A Special Visit

In September we had a visit from our travel mates Paul, Monica, Claire and Ren. Ren came home from China in February and we were thrilled to finally have a chance to meet him. Ren will be 3 in December and is an absolute sweetheart, just as we knew he would be. Shea and Caia were here too so we had another wonderful mini reunion. The kids had a great time playing together. It's so nice to have a little boy in our extended family -- I can't wait to see them 10 years from now when poor Ren is surrounded by a bunch of giggling teenage girls.

Thanks to Paul and Monica for taking time out of their busy schedule for a visit. It's so wonderful to be able to see the kids playing together and, as always, we love our grownup visit too!

Even with only three kids it's still hard to get them all smiling at the same time, especially since Bryn hates to have her photo taken. This picture cracks me up with Caia's ready-to-bust-out-laughing grin and Claire's "for cryin' out loud can't Bryn just smile already?" look.

Aren't friends great?

The handsome and ever-so-adorable Ren.

Noodles are always a hit.

But ice cream cake is even better!

Catching up.

I think all four kids were in this little tent at one time.

Claire was a good sport and put up with my obsession on tracking how much the kids have grown.

Caia had her turn, too.

Not the greatest quality shot but I love it anyway.

Bye, friend, I love you.

Trick or Treat

We had a great time trick or treating this year. The day started out looking pretty awful with huge snowflakes and then rain but it let up in the late afternoon so we were able to get out. Bryn had fun even though we only went to a few houses. I'm not sure if it was the scary "skellyun" that made her want to go home or the fact she had chips and cheezies and chocolate in her bag (it doesn't get much better than that), but she was happy to stop after just 5 places.

Bryn and her pumpkin art.

We went wandering around the mall in the afternoon so Bryn could wear her Snow White costume. She really wanted to be a witch for Halloween but I'd bought this costume weeks ago so rather than let it go to waste we had a costume change.

OK! I'll smile but only because you said I could have a treat!

This was the official trick or treating costume.

She loved her witch hair.

What Bryn says in this video might explain why I have such a hard time getting a good photo of her.  (Sorry for the length.)




Our good friends and travel mates Kathleen, Pat and Maeve are leaving in a few days for China to meet their beautiful daughter Elspeth. We're so incredibly happy for them and send them all much love. Have a safe journey, K,P&M and give Elspeth a huge hug from all of us. We're thrilled to have another Jiangxi girl in our Xinyu family!

All the Single Lettuce

Here's a little song Bryn learned at daycare. It's too bad we missed the tryouts for Beyonce's video. :)

The Photo Issue

"Do you want to hold him, Mom?"

Hello, Kitty.

A happy Canadian.

Chillaxin'.

Summer fun.

This is where the shades go when she's not wearing them.

If any of you are familiar with Four Squares you'll know where Bryn gets her "hat sense" from.

Yay! An actual pose!

"I am saying 'cheese'."

Bryn's version of the shoe phone.

"Mom, we have lots to talk about."

So, when I get bigger I'm going to live in an inpartment all by myself. And you and dad can visit me. I will live down the street so you can walk there. And I will eat hard candy and drink coke and drive a motorcycle. But that's not for a long time.

Remember when I was two, mom? I didn't know good manners. Now I know good manners but sometimes I forget. Hey, wait a minute! I'm not a man, I'm a girl. I have good girlers. And you have good lady-ers.

Mom, how 'bout we sit here and talk about bugs? Ladybugs and spiders and mosquitoes and stuff like that. Do you like bugs, mom? Ladybugs are painted red and black. God must have markers just like me.

Mom, did you go pee at work? You did?! I'm sooooooo proud of you, you should have a Smartie.

Today I'm going to eat all my vegetables. Just for a change.

I would like a bigger house. When I get stronger I will pick up our house and take it to another little girl who needs a house and then we can get a bigger one. It's good manners to share, right?

Jessie, we can't jump on the couch 'cuz those are the rules. Mom, why are there so many rules?

If I pee on the floor or the rug or the couch or sumthin' like that, that's okay 'cuz that's just a accident and I'm just little.

When will dad be home? After lunch, Bryn. Then I will eat fast so he comes home earlier.

Everybody can't be a boy, right? 'Cuz then there'd be boy moms and boy grandmas and all people would be boys. If I was a boy and dad was a girl that would be different.

Mom, you're special. But why are you so old?



It's been awhile since my last post. Our computer died a few weeks after my last entry, along with our external hard drive, so I've been trying to retrieve files, photos, email, etc. for the past few weeks. Since Bryn has absolutely no patience when I sit down at the computer it's been a long process.

We're still trying hard to potty train Bryn. She is, to say the least, not very interested in doing her part to get out of pull-ups. We've had her potty for well over a year, which is when she first showed an interest in being trained. I was convinced she'd be trained quickly -- I had hoped by last summer for sure. Then I figured Christmas. Then her 3rd birthday. People tell me not to worry about it because she "won't go to school in diapers". I'm beginning to think she'll be the only 8-year-old in Kindergarten.

A few weeks ago, in an attempt to delay her bedtime, Bryn wanted out of the tub 3 times during her bath to "try to go pee or poop" on her potty. I knew it was all just a stall tactic and nothing would come of it but I can't very well say no when she wants to try, just in case she's actually telling the truth. It took us almost an hour to have a bath that night. Three minutes after I got her pjs on her she announced she was peeing. Arrgghhh! I thought I'd try a little reverse psychology and told her if she wasn't ready to use the potty that was okay but we were going to pack away all her potty training stuff -- the potty, her pretty panties, the books she reads when she's on the pot and the Smarties she gets as a reward if she does happen to go. "OK, but don't forget to put away my good job stickers, too," she said. Arrgghh again. I don't think I'm going to win this one.

Bryn continues to be a chatterbox. From the minute she hits the floor in the morning til at least 1/2 hour after she goes to bed at night, she is talking. And singing. And counting. And reading to us. Considering Girard has always said he has a quota of words for each day (a small quota, though it is a lot larger since we've had Bryn) and when he runs out he doesn't talk anymore, and I'm pretty much incapable of making small talk, I don't know where she picked up her gift of gab. Rhyming everything is her latest thing which can be a little risky in public because sometimes she ends up saying a not-so-nice word.

One of Bryn's favorite conversations lately is how old everyone is and what she was like when she was "little" and the things she will do when she is big. How old will you be when I'm 20? Was dad 25 yet? When I was half I lived in China. Remember when I was one and I said goo goo gaga instead of thank you? Can you believe I'll be four on my next birthday?! When I'm bigger I will ride a bike with two wheels. When I'm 12 or 16 or 30 or sumthin' I can stay all by myself with no babysitter. Mom, when I'm six I'll go to school, will you miss me?

Yes Bryn, yes I will.

Bryn loves her new trampoline.

Whadya mean they're too big?!

"Mom, I need privacy when I'm peeing."

A rare non-talking moment.

Yay! I can ride my bike!

Performing to an audience of two at the bandstand.

Despite the fact a spider can send her screaming in fear to another room, Bryn will pick up a canker worm and carry it all over the place.

It's finally summer!!!!!