Gung Hay Fat Choy!! (oh yeah, and it's Superbowl Sunday too)

Maliana ~

Well, today is Superbowl Sunday, Steelers vs Packers...since neither of these teams are the Browns, we couldn't care less! We're going to Wai Gong's in a little bit, so it's a nice excuse to get together with family anyway. And this year, 2011, is the beginning of the Chinese year of the Rabbit (my sign)! Pretty cool.

At the moment, you are sleeping with Daddy and I thought I'd take the opportunity to sneak downstairs and catch up on the blog to tell you all about this week. Here goes. On Monday, you made up a new word at bed-time, "nana-hubey", and for some reason whenever I would say it, you would crack up hysterically! I mean, SERIOUS HYSTERICS! I even got out of bed with you and took you downstairs to show Daddy your reaction. We got a great video of you doing this, and I'm so glad we did. You were laughing so hard at one point, that you couldn't even breathe! It was awesome...I just wish I knew what the heck nana-hubey meant!

Lately you have taken to falling asleep, spooned into me, and wedging your little (freezing cold) feet into my thighs. It is pretty cute, at least it is cute once I finally get used to the feel of your icy toes! You recited your first book to me the other night too...I only helped with the first two words on each page and you recited the rest of "Llama Llama Mad at Mama" to me. It was pretty amazing to witness. I know we have read this book to you a lot, but wow! And of course, you also have made a habit of perfecting your stall tactics too. You have so many tricks up your sleeve, it's incredible. Two of my favorites though have got to be your trying to talk to me in the dark, whispering to me and taking my face in your hands, and also asking me to sing with you. The other night, we must have sung 6 or 7 different songs together. We make a pretty good duet too! If it wasn't for you really needing your sleep for school in the morning, I'd let you do this all night if you wanted to. And finally, another night-time 'big deal', on Monday anyway, was your waking me up at 12:30am to go pee. You are still wearing diapers at night because you don't always wake up to potty from a sound sleep, but each time you wake up like this it's a great sign! You're definitely working on it!

On Tuesday, Daddy watched you as I went to the gym. He took you out to go shop while I worked out and then you came back to pick me up. Evidently you were very insistent about coming in to see me exercise, and when I turned around to get off the treadmill, there you both were! I got to go to the gym a few more times this week, and Daddy has also been working out a lot at home too. So, the rest of the week, you have been acting like you were working out; running, doing yoga (or 'yoda' as you call it), and even at one point standing directly in front of me and pretending to use the drawstring at the bottom of my sweatshirt to do pretend shoulder pulls. It's pretty funny. I do also have to note an example of what a sweet kid you are too. As you and Daddy walked back into the gym on Tuesday, it was very icy in the parking lot. Daddy was being very careful as he carried you and, noticing this, you leaned over, grabbed his arm and said, "It's ok Daddy, I got you". Always the caring little person...

And speaking of your doing 'yoda' this week, we had the movie "Couples Retreat" on the other night and something surprising happened. There is a very funny, if very humorously uncomfortable, yoga scene in that movie and when it came on, you began laughing hysterically at it. Daddy and I couldn't believe that you saw the humor in it too. Either you have a very advanced sense of humor, or Daddy and I have the sense of humor of a 3 year old. Could go either way...ha ha! A day or two later, you also were out with Daddy after school and out of nowhere, you walked up to him and leaned in saying, "Boom Boom". When he asked you what you said, you told him "Peacock Chest!" and pounded on your chest. He (and I when he told me) laughed hysterically. We couldn't believe it. (as a side note to anyone reading this blog, if you have seen the movie, you will completely understand what this means, and now, just picture that from a 3 year old!)

Wednesday was Chinese New Year's Eve and so Daddy and I took you to dinner at Billy Lee's for a celebration. It was a nice quiet dinner (a bigger celebration will happen in about a week through COFCC), and while I was going to dress you in one of your beautiful outfits from China, you insisted on wearing your surfer shirt. Anyone who is a parent can attest to the fact that with an almost 3 year old, you pick your battles wisely. So, surfer shirt it was. On Thursday, Chinese New Year's Day, I let you open your gifts. Among all of your loot, you especially loved the Asian baby doll and proceeded to immediately give her a bath, not even ten minutes after receiving her. I also gave you your red envelopes (or hung-bao) with money (6 golden $1 coins) that we immediately put into your piggy bank (which is getting quite full and heavy anymore). At bedtime, you took both of your baby dolls (naming your new Asian baby doll "Maggie") and read to them all by yourself before going to sleep. I came in to tuck you in and you had the babies laying next to you on the pillow and the book open, "reading". It was such a cute sight to walk in on, and reassuring that we are modeling and encouraging a love of reading for you.

