Growing still, adjusting again

It is ten in the morning, and here I am in a totally quiet house in Atlanta. We somehow managed to survive moving back to the US, moving to a new house in Atlanta, The-Summer-That-Was-Without-Patrick. And then today-- Norah started Kindergarten today, and Kata started at her new Preschool. The house is sooo quiet, which I know I will grow to appreciate, but Mr. Potato Head and I are feeling pretty lonely for now. So, while I COULD be using my alone time to pick up Mr. Potato Head's pieces that have been scattered all across the living room floor since Friday, I think I'll just indulge myself instead. I have always loved keeping this blog, and it hasn't felt quite right to let it drop since we left Guyana. So, while we are no longer Guyana girls, we are still Liming, and having plenty of adventures worth documenting for posterity.

Here are some highlights from the past four months:

We rode a camel

We learned about Spring

We moved into a big girl bed (and had some tantrums, camera-related and otherwise)

We moved into a new house in a new city

We partied

We had one great beach vacation...

...and another

We had a lot of fun at summer camps

...and then it was here.  The big day!

Here they go.

She couldn't be more ready!

And, I'd like to add that while I was waiting for these pictures to upload, I picked up the pieces of Mr. Potato Head.  A little blog therapy does wonders, and everyone is exactly where they should be.

Birthday! (Parts II and III)

On Norah's big day this year, we were making the trek (and official move!) back to the US. She was so excited to have an airport birthday, so, well, we delivered:



Serious about airport cupcakes.



Presents after cake at 7am in the airport lounge at Cheddi Jagan. How many five year-olds can say they have celebrated their birthdays in a Guyanese airport lounge?



Back home again in the USA! (and reunited with hard-partying Stella-dog)



Little Sister, not at all opposed to a third opportunity to eat cake.



And, that's a wrap. Three birthday cakes and lots of love for this big girl!

Tea Party!

The packers have left and I have my first quiet moment of the day. Kata is making "the number J" with Play-Doh on the kitchen counter next to me while Norah naps (typical). The downstairs is full of boxes...so I am taking this time to write about Norah's great Fifth Birthday Tea Party!

My big girl dwarfed by a mountain of sugar.



So excited!



We made tea party hats.



All the ladies hard at work



Sweet Mya



Lovely Zada



Cheeky Katherine Eva



Plotting



Norah and Thandi chow down



Tea for the ladies



So happy!



Cheers to the birthday girl!



FIVE!

So Long, Dear Playgroup!

Our wonderful dear Friday afternoon "Georgetown Mini-Club" hosted a playgroup-style going away party for the us last week. So many memories from such a fabulous community over the past three years. I did not cry. That's a lie.

Norah with Kanae and Mia



Kata subtly calling her friends



Old friends



Old (young) friends



Norah and Kata felt compelled to make sand angels. No one else did.



Gifts!



Opening presents



A sweet card from the children for my Guyana Girls. We are really going to miss this group!

Going Green

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Guyana!

Mashin it Up

First of all, a little throw-back moment: Norah and me at the Mashramani Day Parade, 2010



Mash celebrations this year started again at Learning Tree. For representing the "Six Cultures of Guyana," the teachers asked me to dress Norah as a "European." Yes, I have just dressed my daughter as a colonist.



The Six Cultures: Amerindian, African, Portuguese, Chinese, Indian (times two), and European



Norah modeling the Guyana Coat of Arms



This is where Kata spent much of the show:



A slight improvement towards participation:



Children's Parade



We went (briefly) again this year to the official Mashramani Parade in Georgetown. Always fun, always hottttttt. Not pictured: the bucket of iced beers that was a saving grace for both adults (beer) and children (ice).



Spot the anaconda.