Gearing up for CNY

Finally dug out our decorations.  I'm behind schedule.  Walter was all over everything as it came out of the boxes,  so none of the pretty lanterns, fire crackers or wind chimes got to go up this year. 

I took Fei, Jia and Luk to see Kung Fu Panda 3 today.  Lili stayed home sick.  Movie was fabulous.  Scared Luk pretty badly though.  He was climbing all over me, shaking and clinging on.  Poor kid.  It's amazing he goes willingly to the theater.  When he told Eric about the movie his story was all about the Kung Fu moves and he was kicking and punching all over the kitchen :)

Do you know how to live on Mars?

We do.  Fei's project is housing on Mars for 100 people.

I resent big school work projects that have to be done at home. Like we actually have time.  Eric and Fei gathered the supplies last week and we've been discussing the plan off and on.

I told Fei that it has to be done this weekend.  Way too much going on next week to squeeze in extra projects.  So Eric, Fei and I gathered at the table at 1:30.  We finished at 4:30.  I think that's pretty impressive.  The domes need to be glued down but we're holding off until tomorrow in case we think of something else to add.

The really amazing part...the littles stayed in the living room.  They're playing with duplo and stopping to watch TV when something they like comes on treehouse. 

Cuddles

Saturday morning cuddles.  Awww. 

Esmei was spayed yesterday.  We're supposed to keep her quiet, no jumping, no stairs for 14 days.  Ya right.  Why do they even bother telling us these unrealistic things.  She was restless all night.  Waking me up every half hour or so.  This morning she escaped my room and is just wandering free.  Stairs and jumping included.  If anything exerting more energy than normal.  Yeesh.

Talent Show

Lili went in the Cow High talent show.  She was awesome of course.  Such a brave kid.  Show was mostly dance with some music thrown in.  Had to endure two rock bands.  The littles were both covering their ears :)  Other than the way too loud bands it was a pretty good show. 

Jia lost her first tooth.

Big milestone.  She has been watching kids in class lose a lot of teeth.  Youngest kid in the class two years in a row.  She was so excited about her wiggly tooth until she realized she couldn't bite into things.  After three days of wiggling it came out at school.  She was thrilled to get to show her friends and make that special trip to the principals office for a tooth box.

Happy 6th Birthday Isabel.

Izzy had no clue but we had fun making her a hat and trying to get a decent picture.  Jia gave her dog treats in lieu of cake. 

Check out the Ikea sensory swing.  We bought it years ago but we were reluctant to hang it.  The hardware is unsightly.  There has been fighting over turns and a bit too much swinging versus the spinning it's designed for.  Kid's like it but I'm not in love with it yet.

So great to get Luk smiling for pictures again.  Is there anything cuter than footie pajamas?!

Kitchen Gods

Every year we color our Kitchen Gods before Spring Festival.  Gramma and Grampa came over this morning.  Next couple weeks are super busy, even more than usual so it was great to get one more thing off the list.

Yesterday we did a major haul out and clean of our cubbies in the laundry room.  Phew.  Took four hours.  All of the kids were cooperative which was surprising and greatly appreciated.  Two huge bags of coats, hats, gloves and shoes culled out.  It feels so light and clean in there now.

Kittens at 6 months.

A wee bit of kitten fun tonight.  Esmei (or Himilayans in general) love paper.  Eugene loved paper and Esmei is even more enthralled.  Jia and I were making paper flowers after dinner and Esmei wanted to help.  Which is sweet because she isn't usually very active, another himi trait.  Jia had some fun on the stairs with little Esmei and Walter joined us.  He doesn't really 'get' the paper thing ;)

Bunch of stray photos.

We're finally making progress on him smiling for the camera.  Of course I had to do some duck quacking to make it happen.

Jia got a gift card for her Birthday.  We made it shopping on Sat.  She took it very seriously. Eric went to get a hair cut.  Big girls took off on their own.  Luk and I followed her around the toy story for a long time. Final decision was a talking Princess Cadance My Little Pony. Took a while to settle because she had $25 and Cadance was $30 but 30% off.  Way too big a real life math problem for grade one ;)

Smiling without duck sounds!

These two did some shopping on their own.  They found new shirts on sale 50% off from their favorite store and phone covers 80% off and bought them with their own money.  Wild. Sooo independent.  

Noodle Box.  This is how the big girls wait.

This is how the littles wait.

Year of the monkey for CNY this Feb.  I found these monkey game booklets in the valentine's day isle at a dollar store.  Score!! Perfect favor for handing out in the kids classes.

I bought Eric an adult coloring book so he could sit with me.  The littles joined us Sunday morning.  Jia wasn't peaceful and we sent her away.  Luk sat for a good hour and quietly worked in his book.  He is actually coloring in the lines now.  He loves to draw and often draws all over the coloring picture.

