Instead of counting sheep

Amanda is like me when it comes to sleep - she tosses and turns quite a bit. So we started a fun little tradition: we pretend we go on trips. She usually likes to "visit" her relatives in Seattle or the Bay Area. Amanda chose to go to her Grandparents' home. Our description went like this:

{both lying in bed with a squirrely Abigail crawling all over us}

Me: "Okay Amanda, pack your bags. And don't forget your favorite peacock dress."
Amanda: "I have all the bags in the trunk. Did you remember your keys? (She knows me too well)"
Me: "Yes. Can't wait to eat all the goodies we packed!"
Amanda: "The traffic's not bad today, Mom."
Me: "Let's turn off at this rest stop."
Amanda: "What does that sign say?"
Me: "Snake area - caution."
Amanda: "Let's get back in the car."
Me: "Here's Riggins. And that's the Salmon River."

I try to evoke as much imagery as possible, while working on vocabulary and pretend play. She really enjoys it, and relaxes enough to let her body wind down into sweet slumber.

The next day, Amanda decided to make a map of our "trip", so she sketched one in pen.


Once I picked up my jaw from the ground, I scanned it and we colorized it in Photoshop. Here is the resultant map:


Tonight, I get to choose the trip destination. And I think it will be the Greek Isles. :grin: Where will you go with your kids today?

Bejeweled steps

"Finally, I can tell you the secret," Amanda said, as she pushed something into my hand. A folded paper and something wrapped in colored tissue. "Happy Mother's Day," she sang in a cloyingly sweet pitch.

This is what she presented me with:






Backtrack a few days: Amanda came up to me, as if taking my order, with notepad and pencil in hand, and asked, "What colors do you like?" I told her I currently like blue, green, and white. She wrote furiously, pausing only to ask me how to spell the word white. Then she scurried off and shut her bedroom door. "It's a secret! Don't come in here!"

She had asked so she could make my Mother's Day gift.

When I opened the card, she had drawn this little picture of us:


Abigail also presented me with a gift of her own. She suddenly began walking. And walking. And walking! At almost 15 months, she has finally found her wings. :grin: I now anoint myself CHASER of TODDLER.

The catch in my throat has not gone away since this spectacular Mother's Day. And I hope it never will.

Being a mother

What a powerful responsibility it is to nurture my girls. To think that what I say and do nudges their futures a certain direction... I hope with all my heart that it is a direction in which they hit their full potential. Be the best you God meant for you to be, Amanda and Abigail!



Click here for credits.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you fellow mothers! Your heart's work that you pour out to your family - it is never in vain.

In Loving Memory

Gary P. Ryska

Beloved husband.uncle.brother.soldier.friend.servant of God

You will be greatly missed.

Memoir of days spent well

Over the river and through the woods...
...to Grandparents' house we go! Ron and the girls tagged along with me when I went up north for work, and together we had a chance to visit Ron's parents, Ngeen-Ngeen and Yeh-Yeh. (For those of you familiar with the Nick Jr. cartoon, Ni Hao Kai-Lan, you know that Yeh-Yeh means "grandfather". And yes, the other word means "grandmother".)

Here is Amanda at the first rest stop, where she nervously sat near the caution sign:


From L to R: Abigail, Ngeen-Ngeen, Amanda, Daddy, and Yeh-Yeh


We had a chance to visit with some old friends, K and her son, N:



She lives right next to the hotel we were staying at! K was Amanda's infant room teacher, and my co-worker.

The five days zipped by mercilessly, and before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye and pile into the car for the five-hour trip home. (For those friends in the area we didn't get a chance to see, please forgive us! Too much to do in very little time. We'll be back soon!)

The first two hours, all three girls snoozed while Ron drove. The next two hours we played games and listened to kids' songs ad nauseum. The last hour was rough on the Crabigail. Poor thing wailed most of the way home. But ah, so good to be home!

