Lesson learned...

Feeding your child an ample bowl of this...

...and a container of this for breakfast... ...leads to one VERY big tummy ache come dinnertime.

Oops.

Sorry Lindy Li.

This was TRULY an oversight on my part.

P.S. This happened a few days ago...She's fine. I was grasping for things to post and didn't want to forget this blunder.

A letter to Lindy

My dearest Lindy~

Yesterday you received a pink encouragement card from one of your Bible Class teachers and I am still overcome with joy and beaming with a mother's pride as I read it again this morning.

I want to tell you how sweet it was for you to help Belle in class. She was new to Bible Class and didn't have a friend. She was sad and crying. While all the children were busy during play time, you noticed Belle needed a friend to help her feel better. You made hot tea and brought it to her and then made her yogurt and gave it to her. You sat with her until she stopped crying. What a sweet and kind girl you are! You showed Belle that you have Jesus in your heart. She was happy and glad that she came to Bible Class because you helped her feel better.

Lindy, I can't tell you just HOW proud I am of you for comforting Belle and showing her compassion and concern. I tried to tell you yesterday (through my tears) and you humorously told me after the third or fourth time that I had already told you that. I love your crazy sense of humor, too.

I pray you will always stop and show others compassion and concern like you did with Belle because that is what Jesus wants us to do. Thank you for reminding me of the importance of not getting too caught up in "my" time to make time for someone else who is hurting.

I love you~

Mommy

Beach fun

"Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone." Unknown

Last Thursday through Monday we had the opportunity to go to the beach with my brother and his family while they were visiting from California. We CRAMMED ourselves into a minivan rental (which unfortunately brokedown) and headed south for some fun in the surf, sand, and sun.

We truly had a wonderful time. While the weather was definitely HOT, once you got in a front of the water it wasn't bad at all--especially with the ocean breezes. Our California visitors were shocked at how warm the water was. It was like bathwater. They are used to the chilly waters of the Pacific or hanging out at the beach of Lake Tahoe. In the afternoons, the kids had fun playing in the pool and trying out their swimming skills (or for Lindy just getting used to putting her face in the water).

To save money (and calories), we ate breakfasts and most lunches in. We were able to have some fresh fish and shrimp a couple times. On Saturday evening, we headed for Corpus and took Jeff, Dani, and the boys to Whataburger--a burger joint which began in Corpus. Afterwards, we went to watch the Corpus Christi Hooks, the local 2AA baseball team.

Lindy had lots of fun being together with her cousins, even though there are still the moments of no sharing, wanting whatever the other person has, and bouts of crabbiness, etc., etc. I think that's to be expected from a three year old, almost four year old, and five year old. I'm afraid we've got a ringleader on our hands. More than once I heard, "C'mon, guys let's..." Lindy reached a couple milestones by sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag at nights and napping on a bed. We've always said we're keeping her in a crib as long as possible because of her active nature. She surprised us though and did great after the first night when all she wanted to do was get up and talk. I predict a move to some semblance of a bed--either toddler or big girl--in the near future.

The adults had fun together, too. We had serious talks and goofy ones, too. The girls ganged up on the guys and the guys ganged up on the girls. Not sure who won! We are blessed to not just be family but friends.





We are so very thankful that Jeff and Danielle chose to come visit us for their vacation and that we were able to take this trip. We look forward to many more combo vacations/visits in the future!

Rain, puppies, and fireworks...

It was a fairly quiet fourth of July around the house. No company, no barbeques, no homemade ice cream--just the three of us doing "weekend" stuff.

We were thrilled to get a MUCH-needed rain shower. Lindy was so excited, she asked if she could go play in the rain. My first instinct was, "uh NO." However, since it was such a welcomed sight I let her go stand in it. She was overjoyed to be out in it.

It didn't last long but she did get soaked.

After we got her all dried off, we visited our friends whose dog recently had puppies. Lindy loves dogs so seeing puppies was a big treat for her. Daddy stayed strong and didn't succumb to Lindy's joy and the teensy bit of salesmanship taking place. Here she is holding "Gregory."

