Four Years Old!!!!

It is hard to believe but D is four years old today!! She continues to be a source of great joy and her enthusiasm for everything both good and bad continue to keep us on our toes. People who see her out often comment on what a big personality she has (although that big personality comes in a tiny package- she wore this same outfit for her 3 year old birthday photos) We can't imagine what our lives would be like without her. And of course, we can't celebrate this day without thinking of her birthfamily in China and being grateful that we are able to parent her and humbled that their loss has allowed us to have this force of nature in our lives.

And for those who know her in real life check out how well the photos really capture her personality

Getting ready to enjoy birthday brownies (she loves brownies and we will have cake at her party this weekend)

She was very excited to see her presents and couldn't wait to open the first one.

She is obsessed with Hello Kitty (or Meow Meow as she calls it) She has asked for "meow meow" everything (meow meow shirt, meow meow legos, meow meow car seat, meow meow nerf gun- you get the idea) However, the one thing that she has asked for since last summer is a meow meow bike. She was most excited to see it (although she found it a week ago hidden in the garage so she knew it was coming)

A Somewhat Meaningful Meaningless Post

So my plan for my dear loyal readers is to update the blog every 4-7 days (or until I get so bogged down in paperwork for my job that I forget I even have a blog) and although DW's birthday is rapidly approaching this week, I thought I would post this bit o' fluff.

There are many versions of this song and most have the ability to move people to tears. It is a song that is full of meaning for many people. However, this one actually is rather amusing. These are the Canadian Tenors singing Leonard Cohen's song Hallelujah. About halfway through Celine Dion (unbeknownst to them) comes on stage. Watch the reaction of the blonde and then watch the guy playing the guitar and check out his expression when he sees her. I have to admit I smile every time I watch it. (Oh and they aren't bad to look at either)

Somebody Stole My Doorknob Last Night

I had a plan to go to bed early.....

The other day B's parents were babysitting because he was out of town and the boys did not have school. They came down the night before since I had a couple of things scheduled so they put the kids to bed. I had a crazy day and thought for once I would try to go to bed before midnight- I would take a relaxing bath, then be asleep by 11:30 (and yes, I know some of you "in bed by 10" people are horrified that I consider 11:30 early)

I was checking on the kids when I got to X's door, which he had locked. The lock has a mechanism to unlock it from the outside of the door but it is jammed. I thought about just leaving it till morning when he could unlock it but then the what if's started running through my mind. What it he has a nightmare? What if he can't figure out how to unlock it? What if, God forbid, there was a fire? So of course that lock was coming off.

Now this is the point I should mention I know very little about door knobs beyond "turn the knob, open the door" but I decide to take the doorknob off the door, then I can reach in manually pull the part that sticks into the door frame and the door will open. The fact that I called it "the part that sticks into the door frame" probably should be sign that I was out of my element. So I get the doorknob off and reach in to retract "the part that sticks into the door frame" and it won't budge- so now the door knob is in pieces half on each side of the door that still is locked (Meanwhile, X is sleeping through this- with every light in his room turned on) After trying for while to get the door open and mentally trying to determine if we had a hacksaw to cut through the remaining piece (all while trying to come up with a good story for the fire department when I call them to get my kid out of his room) Grandma wakes up Grandpa. He was able to get the door open (apparently you have to push the piece in to slide the piece out- which is completely the opposite of what you would think if you were actually looking at the door) and we went in only to find X in bed- completely naked. Apparently he had been in trouble (I assume for not putting his pajamas on after his bath) and when Grandpa told him to just go to bed- he followed that direction totally and completely. I dressed him and tucked him in.

I finally got to bed at 12:15- so I guess it was still early by about 15 minutes. Only I was awoken bright and early, not by my alarm but by a slightly confused voice saying

Yep- you guessed it

" Mommy, somebody stole my doorknob last night."

Another Thing I Wouldn't Know If I Didn't Have Kids

that some, but not all, Legos float.

Although to be fair, it is probably more honest to say this is a thing I wouldn't know if I didn't have kids AND a dog.

