Joyeux NOEL

I am aging too fast

...when I see how fast my baby is growing!

I am a triceratops

Is there a better way to challenge an artist mom than Halloween?

"mommy, I want to be a triceratops."  Noel asked.

"...hmmm, how about something else?  A hippy or a cowgirl?"  I answered.  Trying to sound creative, but really, I was trying to find an easy way out.

"Nope, a triceratops, definitely a triceratops."  Noel insisted.

A baby triceratops look :)

All grown up!

....and don't forget to check out my tail!

I can spell....kind of

Ever since Noel starts reading, she wait for no time taking on writing.  This smart cookie is doing well, but spelling is still early for a 4 year-old; and when she could not spell the right word, she comes right to her mom for answers (yeah, like that is very helpful :)  )

Noel has her own facebook and a journal, along with a "handy dandy notebook!"  Like many of us, she cannot wait to go on her facebook and play games, instead of looking at it as something negative and stopping her from doing it, I try to make the best out of it - teach her to read, write, and communicate with others there.  For those of you get the messages from her, no matter if the messages make sense, or not, yep, they really do come from Noel.

In the beginning, Noel would write/type messages that might not make any sense to you, but if you ask her, oh, yeah, it makes "perfect sense" to herself.  and lately, she is determined to do better..... " mama, how do you spell 'what', 'how' why' 'speak'  'lights'  'know'.....etc?"

It was super exciting for me at first, then it gets old, she would even come into the bathroom while I am in the shower, asking for the spelling of a new word.  That's it, so I borrow the "handy dandy notebook" idea from Blue's Clue.  For words that she asks a lot, I just write them down and she can look them up anytime!

 

Hey Noel, are you going to be a spelling bee one day?

for auntie Junny

I can read :)

unconditional love

By nature, Noel really is a very sweet child, I have not, so far, witnessed the fierce temper such as mine (sometimes,)  although I have seen plenty of stubbornness that is no doubt, coming from her mama.

Perhaps it's the age thing, when I am not getting enough sleep, my temper fares up, and I become pretty...hmmm, unreasonable, this weekend was eventful, from the lack of sleep, to the drop of the temperature, the breaking down of the sump pump in the basement...... I am telling you, I even called Starbucks and complained their employee. 

During moments like this, my sweet daughter is always on my side, she might drop a few tears when mama got mad at her (well, sometimes it's necessary because someone misbehaves!)  but for the most part, she is the one brings me that unconditional love : "mama, you are not mad at me, you are just tired, right?"

And the next thing you know, she "brews" me a cup of coffee or tea to cheer me up :)

My real cup of coffee might be the one that wakes me up; but this tiny cup is the one that warms my heart, and it's always filled with lots of love from Noel.

 

Noel : " mama, here is a drawing of me being bad at first, but after I apologized, you are happy!  and I love it when you are happy."

"and.....

...this is me bringing you a cup of tea!"

She did not mention anything about the writing on her shirt, but I know..."

I have lots to learn from my little girl.

I just cannot believe it

It feels like yesterday, my colleague Denise brought in a trike for Noel's 2nd birthday, the little girl was having the hardest time riding it, I still have that video of her paddling around in the living room, that determined expression on her face.... she was going to make it, almost....!

In a blink of an eye, Noel is riding her first big girl bicycle (with training wheels of course!)

It came a little late I know.  At age 4, many kids have been riding bikes for a long time, but for Noel, it's a big accomplishment.  She is not very athletic, and does not like "adventures" too much (she would not go on a swing until she was almost 2!)

In the early autumn day, I saw my little girl carefully learning to ride her bike, I got so emotional.  She fell a few times (not badly) but I know, she is proud of herself, and I am too.

Pumpkin Patch 2009 (part II- hay fight)

This pumpkin patch has two mazes, this year the big maze is proven to be less scary compare with last year's experience.  Perhaps  with the company of a good friend helped :)

But what do you expect when two 4-year-old got out of the maze?  Sitting still and looking pretty?

NOPE.

Hay fight!!!!!!!!!!!

Those two girls went crazy there, went up and down and hay stacks and throwing hays at each other... lots fun, I wish I have that kind of free spirit to roll in it with them.

Pretending to be a scarecrow.

Childhood, so priceless!

Pumpkin Patch 2009 (part I- come join me)

Living in the tiny mid-west town, I can count easily in one hand how many benefits we have over, let's say, people living in other area of the country.  One thing I am actually proud of, and would wholeheartedly invite  friends and family is - our pumpkin patch!

..but again, living in the farming community, if you don't have a decent pumpkin patch, what are you going to do?

This year, we did something different that made the pumpkin patch a great fun.  We decided to go in September to avoid the crowd and most importantly - the cold!  (we were still in summer clothes rather than freezing our behinds like the previous years.  Another smart decision was, we invited Noel's best friend Grace (and her family) to come along, so the kids pretty much entertained themselves, running wild in this acres and acres of pumpkin fun!

How cute!

And not just pumpkins, the girls got to experience the real deal - visiting the farm animals.

Bahhhh, goats.

crock a doodle do....hey, that is not rooster says in Taiwan!  There were also ducks, pigs and listen up - lamas, hahaha!

It really was a super fun day!  And by the way, people has been telling me that Noel has long legs... well, I never really notice it until I saw this picture....

..perhaps it's the priced $70 RL jeans she is wearing?  (and no, I did not pay for that whole price, but isn't it amazing how expensive kids' clothes can be?)

"mean" mama

It has been months, the dinosaurs fever has not subsided.  Seriously, without looking into Noel's closet (and the kid herself)  people might think I have a little boy Noel!

So what is the latest update?  Yeap, the moment has come!  Noel is asking for a PET!  Let's not get too much into the details because we are NOT getting a real pet, there is just NO WAY I can take care of a pet regardless allergy or not.  No bird, no dog and not even a triceratops!

Tonight while Noel was still in the bathtub, I came to her and said: " hey, Noel, there is an Apatosaurus sitting on our red couch..."  It was supposed to be joke ( I left one of her toy dino there,) but Noel's face brightened up like a sun : "REALLY?  Is it going to stay and be our pet?  I wanna see it NOW."

Let me just say, while I was drying her hair, putting on her clothes, I was feeling so guilty... knowing a little girl's dream is about to be crushed.....  "Mama, is he going to sleep with us, but he is so big?  When he rides in the car with us, his head is going to be stick out of the window........"    Noel continued : " come on mama, let's go to the living room, I want to see my pet!"