Sloths and Spanglish

(http://www.slothsanctuary.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/70.jpg)

Landon and I used to joke that Henia has magical powers. But now I'm convinced it's true. Besides doing the laundry, cooking, and cleaning, she manages to do fun things for the kids like show them a freshly-dug armadillo hole and the sloth hanging from the tree in our backyard. I learned that sloths aren't that fun to watch, however, as their slow metabolisms curtail any action-packed entertainment. Looking at this picture is about the same as watching the live one in our yard.



Logan has conquered many foods and likes his new highchair. He still prefers my lap, however. Can't blame him. In Chloe's words: "Mom, you're so soft and comfy."



Landon's newest toucan trackers are the group of young men from the church. They enjoyed that mutual activity.



The kids run around in biker gangs here. All our kids finally have bikes now, as we scavenged wheels from graduating families who returned to their native countries. These bikes have been passed down for generations of student families, so I've become adept at tightening chains, pumping tires, and adding/subtacting training wheels.



Joss and her neighbor friends, Tania and Carla. They speak a Spanglish dialect together. Example: "Quieres jugar at my house?" Tania and Carla are both from Columbia and about the same age as Joss. Tania's mom was disappointed that we don't fulfill the stereotype of being tall Americans. She likes to compare Joss and Tania, and then give advice on how to help Joss grow. "You just give them carrots and fruit when they're hungry," she once remarked disapprovingly. "I give Tania two glasses of chocolate milk every day. That's why she's big."



This is what happens if I try to sleep late: a cuddle-fest in my bed. I could think of worse things to wake up to.