tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21695624426236517342011-10-10T03:20:05.078-04:00THE STORY OF OUR TWO SOUTH CHINA GIRLSheverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.comBlogger1281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-15701480398657387652010-12-02T00:12:00.001-05:002010-12-02T01:03:35.386-05:00

Jiejie plugged in. During a family Chinese lesson we learned that, technically, Jiejie will not be the jiejie when brother  TJ joins the family on Monday. His birthday, as determined by the officials at the Chinese orphanage where he was taken in at the estimated age of 3, is about 10 weeks earlier than hers. He will turn 8 the day after we get back from China. He is the gege, or oldest

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-6375054443819043152010-08-06T01:30:00.000-04:002010-08-06T01:30:44.550-04:00

Jiejie has her own email address now. Today I sent a little note to the girls from work to see how their day was going. "hi there. how was the movie? did you guys open any geodes? love, mom : )" and the answer was: "i will inslave man kind." hmm. should i correct the spelling? tell her humankind is a nice gender-neutral substitute?  or worry about her nascent dictatorial impulses? none of

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-33201215641838453242010-07-21T09:44:00.002-04:002010-07-21T09:44:35.396-04:00

Meimei: "Mama, there's a shark in my cereal, and I'm gonna drink up that shark!"

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-83434937911445016532010-07-20T00:44:00.000-04:002010-07-20T00:44:44.778-04:00

Jiejie has made great strides in the sleeping department. She did best while we were on a trip. The two girls shared a sofa bed in the living room of our hotel. When we got home they continued their progress, although Jiejie requested that she be allowed to fall asleep in our room and then be carried to her room. Whatever it takes. This week she lost a tooth, and the tooth fairy was able to leave

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-54207313023733442172010-07-06T02:05:00.001-04:002010-07-20T00:35:18.489-04:00

Meimei is sleeping in her own bed for the second night in a row. Her bed, I hasten to add, is parked in Mom and Dad's room. Jiejie is sleeping in a big queen size bed tonight, alone except for Philbert the cat. With the door shut. She has only come to our room twice for hugs. At stake are a dozen star shaped plastic trophies in a box from Oriental Trading Company. Meimei has two proudly

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-88679183757734358962010-07-04T23:32:00.006-04:002010-12-02T01:09:20.168-05:00

The girls wanted to  see the local fireworks tonight, and so we did.  Fireworks are not Jiejie's favorite entertainment. Well, actually, she loves fireworks, but only  from a distance of several miles. The auditory effects are the problem. She knew the crump of the fireworks would be painfully loud, but tantalized by some fireworks seen from the highway, she was game to try. This year the

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-62931071812216052722010-06-18T02:29:00.002-04:002010-12-02T01:08:12.267-05:00

New Blog Makes It's Debut (And a Son. Talk About Burying the Lede!) Visit WaitingforTJ.blogspot.com Meimei Bursts Into Song: Me and Avi sittin' in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g! (spending too much time with Jiejie?) Jiejie's Log On the refrigerator is a list of "Bird Expiriances," including sightings of a downy woodpecker and male and female northern cardinals, finches and more. Jiejie has been

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-20742578080373581192010-05-18T00:50:00.001-04:002010-05-18T00:52:39.716-04:00

Jiejie has not been eager to embrace her ethnic identity or even talk about being Chinese. It simply is not on her radar. But Meimei, meanwhile, is a little distressed. "Mom," she said one day, looking at her juicy little legs in shorts. "My skin is too dark. I want light skin like my family." (She named all the family members including Jiejie and the two Chinese students who live with us).

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-43663514281498531222010-05-02T03:49:00.000-04:002010-05-02T03:49:48.051-04:00

Today we celebrated the six-year anniversary of Jiejie's homecoming. It was thrown together at the last minute when we realized that once again her Adoption Day would fall on or near Mother's Day and that it would be hard to venerate Grandma and Jiejie in the same short weekend. So, once more unprepared, we had a too-late, makeshift observance of the day that, more than any other so far, changed

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-39596181109344963412010-04-29T21:03:00.000-04:002010-04-29T21:03:08.383-04:00

Meimei's nursery school class went on a field trip today, Meimei's first. She had little to say about the animals (beyond the reptiles) but much to say about the bus ride and her classmates. Her new friend is Rachel. She tells me Rachel's father has a big beak and sharp, scary claws and so she will not go to her new friend's house for a play date. Right now she is jumping on the bed pretending

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-89125801276857657942010-04-13T01:46:00.001-04:002010-04-13T01:47:29.694-04:00

I heard a whisper from somewhere in the sprawling bed. "I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish." It was Meimei, lying with her head pointing toward the foot of the bed. "I wish, I wish, I wish, that my Mama would kiss me on the head." If only all our wishes were so easily granted.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-80518173582196155702010-04-10T01:40:00.000-04:002010-04-10T01:40:16.017-04:00

