We were really surprised the girls were interested in riding the horses.  I am with Clara and Stacey with Lucy.

On Easter weekend we went to a town a couple of hours a way called Tagaytay.  We stayed at a "villa" there with two other families.  It was great.  The accommodations were very comfortable and the setting was wonderful.  It was a nice break to be able to walk around a rural area.  Lucy (L) and Clara woke up really early, so we went out for a walk.  It was great.

Our friends Anders and Mylena were there with their kids Olivia and Ana.  Lucy took an especially strong interest in Ana.  She also seems quite fond of Anders.  Little Ana is a real cutie!

The owner of the villa is also a chef.  The meals were wonderful and much of the produce she uses is grown in their gardens.  She took the kids on a walk to pick tomatoes for the lunch salad.

Clara hard at work, harvesting lunch.

Since it was Easter we had an Easter egg hunt for all the kids.  The owner was very kind to let us hide eggs in her lovely garden.  Thankfully there were not plant injuries.

Clara, Lucy, Paige and Olivia with their Easter baskets.

Including a handmade chocolate egg from the owner, who also owns a chocolate business!

In April, Grandma Dalea came to visit.  The girls were absolutely in heaven!  They had such a good time and Grandma was an amazing help.  She was here while I traveled to the US, so it was a big relief for Stacey.  It was a sad day when she headed home.

Lucy (L) and Clara made cupcakes and a little cake for Stacey and Dalea for Mother's Day - with a little guidance from me.  It was fun to cook together.  The girls took it very seriously and had fun.  We have baked a few things together and they seem to really enjoy it.

Clara having lunch.

Lucy about to take a big bite.

There is a book we read that has a bear with "googly eyes."  Lucy re-enacting.

Clara making googly eyes too.

We have been going to the pool pretty regularly - and the girls just started some swim lessons.  Here is Clara relaxing with her froggy.  Incidentally, this and the following three pictures were taken on our 2nd Family Day anniversary - June 6.  

I love their different expressions.  Lucy looks like she is about to board a single engine prop plane to cross the Pacific.

From last week, here is a sample of the girls' swim lesson.

Lucy dives in.

Getting ready for a seated jump - I hold my own breath when I see them jumping from a standing position on the side of the pool!  I am really happy to have them learning how to swim now and they are making fast progress.

Coach Brian hold up Lucy.

Coach Bernard - who Stacey says is easy on the eyes - is about to toss Clara in.  They love this!

Here is the scary moment for me - Lucy leaping into the pool.  I would call it a dive, but it is definitely a belly flop.  I guess it does not hurt too much from that height.

Can't neglect Maggie.  Poor girl had an infected cyst on her back, so she had to wear this cone for about a week.  She has healed now.  Thankfully, things continue to go well with her and the girls.  They generally do their own thing.  The girls were very aware when Maggie was hurting from her infection and asked lots of questions about the vet coming to see her.  They were also very interested in watching us apply her medicine.  We are very fortunate that they generally allow Maggie to have her comfort zone.