7/52

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2017."

Stella: You slept in for the first time in about four years. I promised you the night before that if you did indeed sleep past seven, I would say yes to any and every request. So, now, I guess we're in for a day of candy and TV.

Hugo: You can speak French. You're constantly asking me, Est-ce que c'est papasan? Which, for all of you non-francaphones, is 100 percent not French. But I will say that your intonation is pretty good, and you ask it with such conviction and seriousness, you get angry at me when I don't answer appropriately. (PS, I don't know what the appropriate answer is.) You did, once or twice, point at a picture and ask, c'est quoi, ca? And that, Little Bear, is actually French.

Lyra: You've woken up. Gone are the days of the four hour nap followed by a two hour snooze. You're alert, and aware, chewing on your hands and cooing (well, it is more like a bird call, what you're doing.) I do miss being able to rely on that time to tidy up or get a few things done on the internet, but it is really nice getting to know an awake baby.

All in all we had a pretty good week. Well, with the exception of a few minor sleep deprivation lead temper tantrums (*ahem* mostly not of the kid variety.) In addition to Lyra waking up during the day, she's also up all night. Nine times, by my count last night. But the sun has been out, the PM2 levels not too terrible, and there is a new sense of optimism in the air.