JANUARY, FEBRUARY 2011


In January, Vanessa started music lessons. I went in to the music school inquiring about Suzuki violin, but the owner took one look at Vanessa running around to every instrument to bang on it, and said, "No, Suzuki violin is for quiet children who spend hours and hours doing things on their own. Why don't you try a drums, piano and voice combo?" So this is what she is trying, one time per week, with wonderful teacher named Sierra who showed up the first day wearing black patent leather pumps, just like Vanessa. Vanessa nearly levitated with excitement when she saw that. Later, Sierra told me she had never met a student like Vanessa before and that she was just exactly like Vanessa as a child. Sierra is a musician and a very calm, level headed, happy person, so I loved to hear that both A. she "got" Vanessa, and B. Vanessa might turn out like Sierra.

We had a nice long visit from Auntie Susan's sister "Auntie" Carol and cousin Julia. Cousin Julia graduated from Daddio's alma mater, SPU, and now has a big girl job in northern California as an ICU nurse, working 12 hour shifts. It was wonderful to see them! We had beautiful weather for their visit, and the temps kept going up, up, up to 90 mid January.

Keenan had a photo shoot with photographer/friend Melissa Hogan. Her comment was, "He absolutely has the personality for this kind of thing. He's comfortable in front of the camera, he follows directions, he's connected with me, and he even knows how to place his hands. After 3 hours of shooting, he is not tired, he seems like he's just warming up!" The pictures are beautiful and I've submitted some to a modeling agency in L.A. and one in San Francisco.

We got over to Fresno to see Grandma Debbie, Grandpa Doc and Zoey for a day. We gave Zoey a karaoke machine that can record, since she's such a singer/song writer.

Unfortunately, in January my godmother, who was one of my mom's bridesmaids and friends since first grade, Annette Augustoni, passed away. Annette was very excited about the birth of Vanessa and Keenan's adoption. I am sorry to lose such a wonderful person in my life.

In February, Vanessa started ballet and tap class. She has been marching around on her toes since age 2 or even earlier, so she was ready. In fact, she pulls herself together for class so fast and thoroughly that I'm tempted to enroll her in class 5 days a week. Maybe full body music interpretation suits her. It certainly holds her attention. She likes ballet a little more than tap, though. We also noticed that, when she sits down on the floor, legs out straight, and points her toes she can touch them all the way down to the floor and hold them there. You try that! It's impossible! We always knew she had "ankles of delight," and podiatrist Dr. Rennie did comment a year ago that Vanessa had "awesomely sturdy ankles," so now, ballet. She'll start swimming again soon, she wants to get back into gymnastics ("after you learn to swim" I say) and soccer in the fall. All require strong ankles.

Keenan wants to do everything Vanessa does, of course. In fact, I now believe he thinks he's a 4 year old girl who is not as tall and can't talk yet. Other than that, he's there. This reminds me of how important it is to have toddlers around other toddlers of the same age, so I'm looking forward to September, when I think I can get him into Vanessa's preschool. In the mean time, I am looking to do some play dates or mommy and me classes with other 18-24 month olds.

Jack, Vanessa and Keenan all got another flu with fevers and aches. Somehow I missed that one, but Daddio got hit the hardest. Ah, the cold and flu season. And Keenan, bless his little heart, has burst out with a mouth full of molars this month to boot.

We got to see some VIPs in February - we went to San Francisco to celebrate February birthdays with Granny Ernestine and Cousin Matt. My gosh, we used to celebrate all together in Seattle, back when Matt and I lived there. It was a great chance for California Hoyts and Henry sisters to get together in the Bay Area. Auntie Carol master minded the party. Vanessa and Keenan were the "crazy cousins," couped up in the apartment on a rainy day, eating chocolate cake and ice cream and listening to 12 adults talk to each other. Thank goodness Granny had a new iPad to distract them. Love them apps.

In developmental news, VH1 suddenly began writing out her letters. Sure, some words are written upside down and backwards, but if you have a mirror, you can make them out. Her art continues to be innovative and inspired, even if her hand skills don't represent the realism she says she'd like. How can a 4 year old feel self conscious about her art work? We shower her with praise and encouragement, but she likes things a certain way. Perhaps her favorite form is mixed media 3-D Play-Doh sculpture.

She has also taken to the laptop, specifically practicing her letters and reading on starfall.com. What an awesome site. V-Dog is completely engrossed in the material. I have been showing her the ABC's part for about a year, but I taught her to use the touch pad about 2 weeks ago and she's been off like a shot, navigating the site by herself. Today I heard her going through the math exercises. She loves computer based learning, and I must say I love that she loves it.

Keenan, as mentioned, does it all. Well, except talk. He's taking his time there, but we are in no way concerned. In fact, I talk to Keenan like he's 4 and he lets me know he gets the whole picture. Somewhere we read that it's important to tell a toddler before changing to the next activity. We do that, and Keenan seems to like it. If I say, "Okay, it's time to go get Vanessa at school now," he gets right up and motors off to help me get the keys, open the door to the garage, get into the car seat, latch his car seat - yes, he does that - and start singing The Sound of Music score. The kids sing along to all the songs.

Keenan loves to sing. He had me in hysterics when I sang Camp Town Ladies to him for the second time - he chimed right in with Doo Dah! Doo Dah! while I was holding him and singing to him in the dark. He can say choo-choo for any train, cock-a-doodle-do for any rooster and coo-coo (the Sound of Music), and all manner of animal noises. He can also say No and Bee and Cheese, and his "yes" comes out Dssss which is tres cute. I have videos of him being interviewed and DANCING, but they are hard to upload on the blog. I'll try.

The big news for March is that we are looking forward to seeing cousin Sam marry Pam in Seattle, with Vanessa and Keenan in the wedding party. Woo hoo!