Graduation

We've struck an arrangement with Mara's Friend Alessia's parents to swap baby sitting.  Here Alessia at our house for dinner.  The girls had a ball in the bath together.

The girls also had fun making pizza!

Mara enjoyed visiting her Granny in Santa Cruz and listening to the ukuleles. 

After 10 years of living at our house, we finally ripped out the 50-year old ivy and put in a new fence!  Not only has it opened up a significant amount of space in the yard, it is really beautiful!  In addition to the fence we've laid stamped cement, bought beautiful outdoor furniture and a pool for Mara!

As part of CA special ed, the state is obligated to provide transportation to and from school.  They didn't have room on the bus, so they arranged for Mara to have her own private driver to take her to school in the morning!! Here Mara with her driver Omar.  (Yes the irony of how far Mara has come in less than a year is staggering: essentially living on a couch in a one bedroom apartment to being driven to school with her own private driver!?)

Mara graduated from pre-school!  Although she was in special ed pre-school for only a few months, she learned and developed so much.  Her teacher Ms Christa was amazing and Mara loved her, not to mention her friends Bella and Santiago.  Here we've captured of the special moments of her graduation with her proud Mama.

Mara's friend Alessia turned five and threw a Frozen party.  Mara was so excited to go to her first birthday party!

We finally had a breakthrough in potty training with Mara.  Her Dad was so proud he rushed out and bought her a pair of Dora shoes that light up when she walks.  The shoes have become her fast favorite (despite being a little big).

Mara's walking has become so much better!  No doubt it's the combo occupational therapy she receives at school and her new pool!  Here her walking at the SJ Children's Museum, chasing a bird.

Mara loves anything Dora - even when she's sleeping!

We like to call this one "the wicked witch of the west".

Look familiar?  A shot of Mara at the Rose Garden, nearly 6 months after the shot we took of her when she first arrived.

Mara sporting her new summer wardrobe.

Wearing Mom's glasses showing off on the potty.

Easter eggs

For some reason this last, first major holiday with Mara was the most special (July 4th will be her one year anniversary here in the States, can you believe it?).  Maybe it's because Mara is walking so much more readily now or that she's so inquisitive or that she can express herself using words?  Or maybe that we are settling into more & more of being a family? Or maybe it's the sunshine?  Easter was just downright amazing!!

Saturday we were invited to a neighborhood Easter egg hunt and brunch in Willow Glen (near Mara's school).  Mara was greeted with her friend Alessia and her Mom Tamara.  Mara went right to town searching for eggs.

For the first time since being in the states, at the neighborhood egg hunt, Mara met someone else named Mara!  She was another Mom who was there with her newborn baby.  Mara #2 said it was the first time in her entire life that she had met another Mara.  She said that she loved her name since it was so rare (and was mesmerized by Mara's story).

Admittedly Mara was a little overwhelmed by all of the kids (there were probably 30 there), so she opted to hang out at the table with Tamara and me.  She was very loving!

Tamara was so generous in giving Clare a bunch of fabric that her Uncle left her (a former tailor): imported Italian wools and a colorful piece of bathing suit/spandex material.  Here the girls (Alessia and Mara) posing with Clare and the fabric.  It must be all of the chocolate - look at those smiles!!

Mara loves to eat eggs: scrambled, over easy, omelettes, hard boiled and deviled.  It's a great source of iron and protein.  We are having to watch her candy - hard to believe in Georgia that they said she doesn't like chocolate?  The kid eats and drinks it like it's going out of style.

Sunday was lunch and another Easter Egg at Granny's house in Santa Cruz.  Clare's sister Mimi was there, along with her kids Peter, his wife Lindy, their kids, Chase, Aubrey and Mary, and her son, Wesley.  Mary's boyfriend Wesley (Sr) also brought his daughters Bella and Kaitlin.  Mara took a fancy to Bella (must have been the name) and followed her around like a puppy dog.  It was a wonderful afternoon with the family!  Here a shot of the kids (the best one we could do in trying to get 6 kids to smile at the same time.)

It was a hot day so Mara had to wear Clare's hat.  She needed a little bit of help walking around but by her third Easter egg hunt, she was a pro!  Here her looking in Granny's front yard.

Clare with Mara, Chase and Kaitlin up by Granny's chickens.  Eggs were everywhere!!

The way that Mara is looking up at Bella is just precious!!

Aunt/Grandma Mimi "unleashing" the kid frenzy out into the front yard.

 
With Easter over, now what the hell do we do with all of the candy? 

Spring Break

Mara is doing wonderfully at special ed pre-K.  She adores her teacher Christa, who is young but very creative and committed o children's development.  Christa also really enjoys teaching Mara since she is very receptive and wanting to learn.  One of the resources they provide is an occupational and speech therapist.  Although she only goes three hours per day, she has progressed incredibly in the past month there (even her teacher has commented on it).  She is talking like a magpie and walking with much more confidence.  Here a shot of her on the playground with her cherished Dora lunchpail.

The playground at Mara's school has a Dora kitchen - we can hardly tear her away from it!!

Back in November, her Uncle Danny gave her a singing birthday card.  One morning Clare looked over to see Mara playing it again!

Clare went on her first business trip to Paris, France and Lausanne, Switzerland; leaving Nick and Mara home alone for a week.  Not sure who it was harder on - Mara, Nick or Clare?!  After they dropped Clare off at SFO, Nick visited the Exploratorium.  It was quite a difference to when we brought her there in the Summer.  With her avid curiosity and focus, she REALLY enjoyed the exhibits.  First the rainbow lights.

