LINK TO OUR JOURNEY TO JILLIANA

LINK TO OUR JOURNEY TO JILLIANA
CLICK ON JILLIANA'S PHOTO TO FOLLOW OUR JOURNEY TO CHINA

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Beach Days

Well just a little update.  Thanks so much for all of the support on my tantrum day!  It really helps to hear from you.  We did have another little incident at the playground on a no nap day but it passed very fast.  At the beach house that we are staying at during the rest of the remodel there are mailboxes grouped together down the street.  These just so happen to be right in front of the playground so I usually let the girls play for a short while when we go get the mail.  On this day Emma decided that she wanted to climb up the slide.  There were other kids there so it was dangerous to do this.  I told her not to and she still wanted to do it.  I asked her not to again and then she started telling me,  " You are not doing what I say!"  "You are not making me happy."  I have a hard time keeping a straight face when she uses my words against me and not quite in the right context.  I said,  You do not talk to mommy like that and that we were leaving because of her not minding.  She then started the crying and the No's.  I picked up her bike and took them both home.  I think that she is learning that Mommy means it.  On a side note I do have a difficult time with the no going up the slide issue but it is really for her safety.  I think it is fun to climb up it too, but she is too young to know if someone is coming down.  It is one of those covered slides.  Also when she does get to school there is always a no going up the slide rule.
On a cute note  the other day Meilynn and Emma were playing with my Mom.  My Mom had brought out the old Tinker Toys.  When my Mom said that they were going to play Tinker Toys  Meilynn's little mind began working and she blurted out to my Mom that she wanted to play with the Monkey toys.  This is only funny if you have seen what they are going to be for Halloween.  Emma is going to be Tinkerbell and Meilynn a Monkey.
I am posting a few pictures from the last two weeks that I didn't put in yet.  I love my little girls and the joy and meaning they give to our lives.  Enjoy!
Meilynn at Newport Dunes.  We went to visit my sister there while Mike was in Costa Rica. They were camping there for the weekend.
On the teeter totter with Meilynn Grace Shiyue
Meilynn driving the ship Emma on the slide I love how I caught Emma thinking and Meilynn so aware of me Meilynn on her bike Checking to make sure that Mommy was following Two beauties My sister Debbie with Emma Emma loves to swing We tried to find a pumpkin patch down here in San Diego like at home.  We found this one but not what we are used to at all. I was trying to get a cute picture of both girls but Emma wouldn't go up here If you remember, Emma is afraid of things that look like humans but are not.  The Scarecrow did its job and scared her.  So Meilynn poses for me but can't figure out why her sister won't
Dancing outside the Beach House door They finally can wear 2t.  It's a good thing they have an adjustable waist or they would be down around their ankles. Love these fun outfits from Children's Place.  Mike thinks they are funky Emma's new stance.  We often find her with her hands on her hips.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Guess what I got?  My first award as a blogger.  What is really funny about this is I have no clue most of the time how to put links in, add images, adding them in an order that I want, and that funny blue writing I get sometimes.  Oh and then on my Halloween post, somehow I have this little picture square and when you click on it, it makes a big picture of my little Monkey.  I have no clue how I did that.  I got this award from a fellow blogger.  He name is Mel and she is the author of Our Journey continues.  I will try to put the link here but who knows if it will work.  Here it is.  Thanks Mel! http://ourjourneycontinues.blogspot.com/

