You are my sunshine!

Mark, Hana, and I had a great weekend. You can check out Mark's blog for a more detailed post, including some of the fun art in the park, as well as Hana's first swimming experience. http://shacket.blogspot.com/2008/07/dumbo-lots-of-new-art.html. Today I'm sitting here at work realizing just how much fun I had with Hana this weekend. She is starting to have a strong understanding of her world, and how much fun it can be. Yesterday she had the best time pushing herself up, and standing on her own for a few seconds. She had a look of pride on her face that lit up our entire apartment. She would stand up with a proud look, stay suspended on her own for a few seconds, and watch our reaction. She just loved it when we cheered for her. We also had fun imitating each other. She would do something, then I would imitate, and it would send her into laughing fits. She knew I was having fun, and it seemed to make her even happier. Her other favorite game was 'kiss'. I'd ask for a kiss, and she'd lean forward with her mouth open and tongue out (i think i'm teaching her the wrong things!), and kiss me, then laugh like crazy. so cute.

For lunch I'm eating leftovers from last night's farmer's market dinner (oy that sounds SO obnoxious!). We're going to the James Beard House for dinner tonight (woohoo! again, a little obnoxious?) so we're trying to keep it light. kinda. We made an arugula salad with lemon and olive oil dressing, and I added a blob of mozzarella cheese (not from the market obviuosly) to mine, as well as the remaining pickled garlic scapes (which are so delicious!), and a nectarine. I also made tzatziki sauce with cucumber and dill from the market, and greek yogurt. Mark's dinner is the tuna salad, arugula and bread w/ tzatsiki sauce (and pickle). mine is the bowl with salad, and the black blur is Misha, our cat, checking out the goods.

Add our tasty dinner to a lovely weekend, and I wish we were all still back at home, enjoying each other. It's still so tough leaving Hana to go to work, even though I know it's best for me right now. But seeing the priceless look on Antoinette's (and Hana's) face when she arrives in the morning, I know the two of them have a special bond, and I'm glad that Hana has that in her life. It's important for her to form relationships with people outside of the family.