Updates!

Well, I'm one happy mom tonight.  The kids are back in school.  Did you hear me cheering at 11:46am today?  Sure, we had lots of fun last week.  At the same time, La Nina hadn't been in school since March 12, thanks to our mini-vacation, strep throat and Spring Break.  So, we were all ready for her to get back in school.   Here's a few highlights:  

Art Hour:  Every morning by eight, the Magster stationed herself at the kitchen table at proceeded to 'create' for at least an hour.  She made a puppet theatre from a shoe box, a little girl from buttons, a number of collages and mosaics, drawings, coloring, I think there was even something with feathers.  Man, that child was prolific.  My entire kitchen is now filled with the results of her art.  And of course, she pitches a fit if I throw out any of it.  

Hikes:  Since our summer vacation will include some short hikes, I decided to take the girls out hiking while they were out of school.  We walked out to a pond in a nearby open space and threw rocks.  This was maybe a half mile out and back.  Really nothing major.  Anyway, once it was time to head back to the car, the whining reached a fever pitch.  So, I followed the lead of the Family Van Trapp and got the kids singing.  Once their mouths were busy with song, the whining ceased. 

Shopping:  Both girls had some gift cards left over from Christmas so I took each child out shopping.  La Nina, who also had birthday gift cards, spent nearly $80 on clothes and shoes.  When I suggested perhaps we visit a toy department, she wrinkled her nose at me.  The next day, I took the Magster out the next day, and she bought toys, a pair of shoes and some paint brushes.  When I asked Maggie about clothes, she looked at me and said, "Mom, I get all Carly's stuff when she grows.  And she has lots of clothes."  And that's the difference in my kids.  I'm doomed with that older one, but she did get herself and her sister some cute clothes.  

Book:  Well, after a complete crisis of confidence, I'm back to work on my book.  I started the second draft last week, and I'm happy to report I made it through three chapters.  The next big push is my application to the Squaw Valley Community of Writers.  I didn't get in last time I tried and both essays I submitted went on to win local writing awards.  SO-  I'm a little nervous about this whole process.  Keep your fingers crossed.  The application is due May 10 and I'm using my manuscript.  Gulp!

Cultural Confusion

I've met a woman, who happens to be Taiwanese.  Her girls are exactly the same age as mine and used to be in the same preschool classes.  Now, the Magster and her youngest take dance together so once a week we visit.   From time to time, I ask this woman cultural questions, which she patiently answers.  And she knows I understand the basics: like why her Mom visits in February, the meaning of red envelops, why she eats moon cakes in September.   And seems to appreciate the fact, I'm trying on the cultural front.

She's also asks me lots of questions too, mostly about the kids, sometimes about schools and other kid activities.  I can tell she's trying to figure out the ways of the culture here.   Sometimes the other Moms in the dance class chime into our conversations, Asian and American alike, and it makes for good conversation on the bench in the dance hallway.   (Believe me, more than one conversation has been very educational.) 

Last week, La Nina and her oldest daughter were both out of school and the two had a chance to play during their sister's class.  As soon as she settled her youngest in dance, she asked: 

"Do you let your girls watch High School Musical?"  

The expectant look on her daughter's face told the story.  Obviously, this was a much discussed topic in their house and there had been a culture class between the American-born daughter and her traditional Chinese mother.  

"I do," I answered, "it's very tame."

A couple of other moms chimed into agree it was a tame movie, even a twelve year old big sister mentioned it was safe (though I think her credibility was suspect.)

Satisfied I wasn't going to sink her ship, her daughter ran off to find La Nina and the mother sat down next to me and heaved a heavy sigh.  

"The girls in that movie," she said, "how do they dress?"  

"Well, flashy, but there's no skin that I can think of in the first movie.  The second one has a swimming pool scene, so they wear bathing suits," I answered, wracking my brain for anything objectionable.  

"That 'girl'," she said, gesturing toward her daughter who was happily playing with La Nina on the floor.  "All she wants is sparkly clothes and fancy shoes.  She's too young, I tell her."  

I let out a giggle.  "Mine too," I said.  "I think it's pretty normal at their age."  

Her eyes flew open and her voice sounded a bit brighter, "Really?"  

"Well, I think so.  La Nina likes flashy clothes and fancy shoes too."  

"Okay," she said, "I'll get her the movie."     

About then, the big girls came back and my friend told her daughter she could watch HSM 1 only.  Her daughter let out a whoop like any American six-year-old and hugged her Mom.  And her Mom shook her head in dismay.  

There's no doubt, the American culture is just as confusing to this poor mom as her culture is to me.  The difference is she's riding the cultural roller coaster in the front seat, raising two girls immersed in a world she struggles to understand.  Me, I may operate in a bi-racial family, but I'm trying to understand her culture from the safety of ten thousand miles away.  I often wonder who has it easier.   

Wankie's Back

Much to everyone's relief, Wankie returned to us.  We picked him up from the post office yesterday morning.  The Magster squealed in delight when she saw him again.  Then she ditched 'China Wankie' faster than she eats a bowl of ice cream.  

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Thanks to our adventure to the Southland last week and a case of strep throat, La Nina is getting an extended Spring Break.   We saw the doctor yesterday and she's been on antibiotics for 36 hours now, so she's feeling better, but she's still not right.  She took a two hour nap today, and still went to bed close to on time.   It's the second time she's had strep throat in her life, and here's the strange part: both times she developed hives as part of the strep infection.  

When we saw the doctor and I told her about the hives, she said it was a very unusual symptom, but one we should really pay attention too.  Apparently, hives can be a sign that someone is immune suppressed and still vulnerable to infection.  Who knew?  When her immune system is restored, the hives will go away.  It's kind of nice clue as to how she's doing.  (Incidentally, the hives are better, but not gone.)  

