Bella's 'big girl' bed

Earlier in the week we decided to transition Bella to a big bed. She is small, and just under 20 months old, but she is pretty nonchalant about most things. Of course she had to get used to it, she would sit up, and the 'protector' Sophia would call for us. She has done great since then. I know this looks pretty rigged up, but who needs to buy a rail, or a new bed or any of that, we are making do....

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this huge pillow underneath the sheet was originally a pillow I bought from some foreigners who moved away, it is working great as a little 'crib' on a bed. We will slowly move to just the chair as a railing, or two if need be.
Congrats Bella on the 'big girl' bed. And she can say it too, which was my requirement before we tried it :)

Friday randomness...

Things are crazy around here, nothing new. Sophia has had a hacking cough for over a week that gives our nights interruptions (this is newborn prep), I now have the cough, where you go from feeling like you may throw up to not being able to breathe. But thankfully, NO other symptoms, we are both fully functioning! Except today, David worked through feeling like he has the flu...ugh. But seriously in more important news, look forward to these posts, they are forthcoming....who knows when:

• Bella in a 'big girl bed'
• the girls' first haircuts
• my new sweet ride
• language, O' language
• recent recipes
  

Visiting old friends for the New Year

02.07.2011

We ventured out to a village not far from our town. We have been here often and always have a great time. It started out a little bit like those old 'choose your own adventure' stories. David knew the bridge was closed one way and it was hard to get where we were going. This is why we were rejected by a few taxis. When we finally secured a taxi, we drove until we could drive no further. Oops, he did not know 'the way around' either. I told David we could walk, not really knowing how far away we were but feeling like we were pretty close. ...he said that was not an option (prego wife, two kids, very bright, Sophia with a BAD cough on a dusty road, we would have to carry Bella, and the two boxes of heavy fruit we brought for gifts, plus we would probably have two miles to go...), yes, walking was not an option.
Everyone else was crossing this makeshift bamboo bridge:

It was not wide enough for cars. So our friends said, no problem, we will come get you in a three wheel moto. So we waited. It is beautiful where we live...



After a rickety rickety ride, we made it to our friends' home, here Sophia gives our gifts:


Did I mention it was bright...?


Bella loved this little chair...


And talking to the father of the family.



Sophia found a friend...



I am thankful that the girls are not at a super difficult stage when it comes to being in a village. This is helpful since the men and women eat separately.


after the meal the men eat (and drink) on, Bella climbs up in daddy's lap.


Another gege (big brother) comes over and they visit the animal yard (for the umpteenth time)

Sophia even got to (over) feed the chickens and ducks




David chats away. During our previous village visit a few days ago, I was encouraged in language study (I could understand and use some language). Here, the mom of the family is very hard to understand, I was discouraged. But this will always happen, I suppose.



This is the vehicle that we rode in, sitting on stools in the back.

Do you remember this event? This was September 2009, Sophia was two, and up and kissed this boy. Crazy crazy. Well, they met again...


We have been to this village many times since then, but this boy is not always here. He has really good Chinese, rare in these parts.

He is now a foot taller than her, but they played well together.
We chatted (David mainly) and chased kids around and then called it a day. Trying to get back for the girls to have some kind of nap.

The goodbyes:


Bella was out within ten minutes in the taxi:


Sophia was 'acting' like she was 'out'. They both slept great at home!

A birthday in pictures...

On Saturday, February 5th, I turned 34. I do recall at some point in my life saying, I plan on being pregnant during my thirties. So far so good....I also said I would run a marathon by 40, that goal is still lurking.....
This years' birthday was busy and different, since the Chinese New Year commenced on February third this place has been party central. Favorite restaurants closed, our helper off, and many invites to villages have kept us trying to not get too overwhelmed. Here is my birthday in pictures....

Sophia helped me make biscuits for breakfast....with bacon, and eggs, very special indeed.


we took a trip to our helper's village to celebrate the New Year.


"it's enormous" --Sophia Coker, yes, the water buffalo was huge. She also said: "I want to live in this house so I can go up the stairs (ladder) get some hay and give it to the cow (water buffalo)"


the duck cage. One day Ayi brought us boiled duck eggs from these guys. They were good.


