Doodle Bug and Marmalade

Guess what Marmalade's new favourite movie is?? Sound of Music! What a strange kid:) She hung on every word and tuned the rest of us all out. We felt bad sending her to bed but she was only able to watch til the war part entered, it was very late. She asked to see it again the next morning, I'll have to find it on video. Guess what she's doing at this very moment? She's laying in her bed singing her own version of "Are you sleeping?" with lots of potty words included for our listening pleasure And to all in the world who thought she might be abnormally small-I'll mail you the ten pounds of clothes she's out grown in the last two weeks!!! LOL

What a weekend! Keith came home early from work on Friday sick with the flu. Yeeeewwwww! Although she wasn't upchucking, I think Marmalade has been sick too. Doodle's crazy tonsils have protected her once again-they're huge, she was tired but never became ill. Me-I cleaned the bathrooms and door handles more times in one weekend than well....I dunno.

Doodle helped me fold laundry this afternoon for nearly an hour. She found a doll sized bath towel and again brought up her desire for another smaller sister. I asked her if she remembered how someone gets a baby. Her story is that kids either grow in their moms belly or they are adopted. So, we covered again that all kids grow in bellies. That she has a belly mom, foster mom and me. I know it sounds obvious but the first mother doesn't get anytime with Doodle. We decided to start calling us moms first, second and third when we're talking about it so we're never confused. It seems like a Chinese way to approach it though it would be more convenient if the Chinese language actually had words that distinguished the three. Too bad Susie and I hadn't thought of the second, third distinction for Marmalade who very much considers us both her moms with no confusion in her mind whatsoever.

So onigiri was requested for the school lunch tomorrow. I took it as full permission to go all bento with it, isn't it pretty? The kitty's are in honour of Doodle's "sac" presentation she has been waiting for all month. The child puts something in a paper bag and the class has to guess what's inside, en francais ofcourse. She is bringing a Hello Kitty box which is a coveted possession of her little sister. Isn't her little sister a very understanding sprite to allow her to borrow her stuff?? She was one of the last kids on the list to present, the wait has nearly killed her and she has selected a very cool Hello Kitty t-shirtand track suit to wear. Why, why can't moms go to school!! I wanna see it, she's gonna do great.

Doodle casually mentions in the car on the way home that Santa visited her classroom today. I suck in air,"Yikes-forgot to check the calendar last night!" I ask, "Was it scary?" After all just weeks ago she refused to get in the van to go to a Christmas party unless I promised on my honour that she wouldn't have to look at Santa.

"Yeah, I sat on his lap and told him what I want for Christmas." she mutters as though she has been forced to do this a million other times. Keith and I freaked out congratulating her on her bravery.

The teacher stashed a copy of her letter to Santa in her bag. She wants..."Fairytopia poster, Princess Pegasus, Princess Pegasus calendar, Barbie Princess Castle Princess Coloring book, Princess and the Pauper movie, Fairytopia movie, Princess Pegasus blanket, Bratz pony, Bratz lunch and a Princess and the Pauper pillow. Also some stuff like hairbands, an insect cage, markers, pencils and toothpaste."

Huh? Isn't princess and the pauper and fairytopia like three years ago? Its Twelve Dancing Princesses this year!! Bratz!!!-nope Maybe I'll find a poster....

She never once mentioned a hamster-guess I'm off the hook!!

Yikes I don't know if I'm ready for the scrutiny of my kids yet but this articulate young woman voices a few of the conflicts I already have in my mind.

Korean adoptee speaks about Christianity and Adoption

I'll continue to keep my eye on this.

Harlow's Monkey

I am a fortunate working mother, my early start, rigid eight hour schedule and two minute commute allow me five hours a day with my kids. Many days, I feel its not enough but others the time is so rich that I'm satisfied. This week has been working out on the rich side.

Yesterday, we went to the library and the girls picked out a video and some books. It was a hurried trip as someone peed and someone else was peed on I underestimated the value of borrowing a movie cuz there have been many squirmishes about watching the videos in the last twenty four hours.

Twice Doodle Bug has burst into tears accusing me of not being fair when I denied her request to watch hers for the second time. The second tearfest also had a door slam,toy throwing and generalized huffing about inspite of the fact that she still put her pj's on in the midst of it. She was then allowed to watch tv while Marm web cammed and headed to bed. I am such a beast!!

Auntie pointed out that this unreasonableness has been witnessed before. Its like how Marmalade gets to touch and be held by Mom and Dad but Doodle should not be allowed. Doodle feels she is in charge of the tv and Marm should get no vote on it. What reasonable kids!

Marmalade's gleaming black eyes resemble jet beads to me. You can stare and stare into them without any clue as to what is going on inside. She enjoys presenting her confident, "life of the party" self but I've suspected that there is a depth to her that we hadn't uncovered. As her articulation and language skills improve, her tantrums are subsiding and we're getting a glimpse into what goes on in her little head.

She gives her gingerbread a long stare and asks,"Is he Chinese?" Doodle quickly answers, "No way-he's Canadian!" I sit confused about the question and baffled by the fact that Marm has any understanding of who's who. Then I realize-he has dark skin! We then discuss how our Canadian gingerbread has darker skin and decide he must be Chinese. I so love that my kids are Chinese, I wonder if they'll always identify that way or if they'll be happier drifting into the generic Canadian stream. I wonder if its possible??

The incidence of cute things that happen here is so rapid, I struggle to recall them. Tonight, Keith and I ordered in a nostalgia meal from a local pizza place I used to work at. Keith began dinner and we pooped out after the oven was going. Our table was filled with our original start of salmon kebabs and then piled with fries and chicken fingers. Our kids shunned the chicken and fries and knawed on the salmon kebabs-what weird kids!!!

Doodle and Marmalade miss each other on school days. They refused all Keith and I's attempts to play with them tonight and played dress up with themselves, declaring each other "Too cute"

I needed a change, so a new cut and colour were in order. I like it! And so does Keith! But the girls declared that they want to have "yellow" hair-they like it. Ah well, I'll still be the lightest haired person in church on Sunday mornings

Please reserve your pleas for hair pics, Doodle and I will share when we're ready and when one of us is wearing some make up-lol.