Terrible Twos

I am so behind with my posts (again).  There is so much to share, remember, and track.  I don't know where to start.  So, I'll just recap the last week, since that's really only how far my memory goes.

Evangeline is now 21 months and although she was having a mild case of the terrible twos a month or two ago, it has now become full fledged, outright, pushing boundaries, always saying "no", testing momma's patience terrible twos.  The thing that drives me absolutely nuts is that she KNOWS that she's pushing my buttons.  For example, I work from home on Monday's, so I was in my office doing my work when I hear little footsteps approaching the room.  She comes into the room and starts pulling things off the bookshelf.  I tell her to stop and to go to pappa.  She smirks and continues to pull things off the shelf.  So, I get up, put some of the folders back on the shelf, and firmly tell her that she needs to stop and go to her dad.  She smirks again and this time puts her hand on the folder, looks up at me, and pulls her hand away just as I'm about to lose it.  She pretends to walk away, as I start working again, she stops and looks at me, I see her out of the corner of my eye and she catches me glancing at her.  So then she approaches the bookshelf and this time just puts her hand towards the folder, pulls it away immediately, and runs out of the room laughing.  I'm annoyed that my 21 month old is mocking me and knowing how to push my buttons.  I work with my door closed the rest of the day, which then I get occasional knocks on the door, and a little loud voice, yelling, "MOM?" knock knock knock, "MOM!!!"  I ignore it and wonder why is her grandmother letting her annoy me while I work?  Those are the "cute" examples of her terrible two behavior.  The not-so-cute versions include kicking, screaming, throwing, and repeatedly swinging her arms around.  And no matter how much we discipline her, all she does is laugh and continues with her poor behavior.  Oh boy, I hope this phase passes soon.

Onto better news.  We got back from New Orleans last week.  I was there for work but Jimmy and EV came along so that I wouldn't be away from EV for so long.  Unfortunately, I did not get to do anything with them and poor Jimmy, he had to be a full-time dad all week (which is not easy with a toddler going through her terrible twos and who is teething).  But, they had a great time regardless (that's because Jimmy is an amazing dad).  They went to the children's museum and EV had a blast in the play supermarket, they went to the aquarium (although I think EV may be a little spoiled by the GA aquarium), they went on a ferry, they took a trolley all around town, and ate lots of yummy Cajun food.  However, this is how Asian EV's taste buds are--after a couple days of Cajun, she wouldn't eat any food and started asking for rice.  We found a Japanese restaurant and she ate as if we starved her for the last couple of days.  When we got home, she inhaled her kimchi, rice, and tofu.

Here are random pics of things that have happened since our last blog:

This girl loves books.  She's always saying "read books!!" This pic just melts my heart :)

Here we are picking out our first Christmas tree.  Hoping we can create holiday traditions and memories.

This little one is such a ham!  She is so goofy and she's constantly cracking us up.

Here she is being goofy again.  She was having so fun wearing this hat.  She just looked silly.

There are moments when she stops being tomboyish and becomes a girly girl.  She has an obsession with putting on and taking off her shoes.  Grandma and grandpa from MD bought these pink shoes from Korea and she has been in love with them since the moment she laid eyes on them.  She is constantly putting them on and wearing them.

These are ornaments I made for an advent devotion ornament exchange.  I'll blog about that more once we finish our devotions and have all the ornaments up on the tree.

One of my co-workers gave me these zebras to give to EV.  She has been loving them since.

I made this bag as a gift and loved how it turned out.  I also recently made my sister a super sized pencil case/toiletry bag.  I just hope these don't fall apart.  That's my biggest worry with making things for other people.

EV made this Christmas tree at our d-group family get together.  I was quite impressed with her patience as she slowly and systematically placed each m&m onto the icing on the cone.

One of the reasons I've been so bad with my blogging is that things have just been super duper busy, but my goal is to blog at least once a week.  I will have tons of things to blog about in the coming weeks--Christmas, road trip with grandparents, and New Years, not to mention all the things EV is doing and saying, and if I have nothing else to say, then I definitely have sewing projects to share.