Amanda's debut
Amanda performed at her first recital a few weeks ago. Here she is, doing her thing:

Amanda and her fabulous piano teacher, Ms. Kelly:

I think she might have been the youngest participant - she certainly was the smallest. But oh-so plucky! :)

Miscellaneous
I was pretty excited to hear that one of my layouts was published in the April 08 edition of Bella Scraps Magazine. I received a copy, and I had to check for myself for proof! Cool.

More layouts to share:

(click on any image in this post to enlarge)

Go here for layout credits. Photo frame is from the Moonrise at Waikiki Oscraps Mega Kit.

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y, Saturday! Wee hours of Saturday morning -

Identity
Amanda and I were watching Reading Rainbow today when we saw a clip about a Native American painter. Amanda turned to me with scrunched nose and said, "Mom, he looks weird." "Tell me why you think that, Amanda," I encouraged. She said, "Well, he looks Chinese." Struggling to stifle my giggle, I gently reminded her that she is half-Chinese. After wrestling with that reality for a moment, she offered, "I know that. But women and girls and my Daddy that are Chinese aren't weird. Just him."

Some people might be horrified with the conversation above, but I hope you'll see it for what it is. It's a fascinating honor to peek into Amanda's mind as she develops a more sophisticated system of organization and categorization. Anyone or anything that doesn't fit neatly into current categories most often become filed as "weird", to child and adult alike.... This opportunity afforded us the chance to talk about the similarities between the painter and Chinese people, and our hybrid Chinese-Korean family for that matter, as well as the differences. If you have preschoolers, this age is ripe with opportunities to explore "same" and "different" in an authentic, productive manner. Here's a nice article to reference for more information on this topic.

The miscellaneous that makes life LIFE
Ron was out of town on a business trip, so I had the pleasure (ha!) of playing single parent for several days. I am gripped at the heart by how great a role Ron plays in this family's well-being. It is really nice to be walking alongside a man of deep convictions. Sigh...we're so glad he's back!

During his absence, the girls and I had blueberry pancakes, bacon, eggs and juice for dinner one night. Amanda thought it was the coolest thing in the world as she got to prepare the pancakes herself - the recipe is great, and very simple. Do let me know if you try it out!

Abigail is now walking... on her knees. She does that whenever possible, leaving one to wonder if she's just an unnaturally short 13-month-old with an interesting swagger. You just have to laugh at how different children are. Abby can now climb up AND slide down our stairs without blinking, and she points at everything. Pointing Girl will still need to "use your words" - we always say that to her, so now she points to her cup and says, "Abeejo joo." (translation: Abigail wants juice.) At any given time, you can find Amanda squeezing Abigail's hand really hard with clenched teeth, saying, "Oh these little sister dimple hands are so cute!" Then it usually ends with Amanda crying because Abby has socked her in the face with a cute little sister dimple hand.

Amanda has her first piano recital in the morning! We're entranced by the music she infuses into our home. I hope she enjoys the moment and not get stage fright.

I may have overworked myself during my exercise class, and woke up with a barely functioning back - inconvenient recurring injury. I will need to tone down my Type-A personality exercise regimen!

One of my layouts was featured on the Creating Keepsakes Scrapbooking Magazine blog, under the link "Adorable outfit and layout" - wow! Thanks for letting me know about it, Tez and Michelle!

Did anybody say layouts?




(Click to enlarge images)

For layout credits, follow this link.

Take a deep breath

Life is a constant adventure. I am reminded of this often. :grin: Note to self... savor the moments. Scrapping allows me to savor some moments retroactively. Here are some from the last few weeks:







This is one I made to go along with my blog post for the Scrap Matters team blog. I am trying to keep my hobby from becoming an obsession. Darn the Type A in me. They say your gift can also be your vice....


(click for larger images)

My sister Gina visited for a week, and we had a blast. Amanda had quite an eventful week, having turned five (my baby is five!!!!) and getting her four top front teeth extracted (nerve damage). She is back to her normal chipper self.