Growing up...sort of....

The picture above is of Jordan yesterday - giving me her "silly eyes". She has made a similar face since she was a baby and it is one of the things that I think she does to charm anyone she meets. Her nannies in China had described her as charming - and she can charm the socks off of you --- if she wants to. I put this picture out here to remind myself that she hasn't grown up too much yet. We spent the weekend purchasing school uniform pieces. She had so much fun trying them on and dancing around. And as I watched her, I realized that --yes -- she was growing up as she is nearing kindergarten. Her sister was a little jealous and in an attempt to pacify her - we put a size 5 jumper on her little body (over her clothes) and she had a blast running around in that.

Speaking of growing up....here is Ellie this morning on the way to school. She's wearing a 24 month outfit!!!!! What the heck??!! She's not quite 18 months yet and she can fit into some 24 month clothing. I got two comments at different times Saturday from other parents commenting on how tall she is. Now that is not a comment I'm used to hearing after having Jordan barely squeak in at the 5% mark on height charts. I can't wait to see how tall she is in a couple of weeks at her checkup.

I See Mommy!!!!

I took this picture yesterday when I went to pick up Ellie at daycare. I like it because it shows her moving around (hence the blur) and a smile! On Monday she starts transitioning to her next classroom (18-24 month olds) which I think she'll like because they are always playing outside.

Harry Potter - NO SPOILERS

I finished Harry Potter's last adventure last night at 11pm. I am satisfied.

Harry Potter was initially considered a children's book. I think I am safe to state that the series has gone well past children's books and should be considered literature. I have read many, many books throughout my life. I love reading. When I find an author that I like, I tend to read everything I can get my hands on. Since Jordan came into my life, reading has had to take more of a back seat. I was just starting to have time to pick up a book again when Ellie joined our family.

Over our week at the beach , I took the time to re-read books 5 and 6 in the Harry Potter series. That's how you can tell a great book - when you want to re-read the books over and over and find joy in them well past the first read. J.K. Rowling does that with HP. J.R.R. Tolkein did it with his Ring Trilogy. Gabriel García Márquez gave me a book like that with One Hundred Years of Solitude.

I started reading Harry Potter books back in the summer of 1999 as talk of the release of Book 3 came about. I immediately was taken with the books because they were so well written. As each book was nearing release I would go back and start reading all the ones before it, anticipation building with each one.

We've all known from the start that the plan was for 7 books. And so it was with both anticipation and a pang of sadness that I waited for this last one. As the last week before the book was to be released came - I had to start avoiding internet sites, TV and newspapers. I was determined not to accidentally read or hear something that would lessen the excitement of this book. I had pre-ordered it at Amazon but realized with the free Super Saver shipping that it may not arrive this past weekend. At first, I was okay with that. And then I wasn't. This was my last chance to go to a Harry Potter book release party. Even though I have two young girls - I was seriously thinking of grabbing them and going. But Jordan got a 24 hour bug and was running a fever Friday and I had to put her first. She was feeling better Saturday morning so off I went with the girls to have breakfast out -- after I stopped by the local bookstore and picked up a copy of Deathly Hallows (it was the second to the last copy that was not already earmarked for someone. The lady behind me took the last). The bookstore's employees were wearing wizard and witch hats and there were doughnuts - I got to experience a little celebration after all. I began the book as soon as the girls went down for naps in the afternoon and got through 100 pages before they woke up. As they went to bed that night I picked up the book again and read, and read, and read. I felt like a kid again - engrossed in a book and wanting to not put it down until I was finished. But I also realize that I'm not 12 anymore - and I need my sleep. So at 1am I put the book down by my bed and didn't pick it back up until 6:45am. I read as Ellie and Jordan played, read through lunch, read through Ellie's nap. At 3pm I made the decision to hold off - I was nearing the end and I wanted to read the last 100+ pages with no disturbances. So off to the library - hoping that my girls would find books that interested them and that one day they would love reading as much as I. And after the girls were in bed - I finished the book - savoring the last few chapters.

I will read the books again - most likely reading them before each of the last 2 movies. Jordan will be 7 in 2 years and I think I will begin reading them to her (or allowing her to read them herself) around that time. And then Ellie will be old enough and we will begin them again.

