You may just be the only kid who can love on a cicada...dead or alive

Maliana ~

Congratulations on completing your swimming lessons this past week! I do have to say that this year they were a bit tougher than last year, what with your increased awareness of yourself and ability to actually realize what was going on a heck of a lot more (e.g. being scared to death when the instructors would even mention dunking you under the water, no matter how well they tried to slip it past you kids). I couldn’t help but be reminded of myself at your age, when you refused to do anything for which you weren’t absolutely 110% ready. You vehemently disliked going underwater during class, but actually have done okay when it was just you and I in the pool playing, and taking our time going under. The final class, where we had to help you “jump” (aka throw you kicking and screaming) off the diving board, was a bit tough. You were NOT a fan like you were last year. However, you did it. You tried it once, which is the only thing we will ask of you at this point. We agreed that some more swimming lessons this winter are going to be a good idea for you, to help you get over this momentary hump. In spite of any trepidation about going under water, overall you loved swimming lessons and have fun splashing and kicking around, using your arms and legs so much more coordinated than ever in the past. We love your instructors (same ones we had last year) and will request them again for the winter sessions. 

the amazing, Mrs. Jill

Another big milestone this week is your uncanny ability to put puzzles together, FAST! We went to the local library and checked out 3 puzzles one day, and within about 2 hours you were whizzing through these at lightning speed. So the next day we went back and got about 5 more puzzles, with which you proceeded to do the same thing. These aren’t the easier block puzzles either. Most of these are real puzzles with pieces that you have to fit together, looking for the edges, etc. It is amazing to watch your mind work. You really are a very smart kid. As I watched you put the last few pieces in these puzzles, you did your famous ‘open-mouth, eyes twinkling, smiling from ear to ear, face of pride’. I just LOVE that face! It’s awesome to watch you master something and then feel so good about yourself! You even turned the tables at one point, telling me you were my mommy and coaching me on how to put them together, then clapping and cheering when I would get the pieces in the right way (just like I had been doing to you)…it was so sweet.

puzzle wiz

This week at work, I was basically living for the weekend. By the time Friday rolled around, I was ready to scoop you up, kick up our heels and go crazy. So when I picked you up on Friday, we decided to take an impromptu trip to the zoo, since the weather was AMAZING! We bought snacks on the way there, with the clerk at the convenience store getting the biggest kick out of you placing our purchases on the counter and then insisting on handing over the money (no matter that you could barely even reach the counter). As we pulled into the zoo and the sign came into sight, you got excited, clapping and yelling, “Yay! The zoo!” over and over again. Once in, we perhaps saw more than we have ever seen in one trip. You even got to ride a pony and the choo-choo train (which you have been asking about for a while now). Once on the train, you did that ‘open mouth proud face’ again…and again, I LOVED it.

look! a boy lion!

lining up with all the goats for chow time!

come on out and I'll comb you

holding Mama's hand while on a pony ride

choo choo!!

We even got to stop and see Uncle Flint as he worked the photo booth at the log ride.

"Hey Mali, watch this guy's face!"

On the way out, I had to laugh. Here’s why. I had bought you a blue Icee just before leaving, which you proceeded to use to dye your lips a lovely shade of indigo, as well as make your chest and belly thoroughly sticky (after insisting on removing your shirt an hour earlier after leaving the petting zoo –not sure why). Your little shorts were drooping down off your butt, since well, basically you have no butt (that’s the only part of you that hasn’t grown much since you’ve been home), and you had long since taken off your shoes as well (again, still not sure why). But anyway, the reason I had to laugh was that the Jazzoo folks were coming in to the zoo, just as we were leaving. Now, this bunch of people are what I would call “hoity-toity”. Evidently it is an event that some patrons like to come just to “be seen”, while others obviously come because they actually like jazz. Anyway, there were a ton of older men and women, all decked out in their designer clothes, with their designer purses, hair coiffed and nails manicured to perfection. And here we were, me looking hot and bedraggled (all be it, extremely happy), pushing my sticky, half-dressed, crazy-haired, and blue-lipped (all be it, adorable), little girl, past them in a stroller on our way out to the parking lot. The juxtaposition of it made me laugh out loud. Once again, I love having you as my kid…there is never a dull moment with you. The goofier and crazier and messier the better if you ask me!

no shirt, no shoes, no problem!

On the way home from the zoo, I put on “Never Grow Up” by Taylor Swift, one of the songs we put on your Family Day DVD this year. To my surprise you began singing along with me, then asked me “Mom, are you gonna cry?” (Um, yeah…Mom’s a crier, remember?) Anyway, it was so sweet to look in the rearview mirror to watch you sincerely crooning along, eyes closed, really belting it out. You even wanted to hear it a few more times. I had no idea you would take such a liking to this song. Maybe it’s how much the lyrics touch me, and my reaction to it that makes it more appealing to you. Whatever it is, it’s a good song for you to enjoy, that’s for sure.

