Ups and downs and everything in between, with a brilliant offbeat ending!

Maliana ~

What an amazing end to a very interesting week with you. This has been a week of more assertions of your independence, a lot of developing imagination, and a little sassy attitude thrown in for fun!

Monday was a holiday off work for me, Martin Luther King Jr Day...so I stayed home with you. Daddy stayed home too, but unfortunately he was sick so we pretty much just stayed inside, playing in the warmth of the house. You may have been getting a little stir crazy inside though, as you were pretty defiant at various moments. You have been vacillating between yelling, "I do it!" at me, or purposely getting in situations where you ask for my help (when you don't necessarily need it) and yelling "No, you do it!" when I encourage you to help yourself. Maybe you are struggling a little bit with your burgeoning sense of independence, or maybe you're just a little "drunk with power", but either way, it's driving me a little crazy. However, I know it's something that is really important to your sense of autonomy, so I guess I'll bite my lip and resign myself to the fact that most things will take 3 times as long as they used to for a while, then just sit back and enjoy watching you figure the world out for yourself, one task at a time. Just before you went to bed, we did make some cute picture frames for the fridge which you seemed to enjoy. We do still have to pick out just the right photos for them. A good project for next week, right?

Unfortunately, your defiance and sass did carry over into your school life too this week. On Tuesday when I picked you up from school, Ms Brandi told me that you were pouty, stomping your feet and crossing your arms, butting your way in line, and even took some toys from your friends at school at one point. It was so out of the ordinary from your usual behavior, Ms Brandi wanted to bring it to our attention since she knows we'd want to address it with you. Well, both Daddy and I did have a talk with you about it, and reminded you about appropriate behavior at school, with your friends and teachers. I even texted Daddy the next morning, reminding him to remind you of what we talked about. Well, I am happy to report that when I picked you up on Wednesday, Ms Brandi had a glowing report, saying that you were back to the "old Mali". I am so proud of you. I have no idea what got into you on Tuesday, but I am impressed that you can listen so well, take to heart our conversations, and put it to practice at school so quickly. You are one amazing little person. Anyway, since there was such good news at school, I took you out for ice cream at McDonald's and you were one happy camper, singing and being silly. On the way home, we were jamming in the car and you discovered a new song that you like, Mambo #5. This was a big song many years ago, probably when I was in college at some point, so it was pretty funny to hear you singing along.

Once we got home on Wednesday, I showed you the work I'd done on your future playroom. I was able to get home early from work, get a bunch of stuff cleaned out of the spare bedroom and set some of your toys up in it before I had to pick you up. You were thrilled and said, "Thank you for playroom Mommy!" while giving me a ginormous hug. I can't wait until Daddy and I can finish it up for you! After playing for a bit with your dress-up clothes (mostly as Dr Mali aka Dr Q T Patootie), you and I finished cleaning out our linen closet and went through a ton of my old make-up samples. We had a ball at Makeup Fest 2011! It was so much fun to go through the makeup, piece by piece, you with one box and me with another, sorting through and divvying it all up, taking whatever each of us liked. Daddy came home and found us, saying, "You guys are so cute", and then he commented that you looked like the Joker from Batman, (I guess we need to work on your application of the makeup, hee hee). I felt like I was hanging out with a teenager...I even texted Lao Lao a picture, to which she replied, "How old is she?!?" I remember loving to get into my mom's Avon samples when I was a kid, and it turns out you are just like me! You were so proud of your new loot, that you kept trying to carry your big box of makeup around the house the rest of the night, exclaiming, "I carried it, I'm a big girl!"

checking my chart

hold still, this won't hurt a bit

evidently my ear needed some meds

 

Dr's coat says "Dr Q T Patootie"



picking out some lip gloss at Makeup Fest 2011


after applying lip gloss, yikes!

Also, speaking of you being thankful, I made my famous cheddar meatloaf this week, to which you replied, "Thank you for meatloaf Mommy!" when I told you what was for dinner. Wow ~ only you kiddo. You are the only nearly 3 year old that thanks their parent for meatloaf that I know of! And, another little detail from this week is your insistence on changing into a white t-shirt, jeans, and boots after school. You are my little "James Dean". I took a picture of you in this outfit, as you typed a letter on my new laptop ~ if you were any taller than your current 34 inches, I'd swear you were a teenager!

