My last post sounds so depressing and whiny that I want to follow up with some good things:
-M loves puzzles lately! I was an avid jigsaw puzzler myself as a kid, and still am! I would work 750 piece puzzles every night when I couldn’t sleep, or if I needed to quiet my mind. In fact, I did some after losing the baby, and it was a comfort. Right now M is getting good at 24 piece puzzles, but only if they’re solid wood (like Melissa & Doug). M can do puzzles all day long, which surprised me as she’s not normally a quiet sit-down activity type girl. My mom and I are sick of the same dinosaur puzzle over and over… time to get more!
– M is also a great helper when I’m cooking or preparing food. She loves to help me chop up vegetables, and she’ll eat any vegetable raw by the handful while doing it (zucchini, brussel sprouts, broccoli). She loves brussel sprouts in any form, which makes me feel like a wonderful parent even though I had nothing to do with it (other than providing them). She also loves my broccoli and potato soup. Daal bhaat (Nepali rice and lentils) is still her favorite, and she now calls it daal bhaat, and I’m introducing other new Nepali words, such as “mitho chha” (delicious). I get a huge kick out of hearing her speak Nepali!
-M’s birthday party is about a week away! She’s so excited about her “Arlo cake” that I’m tempted to let her help me with it. I think that will make her that much more excited! We’re doing a very small swimming party at our favorite warm pool, and I’m looking forward to M having some other kids to play with. A week after that, I’m treating her and my niece to Disney on Ice.
-Speaking of swimming: Monday is the start of M’s first preschool swim class (in the water without me). Hopefully she’ll have a kind teacher and seeing the other kids getting in will inspire her to do it, too. If not, she can just watch.
-Upcoming travels!!! With spring on the horizon, it’s time to start planning some small trips. We’re doing a 4-day road trip to Nashville to visit my dad, and we’re going to hit up Mammoth Cave National Park and Dinosaur World on the way! I also intend to do Lake Michigan beaches this year (we didn’t get there last summer), Niagara Falls (Canada side), and New Jersey (visit the relatives, less than an hour away from NYC!).
-My vacation time request is in for our big three week trip to Nepal end of October! I can’t put into words how much I miss the Nepali friends who are my second family. My “niece” is turning 10, and I’m glad I won’t be missing it. It will be M’s first time to Asia, and I’m just super excited about everything to do with it.
So, everything isn’t total gloom and doom. M is smart and funny and my “big helper” (as she calls herself). She loves playing with me, sitting on my lap, being carried by me, gives me lots of spontaneous “I wuv you”s and kisses, and is honestly so much more fun at this age than ever before. I’m so looking forward to all of the adventures we have waiting for us this year!
Mother of All Things 
Disney on Ice is going to be so much fun! I want to go. Well, all of the stuff you have planned is going to be so much fun.
Do they ever come to Toronto? (Disney on ice). And you are going to meet us in Niagara I hope! You’re always welcome to join us on our travels. The more the merrier!
We will be there in Niagara for sure! I think they come to Toronto…I recall someone taking their kid a couple years ago (I think)!
Ooh Nepal trip!!! So excited for you. Maybe you could take some word books and translate to Nepali? Or make your own with pictures of things that will be relevant while there?
Wallace has that dinosaur puzzle, too. He has the jungle one that came in a set with it. He is getting really good at the M&D dinosaur and endangered species floor puzzles. It took lots of practice and help but he can do them on his own if he’s not tired.