Ice storm

We woke up in the Monday morning and found the ice storm froze the nature into icicles. We had a walk in the woods around our neighborhood. Every step forward made a crackling sound from the thin ice underneath our feet.

Elle explored the icy nature with sheer joy; looking for crystals and picking up "Wishing Sticks" that resembled the look of a wish bone. She fell down on the ice three times and yet behaved like a trooper.
This day was the second "snow day" from work in my life. Two snow days in this winter, what's the odd?

Spending the afternoon making berry jam with all the berries we picked last summer.

Warm spell

The greenery which was once buried deep under the snow is revealed. Thank to the warm spell we had for days.

Let's go sledding

Feets of snow dumped from the blizzard was starting to melt. It was an unusual warm, sunny day, at around upper 50F degree, for sledding. The rides down the hill was bumpy, yet fun.

These two little girls were giddy over the sled turning 90 degree around and going down the slope backward. They burst into laughters the moment their sled tipped over when they're landed.

45 month olds

Dear Elle,

Pushing your every little buttons and watching your frustration is our sweet revenge.
Mama always love to tease you calling you "My Dear" just to watch your little face sank in with a "NOT AGAIN" look dissenting, "I am not an animal.. NOT DEER!!".

You had rash all over your body and face lasted for 3 long weeks. We tried all sorts of lotion and rash creams, including the diaper cream, but all in vain. You'd groan you're not beautiful anymore when seeing your face covered with layers of rash cream. We teased you calling you "BUTT FACE!". On the second week, we told you we'd bring you to see the doctor, you said happily, "Yippe! Doctor will fix my face and make me beautiful again! And doctor will give me a COOKIE!". It turned out that you were having "The fifth disease", which would go away on its own over time.

You met two brothers in the B&N and played the train together. Just before we're about to leave, the younger brother grabbed two dolls from the shelf and asked his mama, "Can I play dolls with my friend(you)?".

That day you complained to the cashier saying, "Papa didn't let me buy the shampoo with dora picture on it.".

We always encourage you trying new food. You'd say, "OK, I'll try it and I'll tell you whether I like it or not.". 99% of the time, you'd give it a thumb-up.

You always surprise us with the new songs you picked up from school. "Sunday through Saturday" song, how cool is that? "Animals in the zoo" phonic song, how adorable when you are making gestures go along with the animals!

Mama's heart melt when hearing you said, "Gong Xi Fa Chai, Xin Nien Kua Le, Hong Bao Na Lai!... I need to keep practicing saying these so I can become a CHINESE baby.".

One major milstone is you start to spell MILK, MOP, MOON, CAT, BEE, SUN, PIZZA, PIG and etcetera.

Love,
Mama

CNY 2011 ~ Year of Rabbit

Blizzard

A monster blizzard raged across midwest dumping two to three feet of snow overnight. It was a whiteout outside by the time we woke up in the next morning. Snow EVERYWHERE.

This was the first "snow day" I have ever had from my work. On top of it, it was a bonus to have a "snow day" on CNY Eve. It was really a workout to shovel the snow off our driveway. Half an hour passed, we hardly completed one fifth of the driveway but we were already huffing and puffing over it. At that moment, a neighbor down the street vromming her snowblower towards us saying, "Don't worry. I will take care of all these." and then off she went plowing away the snow off our driveway. She was a godsend and she saved the day.
On the other hand, Elle was literarily throwing herself into the snow pile, rolling all over it happily like a penguin gliding its tummy on the ice. Stumbling up the snow mountain we made and sledding down over and over again.