Taking Solace in the Moon

Maliana ~

Well, since this is the freshest thing on my mind today, I will start by saying I have had to work hard to rein in Mama Bear and her protective instincts lately. We still have our house guests and are all going day by day. It’s a tough situation for everyone involved, but we are making the best of it. On the up side, since we have had our house guests, it has encouraged us to increase our adventures outside the house and we’ve been using that time to explore nature more. I cannot tell you how many walks, hikes, runs, etc we’ve gone on this week.

One night all three of us headed out after a rainstorm and Daddy shook branches on you as you rode in the backpack, to which you squealed uncontrollably. You and I took both dogs out for a walk too, with you ever so gracious as to want to hold Abby’s leash and even carry the poop bag! You’ve begun to be interested in collecting “treasures” that we find along the walk lately too, a time honored tradition that I am happy to carry on from my own childhood, filling my mom’s special “goodie pocket” before arriving back home. When you take my hand to walk alongside me, or reach up to give me some special leaf, flower, or rock you find on our walk, my heart just melts. You and I also headed over to Blacklick park another night, with a cooler loaded with salami, yogurt, drinks, cherries, strawberries, and popsicles stuffed into the stroller and did the entire 4 mile trail together. Walking, instead of running, with you definitely has its advantages since we can talk so much more easily the entire time. Of course, we had to hit the playground there too, which was a great one.

sweet gum ball in one hand, dog poop in the other

Hollywood kisses from the Blacklick trail



shaking the rain off the branches after a storm

Since having so much fun at the park in Gahanna last week, we decided to head over there after finishing an appointment one night, taking Daddy this time. It was fun, with you getting in the creek once again. Daddy and I commented how awesome it is that you love to get dirty, explore the world around you, and aren’t afraid of much (you kept turning over rocks in the creek, trying to find crawdads).

woo! is that water cold!?

crawdad hunting

wildflowers from Daddy

By far though, my favorite new thing has been getting you all ready for bed, reclining the stroller, stuffing a pillow in there, bringing silkie along, and heading out for a moonlit stroll until you fall asleep under the stars. All we can hear are the sounds of crickets and some distant traffic, we smell the cool night air, feel the soft breeze on our skin, and you just stare up at the night sky as we walk slowly along. Last night, you even began singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Sometimes it’s been just you and I, other times Daddy has come along, but no matter what combination, it’s been a nice, quiet end to the day.

Lao Lao came over and dropped off the 2nd annual family day DVD that we’ve been putting together. We’ve already watched it a few times, once with just the 3 of us, and the other time with Lao Lao and Uncle Forge when they came over for dinner. You loved it, doing the robot dance to some of your songs, and asking every so often, “You crying?” These DVD’s have been so touching to watch, the slide show of pictures of you from the previous year (this year there are over 1000), set to your favorite music…of course we’re crying (and laughing)! Ha ha. When we took a copy over to Memaw and Papaw’s, watching it with them too, they loved it (and cried) as well.

As far as your quirks this week, there have been a few mentionable ones. First, I’m still amazed that you know how to spell your name, but what makes it even cuter is that you pronounce “I” as “oy” so when we ask you to spell your name, you say, “M-A-L-oy”. That’s just one of the little idiosyncrasies I’m going to miss once you finish speech therapy. Along the same lines, you dug out one of your favorite books the other night, “Now I Eat My ABC’s”, and began “reading” it all by yourself as you sat cross-legged on the floor. It was the most adorable sight. We got a video of it, your tiny voice is so priceless, as was your “oy… Ice” when you got to the “I” page that showed a picture of ice. Finally, the last little detail this week has been your choice of outfits for school. We let you pick out your own clothes to wear to school (it’s just easier than fighting you on it first thing in the morning), and no one can deny you have your own style, and an amazingly strong personality. Here are some prime examples of your awesome combinations ~ look out America’s Next Top Model!

green Snoopy shirt, red athletic shorts, and brown corduroy shoes with pink butterfly zippers

blue/orange airplane shirt, red athletic shorts (again), and black suede shoes with turquoise/diamond flowers

Friday you ended the school week like Alexander in that children’s book about his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Unfortunately, you and a classmate got into a tussle over a toy, with you accidentally scratching his face in the struggle as you tried to hang onto the toy. Ms Brandi said that she didn’t think it was intentional on your part to hurt him; it was just a bad situation. She said you actually got tears in your eyes after the incident, and said you were sorry and helped clean him up. She did however tell me that you did not have your listening ears on all that day either. You were just not your usual self at all. It was such a sudden change and I was concerned. The only thing I can think of that was markedly different is that our house guests had come home from staying somewhere else for a few days just the night before. You had been up late with all of the hubbub involved (including traumatically pulling a splinter from the deck out of your foot), and then Daddy said it was hard to get you to go to school that morning because you wanted to stay home. This is just one example (there are many) of how hard it has been with such a packed house, and it’s broken my heart to see you under more stress. This is actually how our moonlit walks have begun, because I’ve been encouraging you to try to identify when you need to take a break and get away from the craziness (or I’ve tried to identify it for you when I notice things are just too much). You and I have slid outside (or at least out of a room) a lot lately, just to talk about what’s going on and how to handle something better, take some deep breaths, or just take a quiet moment. I have told you that if you start to feel upset, to come get me and tell me you need me or that you want to take a walk, and we’ll go. I’m so glad you are taking me up on this, because each night without fail, you turn to me and say, “I need to take a walk Mom”. What has started out for more stressful reasons is becoming one of our favorite parts of the day.

Friday evening, we took Daddy (and the gang) to Music in the Park. There was no creekin’, but I had brought some squirt guns, and you had fun with those.

dead eye of a squirt gun shooter

teaming up on Mama

squirt gun fun even on a Sunday morning

You came with me on the way home, where I stopped to get gas and you insisted on leaning out the window and getting a step-by-step tutorial on how to pump gas. Ever the inquisitive little thing you are. We looked at the near full moon and I told you about how I saw the great big moon when I woke up that morning and how it was so pretty as I drove to work, to which you replied that when you woke up you couldn’t find me. I said yes, that’s because you are still sleeping when I leave. To which you replied that I shouldn’t go to work anymore then. Well, ok! Deal! (I wish!)

Saturday was a busy, yet fun day. We got all gussied up for our 2nd annual family day portraits, with it being the exact 2nd anniversary of the day we arrived home to America with you. July 16th, 2009. You cooperated beautifully with the photographer and they turned out great. We then came home, and headed off to a graduation party near Wadsworth Ohio, for one of Shawn’s cousin’s kids. It was a lot of fun.

go long!

put 'em up!

yes, you are cooling off in the hot (cool) tub. and yes, you are in your underwear

As we drove home, you noticed the moon outside the window of our moving car, asking “Mommy, why the moon moving?” It was very cute, even though my response (the best I could do) was a bit lacking. I just realized this too…the moon sure has helped us lately, being a big part of our life this week. It's been a reassuring constant amidst the chaos.

So, thanks moon.
Love,

Mama