The Artist in Training. Ocean Life.

For Eliza's birthday I got her a series of Canvas Creations, which are actually pretty neat!  There is a basic outline of various scenes, ocean life, dinosaurs and hummingbirds.  They are somewhat similar to the old paint-by-numbers, but without the numbers, so you can be a bit more creative.  Eliza loves them!    She likes that she can mix her own paint colors to branch out from the basic color pallet and can start to use textures by laying her paints.  I've ordered some bank canvases and can put my own outlines on those so she has a diverse series of scenes to paint.

Eliza is pretty serious about her painting, as you can see.

And she is pretty pleased with her results.

Eliza has about 30 different brushes and is learning to use different brushes to obtain different effects and textures.

And the end result is suitable for framing!

Party Anyone?

Eliza had another fun filled birthday party in honor of her 6th birthday.  This year's theme was a combination Pokemon and Kirby characters.

The birthday girl woke up early to make sure the festivities got off to a proper start.

Eliza and I (and about 25 other children) had our faces painted with Kirby, Waddle Dee and Pikachu courtesy of Aunt Bonnie and Otto's mom, Jennifer.

Nana declined the face painting, but did take her place in the Queen Bee chair.

We had lots of arts and crafts, including custom coloring books and t-shirts to paint (a bold move with 25 Kindergartners and Preschoolers) and an assortment of Pokemons.

There were tasty treats for both young and old.

James served once again in the role of "brave Pinata holder" and for a second year in a row walked away unscathed.

The expected mayhem ensued when the Pinata was successfully broken.

And thanks to cousin Peter we had a beautiful and tasty Kirby cake and an equally delicious Pokemon cake thanks to Aunt Bonnie.

Eliza waited patiently for her cake, until once again cousin Adriana volunteered to hold Eliza over the cake so she could blow out her candles.

I think a good time was had by all, especially Eliza, my beautiful little girl.

The R-Word

Please think twice the next time you think it is funny to use the word "retard" or "retarded" to describe someone.

You probably don't even realize how often you do it.

It is not funny.  

It is not "slang."  

It is demeaning to millions of people with cognitive impairments.  

People like Max.

   


Just don't do it.

OK?

My Legs Tell My Feet to Have Fun

But my lungs tell me to rest.  This was Eliza's own commentary tonight on her frequent coughing and shortness of breath.  It is sad to hear her say this.  And it is sad to know that after almost six years of pulmonology appointments and breathing treatments, there is no end in sight to it.  Tonight Eliza also told me that she thought music would help her lungs.  I have no idea where she got this idea, but given the failure of everything else to help her lungs, it could be worth a try.

It is hard to hear your six year old sound defeated.  It is hard to hear her say that she has to rest during Physical Education or Tai Kwon Do because her lungs need to rest.  It is hard to know that this is all because my body failed to carry her for a full nine months.  It is hard for her to know that people don't understand that she isn't coughing because of a cold, but because she trying to catch her breath.  It is hard for her to hear her friends tell her she is gross because she produces an astonishing amount of mucous and when she sneezes, well it can be an impressive sight.  It is hard to hear her ask when the coughing will stop and not having an answer.

I know that other kids have a much harder journey.

But it is still hard for my little Eliza.

City Photos By Eliza

Not bad photography for an almost 6 year old.

And if you could only see the videos she takes when no one is watching :)

Little Bed Big Bed

In honor of Eliza's upcoming sixth birthday, Eliza moved from "little bed"

To "big bed" (yes they have names).

Biscuit, Cracker, Todd, Smutty, Cowy, Baby Biscuit and Kaloo all successfully made the transition as well.  I was beyond thankful that she picked out lovely bedding for "big bed" since she was first aiming for the hideously striped orange and red bedding!

Eliza also has a new writing table and insisted she needed garden flowers to help her write better.  Apparently the flower lights will contribute far more to her fine motor function than any number of sessions with her occupational therapist.

Eliza continues to impress me with her art work.  Eliza is currently in the Pokemon characters in oil pastels phase:

Her photography is coming along too!  The Canon DSLR weighs almost as much as she does but Eliza is able to hold the camera pretty well.  This is a Pacific Sailfish and a Barracuda (I think):

A Date With Matthew

Eliza can work "attitude" with the best of New Yorkers.  She can do good "tough girl" face, even while sporting a striped pompom hat and polka dot coat. 

Eliza is also branching out into the family business of photography.  Her photo of Matthew, taken with a Digital SLR that weighs almost as much as she does isn't too bad for a beginner, especially given that it was taken on a moving city bus.

But the tough girl face fades as she heads out on a play date with her cousin Matthew:

They both love the American Museum of Natural History.  The Rose Center for Earth and Science is the one place where Eliza weighs 85 pounds.  Well, at least that's what she would weigh on Jupiter :)

You can spin this around and see how the winds on the Sun appear and disappear.

Or you can just get really excited watching your pompom hat spin and the heck with the Sun.

Or you can learn that somewhere, to some people you are the center of the universe.

And after a great day with Matthew, you can just laugh out loud and let the world know you are one happy kid.