Great China Photo Blog

I found a great photo blog here http://stevebarru.com/photoblog/index.php?x=about

I must have too much time on my hands during a quite Friday before a three-day weekend. I miss China. I spoke to the Husband just now and told him I wish our trip were sooner. We have six more years to save for another global adventure (minus the adoption).

Toy Stores Aren't for Us

We did a family trip to the toy store last night because M has been invited to not one but two birthday parties. Ah, the social life of an almost 5-year-old.

Granted, my kids were wiped out from their day and our after dinner time is usually our mellow, hang out time. Damn, did those children get totally overstimulated at Toys R Us. Here's the thing about toys. I like them, I just don't love them. Both M and L go to daycares that are pretty much Montessori and they love to interact with other kids. I was very concerned when M wasn't great at pretending, but she's really come a long way when she's playing pretend cooking or camping or whatever. I'm not going to give her a power drill to play with, but then again, I don't want her to fall in love with the Bratz computer gizmo that's all flashy lights.

I was totally overstimulated by TRU. Since L's adoption, we've pretty much stayed away from the big box stores. We can't afford it, and for a while now, I've questioned why we want to afford it. I may buy a few toys on-line. The kids get new toys for Christmas and birthdays, but M and L play with lots of hand-me-downs from their cousins and yard sale finds. In fact, I have to clean out the heap 'o toys before this Christmas rolls around.

M really held it together well in the store. She almost came unglued when she saw all the plastic horses and she was wild about the $200 ATV. She has her OWN ride on Jeep (thanks to Santa last year) and an ATV (thanks to a good yard sale find this year). L just started carrying on.

The Husband and I had a Parental Talk in the car. He's the one who loves to buy, even though he's cut back in the past few years. We already have some gifts set aside for the girls and he has a running list of things for their birthdays and Christmas. I've asked him to please work out what he wants to get for the kids, let me see what I can buy on line and then we can get all our shopping done by Dec. 1, without visiting the Big Box Store of Overstimulation again.

Add this to my viewing list

I have to get my act together and start listing the blogs I read on a daily basis. Ok, I admit it, when my office isn't busy, I read on an hourly basis.

For now, I leave you with my new love: http://www.youtube.com/profile_friends?user=asiasociety

Reunion!

We packed up the kids and the DVD player this weekend for a little drive north. It's our one-year reunion time with our adoption group. Good people, good fun, good food. The cute factor was very, very high.

It's great to see these kids after a year of being home. Nobody was super skinny in China, but they've all plumped out a bit. They are all full of giggles and smiles and little impish ways. It makes us want to go back to China (for a visit, not for another adoption).

Overscheduled

I took a mental health day from work yesterday. Much needed, although we went to a county fair with the kids and they're pooped out. Tonight I have a hot date with my dvr'ed Survivor China and some Jiffy Pop. Early bedtime for everyone!

Life is seriously overscheduled. M will wake up in the morning, asking, "Is today a school day or a family day?" We really only have daycare and M's dance class (today) as a "scheduled" activity, but when you sprinkle in a few playdates (crap, I hate that phrase, but really I guess that's what meeting up with a little friend her age is called), then some appointments (dentist, doctor, have to get the kids' photos shot by a semi-professional photographer before they enter middle school) and *boom* there's hardly any time to sleep.

Husband and I insist on a family dinner, even if it's soup from a can or freezer meal. We try not to do too much take out, but Husband is hurting for some fish and chips tonight. I would rather sit down with the kids than cook, but that's nothing new. But when do I have time to food shop? The other day I took the girls to Target to buy socks. I'm not a big shopper (freecycle, thrift stores and hand-me-downs look great on my kids), but I do draw the line at new undies and socks. I thought I would lose it in the middle of the big box store. Shopping - not my idea of fun and relaxing.

So this weekend we're going to a fall festival thing at a local farm (hey, it's free and there's farm animals there, the kids will love it) then we're going to a reunion of our adoption group on Sunday. I have to try out a new-to-me recipe from one of my supervisors. She claims it's quick, easy and that children will love it.

At some point, I'm going to try a kid-free for myself and one for Husband. I'm not talking about spa treatments or going to a grown-up movie. I mean one day where he will take the kids so I can clean the house and find all this stuff that seems lost in the shuffle. I'll trade him on the next day.

Rumor has it I can relax when I'm retired.

Cake in a box

L loved her special adoption cake (Betty Crocker with canned frosting). I gave both girls the two cakes to frost and prayed for the best. Hardly any mess and M was really proud of her work. We sang "Happy Adoption Day" and that was it.

I'm all for calling it Adoption Day or Met You Day. I hate the "Gotcha" Day expression. It makes me feel like I swiped a kid off a city street and dragged her home.

Happy Adoption Day!

One year ago today, the Husband and I were in Hunan, China adopting L. This was our second adoption, so we thought we knew what we were in for, right? Nope. Our first daughter, M was the crying child, the one who was scared and confused during our adoption meeting. I was prepared for some tears and scared looks and the "who the hell are you lady?" expression from a 10-month old who had never seen a face that wasn't Chinese.

Instead, L., who was 10-months at adoption, was handed to me and immediately settled in on my left shoulder, snuggling and smiling. A year later, she still grabs onto that sweet, cuddly spot. She still sucks her left index finger. She still has that winning smile and deep giggle.

The girls have been sisters for a year. Both have grown into strong personalities. They reject the princess toys in favor of blocks and dinosaurs. M is proud to be Chinese and, although she's only 4.5 years old, I think it's rubbing off on L. There's so much good in M, so much patience and kindness. I hope L continues to want to be so much like her sister.

They torment each other by pulling away toys. Worse, L pulls M's hair and M never retaliates. I can tell she wants to give L a good smack sometimes, but she never, ever does. When they fight, it only lasts seconds and will always end in a hug. Usually, they play together. L is M's little shadow. They compete, but I don't see jealousy. Maybe it will come in later years. I hope not.

We don't really celebrate Family Day. The girls "helped" me make a cake last night because we needed a quick activity. Now it's our celebration cake. I've learned to think on my feet, now that I'm the parent of two.