Terrific to Terrible Three

P.S.  This is how she looked after the ordeal
Today was my turn to be the Mommy that was looked at with so many different faces.  From faces of pity to disdain, to compassion, to embarrassed and on and on.  What might you ask provoked these people to react to me this way?  Well I am sure that most of you have been here at least once.  It was the little monster that likes to appear at the most inappropriate times.  Today he visited Emma.  
Mike went up to Big Bear to ride his motorcycle so I had one of those days where I spend doing little things with the girls that they like.  We had a slow start to the day just taking our time.  The girls love to fix my hair so we spent a lot of time playing beauty shop doing my hair, make-up and nails.  My plan was to take the girls to Barnes and  Noble where I needed to purchase a book for a retreat that I am going on soon.  The girls love to go there and read books and play with the train set.  I then planned to treat them to lunch (which is especially a treat for me because I don't have to prepare it or clean it up). After that if everything was going smooth I wanted to buy a few Halloween decorations.  Emma is so afraid of everything surrounding Halloween that I thought it might be nice to get a few non scary decorations.  I have these at home but they are all impossible to get to with our remodel going on!
So we packed up in the car and headed for the bookstore.  We went to find my book and on the way over to the children's area Emma pushed Meilynn.  I told Emma that when we got to the children's section she would have a time out first and then she could play with the train set.  This upset her but she finally took the time out and then she was able to go to the train table with Meilynn.  I usually wander very close by looking at the books.  No sooner did I turn away when they were both fighting about something.  That was it.  I took both of their hands and said we are leaving since you cannot get along.  Meilynn cried and took my hand but Emma started throwing a fit.  This is when the stares started.  I started to walk away and thank goodness she followed though throwing a fit and screaming while she followed.  Now I had to decide whether to just pick her up and leave or purchase my book.  I didn't know when I would be able to get back so I decided to go ahead.  Well big mistake,  in line things only got worse.  She was lying on the ground screaming.  Both of the girls are just getting over colds so she had snot all over her face.  And guess what?  I didn't have any Kleenex.  I finally did something I have never done before.  I had too.  Snot bubbles were coming out of her nose!  I took my hand and wiped her face and then wiped it on her jeans!  Gross!  Everybody was looking at me.  Finally a nice lady offered me a Kleenex which I gratefully accepted.  Of course the line was long and only got longer as this fit continued.  I was able to distract for a minute when we passed a cute panda bookmark.  By now she was wanting me to carry her but this is always a problem with two.  Because then Meilynn would want me to carry her and she was the one obeying but I would be carrying the one who was not!  So I told her I cannot carry you.  She was holding on to my leg and screaming again.  Through the parking lot people were looking at me like I was doing something to my children.  Finally we make it to the car where I inform the  girls that we will not be going to lunch and  anywhere else.  Emma cried the whole way home!  They are now eating lunch and then I am taking them straight to bed!
I just needed to vent somewhere.  I am not sure what provoked such behavior.  When I look back at it, we did have a day yesterday with no naps.  We were visiting relatives from Italy.  Then the girls got to bed very late.  They are both at the end of colds.  Maybe it was watching Nanny 911 this morning.  I have never seen the show but while getting ready I was watching it.  Maybe seeing all that bad behavior provoked it.  I will never  really know I guess.  Probably just a combination of all of those things.   One thing I know is that I don't want that to happen again.  I can't really remember that happening with my older daughters but I have seen other people going through that before.  As a bystander I would offer a Kleenex if I had one and hope that my expression said you are doing a great job I have been there and it will soon be over.  I don't have a picture and you would not have wanted to see it.  I am sure that everyone around me was uncomfortable.  The other day we went to the Zoo and passed a little boy in a stroller who was squealing and generally just being happy.  I heard this old lady say, " Why don't they shut that kid up!  That is what is wrong with parents today."  I couldn't believe it.  We were at the Zoo!  And this kid was just exited!  So I am sure there were people at the bookstore that thought I had no control.
I will leave you with this picture I took in the car the other day.  Meilynn was asleep so only Emma and I were able to share this awesome moment.  We were talking about how pretty it was and how awesome it was.  A few days after we saw it Emma said to me, "  Mommy, do you remember that awesome rainbow we saw the other day?"

