World Class Sleeper

If sleeping was an Olympic sport, Molly would win a gold medal. Multiple gold medals. Heck, she would be the Michael Phelps of her sport.

Molly has plenty of other issues, but sleeping is not one of them. She sleeps 10 hours each night and naps for 3 hours every and every afternoon. You put her into her bed, read a book, sing a song or two, flip on the CD player and head out the door. She sleeps.

I am a lucky, lucky woman-- I realize this. I dread the day when nap time shortens or (*gasp*) disappears altogether. Here’s Molly participating in several different sleep events…earning gold for each one!
p

Here she is narrowly edging out Baby to win the overnight back slumber.
p

Here she is taking first place in the forty wink sidestroke (hand tuck position).

[
And another victory in the forty wink sidestroke (finger suck position).
p
Amazingly enough, she even emerges victorious with a sinus infection (note the open mouth to aid breathing during slumber).

p
Here's Molly beating the competition in the one arm napstroke.

l

And finally a recent triumph in the two arm afternoon siesta.

When it comes to sleeping, Molly is truly in a league of her own. Hurray Sleep!

China Friends

Between the ages of two and three, Molly came to some important realizations that helped her make sense of herself and her world. These realizations came about in a very distinct order:

• China is a place that is much different than the USA and it is far, far away. She pretty much got this concept on her own from looking at pictures. We have one of those digital photo frames and for the past two years it has scrolled through about 100 pictures from our trip to China. She still loves to sit and look at those pictures over and over and over and over….
• lShe is from China. Molly figured out this concept because, well, we told her. Pretty simple.
• Mom and Dad went to China to get her. This one went hand in hand with the whole photo thing. We have always told Molly that we took those pictures in the digital frame when we traveled to China to adopt her. That’s where we met her for the very first time. That’s where we became a family. It holds a very special place in our hearts.
• She is Chinese. Amazingly enough, she figured out this one on her own, as well. I say amazing because it still is so fascinating to me at what a young age a child can apply logic and reason. We’ve told Molly that Chinese food came from China. We’ve told her that certain things around our house were Chinese. For instance, framed Chinese calligraphy characters are examples the way they write in China. One day Molly casually said, “I’m Chinese because I came from China.” I know she is not spontaneously spouting out principles of nuclear physics, but I think it’s kind of cool that a two year old could take a concept and apply it to her own situation.
• Mom and Dad aren’t Chinese. Pretty much had to be direct with this one. When asked, Molly would say that we were Chinese. We had to explain that we didn’t come from China so we weren’t Chinese. Hmmm…that two year old logic and reasoning can only get you so far. Up to this point she hasn’t asked why she is Chinese and we aren’t (insert sigh of relief here). I know that discussion is coming sooner rather than later. I’ve been planning for it. I think I know how to handle it. But I have this big fear of screwing up that important conversation.
• There are other people in her world who are also Chinese. (I have this knack for making a short story long. I hope that you are still with me! This is the concept that I wanted to get at for this post. I should probably delete everything above this, but golly gee, I worked so hard on it that I hate to trash it all!) After Molly grasped the concept that she is Chinese and we are not, she started noticing others around her. She began making a distinction between who is Chinese and who is not.

Here's an example if one such distinction Little Miss Molly has made. We belong to a playgroup of kids adopted from China. For a long time she just said we were going to see the kids. Recently, she started calling them her China Friends. See I finally got to the point! Last week we had not one but two opportunities to play with the China Friends. Molly was thrilled!

Part One: China Friends at the Park

Mia and Molly are on a roll.

All the girls looking up and smiling. A minor miracle!

Gracyn and Molly hanging out.

p

p

China Friends Part Two: At the Zoo

Molly and Mia: new buddies.

Molly and Alex wrestle for ownership of the cookies. Just kidding, it's really just a tickle war.

Not so lucky with this group shot. 12 of the 13 China Friends who went to the zoo. A few looking at the camera, a couple smiling, one missing and no one standing still. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky just to get this much in the picture!

p

p

Added Bonus Material! Molly and even more China Friends at our FCC (Family with Children From China) Chinese Culture Class.

Molly and Misha:Princesses for the day.

Chinese Zodiac Group Pictures...Girls born during the Year of The Dog . Yep, that's my kid picking something out of her teeth during the group photo. Beautiful.

Make New Friends But Keep the Old

Okay. I'm breaking out the old Girl Scout song here, but the title fits. You see, Molly has a new friend...Meet Miss Gabriella, or Abby for short.How stinkin' cute is she? She just came home from China a few weeks ago. Let me tell you, she is a spitfire. This kid has personality plus!

But wait, there is still the old friend, Miss Alexandria, aka Alex. Molly has known Alex for two years and has played with her on many occasions. Here's the fun part....Abby is Alex's new little sister!

Well, not quite so little. Abby is only 8 months younger than Alex. Yep, my friend Faye is certifiably crazy. She has two three year old daughters! Holy Moly, I don't know how she does it.

l

We met up with Faye and her daughters last week for a play date at a local ice cream shop. Here's the photographic evidence that ice cream was actually consumed on the premises:

Note the nice, clean pink shirt and face in this photo, because it is the last you'll see of it!

Molly had a wonderful time meeting her new friend, Abby and playing with her old friend, Alex.

And as you can see, Mommas with Cameras were not far behind.

Molly and I are looking forward to more playtime with these two crazy girls and their mother throughout the summer months. Now here's little Abby to bid you farewell. See...I told you she had personality!