Thankfulness and Thanksgiving

Maliana ~

Monday began with a much needed Daddy/Mali date to Easton where you both had tea at Teavana, frozen yogurt at Yagoot, played at the Lego store, bought another hat for your collection and designer cookies for Abby, then went window shopping at one of the "skater" stores where Daddy realized just how completely into high top sneakers you are. You had your Converse sneakers on when you walked in and the clerks all commented on them, making you strut all that much more. Daddy said you were hysterical to watch. Then when you got home, you couldn't wait to show me your new break dance moves and declared your evening as "Awesome!"

Mater!

I also had to laugh when you got home after I informed you that I was pretty pooped and going to bed very early, to which you replied, "Mom, when I come to bed and you're asleep, you need to wake up and tickle my back!" Well...yes ma'am! Looks like I may have created a monster. Ha. But I'm glad it's something that you look forward to each night.

Thursday was Thanksgiving. We celebrated with the Wilkinsons and as usual, you had a great time with your cousins. It's amazing how well the four of you click when you get together. I also got to sit and have a heart to heart with Memaw, something I haven't been able to do in a while, which was much needed for me. Lots to be thankful for this year. Lots to be thankful for, even in our darkest moments.

Pilgrim hat cookies that you and I made
and brought to dinner

raking and jumping in leaves on
Thanksgiving morning

 

wait Daddy! there's something else
in the leaves you're going
to throw over the hill

Daddy, Uncle Kevin, cousin Brian, Papaw, and Uncle Pat

crazy cousins

silly pile up

Memaw and Papaw with
their girls

Bosco, Uncle Pat, cousins Brian, Kelly,
and Tim, and Aunt Connie

the whole gang ~ Happy Thanksgiving!

On Friday, Lao Lao, you, Abby, and I piled into the car and headed first to Sonic for some drive-up dinner, then to Alum Creek's Festival of Lights (drive-thru Christmas lights) for the evening. In spite of Abby puking in the back of the car, twice, we had a really fun time! We saw over a million lights set up in all different displays and had a blast looking at all of the silly designs. You were hysterical whenever you would spot something that amused you.

stealing Lao Lao's caramel shake and
nearly drinking it all!

the lights were huge and there were several lit up tunnels
that everyone had to drive through...very cool

Saturday mornings are great...you and I get to wake up slowly while Daddy is at the gym and just lounge in bed, goofing around together. Once we got up and had breakfast, it was time for tang soo do and this week I noticed that we no longer need to roll your pants legs up anymore. Your legs are really growing fast! My little girl is getting bigger (*sniff *tear)!

Inspired by the Festival of Lights the night before...we decided to decorate our own house on Saturday. As we pulled more of the Christmas lights out of the attic and Daddy handed them down to us, you squealed like it was Christmas morning = AWESOME. Love your excitement!!

We got the outside of the house decorated, but decided to put up the inside decorations on another night when we weren't so tired. I think the outside turned out pretty darn good though, and you were happy to see our gigantic Mickey again...much to our neighbor's chagrin I'm sure. Ha.

We did let you decorate your very own very mini tree which you loved. Pulling the ornaments out of the box after an entire year is always a fun walk down memory lane.



wow! I hope there's still enough
ornaments left for the big tree!



I had my usual daily giggle that day  too...this time it's because you have been into having "birthday surprises" for Daddy this weekend. Basically, putting a few pieces of cake with candles from your play kitchen together and then enlisting me to surprise him with you in a duet of "Happy Birthday". You have taken to also making him a particular (imaginary) concoction to drink which you call, "coca mocha"...later we came to find out it is your version of my favorite drink from Tim Horton's (cafe mocha). I love when kids come up with their own names for things. Too funny.

Sunday we woke up slowly again, then came out to the kitchen where Daddy had cooked us breakfast! Love waking up to the smell of bacon! Later, Daddy took you to Wai Gong's to visit while I did a little Christmas shopping and attended a planning meeting for the COFCC Holiday party with some other Fu Group mommies. Delaney's mom, Suzanne, and myself are dressing up like elves so that we can help Santa with all of the kids who want to meet him during the party. At the meeting we tried on our costumes and all I can say is that it should be a hoot! While I was out running errands after our meeting, Daddy texted me this picture...looks like you were having fun at Wai Gong's and I am pretty sure this picture was taken while on the trampoline judging by the angle and the static electricity in your hair.

Here are some more pictures from your visit with Wai Gong and Co.

coloring with Memaw Lisa

evidently you are a natural when it comes
to air hockey, really kept Daddy and
Wai Gong on their toes

typical Wai Gong...teasing you
mercilessly

You were in a great mood when you got home, and pretty difficult to get to bed, pulling out all the stall tactics of a seasoned veteran. We finally did get you to bed and it gave me a moment to myself to assist "Santa" in last minute Christmas shopping on-line, as well as reminisce about some of the stuff you said this week. The one thing that sticks out came Saturday when you informed us that when you grow up, you want to play football (this after watching Daddy's beloved ND whoop some USC butt and go on to have a shot at becoming BCS champions!) Anyway, if that is what you want to do when you get a bit bigger, then it looks like I'll have to dig up this highlight reel to show you. Twenty years ago, you probably wouldn't have seen anything like this, but more and more the world is catching on to what has been true since time began...girls can do anything they put their minds to!

