Dear Eva,
Mommy has to confess. I've broken a very important promise to you. It was with fanfare that I declared your birthday as the "Annual Write my Daughter a Letter Day" just a little over a year ago, and as you can see, this blog has seen nothing but cricket chirps since, and I have written you jack, zip, nada... this whole, entire year.
So where have I been? By the time you can read this, you probably won't recall any bit of this whirlwind of a year we've had. 2011 was the year we took on an adventure around the world, and in 2012, we took on a different adventure, the kind of journey that took our lives to a different place in an unexpected way...
Let's see if we can sum it up in pictures (and videos)... be ready, it'll be a looong one, here we go...
After having spent 2 and a half precious years with you at home, your Super Dad decided it's time for him to go back to work. It was bittersweet, there were tearful goodbyes and exciting late night excursions to the hotel to pick daddy up. With some difficulty, mommy has to quickly grow up and learn how to be mommy again, but it was evident that you were ready to let go and grow up yourself. And grew up you did...
You were 2 going on 15...
OK, calm down, we didn't actually let you drink that delicious glass of chardonnay, well, at least not that time...
You've also grown a lot more physical this past year. It looks like when daddy let go of his white-knuckled grip nurturing hand, your inner dare devil was unleashed.
And now, you like to tear up the asphalt on your balance bike...
And enjoy exhilarating sleigh ride courtesy of Bryson (at almost 9 Bry Bry is still going strong!):
But it doesn't matter how many blue and green outfits I put you in (which seems to be a lot), there is a girly side of you that is dying to burst out and show the world your pinkest, fluffiest, twirliest ballet moves (and check out those expressive hands)...
Well, it'll be a few more years before you go to Julliard, so in the mean time, let's remember you actually turned 3, and with that comes the momentous passage from toddlerhood to the next phase...
First day of preschool.
Even though you looked a little unsure here, we were pleasantly surprised how quickly you warmed up to school. In mere minutes after this photo was taken, you were off in their playground, climbing, swinging, digging in the sand, and never look back (all the tears belonged to your daddy and I on this first day). Your teachers at school says you're one of the most joyous, exuberant (I think they mean "loud" in a nice way) and kinesthetic (physical?) kids there. And we're just amazed how you learned all the kids (and their parents) names in the first weeks of school. You've even made some "best friends", Miles, Camilla... Words just can't describe how proud we are of you.
And to make up for the lack of a real birthday party last year when we were in China, we celebrated your 3rd one BIG this year, and yes, with a REAL fairy... Ooooh... you're still talking about "Daisy Fairy", and other moms are still cursing reminding me of it, LOL...
And you're always the good sister to Bryson, making sure he's well groomed and photo ready on your birthday.
And mommy is glad to have the excuse to break out my new laser cutting machine to craft your party invite. It took some trial and error and many trips to various paper stores, but I absolutely adore the final product, and the creative process is so therapeutic...
And creative therapy is something I unexpectedly had a lot of time for this year. Your daddy and I took a 180, as he re-embraced his work life and I left mine behind this summer...
Yay for my right brain! The luxury of being able to learn something new (laser paper cutting), catalog my archives of paper and fabric (whew!), whip up projects whenever I want (well, when I don't have my hands full taking care of you)...
Allow me to indulge myself in a not-so-brief recap of my creative endeavors...
Every fairy needs a hand made fairy wand, this one made from a huge mass of gingko tree clippings mommy diverted from a dump truck outside Emeryville city hall...
This is how much tulle goes into one little girl's tutu... absolutely nuts. And all of us exuded glitters from every orifice (uh hmm) for the next few months...
Crayon roll, just coz I feel like using some pretty fabric. Of course the crayons still prefer to roll around under the couch, behind bookcases and other general nook and crannies visiting dust bunnies.
Another project I get to use my laser cutting machine, Auntie Van's baby shower invite with a tea party theme. As you already know, you and Baby Austin are forever tied together by fate, when he decided to meet the world early so he can have the exact same birthday as you.
And let's not forget the 20 party favor bags the Senakam sweat shop mommy lovingly hand sewed in 3 days, while whipping you through potty boot camp (you were a total champ, no accidents after 2 days, woo hoo!)
And no, I didn't part time at a tattoo parlor, but did pick up face painting for fun, since you love getting your face painted at fairs, and mommy is, well, frugal, why pay someone to do it when you can do it by yourself, right? Don't ever forget you're half Chinese, frugality is in your blood.
And last but not least, the matching outfits for Halloween for you and Bryson! Now this is really becoming a yearly tradition, starting from Pharoah and sphinx, to vet and patient, red riding hood and big bad wolf, and now...
Fairy Princess and her Magical Steed... hee hee!
Wow, that was a lot of fun stuff we created together this year. And if you still wonder why mommy didn't have time to write you, well, remember when we dug up every single little thing in our loft, shoved them in boxes piled all the way to the ceiling, and one day hauled everything to this strange little house in the woods?
Yeah, we moved.
I won't miss the crazy, endless days and nights of purging and packing (that's your daddy reminescing in the old US Marine hat he dug up from the Crypt, you'll have to ask him about it)
But I'll miss sunsets like this from our windows...
The quiet little moments we shared in our home...
And the neighbors who have filled in as families since you were born...
And now, as we're just beginning to settle in our new abode in the woods, with Thanksgiving coming up in less than a day, I can tell you how truly thankful I am of having you in our lives.
Even though you're little and have to hold my hand when we cross the street, in so many ways you're the one guiding us through life in chaotic, turbulent times...
You remind me where my priorities should be when I'm confused and overwhelmed, you show me the beauty of a quiet moment between just you and me, you teach me that I still have lots to learn in the departments of patience, generosity and letting go, you remind me to own up to my emotions, and remember when to say "please", "thank you" and "I'm sorry"...
This post is going dangerously long already as it is, so I'm just going to conclude with some photos of our adventures this year. Love you, baby, looking forward to many, many more years of adventure with you, your daddy and Bryson.