Around Jiejie's birthday in March, she starts to have little periods of sadness, tears, maybe anger, frustration, sometimes creeping toward the borders of rage and fear. This continues on and off until May or June, the time of year we returned from China with her in 2004. The other night, she started talking about wanting a kitten. It was bedtime, the lights were going out, and her insistent

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-89896184233635855952010-04-06T01:56:00.003-04:002010-04-08T22:35:11.321-04:00

For some reason, on Easter, Meimei found this old Halloween costume, chosen when she was 2 so she could be Max of Max and Ruby and not worn that year or the next because it was "scary." it's a perfect fit.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-75663298327770671552010-04-06T01:46:00.002-04:002010-04-06T01:54:37.746-04:00

Jiejie's class is putting on a play. A 20-minute adaptation of our old favorite bedtime story "Tikki Tikki Tembo." Everyone is the first grade has a part. Jiejie, who hardly speaks above a whisper in class, is playing the mother of the little boy with a long name and a propensity for falling into wells. Jiejie has one line.She's a little nervous. Well, a lot nervous. She wants very much for me to

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-85805987843927097432010-03-20T23:08:00.003-04:002010-03-20T23:47:50.966-04:00

Continued from post below...Our solution was to delay the cupcakes a day, so I could come to school and help Jiejie present her life story. I frantically e-mailed a mom I had never met whose daughter had been the star of the classroom edition of "This Is Your Life" the day before. She kindly filled me in on the tradition, which had surprised her as well. I e-mailed the teacher for tips, too,

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-86103487590289480562010-03-18T09:25:00.003-04:002010-03-18T09:43:08.020-04:00

Jiejie turned 7 years old a few days ago. She started the morning by hiding. Breakfast was ready, and Jiejie was nowhere to be found. Daddy finally located her and brought her downstairs. It seems she was upset because, although the cupcakes I had labored long and late to produce were coming to school, I was not accompanying them."Why aren't you coming?"" she whined."Honey, I have to work.""Take

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-90673940672885700742010-03-18T08:19:00.005-04:002010-03-18T09:24:59.381-04:00

Peace and quiet are rare events in families with small children, and maybe in families with not so small children, but the last few weeks have been full of those resonant moments that can be life-changing.Submitted for your inspection, the curious case of Jiejie and her new pal from the after-school chess class. We invited the new pal for a play date and met her older sis, mom and dad. It turns

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-5918366411325552092010-03-04T08:59:00.002-05:002010-03-04T09:03:29.806-05:00

Another conversation with Meimei. This morning, she was eating the second batch of turkey bacon Daddy made after Joyce the Cat managed to nab the first.A native American dream-catcher, brought down from Clare's room, was on the table, and Davyn abd I were talking about dreams."Know what my good dream is, Mama?" she asked."Tell me," I said."About dogs!" she squealed."And when you have a bad dream

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-582960670502424822010-02-25T00:45:00.002-05:002010-02-25T00:49:14.747-05:00

Meimei is a singer, a sort of minstrel or roving librettist. But a few of her numbers have been codified lately. Presented for your delectation:Don't Wake UpDon't wake up if the dog bites.I not worry.Because I loooovvveee doooogggs.(repeat until someone applauds).

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-5297443801651889702010-02-17T09:30:00.003-05:002010-02-25T00:49:54.048-05:00

Meimei still misses Raptor, our longtime tabby who died many months ago. I overheard her talking on her pink plastic cell phone in a tearful voice."Raptor, come back. I miss you all the times." She cried into the phone a little. "You are died. You come back. I love you."The phone snapped shut and we had a nice snuggle and a little talk about Raptor.Meimei feels connections intensely and shows a

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-17489547962744295882010-02-15T19:15:00.004-05:002010-02-15T19:20:25.660-05:00

On the way home from a President's Weekend trip to Philadelphia! (The faux cheetah bags are Jiejie's. The floppy puppy is the newest dog in Meimei's stuffed animal family, Silly.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-48014873115975298312010-01-25T01:31:00.004-05:002010-01-25T01:49:33.863-05:00

I took Jiejie to her ice-skating class today for the first time. It was her third class, and she bravely took to the ice with a large group of flailing fledglings. She was upright most of the time, going forward and backward, doing "snowplows" and giving a little hop between glides. The tentativeness of the baby we brought home, and the toddler who struggled against her sensory processing issues

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-48686943384432026932010-01-13T01:05:00.005-05:002010-03-20T23:07:45.760-04:00

Jiejie was proud last week to be helping a student who is new to her school. The little girl, Elissa, "looks just like me!" Jiejie told us excitedly. I asked her what that meant. She took her long, shiny hair and folded it up around her shoulders. "Just look at me. Her hair is like mine only this short. Her face is like mine."This was the first time Jiejie has made a visual observation aloud

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-77805654647708409112010-01-11T00:54:00.002-05:002010-01-11T00:56:47.871-05:00

Overheard while the girls were getting their bath tonight:Jiejie to Meimei: I can't wait till T.J. comes. Then when we play house we can have a boy to be the father.Poor kid. He doesn't know what he is in for.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-85876482286651038822010-01-01T23:45:00.001-05:002010-01-01T23:47:01.032-05:00

Meimei starts preschool, Jiejie is taking ice skating and chess. Our babies are growing up!

