Family-versary!

Four years. Is it possible?

In China, she was the tiniest and the loudest. She screamed for 3 days. Our whole travel group waited for those blessed moments when she slept. And then she blossomed into the happiest baby.


She's now still tiny, but looks exactly right. She's definitely the loudest and the happiest. She is the funniest, the goofiest. She is the most helpful, the most enthusiastic, the most playful, the most wackily creative, the most outrageous, the most loving. I think to some people, she can be the most infuriating.

She is the most perfect fit for our family!

Another Facet

While "goofy" is her look most of the time, there is also this side:

(It was raining so her hair curled up something fierce.)

Now if only she could get a bow. Today she learned some bow handling technique, so maybe soon.

Can "just like me" (horrid, horrid violin exercise) be far off?

Performance Jitters

Obviously not from XiaoXiao. It was Baba and Mum who were happy to have lived through the performance. I think there were only a few giant laughs that escaped John's lungs and he covered his eyes with his hands just once. He mentioned that perhaps XX took after him in dance ability.

I think she was brilliant.

The video is from dress rehearsal last night. There was a bit of a train wreck, but everyone recovered well. On occasion, the girls even managed to do the same step, with the music, on the same leg. I think XX is also working on her acting skills so she can be a giggly village girl in Giselle or Coppélia.

The kids were not nearly so coordinated today.

To start, XX waved at the audience and called out, "Hi Mama!" before the dance started, to everyone's amusement. She forgot her steps. She bumped into the other kids. There wasn't much, if any, connection to the music. Of course, she did this all with enthusiasm.

As did all the other little girls. I'm not sure any of them hit their marks or remembered the dances, but it didn't matter. They all had fun, they all came out of the theatre beaming.

And so did their parents.

Catch-Up

XiaoXiao has been busy this past month.

She got a scooter.

She got a bike.

She hit a bump on a curb and went flying off, landing face-down flat. She had all the gear on so popped up as usual and said, "I'm okay, Mum!" But I wasn't. I nearly got sick. No more curbs without me holding the bike now.

Her swimming lessons are over until after summer. She progressed amazingly - enough to swim a full length of the pool, to be thrown into the pool and get oriented quickly to swim to the side, and even to do some preliminary diving.

She's become quite physically adept, and loves that she's able to reach most anything in the kitchen now.

She's been sewing.

And cleaning.

Inside and out.

We had a scare one evening when we thought dà xiàng was lost. XX wrote a note to put on the window for her friend. She wanted him to find his way home.

Luckily, he turned up. He goes to school with her on the days she stays full days and is with her every night.

XiaoXiao started violin lessons this week with Aunt Steff's former teacher. She's a dedicated student, practicing before school and before bed.

And, of course, it must be obvious that XX continues to work on her sense of style.

The sense of "goofy" also gets worked on. I think she's succeeding at both!

Rehearsal

XX looked at me this morning and said, "Mum? Your baby has her first rehearsal today." And so she did.

It went as expected.

Before rehearsal started, XX asked questions and commented in the hallway. Loudly. She made everyone laugh, at one point so hysterically that two parents had to excuse themselves to guffaw outside. After all, the big girls were rehearsing so we weren't supposed to be disruptive.

In XX's defense, she was just curious:

• "Why does Kelli have pierced ears? She's not married!"
• "Why is the boy carrying the girl? Will she carry him?"
• "Can Daddy carry you?"
• "Why is she doing pirouettes all the way across the floor?"
• "Why are pointe shoes hard?"
• "Why are they wearing costumes and I'm not?"
• "How come he can jump so much?"
  
• "Why is he sweating?"
• "Why are they going this way and the other girls are going that way?"
  
• "When is it MY turn?"
  

One mother told me, "Oh boy, do YOU have your hands full." I do.

She also said, "Your life must be so much fun." It is.

During the 30 minute rehearsal (mainly so that the three classes of pre-dance could get used to being all together), I kept hearing a familiar voice shouting directions or corrections. It wasn't the teacher. Her voice said, "XiaoXiao? Are we supposed to be talking?"

"No! We're supposed to be 'shhhh!' Everyone, SHHHHHH!!!!" The quiet would last half a minute or so.

Can hardly wait to see the performance.

A Happy Mother's Day

XX has been, as usual, pretty excited about Mother's Day. On Friday, she and Daddy "whispered" about possible presents:

"How about a dress?!!!"

Daddy said it would be hard to size and choose.

"How about a CATERPILLAR?!!!"

Daddy said this would be difficult.

"How about a computer?"

Daddy said this was a bit expensive.

With a bit of not-so-subtle hinting, they settled on paintings.

XX painted, hid her work, and then told me this morning, "You have to find your presents! Look under your desk!"

There were more hiding spots, more paintings. These are my favorites, me on the left with her name signed in Chinese up top, while her self-portrait is on the right.


She has been making bodies on her drawings, but she told me, "These are you and me. Long legs."

Then she told me that she and Daddy were going to get a surprise for me so I should go hide while they went outside to cut flowers. Don't ever tell this child a secret or it will be broadcast to the world.

You might notice that the rose in the back is past its prime. I can assure you, XiaoXiao never saw this. She saw only beauty. Even a broken stick can be a masterpiece to this child. She often goes out carrying a leaf as if it were a wand. A piece of a weed can be a magical offering to a stranger. She adores each day, each bit of life.

So I think my best gift today was a reminder that we are all gorgeous, we are all of worth.

Happy Day!

The Carseat

XiaoXiao loves her new carseat. These have come a long way in just a few years. This new one is sturdy as a tank, but with all sorts of added comfort factors, including cushions around the back and on the straps (for small people with little self-padding).

She'll be in it for a few years before moving to a booster so I'm glad she thinks it's cozy and that it's got a fabric design that she loves.


What's more, the box is a perfect napping place.