Long time no type

It's been a few weeks since I last updated....like a real update. Lots has been going on and keeping us busy. I don't really know what to say or where to begin.

Willow 

Willow passed the 16 month marker a few weeks ago. Craziness! She's completely weaned now, and hasn't nursed in three weeks. It's still hard for her, and I'm surprised that she remembers what nursing is after three weeks! She used to have a few cues to communicate that she wanted to nurse--and she STILL is giving me these signals (e.g. handing me a pillow, getting in position to nurse, etc.). For a few months she was nursing only at night for less than 5 minutes. I kept waiting for her to wean herself, but it wasn't happening. I was ready to be done since she was nearly 16 months old. But as soon as we took away that night feeding (quite by accident, actually. I was at a ladies night and was out later than expected), she started asking to nurse 10 times a day! Ah....But really, she's doing fine. She doesn't need it. She drinks cow milk or smoothies every day, and eats tons of food.

With all the eating she's doing, you'd think she'd be clinging to some baby fat. But, she's definitely stretching out and thinning down. The rolls on her legs are all but gone. Just one tiny roll that's on its way out the door. Last week, I noticed that you could see her rib cage when she's lying down. That has never been the case before--since she was such a plump dumpling baby.

She has been into mischief as usual. She's been caught drawing on our water cooler, walls, and even TV screen with a crayon (thank goodness it wasn't a permanent marker). She has discovered that when she's in her crib, she can open her dresser drawers and take out all her clothes. This means that every morning when we get her out of her, or after her naps, there's clothing everywhere. I've given up folding her clothes because of this constant battle.

Willow likes to assert her independence. We see her climbing onto the tall window sill in her room from other surfaces, or carrying around her chair. She opens doors, and practices her jumping.

Sometimes I worry about her development. I hear and read that every kid develops at a different pace, but it's hard not to compare sometimes. I especially wonder about her verbal development. She still babbles up a storm (although even that is starting to lose it's appeal to her). But her 'words' are not many, and not very clear. She has difficulty with hard consonants and mostly speaks in vowels. But she does have several words that she uses consistently, and I've read that that's normal for her age.

Adam 

He continues to teach science, math, and student council. They've had a few events at school, like the middle school lock in and some fundraisers. Right now, his student council is planning the middle school banquet. He spent four days in Chengdu two weeks ago for a soccer tournament--finally, after nearly 4 years--he got to visit the city where I lived for a few months during my student teaching in 2009.

Adam turned 26 on November 15. We didn't have anyone come over to celebrate....once again....But, I did make a pumpkin cake for him. I'll have to share the link for that recipe, because it is so delicious. Adam loves how pinterest benefits our existence.

He keeps very busy--with his graduate studies, work, and family. He also finds time to play pick up basketball games, play video games, and help around the house. Willow loves playing with Adam and looks forward to seeing him everyday. She says 'Daddy' quite clearly and frequently.

Julie....er....me....

I have two excuses for not blogging:

#1 Drama
#2 Reading

Drama started up three weeks ago, and it's been a little busier around here ever since. Ok. It's been A LOT busier around here. There have been some issues adjusting to the new workload. I'm the only director, and I have to monitor the school bus after each rehearsal. If not for a really understanding parent, I'd have to ride the bus all the way to the last stop and then take a taxi back home after every rehearsal. This would mean spending 90 minutes in rehearsal, and then 120 minutes in transportation. But because of this great parent, I don't have to ride to the end of the line, and only have to spend 60 minutes in transportation. Still not ideal. But......sigh.

How is the play going? People ask me this question all the time. The play is going great so far. But we haven't really started yet---today the blocking commences. This year, I would have had to cut over half of the students that auditioned. I couldn't handle it! So, I cast way more students---and now I have to choreograph.....what the heck. I'm super excited about the Edwardian costumes which I'm researching right now. You probably know that if we're pinterest buddies.

Reading is my new thing. Ok. Reading has always been my thing. But I just forgot that for ten years. I've read over 20 novels this autumn. Last week, I read 4 novels. Because of all the time and money I've spent reading, I think I need to take a break from it for a while. In case you're wondering, I chose books over food, clothes, coffee, showers, blogging, and adequate sleep. Lovely, huh?

 But if anyone is wondering what to get me for Christmas---gift cards for books (iTunes, or Barnes and Noble, Amazon, etc.) are wonderful. I have a wish list of books as well. If I lived next to an impressive library, life would be beautiful.

Injury Prone

Adam and I are hurting ourselves left and right. This morning, I dropped my cell phone on my toe. Sounds painless, right? Wrong. It was terrible. Might lose that toe nail. Didn't think my pink phone was capable of breaking the skin of my foot. Adam burned his thumb terribly on a light bulb this weekend. I scrapped my knuckles on a cheese grater a few days ago. Adam cut off the tip of his thumb. Willow dropped the iPad on my foot and caused some bruising. Adam cut himself on tin can he was opening with a pocket knife, then pulled a muscle at basketball. I just twisted a muscle in my back and can't turn my head............The list goes on. Are we losing it?

Ok. No pictures right now. But promise some more later.

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.

Just Now

It took Willow 90 minutes to fall asleep. She is used to waking up every morning, nursing, playing like a pro, nursing for a second time, and then taking a nap out of pure exhaustion. Now that I'm trying to restrain from that mid-morning nursing session, nap time has been terrible. I know she's tired, she knows she's tired, but she refuses to cooperate. So, she plays in her crib. I hear her crawling around, playing with her sleep toys, standing at the railing screaming for me, playing some more, crying a little, laughing a little, jumping a lot. And  on and on it goes. This morning it was extending so long (this going to sleep process), so I went in a couple times to hold her and sing a song. That didn't help. So I destained the carpet. Something I've been meaning to do forever. I keep putting it off because I have to make my own remover, and somehow that seems like a lot of work. But it's not.

