Dumplings Anyone???

Check back later, as I'll and more to this post...I'm pooped!
I stopped after 40...had enough pork filling for another 40...couldn't do it. There's a reason these are New Year's Dumplings. It takes a year to eat one batch.

MaryAlice loved them though...of course there's not much she doesn't love as far as food is concerned. Except for my tuna noodle casserole...didn't love that.

Do they make girdles in size 18 month??

She thinks its cool to drive with one arm on the steering wheel. I think so too, but I'm a geek and am a two handed driver. I'm going to try and not geek her up.


This is her Michael Jackson "Thriller" imitation.

Oh No....

She's learned that word that every parent dreads....No! But it sounds so darn cute that's hard not to laugh when she says it. I'm just happy to start hearing her talk more. I guess I'll need to find something else to worry about now.


Here she is doing one of her favorite things. And for some reason, my appetite is now back, so it's one of my favorite things to do as well.



We went to the local Chinese American Association Chinese New Year celebration this past weekend. I've put up some decorations around the house and will attempt to make dumplings this weekend. I'd like to become proficient enough at 3-4 dishes so that next year, I can host a small Chinese Year Celebration. There are some other traditions that I want to incorporate into our celebration such as:
-sweeping the house on the eve of the New Year (sweep the bad luck out)
-Get a haircut (starting the New Year with a fresh start)
-having a bowl full of tangerines, oranges (prosperity and good luck)
-give a red envelope to MaryAlice with money (hongbao=good luck)
Along the way, I'm sure I'll learn more, but a little bit at a time.



I'm sure there was some more stuff I wanted to blog about, but I keep falling asleep, so better call it a night.

New Photos

What is it about Tupperware that she finds so fascinating?? I mean, sure it's fun and pretty, but this is the "go to" drawer in the kitchen that she can always find some treasure.
It kills me to watch her play in her new kitchen and that she knows what to do with all the tools. My co-worker gave this to her for Christmas, and while I gave him a hard time for giving her something that had 50+ pieces to assemble, it actually went together fairly easy and I only had 2 leftover screws.



There's a little part of me that wants her to wear this for the next 18 years...


And I thought I had bad bedhead!!



I call this photo Tupperware surfing.

I Must Be Out of My Ever Lovin' Mind...

...to give a toddler a cupcake with blue icing. I may need to warn her teachers tomorrow that she's not hypoxic, with her blue lips and fingers. I bought the orange and blue cupcakes in honor of the Florida Gators Title game in Miami on Thursday. Go Gators!!



I'm actually surprised that she wore the sunglasses, since she hates anything on her head...bows, hats, bike helmets!! I've been trying to size her bike helmet for 2 weeks and she won't keep it on long enough for me fix it. I guess I shouldn't worry about it since she hates it that much, it doesn't look like we'll be using it anytime soon.



We're in the midst of some serious teething. And along with that goes some serious drooling, finger biting, crankiness (okay, not too bad) and restless sleep. I think the worst is over for the time being thanks to our friends, Mr. Tylenol and Ms. Motrin.

For those of you itching to follow along on some new adoption journeys, 3 of my friends are leaving tomorrow for China. If you click on the links at the sidebar for "Lauren Elizabeth", "Kaelie" and "Giorgia's Spot", you can follow along. Lauren Elizabeth is from the same social welfare institute as MaryAlice, in Guangdong.

It is hard to believe that we've been home almost four months. MaryAlice is doing so well and is just a smart little spitfire. She loves her little piano and kitchen utencils. She does this belly laugh when I shake her bottom after putting a new diaper on. And she's learning new words everyday...mama, cookie, more, night-night, and book. It is just an amazing age to witness her discovery of so much. That's about all I can pulled together at 10pm.