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Arizona to see Great Grandma Nall and the rest of the family

A few weekends ago we went to Arizona to have a little mini family reunion.  Mike's Grandma Nall is 97 years old so we try to get out to see her whenever we can.  I hope that I can reach that age and have such energy and awareness.  We also got to meet with Mike's cousins and Aunt from Iowa.  The girls really opened up and especially with Mike's cousin Sheri.
Sheri with Emma and Meilynn.  She bought them their first PEZ dispensers and taught them how to use them. Mike's Aunt Dianna with the Emma and Meilynn. Grandma Nall with the girls.  Doesn't she look great for 97.   Aunt Dianna is her daughter. Grandma Nall with Daddy and Emma and her pumpkin PEZ dispenser Mike's cousin Deanna with  Mike and Meilynn
It was a great little family reunion.  The girls were great.  The only bad experience was a trip to the Organ Stop Pizza.  It is this huge pizza parlor with this Organ that takes up one whole wall of the huge two story building.  A man plays the organ with requests from the audience.  There are also some effects with puppets etc.  Emma was terrified.  If you remember she is afraid of mannequins, puppets, Halloween things etc.  So she sat on my lap the entire time with her head buried in my chest.  She didn't even eat any pizza!
The girls are really racking up the airline miles.  I am starting to lose track of their flights.  Emma has flow home from China.  Then to Italy twice, to China to get Meilynn, Phoenix twice.  San Fransisco, and to Park City Utah.  Meilynn has flown home from China to Phoenix once, to San Fransisco twice, and to Italy once.  Not bad!  My first flight was to Hawaii when I was 21!

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Halloween Preview

We have our Halloween costumes!  This year the girl's have decided to be something completely different.  I was reading one of my favorite blogs and Meilynn saw the girls in their costumes.   They were going to be monkies.  One of her favorite books is "Five Little Monkey's Jumping On The Bed,"  so when she saw the monkey costume she had decided. 
 Emma on the other hand had been asking to be Tinkerbell.  I asked her if she wanted to be a monkey too, but her mind was made up.  The interesting thing about this is that neither of the girls really even know who Tinkerbell or any Disney movie character is.  They haven't been interested in watching movies yet, but with all the advertising they know who they are just from shopping and seeing them everywhere.  I can't wait until they want to watch a movie. 
 So I thought that I would wait just a little while to see if either of them would change their mind.  But when Emma and Meilynn decide something there is no wavering.  I also thought that when each saw the other costume that their might be some wanting to change, but so far o.k.
Today they tried on their costumes so I have a few pictures for you.
Meilynn Monkey with baby Monkey Tinkerbell and Mama Monkey.  Emma is holding on to Mama Monkey's tail I had to throw in last years picture And of course Emma's first Halloween
Isn't she the cutest Monkey? She really thinks that she can fly.  By the way we went out to dinner and Emma kept her Tinkerbell on.
So cute Tinkerbell may be strangling Monkey here.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Apple Picking!

We went apple picking with our local FCC group. (Families with children from China)  My sister came along with  the big sisters Kami and Meghan.  
Kami and Emma find a big one.  Most of the apples were already picked on the bottom branches so we lifted the girls up to get them. Meghan and Meilynn Emma getting one up really, really, really, high! Emma discovers corn Emma and Meilynn Meilynn choosing a nice one Kami, my sister Debbie, Meghan and the girls Our pickings

"I'm Not Happy!"

Just a little funny thing Meilynn said.
When we are  driving in the car  a lot of little conversations happen that I forget by the time I get  home.  Sometimes Emma will just come out and say, "I am so happy!"  The first time she said this I thought did she just say what I think she did?  I asked her again what did you say?  She said,  "I am so happy!  I am so excited!"  The cute thing was that we were not really going anywhere.  She was just letting me know how she felt at the moment.  It made me feel so good to hear her say that she was so  happy.  I thought it was so cute.
So this morning on the way to Chinese class I hear Meilynn say,  "I am not happy!"   I thought she was just trying to say she was happy so I listened more to the conversation in the back seat.  This time she says,  "Emma, I am not happy."  Emma asks her, "Why?'  Meilynn says,  "I am not happy that you put this sticker on my cup!" 
 What was so cute about this was that I am always saying,  " I am not happy when they do something they shouldn't.  For example, If one of them colors on the table,  I say, " I am not happy that you colored on the table", or " I am not happy that you are not doing what Mommy asks you to do."  
It is so funny to hear your words coming out of their mouths.