So... since Isabel became verbal at some ridiculously early age, I have been meaning to keep a list of some of the more interesting quotes. Now, at the age of 4.5 yo, I am am finally getting around to it. Better late than never!
October 2008 - Corporal punishment (and the threat of it) is quite common in St. Lucia, but is not used in our family. So, this weekend Isabel said to me "Mommy, what's up with all this talk about beating kids. I want to stop that. Parents should love kids, not beat them." Kind of a serious thought from her, but a nice sentiment to share.
October 2008 -
Isabel: Mommy, if I love daddy to the moon and he loves me to the moon and back, does that mean he loves me more than I love him?
Sasha: Daddy has a bigger heart than you and he loves you as much as he can with his heart. You love daddy as much as you can with your heart. You both love each other the very most that you are able to.
Isabel: Ahhhh (all is apparently clear).
September 2008 -
Isabel: "Daddy, are you a doctor yet?"
Ramzi: "No, not yet."
Isabel: "That's a really long book you are writing!"
August 2008 - Normally these quotes are "Isabel Originals" but on a recent visit her great grandma Lee had a priceless one that just had to be added. We were visiting my grandfather at the nursing center and she saw a nurse aide covered in tattoos all over and my grandma went up to her and said, "May I read your literature?" The aide responded in the affirmative and Lee spend some time reading her arms.
July 2008 - Apparently Isabel made a new friend at school today whom she was very eager to tell us about. He is 6 and she doesn't remember his name. And then she told me... "I liked him. He liked me. Then I realized I loved him and he loved me. And so I decided to fall in love with him."
July 2008 - "My daddy is smarter than you. He went to a really good school called Dartmouth."
July 2008 - "I had a dream about Bob Marley last night. He came to our house."
July 2008 - "It's so sad that Bob Marley died. And he never got to meet me. Did he meet you?"
July 2008 - Isabel has been wanting be a mommy for some time now. Recently we had this discussion:
Sasha: Isabel, you look down. What's up?
Isabel: I am just so sad that I have to wait to be a grown-up before I can become a mommy. I don't want to wait until I am 15.
Sasha (terrified of becoming a very young grandma): You will need to wait a lot longer than until just 15.
May 2008 - When discussing religion, Isabel explained to someone that she was "Christian and Hanukkah." Apparently I need to do a better job at teaching what Judaism is to her!
May 2008 - "Mommy, did you fart.... if it wasn't you, it must have been G-d who farted. I know you didn't do it, but could you say excuse me for G-d's fart?"
May 2008 - "Cool. You know... Rock Star Cool."
April 2008 - "Mommy, I love you and daddy more than anything in the world. I love you both the most. More than G-d, but my teachers told me I have to love G-d the most. But I love you and daddy the most."
April 2008 - On landing in St. Lucia after a trip to the US - "Yea! I am back in my country! I am in St. Lucia, my country!"
April 2008 - "Mommy, you cook superv (sic) food!"
April 2008 - "Mommy. I am a big girl. Really. I am 4. I can do it all by myself. I am not 3. I am not 1. I am not 2. I am 4. Please understand. I am really a big girl."
April 2008 - "Someday will you let me push a baby out of my body?"
April 2008 - When asked what is different between New York City and Saint Lucia, Isabel responded that in NYC, "everyone wears black" and "all the people are white."
April 2008 - When driving through NYC after arriving from Saint Lucia, Isabel says, "Mommy, what are those red shooting things." Sasha responds, "You mean the traffic lights?" Ah... the reality of a girl growing up in Saint Lucia. Traffic lights are very exciting and exotic!
October 2007 - "I am the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia."
Spring 2007 - "I am just a little girl. My hands are very small."
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Isabel Quotes
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Isabel at Coconut Bay
Ramzi flew back to the US on Sat. and Isabel and I decided to go for a girl's night to Coconut Bay. Here are a few photos of our waterbaby enjoying the waterpark!
