Alot going on with this one!

The speech evaluation was done today. The therapist said the girls were fine. A little delayed, but they're within the scope, so she wasn't concerned. She gave me some tips and strategies to help with their articulation and speech. The girls finally warmed up to her and she actually said their vocabulary was good. Looks like they're good for now. Hopefully ballet and we're planning on using the child developement center here on base to drop them off every now and then. Maybe they'll get over their shyness and being around other kids their age will be good for them. What a relief.




(Sy's in front, Eve in back)
They were bumrushin me and begging me for a "big one". They push my head to one side and I play/act like I'm sleeping complete with snoring. I'll occasionally let out a big loud snore and they scream/giggle every time I do. It's cute.


Well, the girls were supposed to start ballet lessons today, but their instructor was in the hospital over the weekened, released today. So we're starting next week instead. Here's some pictures of the girls in their dance outfits. (Sy's in black and Eve's in pink)


Oh! This one is my man!...in his custom leather motorcycle drag racing suit from the early 90's! He thought he could fit in it, I said he couldn't. Guess who won? He made me dinner last night! hahahaha.

Here's a video of the girls jumpin and twirling around 'dancing'

This one of the girls outside and me sneaking up on and scaring Sy!

A Checklist

I saw this on my friend's blog - thought it was interesting.
Copy it and put in bold what you have done on your own blog!

1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to disneyland
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. seen in person the statue of liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the mona lisa in france
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch-hiked
23. taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden in a gondola in venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or a sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen niagra falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen michaelangelo's david
41. sung karaoke
42. seen the old faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. visited africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. received a prestigious award
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the sistine chapel in person
50. been to the top of the eiffel tower in paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theater
55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of china
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies
62. gone whale watching
63. got flowers for no reason
64. donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. gone sky diving
66. visited a nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a check
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the Lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in times square
74. toured the everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guards in london
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the grand canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire bible
86. visited the white house
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating (I didn't kill it)
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone's life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby
95. seen the alamo in person
96. swam in the great salt lake
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee
100. learned to play an instrument

Pool party

Okay, it's been a few days since I've put something up. So we went to a pool party yesterday at "Mi Amiga" Glenda's house. Her husband works with Sylvin on the same ship. They're from Puerto Rico, so it's been nice having some other Caribbean flavor here to share with. Not to mention all the new recipes I've been learning.
WE all got together for the heck of it, cause we can and it's beautiful outside this time of year. Not to mention they have an amazing view. It was fun hanging out, taking dips in the pool and watching the girls slowly, ever so slowly open up to strangers and the new environment. Eve never once got in the pool. Way too many kids I think for her liking. Sy finally warmed up to the idea and would let me take her in, but didn't want to get too far from me while in there. Eve stuck with Papi most the day and me with Sy. That's how they usually square off. They didn't take naps yesterday and were good anyway but we came home right after dinner time and they went straight to bed.
I've been worried about them talking. I know they say words and they talk, but they don't talk like others their age. Not to mention how painfully shy they are. So I called and they're undergoing a speech evaluation this week. This will only be a screening and if they find cause then they'll move onto a full evaluation and possible treatment. Which might mean preschool already and some other set aside treatment. Which would thrill and scare me all the same time. I'm overstepping myself, so I'll slow down until I know for sure.
They also start ballet/tap lessons this coming Wednesday. Another spouse that serves on the same ship as Sylvin is a dance instructor and she's giving lessons through the MWR (morale welfare and recreation for those outta the loop) program here on base. I can't wait to see them in a tutu and point shoes. They even do a little recital at the end of the classes. So cute. I'll make sure I get some video of them. They're destined to be dancers like their cousins and Auntie Shakyma "Ah-seam-ah", as Evie says. It's going to be a busy week. Hope you all are happy and healthy and have a good week as well. Love from us to you all.
PS. Martin Luther King Day brings alot to mind for me these days. I invite you to reflect on how your heritage/race has affected your life?
If your perplexed by that question then you have your answer.

Crucian Christmas Festival

This is one of the reasons why I love and long for St. Croix on a regular basis. Why I like to call it my second home. It's so rich in culture, pride and love. The above is a video of the islands annual Crucian Christmas Festival. It's the culmination of a season's worth of holidays and celebrations and limin with family and friends. It starts in mid December and they lime and celebrate all the way up to Three Kings Day on Jan 6th. The parade is usually held the Saturday after New Years and they don't stop until the very last troupe has 'whined' down the parade route followed by the very last semi truck pulling a live calypso band with VERY loud speakers. Sylvin's neice Keshaundia won tne Jr. Calypso Queen title and Shakyma, Sylvin's sister, made it home from college to be in one of the troupes.
Here's Keshaundia back in 2005 watching the parade



And here's Shakyma this year in her troupe outfit



I can't wait to take the girls home and show them their inherited Crucian heritage. We were able to attend in 2005, the Christmas before the girls were born. What a special place, what a special people and a very special time in St. Croix

Waves

Just wanted to post this. We took a drive recently and found some BIG waves on the East side of the island. Sylvin estimated them to be about 7ft waves. They were the biggest I've ever seen. It was a overcast windy (as you can probably hear on the video) day. The weather made the news today. I guess we're expierencing a cold front moving in from Japan. It only got to 74 degrees today and mostly rain. The rain and cold front are supposed to last until last Tuesday/early Wednesday. Burrrrr, I know! Terrible weather we're having.

Happy 2009!?!

Posting a few pictures of the girls in their new T'shirts from U.John/A. Ang. Janie picked them out for the girls. So cute. And sunglasses from Grandmalu, they love them!



First picture is Sy and Eve, 2. Sy, 3. Eve


This one is of well...self expanitory!


Wholly Smoke where'd the year go? Not that I'd want to repeat it, but sheesh it went quick.
Well, repeat it maybe?.....if that meant the girls would slow down on the growing and I could be close to family and friends. But that would mean Sylvin's gone for the entire summer again. Well, that's another subject.
Our New Year's Eve was quietly spent at home. We were invited to a party off base, but the girls turn into little stinkers past 10pm usually, so we weren't going to chance it in front of company! We enjoyed ourselves here, flushed a couple of toilets, listened to the neighbors whooping it up and boat horns going off down over the hill in the harbor. Sylvin had to work the 1st, they're having some issues they're ironing out.
Me. I'm good. As much as I enjoy it here, the weather, the sites, I'm getting anxious about ultimately returning to the states. "There's no place like home" Gotta find my fancy shoes, but I've got my black sharpie in hand and I've already "X'd" off four days this month. Not long now, it'll be gone in a blink of an eye.
Love one another, be good to yourselves and get in touch with your spirtual self/God.

Miss and love you all.