Maliana ~
Awesome start to your week. Daddy said you woke up at 6:45am and were, literally, “fist-pumpin’” excited to go to school. You had a great day at school and then I came to pick you up a little early and came to your Mother’s Day Tea. Unbelievably, I was the only parent in your class that participated. You and I enjoyed our little private tea and muffin snack, with you getting a kick out of a showing me the special tablecloth your teachers put on the snack table, and having fun just chatting and being silly together. When we got home, you and I took a walk with Abby and your baby/stroller. As you can see from the picture below…you’re not your ‘average mommy’, insisting you needed an electric guitar to accompany our stroll...because, well, you just never know. Ha ha.
Once Daddy got home, we all headed to your favorite dinner joint, Noodles & Co. and then your favorite playground. You are now climbing up and down one of their climbing walls all by yourself! It’s amazing what 6 months can do for your development! You were so proud, zipping up the wall and down the slide, over and over and over again. You liked giving me high fives or knuckles as you went down the slide too. Miss Big Shot!
The next day we went creekin’ behind the house…and you LOVED it! My only wish is that my flip flop didn’t break so easily in the mud of the creek bed…I definitely underestimated just how muddy and sticky that creek bed would be. You really got into it though so we’ll have to take you to an even better creek for more exploring, and bring Daddy next time since he is more fearless than I when it comes to really digging out critters under rocks.
We did have a slight attitude adjustment that was necessary this week. You evidently have heard this somewhere, likely at school, but one day you informed me “I’m not happy with you. See my face? I’m not laughing!” When I quizzed you a bit, I realized that you were actually just pretending and had no real beef with me, but still wouldn’t let this little charade drop. Going so far as to actually begin yelling that you weren’t my friend, and never ever, ever would be my friend, etc etc etc. Well, after a while, I had a talk with you about how saying things like that is hurtful, not nice, and that we don’t say things like that to other people. We also talked about how it’s ok to be angry, mad, or upset, but that when you yelled that I could never be your friend, you hurt my feelings, hurt my “heart”. You did seem to “get it” and eventually snapped out of your little experiment of behaviors, even apologizing to me. It’s interesting to see the kinds of stuff that you are exposed to at school when you bring it home to try out on Daddy and I. At times it can be such a little jungle there…survival of the fittest. You will be exposed to this socialization stuff eventually anyway, so I suppose it’s best to get it over with now rather than later when the stakes are higher. With the whole school experience, you have to take the good with the bad, and the good far outweighs the bad, so what are ya gonna do?
Thankfully the next day you were back to your sweet little self. On the way home, you were talking about your friends at school, saying that “Aray, John John, 'me Mali', the Imagination Movers, and 'you Mom'” are all cool. Too funny. Thanks for lumping me into your ‘cool crowd’.
We headed into the ‘ville for some flowers for the yard…and I let you pick out some for the deck. You chose white impatiens and ‘black dragons’. Good choices!
Once home, we put up your tent in the front yard. You insisted I sit inside with you and we sweated our butts off! Oh my gosh does that thing get hot inside!
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| sweaty matted hair! |
I was happy when your friends finally showed up to play so I could get some fresh air and breathe again!
On Friday you and I headed back out for more flowers for the yard. You must have had a long week and actually fell asleep in my arms while walking through the garden center. Luckily, I got some help loading the car and just let you sleep…even taking a seat on their patio furniture display for a while to cuddle with you. As a mom, you gotta do what you gotta do when your kiddo needs some shut-eye.
Once home, you helped Daddy and I begin to weed and landscape the yard, really getting into using your wheelbarrow, garden tools, and watering can.
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| new way to use your wheelbarrow |
Saturday, we spent all day gardening outside, which was really nice. We rarely get a whole day for something like this, and while we’re nowhere near done, it was a good start. I loved spending the day outside, watching you explore the yard, look for and play with bugs, and helping me plant and water the flowers.
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| reading the planting instructions |
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| I think your expression says, "and THAT's how you water flowers!!" |
And later, thanks to our visit with Michelle, Fred, and Mia last week, you informed me that you had a baby in your belly…going so far as to have me touch your belly and telling me, “There’s his foot, there’s his head, there’s his bottom”. It was hysterical! Of course, I don’t want to hear you say any of this for real for at least another 20-25 years, okay? And Daddy would probably say for at least another 30+ years! Ha ha.
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| silkie is tucked into your shirt, for full pregnant belly effect |
We headed over to Uncle “Happy” Joe and Tina’s house for a cookout that night. You were a bit clingy at first, but then after about an hour, I tried to come down and check on you with all the kids and you kicked me out, saying “I’m fine, go upstairs Mom!” I guess I’m not allowed near ‘kid-ville’. Ha ha. After getting kicked out of the kid-zone, I refrained from being mamarazzi with my camera, but it was really neat to eavesdrop on you at times…you were having such fun. It’s also nice to hear you so comfortable, acting silly to make the other kids laugh, and also being so kind, hearing you spontaneously sharing the snacks I would bring to you as I walked away. It made me really feel like we may just be doing at least something right as your parents.
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| I have no idea how Erin got you to wear that princess tiara, but it's cute! |
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| Sam was really good with you |
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| you wanted to sit and cuddle with Tina while we watched some Three Stooges before leaving |
You headed to Gena’s with Daddy for a late 2nd breakfast, while I ran and got some housework done. As you left, I got more kisses, hugs, and multiple “I love you”’s as you walked out the door. Once at Gena’s, you got to sit at the bar, which you thought was the coolest. And once again, you owned the place with your little personality.
Sunday night we went to Memaw and Papaw’s for a visit. You were once again in rare form, playing with them like crazy and putting them in stitches. You even rolled Papaw into a burrito with your new little game.
You freely gave them both kisses before we left. A rare occurrence with you over the last 6 months or more, but hopefully we’re turning a corner on the whole kissing thing. I, for one, would definitely LOVE more kisses again!
And another thing that I loved at Memaw and Papaw’s house was watching you walk around and really begin to notice all the pictures of you that they have displayed at their house. You would walk around slowly, stopping to inspect photos without saying a word, or happily exclaiming, “Hey, that’s me!” I love seeing you see yourself as part of something bigger, an important part of our family. It was just a subtle thing to witness with all of the other crazy and playful antics of the evening, but I think it was my favorite.
Love,
Mama
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