Nas Escolas

Here's an update on how things are going "nas escolas":

Grady and I just finished our second course -  it covered a full semester's worth of material in three weeks, which meant long days of university classes for us and long days in a new situation for the boys.  (Aunt Jenna watched the boys for the first course, so this is their first month in daycare/school.)  

Lucas goes to the creche (baby daycare center).  For the first two weeks he wailed everyday at drop off and his nighttime sleep pattern became more of an hourly wake up routine.  Thankfully they bumped him up from the baby room to the 1 year old room last week and his teachers' report a much happier baby!  He's now getting the stimulation and space to roam that he needs.  Drop off time only involves a little crying and his sleep patterns are slowly improving (emphasis on slowly... keep praying).  

(Graduation day - he's WAY too active for the baby room! 10 months old.)

Diego was very excited to begin school, but is having a really rough time.  He still loves to read his book ABOUT school in Portugal but everyday it is a struggle to drop him off.  On Thursday I had to pull him off the gate. :(  Pickup time always finds him happy but the I don't want to go to school comments often begin again at bedtime.  He is making some friends besides the teachers - I now hear stories about silly faces.  We think the language barrier bothers him more than he says.  Thankfully, he is picking up new vocabulary everyday, appears to love learning Portuguese.  He has a wonderful teacher who can speak English with him and it is clear that he really likes her.

(All the kids have these bibs over their regular clothes for school. 

Diego is being a CRJ in this shot - see his winglets?) 

The toughest part of his day is definitely lunchtime.  The school has lunch included - soup followed by chicken or fish with rice or potatoes and fruit - and none of it has dairy or beef (his allergies).  This means although he doesn't LIKE his food his options are to eat it or wait for afternoon snack.  He has a deal with his teacher that he'll eat five bites of soup - one for each year of his life.  Our progress is that he is trying a few more things.  Now instead of coming home with a changed shirt (from throwing up something at lunch) he comes home talking about how he ate EIGHT bites just because.  Little steps that are celebrated as almost-miracles in the Nace household!  

Still, he is struggling to adapt and you can just SEE the eagerness with which he embraces the weekend.  We are trying distraction techniques, different drop off times, rewards, switching who does the drop off... we may have even used a bit of bribery.  Please keep praying for this little man's adjustments.  We would love to see his excitement for school return.

(Weekend family fun on a rainy day.  Diego says "Tyler Lockett is my favorite player in the NFL.")

Grady and I look forward to starting our first regular semester course and hope life reaches a slower pace.  It is a struggle to retain everything when it is thrown at you so quickly in the intensive courses.  We have been living "corre corre" as the expression goes. (Running, running).  I also hope that Lucas will get back to sleeping... The last week was a big improvement because he only awoke 4-5 times a night instead of 8!  Having a brain that is fully alert would be such a boost to my learning.  This semester begins October 1st and continues until February.

(Keeping life interesting...and loud.)

A few recent highlights to tack on the end:

Lucas - Spends the days holding onto the highchairs at the creche while walking.  He eats soup several times a day like a good Portuguese baby.

Diego - School supplies include hat, sunscreen, toothbrush and toothpaste - all of which are regularly used.  He says "obrigado" (thank you), "sim" (yes) and "não" (no) more often than the english version.  Today he tried pomegranate from our landlords' garden... and surprised himself by liking it!