Comin' Clean for the New Year!

My instructions (called from the kitchen) were:

"Hurry up, Mala. Your bath is ready. Mama will be right there."

Hmm.

Maybe I should've been more specific.



Then done right. :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Baby's Beauty Boutique

By Appointment Only

This Little Piggy...

Leitão (roast suckling pig) is a Portuguese traditional dish for holidays. Very costly and time consuming to make, but no self-respecting Portuguese has a wedding, or other affair without it present at some point during the night. My dad is like King of the Leitões, around this area, often the one people call to prep, roast and cut up (there's an art to it) for them. He even goes into the woods for his own roasting pole! LOL

Mal got her first taste tonight, and though I wasn't sure until that moment- she is definitely a carnivore! ;)

**The uninitiated are probably gagging. Those who know, salivating. :)

BTW, Mal's slippers are THREE sizes too big. Those are NOT her feet! LOL

To Her OWN Beat~

Malía got a present from her Auntie J and UncleCookieBiter today. However, having always used regular sized markers and crayons (and being very adept at, and meticulcous about putting the caps back on until they "click") she was a little mystified by this "Crayola Beginnings" set with the eggy shaped colour dispensers that must be held completely upside down to work.

But, loving the music and the fact that the thing "talks" to her as she colours, she stuck with it and began using them her own way. Or, is that Jackson Pollack's!? LOL (btw, this pic IS right side 'round on the camera card, but no matter how many times I tried uploading, it came out sideways on here! I even tried fooling it by rotating it on the camera card, but no dice. hmmm...!)

*click pic for full artistic effect :)

Don't Mean to be Annoying! :)

I keep changing the look of my blog to try and find one that resonates with me AND shows my videos in the sidebar well.
So far, NOT so good! LOL
Suggestions??

LATER: Okay, now I like this one, and when you maximize your screen the videos are fully there, BUT, Mal's pic in the header is not taking up the full space. However, when I try it without the shrink feature, then it is ENORMOUS. I am a Libra, we are pre-disposed not to be the best with techno stuff (though those on the Virgo and Scorpio side of Libra are!) so if anyone knows how to get the pic centered using this stretch template OR put TWO pics up there??- HELP! :)

Pre-Bedtime "Story"

Watching The Sound of Music :)




**there was a third pic of her lying on me, watching, but unfortunately, at that angle, my face looked like a snow plow had gone over it- twice- so no Mama shot tonight!

Mal-a-Menu

Christmas Eve:
Seafood is traditional for most Portuguese on Christmas Eve, so Mal got a variation- herb and garlic sole (which she normally devours), potatoes, salad, grapes, and for dessert cake and ice-cream.

She chose to eat: 1/2 a yogurt about 5 olives, a few pieces of lettuce, 3 bites of fish, 2 of potato, about 3 pork rinds (my dad loves those) and a pumpkin "donut"
She did have her 2 "sleepy" bottles

Christmas Day:
The following was put onto her plate at various meals:roast turkey, rice, 2 kinds of potato (my dad won't eat mashed, so we always have roasted, too), salad, bread, french toast, cod croquettes, various appetizers, fruit salad

She chose to eat: 1/2 a yogurt, about 5 olives, a few pieces of lettuce, one teeny bit of potato, 5 lupini beans, 5 more olives (yes ALL day!)
She did have her 2 "sleepy" bottles

My parents were worried, all kinds of advice was coming from a well meaning aunt. I ignored them. I know my kid.

Boxing Day she ate:
an egg, a couple of apple slices, about 30 grapes, 1/2 a good sized bowl of thick noodly homemade chicken soup, 1/2 a buttered roll (butter fully licked before roll consumption), 1/2 a snack bag of baked cheetos, homefries, 1 1/2 kosher hotdogs (no buns), a couple of bites of fruit salad, some gingerbread house, all the icing she could lick, a few bites of yogurt AND
she had her two "sleepy" bottles

Saturday was like Boxing Day (and add a HUGE bowl of mac&cheese in there) and today, we're back to picking at food, but in there, an apple, some turkey and sweet potatot got eaten- oh and the small "Afrika" cookie evidenced in the picture! Plus, of course the "sleepy" bottles. :)

From the CanadaAdopts board I read, I know that many parents worry about their little ones' intake. It's normal. What I have come to realize is that Mal will eat great some days, not so great others. My job is to know that it is not in a person's nature (even a toddler) to starve herself, and to just keep healthy choices (not give into trying just sweets, or chips etc in an effort to have her eat something) available.

