Sunday, June 14, 2009

A visit to the Airport

Here is my first Rich moment! It was so nice seeing Galina happy with Rich on their way to see the US PGA Open in NY.


Zaza and Stella visiting her new home

Super busy Sunday!  We got to see Katie and Galina in one day!



A day in the life of the ZaZa.

icecream, painting, swimming and you know the usual scooter shopping.






Reunions Galore!

Back to the Palm for a lovely lunch and seeing all my old friends! 
Chuckles took great care of us, and Tommy and Geoff were so much fun,
 i think Zaza was in love with Geoff!

I had a great visit with Leslie, my old freshman and sophomore roomie from Clark University!  I hadn't seen Angela since 1987, and that was a real treat.  Todd, women's hoop coach now, was scouting in Pennsylvania, so he drove down to meet us for Thai dinner. 
 It was a great end to a great day.  Earlier in the sweltering heat, we had been down on the mall checking out the Jefferson Memorial, so lunch at the Palm was really a must!  LOL

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

This morning at 6:06am a crack of thunder was so insanely loud and long and SO out of the blue (very atypical in DC to have thunderstorms in the morning let alone at sunrise!)  I was jolted awake ... heart was racing; staring out our open window at a yellowish sky- for the shortest of seconds-  I truly thought we had been bombed and 
I was seeing remnants of a massive explosion.  
I lay in bed for an hour marveling the torrent of rain and lighting bolts;
 it was one of those moments I won't soon forget. 
Zara had the pleasure of not moving a muscle til 930am!
I was fortunate enough to receive this pic from Chrissy- 
its a snap of Cherise, who used be work with me at the PALM.  A few weeks ago it was her birthday so i have been thinking of her but had no working email for her.   
Cherise is our guardian angel- she was the ONE who miraculously introduced Christina to us in January of 2007.  Here she is, in Norfolk, VA in her Navy uniform, 
presently she is out to sea for 7 months.
I love this family shot, Tommy is working for Matt and his Dad nowadays and so everyone happened to be in town for a quick visit to see Zaza- as she now calls herself!  School is out and LET the GAMES begin!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

DC walking Tour

We took the metro downtown to meet Grandma Zarr and Ashley (my friend from Egypt and India/Pakistan)to do a fabulous walking tour of  the Dupont Circle/McPhearson area.  
Don't ask, some yoga/artists "working out" in the middle of the traffic circle / park!
Zara taking notes while the tourguide was talking, at least she heard some of it;  
i was having fun chatting with Ashley  in the back
You can see the pretty big group standing behind Zara that was on the tour!  
I was personally surprised at such a huge turnout.
Here's poor Ashley chasing the Munch munching strawberries

A day out in Hagerstown

Little Sitina's first birthday, Zara was in Heaven especially when she saw Sitina's m&m cake!
We had a perfect friday in Hagerstown, 
starting the afternoon off right with a meal at "Friendly's".   Well, Grandma Rock 
and I had a meal; Zara just went straight for an ice cream sundae!
Zara played with Mary in their back garden; what a beautiful green space!  
It is always so peaceful there...
laying on the hammock, eating chinese take-away, playing on snapfish!!

Zara went to her follow up visit at National Children's hospital this week, she looked strong and progressing very well walking!  Dr. Morozova said she can keep using her ankle braces until the end of the years but it's not necessary to wear them religiously. Good for us!  I did push the doctor when I asked, "I understand that hypotonia is a symptom of some other issue; is there something else, as a parent, I can do to find out more for Zara."  I did get a referral to a geneticist to be tested for Connective Tissue Disorder, due to her super flexibility in her joints...so i am very happy about that, and i hope we will learn more Zara soon!  Otherwise we have quite the little contortionist-acrobat on our hands! 
Either way- she certainly isn't slowing down in ANY way.   We are so impressed with her strength, she hangs on monkey bars and throws balls about the house!  She is in love with basketball bikes...she cant wait to be bigger i can tell!  She seems to know her colors already, already reads a few "sight words" and counts up to four with understanding.  
This week, her favorite character is Mr McGregor in Peter Rabbit, she even told me 
at the pool today, "No no Meester" and "watering can".  
Every day a new and funny statement comes out of her mouth.  

