A Day Off School

I love it when Ming Wai has a day off of school. It's special feeling enough that the kids, generally, hold off on squabbling until pretty late in the day. We get to just stay home and pretend that the kids aren't growing up and dealing with pesky things like Education and Schedules. *sigh* It's nice.

On MLK Day, the kids got up and watched a cartoon before breakfast, then conned me into playing Chutes and Ladders. Let me just say, I don't like that game. It can go. on. forever. And it did. Ming Wai made it to the end of the board, and then looked expectantly at Siu Jeun and I while we slogged through. Then he made it to the end. And there I was, bouncing up and down chutes and ladders, stuck at the beginning of the game. Would you think less of me if I told you that I stopped counting, exactly, where I was supposed to land, and just sort of magically "happened" to reach the end of the board on my next turn? It was a miracle, I tell you. An absolute miracle.

Soon after our game ended, our house cleaner showed up and it was time to skedaddle. Since the gym was closed, we went down the hill to spend the morning at Aunt Myrnie's house. Ming Wai brought some homework and got it done there, then all the kids spent the rest of the morning eating popcorn and playing. 

Around lunchtime, it was time to brave Nap Time. I'm beginning to seriously hate Nap Time for Ying Ying. Ever since she was born, sleep has been difficult to achieve. I've tried everything that worked with my other two (crying it out, babywise, nursing her to sleep, rocking her to sleep) and, one by one, the methods stopped working. Leaving us stranded, with a baby who is exhausted, and I have no way to help her get to sleep. When she isn't tired, she is an absolute joy and an angel. When she is tired, it feels like the Apocalypse and all four riders have arrived at once. 

We drove around until she fell asleep, picking up lunch at McDonalds and dropping something off at a friend's house, before she fell asleep and we could go home. She slept for a little while in the car while the kids ate their lunch inside. 

Emphasis on "little while". *sigh* (Last time she fell asleep in the car, it was a solid 2 hour nap. This was closer to 45 minutes.)

And, we were off! 

Trying to get her more used to, and happy in, her crib. I stuck her in the crib and gave her a bunch of toys to play with while I tidied her bedroom. 

This face, guys. This face. It cracks me up! 

The hair doesn't help her case. At all. 

So much teeths! This probably explains why she hasn't been sleeping well. I swear, she's popping out a new tooth every 2-3 weeks. And each tooth comes with a runny nose and general congestion. Poor kid. 

The day ended with Family Home Evening, including a lesson from Ming Wai on Martin Luther King, Jr. Bedtime today was, blessedly, un-traumatic. I laid her down in her crib and stayed by her, shushing her, showing her books, and patting her back, until she finally fell asleep after about 20 minutes. If that is what it takes, I will do it.