Isabel, Angel, and Blossom
Isabel has made some new friends at our condo - Angel (8 yo) and Blossom (2 yo, I think). As you can see, they share her passion for dressing in costumes!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
La Rose Festival
According to the Government of St. Lucia web-site:
Where, in some countries, the population may be divided into classes and castes, in the context of Saint Lucia’s Cultural traditions there exist two ‘Societies’, Roses and Marguerites - singing societies whose members are dedicated to the praising of those respective flowers.
Each society holds an annual festival or grande fete, an elaborate and colourful event full of pomp and pageantry, which is preceded by several months of nightly singing practices called “Seances”.
Presiding over the annual festivals are the ‘King’ and ‘Queen who are accompanied by their royal entourage of Dukes, Duchesses, Princes, Princesses, Soldiers, Policemen, Magistrates, Doctors, nurses, the clerical hierarchy and supporters of the respective flowers. Strict protocol is observed at those nightly Seances, with every visitor or participating member, upon entering, bowing to the King and Queen who are present with their court. Police and soldiers in uniform enforce regulations against any disorder, breaches of protocol, or what are considered misdemeanors. Offenders are taken before a magistrate for a mock trial and then fined.
Each society has a patron saint on whose feast day the grande fete is celebrated. For the Roses it is the feast of St. Rose of Lima on the 30th August; and for the Marguerites it is that of St. Margaret Mary Alacocque, 17th October.
The grande fete is celebrated, first with church services throughout the island and afterwards with processions through the streets, the principal personages magnificently attired. In the evening there is a sumptuous banquet to which dignitaries and leading personalities are invited. The rest of the evening is spent in dancing. One can then witness and participate in some of the colourful folk dances, the Quadrille, the Mappa, the Belair and such like.
Click here to see our photos in Flickr from the La Rose Festival.
Originally uploaded by sbgottlieb
And here to see our video of the musicians.
And another...
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Swimming with Grandpa - Photos and Video
Check out Isabel and her Grandpa at the pool!
And a video...
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Isabel's First Day of School!
Isabel had her first day of primary school today. She started "reception" (that is what they call kindergarten at her school) and was VERY excited. Here are a couple of photos and a video. Enjoy! SASHA
VIDEO
Monday, August 25, 2008
Photos of our new place
We moved into a new place here in St. Lucia. This is a condo with a pool (woo hoo). Here are a few pictures of the interior of the condo. I will post exterior shots soon.
Click here to see some photos:
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| Our new condo |
Monday, July 14, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Mother's Day Celebration at the Montessori Centre
A Song for the Moms (Video)
Reception Reciting a Poem for Their Moms (Video)
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Video of Isabel Playing Guitar
Isabel's Nana and Grandpa recently gave her a guitar and since then she has been "composing" her own songs! This video is just one example.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Isabel Dancing at Coconut Bay
Ramzi, Isabel and I went to Coconut Bay this weekend and Isabel was invited up on stage to dance with the band "Synergy." Needless to say, she fully enjoyed herself! Check out the photos and videos for yourself.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Isabel's Rainbow
This is a picture of a rainbow drawn by Isabel. And you will note that on the left side Isabel wrote "ranbo." She is learning to read and write by phonics, so things are spelled the way she hears them, thus rainbow = ranbo. She is definitely enjoying sounding out words and writing.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Isabel Skiing - Cochran's Ski Area - Richmond, VT
Thanks to much work and dedication from her Nana and Grandpypa, Isabel got up on skis and actually did a snowplow down the bunny slop at Cochrans! She looked great and loved it.
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| Isabel Skiing |
Friday, January 4, 2008
Isabel's First Visit to Dartmouth
The three of us visited Hanover, New Hampshire so that Ramzi could introduce Isabel to the miracle that is Dartmouth College. While in that neck of the woods we also visited Ramzi's friend Chuck who retired from DC to Vermont.
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| Dartmouth Visit (Jan. 2007) |