The copy I ordered came in the mail on Saturday. It sits in its box unopened. I'm thinking of saving it for several years and when it is time for Jordan to read that book - we will open it together - on a July 21st some year in the future.

Mmmmm....

Hmmmm...what is this large hunk of meat that has its own handle? What an incredibly useful creation.

And it tastes good too!!!

And this is how Ellie was introduced to the chicken leg.

Weekend in Washington, D.C.

We arrived back yesterday from a weekend in D.C. at our agency's reunion. We had a great time catching up with families that we've met throughout the years. We started off the weekend by running to the zoo on Friday almost immediately after arrival so that the girls could run around. We didn't actually make it there until 6pm when the buildings close up but the girls didn't seem to mind. They had loads of fun searching for clues on how to identify animals in the new Asian Trails exhibit (the only one we made it to). For anyone in the area - I highly recommend a trip there. Since we were in D.C. - we also made a stop at the Smithsonian Folklife festival. One of the 3 focuses was on Villages of the Mekong - which allowed us to see exhibits from Yunnan China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. We had a great time. I think we saw one of the best Lion Dances while there (a Vietnamese version). The girls (thanks to nearly 3-year old Helen) were able to sit in a wooden boat (from Cambodia I believe) that had been carved during the exhibit. Jordan and her buddy Caroline were able to also try their hands at Thai shadow puppets. Pics below.

Caroline and Jordan with the Lion Head after the lion dance at our agency's reunion.

(front to back) Helen, Caroline, and Jordan rowing down the river of wood chips at the Smithsonian Folklife festival.

Caroline and Jordan trying their hand at shadow puppets.

And of course, I had to include a pic of Ellie's crazy hair. Normally it isn't quite that crazy - but I love this picture.

At the Beach

We are back from our trip to the beach. This was Ellie's first trip to the ocean and we couldn't have had better weather or a better time (unless we had been able to stay even longer). Ellie loved playing in the sand as well as in the water. Jordan spent the trip looking for just the right seashells and took one this morning to one of her favorite waitresses at our breakfast hangout. It was a great chance for the girls to spend time with their grandparents and I think that Ellie has finally bonded with her grandfather (and he with her). We ate fabulous seafood while there and took some pretty decent pictures. I was able to read through the last two Harry Potter books in order to be ready for the movie and the final book in the coming weeks. But at last we are back home - already dreaming of another week at the beach.

Pool Time Fun

I bought the girls a pool for the backyard. I did this even though we belong to two different facilities with pools (okay, they both have indoor pools). The girls loved it!!! Ellie kept giving me a heart attack with her constant standing up , sitting down, standing up, walking around, slight slip and splash back down laughing. She even tried to blow bubbles like her big sister. I, of course, thought she was going to drown everytime she slipped or put her head near the water. But the laughter was great and both girls LOVED to pour water out of a watering can onto each other (despite Ellie hating to get her hair washed inside). Hmmmm.....baths in the swimming pool........nah.

These were actually from last weekend but I hadn't had time to put them up yet. We had our 6 month post placement visit 2 days ago. I think it went off without a hitch. I would have loved to have included one of these pictures but I hadn't gottem them loaded to the home computer yet. Maybe at the 12 month visit.

Six Months

Today we celebrate six months as a family. Six months with Ellie, and like with Jordan, time seems to both have flown by and stood still. We are a family now - the glue is sticking and the clamps can come off. We continue to evolve but life is good, hectic, exhausting, and exhilirating. Thank you CCAA. Thank you China.

Woo Hoo for Wu (5) !!!!!

Jordan has spent the last week celebrating turning 5 - culminating in her official birthday party today. We started off last weekend at her grandparent's house celebrating with a family birthday where Hello Kitty was the theme.


One of the gifts that she received while there was her first "real" set of golf clubs. I guess turning 5 means that the plastic set that I grabbed at Target a few years ago would no longer qualify and that playing golf now meant going out with Granddaddy to the driving range or playing on a real course. The picture below was taken as the two of them headed out for their first game (which lasted 1.5 holes - but they had fun). So, do we have a golfer in the making? Perhaps. I was told that she hit a putt that would make anyone proud. Apparently she made a twenty foot putt - beginner's luck or a talent? Hmmmmm.... (I think she made a hole in one at Putt Putt when she was 3 too so I'm hoping for the latter).