Love,
Mama

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

The President, Bronchitis, and the Nutcracker

Maliana ~

We began the week on the eve of our nation's election...watching actual news shows with you when you asked the following, "Mom, where's Jon Stewart?" Hmmm...can you tell we watch a lot of The Daily Show around here? Ha ha.

And what a better book to read for bedtime on our Presidential Election Eve...right?

So, Tuesday (election day) was long...with all of us sitting around and watching the results roll in until we just had to put you to bed, and then I stayed up to watch the very end (which was very very late for me!) But I am happy to announce that our beloved President Barack Obama won re-election. I was very relieved and elated with the outcome. Not to mention it was a brilliant day for women of all stripes to get elected as well...disabled women, gay women, minority women...it was a good good election day in my book. While this was happy news (at our house anyway), it was slightly overshadowed by your getting sick. I actually left work early to come home and tend to you on Tuesday, then the following day Daddy stayed home and took you to the doctor where we found out that you had gotten a touch of bronchitis, and an ear infection was threatening your little ear drums to boot. Boo. No fun to be sick. You had had a fever on and off, but had kept up good spirits overall. You even marched into the doctor's office and cooperated with everything (except her taking your blood pressure). I was very pleased that you handled yourself so well, in spite of feeling so crummy.

sleep can be the best medicine sometimes

Thursday I took most of the day off and stayed home with you. We had a good "sick day" together, milling around the house, running errands, and generally just hanging out. Luckily, thanks to the advances of modern medicine, I was able to post the following on Facebook as one of my daily gratitude posts for November.

~ On Day 8 I am thankful for modern medicine and antibiotics that are kicking
bronchitis's butt so that Officer Mali feels well enough to write me tickets for
things like  "Driving my airplane too fast" and "Llamas!!"
(yeah, I don't understand that last one either) :)

By Friday, your fever was gone and you finally went back to school. It was a short day for you anyway so we figured, what the heck. You walked in the door and about 6 or 7 kids yelled your name and wanted to know how you were, then your teacher Ms. Beth asked the same thing. It was nice to have such concern from your teachers and peers. You are a very loved kid.

While even a short day at school wiped you out (bronchitis really takes a toll on one's body), we took it easy the rest of the evening after speech therapy. We continued to take it easy on Saturday too, no dance or tang soo do classes in the morning. We did take you and Abby to Hoover for a tiny hike in the fresh air (with you in our backpack) and we all really enjoyed getting out into the autumn sunshine. Poor Abby gets the shaft in the walk department during the week, so it's nice to take advantage of the weekends to let her loose in the woods and really make her happy.
 

surveying the land

ready to chase a stick

both you and Abby were reluctant
participants in taking this picture

hiking at Hoover

Sunday you were still feeling under the weather so Lao Lao and I took you to the Ballet Met studios for an interactive storytime/food drive called "Feed the Nutcracker, Feed Columbus." While you were pretty subdued the whole time and wanted nothing to do with dancing like the other kids, it was a really nice program and we got to see some of the company's actual dancers up close. If nothing else it got your mind off of feeling crummy for a bit and we helped feed the hungry. A win-win in my book.

the Sugar Plum Fairy

 

the Nutcracker was crouched down
waiting to take pictures with the kids,
but you wanted nothing to do with him

we got a nutcracker doll instead, even
signed by one of the Nutcracker dancers

Monday was our "bonus" weekend day, the Veterans' Day holiday. I would have loved to have taken you downtown to see the Veterans' Day parade, but with you still feeling under the weather with a nasty cough and a lot of congestion, I didn't think that sitting in the cold rain would have been the smartest mom decision. Instead, I let you sleep in until 9:45am (wow! you must have needed it) and celebrated a cold, wet, and windy Veterans' Day by hunkering down inside after making a Tim Horton's run for donuts, playing "Watch out! Hot lava!" (your idea and a cool coincidence because I used to have fun playing the same game when I was a kid), then setting you up downstairs for craft time. Over our breakfast we talked about what a veteran is and why we were giving thanks for all of the sacrifices they have made to keep us safe and give us our freedoms. We talked about the different branches of the military and what they do. You were also very tickled to find out you have many military family members, both past and present, including (but not limited to) Wai Gong, Papaw, and your great grandfather Hart.

eating a timbit on the way home
while Abby is trying her best
to beg from the back

creating art and feeling better

riding the infamous "car cart" at Kroger's, you were
definitely feeling better as you gave me
an "aye aye cap'n...ready to go!"
(you are a goofball!)

It was a quiet and calm day, with lots of much needed rest to make sure you are completely up to snuff for school tomorrow, not to mention some great one on one quality time for you and me. It was nice to see your smile, hear your laugh, and see you slowly perking back up to feeling healthy and being your silly self again. Perfect timing for a "bonus" day for both of us!

Love,
Mama