Candle for Da Yi (Daddy)

Yesterday at breakfast, Jonathan stacked the small strawberry jelly jar on top of the larger peanut butter jar. He asked me to "blow, Mama, blow." I asked, blow what? He replied, "Candle, candle for Da Yi (daddy). Da Yi birthday." So we blew the candle and sang happy birthday to Albert, who was on his way to work.

Jonathan definitely has inherited the organization skills from Albert. Two nights ago, I was getting ready to read stories to him at bedtime, he began to put books in his small laundry basket and said, "图书馆"(library) and put all his books one by one into the basket like putting books on the shelf. Before that, his books had been scattered on the floor and on the dresser. His books have been organized in the laundry basket as his library since then. When we move to our new home, will have to get a book shelf for him as his real library.

Speak of new home, part of me is ambivelant. Jonathan has begun to be attached to our current house. He is recognizing roads and places. In the last few weeks, on our way home, he has been telling us, this is going home, this is our home. Quite a few times, he asked in a playful way, "Is this our house?" as we passed by the houses in the neighborhood until we got to our house. He would say,"this is our house."

We have been introducing the idea of our new home to him. We pass by the buiding site often and point it out to him. He has the concept we will have a new home but I worry about the transition and his adjustment. Sometimes I feel I owe him for now buying a bigger house with more rooms for him to play with.

The reality is that we are all blessed with so much already. Our new home is plenty big compared to the majority of the world. Plus I really do not have the energy to maintain a house. With the amount of time we spend at work/daycare/church, our time at home is limited to breakfast, dinner, and sleep. The playground is across the street. We all have plenty of room to walk, play, and do things. We don't really need all the space.

Another unrelated funny note: Jonathan loves Gordon, #4 engine of the Thomas train series. He colored a Gordan picture and brought the picture to the restaurant to color more. On our way home, he suddenly realized, the Gordon picture was not with him. "Where is Gordon?" I told him we left it at the restaurant. I asked him, "what should we do?" He replied thoughtfully, "We get it later." The way he thought about our option was quite cute and he was very serious and matter of fact about getting it later.