In the Dark

So, here we are, 9 short but significant blocks from electricity. This will just be a short post as we're all chillin' in Ben's office while the phones, etc.. charge up and there are emails to return, etc...

This is the second time we've descending and ascending the 19 flights to the apartment with Noa. She only had to be carried the last 7 flights on the way up which is pretty good. Once I'm back home I'll better be able to load a video of that - it's VERY slow going with her doing the steps herself, so carry her is at least a little faster.

So far we've selected to stay home, though if it looks like this will last beyond tomorrow night we may make an escape just because I think we'll have emptied the bathtubs of flushing water and after that conditions rapidly deteriorate. 

As much as it's a pain to get Noa up and down the stairs, the thought of packing out is pretty daunting. Noa doesn't travel light and keeping her occupied in a strange place can be challenging and require a ton more work on our parts. Besides the climb down and up is enough exercise that she's pretty exhausted by the end of the day, which is good for all of us. She seems to like the stairs (mostly). And she certainly enjoys all the family time.

Last night Ben went out to Yoga (the Yoga places being just on the other side of the electricity border). We'd had a somewhat spirited conversation about whether or not he should go, so I don't know if it was hearing us have that converstaion or just her realizing that something was amiss in general (we don't really know how much she is aware of the electric being off - aside from the stairs) but when it was time to go to bed she wanted Daddy and when I said he'd be home later she got very upset. She started to cry and signed that she was sad. It was pretty dramatic - we don't usually see that kind of reaction from Noa. After all, we both are sometimes out in the evening so she is used to having just one of us at bedtime. I reminded that that Daddy said "bye-bye, see you later" and "love you" when he left, and that he'd be back soon but she was pretty upset.

Perhaps even more remarkable - though remarkable mostly in its normalacy, is that I really just had to lay there in bed with her and hold her - and she held me back - until she calmed down. Usually I hold her, and maybe we listen to some music and rock back and forth, this was really the first time she held me and very much in the way one would expect any 7 year-old who was feeling like something was different and not good. Finally she cheered up and we counted beads together for a while until she consented to lay down in her own bed. She was still awake when Ben got home and was very happy to get a big hug from Daddy.

It's always difficult when you child is upset and scared, but I have to say that it was also somehow re-assuring that in whatever way it happened, she understood that something was going on and it was creating some tension or difference or discomfort - and she was communicated that to me. That's big.

Anyway - more when I can. Cheers and safety to all!

Home!!!

This is one of my favorite videos ever!

About a week ago I told Ben that Noa seemed to identify certain pages in her favorite book "Ferdinand the Bull." One of her favorite pages is the penultimate page of the book in which they decide to "take Ferdinand home" because she likes to sign the word "home." But this is the first time Ben's seen her sign "home" without a verbal cue that we're on that page. (It looks like she recognizes the page by feel - possibly the Braille.)

I was actually was taking this video just because the creative way she'd set herself up to read the book (with her foot holding down the pages). In addition to the "home" moment, you can really see that Noa become much more comfortable and adventurous moving around.

Anyway - watch carefully. You can see that Ben is totally shocked when he realizes what's just happened. She also signs "Happy" which is from the last line of the book "He is very happy."And then she enjoys a big hug from Daddy which is always cute.

Reading to Daddy

I've been wanting to get video of this for a while now, so I was really glad to snag this quick video of Noa "reading" to Ben - even though it's just a short clip.

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that "Ferdinand the Bull" is Noa's favorite book. We read it every night... twice. The version we have has Braille (on clear plastic) glued onto each page and Noa sometimes likes to follow along - she knows that Braille is where the story is and is starting to be able to identify a few letters, so... as you'll see here she is starting to do what any kid does when she knows enough to be able to pick out a few letters, but not enough to read: she just makes it up!

For Noa every page reads: 1-2-3-4-5. Sometimes a page will just go to 3, sometimes up to 10, but she definitely seems to be doing this as if she is pretending to read. It's sooo cute and wonderfully developmentally appropriate.

Winner!

Check out this gorgeous photo, taken by the ever-talented Talya Arbisser (known to Noa as the "The Clicky Lady"). This is from Talya's trip to Idaho this summer and features Noa at one of her favorite spots in the world, Gold Fork Hot Springs.

But not only is this photo gorgeous... it's also prize winning, having been honored with first place at the 30th Visual Arts Alliance of Houston exhibition.



Here is what Catherine D. Anspon, Papercity Magazine Visual Arts Editor/Social Editor and Juror of the 30th juried member exhibition for the Visual Arts Alliance of Houston said upon announcing her selection:

"For the first-place, I selected a photograph that is both exquisite and enigmatic: an image of a young girl floating in a pool, a modern Ophelia who instead of drowning we hope awakes to consciousness and empowerment. It is also an enchanting image of innocence and the reverie of dreaming, and it's important to point out that the star here is a heroine."

Ladies and gentlemen introducing 'Floating' from my long term project 'Seeing With Hands: Noa' - Thank you all so very much for your kindness and support!  

Congratulations Talya! And thanks!!!