Shorts Wearin', Squirt-Gun Playin', Puddle Jumpin' Kinda Girl!

Maliana ~

It’s springtime baby! We are shorts wearin', squirt-gun playin', and puddle jumpin’ kinda girls this week!

Monday started with a visit to my counselor. Mama needed a “tune up” with all of the changes happening at work lately, and since I took a cancellation appointment, you went with me. Julie (my counselor aka “talking doctor, problem solver, like an Imagination mover who helps me brain storm” as I explained it to you) really enjoyed meeting you, saying how well behaved and mature you were (more like a four year old than a three year old) and how you really made her want another little one, (which she said was a different reaction than usual when she has little ones in a session). You did great at the appointment, letting me talk to her without too many interruptions, and by the end of it, were being so silly and felt right at home with her.

I promised you a squirt gun if you brought your listening ears and were cooperative at the appointment, and so had to fulfill that promise on the way home. You were so excited! We brought it home, and you proceeded to take your new water gun outside to show Cassidy, in spite of tons of puddles and rain everywhere.

As you can see from the pictures below…you are still wearing your red athletic shorts (and Nina shirt), and have added some rain boots, while you splashed in puddles and tested out your new squirt gun. I think altogether, you wore these shorts for 5 days in a row between this week and last, strutting into school on Monday morning, as if you were a true badass, with your self-chosen outfit.

Coming inside, I had to laugh as I heard you and Daddy talking about emptying your water gun before coming in the house, with Daddy saying, “Now, you never wanted to take a loaded water gun inside, ok?” I do not know why, but it struck me as funny to listen to this negotiation/conversation. After we came inside, Daddy began doing his P90X, which seeing as how you already had your exercise shorts on, you jumped right in, pretending to be a mini-Tony Horton…making sure his legs were positioned just right in each of his exercises. You are such the little parrot – mimicking nearly everything you see! It was hysterical!

Later that night as I read a book on the couch while Daddy put you to bed, I eavesdropped again and listened to you and Daddy talking and giggling as he tucked you in. It was another one of those moments where I recognized that life does not get much better than this, and I closed my eyes and just soaked it in.

Being April in Ohio…there has been lots of rain lately. So, one particular cold and rainy day, after a tough day at school and work, we both decided to cuddle on the couch under a blanket and treated ourselves to snacks and a double feature of the Princess and the Frog and Toy Story 3 together. There is nothing better than that after a rough day.

Unfortunately, the next day was challenging too, with you still trying to work past being a bit frightened of one particular boy at school with whom you have had some bad experiences. Ms. Brandi said that it’s not uncommon for kids to be a little fearful for a while after a bad experience, until they get over it; however, that does not help me feel much better when I see you having a hard time. You were so sober when we got home, so we just hung out and explored the yard, checking out the new spring growth. I had my camera out since it was a nice sunny day…but you were not feeling much for the lens.

Here you are pulling a ‘Sean Penn’ to my mamarazzi…this is the look you gave me just before marching straight for the camera and yanking it down. Yikes!

However, I did capture some pretty shots of you in the yard…

enjoying ice cream in the warm breeze and sunshine

making your rounds in the backyard

inspecting some new daffodils blooming right behind our trash can

our big blue spruce looks even bigger next to you

climbing

my serious beauty

And another day, you enjoyed pretending you were on your motorcycle, pulling down your helmet visor and giving a thumbs up (just like Uncle Lu Lu) before heading out on your first ride of the season. You kept yelling to me, “Mama, it’s loud!” and insisting I cover my ears.

And of course, when Daddy came home we all headed to Noodles and Co. for dinner (with you singing and rapping along with Justin Bieber’s song ‘Never Say Never’ (or as you call it, ‘Never Never’, hee hee) in the car), and then the park for some family time on the playground ~ immediately brightening your mood. We all had fun and closed that park down, staying until after sunset!

what I saw most of the night...you running from place to place to place

we came, we saw, we closed the park down!

stretching before racing each other across the bridge

On Thursday they had an open house at your school, to learn about their summer program. We got to chat a bit with one of your friend’s parents, Joshie. It was neat to see you interact with Joshie and talk about how you all do at school together. It’s also nice to see how comfortable you are there. We had to laugh as you went to the bathroom at the open house, then came out of the bathroom holding your shorts and putting them back on in the middle of the room, in front of everyone. The teachers said, “Oh yeah, there’s not much modesty at this age”. Ha ha…we’ll work on that. I do like that school, in spite of any tough experiences you have had, since you would likely learn these hard lessons elsewhere anyway.