"James Dean", on my laptop...you are almost 3, going on 13!

So, as I mentioned earlier, your imagination has really been emerging, growing and changing by leaps and bounds, and it is SO much fun! This week, you have been giving your baby Dudley tons of baths, riding your motorcycle to Hawaii (with me and both of your suitcases on the back), dragging your silkie around the house and calling it your suitcase, playing doctor (completely dressed in scrubs and surgical hat - as pictured above - and telling me "It's ok, don't cry, you're a big girl, good girl"), talking to President Obama and President Hu Jintau on the phone (after listening to Daddy and I talk about Hu Jintau's visit to DC, we handed you your toy phone and you said, "Hi Obama! Hi China!"), and picking me up from school on the back of your motorcycle and stopping to get ice cream on the way home. You also are at the age where when you close your eyes, you think that you are invisible. Every day you come up with something new, and I can't wait to see what kind of game you come up with next. I love this age!

I tell you what though...the grand finale has got to be this weekend, being a rival for one of the best weekends (especially Sunday) on record so far. It starts on Friday, as Daddy told me a little detail about you that makes his mornings with you much easier. When he gets up to take a shower, you now go in and hang out in the bathroom with him, eating your yogurt until he is done. You also strip off your jammies and sit on your little stool, directly over the vent, warming your little tushie until he is out of the shower and can get you dressed. Daddy says it's awesome because you are getting so cooperative and helpful now. Mornings sure are a lot smoother than they used to be!

On Saturday, you were so sweet. You and I slept so soundly, with you cuddled into the crook of my arm and neck all night. It was one of the best night's sleeps I've had in a long time. As soon as we opened our eyes, you looked at me and asked, "Mommy, want to play in my room?" I loved this because you have just recently been claiming your room as your own, really embracing spending time there and playing with all of your toys on your own. It's wonderful. One of the games we played included singing to soothe your baby as we laid in bed with her. We both took turns singing all of the songs that I normally sing to you. I loved singing these duets with you for your little baby. Another one of those magical moments I'd like to save forever. Then, we decided to paint your baby's toes & fingernails. I let you do it on your own, and things got a little messy, but you loved it.

Mali's Nail Salon

Saturday afternoon, Lao Lao came over and played for a bit. You both were so silly and laughing hysterically together. You were so squiggly and nutty, nearly impossible to get dressed and when I asked Lao Lao if all kids are like this, she replied, "No...she's just really happy" ~ that made me feel good. I hope she's right.

playing Mali's very strange "lick game"

We headed off to Kidzapalooza at the fairgrounds after a while and it was a good time. You were like night and day from last year to this year. I wish we would have gotten down there earlier, but we had a blast with the time we did have. I was so proud of you for one thing in particular. You had fun in a few different bounce houses, even doing an American Heart Association obstacle course! However there was a HUGE inflatable slide where you had to climb a tall ladder and then slide down a really long slide. You weren't so sure about it, and kept saying "Not yet" when we'd ask if you wanted to do it. Well, before we left, you decided you finally wanted to try it. I didn't really appreciate how big it was until I saw you trudging your way up that ladder. You looked so tiny! But, you made it to the top and came down the slide, all by yourself! I couldn't believe it and I was so proud of you. I told you how brave you were, and explained that being brave isn't about not being scared, but rather going ahead and trying something new in spite of being a little scared or nervous. You've definitely got more guts than I ever had at your age kiddo!

beginning the ascent

using the handrails like we watched all the other kids do, climbing like a champ

at the summit

and down she comes!

so proud of her accomplishment!

On the way home, we picked up Lao Lao's friend Sal, telling you we were "picking Sal up". Well, evidently, it sounded different to you because when Lao Lao got out of the car to get Sal, you asked "Where's Salad?" Ha ha! I guess "Sal up" could sound like "salad" to an almost 3 year old! Once home, you and I set up your train tracks, all your idea. I was so happy to see you playing with these, since this was one of your gifts from Santa this year and I wasn't quite sure you liked it. It was fun and you really got into building the tracks with me. Spending time with you is always so neat and full of surprises.

