A Couple Weeks Ago

I might have been having fun with scrabble letters.

Also realized we had a few missing letters. Thanks, Willow.

It's a Saturday morning, and I'm so thankful that we made it through the week. In some ways, it went by so fast (what I did on Monday seems like just yesterday), but then I remembered how much we crammed into each day. It was very full!

These pictures are from 2 or so weeks ago. I know! Better late than never.

 Late summer is my new favorite season. It's been beautiful in Shenyang! I realized that this is my first time to really enjoy late summer in years. Maybe a decade! Since I'm not cooped inside attending classes, teaching, or feeding a newborn, I'm finally able to spend hours outside enjoying the weather. It's not hot, it's not cold, there's a slight [or strong] breeze and clear blue skies. The humidity has left, finally. I feel bad for all those who are stuck indoors working or whatever, because that used to be me.

Here, Willow is in a late summer inspired outfit. Of course, the outfit didn't last the day as it ended up in the washing machine pronto because of a self-initiated mud expedition/spree/brouhaha.

[also note] Willow's milk cup in the above background. She's graduated to drinking cow's milk throughout the day. Sometimes she drinks a lot, and sometimes I can barely get her to take a sip.

I spent a "buck" because I think you're a "star"!
Simple little gift. 

Willow's love for her baby doll is growing and developing. She now feeds her baby snacks and gives her sips of her juice or milk. She wraps her up in blankets and puts clothes around her. Of course, she still loves to cuddle, kiss, hug, and rock her doll. Please do not question her fashion choices. She didn't make them.

This is our old house phone that Willow broke. She's been playing with this broken phone for a few months now. I decided to doodle on it one night while we were watching a movie.

Two weeks ago, Willow was giving me this look all the time. If I asked her a question or told her to do something, she would scowl and furrow her eyebrows at me. Now I realize in hindsight that she was figuring out the whole question-response-thing a step further. Now she knows that she has the power to respond how she wants to. This week she has been exercising "No" and "Yes" by shaking her head. Although, almost everything is a "No" these days---including outside and cookies.

Quote from Adam this week: "I don't know what to do with all her emotions".

Finally, look below and observe how Willow watches television. Two weeks ago, she figured out that she could turn the TV and DVD player on by herself. If her movie was still in the DVD player, she could watch the intro to the movie without having to get any help. I would find her doing this dozens of times daily. Then she progressed to turning them on and handing me the remote so that I could set the language to English and start  "The Lorax" for her.

She doesn't always get her way, but it is nice to have something she is willing to do for a longer period of time when she refuses nap time or Adam is out late. I need a break! It is also entertainment for me to watch Willow as she watches a movie. She can literally raise her eyebrows all the way to her hair line without a problem. Her constant change of expression is hilarious. I should record it on video....

To demonstrate her accessorizing skills. I saw Willow with these cute sunglasses on her head. She is always taking my shirts and draping them around her shoulders, or putting on my headbands (not hers)---she likes to feel pretty.