Today was the official party with some of her friends. It had a gardening theme so the cake that you see definitely hit the mark! I told Jordan that this cake may be more beautiful than her wedding cake (the picture does not do it justice - it was a work of art). I hated to cut into it - but of course, you buy a cake to eat it. Luckily, this one is VERY tasty. Here are Jordan and her friends after they finished their art project (the party was at an art studio). They painted flower pots and made butterflies, caterpillars and ladybugs. I think they had quite a bit of fun.

This last picture is of Ellie last weekend while up in Virginia. We were at our friend, Maggi's, house for a Memorial holiday cookout. Ellie had already soaked the entire front of her shirt eating watermelon. She'd grab a piece and bury her face in it without lifting it up until only the rind remained. For dessert, the kids got ice cream sandwiches. Ellie took a few nibbles but I think she had more fun squishing it between her fingers than anything else. But despite being a mess she was so darn cute that day, that I just had to add a picture of her.

It was quiet...

too quiet. You know, you run around after work trying to make dinner, wash dishes, or put a pile of laundry into the wash. Jordan had parked herself in front of the TV for her allotted 30 minutes. Ellie is usually following me around or something like that. Suddenly, I realize that Ellie is not following me around nor is she with her sister. She had been with me when I put new towels in the bathroom. I walk down the hall...the bathroom door is nearly closed and I don't hear anything. I open the door and the pic below is what I saw....



So - for all of you waiting parents out there ... let this be a warning to not turn your back on your kids. Otherwise you may be short one roll of toilet paper!

A Quick Note....

because I haven't seemed to have time to update - it must be spring. The pic above is from 2 weeks ago when we went with friends to the local amusement park. Ellie and I were mostly observers while Jordan rode lots and lots of rides with her friend Mia. What else has happened? Both girls had checkups - with Jordan at 41" and Ellie at 31". Both girls healthy last week (although Ellie is currently sporting a 102 degree fever but still happy). Mother's Day was great - my parents were in town and we grilled out on my back deck. We visited Jordan's soon-to-be kindergarten (more on that later). We have 2 birthday parties this weekend (one for each girl). Now it's time to run off to swim class....

The unexpected 4th tooth...

So I've been waiting for Ellie's second upper front tooth to appear. I can see it and feel it under the gum but it hasn't broken through. But today when massaging her gums with my finger what did I find but a 4th tooth - a molar! Just one side is through but it might explain why she's been stuffing her whole hand in her mouth and not just her two finger recently.

Ellie playing a new game: banging bottles against the door!

Attending our first horse race

Yesterday the girls and I attended our first steeplechase event. What fun we had!!! I hope we can make this an annual event - wonderful family occasion and it was fun to dress up. We were guests of one of the corporate sponsors and I must say - they really did make it a family affair. They had box lunches for the kids with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grapes, chips, cookies, a coloring book, etc. They had coloring books and bubbles and the kids got to bet on each race and afterward they handed out prizes (pretty much to every child) so Jordan and Ellie came away with lots of loot (hand puppets, a blow up monkey, a jump rope, wooden musical instrument clacker). And of course a great view of the races! We visited the paddock and Ellie loved the horses. At each race we went down to the split rail fence and watched from up close. Jordan and Ellie would lean out to look. After 4 hours of fun we left but have been talking about it ever since.

Spring Here For Good?

The warm weather is back...maybe for good. We spent last weekend enjoying the outdoors. Jordan wanted to wear the same outfit as Ellie. I don't have a lot of matcing outfits but I found two dresses I had bought in Guangzhou (Gymboree if you believe the tag). Off to the park on Sunday to introduce Ellie to the ducks. (I think that was what Ellie was pointing to in the pic above). Then we had our first cookout with the grill and danced around with the bubble machine that I surprised the girls with.

And then there were three....

It only took 14 months but Ellie now has 3 teeth! She's been so miserable for the last week due to teething. There is a 4th tooth that will hopefully appear within the week. And I think teeth #5 & #6 are not far behind.

