Slowing Down Has Never Felt So Good

Maliana ~

On Monday it was a good, good day. You were sleepy but in a great mood as we ate dinner, then you worked on homework with me, and made muffins while I filmed you just like your favorite baking clips on YouTube (per your request). You were so cute and very proud of your finished product - blueberry muffins! You headed downstairs where Daddy was nursing a cold and told me, "I want to take a muffin down to Daddy because I want to be nice" ~ awww.

Wednesday was another cold and dreary day, so I introduced you to checkers after dinner. You caught on pretty well and seemed to enjoy it. I joked with Daddy that I'd wait to "bring the hammer down" until next week, when you are thoroughly hooked on the game. Ha. After checkers, Daddy took you for some bowling on a daddy/daughter date. (I just love those.) You had a super time together!

While I was still out and you had already gotten home, I received the following text. Another reminder of how cool it is that you are learning how to spell and read...you can now send me your very own texts (on the sly) from Daddy's phone. Super adorable!!

you (and Daddy) are in yellow...I'm in blue

And then Daddy helped pack your lunch for the next day, deciding he wanted to get in on the napkin art action too. Love it.

Thursday we did our part at a McDonald's fundraiser for your school...we picked up dinner for us and the neighbor kids and got to see a bunch of your friends and even some of your teachers helping out at the restaurant! As you held on to me and made me hold you (because of your aversion to Ronald McDonald - which I completely understand) while waiting for our food, Mrs. Fitzpatrick (your teacher) said to me, "It's so weird to see Mali so clingy. She's such a wild woman at school!" Ha.

this isn't from Mrs. Fitzpatrick's class, but this is a
friend of yours (Jocelyn) who is in both
your daycare and school classes
(nice to get these fun pics of
you throughout the day!)

Friday finally arrived and since Lao Lao is using her vacation time little by little throughout the end of the year, she joined us for breakfast at Tim Horton's before dropping you off at daycare. You practiced reading her some of your baggie books while we ate. She is really good at helping you sound out the words and crack this whole reading thing.

After school, you were in great spirits and we came home, picked up Daddy, then headed back over to the elementary school to play "Firefighters" on the playground. Love your imagination!!

firefighter Mali going down the pole

I think you were missing Daddy because after we finished at the playground, you asked to go back to his work with him where he needed to cover for a couple of people tonight. Fortunately, Daddy's work is much more interesting than Mommy's work...you actually got to get on a jet (while it's engines were still running!) and then made a cubby under his desk so you could play on the IPad and work on your homework until he was finished.

On Saturday morning, the fun with Daddy continued as he took you to your Mandarin class while I got some rest (since I'm now feeling a bit under the weather). The rest of the day we didn't have anything in particular planned (for once...and it was so nice), so we got some serious purging of the house done. You played outside on this beautiful fall day while I made a trip to Goodwill for one of our many drop-offs.

Braycen is "filling up" both you and
Brooklyn's scooters 

We continued to get things cleaned out until Lao Lao came over for dinner. You both worked on a special secret project for Christmas (shhhh...Daddy and I aren't allowed to know) and as you did this, I continued to sort things around the house and came across the proofs of your daycare pictures that were taken recently. Evidently, we forgot which day it was because here's just one of your portraits that were taken...

not your typical portrait but at least it
captures your favorite jeans
and Hot Wheels shirt!

Lovely, right? I had to laugh out loud when I saw it. Not the "norm" but definitely cute as a button. Of course, I think my favorite picture day "faux pas" are these little gems from a couple years ago...so funny and cute!

football and football player tattoos
with a sleeveless dress

aww...how darling!

Sunday morning I headed to Aunt Lindsey's bridal shower while you went off with Lao Lao for a fun morning. After working some more on your Christmas surprise for Daddy and me, she took you to Cantina Laredo for, as you put it, "a brownie that was so big we can't even finish it!"

another craft you made with Lao Lao,
beaded candy canes for the tree!

Once I got home, I headed straight to bed all afternoon since I was still battling a nasty cold that had progressively gotten worse and had me actually feeling nauseous by the time I arrived home from the shower. Daddy had taken you to the grocery store with him so I could get some rest and you were so cooperative which was really nice. Once you got home, you did just as I had done and fell fast asleep too. This is huge because you've been fighting naps with amazing fierceness ever since kindergarten began, but today you actually succumbed to the sandman while inside your tent in the living room. (Yay! Victory! Score one for Mom and Dad!)

passed. out.

Daddy continued to be awesome throughout the evening as he cooked dinner for us while you and I played "spy" (your made up game) after we woke up. You also earned a bit more change to put in your chore jar by helping to set the table and then doing dishes after we ate. You adorably suggested we eat our meal by candle light and were so talkative and funny throughout the meal, even offering to make us all dessert with a recipe that you made up..."sprinkle bananas". You were so proud of your concoction and it was actually pretty good!

yes, your favorite place to prepare
food is on the table...ha

adding some sprinkles

voila!

After dinner was bath time...what do you think, did I leave you in the tub a bit too long this time? Ha.

pruney fingers

geesh...they look like old man hands!

We had a little more crazy tickle time (I have never known a kid who requests to be tickled as much as you do!) and then books before bed.

All in all, we had a slightly slower weekend than normal for us, but as Daddy and I sat on the couch relaxing before bed, we agreed it was really, really nice to slow down for once, spend time at home, and just enjoy our family.

Love,
Mama