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-92181690658593855332009-12-19T12:04:00.003-05:002009-12-19T12:09:15.356-05:00

Meimei: Knock knock.Mom: Who's there?Meimei: Why the chicken chase the road?Mom: I don't know. Why?Meimei, collapsing in laughter: Because he eat WORMS!I think she's getting the idea.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-27532311634364572222009-12-10T01:46:00.004-05:002010-01-01T23:50:18.428-05:00

Meimei was up to her usual tricks tonight. As soon as we were comfortably settled in bed, she said, "Pee, pee." I took her to the toilet. Nothing. Back in bed, she said, "Mama, want dress." Lately she has been into wearing dresses to bed. With leggings. Sometimes she has more than one costume change, signaled with the command, "New dress"; later it's "new pants," and so on into the night. Since

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-14780220171651996962009-12-10T01:45:00.001-05:002009-12-10T01:46:39.492-05:00

Jiejie said:"boo! Boo! Excellent!" with a smile.And later, "I paused it in my head."

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-70599638307548098162009-11-29T00:17:00.003-05:002009-11-29T00:39:16.252-05:00

We started watching "Dinosaur Train" after I read about it on an adoption list-serv. It is indeed an adoption story. Mrs. Pteranodon breezily welcomes a strange egg to the family nest. Three pteranodons hatch -- Tiny, Shiny and Don -- then all eyes turn to the adopted egg, and out pops Buddy, who looks nothing like the other nestlings. What species is he? No one knows yet, but no matter, Mrs.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-87574222857107839292009-11-12T09:41:00.005-05:002009-11-29T00:10:26.683-05:00

Meimei has a creative movement class starting today, about 12 minutes ago, to be exact, although she just got out the door. She was excited for weeks, twirling and spinning and posing before the mirror with arms curved in an arch over her head. "I'm a princess," she says. "Really a princess." But when the moment came today, this little veteran of swim class and art class and scribble and stretch

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-71967136861559647232009-11-07T18:34:00.004-05:002009-11-07T18:48:05.436-05:00

A few weeks ago Jiejie wrote a book. That's no surprise. She has been "writing" books since before she could actually write. But this is her first serial. This is Part II, entitled "Sugar the Mystery Cat: Book 2: "Hurry, Find the Shaver!" Here is her synopsis: "There is a cat, and it has no ears, and it is bald, and she spells it like B-A-L-D-I."Q. How did she lose her ears?A. She shaved with

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-22562446641877525722009-10-21T02:44:00.002-04:002009-10-21T02:57:35.409-04:00

If someone had told me a week ago that Jiejie would be standing atop an ottoman belting out a song from "The Lion King," I would have scoffed. But it's true. My shy one, who has always been able to carry a tune exceptionally well and always afraid to sing out, was so inspired by her after-school music class that she hummed a song in my ear Friday night. Then she found it on YouTube (that mixed

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-217042060433427702009-10-19T00:33:00.002-04:002009-10-19T00:53:24.809-04:00

Jiejie had a grueling week this week. That all-important teaching tool, the two-pocket folder, was at the center of the drama. In first grade, the teacher hands out laminated color coded folders, one to a customer. The folders can last all year and the kid are to do their best to preserve and protect them. We ran out of juice boxes and milk boxes and sent her lunchtime drink to school in a "

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-7861103510160550552009-10-07T02:17:00.004-04:002009-10-07T02:38:07.335-04:00

Not long ago, apropos of nothing, Jiejie asked me how babies get into ladies' tummies.These questions are always a good gateway to talking about adoption, but Jiejie kept steering the conversation back to the topic I was not really prepared for."Babies grow from a sort of seed," I told her. "The seed is planted by the daddy and when it's in the mommy it begins to grow."A horrified look crossed

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-83349930558469464282009-10-06T09:01:00.002-04:002009-10-06T09:02:24.829-04:00

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-78346584678640736952009-10-06T08:51:00.003-04:002009-10-07T02:15:54.799-04:00

"What's a crush, Mama?" Jiejie asked on Sunday night."It's kind of like being in love," I said."Then I think I have a crush on Richard," she announced."I see," I said. "Have you kissed him?" (Oh silly Mom. Of all the stupid things to say!)"No," she said. "I make chicken noises at him,and then Richard says, 'Oh no, not again!'"On Monday night she called him "my boyfriend Richard.""He was born in

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-35758287380988187882009-10-06T08:46:00.005-04:002009-10-07T02:42:39.127-04:00

OK, we know our favorite show is not for kids, but Meimei likes to stay up with mom and dad after Jiejie is asleep, so she has seen a little of Mom's favorite show.Her comments so far:On the opening of the falling Don Draper in silhouette: "Why man have only ear and no face?"And on Betts: "Her not nice mommy. My mommy nice!"