After puppies, we went to have a good old-fashioned burger and fries for dinner and then headed off to stake a place to watch fireworks. While we were waiting for it to get dark, we walked around the Shops at La Cantera and enjoyed the lovely weather. Thankfully, the rain had cooled it down quite a bit and made it very comfortable.

This was the first time we had taken Lindy to see fireworks. As we waited she was very excited for them to start but a bit apprehensive because she knew what they were from Ni Hao Kai-Lan. Once they started, she did great and really seemed to love them. I heard her exclaim several times, "they are soooo beautiful!" This morning, that's all I hear her chattering about, so I think they were a hit for our own little firecracker!

Happy Birthday, America!!!

Lindy loves a birthday party!!!

Happy Birthday, America...

Lindy goes to the theatre (To be read in a sophisticated dialect)

This morning we met some friends at a local theatre to see their stage production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I've been wanting to take Lindy to a play for a long time but just hadn't had (made) the opportunity yet. The past few months she's really shown her flair for drama and imagination by memorizing lines to movies (primarily Cinderella) and acting out various scenes. I tried explaining to Lindy what a play is but she couldn't quite comprehend the concept. We were the first to arrive and be seated and she was genuinely apprehensive and a bit afraid as we entered the dark and quiet tiny theatre.

As it grew closer to showtime, her excitement mounted and fear seemed to dissipate. She was especially excited when her friends showed.

The great thing about this theatre is that it is super intimate, kid friendly, and they keep the kids engaged by encouraging participation. At the beginning of the play, they let all the little princesses on stage to have their picture taken with Snow White. With my little wiggle worm, I was concerned she'd rush the stage and try to participate a bit too much. I was pleasantly surprised when she stayed pretty still and quiet the entire time.

I've always enjoyed attending theatre whether it be high school, local small town, or big time professional, so you can imagine I've really dreamed of sharing these kinds of moments with Lindy. This morning was perfect and I look forward to many more trips to the theatre in the future!

Happy Father's Day

"To her the name of father was another name for love." Fanny Fern

To say I love you and adore you is not enough, Daddy. You are simply the best. Thank you for being such a wonderful Daddy.

Happy Father's Day!

Love,
Lindy Li-Xiao

We're not in Kansas anymore

Lindy and I had the opportunity to take a very last minute trip to Kansas to visit my parents. Our main motivation was to see my grandparents and Uncle Rickey who were visiting from California. Originally, my grandparents were planning on coming to San Antonio as part of their RV trip. However, due to various circumstances, that changed.

While we were there we took a couple of historical trips around the area, went shopping, got Lindy's haircut, and just had fun visiting. We got to see the Anheuser Busch Clydesdales from St. Louis and she met the movie star dalmatian from the beer commercials, Bud. Lindy has become quite theatrical and loves to act out scenes from Cinderella. She loved having an adoring and interactive audience. She also loved having her toenails and fingernails painted with the color Pink Crystal.

Lindy was an absolute champ on all legs of the trip (even with delays) and missed several naps during our stay. She did absolutely great! I was reminded how blessed I am with such a flexible and happy child.

We had a super fun time and are so happy we got to make this quick, unexpected trip! Thanks for everything, Mom & Dad! We love you!

There's a first time for everything...

Lindy experienced two exciting--but altogether different--"firsts" this week.

On Saturday we took Lindy to her first movie in a movie theater on Saturday. We went to see Horton Hears a Who. She had no idea what we were doing or where we were. She did ask if we were at church which was kind of funny to me. When we walked into the lobby she said, "I smell something yummy." Then she spied the popcorn and was thrilled. She was pretty quiet during the movie and I think she stayed in her seat the entire time which was amazing. Popcorn was definitely the key to those accomplishments! Don and I both enjoyed watching her enjoy herself so much.
On a completely different note, Lindy went to the dentist for the first time yesterday. Honestly, I had meant to take her sooner but got varying opinions on what the appropriate age is. Thankfully, I haven't had any concerns about her teeth to speak of so three seemed like a good time.

