Helena Isabela & Misha Dov

Helena is almost there but needs some more practice and confidence for no training wheels. In practice here:

Helena and misha can both understand French and Russian fairly well. Misha say’s a few words in French and in Russian as Helena used to but Helena is normally unwilling to say words in the languages she’s learning.

Busy day today – Helena had a friend’s birthday after soccer moms in the morning, then straight to a children’s parade with Misha and the Grant Park kids network. The kids wen to the playground before going to neighbor’s party. Friends joined back at the home front for a pizza dinner, Ormond trick-or-treat was crazy as usual and then the night finished off back at the neighbor’s with a late night swim and bonfire party

And an ok’ timely photo for missletoe state park

Misha and Helena so far are fans of camping but on misha’s third trip this time the night time was rough

At the new playground in Vine City there are lots of climbing opportunities

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Helena’s twice/week after care program in Decatur

Helena was into it for a few min and even Misha wanted to try this classic

Everyone’s favorite

As Misha calls her (or sometimes dad maya )

A virtual safari on the Atlanta Beltline. Both Helena and Misha enjoyed the experience

The doctor asked if misha was saying 30-50 words by now and after brainstorming, he is definitely way over that. He is starting to make short sentences. Here’s the brainstorm

October 2021

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At JKG

Misha copies everything his big sister does. The latest potty training technique is taking turns going pee-pee

A rare meet up in dad’s workplace city this past weekend

Both Helena and Misha seem to really like camping even though they’ve only done it a handful of times. The family traveled to a nearby site recently (within an hour of atl) and the trip was highly successful.

After some time traveling the Fayfessels resumed normal life with misha feeding the chickens

Not the best zoo but had some time before heading back to Atlanta

On the Fayfessels way back to Milwaukee they stayed at a nice rural resort and played nine holes of golf, enjoyed some swimming, arcade, and other action on site including this luggage cart

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From the road (more on this soon)

Typical Helena-Misha time. Everybody not always in agreement about their idea of fun

One of Helena’s old daycare friends (actually both of her last daycares) just turned five and celebrated in her back yard

Bouncy castle

Another year another dinner with cousins Steve and Peg.

Newly opened and first time to see Marisa, Patrick, and Augusta with the whole families.

Helena is happy at her new school in Decatur. It’s a play based program and the teacher seems great. First newsletter just came in

Helena loves climbing trees and slow motion videos so this combination is a favorite

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At least they’re homemade and made with real fruit and let’s mom brush her hair

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Helena had a mixed experience with Parkside but made some friends and grew to like it more as she went. She was in the Parkside pre-k for two weeks and will now to go to her dad’s school system pre-k starting next week

Misha has had a harder time falling asleep lately and generally is not as easy going. According to the wonder weeks:

The chickens have been a big hit among the Fayfessel children. They certainly provide countless hours of entertainment and possibilities for teaching responsibility to Misha and Helena

Misha started GPCP daycare again and he is back in his same class but with some new teachers. Helena has had a harder time transitioning but Misha did great according to his teachers

Helena had a good time re-enrolling in gymnastics for her first class back

Helena told her dad today: “I’m freaking out,” and she was pretty frozen at the entrance of the classroom moments later. She was not her normal self but she did just fine.

Meanwhile misha continues to play with his friend Mila at his nanny share

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Just a few days before Helena starts pre-K she visited her old playground with her brother

With concrete jungle

Good family friends Chris, Sarah, and River while in town for the wedding. The arboretum was beautiful but the DC summer heat got the better of both Misha and Helena

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Some of the “best of” from Uncle Jonah

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Brothers Reunion 2021!

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Old Boston friends visit Vermont with their kid and Misha had some play dates

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And one year ago at this same place sans Misha but with grandma

Water is cold but Helena and Misha still want to swim!

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One year and pandemic later Helena arrives back in Vermont. This time with brother in tow

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Gathering “fire wood” with new friends

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The Fayfessels have chickens (incidentally so do many neighbors) and Helena and Misha are very excited

Misha got to see the Braves so Helena got her own sports night with mom and dad

Helena had a pretty fun surprise this past Sunday at Candytopia, an interactive immersive candy themed exhibition in Atlanta

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New responsibilities for Misha and especially Helena but they are excited

Last weekend the Fayfessels traveled to Lagrange GA to visit the Great Wolf water park with the DeGeorge’s. Misha enjoyed the lights and buttons at the arcade while Helena loved the small water slides

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Misha is loving his new nanny share. He is making new friends and enjoys the engaging environment

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Helena just finished her first week as a camper at Art Haus summer camp less than one block from her house. She enjoyed it quite a bit and is proud of her chefs d’œuvres and different mediums.

Helena tried her first “roller coaster” (or roller coaster like) in Helen GA this past weekend. Both Misha and Helena tried their hand for their first time at gem mining. And misha completed his first real set of stairs without using the rails

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Misha and Helena both took “Marci” swim class and did an intensive 7 day trial by fire baptism into swimming. Helena can now swim underwater short distances and Misha can survive and pull himself out at the edge of the pool. They can both float a little on their back and “jump” in the pool and then get back out. Helena is much less scared now and sometimes asks to go. Misha is a little more ambivalent

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Georgia that is

The campsite also had a playground which both misha and Helena enjoyed. Misha was into the hike and Helena tolerated it. The views at preacher’s rock on the AT were outstanding

In Cleveland Georgia- misha’s first time sleeping in a tent, or rather wagon in a tent. It went swimmingly

Fogetaboutit!

Helena came out for the teacher band show at rock and roll review at Decatur high Friday night. She had a great time and made friends with other teacher’s kids

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