Sydney Update

It's been cold and damp here this past week so I haven't been motivated to do much. We spent the weekend hanging out at the apartment, wishing that we had a wood burning fireplace.

Sydney didn't seem to have any problems entertaining herself (and me).

Sydney LOVES all things Elmo. Thanks to her Elmo toothbrush, she brushes her teeth everyday now. Thanks to Elmo stickers, she's able to sit still long enough for me to cut her fingernails. Thanks to Elmo books, all threats of temper tantrums are diffused. She has recently taken to Mickey Mouse and the gang. There are Christmas decals of Mickey and the gang in her room, and she won't take a bath without Mickey and Minnie (who were supposed to be Christmas presents but I couldn't wait that long to give them to her). She also sleeps with them, along with her Frog, Baby Doll, Panda Bear and Koala Bear (those are actually their names --- I know, I'm not very creative).

Sydney is learning new words everyday and it has been a lot of fun hearing her talk. It has also made me very careful of what I say around her because she tends to repeat much of what I say. She has been pointing to her blue piggy bank lately and saying "blue" so I thought that she has learned the color blue. As it turns out, she calls all pigs "blue". So we need to work on this a bit more....

We are looking forward to seeing my family when they arrive in Shanghai next Friday for Christmas. I've been in quite a funk actually because I wish we were able to celebrate Christmas in Dallas in our own house, with a big, festive tree and lights around the house. I'm grateful that we'll be able to be with our family for Christmas. We are all going to Hong Kong to bring in the new year.

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!