Holy Moley!

How time flies! It has been almost half a year since I last posted. Yikes, Shaela is getting so big, she grew almost 2" since then. I have been feeling so remiss about not having the time to post, so much has happened!

Shaela's Subject Matter
Shaela is fascinated with subjects like “hate” and “love” and wants to talk about it.
“What is hate?, What is Selfish? Some people don't have houses or coats or food.....(I am trying to teach her gratitude).
Shaela starts many sentences with:
“I had a dream.....”
“Do you know.....”
“Let's talk about this....”
She is talking non-stop, asking all sorts of questions like, "What is a tide?, What is undertow? How deep is that? Can I stand in that? (amount of water)." Shaela is fascinated by water and its depths and whether she can stand in it. She wants to know the height of everything and whether it is taller than something else.

The Holidays
We spent the holidays in GreenValley, AZ with Grandma, Grandpa, Great Grandma Alverna, Chris and Darlene, then flew to Mauii and spent it there with my family. Northern Mauii was cold and windy, so not optimal beach weather. Shaela loved hanging out with the family and her bond to Aunt Sue Sue grew deeper. Aunt Sue Sue couldn't say "no" to Shaela so when she put her to bed, Shaela was still up at 10 pm having fun.

Shaela has been a bit wary of the ocean, and swimming in it, up until we went to Salulita, Mexico after HI. There we spent the nights in a suite over a restaurant with smokey loud air flowing from the Italian restaurant below. The days were at the beach, and how glorious! The beach was vast, the waves broke kindly so that Shaela could sit in them and enjoy. She loved it! We spent dinners with Steve, Nasha and Steve's family. We had so much fun! Unfortunately, Shaela got covered in some kind of bites, so we went on an adventure looking for remedies. The natural aloe plant from the pharmacia was the best. Fortunately, after the bites healed, her molluscum bumps never returned as well.

Shaela was a great traveller as usual, although the bumpy ride to Salulita scared her at first, but she enjoyed it on the way back. Every time we go over lots of bumps, we reminisce about Salulita.

Shaela in Preschool
Shaela has been loving the big class and they have been loving her. She has had many male suitors. Her first was Avery, who I would have let marry her if they were at the appropriate age. Avery would get there at 7:30 am and ask if Shaela was there until our dropping her off at 9:30 am (we still feel rushed!). Avery would help her either take off or put on her coat and shoes, would give the most amazing smile when she would arrive and hold her hand. I was so touched by the love. He is also extremely cute!
But then the tides in Shaela's mind turned. She got very upset about all the smiles from Avery and Tina, her favorite teacher of all time. She wanted me to make them stop. We had to tell Tina, who told Avery to back off a bit. One day, Shaela even threw a rock at Avery. I was so sad.....
Then came Drew and Tyler. Drew obviously also has a crush on Shaela and is always looking longingly at her. Tyler seems more oblivious, and Shaela's favorite. She is always talking about him and when we asked her why she likes Tyler, she said it was because “he has big round cheeks.” She is very partial to round heads and round cheeks, which she is always loving Daddy for.

I love that her nickname at school is ShaeShae, it sounds like my Chinese last name “thank you.”

Her Gemini Dark Side
Shaela has a dark side, sometimes she fluctuates from one personality to another. If she is tired or sick, she will get very rude to people we meet, “I don't like her” or “I don't want her to talk to me!” or “She is not my friend and I won't invite her to my house.” We are trying to teach her to be polite, I am glad she has stopped the slapping thing. She will still say to people who I introduce her to, “Don't call me Shaela!” We will ask her what she wants to be called, and sometimes she says “Sweet heart” but mostly she doesn't answer. Recently, she wanted us to call her by her Chinese name, Yu Ping. I found that interesting. When she is in one of those moods, she will say that her name, Shaela is ugly.

When Shaela is too hot or too cold, or hungry she gets incredibly angry and mean. She says that she hates her jacket (if too hot) and wants to hit it and throw it away. I wonder if all this rage is from her past in the orphanage.
On a good note, she doesn't hold grudges as long, and will kiss and make up with us relatively quickly. Thank Goodness! Her good side is so extraordinary and beautiful, loving and kind, that it always makes up for her dark side. We feel so blessed to be with her.

Skiing School in Taos
We just came back a week ago from Taos with Kelly Ann, Stephanie (9 mos older than Shaela), Lara, Brian and KA's family. Shaela loved it, although it took her awhile to warm up and play with Stephanie. She first saw Stephanie as a threat (thank goodness she wasn't wearing dresses!). Shaela tends to get jealous of girls who are pretty and wearing dresses or who have long silky hair. By the time we left, she was crying and wanted to stay in Taos with Stephanie.
Unfortunately, Stephanie had broke her arm and couldn't go to ski school with Shaela. We tried one day of ski school, which unfortunately took place on a cold, windy day. Shaela was miserable and didn't like her male teacher, who didn't give her much attention. Mommy didn't like that either and was really irritated when he held “Silky” (Shaela's personified red Chinese scarf with a drum stick underneath) hostage, so I wouldn't take her out 15 minutes early.

Silky
Her silk scarf (now on number 6) has gone through many iterations. But it is most like a doll now. She always wants a head on it and cuddles with it all day. Shaela has finally taken to dolls and makes quite the great mother, putting all her animals and dolls to sleep. She does circle time with them and show and tell. She sings to them, and comforts them. She is so sweet and will make such a great mommy.

Other Old Stuff from notes
Shaela made her first Haiku poem on 6/8/08 at the Rancho de Barbaria Pond
I don't like the Sun,
I like the Wind.

I don't like the Wet,
I like the Dry.

Also, around 6/8/08 (it seems so long ago....)
Shaela stated:
“Shaela scared of the Indent” referring to the skylight
“Got, gotta be ok with that”
“No she wear dresses!”
“I'm going put rocks on her” (while pointing to coyote poop)

More recently, but not so recently....
Shaela loves the movie, “Meet the Robinsons”, she calls it the “Future Movie” and wants to hear the Future Movie songs, she recognizes the songs on the radio right away
Shaela loves to put her arms out and pretend that she is a “Bingo Bus” (from Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, Mars episode). Bingo Bus has now been replaced by Chitty, from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which she loves and got for Christmas from Benjamin.

Shaela Food
She loves Chinese dumplings and has eaten 10 in one sitting once! She also loves steamed pork buns, her noodles, mac and cheese, Mama's cereal with milk (loves dairy- but we give her lactose free milk), eggs, broccoli pancakes, waffles with syrup and blueberries (but only if they are sweet!) and mangoes. She doesn't eat as much salmon, but will eat fish oil caps (strawberry flavored). And always the love for chocolate! Now I am a chocoholic too! I had never liked plain chocolate before, but between Justin and Shaela's obsessions, I am hooked now too!

Blessings to you all who may still be reading these.
Love and Light,
Debbie, Justin, Shaela, Kobi, Tara and the fishies