She is off the charts for height and though she is streamline (Amhara tribe influence), she is VERY solid and strong and a hefty bundle when you pick her up, believe me. Her hair is healthy and growing, her eyes clear, her skin soft, and when that girl bm's (we still have issue with that being every few days, unfortunately) she can actually stop up the toilet, so though I still do a little one-more-bite begging, the majority of food stress I felt is gone, and we're BOTH happier for it. :)

"Boxing" Day :)

The original plan had been to brave the crowds and get Mama a much needed purse (diaper bags chic is not workin' for me anymore) and wallet (currently designed by "ziploc" to match my passport case :), but freezing rain in the morning nixed that idea. So we did no hair today, stayed in comfies, and hung around.
Doggies were made "all better" (for some reason the Beast was limping badly this morning), letter learning was reinforced, new (and bizarre!) words created, a mural got painted, meals and snacks eaten, Rudolph and Four Square got watched again. dance moves got invented, nap was taken (and Mama shared in that! :), books read (Caps for Sale is a BIG hit), a gingerbread house "made" and demolitioned (I am certain it was an invisible earthquake! And NO, it was NEVER meant to be pretty, only fun! LOL), bath taken, and finally a tuck into bed (where our normal 10 to 15 minute routine went crazy sour, but ah, one should not blog about sleep issues!)

A little "taste" of our day:

...And to all a goodnight! :)

Well, I had planned on not going overboard, but I forgot about things I bought early, so she got more than I had intended- lots of books, a cd featuring songs in her name, paints/markers/paper, a toy broom set and cook set, Mr./ Mrs. Potato Head, electric drum set and a Kid Tough Camera (which is going back b/c my cousin also got her one!), Rudoplph movie, a custom made Dorothy doll and Toto, plus traditonal new jammies and her new dress (which don't really count, right? :)

Her Vó-vó and Vô-vô did behave at my request: A beautiful red dress-up coat, some new pairs of jammies, slippers.

BUT, her Godmother and two aunties(and uncles) did NOT!

Let's see- about 4 more sets of jammies, mega-sized colouring set, HUGE bigger-than-Malia bear, a Little Tikes Camera, Leap Frog Word Whammer, talking Dress Me Elmo, skipping rope, a zillion books, stuffed christmas teddy bear- there's more, but that's what I can remember right now. I also know that another auntie has stuff for her she'll get later. Sheesh.

I very honestly want to cut back, want her to understand about giving as more important, about the real meaning of Christmas (and she was soooo cute kissing baby Jesus at church), so I think next year I'll set a limit on what I/Santa gives her (and oh my, Little Sista will likely be with us by then!!!:), period and start the one thing comes in the house, so one must go out to a child in need system.

For now, at least everything she got is useful either in the practical sense, or as a way to nurture creativity and skills.

Same Horsey, Same Auntie... Same KID!?? :)

My Daughter's Heart

There are some old wounds involving this season that make the time from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day very, very hard for me, and for my family. I have always been the peace maker, the one to bring everyone together (or exhaust myself trying) and when each year it's a fresh battle to try and get people to just forget the past (or at least let it fade), but they insist on picking the proverbial scabs off and starting new bleeds, I get very discouraged and very, very tired and sad.

Today, while driving my car back to the dealership at lease's end, I heard from an aunt, just newly arrived home from Portugal that, once again, there would be no big family dinner b/c he said, she said, they said, he did, she did....

It was 13 years ago! I had so hoped that Malia in our lives would unite everyone once and for all on holidays (I mean everyone is fine the rest of the year!) if only for her sake, but what my brother's wife wrought and then left to fester, has not eaten itself out, at least not with the older adults.

So, anyway... I started crying while talking to my aunt (the minute I said, "But, I thought we could finally have a real Christmas") and was still crying when I hung up a couple of minutes later.

Then I hear a very concerned little voice from the back seat:

Mal: Mama? Wha's dat? Wha's a matter?

Me: (trying to reign in my tears) It's okay, baby. Mama's okay.

Mal: I' hur's you, Mama? Where i' hur's you, Mama?

Me: (truthfully, but as lightly as I could) My heart, baby. Mama has a doi-doi (boo-boo) on her heart, but I will be okay.

Mal: Oh, okay. (then after a pause) Mama, doi-doi hur's you?

Me: Yes, but it feels much better already. You are making it all better. You make everything better.

Mal: Yes, better. I kiss it?

Me: (blowing her a kiss) Thank you, baby and here's kisses for you, too.

Mal: (blowing kisses back) All better, now, Mama? All better? Ma'ia kiss it.

Then about 2 hours later, I was lying down with her for her nap. I thought she was asleep, and when the grief of the morning's convo washed over me again, a little sob escaped me.

Mal: (reaching to touch my face) Mama? Crying? I's okay, Mama. I's okay. Doi-doi hur's you?