Then the light circle.

We have ourselves a musician.

Mara loves her rainbows!

Clare adopted best practices from other working mommy friends to develop her own "program" for Mara while she was gone.  Nick gave her notes every day that Clare wrote along with little gifts. Here Mara enjoying the sunlight (and getting her vitamin D dose) with her Dora writing pad.  Nick thinks its ingenious since it gives him a writing surface to practice spelling and arithmetic.

Mara excited at her daily note from Clare and her new book.

There's only thing that Mara loves more than Dora and that's the water!  Here's Mara in the "mommy bath" with her daily note and a Dora mermaid.

Now that's excitement!

Some shots from Clare's trip.  Here the town of Gruyere (yes, where they make the cheese).

Pure decadence - triple creme cheese fondue with berries!

The Swiss Alps.

The view of Lake Geneva from Clare's hotel room.

Swiss chocolate - almost too pretty to eat!

Of course the best part of Clare's trip was coming home and having a reunion with the family.  We took Clare's sister Mimi and boyfriend Richard to Kokkari in SF, a fabulous Meditarranean restaurant (literally as Clare got off the plane) for a much anticipated dinner for Richard's bday.  We ate like kings with Mara sitting on Clare's lap the entire time.

After Clare got home the family got to enjoy fine Swiss chocolate together and here, one of Clare's colleagues Isabel gave her a Swiss purse.

How could that smile not melt anyone?! She loves the purse, spending time moving Euros and Swiss franc coins from her Easter egg into the purse and back. 

This year spring break for us as a family had an entirely new meaning!  We decided to take a road trip down south to visit Santa Barbara and San Diego.

Mara and Clare outside of the Biltmore before our fabulous brunch.

Mara having fun with water inside the Biltmore.  She seems to enjoy fancy hotels!

While in San Diego, we visited the zoo with Clare's friend and colleague Kirsten and her son Gavin.  Mara loved and practically abducted him.

We also visited our friends Bill, John and MJ in La Jolla.  Mara went to her first pool party and even thought it was only her third time swimming, she proved that she swims like a fish!!  Swimming lessons are in her near future...

We also got to visit Nick's cousin Bunni and her husband Fred in Coronado.  It was really great to connect with them and have them meet Mara.  Mara took a fancy for Fred and the restaurant coasters.

Bunni gave Mara a bunny?!

Exploring

Mara got into special ed! She starts her pre-K program on Monday at Galarza school in Willow Glen.  We were thrilled to have built a customized development plan for her with the team of experts who tested her.  We visited the school where Mara met her teacher and made herself at home with the Minni laying on the floor, calling out shapes, colors and numbers.

Mara got into the special ed program since some of her paperwork from Georgia diagnosed her with cerebral palsy.  However, her testing was quite promising - many of the areas being well beyond her years including her ability to identify colors, numbers and her comprehension.  The specialists also commented on how quickly she caught onto things!

Talk about picking up new things - here's Mara finally drinking out of a straw during a visit to Willow Glen with her friend Alessia.

Her arm and leg strength is improving, thanks to her daily walks, outdoor activity and visits to our neighborhood school Trace.  Here Mara hanging from the monkey bars - way to go Mara!!

Opening a present from her Auntie Dianya - a minnie mouse jewelry box!  It now holds her barrettes that her Mommy loves to put in her hair (but which comes off in minutes after she leaves).

Mara practicing off one of her important life skills - looking good in jeans. (Yes she does have exotropia and is wearing an eye patch every night to help correct.  Tomorrow we have an appointment with an opthamologist (no, not her Papa from Pensacola) for a full exam and to check up on her eyes). 

Shopping and having a good time with Mommy and Auntie Denise.  She is wearing one of Mommy's creations (custom designed since she absolutely adores hearts).

Mara never loses interest in looking at herself in the mirror, usually saying "Hi, I'm Mara".  Here admiring her new neon hoodie.

Even though she's growing up quickly, she hasn't forgotten her love for her pillow (or for her Momma which Clare loves).

Our recent discovery is the San Jose Discovery Museum.  We bought a family membership which provides unlimited education and entertainment for Mara. Here playing in the volcano water exhibit (stock with water bib to keep her from getting soaked).

Here practicing her motor skills (which clearly appears to be helping since she is starting to form shapes, spell her name and of course holding the pencil/brush the right way!) Mara is ambidextrous.

Riding the dragon. We would also like to note that Mara is making tremendous progress on potty training!  This is thanks to what Clare calls a genius Mommy at work (Karen) who suggested we buy Dora underwear and say "Mara you can't poop on Dora".  Aside from a few accidents, she is doing really well!  Mara, you are such a big girl!

What's with the constant fascination with water and washing hands?  During a recent visit to the pediatric podiatrist, he confirmed that Mara's legs and feet were developing nicely.  He did not want to prescribe any orthodics for her shoes, but asked us to only get shoes with good arch support.  No more flats or sandals - hello Marshall's shoe department for Osh Kosh and Merrill sneakers!  What's wrong with a sporty dress look??

There's only thing Mara likes more than washing her hands, or Dora and that's RAINBOWS!!!

All that playing makes a girl thirsty.  Here trying chocolate milk for the first time.  Dad, you created a monster! Thank goodness for the pro-DHA fortified organic variety!

Mara has also learned that she has a captive audience with fellow museum goers.  Here her showing off singing.

Singing while playing with bubbles.