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-26208882241544186132009-09-27T18:10:00.003-04:002009-09-27T18:17:49.735-04:00

On Saturday we celebrated two years since Meimei joined our family. We gathered at the home of friends who also traveled to Nanning at the same time to bring home a little one two months younger than our Meimei from Yulin. How lucky we were that they also had a 4-year-old daughter traveling with them. She and Jiejie became travleing companions and fast friends from their first moment together at

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-78242493041619471312009-09-24T01:06:00.006-04:002009-09-24T21:12:28.474-04:00

Quotes from the last few weeks...Jiejie, looking over my shoulder at the headlines on the computer screen: "What happened to the Oxyclean man? Why did he die? Who will do the commercials now?" ***Jiejie, when girls were asked to clean up their toys and Meimei refused:."Does my sister want to turn us all into what Abraham Lincoln got rid of?" Meimei, when the girls,

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-66774430720476471122009-09-16T10:07:00.002-04:002009-09-16T10:08:36.171-04:00

... but if you ask, she'll say she is 13!

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-49727672318208730112009-09-14T00:38:00.004-04:002009-09-14T00:45:05.508-04:00

What do these two images have in common?

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-72659898028840883842009-09-02T12:46:00.003-04:002009-09-03T12:58:08.588-04:00

The beach is endlessly fascinating to the girls. They love digging and building in the sand and have collected about 20 pounds of seashells. Jiejie has met a playmate from North Carolina and they have become such fast friends in three days that she has turned down a game of mini-golf with her dad in favor of playing with her friend.Meimei has had her naps in the open air by the pool, wrapped in a

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-17094141526954672822009-08-28T13:21:00.003-04:002009-09-03T12:59:28.029-04:00

Visit this link to learn about some amazing children in China who are waiting for a home.http://www.asiahope.blogspot.com/

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-41349200701862838842009-08-25T23:45:00.004-04:002009-08-25T23:51:56.969-04:00

This was not the world's best maintained museum, but Jiejie and Meimei had a blast learning about their bodies, from climbing a wall of epidermis as dust mite wannabes to playing the giant came of Operation with heavy rubber organs and kitchen tongs. And where else would you find an acrylic chair stuffed with cigarette butts?

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-39008111309603464902009-08-24T01:37:00.008-04:002009-08-24T02:46:24.175-04:00

This has been the summer of travel - not too far or too fast or terribly exotic, unless you count the dinosaur bones at the mall restaurant in Kansas, but it has been rare and wonderful savoring so much of the season in the company of the girls. I'd like to post some photos of our travels, from the famous fat duck of Lake of the Ozarks to the fireside at Jellystone Park at the reunion of the "

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-13651594145859280332009-08-03T23:27:00.004-04:002009-08-03T23:46:08.430-04:00

Jiejie screamed out in her sleep the other night, rather angrily: "Brown head!"It took a while to figure out that she was talking about Meimei, whose hair is definitely a toastier hue than Jiejie's inky curtain of hair.Now Meimei has a new nickname, but finds it hard to believe her hair and eyes are not black like her big sister's.And as long as Jiejie continues to talk in her sleep every time

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-58205330875010856062009-08-03T23:04:00.008-04:002009-09-24T01:11:33.848-04:00

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-84530919740303809732009-08-03T22:21:00.011-04:002009-08-03T23:49:16.277-04:00

Meimei has coined a versatile word: "loney."When she wants to be alone, she says, "I is loney."When she wants someone to join her, she says, "I is loney."And when I went back to work today after being with the girls almost nonstop for a long vacation/furlough combination, Meimei was loney again.Jiejie was just grumpy, but on Sunday night she had the perfect solution. When she grows up, she will

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-27540643159273041022009-07-21T12:37:00.004-04:002009-07-22T00:30:52.656-04:00

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-39144309650856271282009-07-14T03:36:00.002-04:002009-07-14T03:41:10.065-04:00

Tonight in the dark Meimei whispered in my ear, "I love hot dogs and I love you."

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-73381553508052832992009-07-10T00:53:00.006-04:002009-07-10T01:12:45.319-04:00

Daddy has been working late these days, and half the night after he gets home, which means I get the girls to myself a bit more. Tonight I played with Meimei, who wanted to turn somersaults on a pillow while Jiejie read an Olivia book. Then we played limbo with a tape measure, and used it to reel each other in. We ripped brown paper off a table that had been in storage but kept it for another use

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-13276467418507376152009-07-03T02:44:00.004-04:002009-08-24T02:45:18.563-04:00

Jiejie has been very whiny since school let out a week ago. She wants to sit on my lap constantly and be my baby, which is fine. I love to baby her. But the baby behavior has extended to refusing to take her vitamins and allergy medicine. Jiejie has even been whining in her sleep. Well, one night, anyway. She wanted a round bandaid and we had no round bandaids in our huge assortment. Could she

