Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Maliana ~

You started off the week with a workout at Crossfit with Daddy and are becoming quite the little rower!

rowing!

You also had told him that night, “Dad, I brought my attitude, but it’s in my pocket. I’m not gonna take it out.” When Dad asked, “What about your listening ears?” you said, “Oh, they’re on!” Love your quirky personality!

When you and Daddy got home, you noticed that your first strawberry looked ready for harvest and so, in spite of it being 9pm and past your bedtime (which was incentive for you to think of any tactic to stall), you insisted on picking and tasting it. I wondered if the strawberry was actually ready for plucking but you assured me that it was “sooo good!”

first strawberry harvest excitement

plucked!

More fireflies were hunted this week, staying out way past bedtime (in the typical summertime kid tradition) and playing in the dark with your neighbor friends.

motley crew of firefly hunters

I pulled out the sidewalk chalk one day and for some reason we all thought it would be a good idea to trace each of you on the sidewalk…however I completely underestimated the “crime scene vibe” that all of those little outlines produced. (Yikes!) You kids loved it though. I also got to see your sweet nature when one of the girls got upset with her picture and you helped retrace her, and then as she colored it in, you encouraged her by saying, “Aww, that’s beautiful!” I just love your kind spirit.

Driving you to school one morning, Daddy had another story. Evidently he got angry at another driver (as usual) and called them a dumbass…well, from the backseat he heard a tiny voice, very calmly reprimanding him with, “Dad. If you say dumbass one more time, I’m calling your mom.” Ha ha. Shape up Dad!

Like I mentioned last week, Audrey finished the OSU term and is on a break, so we all finally got to go to the zoo together again. After years of having visited the zoo, we had never seen the aquarium and decided to check it out. You loved the floor to ceiling tanks and especially the touch pool. In spite of it being pretty dang hot, the animals in the rest of the zoo were all surprisingly active too which made for an exciting trip all around.

aquarium!

touching the starfish

More fun with Audrey ensued on Friday when we met up with her after your tang soo do class for dinner and frozen yogurt. You were in rare form all night, cracking us up at dinner until our sides hurt and we were snorting and crying. We got home and as I took care of some things around the house, Audrey gave you a bath. I couldn’t help but laugh as I listened to the squeals and giggles coming from that bathroom. You two had a ball together (as usual)!

instructor Stanley-Wolfe testing your middle block

arm wrestling Audrey Ayi

after bath, you exclaimed, "I'm a happy burrito!"

show of solidarity for the Williams' family's friend, a little 9 year old
girl who is fighting osteosarcoma right now (to anyone else
 reading this blog, prayers and good vibes are welcomed)

and those hearts above led to more ink
artwork on Audrey's arms, a la Mali

Saturday morning Daddy and I had an appointment at 9:30am but afterwards, Lao Lao and I took you to the Columbus Pride parade. We have gone each year since you’ve been home, and we all love it. As you get older, we are able to have more meaningful conversations about diversity and acceptance and I am so proud to live in a city where we have access to events like this. These parades are so much fun and half the time you just laughed and shook your head, particularly thinking the silly guys dancing around in their underpants were hilarious! Of course, there were the more “mature” moments, like when they tossed variously colored wrapped condoms into the crowd. And being a kid, you immediately began scooping them up (no doubt thinking they were candy). You became quite disappointed when I informed you that they were not candy or toys and no, I would not be opening one for you. A little later though, you began picking the leftover ones from the street and stealthily stashing them into your wagon. For what, I have no idea. A woman behind you was watching and trying not to laugh, but after a few minutes she could not contain herself any longer and cracked up, laughing so hard she had to bury her face in her friend's shoulder. I don't blame her...it's not something you see every day, and I definitely need to remember to clean out that wagon before we take it on another outing!

High St. before the parade

lots of characters attend the parade

your expression through much of the parade

I hope you always choose acceptance and to celebrate diversity

And finally, Sunday was Father’s Day. You were so excited to wake up early with me and fix rainbow pancakes for Daddy. We allowed him to sleep in but I’m not sure how much sleep he got with you running in every 15 minutes saying, “Daddy! Don’t come in the kitchen! We’re making you rainbow pancakes!”

ta dah!

You put on an acoustic concert for us after breakfast, crooning some original songs accompanied by your guitar with lyrics like, “We just ate rainbow pancakes…and then I saved some for later…” It was pretty darn cute.

Later on we had a cookout for the Dads. Wai Gong, Memaw Lisa, and Uncle Blaize, as well as Memaw and Papaw all came over. You loved having everyone there, in spite of being mercilessly teased by not one but two grandpas. After a bit, you were exhausted (from a long weekend and playing like crazy with everyone) and had a slight meltdown because I wouldn’t let you go outside in the thunderstorm with your umbrella. You began to do your “tantrum dance” (or as Daddy calls it, your “Flashdance”) and so I calmly told you that if you needed to do that, then you could go in your room until you were finished. Lo and behold, you did. Without complaint. And when I went to check on you a few minutes later, you were fast asleep in your bunk (and slept there for three hours!) I couldn’t believe it! You must have been pooped. When you woke up, you felt immensely better. You really are mature beyond your years. I’ve never met another 4 year old like you.

Father's Day lunch

the dads...Wai Gong, Daddy, and Papaw
Happy Fathers' Day guys!

Happy Father’s Day everyone!

Love,
Mama