June 3rd, already??

It is like Megan Ling has always been here. All that waiting and now the time races by. There has been all kinds of adjusting of routines and expectations and personal space and so on, but all in all, the transition has been wonderful and most of the adjusting has been focused on those of us who have lived here all our lives. Matthew and Mary Alice continue to learn how Megan Ling fits into their lives and how they can be part of hers. We all love her very much and she brings us great joy into the smallest of occasions.

Megan Ling continues to follow a routine day with waking up around 7:00 AM, breakfast with me and the kids, then off to the bus stop to say good bye to the big kids. Then we either go on appointments or errands, or do something fun at home. Lunch, then nap (which has been typically about two hours-and the only time I have to get things done), then off to the bus stop again, as Mary Alice arrives at 3:00 PM and Matthew at 4:00. The neighborhood girls and boys like to play with her after school (and I can sometimes cook dinner at this time) and then dinner and reading and bedtime. She is beginning to understand the idea of books, and is now stopping to look at each page and sometimes allows me to actually read the words before she turns the pages. Her vocabulary is becoming stronger and she is using some of the functional (English) words like "eat", "up" and "help" independently, without prompting. She loves silly games and seeks us out to play. She recognizes all of us in pictures and can name us, but most of the M names sound the same "mmeh mmeh", very similar to Mama! She knows the difference though!

Megan Ling likes to wear all of our shoes. Here she is in Daddy's shoes. She likes to say "Shoes" too!

She also loves to help. Here she is unloading the silverware from the dishwasher.

And using the dustbuster!

And vacuuming!!!

She is really good at it!!

I also found that she frequently makes her bed after waking from the night or naptime! Can you imagine! I need those nannies here for some training for the rest of us!

We went shopping at Wegmans' and she was thrilled with the Banana Display! I think I may have to make a second weekly stop, as we are already fresh out.


Last week we went to the playground and saw other kids there. She really moves more like a mid two to beginning three year old and needs lots of practice on the equipment. But that did not stop her. She wanted to do just what the other kids were doing. A grandma helped me get her up the big pole ladder. Thank you, nice lady!

Last week, we went to Matthew's violin concert and Megan Ling sat with rapt attention through it all. Afterwards, Mary Alice helped her play on the drums. Sorry it's blurry, but still cute.



Matthew , in his quiet time this weekend, did this puzzle, then removed the pieces to create the message.

Megan Ling has received many lovely gifts from friends and family. Here she is with her new "Palm Pilot". She loves it so much and can draw on the erasable screen. It plays music, talks to her and sings a days of the week song. Matthew likes it, too!

Someone had left a comment asking why the girls hair is so short, and I don't really know the answer for sure. I think it has to do with both hygiene and convenience. I am sure it is easier for the nannies to deal with shorter hair and most of the very young ones (under five) seem to have their heads shaved short in the warmer months. The older girls have it a little longer and some of the teens have long hair (as do the nannies). I think it makes it hard to tell the difference between the boys and the girls.

I am planning on growing it. I think Megan Ling will like that as she loves to "smooth" her bangs in the mirror. She loves to look at herself in the full length mirror that we hung in her room. She turns around so she can see the back, the front, the back, the front, etc. etc.

I also posted before about the 3rd wheel, ride behind bike that we bought for her. Well, we traded it in for a sit down trailer. Once we saw her we realized that she would not be ready for that for a long time. I haven't hooked it up to my bike yet, but maybe this week.