While we were at the Outer Banks, we met with famous photographer Tamara Lackey. I wanted Tamara to take our picture as a memory of our three years in the States, the wonderful time we spent here, and the most amazing gift we received: Lia.
Tamara did a perfect job! Here is Lia on the beach.
first 2 pictures by B. Cardarelli, of course
It's the end of September, the most perfect season of all, at least here in the Carolinas. We just love the fall. Things we have been doing recently? The usual routine, plus some extra time spent outside. Finally, we can leave the house at any time of the day!
Here's a bit of our usual routine: art class at Gymboree. Our left-handed daughter is decorating a picture frame for her Dad.
Watch Lia paint away. (Video)
And a perfect day at Freedom Park! Lia feeding the ducks. "Kack, kack!" (Yep, that's what they say)
And can you believe it? Lia rode a pony! There was a big festival at Freedom Park with great many attractions. She was so brave. Curiosity always wins over fear with Lia, and so she decided to hang on to her pony even though it was shaking its head and doing weird stuff with its ears.
God, it will be hard to leave the States for good. Two days ago, Lia sat in the car with her doll in her lap, poking her with her index finger and pointing out of the window while saying: "Look! Car!!" She's picking up the language so well. It's so sad to deprive her of those outgoing Americans that address Lia everywhere we go. They always have something nice to say to her, be it at the post office or at Starbucks or where ever. I wish we could take our favorite ones home with us. Mmpf.
Alabama! We went to Alabama again, back to the deep South, back to Lia's roots. And she had a blast! We were visiting her friends Nikki, Valerie, and Emily, three crazily sweet and wild sisters that are just the type of girls Lia loves hanging out with.
Quietly sitting on the sofa was more of an exception that day.
As was this peaceful playtime with little Emily.
Getting sweaty in the yard, that was the biggest thing of all that weekend! The Archundia girls have the coolest backyard sets you can imagine. A sand box, a walking bridge, a toddler sized doll house, swings, and even an inflatable jumping castle, to name just a few. Lia was in heaven!
Watch a little carnivore enjoying her chicken to the bones! Video!
Lia was exhausted by the end of the day! Luckily we brought our pack'n play travel bed along, so Lia could go to sleep while her parents enjoyed Tequilla (and water) on the rocks until midnight and collected a respectable number of mosquito bites. And then we drove back to our hotel and wheeled Lia into our hotel room in her magic bed! Great complementary toddler service, I should say.
P.S. To all my favorite girls out there, please welcome Brandy into our Bobbi Brown Cult! She spent 600 bucks at the BB counter and is now a valued member of our community.
Here is a little Kindermusik update! With due respect to all of our gymnastic classes and other fun workout, Kids Musik of Charlotte remains our absolute favorite. First and foremost because of Miss Sandy, who has turned our kids into musical instrument fanatics. They are playing every one of them with great confidence, be it the guitar, the drums, or the rainmaking stick. So if you heard of an esteemed orchestra looking for new talents, please let us know! The Peanuts are ready to get on stage and earn some money. And until they are called to Vienna, they will of course stay with Charlotte's Toddler Philharmonic Orchestra.
Miss Sandy introducing the Native American weather forecast
The nuts touching Miss Sandy's guitar for inspiration
And you wonder why Spikey needs to get cleaned up? It's because she has been coloring on EVERYTHING with her boyfriend Lo, on everything but paper, of course. Everything includes her belly. Which reminds me of Lia's new word: bellybutton. And she says it in absolutely immaculate Hebrew: PUPIK!
Want to learn more about Lia's and Lorenzo's coloring frenzy? Click, click!
pic by Brandy C.
