Be careful with me, I'm fragile!

Maliana ~

This will be brief since we are leaving for Austin, TX in the morning! But I wanted to jot a couple of nifty things for you before we head southwest.

First, you have taken to (for whatever reason) wearing Abby’s Cleveland Browns dog leash as a belt, pretty much all week so far. You came up with this idea all on your own and think it’s pretty cool, as evident by your strut. I think you are going for some sort of rocker look (you know how they wear the funky belts and chains hanging down sometimes?), but there’s no telling for sure.

Audrey Ayi came over on Monday and we all headed to, where else, but our favorite Chinese Buffet. You were so talkative at dinner and for the first time ever (all on your own) became very curious about the Chinese language, asking what this meant or that meant. Luckily for us we had Audrey with us...she knows Mandarin (and I think quite a bit of Cantonese as well) and is a huge help for all the words and phrases that we kept wondering about. Later that night, you were asking about Chinese characters and I explained that it was their alphabet, like ours, but with symbols. When you asked why, I explained that people in China use it to read, just like we read here. You added this to my explanation, "Yeah, people in China...and Audrey." Ha ha. (And many, many other people all over the globe, little one). Anyway, the staff at the restaurant always makes you origami animals and takes a real liking to you when we dine there. It is very sweet. I am also thrilled that you may be getting to the age where you are willingly going to be more interested in learning the language. It should be interesting for all of us!

matching chocolate moustaches!

On the car ride home, I don’t think any of us have consistently laughed more. There was really no rhyme or reason to the silliness…but we were all just contagiously cracking up. After about 5 minutes, I don’t think any of us really knew what we were laughing about, but none of us could stop. I was reaching back and tickling your cha-cha’s or ham hocks (e.g. inner thighs) and in between gasping for breath and giggles you said (in all seriousness), “Mommy, be careful with me. I’m fragile.” Audrey and I both really cracked up then. Later I realized that you may have gotten this little phrase from Lao Lao, but either way it was so funny to hear you say this. I love your use of language anymore…you are so funny!

I know it’s a little early for beginning CNY celebrations, but yesterday we both went and got our haircuts for Chinese New Year. You held so still and did great. And for once, I am pleased with my own haircut too. With this cut, we are finally recovering your hair from the horrible layering job that was done on you at the beginning of autumn (I’ll never go to a cheapie place again), and this time the hairdresser angled your hair to frame your face some more and it looks really cute. The best part is that hopefully it won’t be in your face anymore and I won’t have to pester you about barrettes or ponytails as much.

Once we got home from our haircuts, you must have been tired because you gathered your blankets and teddy bears and said, “Mommy, I wanna lay on you”. So we went into the living room and lay down on the couch together, in a little puddle of sunlight, with you sucking your tongue and fiddling with the straggly little string you love on your silkie. We stayed like that for nearly an hour. I actually dozed off for a bit. I was very surprised that you were quiet (and still) for so long…but it was a pleasant surprise. I got an unexpected free pass to do two of my favorite things, take a nap in the sun while cuddling with my favorite person on the planet. Life is good.

Love,
Mama