Look for this series of events on the next bad-parent lame sit-com!

Joseph really outdid himself today during his first speech therapy session with his therapist.

This little guy looks stinkin' cute, right?

Looks can be deceiving.

Joseph qualified for Early Intervention Speech Therapy, so that means that the speech therapist comes to our house twice per month and works with us as parents to work with Joseph and gives us "assignments" to work on with him until next session.  

Yesterday's session started with a bowl of water, a pile of cotton balls and straws so that Joseph could learn to blow air out properly through play and games.  It ended with a kind therapist gathering her things as quickly as possible and dashing for her car as a broken-hearted 2 year old sobbed alligator tears while 90% naked.

Here is what happened in-between:

• Joseph thought that throwing the cotton balls at the therapist and screaming was more fun than her game
• Joseph spilled most of the water all over himself and wanted dry clothes
• Joseph did not like the clothes I brought downstairs for him (even though they were his favorites 3 days ago) and would only cooperate with any requests if he was naked except for his diaper
• While the therapist was trying to give Larry and I some instruction, Joseph was insistent that he had to "oop" so I excused myself for a 2nd time and took him to the bathroom where he peed a few drops and demanded M&Ms for the huge effort of it all
• Joseph raced back to the therapist (yes, a literal race which began with a "reddy, et, ooooo!!") and then he wanted to hug her and sit on her (while only diaper clad).  
• He then began tugging at my arm (while I was trying to talk to the therapist) insisting "um on."  I excused myself a 3rd time and I followed him up the stairs where his "come on" lead me to discover that he wanted to wear "unts" or "underpants."  I told him "not right now" and raced back downstairs.
• While trying to talk to the therapist again, we heard Joseph in the hallway and tried to call him back to us.  He wouldn't come, so I excused myself a 4th time to find him in the hallway completely naked and very proud of himself.  (The DC area broke several century-old low-temperature records today and yesterday, but apparently naked was the way to go with balmy single digit temps.)  So, I put him on the potty where he peed a decent amount and put this "unts" on him.
• An underoo-clad toddler re-entered the scene as the therapist was trying to explain the usual progression of sound development and then he quickly left again.
• The underoo-clad tot reappeared in the 2nd floor office loft above the living room and then peed all over the carpet.  
• The rest is a blur of the therapist trying to assure me that this is all normal boy behavior Larry rushing for a pile of towels, and her rushing for the door!

*sigh*

Gong Xi Ga Cai

I learned how to say Gong Hey Fat Choy first, so that is what Abigail first learned to say, even though that is Cantonese, and she would have spoken Mandarin if she grew up in central China.

Never-the-less, I took a "photo shoot" of my Henan cuties and it was difficult to pick from the 74 pics that I didn't delete.  We took these pics last night after their baths when they were all clean and fluffy.

In whatever language, may your next year be wonderful, prosperous, full of family, and most importantly, healthy!

I see some belly!

They did their own expressions.

Jos said "Lap lap" and patted Abigail's
lap and then took a seat!

Abs wanted to show off her Chinese
pants too.  Joseph wanted to show off
Abigail's new karate belt.

Shot #74: Someone is ready for bed!

Pictures from a Snow Day

Yesterday afternoon, while it was snowing and we were in our first few inches, I took the kids around the neighborhood.  We sledded on unplowed streets and gathered sticks (part of an elaborate game the kids made up, mostly consisting of dragging sticks and making patterns, but also some sword play).  Thirty-five minutes later they were chilly and we went inside.

This morning, Joseph was saying "snow" (which really sounded like "noo?") for a few hours (you know, in the pre-breakfast hours, before the sun is up) and pointing outside.  He was excited about the snow that fell yesterday and wanted to go out and play more.  He couldn't wait!

However, once he was out in the thigh-deep (on him) snow, he was a bit freaked out by it.  It was like when we first brought him home from China and he was afraid of grass.  Larry pulled him around on a sled for awhile, but we couldn't get him to do any snow angels.  He did however, have a little reunion with Chase, from the Halloween entry, and Chase's owner who said "I know this guy from trick or treating; your wife was trying to tire him out for the time change!"

Abigail had a great time making snow angels, sledding, snow tubing, and general playing.  She is an old pro at snow days!  

*sigh*  Mama, what TAKES so long to get everyone ready?

Jos was a little unsure, even though is #1 role model was ready to go!

Our Little Snow Angel

Trying to tube in the deep snow

A bit tentative....

.... but super cute

Super Cute rosy cheeks when we came inside!

After a long time apart

My mother was sick with respiratory gunk for a long time after Christmas.  As a result, we didn't get to see them, and they didn't get to see the kids, for almost 2 months.  But this weekend, there was a happy reunion.  Joseph was so happy to see them that the second my mom walked in the door on Saturday he clung to her like a baby chimp, arms and legs all wrapped around her.  Abigail hugged her Yinski and the dog joined in the happy, yappy chaos at the front door.  The grandparents couldn't even get their coats off before the kids were showing them new things and wanting to play.

Battling for control of the living room with Yinski

They slayed Grandma!

For Those Who Couldn't Care Less About The Super Bowl Tonight

I can't believe it has been 3 weeks since my last post. 
Days are long, but months and weeks are short. 

This month we have continued to experience horrendous wake up times from Joseph.  Lots of 4:25, 4:10, 4:50, 4:45, 4:51, and even one 3:51.  There were 2 blessed sleep in-days this past month: one at 5:06 and the other at 5:21.  It was like we died and went to heaven.  Larry still bears the brunt of these mornings taking Joseph to the basement to endure through Curious George, Daniel Tiger, bowls of dry Cheerios, and sippy cups of warm milk.  He is Super Dad.

Abigail is still an amazing big sister.  She has a lot of empathy for her little brother.  Today he smashed his face against a window edge and a welt and bruise appeared instantly in a creepy-scary fashion.  She was so soothing and calming and loving and attentive to him.  She still doesn't like that he gets the Lion's share of attention, but we are trying to do "special" things with her.  It is difficult with her having karate lessons and homework and needing to go to bed every night earlier than her brother, however.  But we are trying.  I love playing a few rounds of Instructures or teaching her to get a "check mate" on Connect Four.  (Instructures has her building or instructing someone to build with blocks according to the blueprint on a card.  I just love when she says something like "get the short cylinder and place the round end in the center of the long rectangular prism and put the semi circle on top of that".)

When did Abigail start looking so old?
(She has taken an interest in dresses.  It is unexpected.)

Joseph was impatient for dinner and didn't want to
wait for the lasagna to cool so he pushed a chair next to the
stove and started blowing on the pan!!

Happy Match Day, Joseph!!
(Eye scratch from a kid when Joseph cut
him in line at the hand washing sink)

Abigail helping Joseph celebrate his match day.
If she does something, he will do it too.  She is his hero.

First snow day.
Joseph had to wear an old pair of Abigail's shoes
because the boots we bought him in the fall already don't fit!

What a lucky boy to have a big sister pull you around in a sled!