Wiggly Piglet’s Playpen

It’s way too hot here. We escaped the heat yesterday by spending time at the CDM. It was nice and cool inside. And Mckayla also cooled herself down more by getting herself completely soaked through in the water zone. After lunch, we headed home for a nice nap. It was still hot even after dinner, so Mckayla and I hung out at the pool. I had no intention to go in the pool so we just put our feet in the water to cool down. Mckayla started with sitting at the edge of the pool, slowly she migrated to the first step of the pool. Then, before I knew it, her whole entire body was in the pool while she was still fully dressed. Then, few minutes later, I had to fish her out of the pool. She was completely submerged in the water. She started crying not because she sort of fell into the pool but because I told her she needs to a bath now. She kept on crying until I told her she can swim in the bath tub.
Both Mckayla and I slept in this morning. By the time we got up and dressed, it was already too warm outside. We drove up to the zoo to cool off. We got to the zoo just right when it opened. It was a perfect day to walk around without being too chilly at all. Mckayla’s eyes were wide open when she saw the big giraffe as we enetered the zoo. She was excited as I pointed out the different animals. I was a little hesitant to take her to the zoo all by myself but Mckayla was well behaved for the day. She sat in her stroller between the exhibitis so I didnt’ have to carry her much. When she sees the animals, she asked me to let her down so she get a closer look at the animals. We even rode on the train, but she got a little scared as we passed through the dark tunnel. I saved the children’s zoo area for last knowing that it’d be pretty smelly afterwards. As we walked in the farm area, Mckayla was excited as she approached the goats and wanted to pet them like the other kids. But I told her goats are smelly, so she pulled her hand back. She doesn’t like to get dirty or being smelly at all. And the “scare tactic” worked. The entire time we were in the farm area, she walked up to the goats and sheeps to say hi but didn’t touch any of them. We left shortly afterwards because it was time for Mckayla’s nap. She was wiped out, after drinking her milk in the parking lot, she fell asleep before we even got on the freeway. But the nap didn’t last long since I had to take her out of the car when we arrived home. It was too hot in the garage. I tried to get her back to sleep once w’e're inside but she refused. So we got up to play for a while. But it was pretty warm in the house still. So, we decided it’s time to hop in the pool. It was a nice cool down being in the pool. We went out afterwards to grab dinner since it was way too hot to eat at home. We pulled up to Fresh Choice, but it was packed. So I drove to Chipotle instead. We got our food quickly and sat down for a nice cool dinner. Mckayla was starving from the swimming and the slightly later than usual meal time. She sat in her high chair and quietly ate her food with her spoon. Two different ladies complimented on her “good table behavior” while I sat there waiting for her to finish her food. After taking her last bite and a big sigh, she patted her tummy and said “bao bao” (full). It was nice to walk out and feel the nice cool breeze as we headed back to the car.

Mckayla has pretty good memory, but I was amazed today when she told me (in Chinese) “Greatuncle” “buy” “bubble”. My Uncle in Taiwan rode his scooter to the park and circled around the park a few times to find the street vendor who was selling bubbles in attempt to bribe Mckayla when we in Taiwan in April/May. It was one of the many things her Greatuncle did in attempt to get Mckayla’s attention. She didn’t know how to say “Greatuncle” at the time but she started saying it a few days ago. I ddin’t think she would remember it since it was almost 4-5 months ago. I asked her again while I was bathing her, “Who bought you bubble?”. She answered without hesitation, “Greatuncle”. I gotta tell my Uncle about this, he’d so happy to know that his hard work actually paid off.. just a few months late.

Mckayla has this toy pink pearl necklace from Auntie Margaret. It’s part of the make up purse hat came with a brush, makeup compact (mirror), and lipstick (fake). She likes playing with the necklace but doesn’t like wearing it. Yesterday, when I came home, I noticed the necklace on the floor. I asked Mckayla to pick up the necklace and put it back in the purse so no one trips on it. Rather than picking up the necklace, she dragged it on the floor and told me it’s snake. Maybe that’s why she didn’t want to wear it around her neck.

We never had much privacy in our house. Fluffy and MeiMei used to come and go as they wish. Fluffy used to open the door with his snout and MeiMei would push open the smallest crack to get in and out of the room. Few months ago, Mckayla started to pull open doors. She was able to get out but couldn’t really get in if the doors were closed. But couple weeks ago, she started to push open doors after turning the knob. She comes and goes as she pleases. When I’m in the shower, she comes in the bathroom and slides open the shower door to say hi. When Ted comes home, she runs to the door to the garage and opens the door to greet Ted as he walks out the car (very dangerous!). The only way to stop her now is the lock!

