Finishing off January

What a lame week. I had so many great plans for Chinese New Year, but didn't follow through with a thing past the initial Hong Bao and giving Ian a Chinese Dragon train piece. I also bought him a traditional shirt (that I probably could have bought for pennies in China) that won't fit him next year. Well, it sits in his closet with the tags still attached. Sigh.

On the flip side of things, I joined a Yahoo group for families with kids from China in our area (the Eastside Seattle suburbs). Unfortunately, it's called "Eastside Little Ladybugs", but he'll have to deal with that a lot with the local "Born in China" community. Good thing he likes the ladies! I may just regret this some day!

Unfortunately, with most groups, the playdates are all in the morning on weekdays. I'm waiting for the day working mom's are recognized. It's pretty frustrating that I can't even get a decent magazine devoted to the subject. I get the feeling that once more moms are forced back into the workplace from our spiriling economy, that will change. As sad as that is for those who've dreamed and worked hard to stay home... It's probably a stark reality!

We did have one milestone this weekend... Ian had his first time out! Yep. I made him sit on the naughty step for one minute. He was upset that I told him to pick up his toys before getting a snack and proceeded to take all 25 letter magnets off the fridge (we're missing the X) and throw them at me. I was emptying the dishwasher and pretended I didn't notice, so he said "mommy, see this?" and when I turned, he threw one right at me. Sassy sucker. I picked him up and took him to the step, put him down and sat next to him. I told him "you never throw toys and especially at mommy. That hurt my feelings and could have given me owies. You're going to sit here and stay sitting for one minute because you didn't pick up your toys like I asked you to."

He cried. I hated to see it. But, he sat there for the whole minute saying "where's daddy?" Of course. Go to the other parent! After a minute, I went over and said "I want you to say you're sorry for throwing toys at me". He said "I sorry mommy". It could have melted my heart. I then gave him a hug and said "Thank you, now what are you going to do next?" He said "pick up letters and get a snack". So, we went over and he picked up every letter (we sounded it out as they went on the fridge and made it a game), and after, he got a snack. Thank you, Super Nanny!

Since we skipped the Chinese New Year Festival put on by our local chapter of Families with Children from China (FCC), we stayed in jammies most of this morning and then went to lunch at Qdoba after nap. Ian was so excited for a Naked Burrito. In the end, anything with beans and rice are his version of heaven. He ate almost an entire adult Naked Burrito. You go, kid.

This is poised to be a boring week for Ian but a busy week for mom and dad. Shawn will be at Microsoft's Tech Ready all week and I'm on fulltime mom/dad duty from sun up to sun down. I also have lots of training going on this week and will be giving classes every day this week to new hires in my department. Now that we're pretty much done hiring for a while, I have no idea what that means for me. Hopefully more writing projects. There's always something for me to do, so I'm not too terribly worried. Yet.

I will be stopping at Ian's future preschool tomorrow to see how much longer we'll be waiting. It's been 10 months since we put him on the waiting list. Ridiculous, but it means lower student/teacher ratios and a better school overall (and walking distance from our house). I was reviewing their curriculum again tonight and couldn't be more excited. I also get to provide his lunches, meaning they'll be healthier than the current chicken nugget/spagetti from a can diet he gets now and I'll be able to send things I know he'll eat. I feel much better about what's in his tummy in the afternoon when I packed it myself.

At the end of this week, Ian and Polli get to hang out at grandma Trish and grandpa Tom's overnight again. Shawn is hosting a poker party at our house and I am attempting to put together a first ever girls' night for my department. Shawn has about 30 RSVP's while I have a measly 4... Looks like I'll be finding a quiet place to read a book and have a cocktail for the wee hours that boys will be going crazy over a $20 buy in. They're lucky girls aren't invited. I'd shark the table for sure.

Below are a random hodgepodge of pictures from the week. Once I get grandma's memory card, I'll have some pics from Ian's last sleepover.

P.S. Mom & Dad: Sorry the Cardinals lost! I was rooting for them in your honor, but had to also root for Pittsburgh for a few other friends... But it was still hard to see them lose. Hope you're recovering OK!

Checking out the Yuan that was in his Hong Bao, the envelopes of money given during Chinese New Year for wealth and prosperity. Give a little of that over here, Ian!

He liked the chocolate money...and even the real stuff, but there was NO WAY he was letting me put it in the piggy bank... A golden OX, since this is the Year of the Ox. We'll deposit what goes in there at the end of the year (or use if for groceries the way things are going).

His favorite cartoon is Little Einsteins, this is Leo, the main character... Who also wears glasses. He has been the driving motivator in getting Ian to put on and keep on his specs.

Our little musician shows that he's not a one trick pony. Getting into a Jerry Lee Lewis groove here...

On his way to time out. Yep, I had to get a picture of that moment.