Changes for the New Year

 Christmas came and we're now into the year 2012 (or soon to be 4710 in the traditional Chinese calendar).  What changes have taken place in the past year?

Nature Hike at Mark West Ranchero

Iris really got the Christmas presents opening down!

First, Iris is talking a lot more and can "read" by memorizing picture books.  I love it when she uses the same inflections that I or Brian does.  It's especially impressive when she uses vocabulary that's in the book, but that she may not know the exact meaning of.

You're ice skating now, Iris!

Second, she is gaining great motor control for riding her tricycle, dancing, ice skating and swimming.  Today, she ventured for the first time using "noodle" floaties in the swimming pool without mommy holding onto her.  She even got her face and hair wet without getting out of the pool to dry off her face.  Likewise, she is handling crayons and pencils with more ease and drawing shapes or messages (not legible) on her own.  Ice skating has been especially memorable- three times in two weeks in December! Watch her official first lesson in ice skating.

Third, she is growing and maturing, such that she can reach almost all the lightswitches in the house, and practicing good social skills.  At the park this week, she readily played with a 6-year-old girl making sand cakes together.  She still tells Daddy and me what she wants her dolls to say or do, but we don't always follow that because it's a bit bossy.

Fourth, she makes up her own stories with her dolls-Barbie, paper, stuffed animal toys...whatever.  I think Daddy has fostered a good imagination in her because he has a fun imagination as well.

Finally, she is starting to understand a few chores that she can do.  She helps set the table for dinner, and puts away her plate, bowl or cup when she's finished eating.  Now if she would only put away her toys regularly.  There's a lot to pick up off the floor when it's her bedtime.

I love the times that we pray together (NOT just her listening to Mommy), read books together, eat together (except when she's playing with her finger "people"), and hugging hello or goodbye.  Needless to say, God shows His love each day by bringing the family together safely at home each evening, giving us moments of laughter and teaching, and best of all His mercy when we can forgive one another.

Visiting with A-Gong

 So what's on the horizon with our four-year-old?  Swim lessons this month, gym time with Mr. Rick at preschool, registering for Kindergarten (well, a two-year kindergarten track), getting good babysitters in order for Mommy and Daddy to go for a couple of nights alone, camping in the summer, and continuing to make friends.  Most of all, I pray that she'll know Jesus as her Savior.   Also, I pray for 1-2 truly close friends that she can bond with through the years for many years.  I am concerned about her being lonely as she sometimes says she is.  In addition, I would her out of diapers at night and not get too frightened by the monsters she thinks are just outside her bedroom.   It's all part of growing up.  In the meantime, we do our best to teach with patience, compassion and clarity.  May God help us...truly!

November happenings

    Birthday #4 was full of activity, especially because we were with Dad's family:  Grandparents, aunts, uncle, cousins; in AZ on her actual day.

First, the home birthday party happened on Nov. 13th with 12 children and their parents in our modest-sized home.  Eeek!  The theme was "Should I share my ice cream?" (by Mo Willems), which is one of Iris's favorite books to read.  Well, she has really memorized the book and practices reading to a dog at the public library.  At her birthday party, there were cut outs of Piggie and Elephant (Gerald) to color or glue on popsicle sticks to hold as the story was read by Mama (That's me!).  I love reading aloud, and Iris enjoyed sitting next to me and being the "monkey" storyteller repeating everything I said as I read.  There was a homemade cake and cupcakes to form the shape of a large strawberry ice cream cone.  Daddy made yummy "pigs in a blanket" to go along with our story theme.  There was a scattering of toys and children playing everywhere.  It didn't rain, so a couple of kids went outside.  One young friend (J.G.) was not used to a patio screen door, which he also didn't see, and he ran right through it, knocking the screen off it's track.  It is fixable, but just startling to everyone, including the five-year-old.

The following Friday was her preschool celebration to which Mom shared mini-pumpkin muffins and stickers for Iris's preschool class.  Then, came the welcoming at Grandma's on Sunday before her birthday, complete with relatives, dinner, and a princess cake (castle) made by two female cousins, M and G.  Iris thoroughly loved that!  See....

Mmmmm, Princess Cake!

"If you give a dog a donut...", says Aunt Diane.

She got many nice gifts- books, clothes,  games- but she most liked this addition to her dollhouse collection.  It is a minivan for her people, complete with groceries and dog in the car.  It was a good thing we brought her dollhouse people so that she could play with them driving the minivan.  The other memorable toy was a fluffy white stuffed dog with a carrying case.  She promptly named the dog after one of her cousins.  What a compliment that is! 

Dollhouse people ride the minivan.

There was plenty of yummy Thanksgiving food around.  Iris even helped with making the pumpkin pie.  It was a bit weird with Grandpa in the hospital and Grandma staying with him often at the hospital.  This gave us more time to go to the park and do some Christmas shopping...BEFORE Thanksgiving.

We capped the six-day visit with a trip to the zoo at night.  By that time, Iris had developed a bad cough, so we were ready to drive home to get her in her own bed and a humidifier running.  I thank God that we all made it home.

By the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we were onto Advent and Christmas activities.  God be with us in this busy, and sometimes stressful season.  What are we to do? 
In all ways, remember Jesus as Lord. 

Preparing for Christmas

Iris helped decorate the wreath.

     In the Christian calendar, Advent is the four weeks prior to Christmas.  Advent means, "coming".  This year I've actively thought more how to involve Iris with Advent traditions-lighting the Advent candles, Advent calendar countdown, Advent paper chain with scripture and daily questions.  She really liked counting all the lights/lamps in the house as I shared the passage from Isaiah (9:2), "The people walking in darkness has seen a great light."  Because I didn't grow up with these traditions in the home, I am thankful for my moms' small group and a friend, Audrey, who shared about Advent traditions, e.g. the Jesse Tree.  It was particularly fun to see her singing, "Away in the Manger" with the other preschoolers at the Sunday School Advent Celebration.  The drama wove in the songs sung by different age groups.  It was our family's first time hearing the Christmas story told with humor and costumes. 

As I meditate on readings and scripture about Advent, I marvel at how far the ideas of gift-giving and decorating take believers away from the reason Christ came into the world as a human, born of a virgin named Mary, and matured to bring an everlasting light into the world.  I pray often that Iris will know the truth of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord over all.  The baby lying in the manger is not just a "nice story", but a fulfillment of God's promise and an assurance of God's love for humankind to be reunited (or reconciled) with Him for eternity.  This was no small task that Jesus was sent to us over 2000 years ago.  It is with expectation that we are to await Jesus coming to usher in the new kingdom.

Here's a song that speaks to this amazing birth and person of Jesus.  Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

                (http://youtu.be/ulY2KPmpMwk)

Pre-birthday fun

Post-Halloween went swiftly to pre-birthday activities.  First, she received some costume wings from dear neighbors, we went to a Chinese Association potluck where there were dragon and lion dances, and there was a big party at our house.

Friends Amber and Monique with Iris at church