Today while I was feeding Bella, Sophia curled up on the couch and started sucking her thumb (she does that a lot these days with the whole 'poop problem'). We started talking. I asked her if she was sad.
'uh-huh'
'take your thumb out of your mouth and use real words, like yes or no. Are you sad?'
'uh-hm'
'take your thumb out of your mouth and use real words, like yes or no. Are you sad?'
'yes.'
'why are you sad?'
silence.
'why are you sad, Sophia?'
'Because you are feeding Isabella and not me.'
Of course she means I am feeding Isabella and not playing with her.
I was quite taken aback by her admission. She is only just over two years old. She didn't articulate those feelings by hitting, or a tantrum, or being rough with Isabella (this time), she articulated with words. Words that made good sense.
I went on to tell her how Isabella is a gift to us, just like she is a gift to us, a good gift and we should cherish these gifts of people and Praise our father for them....the discussion went on...
she is not always like this, many times during feedings she is happy and fine and entertains both Isabella and me quite well with dancing, singing, reading books, or she simply plays by herself. There are times she says 'don't feed her,' and I ask her if the next time she asks for a snack should I feed her? 'Don't I always feed you when you are hungry, how mean would that be if Isabella told me not to feed you?' and we reason like this...
They say you shouldn't 'reason' with a two year old, and for the most part we don't, we direct, we discipline, but we also really try to train her heart, that involves reasoning. So I do reason sometimes, knowing most doesn't stick, but I am aiming also at her memory which is incredible. She can memorize, she can remember, she can retell. So in my 'reasoning' I am banking on the fact that she will remember some of what she is told/taught, though she doesn't understand. The understanding will catch up. It already has in some ways.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Drudgery to joy
I used to love running. In college and grad school especially. I have a goal to run a marathon by the time I am 40. The love is lost on me these days. I love it once I do it, but not really while I am doing it, like before. Granted, I have been able to listen to some really good teaching while I run, and talk to the Father like never before, but it is still SO much harder...
Last night I ran a small perimeter of our town, totaling just over 7 km, that is about 4.4 miles (told you our town was small). As I stumbled into the gate I thought to myself: 'whatever possessed me to want to run 22 MORE miles than what I just ran?" I thought David would be thrilled, because he thinks the marathon goal is crazy, and actually has set conditions on it (like zero knee pain, I have had trouble there before)...
Instead he encouraged me, like all good husbands should. I am running with twenty pounds of weight I am not used to running with (yes, I gained over fifty pounds for baby 2, and have at least 20 more pounds to lose). I have no base endurance. The hills, even the small ones, are unforgiving. Give it time. He says all these things to me (except about the weight, that was my excuse), and he is right.
So, I continue. Today in order for me to get a run in, I had to go in the middle of the day, I decided to do a 3. 5 mile, up hill almost the whole way, and fun on the way down. It is a hard run. And it started pouring down rain half way through, I decided to turn around as to not get caught in a torrential pour...shortened my run by about 8 minutes or so, and spent time reflecting on the common grace of rain...air so cool, washing the sweat away, the dirt away, the drudgery away, the complaints of my heart away...I could be nothing but thankful for the rain...and the run. I actually enjoyed it.
Last night I ran a small perimeter of our town, totaling just over 7 km, that is about 4.4 miles (told you our town was small). As I stumbled into the gate I thought to myself: 'whatever possessed me to want to run 22 MORE miles than what I just ran?" I thought David would be thrilled, because he thinks the marathon goal is crazy, and actually has set conditions on it (like zero knee pain, I have had trouble there before)...
Instead he encouraged me, like all good husbands should. I am running with twenty pounds of weight I am not used to running with (yes, I gained over fifty pounds for baby 2, and have at least 20 more pounds to lose). I have no base endurance. The hills, even the small ones, are unforgiving. Give it time. He says all these things to me (except about the weight, that was my excuse), and he is right.
