Lola and her Excellent, Amazing, Wonderful, So Good, Very Great Day

A couple of weeks ago I purchased the book, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" which I remembered from childhood and which Michael said he liked also.  It's way more negative than I remembered!  Lola was amused by the long title and all the complaining that Alexander does, but it's clear that she doesn't have much patience or sympathy for someone whose day goes all wrong. She can't fathom it!

That very night after I read her the book, she told me while giggling non-stop that she had had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.  She was giggling so hard because she knew she was being ridiculous. Now, whenever I tell her I think she had an "Excellent, Amazing, Wonderful, So Good, Very Great Day" she giggles uncontrollably and rattles off with tongue-twister speed that actually she had a "terriblehorriblenogoodverybadday."  Then I make an exaggerated face of disbelief and we share a good long chortle.

Let's be honest, Lola enjoys some pretty amazing days overall.  But she truly has some fabulous ones in particular. One such day took place Tuesday of the last week of August.  She got to go to the dentist with me in the morning, where she charmed everyone and sat in the chair next to me, wide eyed, and comforted me "not to be scared."  Then we came back for her first day of orientation over Zoom with her new school, followed by my realizing that her school was actually open and that I had time to take her with me (!) to see her school (!!) and meet her teacher (!!) and play in their playroom (!!!), followed by a great lunch, a good nap, and an amazing afternoon at her favorite park with her brothers.

 Pictures or it didn't happen!  Here she is in the main lobby area.

And here is the school's open courtyard - but at the time parked with school buses as a convenient storing place.

She was so excited to finally be allowed inside this playroom, which she had previously seen and desperately wanted to go inside when she initially came last year for her assessment!

There was so much to explore.

There was another highlight-filled day two weeks ago when we all went to Quarry Bay park in the morning, played around, and then after dropping her brothers off at home, she and I continued to the American Club in Tai Tam.  Lola was so excited at this unexpected special treat that it was all she could do to stay in her car seat.

The American Club holds an organic farming program with open sessions periodically.  I jumped at the chance to bring Lola.  Here we enjoyed an early lunch together (please note the lemonade with a slice of lemon in her cup, and ice cubes) before we went to pick plants.  She looks like a big kid to me already!  My heart.

Here we are after picking our Thai basil, water spinach and butterflypea flower bounty.  (The morning glory was sauteed and eaten with relish.  The Thai basil went into a delicious stir fried, spicy chicken and eggplant dish that Michael and I thoroughly enjoyed.)

A couple of days later, we crushed the butterflypea flower in water, turning it blue, and then squeezed lemon, thereby turning it purple.  Lola and I enjoyed the science experiment very much.

I hope the kids continue to get to enjoy such excellent, amazing, wonderful, so good, very great days, always!  It makes me happy that even in times of such uncertainty and stress, we can provide them with such contentment and stability and also surprise and adventure.

In Favor of What Matters Most

This.  "There will always be too much to do - and this realization is liberating.  The only viable solution is to make a shift: from a life spent trying not to neglect anything, to one spent proactively and consciously choosing what to neglect, in favor of what matters most." This particular sentence in the article really resonated with me. So, in an effort to do just that - here is how we have been spending our time in the last few days and first ten days of September.  (September!! How are we here already.)

We go to the toy store sometimes.

We go exploring along the waterfront at other times.

We wear hats and make funny faces.  We (well, Teo, especially) like to touch and tap our heads.

We eat food.  We ride cars.  We play with mom's shoes.

We go to the race course and enjoy snacks.  We are silly and switch sunglasses.

We sit on the grass in the big field and pluck it.  We run barefoot on it and revel in some of the only open space we get to enjoy.

We (here, Lola and Al) play together. 

We go to dinner together.  This was at the American Club where we still had to social distance among the three of us. Michael sat at one table by himself while Lola and I sat at another table - an interesting experience!  Lola tried ikura (fish roe) at this meal and loved it.  She has a pretty mature palate that includes a love of olives, raw fish, caviar and pickles...

We go on picnics in the park.  This is Quarry Bay park, where we can see boats and ferries, walk along the waterfront, pick wildflowers, and sit in the shaded grass on the hill.

We play together with blocks and bunnies.

  We play doctor or nurse.  We love playing doctor, actually.

Or just playing in general, but especially with dollhouses and our little friends.

We do messy play.

We kick back and lounge around.

We take advantage of thunder and rainstorms to dress up and go jump in puddles.

We play with twigs and berries and leaves and grass at the park with our friends.

We picnic all the time.

We sit in our tandem stroller and enjoy water and treats.

We visit our sister at her school and show off our, er... guns.

We go on ferry rides.

We have a ton of fun at Maggie and Rose, whether at the sprinklers or in the newly re-opened soft play areas.

We sit and look adorable and contemplative.

Or we do tummy time.

Or we eat our fruit.

We draw pretty cards for mommy.

We are deeply, unequivocally, unconditionally and unquestionably loved.