An Update

Last week was Chinese New Year, the year of the Dragon.  Abigail fell in love with dragons.  She was far more excited about the Dragon than the Chinese New Year festival we took her to or the Chinese food (dumplings!) Larry made for dinner.  (At the festival, she did love the dragon, but ate Tic Tacs instead of the catered Chinese food and instead of dumplings, she ate the olives off of my salad.)  Traditionally children are given a red envelope or red packet containing something lucky such as money of a lucky denomination, or chocolate coins.  Deciding Abigail was too young for this (though Larry did argue that she sure knows what money is!), she received a rubber/plastic dragon toy wrapped in red paper.  For days she took it with her everywhere,  including to bed (where I worried about a sleeping Abigail impaling herself on the tail) and to daycare (where toys from home aren't allowed, but no one could pry it from her fingers).  A week later, she is still bursting out with "Happy New Year, Dragon!!!" and squealing.  She now also knows she was born in the year of the Ox and will be happy to tell you that if you ask.  Another aspect Abigail enjoyed of the Chinese New Year things we did with her were different craft projects like making a lantern and a paper dragon (that is decorated with lots of red glitter-glue and shedding glitter all over the house, much to Larry's dismay).


Developmentally, Abigail is impressing us with 5-6 word sentences and we are having real conversations with her about what she is doing or thinking or wanting.  I would guess that about 90% of her sentences start with the words "I want", but usually also end with "please" and we have trouble denying her requests since they are usually "I want to go outside and swing please" or "I want a group hug Mama and Baba please" or "I want a shower.  I am stinky.  Pleeeeeeease."


We love the little person sharing our house and lives with us.


Unfortunately, she is less entertained now by being in her jogging stroller.  Larry and I were hoping that her love of "going running" with us would last a lot longer.  With winter weather and hours of daylight, finding time for us to take individual runs in the evening is almost impossible.  We are going to need to find a better long-term solution or a cheap baby sitter or something so we can go for runs again as the spring and summer approach. 


I know that is a lot of writing and I won't kid myself; all you really want is pictures!

Abigail's favorite game while hiking through the local park:
Uh Oh!  Duck Your Head!

Abigail felt that she path needed to be
swept.  There was too much nature on it.

Abigail and her buddy giving a performance
after dinner Friday night.

There is nothing like a basket full of
warm laundry and baskets.