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-52377806138442493802009-06-29T00:58:00.002-04:002009-06-29T01:01:25.291-04:00

Meimei loves to just hug your whole head, and does it often. "I love you, Mama," she said this week. Then patting the side of my head, she said, "I love your BIG ears."Well, they are. I'm glad somebody loves them.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-47917793169339066582009-06-17T00:55:00.003-04:002009-06-17T01:22:23.471-04:00

The first several months of school we never got the notices for sharing day until the day after. They disappeared temporarily in some recess of Jiejie's backpack and reappeared when it was too late. Then, gradually, she started showing us the notices but saying she did not want to take part. Later, she took in a few books, but was careful not to take anything that required speech or interaction.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-86572910546199514012009-06-13T01:34:00.004-04:002009-06-15T00:02:27.767-04:00

Tonight, after traipsing up and down stairs in search of band-aids, new pajama tops, better books and one more milk box before tooth-brushing, Daddy came home and the kids decided not to make the trip back to bed but to indulge their favorite Friday night activity: falling asleep on our laps on the sofa. And so they did. Directly in my sightlines to the TV, where "Hannah and her Sisters" was

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-60713985060113819062009-06-09T01:01:00.001-04:002009-06-09T01:09:49.970-04:00

Meimei is a little discomfited by the new babysitter who comes while Ping takes summer classes. While the new sitter is sweet as pie and has spent endless hours playing hide and seek, she has, according to Meimei, a fatal flaw. "Her head too big!" Meimei insists.Meimei is a little sensitive about heads. She doesn't like the head of one of her favorite sitters, Ashley. Ashley has a curtain of dark

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-72758634110309424342009-06-08T00:15:00.002-04:002009-06-08T00:23:40.045-04:00

When the economy crashed and we were fighting the battle of two mortgages, I stopped sponsoring a child in China. When we had a signed contract on our former home, it was time to start again. Amazingly, a beautiful child appeared on the Yahoo group for the orphanage where Jiejie lived for the first 14 months of her life. The sponsorship will allow the child to be taken care of by a foster family

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-74341197921003252952009-06-07T23:12:00.005-04:002009-06-09T01:12:45.938-04:00

Jiejie may be able to read anything you put in front of her, but when it comes to emotions, she struggles. In fact, it must drive her crazy listening to the sweet declarations of love that accompany her little sister's every exhalation. It's no surprise then that I nearly fell out of my chair today when Jiejie skipped past her little sister and quickly and quietly whispered to her, "I love you."

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-69612200297289583402009-06-01T09:25:00.002-04:002009-06-01T09:27:13.884-04:00

I came to my home computer this morning and found iTunes on the screen. In the Search panel someone had typed "rock and roll." Jiejie strikes again!

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-23614534094074035342009-05-21T09:34:00.002-04:002009-05-21T09:35:31.408-04:00

That's the second time Jiejie, barely 6, has said something makes her look fat. I am stunned and not sure how to respond to these comments from my 40-lb. beanpole. Kindergartners are getting older every day.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-35394813271426478962009-05-18T00:48:00.003-04:002009-06-08T00:28:20.481-04:00

Meimei has a boyfriend, Harry next door. They met on Saturday, but he was her boyfriend long before that. She has been besotted for at least a week, and started calling him boyfriend not long after. She is not stinting with her love. She lavishes it on all of us and tells us she loves us at least 50 times a day.She also loves Buddy, who did most of the work on our new house. She calls him "my

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-45875905890795739422009-05-14T09:10:00.006-04:002009-05-18T00:40:27.903-04:00

And the vocabulary-building continues....Meimei did say "high-fructose corn syrup" the other day, but she was mimicking her sister reading food labels to determine which fruit snacks (an extremely euphemistic name for chewy, stick-to-the-teeth candies) actually had fruit in them.She knows the letters D, A, C and M on sight and can find them on the computer keyboard. Nothing makes her happier than

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-3520490653588680172009-05-12T08:54:00.002-04:002009-05-12T08:58:29.315-04:00

Daddy brought Meimei down from bed, sleepy and warm as toast. "Did you just pop out of the toaster?" I asked her. "Mama, me not toast!" "No, my baby, you just popped out of a warm bed. Mama, me no baby. Me big girl." "Yes, my little big girl." "NO MAMA! Me HUGE!" OK. The 23-pound peanut is HUGE, and her vocabulary's not bad either.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-75711543444055110532009-05-11T08:07:00.003-04:002009-05-11T08:48:02.216-04:00

Five years ago today we were in China, in the midst of our first adoption. Jiejie was new to us, and I was numb with fear. What a gorgeous, mysterious creature she was. When the other babies were asleep and quiet, she was disconsolate. When I kissed her tummy, she would giggle. When we tried to give her a bath in the hotel sink in Nanning, she was petrified. Jiejie would not or could not drink

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-25638576930998740282009-05-06T23:30:00.002-04:002009-05-06T23:39:32.833-04:00

