2014 Favorite People

Last year, I interviewed Lil J and asked her who her favorite person was and she said mommy and daddy. Love it. In 2014 when I asked her the same question, she answered Matthew and Cory, her cousins. We got bumped this year. 

Matthew and Cory are brothers and daddy's cousins. They adored Jordyn. It just fills my heart and amazes me that these two boys, well I guess men, can be so kind and sweet to my little girl. They are successful and wonderful guys who treat Lil J like a princess. I love them for that. I first met them when they were just these little kids, I am very proud of them for who they have become.

With Matt. 

 

Matt is a barber, so on her last visit with him she dressed up like a barber just like her big cousin. 

Cory is an artist and he just finished painting a mural in her room. 

Isn't it beautiful. He really is so talented. 

I can see why they are her favorite people, they are both pretty awesome guys. 

It really takes a village

Lil J has a life outside of my time with her. She is so fortunate to have so many people who love her and help care for her. She is definitely spoiled with love. It is just a wonderful thing. As a working mother I am truly blessed to have parents  (both mine and my in laws) who help care for her and enjoy being with her. She is just so fortunate to have such a wonderful relationship with each one of them.

Grandma has her one day a week. They have much fun. Grandma is wonderful because as a retired teacher she instills a lot of teachable moments in their time together. They do a lot of creative work and is also her own personal tutor. 

Sent by Grandma. Lil J can be such a ham. 

I guess she was trying on some of grandma's hats. She is stinking cute. 

In the last few months, Papa has been picking her up twice a week from school. It has been so wonderful for me to not worry about her after school. They have such adventures together. He absolutely adores her and that is so clear. 

A photo from one of their after school adventures. 

Lola and Nono just started to pick her up one day a week. They live a touch farther, but now that Nono has reduce his work hours they are able to come one day a week. It is just so wonderful for her to have that bond with them. When she was baby Lola came once a week, but when she started school that stopped. I am glad that now they are able to have more regular time with her again. 

We truly have a village to help raise Lil J. We are blessed and thankful for that. Not only for the help and support. But also for the fact that Lil J will learn from so many different people. We are a diverse family with different points of views and beliefs and different backgrounds. I think it is pretty awesome. She is so inquisitive that she will gain so much just from her different grandparents. 

Interpretive dance

One evening Lil J asked me to videotape her interpretive dance on flowers.

Flower song and dance. 2014-0106 from Sherylle White on Vimeo.

Her first joke

Lil J heard this joke while watching Clifford. She loves to tell this one over and over. It's her first real joke she can tell.

Jordyn's first joke. 2014-0108 from Sherylle White on Vimeo.

Little Yogi

So I have started taking Yoga Teacher Training. Lil J one night helped me with my homework and went through a little set of yoga asanas. She is definitely a natural. 

Malasana (Garland Pose)

Upward facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

Downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Plank (Prasarita Dandasana)

Tree (Vrksasana)

Modified Side Plank (Vasisthasana)

Cobbler (Baddha Konasana)

Half Lord of the fish (Ardha Matsyensrasan))

Starfish (Tarasana)

Washing the Porsche

So daddy got a new car. We made a deal with daddy to get him to stop chewing tobacco. At first it started as a joke to start a behavior chart so that he would stop chewing. Daddy agreed that he would quit chewing and if he could make it 90 days his prize would be a Porsche. 

Well daddy did it and we are so proud of him. 90 days was up just before the new year and we did indeed get a Porsche. 

Helping daddy wash the Porsche. 

Post It notes

Lil J love post it notes and got some from Santa in her stocking. She wrote us my most favorite note. 

Just melts my heart. 

Quince

A few weeks ago we celebrated our friend step-daughter's Quincenera. It was tons of fun. Pictures were a bit dark but Lil J had a blast dancing with her friend and running around the ballroom. 

Seeing the dentist

Lil J had a dental check up and did really well. Up until now she hadn't allowed the dental hygienist to clean her teeth. She would sit in the chair but that was usually as far as they could get. It would end up with me holding her while the dentist checked her teeth and brushed and flossed them. 

Well after some coaxing, Lil J got much farther this time around. We first sat in the chair and they put on a movie for her. She let the hygienist look in her mouth. But when it came to cleaning her teeth she didn't want to open her mouth anymore. So I expected we would have to do what we usually do. The dentist was with another patient so we waited in the play room. Lil J played for a while. Instead of the usual plan the dentist had another hygienist give it a try. This time it happened. They got one tooth cleaned with the spinning brush. That was huge. They cleaned the rest of her teeth with a regular toothbrush and flossed. This was a big step. She held my hand but it was definite progress. We were schedule for a xray but they didn't want to push things. We made huge progress and wanted to keep it positive. A very successful dentist visit. She even got 100% on her little report! No plaque. 

First snowboard trip in 2014

On the second day of the year we headed to the slopes to get a few runs in. SoCal has been experiencing a pretty warm winter and so it was pretty warm and snow wasn't so great. But regardless we had fun. Our friends came along. It was Collin's first time on a snowboard. We all had a nice time. 

Happy New Year 2014!

We celebrated the New Year at home. We watched the ball drop with the east coast so that Lil J could go to bed at a decent time. It was a nice quiet New Years Eve and it was just perfect because we were all together. That was all that mattered.

2014-0101 Happy New Year! from Sherylle White on Vimeo.

Looking forward to what 2014 has to offer our little family.

Rose Parade Floats

A few days before New Years we headed out to the Rose Bowl to check out the floats getting ready for the Rose Parade. Daddy and I have always talked about going to see the floats but we never got the chance to do it. So this was a lot of fun to see them before the craziness of New Years. Actually, it was the best time because it wasn't so crowded and you don't have to rush through it all. You could tell they were prepared for the crowds. 

It was so cool to see the floats in the making. 

It was amazing to see the detail and the work to get the flowers and seeds. 

We were so glad we got to see that. It made it fun to see the floats on tv as well. Lil J Eve got to ride a little plane. 

Celebrating with friends

We have an annual Christmas party with my friends from high school. This group has transformed and grown over the years and now we are outnumbered by the kids with 15 kids in the groups. 

15 crying kids. 

It is great to spend time with good friends. 

Christmas Dinner 2013

We hosted Christmas dinner. It is nice to get together.

Lil J is the only little kid on this side of the family and is pretty much spoiled, I mean showered with attention and presents.

I love how the boys love Lil J so much. We have some pretty awesome cousins.

Christmas morning 2013

We wake up a bit late Christmas morning considering that we don't get home from Christmas Eve until after 2 in the morning. But Santa still comes over after we have gone to bed.

Lil J had asked why Santa didn't leave our presents by the tree. I guess he heard this year and instead of leaving them near the stockings he put them by the tree. 

Christmas Eve 2013

We celebrate Christmas Eve with my Filipino family. Our tradition has always been to open presents at midnight.

I love how the big cousin get into coloring with Lil J!