Lunar New Year parade

Iris will remember this year's parade-the subway train ride, the girls waving ribbons or flags, the dragons and lions dancing.  Take a look:

This was in the red envelope that the mayor gave out!

Iris with Aunt Ruth

And here's a video of one of the long golden dragons...

 

身体健康  Shen-ti jian kang!  (Enjoy good health!) 

Starting off the New Year

Is it my turn yet?

 January brought a bunch of new starts for Iris (and us, too).  Iris began participating in the gymnastics time weekly with "Mr. Rick" at her preschool.  She also took group swim lessons at the YMCA with her swimming buddy, Madeline. The first birthday party of 2012 was at the Round Table Pizza place for and 8-year-old "jie-jie".

Lemon cake is good!  Happy birthday, Bobbie!

Enter the Year of the Dragon!  Jan. 23rd was the first day of the traditional Chinese calendar.  We celebrated with Aunt Ruth, cousin Noah and friend Kathy at a Chinese restaurant called Jennie Low's  named after mother of my former high school classmate.  We really enjoyed the prawns.  Noah entertained Iris with a napkin rabbit.  Iris wore her pink dress with a Mandarin collar; called a "cham-sam" (in Cantonese) or "chee-pow" (in Mandarin).  I visited her preschool class to tell a story about a mythical race that determined the 12-animal zodiac calendar that is used by Chinese people all around the world.  It was fun to read a colorful book, and a few of the older children (over 5 years old) asked some questions about the Chinese culture.  Each child got a "hong-bow" or red envelope with a dollar and a sheet with all the zodiac animals and alleged characteristics of people born under that sign.  I was born in the year of the dragon....so now you can guess my age.  Yikes!

Reading a book about "The Great Race" at preschool

You're making a hole in the soap stone!

 In early February, we went to the local county museum when it was "family day" and showcased live Native American dancing.  Iris (with a little help) carved a hole in a piece of soap stone.  Eventually, we made a necklace with the soap stone, colored by the oil from the inside of a pine nut, and strung with hollowed out pine nuts on each side of the soap stone.  Then, we went downstairs to watch the Kashaya Indians dance.  Here's a sample:

 Just last week, Iris had the extreme pleasure of having an overnight guest-Curious George!  He came complete with a suitcase with a small bed, blanket, pillow, ball (all George's size) and a journal to write what adventures he and Iris had for their evening together.  Here they are getting ready to listen to Mama read a story of Curious George and the Pizza Place.

Our Praises:  Iris is starting to stay dry overnight, ask "why" questions (which can be annoying at times) and be responsible for putting away her plate/dish after a meal, as she continues to develop into a social, cheerful (most of the time) independent-minded four-year-old.  At a recent informal conference with her preschool teacher (Yes, we had our first "teacher-parent" conference!), we were told that Iris is right on track to go to Kindergarten in the fall.  Unfortunately, her enrollment is up in the air because of the new cutoff date for entering Kindergarten.  She was born in late fall, so there is the possibility of a "kinder academy" at the local elementary school.  We may not know whether there will be such a class for her in August, but the papers are in.  Check back in the summer for definite news of that.  Another praise for Iris and I surviving five days together while Daddy was out of town for work.  We all got colds that week, but pulled through by the following weekend.  I thank God for good babysitters. 

Our Prayer Requests:  We (the parents) continue to love Iris with compassion, patience, and forgiveness.  Likewise, we keep our marriage strong, so that we are unified in raising her the best we can.  In fact, we're going to get away as a couple for a two-night stay up the north coast.  Pray for grandparents and friends who will help watch Iris.  Pray for a positive connection between husband and wife as we near our 21st (!) wedding anniversary.  As always, pray that Iris will develop a desire to know Jesus and that she believes in the saving grace that He offers us.

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.