I think he had an ok time.

Paper crafting.  These cakes turned out so cute. Wouldn't mind trying again with sturdier paper, paint and more serious cake decorating.  Perhaps gluing things on.

Score at the thrift today.

I usually look for books, seasonal items, novelties and trinkets for the kids.  Today I found a whole set of 8 of my china set!  ROSALIE from 1930.  My set was my Grandma's.  After she passed dear Grampa started using them and put them through the dish washer.  They are worn, faded and crackled.  They are gorgeous.  I got them in a hope chest from my much adored Grampa when I was 16.  Eric has helped me search for more pieces through the years, hoping to replace the missing pieces.  We've only found a few lone pieces. Then we got kids and all thoughts of dishes went by the wayside.  Until today....I was pretty darn excited to see a whole set, with serving pieces!  The best part, whole set for $60.  Some days at the thrift are definitely more rewarding ;)

Kids weren't thrilled and had no interest in playing with dishes. Go figure. I had a blast playing in them. 

The ones I bought today.

Amalgamated.

Cleared a shelf.

Ready for a dinner party :)  Perhaps my 50th.

Facebook five years ago.

Every now and again Facebook likes to show old posts or photos.  The idea being you can share them again.  But...this proves confusing for many.  Peeps don't always look at the date and think it's a new picture.  Here is the one they showed me today.  I can just hear folks asking if we got another new baby!  Ha ha.  So, this was five years ago today.  Soooo cute.  Shocking how fast they grow up.  I can still remember bundling them up like it was a week ago.  Fei is 7, Jia just turned 1 and Lili is 8.

Sun

Eric and I did a major grocery order this morning.  Fun things like kitty litter, tp, dish-kid-laundry-hand soap, vitamin D drops, diapers and very little food.  $490 later.  Yeesh.  Crazy. 

Such a gorgeous day.  Lili wanted to go for a walk.  Everyone else said no so we got to go just the two of us and we got to walk in the sun! 

Miss Lacie is having her first bout of sickness ever.  She has diarrhea.  Poor wee thing.  We've had to do a lot of cleaning.  No idea what the problem is.  We took her food away over night and fed her pumpkin puree last night.  It definitely helped.  She's gone from liquid to sludge.  Today I cooked her some chicken and rice which she really liked.  Alternating that with the pumpkin for the next three days.  I was reading a lot last night about how to treat for dogs.  It was mentioned over and over again how common this is but we've never had a dog with diarrhea.  Fingers crossed for Lacie, it's really hard to watch her suffer.  She was crying last night.  Little face was drenched in wetness from her tears.  It's a Chihuahua thing.  BREAKS your heart to see.

Fei took Walter outside to play today.  He was not impressed.  He was clinging to her and trying to get back to the door.  Baby steps.  He is sooo busy.  He won't make a great indoor cat.  There are times we all want to throw him outside for a break ;)

Luk's First Song

"Mom, I wrote a song, do you want to hear it? 

Doody doody do,  I love you, I love you.  Doody doody do, I love you, I love you.

That's my love song, do you love it?"

I'm choosing to believe the Doody part isn't a potty word ;)  So sweet.

Children's

Luk just did 11 appointments at Children's in Vancouver.  Ultra sound of his bladder and kidneys.  Xray of his head and torso, showing his shunt from beginning to end.  Urodynamics test with a urology nurse (very interesting and I can stop fearing cathing him).  Pediatrician.  Occupational Therapist.  Urologist.  Neuro Surgeon.  Orthopedic Surgeon.  Social worker.  Physical therapist.  SB clinic nurse. Everything is as we expected.  Everyone on our team at home is on track or matching Children's team in findings and advice.  Everyone will pass on their info to our existing team.  The OT and PT were the only ones with differing opinions.  I preferred hearing the ladies today who will pass on their far more encouraging and realistic expectations to the Duncan folks.  At home we are going to start working a bit more towards social continence. We're thrilled there were no surprises.  Luk was an excellent patient.  Jia did better than expected and loved that she was often included during each new meeting. 

The SB nurse introduced us to another family with kids from China in the clinic today.  She says there are six families from China in their clinic.  Also met a few families from the island. 

I'm glad we both came for this first visit.  Now that I know the lay of the land I think I'll be comfortable to bring Luk on my own next time.

Kids were thrilled about ferries and a hotel.  Had to keep reminding them that it wasn't a holiday ;)  Getting up at 5 am two days in a row was tough.  Luk is tired.  

Big thanks to Gramma and Grampa for helping Lili and Fei at home.

Obligatory ferry shot but Luk was still doing his whole I can't smile thing.  

Boogie Boards were a huge hit.  This is an alligator dinosaur with seaweed on his belly under the water.  

Pretty cool to see what your own head and shunt looks like!!