Readers of this blog know that one of our favorite rituals is Marin saying the pre meal blessing in her native Amharic.
She suddenly switched to English on us.
Last week Marin sat down, asked us to all hold hands, and then started naming people. Us, her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and her teachers at day care. Then Emmy will usually jump in with a few names Marin forgot.
Colleen is all excited that the girls are thinking about people and naming them. I am too, but I am also bummed that one more vestige of their Ahmaric is disappearing.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
I wanna be the one in control
Frequent readers of this post know that one of our favorite family routines is Marin blessing the meal in her native Amharic. The children at the orphanage in Addis cover their eyes with their hands when they pray (important to remember this fact).
Sometimes Marin will hold us hostage at mealtime by refusing to say the prayer, and Emmy is not old enough to know the prayer, so we just coax Marin along until she says it.
Yesterday Colleen was fed up with Marin so Colleen started to say the blessing in English. Marin ran over to Emmy and whispered in her ear (Marin whispers at about 90 decibels) "Emmy. Mommy prayer. Don't close eyes. OK?" It was Marin's form of a hunger strike, I guess, and she was dragging her sister into it for solidarity.
Sometimes Marin will hold us hostage at mealtime by refusing to say the prayer, and Emmy is not old enough to know the prayer, so we just coax Marin along until she says it.
Yesterday Colleen was fed up with Marin so Colleen started to say the blessing in English. Marin ran over to Emmy and whispered in her ear (Marin whispers at about 90 decibels) "Emmy. Mommy prayer. Don't close eyes. OK?" It was Marin's form of a hunger strike, I guess, and she was dragging her sister into it for solidarity.
Too hot, Baby
Friday afternoon was our first really hot day, about 96 when I picked the kids up from daycare. I had the AC in the car blasting full bore. That wasn't enough for Marin.
She was in the back seat chewing me out like there was no tomorrow.
"Daddy! Daddy! Too Hot! Too Hot!"
" Daddy need tissue. Wipe head. Wipe head!"
"Daddy open door" (we're on a highway at this point)
Daddy! Look at me. Shirt is wet. Shirt is wet!"
And the look on her face was priceless. Something like "If I could only reach your throat right now you better believe I would choke the very last breath from your miserable life, you SOB"
She was in the back seat chewing me out like there was no tomorrow.
"Daddy! Daddy! Too Hot! Too Hot!"
" Daddy need tissue. Wipe head. Wipe head!"
"Daddy open door" (we're on a highway at this point)
Daddy! Look at me. Shirt is wet. Shirt is wet!"
And the look on her face was priceless. Something like "If I could only reach your throat right now you better believe I would choke the very last breath from your miserable life, you SOB"
Monday, May 21, 2007
Oh won't you staaayeeeaaaay (jackson Browne)
This morning I went to wake the girls.
Meron was already upright in bed. She took one look at me in my suit and said "Stay! Daddy Stay. No working. Stay". And then she started crying.
I had this totally mixed emotion of:
(1) Happy. because Wow! She really enjoys spending time with us as a family and we are doing a good job of bonding.
(2) Bummed. Because I would really like to spend the whole day with them, too.
Luckily next weekend is a three day weekend.
Meron was already upright in bed. She took one look at me in my suit and said "Stay! Daddy Stay. No working. Stay". And then she started crying.
I had this totally mixed emotion of:
(1) Happy. because Wow! She really enjoys spending time with us as a family and we are doing a good job of bonding.
(2) Bummed. Because I would really like to spend the whole day with them, too.
Luckily next weekend is a three day weekend.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Sick
Our kids way over respond when they know or believe someone else is sick.
For example, at school, if a teacher or kid they like calls in sick, our kids will cry and be bummed out all day.
After talking with other Ethiopian families that experienced similar things, we have a theory.
In Ethiopia, people die when they get sick. Even a common cough, to which we do not give a second thought, is often tuberculosis or some other killer in Ethiopia.
So for us, sick means I'm a little under the weather. For our kids, sick means you're gonna die and I'm going to face another loss. That's why they react so powerfully.
For example, at school, if a teacher or kid they like calls in sick, our kids will cry and be bummed out all day.
After talking with other Ethiopian families that experienced similar things, we have a theory.
In Ethiopia, people die when they get sick. Even a common cough, to which we do not give a second thought, is often tuberculosis or some other killer in Ethiopia.
So for us, sick means I'm a little under the weather. For our kids, sick means you're gonna die and I'm going to face another loss. That's why they react so powerfully.
Rat me out
I get home last night and Meron is all excited to see me, in a devious sort of way. She waves me to bend over so she can whisper in my ear. She says "Emmy school po-potty fellante" (Emmy accidentally peed her pants at school today). Then she giggled and danced a jig.
Kids can be so mean. I hope Meron does not grow up to be a mean girl. She's pretty enough and smart enough to be really good at it.
Kids can be so mean. I hope Meron does not grow up to be a mean girl. She's pretty enough and smart enough to be really good at it.
Button Pusher
Emmy is a pro at discovering people buttons, and then just pushing it endlessly.
At day care, Emmy met a little boy (Brady) who she thinks is fond of Meron. So Emmy starts in with "Meron naughty". Sure enough, Brady stands right up for Meron. "No she is not. Meron is a nice girl. I like her".
Big mistake. Emmy practically puts herself into a trance with her incessant monotone chant of "Meron naughty". Brady was having a triple heart attack in his zeal to defend Meron's honor. While Brady is flailing and sputtering, Emmy just sits as calm as the eye of a hurricane, expressionlessly staring at Brady, secure in the knowledge the teachers will not let Brady hit her, and taunts Brady with "Meron naughty".
At day care, Emmy met a little boy (Brady) who she thinks is fond of Meron. So Emmy starts in with "Meron naughty". Sure enough, Brady stands right up for Meron. "No she is not. Meron is a nice girl. I like her".
Big mistake. Emmy practically puts herself into a trance with her incessant monotone chant of "Meron naughty". Brady was having a triple heart attack in his zeal to defend Meron's honor. While Brady is flailing and sputtering, Emmy just sits as calm as the eye of a hurricane, expressionlessly staring at Brady, secure in the knowledge the teachers will not let Brady hit her, and taunts Brady with "Meron naughty".
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