Hip Hip Hooray for a long weekend (and no hospital!)

Maliana ~

Just wrapping up another long weekend. Thankfully, you stayed healthy and keep getting stronger every day. So happy to have you back to your old, silly, spunky self.

Boy was this week hard to jump back into...between worrying about you, getting squished into and kicked all night long in bed by a restless little girl, and trying to get caught up on sleep, my work days were filled with many yawns and burning eyeballs from fatigue.

On Wednesday while I headed back to work, Daddy stayed home with you and made sure you were fever free for school on Thursday. You guys hit Gena's for breakfast, story-time at the library, and then the toy store where you conned Daddy into a remote control fire truck. It was a good morning. Once I got home, we all ate dinner together and I was surprised to hear you singing Justin Bieber's song "Baby". I asked, and you confirmed that yep, that's what you were singing. Where the heck did you learn that?! Too funny. Daddy and I took you to the playground in this recent mild weather, to keep you moving and strengthen your lungs, and you did pretty good all in all. You are getting so much more coordinated anymore. I stopped and asked you if you were getting bigger or if it was just me, and you responded, "Just you." Daddy and I both laughed at that response. That night at bedtime, I lay there and you insisted on reading to me, telling me that you were "mama". You got through the entire "Now I Eat My ABC's" book, completely on your own. To say I was impressed is an understatement. You're not even three yet!!!

Your first day back at school went well, even though you were pretty tired. You perked up after seeing the Valentine's Day box they had saved for you, enjoying looking at all the valentines from your friends. Getting to a piece of licorice, you said, "L is for licorice"...just like in your book. Pretty good babe. I kept things low key but a little active and we headed over to $5 and Below to let you make your first purchase with your Valentine's Day money. Of all the things in the store, you insisted on getting a new pair of ear buds. They actually fit your ears and were a wise purchase since the ear buds you currently use are beginning to fizzle out. You're so smart. Of course, you did also insist on wearing them the rest of the night, with and without music. I guess they are functional, but you've also claimed them as a fashion statement too. Ha ha.

Friday was an awesome & sun-filled day. I took you and Abby for our first run of the year, without snow! It felt great! We stopped at the playground during my run and had a wonderful game of "imaginary restaurant"...I just love your emerging world of make believe. It is so fun to be a part of your games and to lose myself in the magic of childhood again. You also got spooked by the trees, creaking in the wind, insisting there were monsters. Another sign of your growing imagination.

finally some sunshine to soak up

When we got home, Daddy decided he wanted to take you on a date and so you went to Pei Wei, $5 and Below, and then the Soccer Barn to kick the ball around with each other. You surprised the clerks by knowing who Justin Bieber was on a poster in the store, and then surprised me later at home with a whoopee cushion. You giggled so hard when I plopped down on it! Then giggled more as you repeatedly plopped yourself down on it.

Saturday morning we went to Rock my Bao Bao and you did great! It was probably your most interactive class yet and we got to really work on some new Chinese words. Miss Lily is really nice and I'm so happy to see you feeling better. Lots of your classmates' parents asked about your rough week, knowing that you had been sick through our connections and posting on Facebook. Their concern was touching. Very sweet people. We came home after class and you were very interested in our new laptop, so I gave in and let you play around on it. You actually typed several names of our family members, with me telling you which letters to type. You are actually learning the keyboard, along with practicing your alphabet. Pretty amazing. Like I said above, you're not even three yet!!!

Saturday night we went to watch Uncle Blaize's gymnastics meet. As we got you ready, you did what you have been doing a lot lately, making a mountain out of a molehill by disagreeing or not cooperating with what we need you to do. When I asked you in mock exasperation, "Why must you make everything bigger than it has to be?", you ever so sweetly replied, "Sorry Mom", with a huge grin. Little stinker. Once at the meet, we cheered wildly for Blaize and he did great, winning several gold medals! You had some of the other spectators giggling as they watched you walk around, talking on the cell phone, and generally acting like you were 3 going on 13. You and I hit the concession area and I was pleasantly surprised to see you try, and like, thinly sliced celery sticks and ranch dressing. I just love it when you decide you like healthy snacks! Then, after the meet you had a blast running, jumping, and tumbling on the big, bouncy and cushy floor mats.

mmm, celery sticks!!

yay Uncle Blaize!!

