Birthday Parties, COSI, and a Girls' Weekend ~ What Could Be Better?

Maliana ~

This week has been full of dinosaurs...watching Dinosaur Train on Netflix, growing crystals on a cardboard dinosaur as part of a science experiment, and even hatching our own baby dinosaur in water.

watching Dinosaur Train while your
dino egg is slowly hatching

and we have a baby dinosaur!!

I met Ms. Beth for your parent/teacher conference this week too. You are doing great and ahead of many of your peers in a lot of different areas, and of course have your work cut out for you in other areas (just like every other kid). Your personal progress notes show you are speaking up more in circle time, getting better and better at writing your name, and you are always ready and willing to help in the classroom in any way you can. I am very proud of you. The one thing that we need to work a little more on is getting you to slow down on your assignments since you tend to rush through them so you can go play. (Of course, what kid hasn't been guilty of that at one time or another?) We'll work on it though. I also asked about your speech and if that has been an issue with your peers. Ms. Beth said that sometimes it is difficult to understand you, but she and the kids always find a way to figure out what you're saying and that none of your peers have said or done anything to discourage you from talking. I know kids can be ignorant and mean sometimes, so I worried that your speech challenges might begin to play a negative role (i.e. make you a target for getting picked on) in your social relationships. I was so relieved that thus far this has not been an issue. You are a terrific kid with a radiant personality and wonderful tenacity. (And thankfully the kids see all of the same stuff I see in you too). I just want you to hang onto all of those qualities and so much more as you grow up. Your speech is already getting so much better anyway. I can't imagine what it will sound like after this next surgery. Eventually, struggling with speech will be something we look back on and high five each other because we won't be able to believe how much you really kicked it's ass. But for now, we'll just keep plugging away with Ms. Christina. I'm just so dang proud of you for how far you've already come. Just remember that. Even when there are bumps in the road (as there are and surely will be more ahead)...Daddy and I are here and will be there with you through it all, and are always so so proud of you.

By Thursday this week, I definitely could tell you were feeling better as you woke up when I was leaving for work and requested meatballs (at 5:45am!) for breakfast. Yes. Meatballs for breakfast! I guess your appetite is officially back and that means that your bronchitis is definitely on its way out. Thank God!

That same night we decided to surprise Ggma at the hospital (where she still volunteers on a weekly basis at 87 years old!) with a bouquet of autumn sunflowers. She was so tickled to see us and said that she can't remember the last time she got flowers. It was great. Just to see her smile was totally worth it. You were a bit shy the whole time we were there, but you got that coy little grin when you saw Ggma's face light up that said you realized it was totally worth it too. I'm so glad that you know your great Grandma...we definitely need to see her more often though.

Friday was the annual Easton Christmas tree lighting. Daddy and Papaw headed up to Notre Dame for a football/family weekend with the Sextons so Lao Lao came over and we decided it was to be a girls only weekend. We kicked it off by going to see the parade and tree lighting at Easton. Even though it isn't even Thanksgiving yet, it all really got us in the spirit of the Christmas season. While the weather was actually a lot warmer this year, it was really pretty to see all the lights spring to life again, and as usual...we had loads of fun together.

waiting for the tree lighting

capturing the moment with
your own camera

my favorite spot at Easton during Christmas

Saturday morning we woke up and headed to your friend Lainey's princess birthday party. While you were a bit shy at first, you warmed up by the end and had a great time wearing yourself out with the other kids. On the way home you fell asleep so Lao Lao and I let you sleep in the car while we hung out and waited for you to wake up at home (since I knew carrying you in would wake you right up and then we'd have "cranky Mali" to contend with all afternoon). Well, I went back out to the car to unbuckle your seatbelt so you wouldn't be trapped in there if I didn't notice the exact moment you woke up, but I was a bit late as you were sitting there, wide awake, and said, "I've been stuck in here a long long time!"...to which I apologized and replied that we'd just let you sleep for a bit because we knew you needed your rest. To this you again gave a quick reply of, "You can always wake me up Mom. It's ok. I won't be mad!" Ha ha. You are too funny.

as you can tell by your face, you're not necessarily
a "tiara and princess wand kinda girl"...but you
still had a really super time at this fun party!

but clearly you are a fan of cupcakes!

After the princess party, we headed to COSI for some good ol' fun with science. I tell you what, that place is a.w.e.s.o.m.e. You ran from exhibit to exhibit and at age 4 1/2 are so much fun to watch explore, explore, explore. Not only is your curiosity so amazing, I also loved watching how politely you were treating the other kids and adults alike. You truly are a gem.

you LOVE the water tables

this woman was stacking bricks and I loved
watching you walk up to her all on your
own and ask, "Can I help you?"

you were so excited to try
out these crutches

as I sat on the exam table in the "ER" in Kidspace,
you told me that this was in my leg...and needed
 to come out. is that a snake X-ray?!?

racing some funky wheels

off to slay dragons

didn't you do a terrific job of capturing
Lao Lao and I jousting?

Saturday night we stopped on the way home from COSI and got lots of snack foods, settled in front of the t.v., and relaxed after a long day together. You were so excited to have Lao Lao spend the night two nights in a row, insisting on wearing your Popeye jammies (just like Lao Lao), and staying up until as late as possible with the "big" girls.

We slept in on Sunday and then got ready to celebrate Jack's birthday at the bounce place, Pump It Up. It was a pretty solid drive, with me feeling like we were lost more than once on the way there, and with you "helpfully" in the backseat shaking your head and saying, "This is too complicated!" Ha. Thanks for the confidence in your mom's navigational abilities kid! Anyway, we finally made it and you were like the energizer bunny, making me go up and down the gigantic slide with you no less than 30 times (at least)! It was fun and always good to see the Snows. And an even better bonus to going to a bounce party is that you were out cold in less than 9 minutes on the way home, (as was Jack). Score one for the parents!!

you with Jack's cousin Scout, who you were thrilled
to learn that her daddy is a firefighter/EMT
at Disney for Mickey Mouse!

Jack's party crew

Daddy was home when we got there, but since you were sleeping we just let you finish a gloriously long nap and took advantage of the peace and quiet to catch up with each other on our weekends. Once awake, Daddy took you on a mini-date to Easton to have dinner at California Pizza Kitchen, just the two of you. All in all, I'd say you had one hell of a week and especially weekend!

Love,
Mama