The wild rat

Jenny brought us a live rat.  Eric saw it run upstairs.  I heard it in Fei's room.  Eric spent hours hunting it in her room.  The girls were not happy about sleeping in their rooms but I convinced them the poor wee thing was scared, torn away from her only home and that made it ok.  Lewis caught it in Fei's room in the middle of the night.  LOTS of noise and rats do make noise.  Ug.  So poor wee thing is really scared now and it's run into Lili's room.  By morning the girls want to leave food and water out for it.  Eric wants it gone any way possible.  I make him go get a live trap.  In my defense we had cheap plastic ones at work for mice and they worked great.  He doesn't find anything like that and ends up with the skookum thing in the picture above for $50.  Yikes.  He was NOT happy about this but he deserves brownie points from the girls and I for rescuing the wild rat.  He was putting peanut butter in the trap all day and it was slamming shut without the rat in it. ?  Anyways, the minute the girls heard this they freaked because peanut butter is a major no no for pet rats, they don't have a gag reflex.  We opted for cheese bread in the cage and we waited.  Lili slept in Fei's room.  We finally caught her in the middle of the night after two days.  She was so sweet.  Lewis was laying on Lili's bed just watching her.  Too funny.

Snow

Lili and I found some of those tiny yogurt drinks that the babies all love in China.  We bought some to try at home.  The big girls and friends all hated them but Jia thought they were wonderful enough to drink two at a time!

This is the little dog that Lili and Fei chose to take to Jia in China and he remains a favorite, his name is Tinkybell.  He's usually a friend at bedtime but the other day he got to sit at the table and be fed pretend yogurt.  Ah, sweet baby moments.

Jia was delighted with snow!

Every year Eric builds the girls a slide right beside the stairs and they just love it.  Turns out our Jia likes to use the slide as much as the big girls!  She would declare at the bottom as soon as she stopped that it was Jia's turn and would race up the stairs.  Too cute.  She rode with them turn for turn for over an hour and it was -6.

These two stayed up on the deck, shivering and asking me to let them back in.  Love the matching colors.  Chicco is staying with us for the week while his family is skiing. 

She really flew on that disc and loved it.  There is hope that she'll enjoy the rides in Disneyland.

She walked up these stairs carrying her own disc over and over and over.

We gave Fei one of her Birthday gifts early, it's a polar bear sled.  You never know, this might be our only snow for the season.  Lili sang Happy Birthday to her in the morning and we let them know they could skip dance class to play in the snow after school.

She was running and throwing her body down the hill.  So brave.

I knew Lili and Fei would like their sister  but I had no idea going into this third child, big age gap, how close they would be.  They are devoted to her and they play all the time.  It's awesome to watch.  The age gap just doesn't seem to matter for the most part.

We're having our 1st Chinese New Year party tomorrow night.  We're all looking forward to that.  Fingers crossed that more snow holds off until Saturday. 

Oompa Loompas on the news!

The Oompa Loompas made it on the news last night!

Youtube Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaM5NOJPBKA

New Doo

All five of us got our hair cut the other day, for Chinese New Year.  Need to cut your hair before the new year so you don't cut your luck in the new year.

Anyway...

I'm the only one with the radical change.  I'm loving having my short hair back, feels awesome.  Was hoping for more gray and I'm bit surprised at how much dark was left, thought I'd grown it out enough.  Next cut will show more silver.

Our Little Oompa Loompa

Lili and her classmates are in the High School Production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  It's been an amazing opportunity and she's had a lot of fun so far.  They did the show this morning for their whole school and tonight is the 'real' production.  I've got my tickets and I'm thrilled to get to see it again.  The show this morning was fabulous. 

Rehearsal in the High School.  Memories washed over me and the old school even smells the same.

Finally, the big day.

Blocking.

Youtube Links to the parts of the play our school is in.  Forgive my filming.  I'm sure only the diehard "Just One More' folks will want to watch these.  Lili wanted them on here so she can get the them easily online.

#1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDkiOq5sniM&feature=youtu.be

#2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGew9ZCeV24&feature=youtu.be

#3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZYuaGxw9i0&feature=youtu.be

#4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P249ht81Bj8&feature=youtu.be

#5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye2vmjI_0wo&feature=youtu.be

#6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJzz8UipuWI&feature=youtu.be

#7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_b1fBQsD_c&feature=youtu.be

Round 2.

Excitement was high!

Trusty phone at the ready.  Never underestimate how much my girls love their phones :)

Finally a group picture.

Well done!

Jia Turns Two!

More presents...really?!

It took a bit to convince her she really did have to open more but she finally got into it.

There was once again too much stuff.  She was starting to really figure out that the day was all about her though.  When ever I asked her how old she was or told her how old she was she put one finger in the air and said three.  Never did get her to put two fingers up and say two.

Birthday Party was at Butterfly Gardens.  13 kids and even more adults.  It was awesome.

Jia was calling the butterflies 'Jiaflies'.  Kids are all still calling them that and I think it's going to stick for quite a while at our house!

Watching Jiaflies hatch in the nursery. 

A box of Jiaflies were held for release at her party.  That was pretty cool.

Jia was a bit intimidated in the gardens and wanted uppies with me the whole time.  I'm not used to that, she's usually so much more independant and hanging with the kids.  We had fun together and she loved all the critters in the gardens.  She talked about Sheldon the tortoise for days.

Our guide is showing us vanilla beans and asked who liked icecream.  I put up my hand and didn't even realize that Jia did too, but Eric saw it and got the picture.  Our clever girl.

Jia actually took the whole microscope apart while I stood by visiting with adults.  Steve put it back together for Jia and she was thrilled to have a look at a flamingo feather.

Doesn't she look so much older than 2?

In the morning during Jia's bath I realized she didn't know how to blow out a candle, so Eric brought one to her in the tub and she declined blowing it out with a "no tank you Daddy".  So imagine our surprise and delight at the party when she blew out her candles like a pro!  Youtube video link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zq-Sp-AjiU&feature=youtu.be

Mmmm....snack time.

More presents!

The best part, handing out goodie bags!

Phew, party is finally over, time to relax and figure out this blow thing with my pal Emily.

The big kids are all about their electronics.  Jia didn't seem to mind being left alone to contemplate whatever was in her hands.

Cutest little two year old ever :)

Jia vacuums with Dad.

Hilarious video of Jia doing chores with Daddy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmiqixlvbjU&feature=youtu.be