New Narrative

Alice continues to be very concerned with all things truck and backhoe. She also has a keen ear for sirens, and can hear them well before Tom or I do. The dialogue that ensues goes like this:

Alice: Siren.
Mama: Yes, I hear the siren
Alice: Boo boo
Mama: Yes, someone has a boo boo and the siren is going to help them.
Alice: Help
Mama: Yes, the siren is going to help.
Alice: Siren . . .

Repeat dialogue multiple times. Alice is very engaged with the story line of someone needing help and the siren delivering the help. Whenever we are walking down the street and she sees a bus, or fire engine, or truck, or backhoe, she immediately syas "more." She cannot get enough! Yesterday when I went to pick her up, the neighborhood was crawling with rescue vehicles as someone lay in the street. It looked like they got the final boo boo, and I was glad Alice wasn't with me. The rescue vehicles were still there once I retrieved her, and she was so excited to see the engines and ambulances. Her excitement is very sober and respectful though, and I wonder how much she understands about the severity of a boo boo that calls for a siren. When she gets a boo boo, she never asks for a siren, or questions why one is not forthcoming. I so wonder what connections she is making.

Tom and I had a conversation tonight about how sensitive her hearing is, and how concerned she is with others. She saw a man in shorts on the train escalator the other day, and he had a birth mark on the back of his leg, and she was very concerned about his boo boo. Whenever another child is crying, she wants to give them a hug and kiss (whether they want one or not!). When she sees babies now, she says "Ssshhhush" and holds her fingers to her lips.

Here is a story Amy shared with me:

(Ana used to attend the daycare, and drops in every once and a while for a visit. She was also adopted from Guatemala and is probably about 3-4 y/o now).

"I forgot to mention how cute Alice was with Ana last week. In the morning; it was just Daniella, Alice and Ana with Lucy. Alice took a real liking to Ana and followed her around. Alice imitated everything Ana did and said. This was quite difficult as Ana talks quite a bit now. Ana would come over to me and say about 4-5 "run-on" sentences without taking a breath. Then Alice would come on the other side of me and go on and on babbling with the same expression, enthusiasm and emphasis that Ana did. If Ana played with something, Alice was right beside her doing the same. It was too cute for words. :) :) Ana picked up after a short while and kept her cool. She asked why Alice was copying her; and we explained a little about how younger girls look up to older girls. You could just tell how much Alice enjoyed being around Ana with the sparkle she had in her eye that day."

It is so funny to me how Alice's nickname before she came home was Sparky, and how often strangers on the street (much less people who know her) refer to her 'spark', or the sparkle in her eyes.

I also want to try and pick up where I left off with our recent travels:



We are in Texas in these photos, and Alice is demonstrating a favorite activity--Dada carrying her in the car seat. Go Tom!



I cannot believe it but I didn't get a SINGLE photo of Alice with her Abuela/o. I know they took pics, so Joan, send me some soon! I promise I will get a picture of Alice in the dress for Gladys this weekend!!!



Alice also enjoyed trying on her Dada's shoes!



And no wonder! I knew her feet had grown, and this weekend finally got her to the store. Where her feet measured . . . TWO SIZES LARGER! OMG, I felt like such a horrible parent. I had a pair of shoes from Claire that just barely still fit, and she has Target'Crocs' in the right size but even they seem small (but the next size up is huge and won't stay on). So I found shoes on Ebay and am waiting to win the bid and get them shipped here (the local store didn't carry her size).

How did people get shoes for their kids before the internet? In Tampa, it was Farners. What a great place. They had a kind of tiered seating area I remember climbing on, and it was so exciting to go there and pick out our new boots. What will Alice remember?