Daddy took you to breakfast one morning this weekend, of course to Gena’s, you guys’ favorite. You sat at the bar, and he snapped this picture of you chatting it up, hanging out with the old men regulars, like a regular yourself. Evidently, every time you come in, everyone takes a liking to you, talking to you and bringing you crayons and coloring books. You are like a people magnet.

so fellas, how's it going this morning?

After getting home from this breakfast, you and Daddy found a dead cicada outside. Not just the shell, but the entire dead bug, green creepy body, bulging eyes, wings and all. You were excited and brought it in to show me, and then…decided to keep it as a pet! Uggh. For the rest of the day, you were carrying it around with you, talking to it, placing it on a pillow in your room and admiring it, eating lunch with it, putting it on your stool in the bathroom so it could watch you poop, and even bringing it to nap with you, (thankfully setting it next to, rather than in, the bed with you). I turned to Daddy at one point and said, “We really need to get her a kitten…REALLY.” Ha ha.

oh, good grief!

We also got to visit Shawn, Jennifer, Niubei, and meet her little brother Noah this weekend too. But before we did that...I took you to the Fu playgroup...it was so hot, and much smaller than normal, but we still had fun on the playground (not that you can really tell from our attempt at a group shot of you girls ~ poor Jaden was not happy)!

adorable, but you four girls look shell-shocked!

Now, back to Niubei and her new baby brother ~ We had dinner at their new house, and you girls played all evening. It was so sweet to watch you two laughing and running around together. You wanted to hold Noah at one point, but then changed your mind at the last minute. You were a bit interested in him, but more-so in running around with Niubei and checking out your friend’s cool toys. This is the first time that you and Niubei have really begun playing together, so it was great to see a new friendship budding. Shawn also had just gotten his hair buzzed, right before we arrived. So, at one point, you walked up to him and stroked his head, asking about his haircut. When he said he got it all cut off, you asked him, “You got more?” Too cute.

checking out baby Noah

goofing around under the table

having fun with Shawn

and no evening is complete without a major hug/wrestling fest as we said our goodbyes

Sunday morning Daddy went golfing, so you and I rolled out of bed and headed straight to Tim Horton’s for breakfast. We even took Abby, and then decided to head out to Lao Lao’s house to take them breakfast too and visit for a while. We spent some time walking around and checking out the menagerie of animals out there, then Uncle Forge made you a ton of origami creations. You were having fun and didn’t want to leave. By the time we finally packed up and arrived home, Daddy was just pulling in too. Good timing.

feeding the tame buck

counting up the points

feeding their rescued fox

inspecting a freshly caught toad

We capped off the weekend by seeing Joe and Tina, having them over for dinner (take-out Chinese). Aunt Tina helped you with your chopsticks, and you even got several bites in yourself! We even got out some of the blue and white porcelain chopsticks that we brought home from China, and Uncle Joe broke them in for us. I forgot how pretty they are. Those two are so good with you, and Daddy and I laugh so much when we are all together. At one point, you were goofing around under the table, rolling around on the floor and yelling up to them, “I love you guys, I love you guys”. You really have such a great response to them. I think I’ve said this before, but kids and animals are so intuitive, knowing good people when they see them.

Aunt Tina giving you a hand with your chopsticks

now you got it! you go girl!

Aunt Tina and Uncle "Happy" Joe with some of our porcelain chopsticks from China

After dinner we were looking up some information on my laptop, trying to plan a trip to the Smokey Mountains with them. You were getting more and more slap happy by the minute, and so had become slightly grabby, which was driving me a little coo-coo when it came to the laptop. Well, I told you to quit being so grabby at one point, and you immediately put your head down and sulked your way into the living room. I automatically felt bad and decided I’d better do some damage control to see why it had affected you so much. When I got there, I found you with your head down, doing a very dramatic whimper and fake cry…but I knelt down and asked you why it upset you so much. (Now, here’s where I think you could have won an Oscar). You looked up at me, pathetic little puppy dog eyes, and put your hand on your chest, telling me, “When you yelled stop, it made my heart broken”…and then looked down again and gave another little whimper. You looked up again, repeating similar versions to what you had just said, and it was all I could do to keep a straight face. I finally explained to you why I had said what I did, and then apologized to you for yelling and hurting your feelings. To which, (honest to God), you looked up at me, placing one hand on my shoulder, one hand on your chest again, cocking your head and looking me straight in my eyes, saying, “That…(pause)…makes my heart happy”. I really had to stifle a giggle right there…but I managed to hold it together. It was so sweet. Despite the Oscar-worthy performance, I was very happy you could communicate your feelings so well. With my training and background as a counselor, encouraging and nourishing your emotional intelligence has been an area that has been important to me since we brought you home. Tonight, despite the theatrics, was a nice confirmation that you are getting it, alive and well in that department, to say the least.

Love,
Mama