A moment for the Moon

Not sure from when, probably after Arthur turned three, he likes to look for the moon in the sky when it is getting dark. He is not very happy when the moon hides behind the clouds, and he gets really excited whenever he finds the moon.

For July 4th, we went to a soccer game which started at 8:30 pm. After the game, there would be fireworks right there at the stadium. As we got into the stadium and found our seats, it was getting a little bit dark. We were a little bit late and the game already started. Everybody was watching the game as my husband and I hastened putting the kids to their seats. Arthur's mind was not at the game at all because he was busy looking around. All of sudden, Arthur pointed to the sky and cheered very loud, "The Moon!" All of the people around us, probably more than 100 eyes followed Arthur's finger and looked that way. They must be perplexed for a little bit. Yes, the Moon was there. But there wasn't anything wrong over there. Then everybody turned their heads back and started watching the soccer game again.

Only Arthur stared at the Moon a little bit more until he got satisfied that the Moon was there and he started watching the game too.

Birds and Grapes

1. The grapes in our backyard grow very well each year. This time, we got some grapes again. When I gave Minglun grapes to eat, I told him to take off the skin and seeds before eating the grapes. He was having fun doing that and he even helped to get some grapes ready for Arthur to eat.

Later, we were in the backyard playing. Some birds flew there to eat grapes. Minglun asked me a question, "Mama, do the birds know that our grapes have seeds?"

2. Since many birds come to eat grapes and tomatoes we have, my husband has been looking for ways to protect the plants from the birds. We have a scarecrow which does not work at all. We also have an owl and I put it away last year because it looks a little bit scary.

One evening, I went to the backyard to pick up some tomatoes. My husband didn't tell me that he moved the owl out earlier that day. So I was bending down getting tomatoes. As I stood up and turned around the other way, I saw this big owl with huge eyes looking at me. I screamed and was scared to half death. My husband dashed out from the house and ask me, "What happened? What happened?" It took me a while to be able to talk, "It was the owl. I didn't know it was there. I was so scared."

But later, I thought about the owl. If I was even so scared by the owl, how come the birds were not scared. Are they too smart or too dumb?

3. The next morning, we were sitting at the table eating breakfast, Minglun looked through the window and reported, "Mama, some birds came to eat grapes again. They didn't see the owl over there." I started laughing, "I bet they saw the owl. They just don't care."

Mama says, Papa says and Grandma says

Minglun and Arthur's Mama is from China and speaks Chinese. Their Grandma from father's side is from Peru and speaks Spanish. Grandma lives close by and plays with them often.

When Minglun was little, Mama liked to play Flash cards with him in Chinese. Sometimes, Papa joined in and said some words in English. Like when Minglun lifted the card with a picture of an elephant on it, Papa would say "Elephant". Minglun frowned at Papa and lifted the card to Mama and Mama would say "Da Xiang". Minglun nodded his head satisfactorily and gave Papa a disapproval look.

From Minglun and Arthur's house to Grandma's house, there is a ranch. Many times on their way to Grandma's house, they see some cows in the field eating grass. Mama will point to the cows and say to Minglun, "Minglun, look... Niu. Hao duo Niu." However, Minglun seems to pick up Spanish first. One time, when Mama was saying, "Wow, Niu, Hao Duo Niu.", Minglun started saying, "Vaca, muchos vacas." And then sometimes he will repeat after Mama, "Niu, Hao duo Niu."

One time, Minglun asked, "Mama, why you say Niu and Grandma says Banca?" Mama said, "Because Mama speaks Chinese and Grandma speaks Spanish." Minglun asked again, "What does Papa speak?" "Papa speaks both Spanish and English."

Later when Arthur was learning how to talk, he also discovered the language differences. When he tried to count, he would say, "Grandma says, 'Uno, dos, tres.' Mama says, 'Yi, Er, San'". Everytime after he counted in English, he would say, "Mama, now count in Spanish." What he meant was in another language since he was not using the word Chinese well yet. Then he started counting "Yi, Er, San...".

What time is it outside?

In Minglun's house, there is a garden themometer in the backyard hung on a shelf. Every morning, Mama likes to look through the window toward the backyard to take a look at the themometer outside and decides what clothes to put on for Minglun and Arthur. Minglun has been observing Mama and he didn't know what is that for.

After Minglun learned how to read a clock and read the clock correctly several times in the kitchen, one day he finally asked when Mama was trying to read the thermometer in the backyard. "Mama, what time is it outside?" Mama laughed and said, "That is not a clock. It is a thermometer." Minglun asked, "What is a thermometer?" "Thermometer is to tell you what temperature it is. Not the time. From the temperature, you can know if it is hot or cold."

"Okay, then I can read a thermometer!" Minglun was so excited and started reading the number. "It is 60 o'clock." Mama laughed again, "It is 60 degree, not o'clock. But you are doing very good Minglun. Sixty degree means that it is nice outside, but just a little bit chilly. You can wear your jacket and go outside with Arthur."

So from then on, Minglun started reading the thermometer every time they need to go outside. He will say, "Mama, it is 50 o'clock outside, me and Arthur need our jackets." Or "Mama, it is 65. We can go to the backyard to play."

It took him a while to say "degree" instead of "o'clock" and Mama was having so much fun hearing him saying that.

Minglun, Mama's sweet boy, just one step at a time.