Monday, May 25, 2009

22 months and finally over 20 pounds!



with Sophia at the zoo: 
Zara seems only to remember that the Daddy gorilla "kicked" the Mommy gorilla who was holding the newborn gorilla.  The "daddy" gorillas (there were 2 of them) both advanced aggressively towards the Mommy (nursing a baby gorilla), so the Mommy had to make a protective gesture...  it was a tense moment!
ZaZa eating daddy's ribs at our gymboree BBQ!! and our matching dresses below!

Three short weeks 'til we see Aunite Becs and Uncle Anthony at Rehoboth Beach.  The scooter has been returned and in the shop.  Zara's been swimming at palisades pool.  She just got over her double EYE and EAR infections.  Bike rides and Zoo visits almost every day.. finally feels like summer!  Today we are excited; going to see Sitina's on her first Birthday. 
 Zara... or ZaZa as she now calls herself, has discovered the fun of birthdays events; seems to HER that we sing, blow out candles and then get to eat "Ice Cream and Oreos"  Not sure why she doesn't say Cake, but her usual shriek includes, "APKA and AVAVAs" which means the aforementioned!


Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Scooter essentially stolen TWICE





What a week, Poor Munch had a double ear and eye infection with fever.. here she is in the doctors waiting room... it may seem sadistic of me to snap the cell phone shot while she was so distraught, however they make you wait so long there and i was looking for distractions- 
for her and me!   
And anyway, she has way too many cutiepie pics, so i figured this shot will show the face she shows no one; the face i get to see when she doesn't get the "round cheese" and 
ONLY gets the string cheese!  What a cause for alarm!
  We also went to see Cathy Easter and Family in Baltimore; Zara was in heaven there.  We also returned the loaned crib since i acquired a toddler bed for Zara!  
It was also Nooka's 2nd birthday on Sunday as well, Grandma and Grandpa Zarr missed the party since grandpa was at his 50th Clark Univ reunion! 
 Lastly, the cops woke me up in the middle of the night!   Zara was taken from her bed (by me) at 2am to go on a silly jaunt around the neighborhood to meet up with the police who had recovered my scooter.  It had been stolen from our street a few hours earlier.  However, since I was alone with Zara there was no way i could bring the bike home, so the police and I moved it from the alley to a more secure location & locked it up.   Upon returning in the am to retrieve it, i discovered it had been stolen again and hasn't been seen since!  
"bye bye moped"

Monday, May 11, 2009

Mothers' Day Week!

What a week: Yesterday was Mother's Day, we didn't hear from Christina, as we have in the past.  Before the day was over I did send a picture and text simply saying, "without you we wouldn't be celebrating mother's day...thank you isn't enough" 
We also visited Missy and Sitina last evening for a little time together, they both look so wonderful together- what a perfect family they make.
Above is a funny snap of Zara cheering at Florence's birthday.
 Below--playing with Kate...check out her new sweater from Sitina! 
The highlight was going to Summer's bridal shower 
where Zara was supporting Summer in all her present openings!

Chocolate Strawberry mouth
Lauren and the Munch at Summer's shower, what a perfect affair.. still dreaming of chocolate covered strawberries...yumyum!
Mike & Summer almost married!!!!!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Helena in DC

Zara wearing Aisha's gift, super cool soccer flip flops!

Pizza lunch on the porch with Helena and her old Boss's daughter's family who just happens to live on our block here in DC.  Talk about 6 degrees...
Our super expensive pool!
here is Helena, a girlfriend from my past-  Tunisia 5th & 6th grades and girl scouts!