A Father's Day Story.

I know! It is a real rare occurrence that I post twice in a month! But... in honor of Father's Day and as a gift to our fathers near and far, here are some Zoë-isms.

First, Zoë loves our balcony (our oasis, we call it!), where she likes to run around, blow bubbles and look at the moon. Here are several videos:

Saying Sayonara to the moon with a special bedtime dance--


Encore!


Blowing Bubbles with Daddy (the long version!)


More blowing bubbles with Daddy (but shorter...)(the long version!)


And we end with a short story about Zoë and her daddy. After a long day of park, shopping, cupcakes, and running around, we still have grocery shopping to do but Zoë is cranky and in desperate need of a "serious" (i.e., not in the carseat or stroller and uninterrupted) nap. So Matt (aka Daddy) drops Zoë and me home and goes to the store (across the street and visible from our 9th floor windows). After entering the home, Zoë grows concerned: "Daddy?" I explain that Daddy is at to the store and when she awakes from nap, Daddy would be home. She goes to her favorite place, the window seat (that is only a few inches off the floor, and therefore only a "seat" to Zoë) where she likes to sit and look out the window. But she keeps repeating "Daddy? Daddy? Daddy!! DADDYYYY!" She begins to grow hysterical-- banging on the window with her little palms and yelling "DDDAAAAAADDDDYYYYYYYY!!!!!" so loud that I am convinced he can hear from the store. At first I let her scream, thinking it is her way of getting out that last ounce of energy before crashing to slumber. But not so... after around 5-10 minutes of intensifying concern for her father, I decide it was time to call Daddy on the phone and make sure he is ok (did Zoë have some premonition?!) and hope that his voice could calm Zoë down. Daddy talks to Zoë on the phone. After the niceties, Zoë reveals her cause of concern: "Nana! Nana!" (her favorite food, of course, is banana and we did tell her that we ran out and would get this from the store). So she needs to remind her father of this important grocery item! Zoë settles down and takes her nap, and when Daddy returns and she wakes up, she happily eats her banana.

Hours pass. We are making dinner and we hear "Daddy!!! DADDY!!!! DAAAADDDDYYY!!!" -- Zoë is back to slamming the window and yelling. "But I am here", says Daddy. Zoë smiles and shakes her head and returns to her new pastime-- "DAAAAAADDDDYYYYYYY!!!!"

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See? Daddies are indeed very important! For coming home, for getting bananas, for blowing bubbles and ... just because.

Happy Fathers Day.

patience is a virtue

Yes, yes, we know... the blog has fallen by wayside to life. In all fairness, we have been lax with the posting, but not with the playing, having fun, growing, and all other such important things. And now we will rectify the bad blogging with oodles and oodles of photos and links to more photos!

In early May, Didun and Dadu came to visit for a week. It went by pretty fast because we went to Williamsburg. Zoe became acquainted (no! enamored!) by "ducks". Everything that remotely looked like a bird was dubbed "duck". Also, the weather was nice enough to visit lots of parks.



When they left, we were sad in our relatively empty house, but we found ways to have fun still... like hide and seek. Zoe likes the window seat and hides behind the curtains. Then she pulls the reindeer bookmark on her neck (like a tie or scarf) and begins her serious projects. Sometimes, that is: reading a book, coloring, sorting cards...


and who knew? Zoe loves jumping on her bed-- she learned about the "Five Little Monkeys" but that didn't stop her!






Then, a few weeks later, Ninamashi and Boris came to visit. We all had a great time hanging out at the Bethesda street fair, eating cupcakes, and generally playing.





By the end, Zoe really make best buddies with "Niminininash" and "Dibits". And Matt and I got a date night. Score! :)


By the way, Zoe's vocabulary has increased a lot-- she says several words, including: Duck, Moon, water, milk, more, all done, Bye, Hi, ... I think there are still others (anyone else want to add to the list?) She also sings, "Five little monkeys", "Row, row, row your boat", "Wheels on the bus", ...

Hope you enjoy the photos... and take your time relishing these captured moments. Most of the photos were taken on Didun's or Nina's camera. Mom is taking a mini photo vacation and well, blogging just isn't the first priority. But visit soon and visit often and please please please leave us a note!

Adieu.

Walking (!) and other tales.

Dear Everybody,

It is now official-- I can walk! I can also climb. And with my new skills, I like to explore. Particularly those places that are not so safe and where my parents prefer me not to go. For instance, they put out all my toys, but I go right past them to the kitchen. I like to either climb onto the dishwasher or climb and hide in the oil cabinet. Sadly this weekend, Mom and Dad put special tricky locks on those. But, the one I love most gave them lots of trouble, I am happy to report! And even funnier, Mom didn't want me in that cabinet because there's oil and vinegar in glass bottles, and they can break -- and I didn't break them, but Mom did! Oops. I am learning "oh oh" so that came in handy. I also now say "Ball", "Mama", "Daddy" and "Up". I can say "Milk" and "more", in sign language.

It's Spring now and we went for a bike ride. We go to the Park a lot. Oh! and yesterday, we made a garden on our balcony with flowers, herbs and vegetables. Mom said that I can water them once I walk better. Now I am working on putting on my shoes by myself and feeding myself with a spoon. I think I can do it!

Bye.

Spring!

