Here It Is, Kim B.

This is the "free" 10x13 from Picture People. Of course, we got our own frame at a fraction of the cost.

This is Munch's first official preschool picture. Got our own frame but basically paid and arm and a leg for the 10x13.

There Is a Catch

Well, I'm sure lots of mommies know this already about professional photography studios located in malls that offer free shots of your little ones...they say that there isn't a catch but there are strings attached to getting your "free" 10x13 photo of your cutie-pie or in our case, little Miss Sassy-Pants. A photogragher, once again, at our local mall approached us about having Munch's picture taken for free. In the past we never really showed any interest because we felt certain that there would be some hidden fees at the end of the ordeal. But today, we had some time to kill and Gi had not had her I'm-So-Into-My-Terrible-Twos meltdown yet so we proceeded with caution when the nice lady photographer approached us. All is going well...Gi is posing with happiness and spirit, Mommy is sitting down relaxing and Daddy is trying to amuse the Munch. The photographer announces that the photos are ready and that we should mosey on up to the monitor to view and pick our favorite ones. We pick our favorite ones and assume that we would be handed our free 10x13 soon. Nope! Now the studio trotts out all your favorite shots in matted and framed formats with an assortment of outrageous prices. And in the end they politely ask you, "So which frame is your favorite?" This is when Hubs pretends to be tending after Munch a few feet away and leaves me to be the bad guy. I muster up a superficial smile and tell the photographer that I am only interested in the free picture and not the framed ones. With a slight hint of disappointment, the photographer complies with my request and sends me on my merry way. I leave the neatly and cheerfully appointed studio as if I just swindled the place out of a million dollars. I know, I know...you say it's only a free photo. But I feel victorious nonetheless.

Confessions of a First Time Mom

Oh boy, the terrible twos are in full swing. From to morning to evening, the definitive word is "NO!" followed by a screech-like scream. Munch is exerting her independence and she wants her not-so-young parents to know it. You know that phrase "my way or the highway?" That's Gi's daily mantra now. Don't get me wrong...I ADORE the rascal but there are times I wish naptime came a little more often and stayed a little longer. There were a couple of months there when I secretly prayed that Gi would be more verbal and expressive. Well, my prayer has been answered 100 times over. Every phrase is repeated three times usually preceded by the word, MY. My bear, my bear, my bear! My potty, my potty, my potty. Oh and now Munch dismisses us...Daddy go now! Mommy out now! No Gon Gon! Every inappropriate action is repeated twice just to see if Mommy and Daddy mean business. Recently, Munch rediscovered the joy of picking her nose. I don't blame the girl since her cold has made her quite crusty. Well, Miss Sassy-Pants boldly inserts her booger-digging finger into her mouth each and every time that we firmly tell her not to. Oy vey! Does it get better when they turn three?

Best News So Far

not always angelic

Well, yesterday hubs and I got the best news so far. Ms. Deborah wrote on Gi's daily report that she was all smiles and that her little classmates like to play with her because she is kind to them. Whew! Her preschool also had pizza day yesterday. I'm told that Munch ate all her pizza and cupcake. Hooray! Now if only she could start to taper off the volcanic tantrums that she throws in the car once I pick her up. I am treated to a symphony of hellish screams and wails for Daddy every Tuesday and Thursday afternoons around 1:10 p.m. When I'm lucky she falls asleep halfway home. Is there a terrible-two god out there I can pray to?

Happy Birthday Hubs

birthday dinner for hubs---pizza---hubs favorite food

Munch helps Daddy blow out the candle

Gi partakes in the torte


Hubs enjoying his torte

The three Ds spent a quiet evening celebrating hubs' 43rd birthday. We munched on homemade pizza and a delicious dulce de leche torte. Whenever I mentioned to Munch that today was Daddy's birthday she would point a finger to herself and repeatedly proclaim "me birthday too." Ditto for the torte that we picked up at the store. "Me birthday too" became the national anthem for the day for my Munch. Too funny. Happy birthday, Hubs! May you always enjoy your special day with Munch and me.

Happy Harvest Moon

I just wanted to give a shout-out to my parents and good friends for joining us for a wonderful Harvest Moon celebration. The four spice girls had a blast. They ate together at the kiddie table and decorated their own lantern and lady-on-the-moon. Hugs and kisses for Po Po for helping me put out a spread of home-cooked Chinese dishes...I love her braised spareribs. And talk about desserts...our good friends brought over some serious yummies. So to all my friends and families...go out under the night sky tonight and gaze lovingly at the full, bright moon.

