Mama's Memories for M: Circuses and Birthday Parties

Maliana ~

You have had a pretty fun week this week. You’ve been spending a lot of time at the gym, both yours and Daddy’s. You had fun “crossfitting” with Daddy a few days this week, and on your “off” days when you decided to stay home with me, Daddy said that everyone asked about you, and one guy even seemed genuinely disappointed that you weren’t going to work out with them. One night Daddy had to come home and ice his knee. You immediately had to ice yours as well, milking a limp with a performance that could have won an Oscar. You are too funny.

You also officially began your tang soo do lessons, attending two classes this week. You did super and in spite of being tired, remained very enthusiastic and well behaved the entire time. During your first lesson, I was surprised to see them pretty much throw you right in to class. It all went so fast and I made a comment about the speed of it all on our way out, where you said, “Yeah, and I’m so slow.” We had a nice talk about how new things can be a little confusing sometimes, but that each time you go and try, the more you will understand and the more it will get easier. By your second class, I think you were feeling a little more comfortable, and as we walked out this time, I made sure to tell you how proud of you I was because you showed up, listened, and did your best. You were beaming and got that big-mouthed excited face you get, then kissed my hand several times as you held it while we walked to the car.

ready for class

"meditating"

all lined up

high block

getting ready to spar in your oversized gloves and helmet

Putting you to bed this week we’ve been doing our usual bedtime story reading, but the big difference lately is your interest in wanting to learn how to read yourself! You’ve already been reciting many of your books back to us from memory, but recently you’ve been asking me to help you sound out the letters too. I think it’s pretty remarkable that you are requesting this on your own. You also have been wanting to hear about China a lot more frequently lately. I love hearing your tiny voice in the dark asking me to “talk about China”. We had a really sweet pillow conversation at bedtime one night, with me sharing some more details about our trip to China. We even talked a little bit more about your birth parents. And while I know these could all be elaborate stall tactics to buy a few more minutes of awake time, I’ll still take it. I love any opportunity to share things with you, especially this stuff.

We’ve had some super evenings at home lately too. With the warmer weather, the neighborhood has come alive after work and school. Two nights in a row, I opened up the garage and you and several neighborhood kids drug out nearly every single toy you own. We’ve had so many months of empty houses waiting to be sold, it’s great to not only have them filled again but restocked with some very nice families with many of the kids very close to your age. Daddy came home one night, in the midst of all of this playing, and said it looked like “kidsapalooza” at our house. Many of the parents came over too and as we sat on the porch talking and watching you kids, Jenny (next door) commented on your laugh. It was this great out-of-breath excited kind of uncontrollable giggle…one that can only be summoned by the antics of another child. Mom and Dad can never quite reach that kind of hilarity. I love to hear that laugh. It can only mean one thing…big fun. Makes me smile every time. These are some great nights, and it’s not even summer yet!

While we’ve had some great time spent with great kids, we’ve also had an episode of dealing with a not so great kid this week too. Unfortunately, there is a newer kid at school and he chose Friday to push you down on the playground just as I was arriving to pick you up. I didn’t see it happen, but when I looked over to see you crying, really crying, I felt awful and wished I would have gotten there sooner. You are a pretty tough kid and can take a lot, usually finding a way to shake it off. So when you got so terribly upset, I knew it was bad. You weren’t really physically hurt too badly, but emotionally it really got to you. After I scooped you up and cuddled you, you still had a hard time calming down, even calling for Daddy. While I hate to see you so upset, it also was a good sign. See, Daddy has been making a conscious effort to spend more time with you, and the fact that you wanted him to help comfort you that afternoon too shows that this increased quality time is paying off. As hard as it was for this to happen, there’s the silver lining.

Anyway, before we left, this particular little tyrant had already sent another little girl crying to the teacher. Grrr. You’re only four years old and this is the second bully you’ve had to deal with already! It’s so frustrating. I asked what you would like to do after leaving school, in an effort to help cheer you up. You wanted to go to McDonald’s for an ice cream cone, so off we went. As we sat in our booth at McDonald’s, it gave me the opportunity to share a story with you about my own experience with a 1st grade bully, “Patrick the Pig” (at least that’s what Lao Lao, Wai Gong, and I called him at home). Who knows if letting you in on our nickname for this bully was the best lesson to teach you, but you sure did seem to get a kick out of it, and I think you felt better knowing that I had also dealt with mean kids too.

ice cream always brings smiles!

After ice cream, we came home and played with Max the kitty cat before we had to go to the airport to pick up Lao Lao and Uncle Forge from their trip to Florida.

we had a great time cat-sitting Max

Crazily enough, there were thunderstorms and even tornado sirens going off at one point that night. In spite of all this, you insisted on going with me, and we marveled at the lightening as we drove to the airport. That’s one thing I love about you, you are always up for an adventure.

Due to the storms however, Lao Lao’s flight was diverted and delayed. We found this out after we were already at the airport, and when I told you we had to go home and come back to get her later, you fought me on it. You said, “I know! Let’s go to sleep, then wake up and Lao Lao will be here!” Like I said, you’re always up for an adventure. The only way I could convince you to come home and then go back out to get her was to tell you we’d go home and get ready for bed, then come back in our jammies. So that’s what we did. By the time we arrived back at the airport, we had some nutty outfits on, but at least after their stressful travels, we could give them a laugh at how goofy we looked.

pajama pirate girls, getting ready to
leave for the airport

dew rag, backpack, Christmas jammies, and light up flip flops;
yeah, that's how we roll

In spite of not getting much sleep on Friday night after all of these trips to the airport, you still managed to be in a remarkably silly mood on Saturday morning. We headed off to a bounce party for your cousin Brianna from 10am-12pm and then met Wai Gong, Memaw Lisa, and Uncle Blaize at the circus at 3pm, then rounded the day out with dinner at Red Robin. You had a blast at it all and were glued to every act during your first ever circus! It was a truly great day.

all the kiddos at Brianna's birthday party

silkie goes everywhere with us...even bouncing;
and yes, that is a Justin Bieber shirt

perking up after a little bit of pizza

playing a little pre-circus game with the boys

won a snake!

excitedly watching them set up the rings;
ready for your first circus!

ready for the show to begin

quest for cotton candy...Wai Gong is a sucker

nervously watching the trapeze act

pony rides during intermission

so close it looked like the elephant was looking right at us!

aggh! clowns!

We slept in and opened our eyes to both Max and Abby climbing into bed with us, then took it easy the rest of the morning.

love these lazy cuddly mornings

Lao Lao came to pick up Max, and while here took you out on a date to Easton (at your request). Evidently, you both came up with a game where the white tile squares in the mall had alligators, so you had to stay on the green tile squares the entire time so you wouldn’t get eaten. Then, as you ran out of the mall, you had to dodge flying monkeys and beware of green cars because that is what flying monkeys drive (of course). So, with all of that being said, I am assuming our next trip to Easton will be quite interesting (to say the least). Thank you Lao Lao.

well, I guess dandelions are technically edible, silly girls

obligatory photo booth shenanigans

That afternoon we went to another birthday party for Ellie, (Aunt Lindsey’s boyfriend) Jeff’s daughter who turned two. It was a nice laid-back cookout at his parents’ house. The weather was perfect and the company was good. There were a lot of different kids there and you played extremely well with all of them, even trying to be helpful with the younger ones, which you have been doing a lot more lately. You have a wonderful little mothering instinct in you. As we left, Daddy and I complimented you on your good behavior, to which you replied, “Thank you Mommy, Daddy”. You are truly an unbelievably sweet kid.