Personality and Charisma

Maliana ~

As I think back on this week, I realize how much of it was filled with your personality and charisma. You seem to have an endless supply!

To start with, you had an amazing time at hip hop class, bouncing out into the waiting room to me and then producing this video once arriving home...Shake it off, shake it off!! Whoa oh!

Click here for cutest lip sync ever!

I’m so glad that you are having so much fun in your new dance class and I love to see you blossom even further. As you can tell by the video above, the following status on Facebook couldn’t be more true:

I guess we've entered an age where Mali makes me sit in the car at our destination until "her jam" is over.

We also got to put your telescope together this week and you are so stoked to use it. We’re all looking forward to a super clear night to bust it out and explore the heavens above. Daddy showed you the basics of how to get it in focus, how to work all of the knobs, and most importantly how to be really careful with it so it doesn't get broken.

Along with your telescope excitement, it was also school picture day this week! The following conversation had me rolling on the floor and wishing I could have snuck a video camera in the room with you:

Mali: “I’m so excited for picture day tomorrow!”
Me: “Oh yeah? What's your favorite part about school picture day?"
Mali: I get to do my own hair and do some of my moves!”

Ha ha!

The morning of picture day, I stayed and helped you get ready for school. We did your hair and you were thrilled to use nearly every hair product we had in the bathroom. In spite of that, it looked pretty good. Having breakfast with you at the table made me wish that we could do this every morning. Beginning my mornings with you really brightens my whole day.

thumbs up but under protest since the
morning air was so cold ~ brrr

That night, you went to a DeSales soccer game with Daddy and were so unbelievably stoked to get to help out with the ball boys. As you can see, you took the job very seriously and chitter chattered about it once you got home.

patiently waiting for some action

And, as if the night couldn’t get any more fun, you went next door and got to visit with Lalie and two of her friends. They let you hang out with them in her room and even included you in some of their “official teenage business”. By the time you came home, you were on cloud 9.

your arms and legs are like velcro...I think
you're part spider monkey

The weekend brought more fun as you attended Mia’s birthday party at Graeter’s on Saturday.

Mia with her mom and dad, and baby Ming Li

Mia's little brother, Freddy

making your own sundaes

watching the magic trick with dry ice

touching the bubbles

Then I swept you and Daddy away on a surprise family adventure to Young’s Dairy Farm that afternoon. It was more crowded than any of us expected since there was some kind of fall fest going on, but we made the most of it anyway.

surprise secret trip!

feeding the goats

painting pumpkins

pumpkin bowling

yummy homemade ice cream!

leading the way in the corn maze

feeling a little lost

wisely climbing up the staircase to see if you
could see which way we needed to go
to get out of that maze

batter up!

first time in the cage - you got a piece of
two of the balls!

When we got home, we were all pooped out from the day. I went to lay down and take a quick nap but you followed me in and insisted on watching the I-Pad while snuggled up next to me. I could say that it would have been nice to have the bed all to myself for once, but I know that someday I’ll miss these days when you actually want to be around me and snuggle. I’ll choose to be grateful instead. You are such a sweetheart of a kid. When I finally woke up, we still lounged around in bed just taking care of random things (for me, it was bills ~ blech!) while relaxing and watching TV. You stayed up and watched Saturday Night Live with me that night and it was the first show of the season so you were excited about it. I actually used to love that show when I was little too…like mother/like daughter, I suppose.

Since we both stayed up pretty late on Saturday (actually it was until 1am on Sunday!), you were so exhausted that I was able to slide out of bed in the morning without waking you up. Most mornings you pop right up the moment my feet hit the floor. I swear you have some type of “sixth sense mommy radar” that lets you know the precise moment I leave your side in the morning and some sort of “mommy tractor beam” that pulls you to my side no matter where I am in the house. But…I digress…

That morning I was actually able to sneak out for a run, walk the dogs, and even start a cup of coffee before your little frame ambled down the hallway to appear in the kitchen doorway, wrapped from head to toe in your soft owl blanket and topped off with a crazy case of bed head. As I turned to see you appear, I heard “Good morning, Mom” in your sleepy little raspy voice. Turning around to see you like that and hearing your sweet voice softens my heart. I love mornings like that.

The rest of the day went well. You carbed up on two(!) bowls of oatmeal before we headed off to your swimming lesson. I love watching you learning something new and every so often, you sneak peeks at me to make sure that I am watching your every move. The first thing you asked when you got out of the water was, “Mom, did you see me swimming by myself?” Yep, honey. I did.

We went out to grab a quick bite to eat before I took you over to your friend, Kassidy’s house for a play-date. We had a great conversation at lunch and then you had a terrific time at your friend’s house. It’s so nice to see you branching out in your friendships and good for me to meet some more really nice parents.

While the overwhelming portion of our week was great, there was a teeny tiny downside too. Here's how I shared it with Facebook:

~ That damn #toothfairy missed our house two nights in a row. Mali wasn't about to let her slip up a third night. And evidently, she really hopes that the tooth fairy comes to her "hose".

#mommyfail 

your bedtime note reads:
Dear Tooth Fairy,
How old are you? I hope you
come to my hose...
(drawings of tooth fairy on the left and
you sleeping in bed on the right)

While the Tooth Fairy had been a bit of a slacker, she did end up leaving you two gold coins (instead of the normal one coin) to help make up for her oversight. All’s well that ends well, right?

And I bet that Tooth Fairy won’t forget any more of your teeth…it sure could get expensive if she does!

Love,
Mama

See you next week, from our new pet saber tooth tiger!

Rawwwr!!
(you are so proud of your mask made
in first grade art class!)