You win some, you lose some

My my, I have so much catching up to do.  Where do I start.  I guess I can pick up from the last blog.  So, last week we started potty training you and it ended up being a disaster!!  The first few days were great, you picked up on it so quickly and it was clear you understood what you needed to do.  But we were unsure what to do when we sent you to school, since none of the other kids were being potty trained and you were still having a few accidents.  So, we put you back in a diaper and figured one day would not do any harm.  Well, when we went back to potty training, it was as if  you forgot.  You cried "no" when we put you on the toilet and you started getting really anxious.  Then came the worst day of all.  Sunday morning you were great, you even went to the potty on your own and came to me to show off your goods but then it was all downhill from there.  At one point, you started playing in the toilet and I told you firmly that it was dirty and that you shouldn't be playing in it.  You looked at me as if I told you something very shocking.  Soon after I went upstairs to grab something and I heard you crying.  You started peeing in the toilet but for some reason you were shocked by it and started coming to me all the while peeing down the hallway and up the stairs.  Needless to say, I started freaking out.  I grabbed the Lysol and started cleaning and telling you that it is not nice to pee on the carpet.  I think that did you in.  Since that point on, you refuse to even go near the toilet.  You cry when it's time for a bath (I think because it makes you want to go pee) and for a while you were holding your pee until nap time or bedtime.  You would just cry and cry saying that you have to pee but wouldn't/couldn't go, not even in your diaper.  So, you are back in your diaper and I refuse to even mention the word pee or potty to you.  I think the anxiety of it all made you too stressed out.  And I am sorry.  I know that you don't like major change and I should have remembered that.  I got stressed out and ended up rushing you and making you feel scared, anxious, and insecure.  Sweetheart, I don't care if you go to college in diapers, as long as you are healthy and you feel loved.

In other news, I started sewing.  I recently started getting into a line of clothes called Matilda Jane and after noticing how expensive the clothes were, I asked a friend who makes beautiful dresses if she could make one for EV.  After seeing her work, I was inspired.  I thought, maybe I can do some of this.  So, I asked my mom if I could borrow her sewing machine, bought some fabric, looked up tons of tutorials online and starting making my own clothes for EV.  Now I am totally addicted!!  I want to sew all the time.  It's also been a very nice outlet for me.  Work has been stressful and sewing actually helps me temporarily forget about all that's going on around me.

I realized the other day that EV is now 20 months old!  Sometimes I feel like she's 3 or 4 years old--the way she bosses me around.  Haha!  Today, she said, "Book!! Book!! Read Momma!!"  I love the fact that she loves to read but sometimes it drives me crazy because she wants me to read to her ALL the time.  Evangeline, you are our sunshine.  The moment you wake up, you are ready to start the day.  You call out to all your stuff animals as if you are waking them up with you and you demand for us to read you a book--the moment we walk in the door!!  You are so fun to talk to and your personality is so much like mine, it's a little scary.  You are strong and stubborn, you want things your way, and you let us know when you are unhappy.  But there are moments, when I see your pappa in you--when you are in a new surrounding, you quietly take it all in, observing everything, everyone in the room.  You have a strong sense of "fairness".  If you give me a kiss, you have to give pappa a kiss--everything has to be shared equally.  Lately, you have been really happy.  Not just smiling happy but belly laugh out loud, uncontrollable laughter happy.  It's also really sweet to see you interact with friends, giving them hugs, sharing toys, and talking in your own language.  EV you are growing up so fast.  I know that we have moments when we don't handle situations right but there is not a single moment that passes by where we do not have unsurpassing love for you and such joy and gratitude for every moment with you.

Peepee in the Potty

Evangeline, this past week you have been showing more and more interest in the potty.  Anytime anyone goes to the bathroom, you insist that you sit on the toilet yourself.  So, I will rush you to the bathroom, take your diaper off and let you sit there until you ask for a piece of toilet paper, throw it into the toilet, and say you're all done.  Up until this evening, it was all about the process but no results.  Well, that all changed this evening.  As I was getting ready to give you a bath, I told you that I had to go peepee.  Afterwards, I hear you peeing in the bathtub, so I asked if you would like to pee in your toilet.  You nodded, so I quickly plop you onto your toilet, and you finish up peeing.  You proceed to ask for a piece of toilet paper, which you throw into the seat behind you.  After your bath, you say that you have to peepee again.  So, I plop you back on your toilet and you proceed to pee a second time!!  I was so proud of you and after giving you tons of high fives and accolades, you look at me and say "more."  So, I told you that it doesn't work like that and that we can go to the potty next time you have to pee again.  I don't know if this was a one time deal but it's amazing how much joy I got seeing you pee in a toilet.

So considerate!

