School

We haven't been posting much because this isn't a very photogenic time of year for the family. This is the season when when we stress over getting snacks, and socks, and teeth brushed so we are on time for school and the teachers will like us. When we live in fear over a call from the school. When there inevitably is a call from the school. We have been very preoccupied with Thomas starting a new school (again), this time at the Maadi British International School.

It is very different from Kompass. Lots of structure, kids wear uniforms, and bulk of time on reading and "numeracy." T was only conditionally accepted, and we have been waiting, holding our breath, to see if it was a good school for him. There were some dark days at first. One morning, the "learning support" lady announced, by surprise, that if I left Thomas there that day without an outside aide for him, she was afraid of another incident that would get him tossed out. But did we soldier on? Did we stay calm, emphasize the positive, and start to get used to the routine? We did.

Is it the right school for Thomas? It is.

He loves it. He has made friends. He gets 10/10 on his spelling tests. He comes home and tries to read books for fun. He loves his teacher. I love his teacher. He says he is the best at math in his class. He gets free choice time, and "golden time" if he finishes his worksheets early. He loves his worksheets.

The school is right on the edge of the wadi (desert). It gets great light. It has a pirate-ship play structure. Some of us get to play on it even without being enrolled.

Daddy is intermittently in Libya, but has also been home many weeks. That has been real nice.

And here is a dragon we made.

Social Skills, Part II

Thomas came home from soccer practice last night very excited about making friends with a boy Matteo, who is also in his class at the British School.

Thomas: Mom, when we were in Movieland, before I went into your womb, Matteo and I had the same DNA. It was like the experiment with the penny in the glass that you can't see . . . At first you can see it, then it disappears under the water and then you find it again.

Me: you mean, at first you knew you had the same dna, but then you met him again at school and didn't know, and now you've realized it again?

Thomas: Yes! At the soccer game!

Me: that's very poetic. Um, how would you say that in regular six-year-old language? (this is a big new theme of Dahlia's: that Dave and I need to do a better job of talking to T like a normal six year old.)

Thomas: oh, well in Movieland we had the same DNA . . .

Me: Most other six year olds won't know what DNA is.

Thomas: They don't? (surprised and kind of proud expression)

Me: Nope

Thomas: Ok, well in Movieland we were friends and then we saw each other again-

Me: Most other six year olds don't know about Movieland.

Thomas: oh, well, they can ask me and I'll tell them,-

Me: They may not ask. They may just think it's kind of unexpected-

Thomas: OK, ok. well (shrugs) I made friends with Matteo at a soccer game?

Me: Perfect!

(Actually T just learned about DNA yesterday from a Captain Underpants comic book- )


- Posted by Laura

On the Nile

I am so glad to be able to share with you the photos from Felucca-palooza, Giacomo's goodbye celebration.  

 

 We were two boats tied together.  That's Giacomo's dad on the guitar.

Here's Giacomo on top of the world:

And here's Thomas:

This girl had just moved to Cairo with her family.  They looked ecstatic all evening.  I suspect they will be disappointed when the rest of their time in Cairo is not like this at all.

And how does the "empty room" look now with furniture?  Quite nice, thank you.

This chair is controversial.  We really like it, but if we are honest with ourselves, it's too big for the room.

And here are some sweet memories of days gone by:

August at the Art cafe

It was a little sad and weird coming back this fall since so many of our friends from last year have left. Or had they?

It turned out Giacomo and his family were back in town to pack up for their next assignment in Kuwait. We had a great week or so hanging out with them-- and a beUtiful goodbye party on a felucca.


I hope to have more pics of that soon- at one point all the kids climbed up and sat on the canvas roof of the boat and it was quite something--

Then we did a week of art camp at the art cafe. Thomas made some amazing things.


Here he and Emmett show off their art skills at home.




Mulu is back on the scene. If she is a little overwhelmed by this household with a perennially missing father and totally disorganized mother, she has only barely let it show. It turns out she is also a crack shot with a bow and arrow. I don't think we have photos of that, sadly, but here are Diana and Juan taking aim at our new backyard target.


So we do still have some old friends about!

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