Mismatch Day at School

Beatrice picked this outfit, head to toe. This is what she would look like every single day if we stayed out of it...

Just found this picture on B's school's website

Her friend definitely looks like he might have "the calling," all reverent and humbled in the presence of the bishop. Then there's my daughter....

Welcome Dragon, Tet 2012

beautiful ao dai? check!

Vietnamese banana cake and a fresh pot of jamine tea? check!

A new super-soft dragon and some money-filled li xi? check!

anticipation of friends coming over? check!

fresh flowers to beautify the house? check!
The only I forgot to do was to keep taking pictures once our guests arrived! Beatrice had a very nice Tet, I think,opening a few little gifts in the morning, sharing some things at school,receiving a special package sent from David & Meaghan, having a tasty Vietnamese dinner whipped up by Daddy, and entertaining Louise, John, and Mary Jane for dessert and a little more present-opening. Bring it on, Year of the Dragon, I think we're ready!

Overheard on a train to Pyongyang ...

B: Mama, do you want to come on a train ride with me? (sitting on the couch)
Me: Sure
B: (scooting over) Come sit down, there's room right here. (I sit) I have the tickets. (shows me imaginary tickets in her hand)
Me: So where is this train headed?
B: North Korea! (with perfect articulation)
Me: Where????
B: North Korea! It's a very nice place. You will like it. Uh-oh, here comes the conductor. Buckle up! What do you want to eat? They have peanuts and pretzels in North Korea. Which one do you want?

CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP!

"Mama, can I have a snowball for breakfast?"

The first snow of the season happened overnight, resulting in 2-hour delays for local schools. B. has a cold/fever, so we didn't go to school, she couldn't go out and build a snowman, so this had to satisfy her....

Meanwhile, here's her most recent self-portrait, done completely by herself. I found it amidst a pile of papers. She's constantly drawing and "writing" these days, and each night I have to sift through and decide what goes to recycling and what is a "keeper." Anthony keeps telling her "You can't be an artist!" But she certainly has more talent already than I ever have. Her person was complete with hair bows (aka bunny ears), ears, shoulders, arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, and a very fashionable dress, of course.

pre-Tet fun at the Temple

We are so fortunate to be 30 miles away from a Vietnamese Buddhist temple, with a very active community. When Beatrice is older, she is invited to take free language lessons and/or mindfulness classes. This weekend we went for our second visit and now are known by a few families. Their big Tet celebration is next weekend, but this past Sunday they had a "Kitchen God" play and some other skits, all in Vietnamese, so it was a real hoot for us! Beatrice is quite comfortable there and even fed the dragon some money, ensuring us good luck for the year ahead.

Sat. morning gymnastics/swim starts today

Decisive

Quote after bath tonight, completely unrelated to anything we'd talked about today or in the last several weeks: "I made a decision Mama. I not going to be a mom and I not going to get married because you and Daddy are already married and I don't want to marry anyone else and you have to be married to be a mom so I not going to be a mom. And I not gonna change my mind."

(Prelude to this were countless statements to me over the past year or more about her wanting to marry me and only me, and my explaining that this was fairly impossible. Also for the past few days she's been turning various items into "babies." Salt and pepper shakers, bottle of bath soap, etc, and has been very nurturing to them and saying she's their mama. The bottle of bath soap's name, by the way, is Kinella.)

Quote 2 hours ago: "I want to go visit Pepere after dinner tonight because I like Pepere now. Now Pepere is my very good friend, but don't be sad because you're my very best friend Mama. You and Daddy." (Prelude to THIS was a box of Trader Joe's maple cream cookies that we brought my Dad over the weekend, of which he shared several with his beloved granddaughter and earned lots of sugar points. Now that I think of it, maybe those cookies alone were the reason the dentist found "a little something" that needs "cleaning out"...as in with a drill... in one her back molars this morning!)

***UPDATE 1/11*** Tonight Beatrice announced " I want to get married, but not to a boy. Just to a girl. Two girls. Maybe two or three." Good thing we live in Connecticut Bea!

Sunday, a Stick, and Smiles

January Thaw?

Even though we've had very little cold weather and zero snow this winter, today's 60+ degrees felt fabulous! We headed to the park and met up with Ethan and family. These two, now 2 1/2 and 3 1/2, had a blast together and, for the first time, really interacted as they played. There were shrieks, smiles, monkey noises, and at least 2 miles of running and chasing before we headed to a pizza lunch and each passed out in cars on the way home for a well-earned nap.

Anthony's mortified that I'm putting this on the blog but I think it's adorable. It shows just how obsessed B. is with drawing right now, and her recent favorite sitting position with legs crossed.

Getting ready to head out for the playdate.

She's grown up at this park. I can't believe how "4" she looks here!

They look like two friends coming out of the movies discussing the ending or something.

The monkeys in the zoo loved getting fed and then freed!

Life is good. Life is good.....

Cinderella (complete with feather in hair)

NYC: 12.29 & 12.30.11

Why is the temperature in New York always higher than it actually feels?

Little Bear was all bundled up. Beware...those claws scratch!

I resisted buying a pack of 2-one pound Reese peanut butter cups for you Marianne! ($23)

But how could I say "no" to a pink ballerina cookie?

Lego room in FAO Schwartz

For $25K we could have taken home this Barbie foos-ball game.

Beatrice loved watching the skaters. I think I need to get back on the ice with this girl!

Too many bites of the Big Apple wore this girl out. Thank goodness Knuffle Bunny was there to help her kick back and relax....