Sunday morning, you woke up alone in bed. I had gotten up early to work out, and Daddy had gotten up to take a work call. I heard you whimpering after a while and when I came in, your reaction was priceless. You are so used to me having already gone to work in the morning, that when you saw me, you said, "Mommy, hey!! You're here?!?" and then gave me a huge hug. Gotta love that! Later as we lounged, you and I played another imagination game, with you leading the way. We kept getting on and off an airplane, going to China, and taking our suitcases and the photo album of our trip to China for you. You had been flipping through the pictures again. I'm glad you are getting use out of it, and it is keeping your wheels turning. Very interesting game.

Lao Lao came over Sunday afternoon and we headed up to Delaware's Ohio Wesleyan University to go to a China Week Gala event to watch some performance artists with the Chinese cultural clubs at Ohio State and Ohio University sing, play instruments, and dance their native art forms. It was a really great performance and you seemed to be into it. Afterwards, they gave everyone hung-bao as they left and you liked trying the various candies, particularly enjoying these little buttered corn flavored gummy candy. Once some of the performers found out that you liked that candy, about 4 of them swarmed you and gave you handful upon handful of it. It was really sweet. On the way back to the car, we asked you what you liked the best in the performance, and all on your own, you did an imitation of which dance you liked the best, the Chinese Sani Folk Dance performance. We hadn't even realized you had been paying such close attention. It was pretty neat to have confirmation that you did in fact, enjoy yourself and were taking it in.

watching the fan dance

corn candy!

Often I feel like I am so lacking when it comes to properly exposing you to and embracing your birth culture. I feel like there is so much more that I should know and should be doing for you. However, after the performance I had an epiphany. I realized that there is no way I can automatically know everything, and there is no way I will do everything perfectly. But, each time we attend something like this, I go away with another little snippet of information. And each of these snippets are eventually going to add up to a whole lot of information and experiences for you, and all of us. So, I'll just try to relax a bit from now on, and go with the flow, learning right alongside you.

After we got home from this performance, we headed over to Jo Ann Fabric with Lao Lao and you and I checked out the football cake pans for your birthday. I have already ordered a cake and cupcakes (football, upon your request, which you have been talking for the last SIX months ever since seeing a football cake at Baskin Robbins), but they weren't quite what I had in mind. When we strolled up to the football cake mold, your face lit up, and regardless of my own fears and trepidation in making my first homemade birthday cake, I knew I would have to at least attempt it. There's no way I can deny that smile of yours. You reassured me by telling me that, even if it looked silly, you'd still like my cake. Hee hee. Thanks hon.

After arriving back at our house, you unwound a bit, playing around the house while I cooked dinner. You were pretending to be exercising and asked me if I wanted to "heat up" with you (and then started jumping back and forth in front of me)...it took me a while until I figured out that you were asking if I wanted to "warm up" with you. I giggled at that one. Pretty good connection there kiddo.

Finally, at bedtime...as you cuddled into me...I heard you whisper "I love you". This is exactly what I say to you, whispering it in your ear at various times throughout the day and night. It's so neat to hear that love, reflected back, confirming that you "get it", and that you want to send it right back to me. Awesome.

Monday was a very rainy President's Day, but we didn't have to go to school or work AND I'm happy to say that we did have one dry thing ~ your diaper when you woke up ~ woo hoo!! You were excited that Lao Lao and Uncle Forge were coming over this morning and were a huge help, putting on your clothes and socks all by yourself, letting Abby out to pee on your own...then carrying the clock (which had been on the wall) around after I showed you what time Lao Lao was supposed to arrive. You are so interested in learning all you can about the world around you, and being as helpful as possible too...it's pretty neat. It was Community Day at the zoo (free admission) so you, Lao Lao, Uncle Forge, and I braved the rain and cold to see the animals. We only really made it to the gorillas, bonobos, and polar bears...but that was plenty for all of us. Despite the rain and cold, we had fun!


we also got to see Uncle Flint and his friends during lunch!

look, fish!

this is your, "I just saw a polar bear!" face

We had your follow up doctor's appointment this afternoon too and I'm happy to report that he gave you the all clear...your lungs sound fabulous and you are good to go! Yay! All in all, it was a really good day!

Love,
Mama