Well, with the end of November and the beginning of December, the Christmas season has begun. I must say that it is nice to be able to enjoy this season again now that we have LiLi to celebrate it with us. And, of course, because of LiLi we started the season by going to see Santa at the Zoo, the weekend after Thanksgiving. LiLi was not quite sure what to make of Santa when she first saw but as he was singing, he was ok. However, once he came near her, the fun was over.

Watching Santa singing. This isn’t so bad

Santa is ok in the distance but not so close even if he has given me a present

Now, after seeing the above picture, you will be suprised to find out that Santa has become one of her favorite words. I blame this on her Nana who must have a million Santas in her house and has managed to brainwash LiLi into a Christmas/Winter fanatic. Her other favorite thing now is snowmen and the song “Frosty the Snowman.” Actually, she calls snowmen “Thumpety-Thumps.” We were at the mall the other day and there was almost no one there so we stopped to look at Santa who came up and was talking to LiLi. She did not cry this time but just stared at him with this scared, awed look. He then gave her a coloring book which she would not reach for from him but gladly took from me. I then turned her stroller around and we had not walked more than three feet when she looked at her coloring book and started saying “Santa” over and over again.

To continue the holiday celebrations, we went last weekend and cut down our Christmas tree. Both LiLi and Maggie seemed to enjoy this trip and there was a huge Santa on the premises that made LiLi just stare in absolute awe. Our tree is now up in its stand but we have not had the chance to put up and lights or ornaments. I think that will be coming over the next few days as we may be stuck in the house after all the snow that has fallen outside but it should also give us some more pictures. More later.

Mommy and LiLi check out a tree

Daddy, LiLi and Maggie

Uncle Jay and Aunt Brett came to visit over the Thanksgiving week and LiLi had a lot of fun with both of them. Of course, Aunt Brett had made her a new shirt to go under a pair of real overalls and in which she looked quite cute. Aunt Brett also spent the whole week laughing at everything she did just like LiLi’s Nana so, of course, LiLi just hammed it up some more. By the end of the week, she was on such a high from being laughed at and adored that it took her a good week to realize that that was not always the way it is. Sometimes she does have to be told no and of course, her Mom seems to be the one that falls upon. Uncle Jay and LiLi took a little more time to get comfortable with each other. LiLi was actually scared of him at first but I think it may just be the beard. After a day or so she learned that he was an easy touch if you wanted to have a book or 3 or 4 read to you and since that is LiLi’s favorite activity, she and Uncle Jay spent a lot of time reading. They spent so much time reading that when I was talking to Uncle Jay a week or so ago and put him on speaker phone, LiLi immediately made the sign for book and kept on doing it insistently. Uncle Jay has promised to read her a book the next time we talk with him.

For those of you who were unaware, Missouri lost the big 12 championship but was still selected to go to the Cotton Bowl. You can watch them on New Year’s Day, I know we will be watching them.

Recently while Catherine was out studying for her boards, I bundled Li Li up to go to the playground. This level of bundling would have passed the Chinese grandmother test because Li LI must have had 5 or 6 layers of clothes on including her hat and mittens.

Li Li absolutely loves the playground especially swinging. Even though it was about 25 degrees with a bitter 20-mph wind, Li Li kept asking for more using her sign language. She is not happy merely swinging back and forth a few feet. She wants big swings and she wants them often.

Of course I give them to her because they make her so darn happy. How can you resist a smile like this?

While I was pushing Li Li at her beck and call I was also playing with Maggie in the park since no other parents were crazy enough to be outside on such a cold, blustery day. I would push Li Li several times and then toss a stick for Maggie. I must have repeated that particular sequence of motions about 30 times before I realized that one of the three of us had to be a responsible adult – and Li Li isn’t quite ready to take on that role. Finally it was probably time to go back home and warm up.

Of course one more picture was required.

Li Li decided to climb on some equipment and Maggie promptly joined her. Li Li was able to climb up the equipment to the top of the slide and then slide down all by herself. I was poised to catch her if needed but as unsteady on her feet as she is sometimes, she was able to climb and slide without any issue- even with a 65 lb dog nudging her periodically. I figure eventually she’ll be so used to being bumped by a big dog that she’ll be a force to be reckoned with on the field hockey field or Soccer pitch.
We’ll see where her interests take her. That’s all for now. -t

Obviously Li Li’s support is what tipped the balance for Missouri against Kansas – that and Chase Daniel’s incredible perfromance.

Mizzou is finally emerging from the fog of the 80s and 90s where most games were decided in the 1st quarter and the only question was whether or not to stay until the end of the game – not whether Mizzou would pull out a win.

In fact my friend Mary and I went to many games together – the most recent in 2005.

Catherine has been to one Missouri game – but because it was Nebraska before Mizzou figured out how to beat the Huskers and the aforementioned policy of staying until the end of the game regardless of score – she has expressed a singular desire to never attend another Missouri football game. Now Li Li will be different – I can’t wait until she’s old enough to go to a Missouri football game and have her first slice of Shakespeare’s pizza.

The game is on tonight at 8 and we’ll all be singing the Mizzou fight song

M – I – Z, Z – O – U