Tons of Christmas Lights and a Sleep Study

Maliana ~

Monday was Daddy's turn to get a massage and therefore was out pretty late, so you and I took advantage of the evening together to go to Easton and look at all of the pretty Christmas lights (and I took advantage of your cooperative mood to get some cute pictures for our Christmas cards). We had fun racing each other around the fountain with the all blue tree and had the HUGE tree in the middle of Easton almost completely to ourselves. You are getting good at going on these "just looking" trips, and not expecting to get something every time we go shopping. At one point in the Lego store you said, "I know Mom, we're just looking." In all honesty, it was getting a bit dicey for a while, so Dad and I put the kibosh on your budding (and often whiny) consumerism and evidently the message was received loud and clear. You're such a sweet kid. It was also a really cool sight to pull up at home to our house all lit up too (we stopped to turn everything on before heading to Easton since I knew we'd get home after dark). And one simple little thing that just puts you in a great mood...letting you listen (aka jam) to one of "your" songs in the front seat with me like a big shot before getting out of the car and going inside the house. It just gives you the biggest grin. Daddy and I too.

candy cane ears

candy cane glasses

candy cane heart

the magnificant gigantic Easton Christmas tree

almost a full moon over Easton

the all blue tree in your favorite fountain

I keep feeling like you are saying something
like, "Hello...welcome to Christmas!"
in this picture. Ha.

lots of smooches...feelin' the love

just can't get enough of you munchkin!

getting tired so silkie made an appearance

one last "perk up" when you found the snowball
display at White Barn Candles

Tuesday I picked you up from school with Abby and we took a hike at Hoover at sunset. It was just cool enough and the sky was a beautiful array of oranges and pinks. Great way to end the day.

Audrey had a break in her school work and stopped over to spend some time with us on Wednesday!! Yay!! We are so excited for December 16th too...as we'll get to see her march in her cap and gown and graduate from OSU!! Double yay!!

a little Star Wars fun

Audrey is so good with you

and Audrey even came bearing gifts...with
all of the work she's been doing to
graduate, she has definitely
EARNED IT!

By Thursday, you were going on an all week eating bender...I have a feeling you're about to grow, BIG time. I mentioned this to you to which you replied, "Yep, I'm growing right now!" Ha. Maybe if this keeps up, your pants size will actually catch up with your age (you're almost 5 but wearing a 3T in pants)...I won't hold my breath though.

In keeping with all of this eating, I found some great recipes in the latest Parents magazine and made mini veggie fritatas and mini lattes (milk and honey basically) which were both a huge hit. Yay! Love it when I score with something new that you like.

all clean after bath,
sipping honey lattes before bed...
Life is Good!

Friday we literally stumbled upon the Westerville holiday tree lighting after having the simple idea to go for a walk with Abby and look at the Christmas lights in uptown Westerville. Little did we know that their huge tree lighting ceremony was going to take place while we were there. It was definitely a fortuitous surprise. We got to eat free cookies and cocoa with a ton of fellow Westerville residents, lit candles to spread the light of Christmas to one another, sang Up On The Housetop, and even saw Santa Claus himself!

Abby, Mommy, and Mali waiting to light the big tree!

spreading the light of Christmas



lots of people and the tree in front of
the Police Department

my Christmas elf

checking out the miniature village in a shop
window in uptown Westerville.
even though the Ville is growing, it's still
maintained that small town feel
...I love that!

Saturday morning we went to the COFCC Holiday Party hosted by our very own Fu Group. I spent a good chunk of the party helping Suzanne (Delaney's mom) and Santa Claus make sure pictures went smoothly while you, Daddy, and Lao Lao enjoyed all of the snacks, games, and crafts that were there. It was definitely a big success with lots of fun had by all!



Merry Christmas from the Elf Family!

elf girls!

muffins and juice

 

I love that you kept this hat on almost the entire party

 

most of the Fu Group...it was hard to wrangle everyone
(and of course some couldn't make it)

typical scene...you doing something adorable
and me trying to capture it on film

adorable!

Santa, his elf helpers, and you

Chloe is helping you with your craft

Mama Elf with Bryan (Cass and Carter's Daddy)

you and Niubei, checking out the dancing Santa

playing "hotel" with Fred and Lao Lao...evidently Fred
got to his room and there were no ceilings so you're
trying to rectify the situation. ha ha.

Mia tucking you in...

While we had a spectacular time at the holiday party in the morning, we ended the day at a sleep study for Children's Hospital. It was to make sure that you don't have sleep apnea before you have your surgery that is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 14th to correct the tiny little gap in the back of your throat/mouth that allows air to escape through your nose, thus making speech just that much harder for you. Let me just say that this sleep study was much more extensive than I was prepared for, but you amazingly did better than I could have ever imagined. They hooked up 18 sensors on your head, two on your chest, two on your legs, 4 plugged into the belts on your chest and belly, a little red pulse detector on your finger, sensor under your nose and a plastic tube stuck into your nose...and you kept them on all night!! You are such a trooper! At one point I asked you if you were sure you were only four because you were acting like you were at least ten...that got a grin from you.

the very patient and sweet Chris, our tech

matching Angry Bird jammies make
lots of stuff much better!



you did so great...even concerned during the night that
I would bump some of your wires off and the
doctors would not get the information
they needed...wow!

We got to leave the study at around 6am that morning, stopping at Tim Horton's on the way home to get your promised timbits for being such an awesome patient. The rest of the day, we were both pretty exhausted and so decided to take it easy. You and Daddy did go to a friend's birthday party for a bit in the late afternoon, but other than that the day was pretty mellow. So glad that all went so well. Looking forward to Christmas and eventually the surgery in January...but ultimately looking forward to putting that chapter behind us. For now...we'll just enjoy the holiday season and each other.

Love,
Mama