When I got home from work today, Jiejie wanted to play with tape, scissors and wrapping paper. At least she didn't try the paint-a-poncho craft on the wood floor again. I was about to say no, but she said she wanted to wrap a gift for Meimei, and she did what she had promised. It took a lot of wrapping paper and yards of tape to wrap the book from Jiejie's collection. She attached a sticky note

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-21282299482398234532009-05-05T08:48:00.002-04:002009-05-05T08:57:35.378-04:00

Anyone can write one line a day. Right? Meimei is finally understanding the idea that she does not belong only to one parent at a time and that she can love lots of people and that lots of people love her. She lists them any time she has a chance. But she still thinks she is the only person who gets to like the color blue. And the only person who likes dogs. Or perhaps the only person who likes

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-29204267169189106982009-05-04T02:07:00.003-04:002009-05-06T23:29:08.477-04:00

Today we celebrated the 5th anniversary of Jiejie's adoption. We watched the video of her being placed in our arms, spurning the Good Night Moon bunny I kept inanely waggling at her, checking us out with her inky phoenix eyes. Meimei fell asleep on my shoulder while we were watching endless footage of bus rides in China and listening to the inexhaustible guide talk about the country's minority

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-81976097859713010392009-04-07T08:47:00.000-04:002009-04-07T08:59:07.638-04:00

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-68519361568822010942008-09-15T02:48:00.002-04:002008-09-15T03:05:37.301-04:00

JieJie and MeiMei had a great day, playing with visitors and family, riding the plasma car and scooter around the new, empty house, and eating mac and cheese well past bedtime after spurning the wonderful Chinese dishes Ping cooked for the holiday.Last year, when the September moon was full, and MeiMei had been with us about a week and was just a year old, we celebrated moon festival in Guangzhou

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-53810705572248652162008-09-14T01:00:00.002-04:002008-09-18T00:41:19.691-04:00

And what a vision she is in her taffy-green party dress, celebrating.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-71349037038675234262008-08-06T01:27:00.003-04:002008-08-06T01:40:40.703-04:00

JieJie Publishes Newspaper: The Horrible Cat News in which a burglar steals Mama Cat's book while she is putting the kittens to sleep.MeiMei Hones Gymnastics Skills. Well, OK, One TrickJieJie Gives Ping a Grammar Test; Ping Scores 100JieJie and MeiMei Pee in Potties Across the Midwest; Undie-Clad JieJie's First Public Toilet Visit, at Cleveland Airport, Ends Tense Flight for MomMom Longs for Day

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-46233587797387940992008-08-06T01:22:00.001-04:002008-08-06T01:25:56.898-04:00

Is JieJie really aiming the ray gun at her little sister's head? Has sibling rivalry taken on a cosmic dimension? Stay tuned for the latest developments.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-75621591199988775342008-07-09T02:32:00.006-04:002008-09-12T17:34:00.414-04:00

Toilet training in our house has become something like a dissertation. We work on it for hours every day, and every day we make a teensy bit of progress. It's also as expensive as an advanced degree. To help JieJie over the rough patches we have invested in a staggering array of potty accessories, including the travel "potette," the Kandoo deluxe toilet training kit complete with frog toilet

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-52699307984519962522008-06-18T11:06:00.002-04:002008-06-18T11:30:27.811-04:00

A drunken driver clipped our car on Saturday night.We were each taking a sleeping child out of a car seat when the head light beams swept around the corner of our quiet street.When the lights kept coming with no sign of the car slowing down, I squished myself between the car door and the car just before the loud crack of metal on metal. My head bumped the frame, the door dug into my back, but I

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-29479773431896660332008-05-28T23:56:00.005-04:002008-05-29T00:34:56.845-04:00

MeiMei does not seem to be acquiring spoken language terribly quickly, but she gets her point across. The other night she sat up in bed, pointed at me cuddling JieJie and shook her head angrily while miming rocking a baby. She is not getting enough cuddles from mommy in the "family bed," itself a concept that I considered completely misguided when I first encountered it on "Six Feet Under." Once

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-22153187824122715242008-04-02T01:02:00.007-04:002008-09-12T13:04:16.252-04:00

MeiMei said "Bob-Bob" while pointing at SpongeBob(Well, I said TV was good for learning English. Is that English?)***JieJie was elated at a trip to the nail salon because her private mommy time has been limited to potty visits since Mommy went back to work. She said, "When I grow up, I don't want my own house. I want to stay with you and Daddy."My eyes welled up. "That would be wonderful, baby.""

