Spring has Sprung!

Maliana ~

Well, the freshest thing on my mind as I write this are your kisses this weekend. Daddy shaved all of his facial hair off and you were so cute, like a girl with a new “crush”. You just kept kissing him on Sunday morning, wanting him to sit by you, and telling me he was your buddy. (I definitely think Daddy will stay clean shaven for a while now, if it means more kisses from you!) And Sunday night, you surprised me with a big old kiss on the lips, as we lay there in the dark, when I was tucking you in to bed. Then another night you grabbed your guitar (a stall tactic I’m sure, but a welcome one nonetheless), and serenaded me with your own (very serious) rendition of Bruno Mars’s “Just the Way You Are”. Man! I just love those little moments!!

And while we had a lot of sweet…it generally comes with a little sour too. This week we had some more behavior challenges with you at school. Monday Ms Brandi told me that you had forgotten your “listening ears” and were being so defiant with her, complete “opposite Mali”. We had a talk about it and you did better on Tuesday but it was still a challenge. So we talked some more, and I must have begun talking the point to death because when I was asking you over dinner if you understood (to make sure I was getting the major points across), you said, “Yeah Mom. Shhh…I’m eating”. Well, ok then! Ha ha. Luckily the points were made because you were back to your old self by Wednesday. Just testing out some new behavior, always learning something new at school, and I suppose you have to take the good with the bad. All’s well that ends well, right?

And I guess you are really applying all that you are learning too, because at one point this week, you turned around to me on the stairs as we all were leaving and told me, “No biting Daddy, no hitting, and no scratching him, ok?” Well, I guess that’s only fair…if you have to follow my rules, I promise to follow yours. Ha ha.

Daddy took you over to Memaw and Papaw’s one night this week for a quick visit. You guys had fun and Memaw and Papaw were so happy to see you. You got to show off some of your fancy new dance moves for them, which they got a huge kick out of.

And for a while now, you have been very into playing hide and seek, taking it very seriously and wanting to play it ALL the time. One night, Daddy came home from work and noticing his car pull in, you made me stay with you in your closet until he came to find us. You would NOT let me out at any cost (even though Daddy really had no way of knowing we were hiding from him). Luckily I had my cell phone with me, texting Daddy, “Please come find us in M’s closet, she WON’T let me out! Help!” Daddy had a good chuckle at that and came to rescue me (and appease you).

This week we’ve been spending a lot of time outside. One day, before it really got nice, you and I took Abby for a walk at Hoover. It was wet, muddy, and still quite brown, but we had fun exploring anyway.

Then later in the week, it got more spring-like, with our flowers really starting to show their faces for the season. We put together your new scooter and a climbing toy that Grandpa Rick brought over for your birthday, then stayed outside playing until 7:30pm. It was so nice and is really starting to get warmer!

proud of your new wheels, insisting on the race car scooter (NOT the princess one)

Lao Lao stopped for a visit and helped you learn the ropes of "scooting"

scooter break with our neighbor Cass

Then the next night, you and Cassidy had a great time playing in the big box that your diner play set came in. It was pretty ironic that you were having such fun playing in this box, right next to the climbing toy that we had just put together for you the day before. Typical! Either way you both had a ball and were so silly. It’s a lot of fun to watch you playing with other kids…you have come so far in the short year and a half you’ve been home. Although, you’ve always had that little magnetic personality, from day one.

fun with an empty box...a timeless toy

and over they go...timber!!

finally tiring of the empty cardboard box, and playing with your Little Tikes toy

Cass is so sweet to you

pretending to be scary monsters

look at those dirty socks! a sign that it was a fun, carefree, night outside...

To celebrate spring, you and I headed to Target to initially look for something for me, but wound up getting you a new bathing suit, towel, cover up, and some super cute brown, heeled sandals for summer. You are SO proud of these sandals! You immediately wanted to put them on to wear out of the store, despite being a bit wobbly and looking like a little old lady as you got used to walking in them.

You were one happy kid and I got several random kisses on the way home. Gotta love that! You modeled your new ensemble for Daddy when he came home, obviously still very proud of your “new look”. Here you are striking a pose for summer…

work it girl!

In keeping with the spring theme, it was neat to hear you comment one day, as we arrived home from school, “Stop, listen Mom. Birds singing!” And ironic too, because I had just noticed the same thing earlier in the day. I love that you are in tune with nature like that.