Welcome to the NEW and improved (?) blog! Same characters, same story... new background. Because? It's SPRING! and we are celebrating new things. Like... the daffodils, the tulips, bikes (well... still waiting for Zoë's helmet and child carrier, but keep an eye out for those pictures, for now... we are just posing.)

From DC delights in Spring

Last weekend we checked out the cherry blossoms in D.C.

and lately we have been roaming the Monuments and our favorite hangout spots.



Zoë is growing every day. She's developing quite a personality... she definitely likes to sing and dance. Itsy-bitsy Spider, Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, Wheels on the Bus are all within her dramatic abilities. See videos of an attempted capturing of her performance--
. She's too cautious to be caught walking... but one of these days she will let go and start flying.
In school she is making friends and learning words. She counts to "twee" (sometimes... sort of) and "Ball" is her favorite toy (she still loves to read though). When things get dangerously quiet, you can usually find her "reorganizing" things from the shelves in various favorite nooks of hers. She works very hard to keep all items meticulously strewn about the floor. In this epic battle-- Mom vs. Zoë; Zoë usually wins. Except once Zoë finally goes to sleep... if Mom manages to care by that point.

One!

Hey everyone,

I turned one a whole week ago! It was a great party. Small and intimate, but good fun with old friends. Hey, Rumadida was even at my Mom's first birthday-- so these are dear friends indeed. I really enjoyed opening my birthday presents. Besides Lars, my Austrian teddy bear, and a handknit sweater (in Cal colors-- Go Bears!) from Mom, I received many pink and red (yay, I'm a Valentine's Day baby!) outfits from Aunt Michele and my cousins and from Didun and Dadu, and other toys too. It was fun because everyday there was more mail and more presents, from my Grandparents and from Ninamashi and Boris. See? I think people must really LOVE me! And people called and wrote nice messages on Facebook for me. And my Daddy bought me a special walking toy that I can push around the hallway (but it is in the mail and not yet here). So my birthday actually lasted this whole week, and longer!

Anyway, the presents were nice. But the cupcake was AMAZING -- I think I want to have a birthday every day because then I can make a mess and spread crumbs everywhere and eat sweet, yummy, goodness. Here are some pics of the grand event. (Oh! If you click on the slideshow, it will take you to the Picasa website where you can see the pictures a little better and print or download).



But in case you aren't convinced how much I truly enjoyed the chocolate cupcake, here's a video. I can't even stop to clap ("thai thai") at my artistic endeavors. I am far too busy eating, no, RELISHING, my treat.

And here are some more random pictures of me since a few weeks ago. I've grown and am doing interesting things... like playing with dishwashers, finding new places to hang out, and feeding myself.



Ok-- that's all I have to report for now. Maybe in a few weeks I will have some more exciting news, like... saying words or first steps, or feeding myself with a spoon. These are the things that my parents are anxiously awaiting (and I CAN do them, sort of... but I like to wait and see them squirm. Shhhhh... don't tell them!)

Love,
Zoë

p.s. One of the teachers at school overheard me saying "baby" but I think I convinced my parents that it was only a fluke. They are so gullible. Ha.

chopin is her middle name (not really)

We are snowed in on a Monday... so what better thing to do than upload more pics and videos. It's pretty much the only way we have now to connect to the outside world. We tried going out yesterday in a car, and let me tell you... that's an adventure. See our pictures of the "Snowmegeddon". Seriously though, things are at a standstill here. We are lucky to have a plowed street, power, an uncovered car, food and cancelled work/school. There are others who really have to brave the snow!

So we've been home-- cooking lasagne, baking cookies, healing from our respective illnesses (ear infection, bronchitis, flu, etc.) ... staying busy and playing! Oh! and Zoë is learning to feed herself! The slimy bananas were a bit tricky. But makes for good viewing :) Enjoy!


Here is a video that illustrate Zoë's piano abilities (we apologize for the darkness... the piano is in a dark corner).

Catching up...

Dear Readers,

Mom and I really appreciate all of you! Many wrote to say that you read what we write here and others told us to keep it up, so we haven't written in a long time but it isn't because we are sad anymore. It's because we've been really busy! We flew to California and had Christmas, and I had several parties where I was the important person. So that means that I had to wear a pretty dress and behave. Oh, yes, my baptism was one of those occasions (see the pictures here-- and anyone else can add their photos here too, please!). Somehow the deacon was impressed that I was very good with the whole ceremony, even the oil and water on the head part, until I raspberry kissed him (or really "PTTTHHHHHHHFFFF"d at him). But I do that all the time. It's one of my favorite things. So is clapping (I call it "Thai thai" because it's part of a Bengali nursery rhyme, like "Patti Cake"). My best friend is the girl in the mirror, and guess what! She can stand now too! I like to stand at the chair and sometimes my Mom and Dad make an obstacle course at home for me (See our videos!) and I can do tricks while I am standing.

Only, I have to clap sometimes when I stand really well and people say I am doing good, and then I have to sit first. Otherwise, I might fall. Still, I am trying to do both-- stand and clap together! I almost succeed in this video-- see???


Maybe by my first birthday... which is coming up, by the way! I wonder what we will do? Ok, it's waaaaaaaay past my bedtime, so I better go now.

Love you all and Happy New Year (It's my first New Year :) !)--
Zoë