We had talked to her some about going to the dentist. She was completely on board with the idea and didn't seem to have any apprehensions...until yesterday morning.

First words out of her mouth were, "I don't want to go to the dentist." I spent the morning prodding her along and trying to ease her anxieties. We talked about all the people and animals who go to the dentist. I told her that both her Grandma Osborn and special friend, Denisa, used to work with the dentists to clean teeth. I told her about Hermie the elf on Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer who wanted to be a dentist and how nice he is. I was nervous she was going to be a complete wreck.

Thankfully, the office was super cool and had enough distractions to make it extra fun for her. There were video games, movies, and beautiful tropical fish.

First, they took x-rays. She did fantastic; although the second x-ray was a bit blurry...

They didn't clean her teeth on this visit. They counted them, looked at the x-rays and just tried to get her acclimated to the experience. She loved getting to brush the big stuffed dog's teeth.

When it was time to leave, she kept talking to the dental assistant and thanking her for the stickers and new toothbrush. The icing on the cake was the lollipop the receptionist gave her--sugar-free, of course.

I really am proud of Lindy for doing so well and being brave to the experience.

Overall, what a gift it is to experience new things with this sweet child God has blessed us with. I am thankful for the new opportunities, the challenges, and the triumphs.

He's a winner in her eyes

Much to Lindy's dismay, it was the season finale of Dancing With the Stars last night and her beloved pick did not win the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy. Over the past couple of weeks when I asked her who she wanted to win, she kept on saying, "Jason Taylor." Usually, if you ask her a question like "Do you like oranges or strawberries?" she answers whatever she heard last. However, it didn't matter if we phrased it as a choice (i.e., Do you want Kristi Yamaguchi or Jason Taylor to win?) or just a plain question (i.e., Who do you want to win?), she was adamant she wanted Jason Taylor to win.

This was surprising because right off the bat, she noticed Kristi Yamaguchi was Asian (Chinese to her) and we thought she was drawn to her and her amazing energy. However, I guess that didn't matter to her. She was drawn more to the man whom she mentioned over and over didn't have any hair.

Honestly, her mommy didn't think he was too bad of a choice, either, but in the end chose Kristi Yamaguchi as her pick to win.

Goodbye old friend

It all started very innocently. It was just a simple burp cloth to use just in case our new doll was one of those babies who spit up everywhere. It was never meant to turn into a vice but somehow it did, from day one in China. Somehow the burp cloth made it off my shoulders and into her hands. Then it made it into her mouth...It has been there ever since--UNTIL NOW.

This is about two hours after we got her. She finally calmed down and fell asleep. There's "rag" on her but not yet in her mouth...

Lindy's primary soothing mechanism of choice has been any type of terry material burp cloth, affectionately coined as, "rag." At first, we brought it everywhere with us. You can see glimpses of it in many of the pictures in China. Then we limited it to bedtime only, although we've caught her sneaking hits here and there when we forgot to hang it out of reach. She's even stooped to digging them out of the hamper in her room. Addiction is an ugly thing.

After an outing in Changsha. Hard to believe she actually slept while we were out.

There have been many nights where Lindy has "lost" rag in the sea of other things in her crib and we've had to come find it for her. I guess that made us the enablers. She sucks on the rag and sometimes it is soaked when I get her up from nap or in the morning. To me it is a gross, smelly, germ factory. To her it is comfort and a necessity for rest.

On a plane about 30 minutes before landing. Finally sleeping with rag in hand and mouth...

We had been telling Lindy for a long time she didn't need rag and that she needed to give it up. Turning three seemed like a good milestone for her to get rid of her nasty vice. She really seemed on board with the idea and talked a lot about not needing it when she turned three. There were many mornings where she'd hand it to me and it would be virtually dry. However, on the day she turned three she wasn't so much into the idea of giving it up for good.

On a camping trip last October...Note the gold and green bear. His name is Dorsey Levens. He (Dorsey Levens, not the bear) is a former Green Bay Packers player. He was a gift and now is also a must have in bed. When he gets "lost" at night, we hear, "Need Dorsey. Need Levens."

