You Know What They Say About Good Intentions

Well I really did mean to at least get monthly updates out here on the blog, but those seem to have fallen by the wayside for the past...*cough*...year. Oops.

I signed on to post a video as requested by NaoNao, and I was startled to find I haven't posted anything since January. Do I get partial credit for the half-dozen drafts I had saved with bits and pieces of thoughts and updates? I'll go through them and finish up what I can remember. It shouldn't take more than another year ;)

For Which it Dance

OK, Don't Fall Over

Yes, it really is a new post. :)

(Edited to say...it's been on the blog for over a week but apparently I'm so rusty I managed to get the date wrong so it's been buried quite a few pages back.)

Life is...well, busy doesn't really begin to cover it. My brain is usually too tired to put any thoughts together when I do get free time, but one of my goals for next year is to get back to putting out regular updates. WeiJ changes so fast that I really don't want to lose track of anything. I put together this year's calendar and just couldn't believe how drastic the differences are! It seems my baby grew into a little boy some time over the summer - and a handsome one, at that. :) He agrees with me on that too - or else I've said it so much that he accepts that as truth. A couple of months ago after I got him dressed one day he asked me if "(WeiJ) is so so handsome?"


Everything about him has grown in leaps and bounds this year. In size, for sure - he's already growing out of his 3Ts and has been sleeping in 4T pj's for a couple of months. And for those keeping track, he won't turn 3 until MAY! His vocabulary, sense of humor, tender heart and quick grasp of any and everything continue to floor me. Since he started "school" in September, his play has changed significantly too. The level of imaginary play seems advanced, but of course I'm not the most objective observer. ;) But really, how many 2 year olds will come up with a random piece of paper and ask you to come follow the treasure map? I think his favorite imaginary play involves cooking though - I've eaten a kabillion "cookies" and "soup" concoctions in the last few months. Overall what's most impressive to me is his singular focus once he sets his attention on something. I bought a puzzle last fall that has about 20 or 30 different shapes; using different combinations of them, he fills in 4 blank pictures. He loved it from the first time he played with it and would sit there for 20-30 minutes in total silence determined to solve it. Lately it's gotten so easy for him that when he does his "shapes puzzle" it's like he's just doing it to try to break his own speed record. Not that I would recognize that behavior AT ALL (ha!) ... but surely I can't have influenced that so soon!

We have been building up to potty training for the past month or so by reading a couple of books and he'd shown interest in sitting on top of the lid to his new "big boy potty." I was offering if he wanted to use it but didn't push because he was giving me adamant no's when I asked. For some reason on Friday evening he suddenly said yes he did want to use it, and voila there he went! His New Year's resolution maybe? ;) Saturday we managed two more successful attempts, and today - wow, today so far he's earned SIX happy face stickers! Just like with everything else with him along the way, he's just so unbelievably easy.

So that's the quickish update for now. I'll get to photos after little man heads to bed - or at least I'll TRY to. And then I might even get around to catching up with bloggy friends. *gasp* I'm so far behind!!

Looking back, looking ahead

Today I walked into my bank lobby and it struck me like a ton of bricks how much my life has changed in the past year. A year ago this week, I was in the blur of receiving my Travel Approval for WeiJ and our Consulate Appointment confirmation, purchasing tickets to China and arranging our rough itinerary. At the time I only had a few outdated photos and a full heart... today I have THOUSANDS of photos and a constantly overflowing heart. I could never have even come close to imagining what my life would be like, not in my wildest dreams! This was the same bank lobby I walked into 343 days ago to collect my crispy new bills for travel. And today I walked in to get a cashier's check for almost an identical amount. Crazy full circle stuff.

Why was I getting that cashier's check? Because today I closed on our beautiful new house!! :) I think all the moving arrangements are done - unless I remember something else at the last minute of course - and we should be all set to move into our new digs this weekend. So just like this time last year, it will be a frenzy of sorting and organizing and packing, getting ready for a giant step to a new beginning. I wonder what August 2010 has in store?

Safe at Home

Well, we're home and trying our best to settle back in to the boring old routine after 2 weeks of go-go-go fun-fun-fun. I have to say WeiJ was an absolute trooper with the flights, even better than I would ever have hoped for. At 2 he's a seasoned pro!

We have an extraordinarily busy week ahead of us....ok really *I* have an extraordinarily busy week ahead and I just hope he continues to be his usual adaptable self while I muddle through it all. I'll post more about it when I come out on the other side - and for that matter I'll put together our vacation highlights then too - but for now the chance to sleep in my own bed is calling me loud and clear.

For all you family we just left yesterday, you should know that WeiJ has been calling for each of you individually in his roll call every few hours. He was ready for "more byebye" this afternoon and was sorely disappointed that there were no more airplanes today. We will see you again soon, but not soon enough for him!

More Beach! More Wawa!

Yeah, Hawaii's kinda OK