December 2020

Here are some funny moments, courtesy of Stephen the Entertainer: Sonja, Michael and James participated in the Piano Festival this year again, but this time we had to record the songs at home and submit them digitally. Sonja is playing classical music beautifully by now, Michael prefer quirkier pieces, and the teacher is especially impressed with James's progress,and especially since he's learning via Zoom. James has always had some crazy talent for music. He continues to sing with perfect pitch and he still memorizes whole songs after he hears them a few times, but now he is teaching himself to play them on the piano, too. Back in December he decided to play the theme song from the cartoon Masha and the Bear. After a few days of practicing the right hand, he added the left hand, without notes, just by ear. I have absolutely no idea how he did this! Now he is teaching himself one of the popular songs he heard on the radio, "Save Your Tears For Another Day." Not to leave Stephen out, he is hitting the notes on the piano, too, and at the end of every performance he never forgets to bow to the audience. And now the older kids:

Nikolas is officially taller than mom

This is already old news... Back at the end of November, we did a precise measurement and Nikolas beat me in height.

James lost his first tooth!

Last week, the long wait was finally over! James top tooth that has been loose for a few weeks finally came out. He's been yanking it for a few days and used dad's and Nikolas's help to pull it out, unsuccessfully, but now it's finally gone, and he is very happy that he won't be stuck with baby teeth all his life :)