A Moon Filled Birthday

 For the first time since living here (which is going on six years) Joab's birthday is on Mid-Autumn Festival! Also know as the moon cake holiday. When the moon is full and you give moon cakes to all your friends. We had planned on having a party here- but Salome woke up with the stomach flu, but was much better by the time we had cake tonight!

 We played a game and listened to the song "Puff the Magic Dragon" since Joab is the year of the dragon, and this year in China is the year of the dragon! Kind of a big deal here when it is 'your year'.

 Moon cakes to me (Em) taste pretty gross. But my kids love and I mean LOVE them. Here they are eating some red bean paste ones. Asa could down about four-six of the small ones in one day! Good thing they are really cheap here!!

 My moon belly. 36 weeks. Overall feeling pretty good. But the baby can feel free to come out anytime!!!

As you can see a moon cake did look a bit like the moon tonight!

The Funk

Our children have probably- too many nicknames. We actually think of their nicknames before they are born!
But this nickname for Asa started when he was really little.
Doodle Funkyness
Now it is usually shortened to Doodle or just Funk.
And WOW- he is such a Funk.

Here are two stories from the last two weeks:

Joab has been out of town (that would be a whole other blog post....it has been hard) and the kids and I have been sick with colds. One night Asa crawled into bed with me- we both did not feel good and I did not have energy to fight him on this one (note - when Daddy is around the kids do not sleep with us).

All night Asa smacked and sucked on his thumb! I was shocked! I thought he had given up that practice about two years ago! When I asked him the next day about- he admitted it.

My friend here has the really nasty tasting fingernail polish to prevent thumb sucking. I have never used this before- but decided for my almost seven year old Funk- it was time.

As I applied it I told him not to taste it (which he then did ASAP) he learned really quickly that it was
HORRIBLE. That was Sunday night. And Monday he was off to school.

Monday afternoon he comes home saying school was the "most horriblest day" ever. Turns out he somehow got his thumb wet and then licked his thumb and then drank his water bottle. The water bottle then took on the flavor of the nail polish. Then from his lips he got his chopsticks to taste like the polish and then his food.....all got the taste. The poor Funk could not even eat his lunch as the whole thing (including water) tasted like the polish.

I did not know to laugh or cry. Only our Funk could somehow get the polish taste EVERYWHERE. I used nail polish remover to get most of the remaining polish off his nails...and gave him a big snack.

I did tell him if I hear him sucking on his thumb again I will apply the polish! His big eyes got even bigger and I think it computed - DO NOT SUCK your thumb!

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Today I got a call from the nurse's office at Asa's school. Asa said he was writing and his hand started to hurt. I asked if his hand was hurt, broken, sprained etc. No, he was just writing and it hurt. Therefore Asa concluded he needed to be brought home.

I talked to the nurse and we agreed that a writing injury did not mean he needed to miss school.

I assured Asa that these 'writing pains' are normal and he will get more and more used to writing and then it will start to feel better.

Again, I wanted to laugh and cry. Laugh that he really thought he was injured. Cry that school is hard.

He came home happy and I was relieved. He is indeed my Funk.