Easter

Cadence entered the living room today to find bunny tracks leading to her basket. I decided that I had always wanted to get cute, fluffy, baby animals for easter (and never did) so this was my chance to live vicariously through my child. Cadence fractured her leg earlier this week while playing on a playground. It has slowed her down quite a bit, but she regained her mobility as she scooted, on her bum, across the floor to her Easter basket. It wasn't the traditional Easter egg hunt that I had envisioned for this year, but there is always next year. The bunnies were troopers and even left their own little treat for Cadence in the basket. It was not chocolate. As fun as it was to get live animals, I think that the most exciting find of the day was the CHOCOLATE!

Favorite things

Just south of the equator, the rainy season is coming to a close. We spend the rainy days inside where Cadence loves to watch movies...especially with her friends. Her favorite is "Flicka". She loves her bath times so much that we give her several baths per day. When it is 90 degrees and 80% humidity, there is nothing better than water play. Our bathtub is actually outside so we treat it like a small pool. We add props to hold her attention...this is the easter bath. Cadence loves getting dressed up...and even better, dressing others up! She loves to paint. We only do this outside as she has an affinity for painting anything BUT the canvas. Cadence loves to play in the rain and splash in the puddles. She likes to get dirty. Here I caught her with the sunscreen. Cadence lives to make people laugh. The other night at the dinner table, while entertaining a family friend, she stuck a small flower, from the table, in her nose. This got such a great reaction from her audience that she did it a second time...but she inhaled and disappeared in her nose. We haven't seen it since. I was too stunned to take a picture. I'll try to be more prepared next time.

Peek a Boo!

This week I posted this new picture of cousin Harper, Jordan's sister's daughter, on the fridge.

Since we live half a world away from our family, we try to keep current photos around so that Cadence won't "forget" the people who love her. While I was in the kitchen talking to a local friend, Cadence started playing peek-a-boo with her cousin Harper's photo. My friend explained to Cadence that even though she could see her, Harper could not see Cadence and respond to her because she was only a photo. Cadence looked at my friend and simply said, "Malu Dia." (Harper is just shy!)

I just realized that it is nearly February and I still haven't posted Christmas pictures. Sorry Grandparents.

We decorated cookies on Christmas eve, as a family.

Then we ate them for breakfast, along with cupcakes for Jesus' birthday and sausage balls.

Cadence had fun opening all of her gifts and we were blessed to have a good enough internet connection to SKYPE with both sets of grandparents.

Thanks Aunt Amy and Uncle Justin for the new clothes!

When you live in the tropics, surrounded by millions of hindus who don't celebrate Christmas, it is always a challenge to make it "feel" like Christmas. We improvise the best that we can. Jody called this "Our best tree so far!"

Cadence still tells us "Merry Christmas!" at least once a day!

Soul Vacation

When you live on an island that is only 60 by 90 miles for several years at a time, you can start to get a little stir crazy. After Christmas, we decided to get off the island for a week. We had the best vacation ever, ringing in the New Year with some dear friends in another country.

Cadence still asks for her "Best Friend" even a week later.

We played hard every day!

We spotted oranghutans in the forrest!

We even celebrated King's Day (January 6) together.

Traditionally "King's Day" is the day to remember the Magi and their visit to Baby Jesus.

So the girls decorated crowns and dressed like royalty. Then we took stars that they had made and "followed them" for a walk around the neighborhood as the magi might have done.

We stopped for a snack of middle eastern flat bread just like the wise men may have eaten. This little restaurant was conveniently located in the neighborhood!

But by the time our food had arrived, Cadence had already de-robed.

We were also blessed to spend time with friends Jordan has known for 22 years who happened to be living in the same city.

Now Cadence is constantly asking to get on an airplane and go on another adventure...

Best of 2012

Happy New Year from our family!

I asked Cadence today what her favorites from 2012 were and this is what she had to say: Breakfast: "Ice Cream!" (This actually is not a dish I have ever served for b'fast) Movie: "Doggie Movie" (Snow Buddies was the last movie she saw in 2012) Snack: "Crackers" Drink: "Apple Juice" Song: "Yes, Jesus loves me" Food: "Not yet." (I asked again to make sure and got the same reply)

Already

At 8:05, I sink my weary bones into my plush sofa. It is my ritual, night after night...kind of like my victory lap for surviving another day and another bedtime with a two year old. I tell Cadence when I put her in bed each night that she may not get out. So far, she believes me. But tonight at 8:45, I hear the shrill sound of her voice, "MOMMEEEEEEE!" I poked my head into the dark cavern of her room and notice that she has managed to lug her new tricycle up and into the toddler bed with her. "Already." she says as she reaches out to be held. I go to her and pick her up as I ask, "Already what?" She nuzzles my collarbone with her nose and says, "Already take a nap." Ha! I thought I had the evening to myself. Instead we snuggled on the sofa together, watching "The Donut Man" and eating apple slices. We read a Christmas book as she drank another sippy cup of milk and I think about how blessed I am to be her mommy.