Our dog, N, is getting up there is age, is blind and is beginning to have other medical issues. One of them is that he sometimes has accidents in the house (thankfully not often). The boys had left their Lego bins out in the playroom and at some point over night the dog used the bin as a potty. Which on one hand meant no carpet cleaning- on the other hand, I had a bin of Legos that had dog pee on them. So into the tub it all went. But a little soak and scrub later and everything was clean and fresh smelling again (and the bins went back under the beds to avoid another 'misunderstanding')

It's always something....

Please Tell Me That's Dog Hair

NO- It's not dog hair......

Wait for it........

Have you guessed yet?????

It's D is sporting her new haircut that she gave herself yesterday afternoon.

For almost 2 years we have been growing out the front so that she can tuck it behind her ear and now that it is pretty much at that length- we are starting over. Strangely enough, she did a pretty good job all things considered. We will probably be going to the haircut place soon to even out the one section that she missed on the side but all in all- it could have been much worse

(and honestly I am glad she didn't also cut K's hair- which is more what I would have expected her to do)

You would have thought her brothers who normally notice and tattle on the littlest infractions might have mentioned this

The Beginnings of World Domination

I have mentioned D's fascination with being "Nine-ese" (Chinese) and the whole remote control thing

(if you don't know what I mean- read this first http://pullthisblogover.blogspot.com/2010/01/i-nine-nese-or-why-no-one-else-can-use.html)

but things have taken a turn for the worse. We (me, K and D) are in the car the other day and they are watching a video on the DVD player. (on an aside note before you think I am one of "those" moms, the girls are in an afternoon special needs preschool program so they don't get naps. If they fall asleep in the car on the way home- lets just say it is VERY bad, so I let them watch to try to keep them awake. I guess maybe I am one of those moms. I am okay with that.)

Anyway- they were watching Ni Hao, Kai Lan (which for those of you who aren't hip to the TV viewing habits of the under 5 set is like Dora the Explorer but using Mandarin instead of Spanish) Kai Lan often has the kids repeat Mandarin words, etc. The girls both love the show and are happily watching as we sit in traffic. They had just hit a part in the episode where they have to repeat something and I hear D repeat it, then I hear K repeat it and then I hear an outraged yell from the back seat

"No Baby, Be Quiet, You no Nine-ese, Me Nine-ese"

Apparently we are no longer allowed to speak Chinese either.

Someone (stupid) once told me that the reason that China has allowed us to adopt these children is because the Chinese government "programs" them as part of their plan to takeover the world......

Maybe this is how it starts

Postscript-

Eventually, she was willing to let K speak Chinese after I explained that you don't have to be Chinese to say words in Chinese, that anyone could do it.

We still can't use the remote though.

Chinese New Year Celebration

Our local affiliate of Families with Children from China (FCC) holds a big Chinese New Year party every year. There are crafts, tons of food, vendors selling Chinese items, and a performance that includes both adults who perform the traditional arts as well as some of the kids from the FCC Chinese Arts Program. The whole thing starts off with the Lion Dance. I didn't get any pictures of the lions because as soon as it started D jumped into my arms a little bit scared. About halfway through the dance she decided she wanted to be the lion (is this a surprise to anyone who knows her??) In fact when the preschoolers from the Chinese Arts Program danced I mentioned to her she would be in the group next year and she got indignant and said "NO Mama- I gonna be the LION!!"

Enjoying the traditional dances with front row seats

This guy was amazing with the Chinese Yo Yo. Everyone was spellbound and A couldn't wait to go get his own Chinese Yo Yo from the vendors after the show. Hopefully this guy will be back next year, and A won't break anything too valuable in the meantime.

While not necessarily a traditional Chinese art- who can resist drawing on the Great Wall??

The yearly Chinese New Year Photo- D wasn't willing to even come near the photographer until there was a promise of stickers.

(love the cut and bruise right in the middle of KW's forehead? She fell at day care-they were horrified. However, they didn't need to worry- it hasn't slowed her down one bit)

Getting the payout- One kitty sticker!!!