Birthday Week!

Maliana ~

Going back a bit, the week of your birthday was a full one...it's been hard for me to sit and take a breath, let alone update this blog for you. Perhaps it was the pressure of trying to pull together a fun and memorable birthday celebration for you, or just the simple fact that you have entered your 3's a bit early...either way, girl, you have been a handful! (of course, I'm sure I have been too!) We've had to use a little "tough love" lately, but hopefully it will all pay off in the long run.

It hasn't all been a challenge though, not by a long shot. In preparation for your party, we went to Party City after school one day. You were so appreciative...giving me a great big hug upon hearing that this was where we were headed. I love that. Daddy and I took bets at what you would pick out of all those decorations...and we were both right, Spiderman! Seeing as how we were having football birthday cakes (per your request), it makes perfect sense, right? I mean, what goes better than Spiderman and football. Ha ha.

@ Party City with a Spiderman hat

Along with your party, we have also been preparing for the coming spring. We've been keeping a close eye on the budding crocuses in our front yard, with you getting so excited to check their progress each day when we get home from school. And one day we even had a "beach party", complete with a tropical drink (orange julius in a fancy glass with fresh fruit), pretend suntan lotion, and sunglasses.

Bring it Spring! We're ready!

Speaking of which, the weather IS getting nicer and so when Audrey Ayi came with me to pick you up at school the other day, you were just starting playground time and were excited to show off for us. Ms. Brandi told us that she swears you could be a cross country runner someday because you have more energy than any other kid in your class. You ran and ran and ran around the playground, then climbed up and down the jungle gym and slide the whole time we watched you. Ms Brandi just might be right!

Audrey Ayi gave you some really great art books for your birthday, and then after playing for a while, gave you a bath later. She came up with a crazy game, and somehow you both ended up with soaked heads.

what kind of game is this?!?

I snapped this shot of the two of you with your little towel-wrapped heads...too cute!

Daddy and I have also really enjoyed spending time with you in the evenings...playing hootie hoot and hide and seek. You crack us up with your excitement, squealing and saying "me and you, me and you, me and you...you find us!" whenever you want one of us to find you hiding.

You have been practicing yoga with Daddy too...really getting into it. It is so darn adorable!

stretch!

Then as you walked up the stairs ahead of Daddy one night, he said, "Boy Mali, your back is ripped!" to which you indignantly replied, "No Daddy, my back no ripped!" Ha. You're so literal. You insisted on taking a shower after yoga too, saying, "Touch me Mom, all sweaty. Need take a shower." Ha ha.

Another funny little tidbit of a conversation we've had this past week involved discussing pregnancy and having babies. I'm a firm believer in being completely honest with you, about nearly all things. So, when discussing babies and being pregnant, I asked you if you could guess how babies are born. Of course, you asked how, so I told you they came out through a Mommy's vagina. Well, you looked at me completely in disgust, saying, "That's yucky Mom! No vagina!" I then asked you that if that is not how you think babies come out, then how did they come out? To which you proceeded to reach up your shirt, and then quickly and in very flashy fashion, pretended to pull your baby out from under your shirt and shouted "Whhoopp!!" Then looked at me with an expression that can only be translated as "Duh Mom." I laughed so hard...deciding in that moment that this particular talk could wait until you were older. I'll just enjoy your theory of all that for now. Ha ha.

Anyway...this brings us up to the start of your big birthday weekend. Friday I took the day off work so I could work on one of your football cakes...and so I also got you up and all ready for school, dressing you in your fancy new "wild child" outfit, complete with patent leather heels. You felt so good in that outfit and it made you feel even better when all of your teachers at school gushed over how cute you were too. My first mission of the weekend accomplished = you started the day feeling really special!

wild child!!

Daddy and I both came to pick you up, and brought cupcakes to share with your class, along with all of your Spiderman cups, plates, and napkins. You were such a good helper, passing out plates to everyone, and so adorable as your class sung "Happy Birthday" to you, happily fidgeting in joyful bashfulness, soaking in the first of many special moments for your birthday.

Saturday morning, the day of your snow tubing party, started out with torrents of rain. Not the best weather for tubing. So we improvised and rented a larger lodge/cabin right next to Snowtrails Resort, in order to host everyone for your party. In spite of the snafu and change of plans, the party could not have gone any better. You had a wonderful time with every single one of your guests, and it was amazing to see all of the people who braved the cold and nasty weather to drive all the way to Mansfield to celebrate you.


you were SO excited to wear the birthday shirt I made for you - "Rockin' the BIG 3!" on the front and "Woo Hoo! I'm the Birthday Girl" on the back = AWESOME!

 You spent time with everyone at your party and did a great job of showing your appreciation for all of your gifts. You are such a phenomenal kid. I'm so proud of you.
Here are some shots from the festivities...

with Wai gong



keeping both eyes on the cakes while I snap a picture...p.s. I made the one that is actually shaped like a football

singing along with Happy Birthday; p.s. the clothesline of pictures behind you are shots of you over the last year

bouncing down the stairs with your cousin Sammy

getting ready to open presents

the gang of people who came to celebrate your special birthday

An extra little detail from your birthday celebration that I would be remiss not to mention...the ladybug. This little visitor was one of the first things I noticed upon arrival...perhaps she was a "gift" to help us get the day off to a good start? A sign of good luck anyway!

our good luck mascot for the weekend

We woke up on your actual birthday at the cabin, with you asking me "Where are we?!?" You started your third year with a dry diaper too ~ woo hoo! We enjoyed a leisurely morning, eating breakfast and playing with Uncle Forge and Lao Lao until parting ways for the day.

feeling like 'big stuff', eating your cinnamon rolls at the bar with Uncle Forge

breakfast with Lao Lao

You, Daddy, and I checked out the tubing hill on our way home from the cabin. The hill was so fast due to the rain turning to snow and ice overnight, that we decided it best not to try tubing after all. Instead, we had lunch at the ski lodge before heading home, with you looking like the tiniest and cutest snow bunny on the planet.

this could be an ad for Snowtrails Tubing Park!

family pic @ the bottom of the tubing hill

Interestingly enough, Hubey showed up at the ski lodge to have lunch with us. Evidently, driving her own car, according to you. Very funny stuff.

After getting home, we surprised you with your 1950's diner play set and very own mailbox as your last birthday presents from Daddy and I. You loved them!

got your apron on and everything - getting into the groove with your new diner

opening your birthday mail

And to cap off your birthday weekend...Imagination Movers just so happened to be premiering their concert tour on Disney channel on Sunday night, so you, Daddy and I all rocked out, (literally with guitars and all, upon your insistence), to the whole concert on TV. You were jumping up and down on the couch, jamming out with your guitar to every song. If this is any indication to how you are going to be at the actual concert when we really do see them on April 1st, it's going to be awesome! (I would have gotten pictures of this, but we were all too busy rockin' out to stop and get the camera ~ just one of those moments that you just can't push pause on but rather have to go with it).

So, basically, Happy Happy Birthday Maliana...we love you more than you can ever imagine ~ this birthday weekend could not have gone any better.

Love,
Mama