Happy May Day!

I've been feeling pretty groggy these days. So fatigue and tired with very little energy to do anything -- which is probably a sign that Logan is happily and actively growing inside me, thus taking all my energy and stamina away. Even though I'm loving having him inside me, I'm hoping this summer will go by fast. I'm eager to feel normal again. 

I slept through most of the early evening last night, but was able to find some quiet family time with Doua and Chloe to do a craft project for Grandma this morning. Chloe proudly presented a homemade 3D-mounted bouquet of colorful flowers to Grandma in honor of May Day.

This afternoon, Chloe and I went to the optician to pick up my contacts. She learned a new word today, "optician", which she thought sounded so cool and is "so much fun to say". We also took a moment to try out frames. She loved the idea of getting to pick her own frame to try on, but agreed that it's better to have healthy eyes. 

"Mom, these are just style glasses, ok?"she said. She even showed me how she would "style" it up. 

The optician is just blocks from Central Library in downtown St. Paul, so I suggested we take a walk to the library. Chloe was just ecstatic to be able to walk the skyways again. At the library, we looked at some books and Chloe picked out her own books (I am only allowing her to check out up to three books at a time) and checked them out herself with her own library card! 

She absolutely loved the library and now that she's four and learning to read, we'll have more walking field trips to the library than the Children's Museum this summer. 

Chloe and her cool library card.

Last week:

Chloe had quite the week this past week.

Friday 4/25/08: Chloe's last day of preschool/daycare. We decided to pull her out of her regular preschool for the summer. She spent some time saying goodbye to all of her teachers and classmates, then got to celebrate with cupcakes in the afternoon. She's gained so much from Macdonald Montessori and we will miss it dearly. Chloe will be spending her days at her Grandma's until she starts preschool again in the fall. It's ample opportunity for her to bond with her Grandma more (and hopefully learn some Hmong) and we can also save money for when Logan arrives. 

Grandma's 74th birthday. We celebrated Doua's mom's 74th birthday at Mee and Yee's with delicious pho for dinner. Though it's not at the top of her list, Chloe enjoyed some pho with beef meatballs with the rest of her cousins. Mee made a yummy cake with ice cream and everyone stayed to play Bingo for quarters with Mom. We also played a game of poker and lost $20 -- then were the first to boot out of there after midnight. I was exhausted, but I bet Doua was just as beat as well. 

Saturday, April 26, 2008: Doua took Chloe to her weekly soccer lessons, then to the her second ever dentist appointment. Chloe didn't take the dentist visit too well and just wanted to rest after the appointment. She was, however, proud to flash her "not so yellow like Daddy's" teeth. 

We also sorted through all of Chloe's old clothes (saving them as hand-me-downs in the case baby number two is a girl). Now that we are certain that Logan's a boy, we have no need for her clothes anymore, and kept only the few special ones that had become a part of her identity during those certain periods of her life (i.e., her rainbow sweater that she had to wear EVERY single day for the entire winter in 2006). I had also told Mee that I would give her all of Chloe's clothes if the new baby is a boy. So after my Saturday shoot, I sadly packed her clothes and sent them to Mee's. Maybe it was because I'm pregnant and my emotions are more heightened than normal, but I cried and cried at the notion of letting go of Chloe's toddler clothes -- like I finally had to accept the fact that my baby is no baby any longer. Oh, the angst of parenthood!

In the evening, we took Chloe and her cousin, Sheng, to dinner at Quang Deli in Minneapolis and to a play, The Magic Mrs. Piggle Wiggle , at the Children's Theater. The girls enjoyed themselves immensely at the restaurant. They loved their fare of chicken wings, eggrolls and white rice with water. Sheng mentioned that the restaurant's food was just delicious. The play was a bit long (over two hours with a 15 min intermission), but they loved it. Here's a short review from the girls about the play on the ride home:

Sheng: "It was sooooo funny. Those kids were soooo funny."

Chloe: "I know, and that boy with the pirate coin was a mean boy. He didn't want to help them look for the treasure."

Sheng: "Yeah. But he's not mean, the other big kid is mean."

Chloe: "Oh, and that other boy got stuck in his room because he didn't clean his room. You know, Me-Sheng, I always clean my room, so I don't get stuck."

Sheng: "I know.... I always clean my room too." 

Sheng: "This was a great night. My favorite part was when the guy was shot through the canon into the air."

Chloe: "Yeah, it was a lot of fun. And Mrs. Piggle Wiggle has magic."

Sheng: "I know..."

Sunday, April 27, 2008: Doua took Chloe to ANOTHER birthday party at the roller skating rink. Our family is infested with kids, and with them comes birthday parties every single weekend (almost)!! Hahaha. Doua didn't take any photos.

Monday, April 28, 2008: Chloe's first day at Grandma's. She loves being able to spend the entire day with her grandmother and Amelia, her two year old cousin. If she makes it through the day, she's rewarded with the presence of Sheng when Sheng returns home from school. Chloe idolizes Sheng and looks forward to playing with her all the time, yet she's is also finding her new role of "big sister-cousin" to Amelia quite rewarding. She has to practice playing big sister as it's only a matter of time before she becomes a real one herself. (Above Right: Chloe and her new daily playmate, Amelia)