We visited three houses in this village: Ayi's house (her husband's house), Ayi's parents' house, and another girl's house. They weren't that far apart but it was good walking.



people in this village love to play MaJiang (mahjongg), for money too



this is Ayi's daughter, she is two and a half years old. Bella just loves to play with stools.



Our little village girl. She could live here definitely, as long as there were no dogs (which we didn't see this time). She was in search of a cat.




The normal cell tower. crazy close, is that healthy?



not a great pic, but Bella was mimicking daddy, hands in pockets, looked like they were having a serious conversation. It was a BRIGHT day, can you tell.



fun toys. Sophia had fun playing with Ayi's daughter, though they could not speak the same language. At the end of the day Sophia said she wanted to learn the minority language so she could talk to her new friend (who does not speak Chinese).


After Everyone took naps, our old helper, Abby, came to visit. Sophia was SO excited, she said: 'is she done being married?' To which we had to reexplain, that you are never done being married, it is a forever deal.


Abby and her new husband with the girls.

Abby did bring news: she is expecting. A baby. Yes. I had this aha, no wonder! moment about her marriage (although we asked her multiple times if that was why she was getting married, so common in her world, she always said No). She was telling the truth. When she told me her due date, it computes out to right around her wedding date, long after she had made her final decision. So that was not the reason for marriage. We congratulated her, and sent her home with a bottle full of my prenatal vitamins. I asked her if she was used to marriage yet... she just kept saying she missed us and thought of this place often. She showed me her hands from working in the fields every day. We had a good, though short visit.

For dinner we went to one of our favorite restaurants that happened to be open. Our closest friends went with us. Here, Caleb and Sophia take turns driving the bamboo moto.



We came back in time to set off more fireworks. David still had his dynamite stick. I told him he had to wear his motorcycle helmet when he lit it. And asked him if is life insurance was up to date. This thing is literally filled with gun powder. David also says about 1/100th of this is legal in the states. Buy it on the streets here for fifty cents, no lie.

We were not let down by the 'BOOM' this thing produced, it was sonic sounding and echoed between the buildings. It was LOUD. My man sure knows how to make me feel special on my birthday.


yes, darling, please cover your ears.


The 'Belles': Annabelle and Isabella, about 6 months apart, destined to be good friends.



Our friends brought out their other fireworks, bottle rockets, roman candles, etc. Lots of fun! I have never had fireworks on my birthday before.


The 'stay back' lie down and wait pose.

K made an incredible cookie dough cheesecake for me. YUM. But we could not eat it that night because of a very disobedient child. So we went home, enacted discipline and reconciliation and then the girls gave me their gifts, which were very special:


Sophia wrote all these letters herself, though daddy helped her remember how on some of them, she picked out chocolate for me, as I knew she would. It is both of our favorite food. The way to my heart. David wrote what she said: ' I am thankful for God making Mommy. I love that you take me outside. I'm thankful for God giving Mommy hands to love on people." Sweetness.


Bella 'chose' to give me mentos, another candy that I like. David said that during their card making time she kept saying: "mommy...ha...ha..ha..."



The town kept celebrating my birthday. This picture is unclear, but there was a spectacular fireworks show right outside. No need to get up from my desk, I just turned around. This really is a fun place to live. I was dreading Chinese New Year, but this has been quite fun.

David wrote me the most precious letter that I will cherish forever. In it he put a little picture of my gift: my very own electric scooter. Yeah! I wasn't sure I wanted one, but have become convinced of the need, and on a day when I had five errands to run and little time I would say: 'this would be a good time to have a moto'. It will be so useful for our family. David can even take a child or two on it (when old enough), since he cannot on his motorcycle. We will go shopping soon! (Poppy and CC are helping with this gift, thank you bunches guys!)

I received many special emails and well wishes, talked to my dad, mom, and grandma on the phone, as well as Poppy and CC, all these were wonderful conversations. I am thankful for each one, and all those who posted on my facebook page, which I never go to or read, but I received the message via email, Thank You, thank you. I am so blessed by God for his grace these 34 years and surrounding me with people so dear to my heart who love me so well in spite of me.