Happy New Year's Eve!

with your hung-bao

happy with your loot

CNY hat, chocolate, and your new baby "Maggie"

When Daddy dropped you off at school this week, he got to meet one of your new teachers. She pulled him aside and just kept telling him how much she liked you, what a sweet and smart kid you are. Among other things, she told him that you are the only one in your class that is able to put on and zip up your coat all by yourself! No wonder they all gathered around and rejoiced so much when you put your coat on last week! I think I've said this before in other entries in this blog, but while I know that Daddy and I adore you, it's nice to hear other people that you interact with on a daily basis get as much enjoyment out of you too. You are a phenomenal kid.

On Friday, I got off work early and you, Daddy, and I headed down to the hospital because Wai Gong was having surgery on his heart. Everything turned out ok, and you did wonderfully waiting in the waiting room with us all. We all headed back to his room once his procedure was done, and he wanted to give you a big kiss as he lay there in bed. Sometimes you can be a little defiant when someone wants a kiss, but this time you willingly leaned in and gave him, not one, but about 3 or four kisses. You really are intuitive and sensitive to others. It was very sweet. You also went down to the gift shop with me while we waited, to look for a gift for him. All on your own, you picked out a glass marble that read "Protected by Angels" on it. It was the only one of its kind, a little beat up, and the wording a little hard to read, and it was clear when all the other marbles were very brightly colored. You insisted on buying this one for him, and I couldn't help but wonder about a parallel. You have been such an angel to all of us, it was fitting that you chose this marble with this message for Wai Gong on that day.

kisses...the best medicine

On Saturday, I went to the gym early, but feeling a little guilty for missing my Saturday morning wake up time with you, I brought you home McDonald's pancakes for breakfast. (That "mommy guilt" is a tricky one). We went to Rock my Bao Bao class later that morning and sung some CNY songs, then Miss Lily gave everyone hung-bao as parting gifts after class. You especially loved the necklace with the Chinese symbol for wealth!

hung-bao from Miss Lily

peek-a-boo with Miss Lily

playing on the microphone after Rock my Bao Bao...look at that stage presence!

After that, you had a kind of lazy day at home with us until we headed over to Joe and Tina's house for a gathering of friends. It was nice to see them all again, and you had a blast playing with their kids, Sam and Erin. Then our friends Mike and Julie were there with their 3 girls too, Natalie, Paige, and Katie. You were by far the youngest, but you held your own and loved it. You all played a Wii dance game, then dressed up as princesses and danced and ran around the house, had a tea party together, and then made Valentine crafts. We ended up staying until nearly midnight (I had no idea it was so late!) You are such a trooper and quite the night owl. You fell asleep almost before we made it off their street.

the princesses

running, running, running!

you girls put so much effort into putting together a splendid tea party for Shawn and I...look how proud you are!

working hard on Valentines

And finally, I have been putting you to bed every night this week since Daddy has been working nights temporarily. Since you still sleep in our bed, and insist on cuddling with me until you fall asleep (at which point I try to sneak back downstairs for a bit), it has given me a lot of opportunity to reflect on you and this whole journey we have been on since July 2009. I lay there, snuggled into you, waiting for you to drift off to sleep the other night. I could smell your particular scent, (we all have one), as your hair kept tickling my nose that was buried on the top of your head. I thought back to the first day we spent together and how I would softly kiss the top of your head over and over as I walked around the hotel room with you to get you to go to sleep during those first few moments and days together. It seemed those kisses and that walking was the only thing that would soothe you on those long nights. I remember thinking that I didn't recognize your "scent" back then...I kept trying to get used to it but it was nothing familiar to me (yet). And I imagine you felt the same way about me. I looked funny, smelled funny, sounded funny, etc etc etc...however just look at us nearly two years later. I know I can't speak for you, but I can definitely speak for myself when I quote a song I heard recently. "Home, let me come home, Home is wherever I'm with you, Oh home, yes I am home, Home is when I'm alone with you". Two years later and I can barely remember when I didn't know you. You are as familiar to me as my own body. I do recognize that we both had lives of our own before we knew each other, with their ups and downs, joys and heartbreaks. But I feel so fortunate now, that our lives intertwined the way that they did. And I'm glad that no matter how big you get, no matter how old you are, or where you end up in the world once you spread your wings someday, that I will always know your "scent", and feel a connection to you that I never dreamed possible just two short years ago.

I love you, forever and always.
Mama