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Homemade Stain Remover 
1 Tbsp of clear dish washing soap
1 Tbsp of vinegar
2 C. of warm water

Mix the solution and then use it to scrub out the carpet stains. Use a white cloth with the vinegar solution to blot out the stains, then use cold water to sponge out the solution.
_______________________________________________

I removed about fifty little stains while waiting for Willow to fall asleep. We get so many stains on our small 2x3 meter carpeting because when we have students or friends over we have to eat in the living room (our table only seats four, and it's usually where the food is set out). Plus, since Willow arrived, she stains have multiplied ten-fold. Her sippy cups spill on the carpet almost daily. I don't know WHY since they are supposed to be spill proof.

Anyway, does anyone have any tips for weaning a baby? I've read all there is to read. I know she's ready to start the process. She just resists her naps so much now. "If I don't need breastmilk, I don't need naps" is her new motto.

My Korean Grandmother used to tell the story of how she weaned my dad. It used to be that babies nursed for extended amounts of time in Korea. I'm not sure if they still do that, but I know that extended nursing is very popular across the world, and used to be more popular in America (once upon a time). Now, people are shocked if you're still nursing after 6 months, since all the popular baby books says that's when the 'nutrients' stop. Without getting into that issue and all that it implies, my dad nursed until he was around three years old (according to my Grandma). South Korea is a small country, and it was still recovering from war--so nursing as long as possible was practical. Cows, therefore milk, were just uncommon.

The only way she could get him to stop was by taping her nipples with red electrical tap. My dad, with his "little emperor's" complex that is so common in boys of Asian families, used to just walk up to my Grandma and lift her shirt when he wanted to nurse. When he saw the big red x's, he was so traumatized that he was instantly weaned.

Ok, maybe I've exaggerated parts, and my dad is thinking, "What in the heck?!"
But I promise, that's what Harmonee told me on several occasions.

Snippets

Currently, we have one bag (8oz) of milk in the fridge, ten eggs, and a lot of condiments in the fridge. There is only ice cream in the freezer. No fruit, no veggies, and I just realized that the bread was moldy. We have garlic and sprite on the counter. What does this mean? I need to go grocery shopping! Usually this is Adam's job. He calls it, "hunting and gathering". But, he hasn't been feeling well all weekend, so it falls upon me.

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Adam and I are still taking turns running throughout the week. One person watches Willow and the other person exercises. We say that our reward will be a trip to Thailand this Christmas.

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The weaning process is beginning. Or, I should say that it already has begun. Willow is down to nursing four times a day--although sometimes she somehow manages 6 feedings. Except for early in the morning and right before she goes to sleep for the night, she is not nursing very much in quantity. Just a few minutes. So, I'm taking this as a sign to remove one more feeding. I'm going for the mid-morning pre-nap feeding because this is most convenient for me as far as pain goes. Weaning is painful! I have this subconscious fear that I will get mastitis again and experience another abscess. I catch myself thinking that avoiding the weaning process might be better, and then I wouldn't have to deal with Willow wanting to nurse and not being able to. But then I remind myself that that means nursing forever. Ok. So that's not going to happen. At the very latest, I would like her to be completely weaned by December. I look forward to it, but it's sad at the same time.

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I've been watching "Alias" lately and loving it! I'm already on the second season and am totally hooked. I've seen the occasional episode before, but never watched them in order before. I love Jennifer Garner! We still like our go-to shows like "Myth Busters", "White Collar", and "Family Matters". I think "White Collar" is influencing Adam, since he just had a custom pin-striped suit made and he asked if he could wear a fedora with it.

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I read a book last week. Reading books shouldn't happen too much around here. When I read, I have to go all out. That means reading every spare minute, and reading from 7pm-2am. Which means, getting only a few hours of sleep. Anyway, I read an excellent book, "Shanghai Girls" and totally recommend it. There are some graphic and traumatic scenes, so read with discretion.

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Adam finished his first full week of teaching, this past week. He seems to be doing well with everything, and enjoying the experience of this being his fourth year. He wore his new pin stripe suit to the school's Open House on Friday night. He and Willow are as crazy as ever when they play together. Willow is so happy every day when Adam gets home.

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Willow is doing extremely well. Right now she has quite a few mosquito bites, but she still hasn't figured out that she can itch them. She understands quite a lot of English now, and I can't even create a list of phrases she comprehends anymore. It's quite a lot! We've had to start spelling words like "out", "cookie", and other keywords that she is obsessed with. She can now meow like a cat, and her new word is 'cookie'. She says it deep in her throat, like she is clearing it or gargling. It's pretty funny. I'm finding that a lot of her baby-talk is starting to develop into a Willow-Language. If you listen closely, it's not just a steady stream of phonemes, but sometimes there are 'words' mixed in there that she mispronounces. She has also started nodding her head 'yes' to answer questions. Yesterday, I asked her if she wanted to take a nap, and she nodded 'yes'. Sure enough, she was happy to take her nap. Right now, however, she is yelling in her crib as she tries to settle down. She's probably thinking, "you forgot to nurse me! Crazy lady"

Ironically

In one year [since Willow was born], I've lost 42 pounds. That's all the baby weight, plus some. I've gone down one dress/top size, and three pants sizes from my pre-pregnancy size. Shedding nearly a pound-a-week on average without trying is amazing.

Thank you breastfeeding.

Yesterday and today were landmarks. I went running. While I was running, I was surprised at how easy it was. Maybe because it's been so long, or because the last time I ran I was heavier, but I remembered running to be more unpleasant. After Willow was born, the last thing I felt like doing was running. But it wasn't that bad.

Mind you, I'm not in shape, so I expected to die.

Because the truth is, I haven't exercised in two years.