Here are two pics of my girls on Easter. It was cold outside that day but the girls wore their sleeveless dresses anyway. They just wore heavy coats while outside.

Eggs and Taxes

Today was a busy day! I was determined to finish my taxes today. And I did (and there was much rejoicing). But it took most of the morning. We then dashed out of the house for eggs (to dye) and lunch at our favorite local burger joint. I topped off the first half of the day with the purchase of a much coveted item (thanks to the refund I was going to get) - a new gas grill. Eight summers and two gas grills - I wanted something that would last. And so, I now am the proud owner of a Weber (oooh ahh). I promise to put it to good use when it arrives next week.

Our day's intermission was Ellie's nap and my daily look at RQ.

And the annual Dyeing Of The Eggs commenced (and there was much rejoicing).

It now takes 3 hands to dye an egg in our house.

Jordan threw away all her candy today that she got at the Easter Egg hunt last weekend so that the Easter Bunny will not be stingy. I put out a basket for myself in hopes that the old hare will take pity on this single mom and provide me with some goodies as well.

14 Months!!!!

Ellie is 14 months old today!! As if to tell me that she's so much more mature...she allowed me to put her hair up in pigtails. And she left them up all day!!!! The above is a picture of her heading off to school this morning.

Yes...this jie jie loves her mei mei!!!

We've also just crossed over 100 days at home together. Ellie is such a great addition to our family. She is funny, curious, feisty and not afraid to let us know how she really feels!! But the little girl who I first met in China this past December with her fingers permanently in her mouth is still around....

She just has a sparkle in her eyes these days.

A little update...Now With Pictures!

This past weekend we went to our church's Easter egg hunt. This is one of those moments when I wish I could split myself in two - as I had two different hunts going on at the same time and had to "choose" which one to attend. Not really much choice as Ellie is way, way too young to be off on her own. I'd like to say that Jordan is too - but she is growing up so fast. She did fine hunting for eggs on her own (with some of the other moms watching out for her) but I still wish I could have watched her. Ellie did well too - figuring out that the goal was to put the colored things (ie., plastic eggs) laying all over the grass into the basket. I think she came away with 9 eggs in the basket. She's had fun playing with them since we got home.

So all I have to do is pick up these???

I got the girls' school pictures this week and had to choose what to buy. They turned out better than I thought (you just never know with school pics) and there is a cute one of both girls. If I can scan in the pictures at some point - I'll post them. Ellie's hair is as crazy as usual - I love that hair! It fits Ellie to a 'T'. It's impossible to tame and goes in all directions - just like my little girl.

I'm stressing over Easter - it is going to be COLD!!! In the 20s from what they are currently predicting. Of course, the girls have sleeveless Easter dresses with no sweaters. I went looking for sweaters last night to no avail - although I did pick up some tights for them to wear. It is in the 80s today and I'm thinking of running home and putting them in their dresses tonight for some quick pictures.

And congratulations to the Florida Gators on their championship win. I was asked to put the girls in their Gator attire prior to the last two games. I'm sure that was the secret to their wins. So I'll put it out again - if you want your team to win - just send us the appropriate attire and we promise to do what we can to help out!

Spring Has Sprung!

So when do you know it is spring? I think a good sign around here is when all the black cars have a lovely yellow-green glow about them due to the layer of pollen that now enshrouds everything in sight. I'm back on the allergy meds and unfortunately for Jordan, she also suffers from spring allergies. But when the weekend gets into the mid-80s there is nothing that is going to stop us from enjoying the weather.

Normally I would be screaming at Jordan to get her hand out of the fountain. But I was trying to take a picture so I just handed her the Purell instead.

This was Ellie's first introduction to a bubble machine. She would stand right in front of it and just let the bubbles blow all into her face and hair without a care in the world.

I'm hijacking my sister's blog...

Auntie Boo reporting in. My sister is so busy with the girls and I need more pictures of my nieces, so I've hijacked Moonpies and Mooncakes to post some old pictures, but cute nonetheless, of my nieces. I control the horizontal, I control the vertical! MWAAHHHAAHAAAAAA!!!








I love it when they're sweet!!!!






Good friends... hmm, wonder what secrets they've got????

This shoe Rocks!!!!!

yeah... I know I'm cute....