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-72667958914911832432008-03-28T01:16:00.002-04:002008-03-28T01:26:08.912-04:00

JieJie Makes Debut on Big-Girl Toilet; Calls Mom on Deadline With ReportMeiMei Says "Baby" and "Ball," "Meow" and "Woof! Woof!"Ping, Au Pair from China, Gets Visa; Dumplings PromisedDaddy Dreams of Sleep

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-67795673774675906812008-03-27T00:36:00.002-04:002008-03-27T00:54:11.015-04:00

MeiMei and I made our debut at a Mommy and Me class this week -- yoga. MeiMei was a little uncertain. Mommy was a bit abashed among the lithe, 30ish moms who wore the right clothes and could perform all the moves.MeiMei was the tiniest, and probably the youngest, little yogini in the sunny room.She didn't cry, but she seemed a little stressed, and I wondered if I was doing the right thing by

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-34275349074100081372008-03-21T01:13:00.003-04:002008-03-21T01:50:07.233-04:00

JieJie is a great big sophisticated girl, newly turned 5. She was brave at her dental checkup, enduring X-rays, knowing cooperation would speed her return to the playhouse (with slide) in the waiting room. On the way out, she saw a sign on a door and said, "Mommy, what's a lavatory?" -- which brings us to today's topic.At last, and after making deals with the poopy doctor, reading affirmations to

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-13514626633855635082008-02-27T12:30:00.000-05:002008-02-27T12:31:12.516-05:00

JieJie has been enjoying helping with her little sister, trying to change diapers and t-shirts, wresting the spoon from her spirited sister to feed her, and fetching her snacks and drinks.Yesterday's treat was prunes. Lots of prunes. I left the room for a minute and when i returned they had made baseballs of prunes and were munching away. JieJie did not understand why i said they had eaten enough

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-73334127429854823942008-01-26T02:56:00.002-05:002008-12-10T00:03:33.100-05:00

What a singular spirit is MeiMei! She is both beauty and clown, imminently patient with bumbling grownups, yet imperious about toys and snacks. In the last few weeks she has chosen walking as her favored means of locomotion, chasing cats, balls and the odd rolling grape. At 16 months she tries to dress and undress herself with whatever is handy -- JieJie's fanciest dress or dad's underwear. She

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-71398706157823822622008-01-12T03:31:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:03:33.323-05:00

JieJie has been noticing pregnant women these days and possibly asking people with big tummies if they are pregnant. When she told me about her most recent discovery, that her music teacher is expecting, she made it clear that she found it hard to believe that she was ever a tiny baby in someone's tummy. She has known for a while that I am not her tummy mommy, but rather her "take care of you

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-65388022521356780962008-01-04T13:51:00.000-05:002008-01-04T13:54:07.716-05:00

...that in 2008 mommy will post more oftenget camera, charger, batteries and cable all in one placeand buy a new, mod video camera that holds a charge, so we can be a multi-media blog.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-31919236407158016202007-12-11T09:10:00.000-05:002007-12-12T09:26:46.251-05:00

Our new little doll now walks and talks!She sings the "pop" in "Pop Goes the Weasel. She calls the tabby, our kid-friendliest cat, by some approximation of her name, Raptor. She is calling JieJie something consistent, and responding when JieJie calls her Yingamalaska or Uncle Jerry. (don't ask, but I hope Uncle Jerry ends before kindergarten.)She has taken as many as five consecutive lurching

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-6526453672993094342007-11-28T17:01:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:03:33.666-05:00

MeiMei's Vocabulary Doubles; Adds 'Yeah' and 'Uh-Oh' to RepertoireDaddy Makes Morning Coffee Sans BasketTV Audio Dies; Mom Reads Caillou Captions AloudFirst Sister Portrait Ends in Failure: Dueling Sibs Elude ProMeiMei Puts Seltzer in Mom's File CabinetMore Overnight Guests ExpectedCats Pee in Guest RoomDad Gets Second Warning on Pending Grand Jury DutyMoral Crisis: JieJie Wears Bracelet Home

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-81475331600803713112007-11-23T01:24:00.001-05:002008-12-10T00:03:33.801-05:00

Well, lots of things, actually.But we have something extra to be thankful for this year. Joyce the cat is back a week after she disappeared. JieJie is thrilled, even though Joyce loved to wait around for her to drop scrambled eggs at breakfast. Mei Mei is thrilled, just because five cats are better than four and she is thrilled most of the time when animals are anywhere in the vicinity.I went out

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-60796665238981569352007-11-22T01:44:00.000-05:002007-11-23T01:44:40.501-05:00

...previously known as the lady who helps little girls who worry too much about using the potty, but who prefers to be known as the poopy doctor.JieJie deftly evaded most of the doctor's questions, and avoided the tiny dollhouse toilet, as she and the doctor played with dolls on the floor. MeiMei made lots of noise enjoying the poopy doctor's kiddie cash register and will not be joining us on

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-42586402431125204572007-11-21T02:46:00.000-05:002007-11-22T01:44:18.129-05:00

JieJie was walking around last night in red polka-dot rainboots, with the black bowtie from an old Halloween cat costume on her head, wearing her doll sling with Junella the peeing doll nestled naked inside. Clare had Junella's bottle (empty! yay! no Junella accidents!) and a plastic spoon. JieJie was giving demonstrations on how to administer gripe water to Junella, who apparently gets the