On Friday, you and I decided to do some thrifting. You really wanted a new hat, so we headed to our local second hand shop, and you picked out, of all things, a Cincinnati Reds baseball hat, along with a pair of exercise shorts, and a white t-shirt. You were so excited about them too! When we got home, you insisted on changing into your new clothes, then pulling out the yoga mat and block, and doing some of Daddy’s P90X all on your own. It was so funny and you were doing good too! Watching a three year old do yoga is one of the greatest pieces of entertainment. Let me tell ya! And as for the exercise shorts, you continued to insist on wearing them all the way through Sunday. Hopefully, three days is your limit for one article of clothing and thankfully, shorts don’t get nearly as dirty as shirts do at our house. Ha ha. I love your little quirks.

the infamous exercise shorts (& outfit)

After the thrift store, we had headed down the sidewalk so you could make your first visit to an Anthony Thomas candy store. The smell when you walk in one of those stores takes me back to when I was just a bit older than you. You walked in and were immediately in heaven. I let you pick out three pieces of candy to take home, and you were so sweet and appreciative about it. The lady who was working there got a big kick out of you, which you played on by saying “See you later, alligator” in your super silly voice as we were leaving. A face full of chocolate as we walked back to the car, you were a happy camper.

decisions, decisions...

Daddy also told me this week that it is hysterical when he drops you off at school. You have a good buddy, Aray, who you just adore, and likewise evidently because as soon as you get to school, Aray is swarming Daddy, excitedly talking to you and saying hi, wanting to show you whatever treasure he has brought from home in his pocket, and/or complimenting you on your clothes, etc. Like I said before, it is so cool to see you interacting with and enjoying other kids. I’m telling you, you are magnetic.

Saturday, you and Daddy had a GREAT day together. I needed to get some things done at home, so Daddy took you on a morning date to Gena’s for breakfast, then on to Roman’s soccer game at Easton. You had a blast together, with Daddy first tricking you into eating a ton of fruit at breakfast by pretending to grow his muscles every time he’d eat a grape. Evidently, you had the tables surrounding you pretending to be amazed by your “growing muscles” from all the fruit, and giggling with all of your antics. Then you made a ton of friends at the soccer game, mooching snacks from anyone who was around you, and cheering like crazy for Roman, only slightly offended when he wouldn’t look and wave at you in the middle of the game. Ha ha. I guess Jenny made the comment as you left the field, “Wow, Mali makes friends just like her Daddy does”. Yep, you are DEFINITELY the social butterfly, just like ‘dear old dad’.

Go Roman!!

Saturday night we had Joe and Tina over for an impromptu cookout and bonfire. Cassidy came over and you girls were riding bikes and playing, then she had some dinner with us too. It was fun to have everyone eating dinner together, the first of your “buds” to eat dinner with us. I love listening to you girls giggling about stuff. Despite her being 3 years older than you, you both seem to have fun together. Just watching you both reminds of how fun and carefree it is to be a kid.

Then, after dinner, we had our bonfire, and before you finally pooped out from exhaustion, Tina told you a few stories by the fire, which you loved.

listening intently to Tina's story

Sunday we headed to Wai Gong’s (with you in those darn exercise shorts again) for a surprise birthday party for Ggma who turned 86!! We had a good time and Great Grandma was really surprised. As tired and cranky as you were by the time we left, I was happy that you gave Ggma a hug and said, “I love you”. That’s always a nice gift. We had to laugh too…because as we got home, I noticed that we had an extra Cincinnati Reds hat in the car with us. Evidently, you and Johnny wear identical Reds hats! Turns out, we accidentally swiped his, thinking it was yours, before leaving the party. Oops! I wish I would have realized this sooner so I could have gotten a picture of you both in your matching hats! Too funny.

Happy 86th Ggma!! We love you!!

silly balloon bellies; Blaize, you, and cousins Courtney and Ethan

Once home, you napped for a while and upon waking, we all took a family walk in the warm spring evening, and played at the playground until the sun set. Family walks are such a great way to end a nice weekend together.

kissin' on the monkey bars

sunset hugs

And when we got home, you and Cassidy squeezed in a little more playtime before heading to bed, after 9pm! As I sat there finishing up some stuff on the computer, listening to you and Cass laughing hysterically in that big box (now in our family room), I just kept thinking to myself how much fun it is to be a part of your growing up. There’s nothing sweeter than the laughter of children.

Love,
Mama