Chloe made this piece of cake with a candle (above picture) and I was making the mermaid, when… 

Chloe: Are you making a mermaid?
Me: Yes, Chloe. I am making a beautiful mermaid and you are making a delicious piece of cake.
Chloe: You're making a mermaid for me?
Me: No… I am making ME a mermaid. YOU are making you a piece of cake.
Chloe: No, no, no, that's my mermaid.
Me: How is this your mermaid? I'm making it.
Chloe: You're making the mermaid for me, because you are my assistant!
Me: Excuse me?? Do you even know what that means?
Chloe: (smiles)
Me: Chloe, do you know what assistant means?
Chloe: It means you're my HELPER!

Chloe decorated this beautiful mail box.

Then we got a letter!

I was so touched to get a letter from Joshua, one of the 2 children we sponsor from Africa. We chose Joshua because he had the same birthday as Shane. He lives in a highly affected HIV area in Uganda but sounds like he's doing good and having a lot of fun with his friends and family. It was so great to hear from him. We love you, Joshua! You and your family are in our prayers…

Chloe loves this paper doll dress-up project. She can spend hours doing this and she knows exactly how to mix and match an outfit.

Today was Chloe's last day at school and the parents were invited to their chanukah party. 

Chloe knew that I was there as a guest and was very accomodating. She brought me a chair to sit next to her and didn't sit down until I sat down. 

We got to see the children perform on stage, played some games and ate snacks with them. Chloe was a very good listener. She was very attentive and cooperative to what the teachers were guiding them to do. 

Some parents made comments about Chloe being very quiet and shy. I was just laughing to myself. Shy? Maybe sometimes, initially…but quiet? Oh nooooo. 

This morning she beaded a necklace all by herself. I was impressed! Some of the holes in the beads were really small and there were even hard for me to do it. She did a great job!

Andrew's best friend and his wife came over in the evening to bring presents to the kids. It was a nice surprise and Chloe got to stay up a little late and had *drinks* with us.

Thank you uncle Danny and auntie Renna for wonderful gifts!!

I turned our breakfast nook into a creative space for Chloe in the kitchen. Now she can hang around after dinner and do her art projects with me while I do dishes and cook for the next day before she goes to bed.

 Chloe and I came out to the deck and played.

Chloe and I are busy every other night making stuff, weather it’s a hair piece, a necklace or a sticker button. After dinner is our craft time together. She’s wearing her new felt ball necklace and a purple polka dot feather hair piece, our recent creations.

Jen (our nanny) took the kids to the Children’s Museum in Paramus this afternoon and I joined them after work. 

Shane dressed as a monkey

and Chloe was a flower fairy!

Chloe & Jen decorating the pumpkins