My mom told me that when I was 2 or 3 that I had a very big problem with sharing.  It did not matter if it was mine or not, I would proclaim that everything I touch was mine.  Apparently, we went to one of my parents' friends house one day and as I was playing with their kids who were much older than I, my parents had to drag me out of the room as I kicked and scream, it's mine, all mine.  So naturally, I had a fear that EV would have this genetic disorder.  And to affirm this fear, as EV started talking more and more, she started saying "Mine" with such emphsis and clarity.  And to our surprise, when we went to go visit sweet baby Naomi, EV said, "No! Mine!" when we told her to give back Naomi her stuffed animals.  I also noticed that sometimes she would test me, she would come over to me, and take whatever I had in my hand and ever so slying take it and say in a very smooth way, "mine".  As if to say, "what are you going to do about it, momma?" 

So naturally, I started putting heavy emphasis on sharing and importantly, I made sure that I never said the word "mine".  When EV comes over and takes something from me, I just say, "EV that wasn't very nice, momma was using that" or "EV, you have to ask first."  When she challenges me with her sly, "mine."  I say to her, "can you share?"  When she claims that someone elses toy is hers I tell her that it is not hers and that she has to give it back.  So what's the result?  EV is now overly considerate.  I am not complaining but now if she gives a kiss to momma, she has to give a kiss to papa.  If she shares a melon with momma, then papa must have a melon as well.  If momma wants a bite of EV's food, I can't just go in there and take a bite or she gets very upset, I have to ask her first.  Not only is she super considerate but she is an equal opportunist. 

It's pretty amazing how much these little ones are like a sponge.  It makes me realize how important it is that I am careful with my words and even more careful with my actions.  They watch us and imitate us.  What a huge responsibility!  But I am so grateful that I have the opportunity for this responsibility.  How humbling and privileged that we have such an opportnity to shape someones life so closely.  Thank you, Lord!

Outdoor fun

I know I keep saying this, but it's absolutely amazing how quickly time goes by.  I cannot believe Evangeline is already 19 months old and these last couple of months have been so much fun!  I feel like we all have gotten into a really nice groove--it's as if we finally understand each other and that makes everything so much easier.  EV has not been throwing her temper tantrums (with the exception of the weekend papa bear was gone) and in general communication has gotten better (meaning I get what EV is saying and she is much clearer with her words).

EV loves being outdoors.  If she could, she would play outside all day and these days I am really grateful for our big backyard and the playground we have back there.  EV will play on the swing, go up and down the slide, and just hang out all day.  We try to make it out to a park every chance we get so that she can explore new playgrounds, see birds and ducks, and watch people and their pets.  EV has grown so fond of dogs, quickly getting over her fear and exploring her curiosity, I have a feeling that I have to get over my fear of dogs sooner than later.

A couple weeks ago we took EV to the aquarium and it was so much fun!  I have been to the GA aquarium several times, but this was the most fun I had (much better than even the first time I went).  EV was just so amazed and fascinated with all the fish.  She was scared but so curious.  It was fun watching her explore and just take it all in.  She was so confused by the sea otters.  She kept saying, "mong mong [which means dog]" and "mul? [which means water]" as if she was asking why is the dog in the water.  Or how she was trying to remember the word for penguin and all she could come up with was "duck, duck!" and we would say, "no EV, those are penguins, remember from your books?" and she would just stare at them with wonder.  We could have been there for hours but thankfully we decided to buy a season pass, since EV is free until she's three, so I guess we'll be heading to the aquarium on those rainy/indoor days.

As the holiday season approaches, I am wanting to create traditions.  Last year we didn't do anything because I was just so tired and it was just hard enough taking care of EV (we didn't even put the tree up!), but now that we are in a good routine, and now that EV can appreciate it more, I am more motivated.  I hope to share more about the traditions we are starting as we start them.  So, what are some traditions you remember from growing up or you have with your family?

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Evangeline is 18 months now and it's been both very fun and very challenging.  At her 18 month check up last week, I was surprised to hear that she is still tall for her age (60% in height) and only 30% in weight.  She's such a good eater and sometimes I worry about her weight but the doctor reassured me that at this age they typically do not over eat and that when she asks for food, she probably is hungry.

