Milestones 2012

This year, C:

• turned 6
• received a special blessing at a Mayan ceremony on her birthday
• lost her first tooth, lost two front teeth, got new ones to replace them, and gained two molars
• read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (in English and Spanish)
• passed levels 2 ("Floating") and 3 ("Survival") in swimming and is now in level 4 ("Crawl Stroke") 
• started ballet lessons and performed on stage in a performance of Giselle
• earned a yellow belt in karate
• won her first trophy
• stopped using training wheels on her bike
• graduated from kindergarten  
• developed some mean muscles
• perfected her rooster call
• changed her favorite color (from purple to turquoise)

In 2012, K:

• stopped nursing
• stopped wearing diapers
• stopped taking naps
• turned 3 
• celebrated a joint birthday party with her Abuelito (Grandfather) who turned 70
• started swimming lessons, passed level 1 ("Bubbles") and is now in level 2 ("Floating")
• developed her ability to share - and the enjoyment she gets out of it
• "wrote" her first word with magnet letters: "Tato" ("Dad")
• tried out school by going to 2 "vacation courses"
• started understanding jokes in K'iche' 
• changed her favorite color (from orange to turquoise)

Together, they:

• mourned the loss of a godmother (Tina) and two cats (our own Cresh and our neighbor's cat Nieve)
• met their 1st first-cousin on the Durbin side - their 8th first-cousin overall!
• worked out an involved system of sharing that uses odd/even days to determine who has first dibs for various special things 
• invented a sweet game where they hold hands, yell "Sisters Forever!" and fall backwards 

In addition to these listed items, there are of course all the intangibles... the excitement they feel when a friend shows up... their yells as they rush towards Tato when he comes home from work... the freedom of their dance moves... the wonder and joy on their faces when they notice a bug or flower or sunset... their developing gratitude and generosity... their open, shining hearts... their love for one another, for life, for the world...