Tears and Emotions... and podcasts

I have been listening to a lot of podcasts recently.  Specifically Modern Love and This American Life seem to inspire and move me in a tangible way.  Often I'm driving down streets boohooing my eyes out.  It is embarrassing and cathartic.  The stories on adoption have inspired me to not take a second with Olivia for granted.  To know how lucky I am, how insignificant the little inconveniences are, and appreciate that life is richer and more meaningful because of them.

http://www.wbur.org/2016/04/13/my-first-lesson-in-motherhood-modern-love

http://www.wbur.org/2016/01/28/not-so-simple-math-modern-love

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/585/in-defense-of-ignorance

Time Away

Olivia is spending her first long stretch of time away from me.  Two weeks to be exact.  S and I are going to Vancouver and Olivia is spending quality time with her grandparents.  When typed out in complete sentences, it doesn't seem so illogical or crazy of an idea.  I keep telling myself of my own upbringing with the grandparents and look how well I turned out!

I don't think this little monkey misses me at all.

Tomorrow, she will be 14 months old.  She won't be home with me, I try not to dwell on that point.  Instead, let's focus on all the things she is trying to do!

- Loves playing hide and seek!  Her little chubby hands would cover her face while she flashes the little dimpled smile.  Then the giggle, oh the giggle. 

- She knows where her nose is and where her ear is.  Sometimes when we say 'where is your head' she tugs on her ear too.  

- She has been doing this for awhile but she makes faces!  We say 'make a face ohhhhh' and she squints her entire face and pouts up her lips.  It's especially cute when she does it to herself when looking into a mirror.

- At 13 months old, her first two teeth buds came in.  It is the cutest thing ever and it's coming in at angle of figure 8 in Chinese.  Not only are they decorative but  they have been quite functional as well!  She is eating rice, pancakes, and even fish!  Everyone is quite excited about what she can do with more teeth!

- Loves youtube, and sometimes it is the only way we can get her to sit in her highchair and eat.  We know this is not something to be proud of and try to limit it to as little as possible...  

- Took her first long car ride (5 hours) to SSI!  She did very very well.  One poop and two naps. 

- Olivia stated to say uh-oh in the cutest way.  Otherwise she is sticking to her primary identifiers, with nai nai still being her favorite. 

Notice the teeth buds??  A bit crooked but we won't focus on that.

I have been thinking a lot about creativity and books recently, listening to podcasts, having mom here to help with the baby, having a trip and some alone time to look forward to jolts awake those parts of my brain dulled by work and life.  I have Big Magic to look forward to, and will buy the Stephen King novel 11/23/63.  Mental note to start reading again.

Here is a great reading list for later...
http://www.hollywoodhousewife.com/favorite-books-of-all-time-.html

Yay! Those two little teeth buds at the bottom are more than just for show.  We are very proud of her progress to eating real, human food.  So far this week she has also loved grandma's fried rice and white rice.