Just when you think things are looking down...

Our year got off to a bit of a sour start. The airline damaged our new double stroller in route, my computer turned itself off three days after we got home and declined to be coaxed into turning on again, and my car began refusing to go into reverse when turned on, or be shifted past first for the initial 5 or 10 minutes of driving. On top of that Amelia's lovely little infantario (preschool) was forced to close because of lack of enrollment. Unfortunately a common phenomenon at private centers in this current economy, but so sad for us and the wonderful teachers and staff they had there.

So I was feeling sorry for myself and thinking we were having a string of bad luck. Then I talked to a friend who's family is facing some very difficult medical issues, and that particular week she also had a baby with the chicken pox, and I figured the material things we were losing were so petty and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Plus the car was fixable, the laptop was miraculously resurrected 2 weeks after its demise (though I still don't trust it and have the new one on its way), and the stroller still has issues but United has agreed to at least look at the repair costs, and even if they don't help out, I'll get over it.

As for the infantario, we looked at several others and weren't able to replicate the feel we had from the first, but then Amelia's teacher called us to get together one day and we ended up asking her to watch both kids part time until she is able to find a new job. She is awesome and Amelia *ADORES* her and it gives me the chance to a) practice my Portuguese on a regular basis with someone who is used to speaking slowly and clearly for 2 year olds and b) get back to a little work of my own. Not to mention we also now have a babysitter for the occasional night out, sem meninos!

So things were really actually looking up, and to top it off, today I went in for a consult with Tristan's hearing specialist who told us that his latest hearing test came back normal for both ears! She said that occasionally the ears haven't finished development before birth, but can keep developing for the first few months. She wants to recheck him when he is one year old, but is optimistic they will not regress. Now that is news I would have gladly thrown 100 laptops out the window to hear! What a marvelous start to 2011!