Un poquito

Several friends have recently asked about Sullivan's progress in Spanish. Here is an update:

I continue to address Sullivan (and Sawyer) only in Spanish. She currently responds to me 95% of the time in English. Still I press on! (Some days, I feel so crazy for doing this, but I just continue forward...)
She does use a handful of Spanish words regularly for certain key nouns. However, she follows all of my instructions and understands well...she really surprises me with her memory and remembers new words we've looked up better than I can.

She makes me laugh so much these days...several instances most notably:

-While swinging the girls the other day, I was thinking out loud to myself (in Spanish) for a long while about the weather, the lack of shade that time of day, the heat...not thinking that Sullivan was listening or following. I paused and Sullivan responded so acutely to what I had said. In English, she said "Yes. There are no clouds, just sun". They really ARE listening ALL the time.

-This morning, I had to wake her around 8am. She had slept almost 13hrs and when asked how well she slept, she stated, while still in the bed, "Un poquito. Solo, un poquito". (A little bit. Only, a little bit.)

-I put on Spanish Sesame Street (Plaza Sesamo, found on Sprout on Charter on Demand) the other day and she announced, "Look Mommy! They speaking Spanish...like you, Mommy!"

-Finally, we recently attended our annual Crawfish Boil get-together with our fellow residents. Beforehand, Lee and I were trying to explain where we were going and what was going to happen there. We also had her say "Crawfish Boil" a couple of times...Later, she asked where we were going and I told her that she knew, as we'd talked about it earlier. " Oh yea, " she said, "the Fish Pot Party!"
:) So cute.

The thing is about all this language business is...is that I am so humbled. I have learned SO much by adopting Spanish as "our language". My own Spanish vocabulary and fluency has increased tremendously and yet I know Sullivan will surpass my knowledge quite soon, in both English and Spanish. I have to hit the books!

PS-Sawyer is babbling away now (tah, tah, dah,dah)...can't wait to see what she will do with Spanish.

Beth's Baby Shower

On Tuesday, May 10, lots of friends here in Greenville got to celebrate our friend Beth and her special baby girl, coming in July. We had a great time over dinner, cake, gifts and great company. This little baby girl is quite special for a whole host of reasons, but two that stand out to me are that 1)this is Beth's first female child, as she has two boys and 2) this child will be named Blair Elise, Blair from Beth's maiden name and Elise from her husband's mother, who passed many years ago.

Beth and I became friends in the summer of 2008, when she and her family moved to Greenville to join the residency program here. I can hardly believe that was more 3 years ago! Wow. Beth, thank you for your friendship and for sharing this journey with me!

I will have to really soak up our remaining 14mos in Greenville.

Congratulations, Beth! We are so happy for you and can't wait to meet Blair!

Sullivan the Storyteller

Sullivan is becoming quite the teacher, mother and teller of all stories. She delights in fairytales and re-telling and re-weaving them into something new. It is really fun to have a conversation with her these days as her imagination is really evolving. Here are a few photos of her interacting with Sawyer and some recent quotes:

-While the news and seeing images of Kate and Will, I try to explain that the royal wedding just occurred and that the husband and wife are a prince and princess...Sullivan responds:

"No mommy...that is a ballerina and a daddy."

-Approaching her school, which is in a church with a steeple, Sullivan announces, "Look, Mommy! It's my school castle! My school castle! And Cap'n Hook and da pirates are there!...Eating cookies!"

-Sullivan has recently taken to reading baby picture books to Sawyer, her monologue goes something like this as she answers her own questions:

"Sawyer, ya wanna read book? Read a book, Sawyer? Kay! Let's do it. Ooooh! Look, dares a cookie! Dares a cup! You have cup, Sawyer, you gotta cup. Ya like dat?....Sully like dat...."

Adventures in Potty Training: Costco episode

In April, a Monday, 11am.

Mom enters Costco with the two girls, heads straight to bathroom.
Roaring hand airdryers and V6 engine toilet flushes cause both girls to wail, terrified.
Sullivan refuses to pee. Mom knows this makes shopping quite risky.
Mom decides to make a speedy 20 minute run through the store.
Mom finishes shopping, beelines to checkout, 18 minutes later.
Sullivan announces she needs to potty.
Mean check out girl won't hold items so Mom can run her to bathroom.
Mom attempts check out.
Mom sweats profusely.
Sullivan begins to pee, wants to flee from it and leaves a trail of urine in her path.
Mom quickly pays, abandons $100+ of groceries.
All 3 run into bathroom, Sullivan in a puddle of tears.
More roars and violent flushing.
Mom changes Sullivan's clothes, Sawyer wails again.
More roars and flushing.
Mom hopes groceries are still there, not stolen.
Mom carries both girls out, quiet now, retrieves un-touched groceries.
Mom sighs, avoids glances from Mean Checkout Girl.
Man at exit needs paid receipt.
Really?
Mom finds it cruppled, wet; hands it over.
Makes it 200 yards to car. Decides she needs a huge, delicious Diet Dr.Pepper.
Returns home safely.

Sawyer's Baptism

Sawyer was baptized this past Saturday evening at St. Mary's Church. Here are some highlights of the weekend:

-My parents and Lee's mom were able to come up.

-Lee's mom sent me on a major shopping spree on Friday...so deeply appreciated.

-Chris Tomlinson, Lee's dear friend from Furman, came down from Charlotte to be Sawyer's Baptismal sponsor.

-Weather was spectacular, breezy and cool.

-We toasted the baptism on Saturday night with some delicious, very special champagne, thanks to my parents.

-Brunch al fresco on Sunday morning at Mary's downtown was so pleasant and tasty.

-Sawyer wore a baptismal gown and cap that is so special to us...it is made from the lace that both my sister and I wore when we graduated high school. Sullivan wore it also and the inner layer has each child's name and birthdate embroidered. It is our Murphy heirloom!

3 going on 13

Tonight, as I was rewarding Sullivan for a very successful day using the potty, I ask: -Sullivan, what would you like tonight as your surprise for staying dry ALL day? -Sullivan: A car! (Thankfully a chocolate chip cookie did suffice for tonight!) A bit later, while attempting to brush her teeth, sheet shouts in protest: - I need to cry tonight! I cry tonight! And finally, as I leave her room, she joyfully coos: -Happy Easter Day! Is she only 3? Really? Lord, help me as to what is to come!

Jackson!

We just found out this morning that Lee matched in Jackson, MS, for his fellowship in Sports Medicine! We are so excited (and I am so proud!) as this was really what he wanted! So, onward we march! This move won't be until late June/early July of 2012, but that is truly around the corner. Do you have any advice, favorites places, or"two cents" about Jackson? Any suggestions for a pre-kindergarten for Sullivan? A pre-school or Mother's Morning Out for Sawyer?