Gi and Daddy goofing around with the camera

Regression

Munch regressed a little today by briefly wailing when I dropped her off at preschool. When I picked her up, she was cheerful and talkative. Munch made sure that I saw her smiley face sticker from Ms. Deborah...probably given to her for not crying the rest of the day. She showed off the little bell and rain stick that she made in class. Gotta love preschool and preschool teachers---they are sooo creative. When I checked her lunch box, I found that Munch actually ate most of what I packed her. Miracle! Then we get in the car and start to drive home. Munch demands to eat the rest of her lunch of which there is not too much left. So I tell her to wait until we get home for more food. She throws a ginormous tantrum in her carseat and screams for her daddy. The next time I look in the rearview mirror, Munch is zonked out. All's well that ends well. Well, at least for now.

No Tears Today

Momentus day today...no tears dropping off nor picking up Munch. She walked into the classroom by herself sans teary eyes. When I picked her up no milking of mommy guilt. She even received a smiley face sticker from Ms. Deborah for being all smiles today. She did, however, needed to be reminded to use her "nice hands" today according to Ms. Deborah. Oh boy, I hope she is not hitting her little classmates or something. Anyway, hubs and I discussed it with her...not hitting others or throwing objects. What's going to be next???

Down Graded to Whining

Good news for Mommy...Munch actually walked into her classroom by herself yesterday without too much of a ruckus. Like a prisoner condemned to the gallows, Munch sullenly walks past cheerful Miss Deborah and enters her play space for the next four hours. She turns around to flash me two teary eyes. I return the favor by blowing her an exceedingly happy kiss. Then I scram out of the building and start to spy on her through the outside window. She looks a little sad but seems A-OK. When I pick her up, she greets me with a very weak whine...I'm sure designed to maximize mommy guilt. Miss Deborah tells me that she had a great day. In fact, she was "all smiles" shortly after I left. Now that's what I want to hear...good job, Munch!

Spit Up Happens

Munch is not letting me off easy. On her third day of preschool yesterday, she starts to whine before we even walk through the door to the car. Once we pull into the school parking lot, she starts her chant of "no please mommy." Then it is onto full-blown crying once we start walking toward the school building. She clings to me like a baby monkey does with it's mama. When I go to pick her up, her teacher promptly informs me that Munch threw up that morning. She asks me if Munch eats breakfast just before coming to school and if I could please feed her earlier to avoid the spit up again. Obviously, she doesn't know that my darling baby wakes us up anywhere between 5:45 - 6:30 a.m. and that we eat breakfast shortly after that. "Feed her breakfast earlier than 6:30?" I ask Miss Deborah. Gi doesn't go to school till 9:00 a.m., mind you. Miss Deborah shoots me a look of either disbelief or pity. I'm relieved that she doesn't press the issue. I pick up my crying munch and head out to the parking lot. Gi immediately stops crying and demands to eat her cheese. I look at her daily report which indicates that she had a good day despite the crying and vomiting. Oh, the challenges of mommyhood!

Preschool Update

Well, the preschool director was right. Today when we pulled into the parking lot of the preschool, Munch opened her mouth and wailed. Her tears stopped momentarily while we walked toward the school building but once I handed her to Miss Deborah, the tear ducts let loose again. I go outside the building, peek through her classroom window and see that Miss Mama-Left-Me-Again had calmed down somewhat and is actually letting Miss Jenny soothe her. Later on, I arrive to pick her up. I peek through the window on the classroom door and see that my munch is sitting happily in a circle singing with her teacher and other little buddies. It's one o'clock. Miss Deborah opens the classroom door for dismissal, calls for Gi to come meet me and what do I get? A very weak waaah waaah from Munch and all is well again. I smother her with cheerful, sunshiney kisses and asks her about her day. All my questions were greeted with "yes." I could've asked her if Godzilla showed up on the playground today and Munch would have answered yes. Oh well, she appears to be adjusting slowly. Life is good.

School Daze

first day of school and adoring her lunch sack

Ok, last month I decided to call a local preschool to inquire about possible openings for Gi. Hubs and I figured it was time for her to experience a more structured and educational environment. The director tells me that she will put Munch on the waiting list and that there were 20 other kids ahead of her. So I relaxed and figured that it will be several semesters before I hear from this preschool again. Nope! They called me last Friday and gave me the good news...that there was a Tuesday/Thursday opening in the two-year room with a very sweet lead teacher and teacher's assistant. Jackpot...that was exactly what I wanted for Munch...to slowly ease her into a classroom setting and wean her off Mama. So today, my little munch went off to her first day of preschool. Even though she assured me that there will be "no cry, no cry" there was plenty of ferocious crying when I left her with her teachers. After four hours of parental freedom, I arrived at the preschool again to pick my munch up. Peeking through the door window I see my little dynamo crying dramatically again. But there is good news...after about ten minutes of crying in the morning, Munch apparently enjoyed her day. Both the director and lead teacher were very pleased with her progress throughout the four hours that she was there. Whew!