Mckayla didn’t want to get in her car seat yesterday on our way home. She kept crying and refused to get strapped into the seat for some unknown reason. Finally, she complied happily when Ted told her we’re going home to swim. We all got in the car and drove home. It was a short ten minute drive, but Ted whispered to me in English to not mention the word because he was too tired to go swimming. After we arrived home, Mckayla and I went in the house first while Ted was unloading our stuff from the trunk. We walked in the kitchen, Mckayla and turned around and told me, “swim”. I told her, you need to ask your Dad. She turned around and ran to the garage. On her way there, I heard her calling out, “Ted! Swim!” “Ted! Swim”. Ted kept his promise and went in the pool with Mckayla. They had a great time again as usual in the pool. Mckayla’s newest “pool trick” is jumping off the edge into the pool. She learned it from Brandon at Kyle’s birthday on Saturday.

Mckayla’s speech is moving onto the next stage! Yesterday, she told my Mom, “Grandma” “get” “water” “drink”. It was all in Chinese. She asked my Mom to get water for her to drink.

This morning, my Mom got up ealrlier than usual because of her headache. I asked her if she’s taken any pain medications whlie I was playing with Mckayla at her little table. Mckayla got off her seat and ran to the cabinet where my Mom stores all her vitamins. She opened the cabinet and took out a bottle. She handed it to my Mom and said “yao yao” (medicine).

I bought a few pairs of Elmo panties over the weekend in attempt to bribe Mckayla to get back on the potty again. I showed them to her when I brought them home and she was all excited about it. Yesterday morning, she told me she wants to wear “Elmo” “Pants”. I figured it was the new panties since she doesn’t own any Elmo pants. I showed them to her and told her she can’t wear her diaper if she wants wear Elmo panties. She agreed. Then, I also told her since she’s not wearing diaper, then she needs to tell us when she needs to pee and poo, and she needs to sit on her potty. She thought about it for a bit, then finally said “hao” (yes). She was so proud of her panty and showed them off to her Nanny as she came through the door.
But last night, when I came home from work, my Mom told me Mckyala had refused to sit on her potty or the toilet. She would cry every time she had to pee or poo because they told her she has to sit in potty. Then, she asked to put her diaper back on.
This morning, I asked Mckayla if she wants to wear her Elmo panty when I was changing her. Without hesitation, she told me “no”. I guess she’s not ready yet.

The weather was warm over the weekend. After we got back from my work picnic and our dental appointment. Ted and Mckayla hopped in the pool to cool down. She was so excited as i changed her into her swimming suit and kept saying “swim swim” in Chinese. She even enjoyed getting her sunblock sprayed all over her and asking for more. Once they were in the water, Mckayla couldn’t stop giggling and wanted to stand on the steps on her own. She even tried to sit down but the water was too high and she kept drinking the water from the pool. Ted dunked her a few times in the pool. Mckayla didnt’ really enjoy it but at least she didn’t cry or complain afterwards. Ted put Mckayla in the floater so she can move around on her own for a bit. But instead of sitting straight up in the floater, she decided to lean to the side and try to put her head in the water to blow bubbles. So, that didn’t work out to well since she almost flipped floater upside down a few times. Yesterday, they went back in the water again after Mckayla’s nap. She was so excited again when I changed her into the swimming suit. She ran to Ted right after she was changed and pulled out the sunblock bottle and asked him to spray it on her. They had a good time in the pool again. Instead of trying to put Mckayla inside the floater (it’s a boat with two holes for her legs), Ted flipped the floater over and lay Mckayla on the top on her stomach. This worked out betteer because her face was closer to the water and she didn’t have to lean to the side to get to it. And plus her thighs were little too big for the two hole and Ted had a hard time getting her in and out yesterday. We had to drag her out of the pool again when it was getting little chilly for her. She refused to get out even though she was shivering with goosebumps all over her arms and legs.

When I came home from work, my Mom reported to me Mckayla’s bad behavior. She wanted her ABC book and Nanny told her she’ll get it for her in a minute after she disposes the dirty diaper. Instead of waiting quietly and patiently for it as before, she threw herself on the ground face down and started kicking her legs and flaring her arms all over the place. She whined and cried until Nanny picked her up and gave her the book. Shortly after I came home, she went in the pantry (she can open and close door now) and pulled out the rice bucket. I took her out of the pantry and told her “No”. She looked at me and threw herself on the floor again. Instead of picking her up, I ignored her and told her that she can go to the corner for time out when she’s done. She stopped crying and got up herself, then walked quietly to the family room time out corner. Later last night, my Mom was in the kitchen when Mckayla wondered into the pantry again. My Mom told Mckayla that she better not play with rice or else MaMa will send you to the corner again for time out. She immediately stopped and ran to her time out corner herself.