We just got back from Portland this past week and I was pleasantly surprised at how well she did on the trip and back.  She adjusted almost immediately when we got there and when we got home.  She was fairly good on the plane, with only a few mishaps and crying, but nothing unbearable or for an extended amount of time.  She actually seemed to understand that we were on a trip and that it was temporary.  She loved exploring the city, especially since there were so many dogs all over the place.  Although you could tell that she was unsure about her surroundings, because as we pushed her around in her stroller she had to check that we were still there every minute or two, we hear her say, "Umma? Umma?!? Umma?"  We would reply, "Yes, dear umma is right here." Then a minute or two later, "Appa? Appa?!? Appa!"  We met with an old friend and an old pastor while we were there.  It was really nice to catch up with both of them.  The friend really went out of his way to give us a ride from and to the airport, let us borrow his car, show us around the city, and open his place up for us to hang out and do some work.  It made me realize the importance of friendship and how blessed we are to have friends like him.

Although EV has never been a complete people person, she's been warming up to new people faster than she used to.   It's also funny how she is now mimicking everything that we do.  The other day we were in an elevator and both Jimmy and I leaned back and crossed one leg over the other.  The next thing we know, EV is leaning back and trying to cross one leg over the other.  She is also repeating everything we say.  In Portland, we were having some Mexican for dinner, and EV insisted that she scoop her rice and beans with a tortilla chip like the rest of us.  She was successful in the beginning, but as she got tired, the less she was able to scoop.  So, she thought about it and decided that she needed a new chip.  I gave her a new chip and that was the beginning of the end.  She got so frustrated that she couldn't scoop the rice with the chip, that she threw everything on the ground.  She's so determined to figure it out herself, that she won't let us help her, but then she gets so frustrated that even if she is successful, it doesn't matter, she can't calm down enough to enjoy it.  The other day this happened, and she started saying a bunch of sounds, "babbit, gabba, bagga, dagit."  Jimmy called it "Baby Cursing" and it really did sound like she was mouthing off.  It also seemed to help her calm down.  These are the moments, when I'm unsure what to do.  You're not being disobedient and I can't really distract you with something else.  How do you teach an 18th month old patience? And letting momma help?

EV, you are such a joy to us.  You make us laugh, you impress us constantly, and you make us want to be better parents.  You have one of the most amazing smiles.  It's always super special when you smile because you don't smile often, but when you do, it lights up the whole room.  You are one of the most stubborn, head strong, opinionated babies I have ever known.  You say the word "No" and "Mine" with such clarity and intensity.  You also say a million other words, some in Korean and some in English, based on what's more comfortable for you.  You have so much energy from the moment you open your eyes to the moment you go down to bed.  You can barely sit for more than 5 minutes before exploring something new.  You love to dance and you love music with a good beat.  The moment you hear music, you start dancing and it's not just baby dancing, I swear you groove to the beat.   You make us look forward to every day.  Thank you for being ours!

I'm a big kid now!

Last week, EV started swinging her legs over the rail of her crib.  I thought to myself, it's going to be no time before she can pull herself up and over the crib.  Thankfully, we got a call on Monday saying EV's bed was ready to be delivered.

Wednesday was a highly anticipated day.  EV's big girl bed was being delivered.  When I got home, the first thing I did was give EV a big hug and go up to her new room.  New room, new bed.  I was so excited to see her bed, I put the sheets and quilt on it, and had Jimmy bring in some of her old furniture into her new room.

EV you were so so so excited about your new bed.  I was worried that you might be apprehensive and standoffish but you were quite the opposite.  You climbed up into the bed, lined up all your stuff animals, put the covers over you, climbed back down and repeat.  You wanted all of us to get into bed with you.  Now, how will the first night go in the new bed?  Surprisingly it went really well.  We didn't buy any rails for the bed and I was nervous that you would fall off the bed repeatedly since you are a crazy sleeper, but you only fell off twice the first night.  Actually, we placed your crib mattress next to the bed, so the first time you fell off you bounced onto the crib mattress and right onto the floor.  I think it startled you more than anything.  So, I put a body pillow on that side as well, and it has helped with the falling.  The second night you fell only once, but you were more upset that you couldn't get back up on the bed because of the body pillow than the fact that you fell.  Last night, I think you might have fallen once but you gave a little cry and climbed right back up.  All in all, it's been amazing to see how quickly you have transitioned into your new bed.  It has brought tears to our eyes to see you sleeping in your bed.  You used to look so big in your crib and now you look so small in your bed.  You are growing up so fast, slow down little one, slow down!