Getting Elizabeth... and Rachel

Why?... and outrage

Rachel has a new word. She uses it over and over and over and over and over again every day. Typically our conversations go something like this:

Rachel at lunch time: I'd like some more grapes please, Mom.

Me: Rachel, i've already given you extra grapes. No more grapes until you eat something else on your plate.

Rachel: Why?

Me: Because you need to have some other types of food in your stomach.

Rachel: why?

Me: So you'll be healthy and full.

Rachel: Why?

Me, seeing where this is going: Did you see that bird just fly by our window?

And the conversation changes.... and the endless whys end. For  the moment.

Now i'm all for curiousity and as a former newspaper reporter, why was always my favorite question, but man-o-man,can this girl go on and on with the whys!! She seems to be sincerely asking every time she asks. And that is very cute, to see her trying to figure out the reasons behind various things in the world, but i sure hope the why phrase ends before the distract and change the subject technique i keep resorting to does! LOL

And now to totally change the subject and vent...

Lovin' life

Probably nothing warms my heart more than to see my two daughters laughing, playing and completely enjoying one another's company. Yesterday they were both sitting shoulder to shoulder watching a show when Rachel put her head on hua hua's lap, and hua hua gently stroked her sister's hair. Hua hua then asked rachel if she wanted to sit on her lap. "ok," Rachel said and up she climbed, and they cuddled some more. A few days ago (when the above picture was taken) they were playing tea party. Today they were simply hanging out. One of my regular prayers for my girls is that they be super close all of their lives. To see that closeness develop and flurish brings me such joy. And today was an awesome day, where i jsut want to jump up and down and yell, "I LOVE being a mom!!!"

new year's greetings

Hua Hua is so excited. Chinese new year is coming -- and she is talking about it daily. she's excited about parties, where she gets to wear beautiful traditional clothing. She's excited about making dumplings. She's eagerly anticipating her chinese school's show where her class will perform, and well, she is very excited about decorating. We have a beautiful red friendship knot we've gotten out and hung on the wall. The knot was a gift from a friend who is now back in Taiwan. And I recently bought a banner from a catalogue.

It arrived yesterday by federal express truck. We opened it immediately and the girls response was squeals of delight. Decorated with glittering gold and dramatic reds, the cardboard banner is actually four red latterns, a big bunch of oranges, a traditionally-clothed girl and a boy and several characters, strung together by a dazzling gold chain. The banner has tassles and dangling ornaments and so many sparkles, it was an immediate hit that we prominently hung across our fireplace.

But something about the banner bothered me. I know the traditional characters for happy new year and this was not it. Were the characters the simplified version? the english translation from the book said it said Happy New Year. So why were the characters different? I took a picture of it to chinese school and asked hua hua's teacher to translate today. Her translation?  Make lots of money.

yep. that's right. We have, "Make lots of Money" prominently hung across our fireplace right now, all beautiful, red and sparkly! I can't take it down - it is too beloved. But man, why didn't i check the characters before i bought thing thing???

Babysitting Tai

We have a visitor at our house. His name is Tai, and he is Grandma and Grandpa's much loved Noreign Elkhound. The girls love him dearly. When they wake up, the first words out of their mouths are, "Where's tai?" They want to brush him, pet him, feed him ... I'm sure the dog is so not used to such constant attention.

Hua Hua, shortly after she was dressed, put on some play shoes, grabbed a boa, and did a singing dance number for his entertainment. "Would you like me do do another show for you, Tai?" she asked when she was done.

Rachel grabbed her toddler bible, and read Tai the story of jacob, Rachel and leah - her favorite. When the bible story was done, Rachel brought out her photo album, followed by her favorite stuffed animal and a doll that she thinks is silly. "Watch this tai. Watch this," she'd say, then the doll would spin around and Rachel would crack up and tai would look at  her nervously.

From my point, tai couldn't have arrived at a better time. Rachel is sick. Been so since the weekend with a virus- running nose, cough, watery eyes, no appetite and high fever. Before Tai arrived, all she wanted to do was be held every waking moment. Now that Tai is here, well, she's still sick and miserable, but she has something else to think about.

Tai will be gone wednesday night. I hope by then Rachel's health will be rebounding, too.

A princess tea party

The guests arrived in dazzling tiaras, sparkling gowns, and glittering slippers. They munched on milk-free chocolate cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies and delicious grapes. And when they got thirsty, each daintily wiped out her tea cup – carefully selected from home – and shared a princess sparkling pink lemonade punch.

Hua Hua and Rachel were in princess heaven!

So what exactly am I talking about? The girls first princess tea party, of course!

Two of our newest playgroup pals – Rou Rou and Hui Hui – invited the girls over for a princess tea party. It has been the talk of our house ever since it was announced – about two months ago. With such a build up it would seem it could never live up to the expectations – but it did! (Rou Rou and Hui Hui’s mommy and daddy really now how to throw a party!)

The girls played and played, and sipped “tea”, munched on food, played some more, did some crafts and basically left – reluctant and exhausted– when I dragged them home for dinner and bed.

We parents snatched a group picture of our princesses. Rachel for some odd reason refused to wear a dress, or have her hair done. But she did don the snow white shoes, and both girls sure had a good time.

catching up

Our Christmas tree is down, but the outside lights are still up. Our schedule is back on - days filled with preschool and ballet and tap and chinese school and gymnastics... but during this week we had a snow day. And so far only gymnastics, preschool and chinese school actually met.

the feeling in our house is, "take a deep breath and hold on, because here we go again!!!" but we haven't quite completely lost the warmth and laid back do-nothing feel of Christmas break. It's an odd sensation.

To remember all those warm fuzzies, here are a few pictures of our Christmas.

  (hua hua and rachel with special christmas presents)

Christmas eve with our cousins from Georgia.

playing dress up with some new extra-special christmas dress up clothes.

Hua Hua with buddy leah at the preschool christmas party.

Siblings were welcome at the preschool Christmas party, and Rachel wasnt the least bit shy -- joining right in during a song of Jingle bells that the kids sang for the parents.