So, I continue. Today in order for me to get a run in, I had to go in the middle of the day, I decided to do a 3. 5 mile, up hill almost the whole way, and fun on the way down. It is a hard run. And it started pouring down rain half way through, I decided to turn around as to not get caught in a torrential pour...shortened my run by about 8 minutes or so, and spent time reflecting on the common grace of rain...air so cool, washing the sweat away, the dirt away, the drudgery away, the complaints of my heart away...I could be nothing but thankful for the rain...and the run. I actually enjoyed it.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Bella on belly
At 3.5 months old, Bella has a very strong neck, and can roll over sometimes from her belly to her back.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Village, Our helper's (Abby) house
this is Hong Xin, She is almost three years old, and is Abby's niece. They always shave kids heads when they are babies and think it strange that we do not.
Abby showing Sophia around. She especially loved the pigs and when daddy gave them names like Bob, Marge, and Judy, she thought it was hilarious. He did this I think because the original names she gave them were: Mommy, Daddy, Isabella.
is it me or in most pictures is Sophia eating something? I have no idea what this snack is called, but I really liked it, and I can't even really describe it either...sorry.
neighbor friends in the kitchen
Abby's older sister preparing our meal.
they were so sweet to cook things they don't normally eat, that they know we like. this was pork (mainly fat), green onions and lots of ginger. plus potato cakes (like hashbrowns). we also had noodles that you dip in a lemony/cilantro sauce, among other things. It was really good. My favorite dish is one that tastes like collard greens in the southern US, it is served everywhere around here, and we were delighted that it appeared on the table as well.
I put Bella down for a nap in Abby's bed, and thankful for the mosquito net, as I had just killed one. She cried for a little bit, and we explained we let her do this. She soon went to sleep. It lasted for about 30 minutes, her sleep that is. For other naps she did not fare so well. She had maybe an hour sleep all day...oh well.
eating and having fun
instant friends
dancing and playing
the toilet, below is the inside. This is a standard squatty. It is not as bad as it may seem and it did not even smell. Their house overall is pretty nice, their shower area is really nice and they have solar water. We have been to much poorer villages.
Sophia and Hongxin trying to take a nap, yeah right. did not last long, especially when Sophia said: 'she poked me in the eye with the blanket, and demonstrated the event.'
Abby gave us these delicious smelling flowers, and some pomelo and peanuts to bring home.
We had a great time visiting her family, and some others. It wasn't without stress, but it was very enjoyable and just to spend more time with them was a real blessing. We were so glad we went. I was optimistic to think we would make it back in time to use the car for other things. We got home at 6:30, incredibly tired. Both girls slept the whole way back. we all got ready for bed and crashed.
Today is actual mid-autumn festival. On my run last night the moon was almost full. We will be moon watching tonight! Happy Mid-Autumn day!
Village, first stop
The trip took about an hour and a half. We had two other girls with us, to guide us to the right place. We have been before, but it is still hard to find, we hadn't been there in a while. The road was SO bumpy, I hit my head at least six times on the side of the car, and I told David I must be getting taller. He was an excellent driver, even when the cars were coming head on were slow to get back over, he didn't express any road rage or desire to curse. Even when the people pulled out in front of him without looking our way...so glad he is used to driving his motorcycle in this country...
Our first stop was to drop off our escorts at their house. We know this family pretty well too, so it was good to see them even if very briefly. It was Oct. 1st, the national holiday, but we still saw plenty of people working in their fields. They call farming 'the simple life,' absolutely nothing simple about it, if you ask me. It is a hard life. Here, it is incredibly hard. The pics I took are not great. I still struggle on getting good shots while trying to manage the kids. I am not too good at that yet.
typical village road, the gate on the left is our friend's house,
the inner courtyard, that is all manure on the ground. It was a very bright and sunny day.
Sophia found a bicycle to ride. Her first time ever. She did okay. This girl was a friend of a friend, she can't speak the minority language either, so we were kindred spirits.
growing hot peppers, yum.