We've replaced all the tooth brushes, and we're keeping our fingers crossed no one else gets this bug.

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The reality of a sick kid immediately after a trip means a serious lack of groceries in the house.  Thank goodness our town has a drive through diary and I tend to stock frozen vegetables.   Our family has survived on one ten-minute run through the grocery store and daily trips to the diary.  From the drive through, we can get milk, bread, eggs, cereal, a number of condiment, hot dogs and mac and cheese.   La Nina didn't spread her germs past the back seat of the mini-van, and we ate.  Gotta love the diary.  

China wankie to the rescue

Obviously, it's been a while since my last post.  For those of you wondering why, someone turned six, then we hustled out of town to a travel group reunion and between the two events, I haven't had a moment to sit down and write.  Usually, with this many events of note occurring I'd have a hard time deciding what to write about.  Then, the big event happened today and there was no doubt about tonight's topic.  

The big event?  We forgot "wankie" in LA.  For those who don't remember, 'wankie' is not only the Magster's blanket, but he (and she will tell you wankie is a boy) has been elevated to family member status. Not only does she sleep with him every night, she usually kisses him good-bye every time we leave the house and half the time she worries about him being lonely when she's away from him.  

Of course, I didn't realize our terrible oversight until we were nearly home and she was asking for him from the back seat.  And let me tell you, cold fear shot through my body.  Heart stopping, gut wrenching fear, because I knew I hadn't packed him and if I didn't pack him, chances were no one else did.  

The Dad at his sensitive best said, "Whatever, it's time she got rid of that thing anyway."  I told him with that attitude, I'd wake him up every time she woke up just so he felt my pain.  

I called the hotel from I-5 when we were in lovely Coalinga.   They recovered the lost blanket and agreed to fed-ex him home.  We should have him by Tuesday, which is great, but that left us facing two nights, 'wankie-free'.  

When I broke the news to the Magster, she howled in grief.  "Wankie, wankie, wankie..."  It wasn't pretty.

After we arrived home and unpacked, I pulled out a blanket we've long called "back-up wankie" and handed it to Maggie.  She looked at it and said, "Mom, I want my China wankie."  Then she went to a box I kept of souvenirs from our adoption trip with her and pulled out this blanket (towel really) the orphanage gave us in China.  

About then, I went into shock.  In China, she screamed every time she saw that blanket.   More recently, I tried to explain where we got it a couple of times, but she ignored me, so I dropped the subject.  Then tonight, Maggie went off to bed clutching her towel from China, and leaving me to wonder, what exactly she does think of her whole China story and what, if anything, she remembers of that old China blanket. 

Shoe Shopping with Immelda

After Sunday's hike, it was apparent the Magster's shoes were too small.  So, we headed to the mall for a little shoe shopping.  Sure enough, the Magster's feet grew a size and a half since our last foot-focused mall foray.  La Nina's feet grew only a quarter of a size.  That means the girls are now only a half size apart in shoes.  It also means the need for non-matching foot wear reached a new level of importance.  

In Stride Rite,  the first store we walked into, the Magster pointed to a pair of sneakers, tried them on and loved them, within about four seconds, she was a happy camper wearing new shoes.  With her taken care of, I refocused the salivating La Nina from the glittery dress shoes to more athletic models.  She, of course, went to the shoe rack, fell in love with the pair on Maggie's feet and proceeded to whine to high heaven that she needed those shoes more than food and water.   Alas, the store didn't have her size.  So she tried on eight other pairs in her size and she found some flaw in every pair.  While disappointed, it was sort of okay because her shoes were not too small yet.  

Of course, I lost that argument faster than you can say, "No, you're not getting the pink cowboy boots ever," and we headed off to the Nordstrom's shoe department for kids.  Luckily, they had a television on, and the Magster seated herself in front of the tube, while La Nina examined the shoes.  Of course, the athletic models bored her as bad as her sister's dance lesson, but when she realized the pink sandals with rhinestones and two inch heels were off limits, the sneakers became more appealing.  

By the time La Nina began trying on shoes, we'd been shoe shopping for nearly an hour and a half and the Magster was actually laying on a couch watching television and whining for her blanket.  Of course, La Nina was in her element.  She had a salesman doing her bidding and she was surrounded by shoes, it just didn't get any better.  And she proceeded to try on every freaking pair of sneakers Nordstrom had in her size.   On the last pair, it was nearly 5:15 and we'd been their two hours, we hit pay dirt.  The salesman and I nearly embraced and wept for joy.  

I headed to the cash register and nearly choked on the total.  In my starved and exhausted haze, I thought I heard him wrong, but I didn't.  The child didn't pick out the most expensive shoe, but she came within a couple of bucks.   I'd invested so much time, I had no choice but to hand over the cash.   

The good news came out of her room wearing them at 6:30 the next morning, so, at least she likes the shoes.   

First Hike

The sun beckoned us outdoors today, so we decided to explore a local park the way we did before kids:  on foot.  That meant the first true hike for the girls.  

About ten, we headed to Sunol Regional Park for a walk to Little Yosemite.  Large granite boulders framed by cascading water make this part of the wilderness area lovely during the Spring. Round trip it's about a three-mile hike from the parking lot.  Challenging for a four and almost six year old, but not undoable.   

We packed up some waters, trail mix and sunscreen and headed out.  And I have to be honest, the kids surprised us.  Both trooped along trails, climbed over rocks and slid down a couple of hills like old hiking pros.  The trip wasn't without whining, there was some, but only once we were almost back to the car.   

All in all, it was a great day, and we're hoping to do more hikes as the weather warms up.

P.S.  We have some great pictures, but I'm having issues posting.  I'll post the pictures when I figure it out.