July 4th I had dinner with Hana's family. We ate hot dogs, deviled eggs, chips, beans, and had root beer floats for dessert. Later I returned to my room and waited to hear fire crackers but the night wore on in silence. I kind of liked it.
This week Hana has learned the phrase, "Thank you". For me, it started Monday when I put a safari hat on her head and a bug collector around her neck with a net in one hand and a magnifying glass in the other and took her on a bug safari in the front yard. Hana said, "Thank you, Erie!" several times. I had previously placed 10 plastic cute bugs from Amazon in the yard and helped her find them like we were on an Easter Egg hunt. Then we moved into the shade to examine the bugs. There were two of each: ladybug, ant, centipede, and roach. We were only in the sun a few minutes but I was already dripping with sweat. Hana didn't understand the magnifying glass right away but she enjoyed the activity.
It's been so hot this week. Both Monday and Tuesday I had to change into a new shirt before 11am because I was sweating so much. Wednesday I had to change my shirt again but that was due to a coffee stain. I shower at night except when I'm too tired because morning showers seem so pointless.
The thank you's continue even until today while we were at the grocery store. I grabbed a bag of romaine lettuce to go with dinner and let her hold it. "Thank you, Erie." Silly kid. (She thanks her parents too.)
I also learned that Hana knows the word freckle. We were sitting side by side on the couch and she touched my arm where there was a large freckle and said "freckle". She is also opting to sit on the big potty with an adjustment seat over her little potty right on the floor. She's not afraid of the potty!
Hana is not a perfect angel though I do describe her as one. Like any other child she does have temper tantrums. This afternoon for example, I saw her wake up on the monitor. I didn't rush to get her because I wanted her to finish waking up. I turned the monitor off, left my casita, went into the house, and entered her room. She was lying down. At first I thought she was pretending. She softly said my name as I rubbed her back. I opened the curtains and opened the blinds and all of the sudden she starts crying.
You know that Snickers commercial that says, "You aren't you when you're hungry"? Well it's like that for her but when she's still sleepy. She starts off by not wanting you to pick her up but she will cry if you leave her alone in her crib. Then I do pick her up and she continues to cry and shake her legs and say "down". She doesn't really want to be down so once she is on the ground she will say "up". This game of up and down continued for about five minutes. I took her into the living room where her gee gees (blankets) were lying on the couch. She wasn't ready to be put down yet but said "gee gee" so I grabbed one and held her as she held and stroked it. After a minute she calms down enough to say "Tygee" which means Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, her favorite show. Now I can put her down on the couch, wrap her in gee gee love, choose a Daniel Tiger episode from the DVR, give her juice, and relax. It usually takes the entire episode before she becomes Hana again.
I bought dinner at Safeway for all of us. Angie and Jeff have provided me with enough dinners that it was time for me to return the favor. It was just fried chicken and side dishes from the deli but they appreciated it. I like eating dinner like part of the family instead of alone in my room.
Tomorrow I am getting a massage via a Groupon. Cheers for the weekend!
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