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-28085744138039426442007-11-12T06:45:00.000-05:002007-11-22T02:14:43.074-05:00

The alarm will be going off at 7. I have been up since 5. Daddy just went to bed (for half an hour) after catching up on some work. The girls are -- blissfully -- sleeping. MeiMei seems to have taken one or two lunging steps unassisted this weekend. Each day she understands more of what we say and demonstrates that she understands. So far she is saying only "Mama" and "cat,'' although JieJie is

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-76621092557228663052007-11-08T01:41:00.000-05:002007-11-08T02:12:11.876-05:00

MeiMei has such a sweet, warm round head. I love to kiss it. I despair of ever styling her wee bit of hair, though, as its main features are the amazing top cowlick (her peach stem, as we call it) and the little duck tail in back. But now I know the secret of her sparse but significant hair. JieJie and MeiMei were supposed to spend the parents' meeting in the babysitting room at JieJie'sschool,

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-72593268715698428912007-11-01T19:08:00.000-04:002007-11-01T19:23:08.582-04:00

Everyone is sick! MeiMei has a wretched cold or flu and is whiny but has not lost her appetite and remains ever helpful and independent, trying to put the nasal aspirator into her own tiny nostrils. Talk about cooperative. Daddy has been home from work for three days, coughing, wheezing, aching and miserable and possibly delirious. I thought he was doing a Bing Crosby impression is his sleep, He

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-50888897607146641422007-10-24T02:39:00.000-04:002007-10-24T03:03:40.228-04:00

The good news and the grumpy news, in headline form.Cats Pee on Baby SlingMeiMei Endures (Loudly) 4 Vaccinations, 2 Blood Draws; Pronounced Healthy (Yippee!)Mom Jumps Curb As Roto Rooter Man Blocks DrivewayJieJie Says in Sleep:"Move That Baby Away!Cats Pee on Mom's PurseDad Loses His Cell PhoneMeiMei Points at Buddha, Says "Mama" Dad Leaves Mommy's Cell Phone at Store 10 Miles AwayMei Mei Does

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-14501005484312976962007-10-16T00:03:00.000-04:002008-12-10T00:03:34.053-05:00

MeiMei is crawling boldly into the heart of our family, with her camera-ready grin and her engaging squeals. Her hands are so fast she could be a pickpocket, and perhaps pay for her education. As I carried her in the garden the other day, she reached out and grabbed two cherry tomatoes and had them in her mouth before I even noticed.She still loves Daddy best of all, and prefers if he puts her to

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-20684440301995970042007-10-09T21:31:00.000-04:002008-12-10T00:03:34.255-05:00

MeiMei was sad to see Dad leave for work today, and was a little subdued all day. JieJie was totally cranked up. She did not want to go to school and said that once she got there,"I thought about you and huggles and home and Dad and Sister and all that." On her first day back at school, yesterday, she burst in the door all excited to say she had counted to 100, but today was different. She tried

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-56324436951027884032007-10-07T14:54:00.000-04:002007-10-16T00:52:23.121-04:00

She reached out to me and opened and closed her little starfish hands and said, "Mama!" I was stunned. I thought it would take a very long time for MeiMei to know who was who and even to articulate the sounds, although her repertoire of gurgles and squeals has broadened as she has opened up to us. (Maybe it was just luck that she uttered those two syllables at that moment).JieJie was very quick

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-11655564019520273102007-10-05T11:56:00.000-04:002007-10-05T11:58:15.294-04:00

The girls slept through until about 4:30 a.m. today.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-27719078698749442002007-10-03T18:59:00.000-04:002007-10-03T19:03:58.892-04:00

Jet lag has a hold on us. We dragged the kiddies to the playground to try to keep them going until 7:30 p.m. Yesterday they started to fall asleep around 2 p.m. and woke at midnight or so, rarin' to go. MeiMei loved the slide and the baby swings and JieJie delighted in demonstrating the playground equipment. MeiMei has a much different personality than her older sister, but they have some of the

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-58832936773060756452007-10-02T03:52:00.000-04:002007-10-02T03:54:51.095-04:00

Or, as JieJie put it to a screaming MeiMei trapped in her first car seat, "Ying ying, you're not in China any more."More later.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-71712639243102407612007-09-27T09:37:00.000-04:002008-12-10T00:03:34.408-05:00

Those who have an appetite for it, that is.We went to dinner with another family tonight at a well-known restaurant in Guangzhou, known as Guangzhou. On the menu was congee with water snake. The staff forgot to bring it, as well as our steamed eggplant. But we insisted, as politely as possible, and eventually the snake arrived, in long, slender, chewy, reptilian curls, surrounded by its innocuous

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169562442623651734.post-57457336138104058382007-09-26T15:26:00.000-04:002008-12-10T00:03:34.594-05:00

Within the next 24 hours we'll try to upload all the photos to this address http://www.meimeijiejie.shutterfly.com/There are only a few up now.

heverohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14497640764562972324noreply@blogger.com1