Tricky Little T

She is so so funny.  We have a sunk in living room.  When we first got home she maneuvered the steps (2) by sitting on her butt and scooting down.  In only 3 months she now literally runs up and down the steps.  She is just amazing.

Little T will sit on the top step and point next to her then point to her daddy.  She wants him to sit next to her and hold her hand and sing.  This is a game they have been playing for about a month.  Now she's put a little spin on it.  She'll go to the step then sit and point like she normally does.  The very second Big T starts to walk over to sit with her she'll pop up and run laughing the whole time.  OMG!  The first time she did this we all laughed so tears were flowing!! She loves to tease her daddy.  He'll ask her for a kiss so she'll walk over there and pucker up.  When he bends down to kiss her she'll run away laughing again.   

She's still very much a momma's girl *grin* but she loves to play with her daddy too. 

I love this picture of her.  She's watching her brother play baseball and she seems to be so intent...YET she has her phone waiting for that all important phone call...

Here's a shot of her and daddy sitting in the bleachers.

This is just a shot of her playing.  She's finally got a little bit of a Buddha belly going on!!! 

Baseball and Festivals

Saturday was a fun filled day.  First L had baseball.  Since this is fall ball they don't keep score but his team did pretty good.  He played first, third, right field, and pitched a few innings.  He also hit 2 for 5, not bad.  After the game we went home, ate lunch, took a nap and then headed out to Whitley Church for their fall festival with J&J. 

Little T had a blast running around and playing.  She rode a horse for the first time and went into a jumping thingy for the first time too.  Little J helped her jump by holding her hands.  Once she got the hang of it she enjoyed it. 

On a side note - comments from strangers.  Good grief!!  If I hear "OMG - look how small she is and she's walking!" one more time I'll scream!  Yes, Little T is TINY but she is mighty!  People are amazed when I tell them she's almost 2 1/2 yrs old.  I can't wait for Little T to start talking so she can say "Yep, I'm small but I have a big attitude!"  Hmm....maybe I'll go get a tee-shirt with that printed on it!!

I've got some great pictures - hope you enjoy them!

My first story board!!  (above)

 

 

These first 2 pictures are of J's daughter.  Her face is so expressive and she has the prettiest brown eyes you will ever see.  I'll have to go back through some pictures so I can show you a close up of her. 

Little T thinking at the ball game.

  

Little T put her phone in her purse and brought that along with her teddy bear to the baseball game.

Little T jumping.

Beautiful...

You Can Take the Girl Out of China...

but you can't take China out of the girl!  I was getting Little T ready for her bath and as usual I let her run naked for a bit.  She always laughs and goes down into the living room to show daddy and laugh some more.  Usually she comes back and stands next to me while I get things going but tonight she was unusually quiet so I turned around and there she was...squatting...and peeing!  I about died laughing!  She was just looking at me with a smile on her face and peeing away! 

*I hope this doesn't offend anyone - it's not meant to!!*

Friends

I have some Chinese friends who own a few restaurants here in town.  They are extremely nice and always welcome Little T with big hugs and kisses whenever we see them.  They have a 17 month old boy who lives in China with his grandmother and Benjamin, a 5 year old boy who has been here in the states for a year. 

Benjamin started Kindergarten this past month and is doing as well as can be expected for someone who doesn't speak English.  I gave his mom and dad my number if they needed any help and the day after he started I got a call.  They wanted him to come over to my house each day so I can start teaching him English.  Wow - I'm so so honored!!  Benjamin has been coming over for about 3 weeks now and we all enjoy him very very much.  He is full of energy and tries very hard to understand what we are saying to him.  Little T tries her best to keep up with him but he is like a Tasmanian devil running around. 

We've been working on shapes and colors since school started.  We sit down for about 30 minutes because I feel that is enough time and I don't want to overwhelm the little guy.  After that he hangs out with us, watches Ni Hao, Ki-lan and runs around.  His dad comes to pick him up around 7 and takes him back to the restaurant.  Just being around us and hearing us is helping him.  At home all he hears is Mandarin and his dad's providence dialect.  For TV they have satellite and only tune into Chinese stations.  He's a very smart young man as he can speak and understand both Chinese dialects.  I'm sure given time he'll pick up English!

Here is a scrapbook page I did of Little T and Benjamin:

 

This next picture is Little T being happy with a cookie and her sippy cup. 

 

And here she is BEFORE I gave her a cookie!!  Yes, one little pout with a sad face and she can get anything she wants - we are in so much trouble!!

 

From out of no where

the pain will hit me.  The other day I went into my mom's buffet table to get a lighter for a candle.  I noticed some papers in the back of the drawer so I pulled them out.  They were some of the poems my dad wrote for my mom.  As I sat there and read them the tears started to fall.  Oh how I miss my parents.  The emptiness is so unbearable at times.  I must have sat there for 20 minutes reading and then re-reading the few poems that I have of his.  I walked into the bedroom where Big T and Little T were playing and he immediately hugged me and asked what was wrong.  As I told him I picked up Little T and hugged her.  She looked at me with her beautiful eyes and once again took her little hands and wiped my tears away.  Of course, this only made me cry more. 

