Happy Halloween

I love a parade.

Doodle the witch.

Handing out candy with Doodle's friend L. who goes trick or treating with us every year. We gave candy to about 160 trick or treaters tonight.

Tradition

When Doodle was in first grade, I hosted a Halloween party for her and her friends. On Sunday, the tradition continued, with Tootle and 12 of her friends. At Doodle's party we made life size hay scarecrows. Fun, but messy. Tootle's party was not quite as ambitious but still packed with activities. First I took a picture of each girl in costume and then had them decorate a wooden frame in which I slipped the picture before they left (the joys of photo printers). Next they made a cute candy corn craft. And then I was crazy enough to have them make gak. After that, I sent them outside to wrap each other up as mummies. This was followed up by a pinata and a treasure hunt, adding up to two hours of nonstop shrieking, laughter, and fun.
Tootle is Padme from Star Wars. I am still finding feathers from two of the party guests' cat costumes all over the house. We also had two High School Musical characters, a mouse, Hannah Montana, Princess Fiona from Shrek, two witches, a Washington Redskin, and my personal favorite, a flamenco dancer.

Dedication

One of about only five photos that I took at Doodle's game on Saturday. My umbrella was useless so I raised the station wagon trunk and snapped a few shots.

A Winning Season

Doodle's soccer team ended their season with a win in the rain. It wasn't just rainy; it was windy too. The girls look like drowned rats in the team photo, but they are all smiling. 3-2-3 isn't bad for a first season of more competitive play. They had the top defense in their division, only allowing their opponents to score 5 goals. Doodle has stepped up her game in the past few weeks, especially as a defender. Today her coach told her that nothing gets by her, and it's true. She may be small, but she's mighty.

Field Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Picking a special pumpkin

Neighbors

Elmo the calf

Friends

The Book

Last weekend Tootle spent hours writing a book about a bunny and his birthday. Here is the first page. Notice something a little different about this book? Yes, you have to read from the bottom to the top of the page. Every page of the 12-page book is like this. I guess years of being read to has no effect when you have a creative mind.

Breaking the Long Silence

Even though Tootle spoke Chinese at a preschool level when we met her, once Tootle learned enough English to communicate with us, she emphatically refused to speak Chinese. She wouldn't listen to my friends/neighbors who tried to speak to her in Chinese. Despite my efforts to assure her that it was OK, even desirable, to retain her Chinese, she seemed to need to let it go in order to feel secure/fit in with us. This made me sad, but I gently encouraged rather than pushed her, aware that her secure attachment to us was more important than retaining a language.

After picking up a friend at an after school Chinese class last year, Tootle expressed interest in the class, but it was far too late to join in. This year she is part of the class, and this week she had her first lesson. She was so excited to share the words for teacher, here, goodbye, etc. She seemed a bit surprised that I knew most of these words too, and I explained that I had taken classes before traveling to China to bring her and her sister home. (I'm not sure why she was surprised: she already knew that I could say hello, how are you, I love you, I am your mom/sister, little sister, big sister, numbers from 1-10, etc.) I can't wait until she is able to teach me some words that I don't know, and I know that her tones will be far superior to mine. This is a pretty basic class that only meets for one hour a week, but it is an important baby step for Tootle.