Birthday Celebration

and blow...

sweet Olivia



all aboard

already holding Brea's hand

playing in the "doctor's office"

chow time

hanging out with Auntie Jessie

Whew! Gi's birthday celebration went off without a hitch this past Sunday. We had it at a local children's museum. Her little buddies came and shared in the fun. Gi, in her usual fashion, blew out the candles and proceeded to squish her cupcake into pieces. She even went a step further and rubbed it into her hair. Oh boy! Thank you to all the family, friends and little buddies who made her birthday bash such a fantastically fun day.

Thank You Vovos!

Hi, Vovos!

I just wanted to thank you for the super cute bathing suit. Mommy took me to the post office to pick it up today. I even went swimming in it today. What do you think? Do I look like a Brazilian babe? I love my Hello Kitty card! Beijos...Gigi

Tropical Storm Fay

Hubs took out his two Brazilian soccer jersies...one for him and one for Munch.

Gi is saying "raining, Mama."

gray skies and blusterly winds

Our backyard is drenched with rain water.

street in front of our house

pool almost overflowing with water

Whoo weee, we are drenched here. Luckily it is only a tropical storm. We have been getting rain bands and lots of blusterly winds. I believe this is Gi's first major storm. We stayed in yesterday and we are staying in today. Hubs, so far, doesn't have to go into work. He is enjoying himself watching the Brazil vs. Argentina Olympic game. Gi, I think, is getting a little bit of cabin fever. Gotta keep that munch busy!

TWO!!!

just another day of dress-up with mommy's purses

Hmm, what should I do next?

wrestling with the birthday balloons from Daddy

birthday cupcakes

a little help from Daddy

a little help from Mommy

Cupcakes are for finger painting, not eating!

We told Gi that she could eat her cupcake anyway she wanted. She dove in with both hands and squished away. She hardly ate any of it.

Today, my munch turned two. Wow, where does the time go??? The three Ds celebrated with a quiet dinner and some birthday cupcakes. Big hugs and kisses for Po Po and Gon Gon who made a contribution to Gi's college fund. Thank you to the vovos for their long distance call to wish Gi a happy birthday. Gi also heard from her Auntie Sara and our good friends, Monica and Marcello. We can't wait to continue the celebration with our friends and family next week at the Schoolhouse Museum. Hubs and I are so grateful to be able to celebrate each and every one of Gi's milestones. It seems like just yesterday that the three of us were in China stumbling our way into becoming a family. Now our munch runs circles around us. She is an active, stubborn toddler who asserts her independence and yet craves the safety net of her parents. Munch is talking more and more. Her latest word of choice is "funny." When she doesn't want my company she will loudly say "bye bye mommy." Imagine that! Welcome to two, my love. May every birthday find you a happy, independent and compassionate child.

Madonna Anyone?

My sister is at it again. She recently took loads of pictures of my munch. This is the latest enhanced creation of one of them. Gi had just finished bathing and was prancing around in her bath towel. I guess she decided to amuse my sister with this pose. What do you think? More like Sandro Boticelli's The Birth of Venus, right?

Good-Bye Fefe

Well, the last of our fur babies has passed away. This morning hubs took Fefe, our 12 year old rescued Greyhound, to the vet's office to be put down. In the last two weeks or so, she had not been eating and drinking sufficiently and thus lost a good deal of weight. Then within the last week, her hind legs gave out on her. She appeared to have had a fever also. We adopted Fefe from the Greyhound Adoption League when she was four. We're grateful to have had eight good years with her. After explaining Fefe's passing to Gi, my munch pretended to close her eyes and uttered "Fefe night-night." That about sums it up. Night-night, Fefe. You will be missed.

Hubei Sisters

daddy's girls


arm in arm

two super cuties---Miss Florida and Miss Ohio 2024 perhaps?

mommy's girls

choo-choo with Mommy

Faith and mommy enjoying the choo-choos

holding hands and jumping along

What a treat...we got to meet Faith's po po also (pictured in the background).

Gi was adamant about holding the horse's handles but the pole got in the way.

Papa John with Miss Faith

Mama Judy led the girls to some H2O fun.

Gi and Faith striking a fountain pose

Wow, what a great weekend! The three Ds traveled to the Orlando area to meet up with one of Gi's Hubei "sisters." We met little Miss Faith and her mommy, daddy, and po po at Downtown Disney. The L family is visiting from Ohio. The girls hit it off and shared many fun moments together. We are so grateful to have an opportunity to catch up with one of our travel families.

Hugs to the L family. We enjoyed every minute that we spent with them!