I have some pictures of Little T and I need to document some more of our trip to China but tonight I think I'll share one of my dad's poems to my mom.

To My Love

Please my Love don't ever go away

I need you with me everyday

I used to like to be alone

Now when you are gone I stop near the phone.

When you go I'm so lost

I need you with me at all cost

My love for you is hard to show

But in your heart I think you know

I cannot find the words to say

Home much I love you each day

When you're tired and feeling low

Up is the only way to go

I try my best to get you to smile

With luck you might laugh after awhile

Maybe its God's plan, these ups and downs

I love to see you smile and hate your frown

We're meant to be together through thick and thin

Because while together we will always win

I.N.S.L.Y

It's not the best poem in the world but you can see the love my dad had for my mom.  The I.N.S.L.Y means "I'll Never Stop Loving You".  This is something that they wrote to each other, on a card, on a note, in the snow, where ever.  I always thought it was so sweet to see that little "I.N.S.L.Y" written in different places. 

Mom and Dad  I.N.S.L.Y!!

 

Where are my manners?

I'm sorry!!  I can't believe I haven't posted in almost 2 weeks!!  Where are my manners?  We have been so busy with baseball and appointments and work and well...just life! 

Little T is doing great.  She is starting to play more with her little friends at daycare though I still see her shutting down some.  At church this past Sunday I brought her into the nursery.  This is the 4th or 5th time she's been in there.  I showed her a toy, waved bye-bye and went out to enjoy the sermon.  When I went to get her just 30 minutes later she was in the same spot staring into space.  She had shut down completely.  Poor baby!!  And shame on those nursery workers!!  They should have tried to talk to her and get her to play with the other kids, but noooo!!  They just let her stand there!  I will have to show them next week how to interact with her.  I didn't like her shutting down like that and I thought we had gotten past that.  Shame on me too.

Her play therapy is going to move to the day care next week.  Aunt J noticed that she acts different when I'm around her.  She had her last Friday for the afternoon and she said that she played with her but just didn't act the same - it was like she was having fun but she wasn't all there.  Partial shut down I guess.  We are hoping that play therapy will help her interact better.  J is so wonderful!!  It's good to know that I can count on her to point out little things to me - things that I don't see because I'm too close.  I love J!!! 

L is doing very well in school so far this year.  He's playing fall ball and is enjoying being with his friends.  He keeps telling me he has only 6 SHORT months before he can drive by himself.  Oh help us all!!

T calls us quite often and I really enjoy talking with him.  College is going well and he starts his job (yeah!) this Thursday.  He'll be working as a life guard at the YMCA.  Baby H is also doing well and is starting to eat baby food already.  Wow!  He said she really likes peas.  Funny - he won't eat food that is green but his daughter loves it! His fiancee is also doing well and they seem to be adjusting to their new life.

Okay - I know you want some pictures - here are 2 layouts for you from Labor Day.  I know....I'll get some more recent ones up soon.

 

Scrapbook page

Here's a page I created using a template I got from Digifree.  What, you haven't heard about Digifree yet?  It's an awesome blog that scans the net for free digital scrapbook papers, embellishments, overlays, templates, and quick pages.  I love it!!  Click HERE to go to the website and check it out. 

Labor Day Weekend

We had a wonderful weekend.  Saturday we went to Big T's brother's house and had a great time.  We made some German potato salad that morning and left it in our fridge!! ugh!  We also left the pictures we were going to give out.  I have no idea where our brains were. 

Big T's brother and nephew came along with their families.  It's always nice to spend a pretty Saturday afternoon outside talking and laughing.  The food was great and the company was even better.  Two other friends also came by who we were very happy to see.  They are such a sweet couple and we enjoy talking with them. 

We stuck around after everyone left and was outside talking to Big T's brother about his stint in the service.  He retired a CW04 (I think that's right - please correct me guys if I'm wrong!) from the marines.  Anyway, he met a ton of very interesting people and was given a pair of cufflinks from President Ronald Reagan.  What's amazing about this is that he gave these to L!!  Big T and I were both awe struck that he did this and we are so thankful for it.  J & J had decided that since they have 2 sons and 2 grandsons that their godson should get the cufflinks.  Wow!  Thank you!!

On Sunday we had planned to go to the lake but the weather was a little bit unsettled so we hung out at home and cleaned up a bit.  Monday we went to a nearby state park and cooked some hamburgers and hotdogs.  It is a very nice park that has a swimming area too.  L brought his best friend with him and they enjoyed diving off the diving board.  Little T enjoyed wading and watching everyone.

Having Fun in the sprinkler

   

Don't you just want to squeeze his little cheeks?!!  Such a happy baby!