Our first stop was to drop off our escorts at their house. We know this family pretty well too, so it was good to see them even if very briefly. It was Oct. 1st, the national holiday, but we still saw plenty of people working in their fields. They call farming 'the simple life,' absolutely nothing simple about it, if you ask me. It is a hard life. Here, it is incredibly hard. The pics I took are not great. I still struggle on getting good shots while trying to manage the kids. I am not too good at that yet.
typical village road, the gate on the left is our friend's house,
the inner courtyard, that is all manure on the ground. It was a very bright and sunny day.
Sophia found a bicycle to ride. Her first time ever. She did okay. This girl was a friend of a friend, she can't speak the minority language either, so we were kindred spirits.
growing hot peppers, yum.
The birthday party
On Wednesday we went to a friend's birthday party. Levi (pronounced Lay vee, because he is dutch) turned two, exactly three months younger than Sophia. Sophia had a good time, and very thankfully she let me put a swimmy diaper on her, it did save the day, no details needed. Her poop problems continue but we are trying to chill out about it (hard when you need to go somewhere or travel, like we are about to). Anyway, the party was a blast for her, decorated cupcakes and played in water, what more could you ask for?
I took our helper along because in a taxi and with a bag and gift, toddler and infant, well, it gets complicated. Plus their house is a little off the beaten path and I knew we would have to walk a ways on the way back to get a taxi. (see how my dreams of a car take root).
Abby (our helper's English name) was a huge help. This next week she will be home for the holidays. I told David I will have to be a 'real mom.' The hardest part, and what I have not quite figured out yet, is how I will get to the market, etc. during the week with two little ones and actually bring groceries back. You see, David has been working out of the home lately, which is great help because while Bella naps Sophia and I can go out. But next week he will be gone during the day every day, and with no helper, I will need to actually manage with two children, its about time I guess (smile). I am a little excited about it, in a weird way. I mean, I love the help, but I love the challenge too, we will see if I get a meal on the table next week, and our house is not covered in dust. I will let you know.
the pics:
cupcake decorating
The birthday boy, cu-teee
pool time
Abby (on the right), with a friend holding Bella
The consensus from other ex-pats at the party was that Bella looks like me, Sophia like David...
time to dry off and warm up in the sun
She is eating potato chips and drinking water with Melissa, who is absolutely adorable.
I took our helper along because in a taxi and with a bag and gift, toddler and infant, well, it gets complicated. Plus their house is a little off the beaten path and I knew we would have to walk a ways on the way back to get a taxi. (see how my dreams of a car take root).
Abby (our helper's English name) was a huge help. This next week she will be home for the holidays. I told David I will have to be a 'real mom.' The hardest part, and what I have not quite figured out yet, is how I will get to the market, etc. during the week with two little ones and actually bring groceries back. You see, David has been working out of the home lately, which is great help because while Bella naps Sophia and I can go out. But next week he will be gone during the day every day, and with no helper, I will need to actually manage with two children, its about time I guess (smile). I am a little excited about it, in a weird way. I mean, I love the help, but I love the challenge too, we will see if I get a meal on the table next week, and our house is not covered in dust. I will let you know.
the pics:
cupcake decorating
The birthday boy, cu-teee
pool time
Abby (on the right), with a friend holding Bella
The consensus from other ex-pats at the party was that Bella looks like me, Sophia like David...
time to dry off and warm up in the sun
She is eating potato chips and drinking water with Melissa, who is absolutely adorable.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
we are off
We have rented a car to go to our helper's village. This is our first time renting and driving ourselves. I am so excited. Trunk space! as many bags as necessary, not just what I can carry on my shoulder. I know, how many bags do I need for a day outing? I just like organization, not the cram method, so with our 'own' car I can sort and organize and space out. This is a stress reliever for me! when we get back this evening we will drive across town to eat jiaozi and go to my favorite supermarket! The joys of a car...we will document our trip...and more pics later from a friend's birthday party! Until then, this is what we woke up to this morning (we added the barrette), wild hair...
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