You have become more interested in your “I Love You Like Crazy Cakes” book lately…with you only allowing me to read it to you for some reason. It is neat how you enjoy thinking about this as very similar to your own story. I love reading it to you, finally able to get through it all without tearing up, and I especially like the last page where it talks about your Chinese mother. I can tell you are a thinker…and it will be interesting to see what kinds of conversations are just around the corner with you.

On Friday, you went on your first non-family outing, going to dinner with the Szwabinsky’s at their Baba’s (Ukrainian for Grandma) house for Mark’s birthday. You were so excited (yelling “Yay!” with your arms up in the air as you ran to their car), and loved putting your car seat in Jen’s car and going on this new adventure without Mom and Dad. We are so fortunate to have such nice neighbors, who clearly adore you too.

After you got home from this adventure, we found your passport had arrived in the mail! We are all so excited! Aruba in November – here we come!

We were all happy to see the weekend arrive…with you being particularly happy when I tell you on Fridays lately that I don’t have to go to work in the morning.

Saturday was a very busy day for you and I. Since Daddy had to work, I decided to take you to Espresso Yourself Music Café in Powell to meet our friends, Pam, Brian, and their little boy/your buddy Jack for brunch and some music. It’s a neat place, an old church that has been refurbished into a coffee house/café, with quirky little seating areas and beautiful stained glass windows everywhere. There were a ton of guys in a big circle when we got there and they were having some sort of jam session, playing all sorts of acoustic music from Jimmy Buffett to Jim Croce. It was a bit loud at first, but they sounded good, we all got used to it, and it was so nice to see our friends again.

you, Brian, and Jack walking past the cafe (old white church on the left)



checking out the stained glass windows

chatting while listening to the jam session

uh oh...caffeine fiends already!

On our way home, we met Carter, Cassidy, and their dad Bryan at Polaris to have lunch and play on the play area in the mall. You three are so silly together!

buds

mmm...sharing ice cream!

We came home, you took a long nap, and then we headed back out again that night with Lao Lao. We were originally going to go see ‘Cinderella’ at the Columbus Children’s Theatre. We paid for parking downtown, trudged through the wind and rain, and finally made it to the theatre…only to find out the play was actually showing at another location. I was so bummed! But, not to have our “girls’ night” ruined…we decided to go to a movie instead, seeing ‘Rio’ at the closest movie theatre. You were happy to munch on Twizzlers and, while halfway through the movie you were curled on my lap and asking to go home, you enjoyed the latter part of the movie, and particularly the happy ending, with all the bright colors, music and dancing. Girls’ Night was officially saved! Ha ha.

now, where's our theatre???

got snacks?

After quite a late night on Saturday, you and I cuddled in bed on Sunday morning munching on cereal and vegging to another mini-movie marathon of 2 of the 3 Toy Story movies. It was nice to lounge with you and just have a lazy Sunday morning.

After finally getting up, you headed to brunch with Daddy at your usual, Gena’s Café, where you guys are pretty much becoming regulars! Before leaving, you insisted on wearing your green athletic shorts that I picked up for you this week (to finally get you out of the red ones), and while this was about day 3 of these shorts, you decided to combine them with some nice black patent leather shoes.

it's definitely a "look"!

Unfortunately, you decided to change out of them at the last minute, avoiding giving the patrons at Gena’s a new lesson in fashion.

We took a nice long family nap later in the afternoon, before heading to Blaize’s gymnastics meet at OSU. He did great and you cheered him on, clapping and yelling “Go Blaize!” or “Yay Blaize!”…as well as yelling for Wai Gong while he filmed Blaize halfway across the arena. You couldn’t figure out why neither one of them could hear you or respond to your shouting. It was pretty funny. Evidently, you also were cracking up a whole section of people who were watching the meet too…while dancing and generally goofing around on Daddy’s shoulders, grooving to the music and getting excited when you heard “I Gotta Feeling” by the BEP’s, yelling, “Mom! It’s my song!”

helping Memaw Lisa keep score while Ggma looks on

explaining something to Wai Gong

watching Uncle Blaize with Aunt Lindsey

huh?

Once home, you and I immediately headed to bed, to get ready for our big week ahead. From start to finish on Sunday, you were one silly and giggly little girl, cracking Daddy and I up at regular intervals all day long. What a great way to end one week and begin another.

Love,
Mama

and P.S....

couldn't help but post you and your favorite dog...the loveable Abby