I took rag away from her during her nap on her birthday. There's no other way but cold turkey. I had never heard her wail like that. It was painful to listen to. After 20 minutes of what sounded like near hyperventilation, I caved. I was afraid she'd hate me for ruining her third birthday (silly, I know). On Saturday, which was two days after her birthday, we tried again at nap. She cried and screamed for about two solid hours. She even made herself a little sick which I had never seen happen. Can you say massive temper tantrum? I knew giving it back to her would mean giving in and her winning...Saturday night came. More tears and crying. There were also about three trips during the middle of the night into her room for other things...Sunday came. No tears. Just more delays and random requests for water, blankets, certain animals.

It is now Wednesday. Knock on wood, things seem to be going well. She's making it through naps and the night much better. I think she may have found a substitute with a very soft Little Giraffe lovey she has because its corners are somewhat wet. However, I'm keeping my eyes open and am trying to tell her it is just to touch because it is so soft and not to put in her mouth.

I am proud of Lindy for being a big girl and putting away her yucky habit in a matter of a couple days. She really did much better than I thought! Now if I could only learn from her and give up my vices--chocolate, cheese, etc...

****Note: This post is written about Lindy in a spirit of lightness. It is not meant to poke fun at or be offensive to anyone who has struggled with or is currently struggling with addiction of any sort or in any manner.****

Turning three was fun!

I had a great 3rd birthday!

We had pizza and there was even a piece of cake "on the house."

Daddy & Mommy chose Italian Cream Cake for me. I shared.

There were so many fun presents and lots of beautiful princess cards!

My very special friends, Cliff & 'Sisa came over.

They got to see me ride my Princess Big Wheel.

There was a pink and brown cake with my name on it. It was yummy, especially with ice cream.

I am truly very blessed.

Thank you to everyone who helped make my day so special.

Love,
Lindy Li-Xiao

She's three

In honor of the apple of our eyes' third birthday, here is a post of threes...

Three random things about Lindy...

1. When she hears a story, she thinks the ending is "amen" instead of "the end."
2. She loves, loves, loves to watch "Dancing With the Stars" and dance along, too.
3. She may be starting to get a bit of a Texas twang or whatever it is here. Just the other day she asked for a "big ole glass of water."
   

Three pictures of her in the early days before we brought her home...

July 2005

August 2005

November 8, 2005 (six months)

Three pictures from her first birthday...

Three pictures from her second birthday...

Three things she prays for...

1. Thank you for all our blessin's. (TX twang again)
2. Thank you for food.
3. Help mei mei come home soon.

Three things we'll do today...

1. Eat cake.
2. Eat ice cream.
3. Open presents.

And I thought I could handle twins?!?

"A two-year old is kind of like having a blender, but you don't have a top for it.” Jerry Seinfeld

A few weeks ago my friend pitched an idea to me. She would watch Lindy for about three hours a week and then the following week I would watch her two year old, Bethany (nine months younger than Lindy). Since I don't have Lindy in school we are together 24/7 for the most part and I don't really have any free time without her. Although it is tiring and can be difficult, I have chosen this path and I am happy to have the privilege to be a stay at home mother. I have to admit, though, having a few hours of some free time is VERY nice. I love the quiet and being able to get a bit more done without interruptions.

I also have to admit, keeping up with more than one two year old is HARD work. I can't even believe when I was young that I used to babysit four little ones at a time, work in a daycare, spend so much time with little kids, and WANT twins (actually, we requested and were approved for them when we were waiting for Lindy). I am out of practice when it comes to watching more than one and they really keep me running! My hat goes out to you who have multiples, children close in age, and those who make a career out of watching children.

It has been working out nicely. They play pretty well with each other for the most part. Occasionally, there is a bite or a scream but nothing too bad. Usually they just giggle and play. I have a hard enough time capturing Lindy on camera but I did get these quick shots of them "playing footsie" this past week...