Motherhood is by far the hardest job I have ever taken on. YiMei's iron will and fierce independence challenge me on a daily basis. I am happy to say that there has been a great improvement in her behavior, as she has stopped deliberatley trying to push my buttons. There have even been some tantrum free days, though most days there is still one huge meltdown. After many years of dismissing her emotions, it has been very hard for her to gain some control over them when they arise or trust that someone will be there to help her work through her pain. Even so, parenting has also been the most rewarding of experiences. YiMei has melts my heart with her enormous smile. My heart swells with pride, as I watch her take brave new steps each day. I never grow tired of hearing her call me mommy.
YiMei has learned so much in the fthree months we have been together. She has an expressive vocabulary of 50 words, can count to ten and recognize a few letters. She will play outside with the neighborhood kids, as long as mom is in sight. Snow White and Cinderella have become two of her favorite movies, though she still prefers to play with her baby dolls more than anything else. She lays her babies in their crib each night and checks on them as soon as she gets home from school. YiMei has begun to speak in sentences such as "I want chicken nubbets or "I want i see cream." Her food preferences have not expanded nearly as much as her sweet tooth. Yi Mei's still prefers rice, noodles, eggs, chicken and fruit. Just recently she started eating spaghetti without meat and decided that a bowl of whipped cream tastes as yummy as ice cream. Oreo cookies and chocolate pudding are also favorites.
YiMei recently discovered that each season brings new adventures. She loves helping mom rake the leaves. She likes having her very own pile of leaves, which she insists on picking up all by herself.
My little girl squeals with delight when she is covered with leaves from head to toe. YiMei loves the idea of dressing up for Halloween and can hardly wait to trick or treat with her beloved Freedom. Freedom will wear her banana split costume and YiMei has chosen to trick or treat as a butterfly.
Her favorite night time ritual has become reading books with words and pictures, such as Richard Scary's first word book. YiMei has a such a great desire to learn! After we read our books, she loves when I gaze into her eyes and tell her YiMei and Mommy will be together forever and ever and ever and ever.
Here are some pictures and video clips from the Autumn Moon Festival and other fall outings:
