Francesca at 4.5

D'ya know WHAT?! D'ya know WHAT?!

Anyone who has been within earshot of Francesca the last few months would have heard the above phrase approximately 3 times a minute, preceding every thought, exclamation, or excited utterance. Francesca's enthusiam and interest continue on a high pitch and, as her teacher Dawn put it, Francesca is a 'passionate little life-lover.'

The little lover, and her parents, have had many adventures the past few months -- not only in and around home, but also in Colorado, Pt. Reyes/Inverness, and New York City.

In and around home: the past few months have included Easter (see pictures of making Easter eggs and partying at her very dear friend Mia's house), Mother's Day (you can see the necklace she made Ioana, and copious kissing on the porch), more dance class, more playing with friends (see pictures of bathing with Marcos on top -- much needed after literally rolling around in the mud), more fun at school (Francesca has begun reading short words, continues to love Spanish, and is in love with her teacher), and just more.

But sometimes it's time to have no more so, after closing in on five years of sleeping with a pacifier, Francesca had a goodbye paci brunch party on June 3 involving friends, streamers, balloons, and cupcakes and cake decorated by hers truly. Saying goodbye to her pacis has not been easy, but she has done it.

Colorado: the second picture (top row) is of Francesca making good artistic use of our time at the Denver airport, waiting for a delayed flight. She is a champ about travel and its occasional travails. Instead of getting annoyed by all the hurry up and waiting, she talked to everyone and even flirted her way (and her parents') into a ride around the United terminal on a motorized cart -- at a pace perilous to all travelers unfortunate enough to be using only their feet. Francesca's second trip to the snow was as great as the first (sledding was the favorite activity), and she continued to demonstrate her polar bear genes, frolicking apple-cheeked in freezing temperatures.

Pt. Reyes/Inverness: In April we spent a long weekend in drizzly but friendly Inverness. No radio, tv, computer, or cell phone reception in the house we rented -- but it did have an old-fashioned turntable, so Francesca spent hours and hours going through the house's astounding classic rock collection, DJ'ing and dancing like mad. Plus the little local beach was a blast (see pictures of Francesca in the sand) and we enjoyed dining out about twice a day. This coming up weekend we're heading back to Inverness with Mia and her family. This time it will be 80 degrees and our house has its own tiny beach, so three days of sand and sunblock- lotioned girls here we come!

NYC: We three spent a week in May in Brooklyn and Manhattan and had a ball (other than the interminable flight back involving nine hours actually on the plane and a pit stop in Salt Lake City to refuel). We stayed with friends in Brooklyn (including Francesca's favorite, three-year old Benna who you can see with Francesca in the bath and on a chair) and from there did daily adventures including the Museum of Natural History, the NY Public Library, carousels (pics of the ones at Bryant Park and Central Park), various parks (including a fantastic carnival at Central Park with all the rides), Rockefeller Center (picture of Ioana and Francesca in mid-spin), etc. For some reason, every time we rode the subway (which was often), Francesca broke out into song, always in Spanish and often loud. Upon first exiting a subway in Manhattan, Francesca somehow knew to head for the nearest vendor to get a hotdog (no bun, thank you), and she didn't take long to find a soft-serve ice cream and learn the fine art of diner dining. She also knew not to leave Central Park without demanding a horse-drawn carriage ride!

But the best part of being in New York was seeing people -- the friends we stayed with, Francesca's grandfather, her uncle David, and dear friends who flew in from London to meet up with us in New York. Ioana's best friend in Kindergarten was Liz, who now lives in London with her husband and two girls -- the older of whom, Zoe, is four and is in the pictures with Ioana and with Francesca on various rides. Zoe and Francesca at the Central Park carnival were a riot. They stuck out their arms and flashed everyone their all-access wristbands while running past them for the rides. The mental leap to all-night clubbing was all too easy.

This week Francesca 'graduates' from preschool. She will spend the summer at summer camp at her current school, including six weeks of daily water/swim lessons. In September, Francesca will enter Kindergarten at Archway, a small, funky, independent Oakland school.

At Francesca's graduation ceremony her class will be performing "Five Little Monkeys Sitting In A Tree," en Espanol! She asks at least daily when her performance will be, itching to get on stage and fulfill her frequent declaration that she will grow up and be an opera singer. Being able to remain a diva would certainly work!

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