This morning, you had me cracking up from the get-go. Upon waking, you and I headed into the kitchen and when you saw Daddy's leftover pizza in the fridge, you exclaimed, "I didn't know there was pizza here!" To which I promptly responded by sitting you down with some cold pizza and Gatorade (your choice) for breakfast. Yep! You're so ready for college!

Once Daddy got up, we headed to a local joint, Gena's Cafe. It is a really good local spot, with some serious down-home cooking. Yum! We got you a single pancake, not realizing that each pancake weighs one pound! You were hysterical with this enormous thing! You were so adorable throughout the whole meal too, chatting and laughing away. You made yourself very helpful, wanting to stir Daddy and I's coffee whenever we'd get a warm-up. You made a friend in another little girl that came in, giving her knuckles when she left. And, then also very loudly yelling, "Who's that?" whenever someone new would walk in. Thankfully, this was a very warm, friendly, and casual place that was full of customers who were down to Earth and could appreciate your brand of hilarity. You even provided an impromptu performance of dancing to Daddy's ring-tone music. That's our silly girl! I definitely think we've found a new spot for our weekend family breakfasts.

good grief that pancake was huge!!

On the way home, you asked where the moon went when the sun came out. Daddy had a good answer, working a little of China in there. He said that when the sun came out here, the moon was up in China. Then I added that yes, when we can see the sun,  the mommy in China (who grew you in her belly) sees the moon, and vice versa. I try every now and then to begin introducing your birth mother into discussions, especially now that you are starting to understand pregnancy, and a whole heap of other concepts. So far, you typically get a bit quiet, perhaps trying to process it all, when I mention things like this. I look forward to when you can piece it together enough to ask some more questions back, particularly about your birth parents. But until then, we'll just keep cracking that door open for you for when you're ready.

After nap, we took our first family bowling trip. It was so much fun! We went ahead and did a real game on the big lanes, and you had your own little 6 pound (the smallest they had) bright green ball. You really wanted to do it yourself, however I was paranoid about you dropping the ball on your toes (since it was 25% of your body weight!) so we helped you a little. You did really good! It was neat to see you trying something new and loving it. We actually shared the other lane with a woman and her 3 boys, two of which were adopted from China, with cleft lips and palates just like you! It was neat to see a family like ours and they were really nice. They had some loud music with big video screens at the end of the alleys, and you of course had to boogy, hilariously, in true Mali fashion. Then before leaving, you and Daddy went to the bathroom, and as you both came out, you stopped and did a terrific air guitar, with scrunched face and all. I laughed out loud for a while at that one.

smallest ball they had was still HUGE for you!

watching the slow revolutions...all the way down the lane

you did great and had a ball ~ literally!

not too shabby Mali!

We had to stop at Target on the way home, and Daddy and I joked that you were like the goofy kid from that movie Parenthood. The one that walks around with a bucket on his head, ramming himself into walls, (Steve Martin's character's son). We said this because for some reason, you felt the need to crouch down in the middle of the main aisle, and...be a kitty cat. Meowing and crawling all over. We figured you weren't hurting anything, so we just kept on shopping, (and giggling to ourselves). You keep us entertained for sure. Before leaving, we stopped for coffee (we called yours "chocolate coffee") at Starbucks and you had us in stitches again, singing, dancing, and trying to wink like Daddy. Once home, you helped Daddy take some bags of bedding down the hallway to put in the attic. You are much stronger than you look, carrying two at a time! You are a beast!

After much more giggling, wrestling, dancing, and playing in general, you are finally in bed. Sleeping soundly and getting lots of rest so that we can, hopefully, carry all of this fun into the next week. I tell you, you have a really great sense of humor, much older in my opinion than any other 2-3 year old that I know. Each day I don't think it can get any better, but somehow it does. The privilege, and wonder, of being a parent I guess.

Love,
Mama