Mama: Sorry, honey, Go to sleep.

Mal: (patting me) I's okay, Mama. (said about 5 times, and then-) I kiss your heart. (and she does)

***
I have no idea where this kind of empathy comes from in such a young person. But, I am blessed, and I thank God. I hope she never loses it, or becomes afraid to show it to people.

All My kids...

We went to the wedding of a former student this past weekend. Tonight, another former student, a guest at the next table (and the boy holding her in the post below this one), sent me this pic of my own little lady. Her smile lights my heart.

On a sad note (and spkg of former students), the second in as many weeks passed away this weekend. The first died from complications of the diabetes she ignored, and this one from a brain injury incurred years ago. This one, though definitely tragic at the age of 22, is also a blessing b/c a highly intelligent boy, he was in constant turmoil. The injury affected the part of his brain where joy resides, so he was left angry, paranoid, volatile, hated almost everyone.
Now, as his obit reads, he "is finally at rest".
I hope so, "Jack", I hope so.

From Morning Till Night

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

But, I'M the one who's tried!!

PS: For those who've asked what Mal's hair is actually like- enlarge the top pic, and that's the real deal, fresh from a morning bath and some conditioner- no other product. :)

Kooky Creative Kid!

Doggy Bed Yoga:

Yup, she is colouring raw cookie dough! LOL (we baked the other pieces :)

Getting into Snow Angel position:

Colour me Happy??

http://www.careerpath.com/career-tests/colorcareercounselor.aspx

I ran across this colour test to determine the career path I should be on. All you do, for the whole test, is choose colours- most fav, least fav etc. Takes about 3 minutes.

And the cool thing? I did it 3x and got the SAME results 3x. Guess I am meant to be an English/Arts person, period.

Phew! Glad I got that right, right from the beginning, or I'd be kickin' myself right now. :)

How about you??

We wish you a Merry Christmas

Make a Smilebox greeting

Two going on TWELVE!

Word of the day: GROSS!
(likely picked up while spending the morning with Mama at school, yesterday)

Tonight it was used no less than 3x in about 10 minutes:

In the tub, noticing some strands of my hair on the shampoo bottle:
"Mama hair. Eeew, gross."

Still in tub, and complaining her tummy hurt and making "poo-poo is inevitable" faces:
Mama: Mal do you need the potty?
Mal: No, Mama, no poo-poo.
Mama: Malia, don't you dare wait too long, you could poo-poo in the tub.
Mal: Eeeew, gross!

While she was sitting on the potty, The Beast started licking her toes:
Mal: Khobi, no. Shtop, shtop it.
Mama: He thinks your feet taste good.
Mal: Noooooo. Khobi, no. Gross!

LOL

The Two Kalkidans' Weekend!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Favourite Convo With Mal, Ever :)

Tonight as I am getting her into her jammies:

Mama: Mali, you are my beautiful, amazing, sensitive, caring, oh so smart, funny, funny baby girl! I love you so much, Mala.

Mal: (throwing her arms around my neck and snuggling in) I love you, too, Mama. (and you just HAVE to hear her precious voice say it!)

Mama: Thank you, sweetie.

Mal: You' welcome, Mama.

Ah! Heart stab :)

Trial Run!

Malía had her first sleepover friend this weekend, and I got to experience the fun/craziness/hilarity/challenge/sometimes frustration of the under 4 set times two! :)
Since 1pm yesterday there have been car seat negotiations on too many rides to count, Madagascar2, 2 visits with Santa (and with the Mall one, Mal turned it x-rated when she pulled my top all the way down in an effort to dive bomb away from the Big Guy!), church, a club Christmas party, face painting, colouring time, dancing, extreme after dark sliding and swinging, hot chocolate and timbits, stories galore and of course, BATHTIME- all in double "trouble" :)
Most commonly heard phrase this weekend:
Girls, stop fighting.
Second most common:
So, who'd like to get their butt tanned, first?
Third most common:
One, two...

LOL

It was awesome to have Miss K with us, and more awesome to see Malía embrace sisterhood. She freely bestowed kisses, asked for hugs, shared toys (but sometimes territorial rights had to be fought for and won :), slept better than she has in months, explored new language and sobbed her little heart out when tonight, just before 7pm, K's mama arrived to take her home.

It was pitiful with Mal's little tear streaked face against the screen door, crying, "P'ease Mama, open dis. Ki'an inside here. Ma'ia, Ki'an. P'ease. P'ease." and to have to encourage her to blow kisses as they pulled away, instead.

Photo avalanche to come, but for now, suffice it to say that I learned a lot this weekend, not the least of which was about MYSELF! :)