Names and Other Fun Tidbits

We have been calling Little Weed #4 by his Chinese name (XQ) since we met him. While difficult for us to pronounce, we do a good enough job that he recognizes and responds without difficulty. Once we got all the appointments out of the way and had shown him the room (and overcome the initial excitement about our bed!), we asked our guide to help us talk to him about his name. He was sitting in a chair, I knelt down beside him, and Steve knelt in front of him. Jessica explained that when he went to America, he would be called New Name. (He repeated "New Name" out loud and then grinned.). She asked him if he wanted us to continue to call him XQ for a while or if he wanted to be called by his new name. He quickly said "New Name" and jumped right into Stick's arms with a spontaneous bear hug. I think he likes it. :).

And he definitely loves his daddy. "Daddy" in Mandarin is "Baba". Well, let me tell you, this baba is the best thing since sliced bread. Little Weed#4 looks to him for approval, affirmation, and a good dose of giggles. And even though Baba is the one who is first to instruct or discipline (Mama couldn't quite bring herself to say no yesterday), he is also quick to encourage and praise when obedience follows. Little Weed#4 Eats. It. Up. He seems eager to figure out the boundaries in our family and was very willing to accept correction (no hitting or pushing, even playfully; no water balloons in the hotel room (LOL!); no laser pointers directed at eyes. Good rules to live by...

Other random thoughts... While my very basic Chinese has come in very handy, it certainly isn't at the vocabulary level of a chatty six year old. Thankfully, both Sticks and I downloaded translator aps to our phones. Best. Move. Ever. We have done a great deal of simple communicating that way. It doesn't always work well and some humorous phrases have been tossed around, but if Little Weed #4 is trying to express something that we aren't getting through pointing or charades, he can just speak into our phone and the phone will repeat it to us in English. Pretty cool. Oh! But here are the first five words actually learned in English: one, two, three, okay, baseball. Yep, "baseball.". So funny.

More randomness: Until yesterday, Little Weed#4 had never used a Western toilet. Squatty potties are the norm. So when he disappeared into our hotel bathroom, a brief family discussion started about that very fact. I explained that we would have to teach him how it worked. Sticks responded with, "well, I think he's figuring it out now.". Something clicked in me right then and I quickly asked, "but is he sitting on it?!?". Sticks perked around the corner and in a mildly panicked tone said, "um, no. He's standing. I think this is something for you to handle." I raced in, got him seated in a safe position for the task at hand, and showed him how everything worked. He did look at me like i was a little nuts, but seemed relieved that he didn't have to make deposits in this higher altitude hole-in-the-ground from a standing /squatting position. Memories... And such good fodder for future potty jokes- a family favorite.

Last bit of randomness: The camera. I have to admit that I am now so very proud of this little afterthought. The day before we left, I decided it would be fun for each of the kids to have their own cameras. I was hesitant at first because of the cost, but decided it would be worth it for them to look back on this experience through their own eyes, so to speak. I got the two older boys each a low-end "real" camera and the two littles a "real-looking" kids' camera. Second best move ever. Little Weed#4 was thrilled, spent much of his time taking pictures of us, and more of his time reviewing his pictures, pointing to the person in the picture, and smiling. It is interesting to look through the photos he took. There are some of each of us, but there are definitely a majority with Sticks or Sweet One as subject matter. It's cool to be able to see through his pictures who he is feeling closest to already.

The camera has also turned out to provide an avenue to forgiveness. Last evening after a good long bout of excited and active playtime in the hotel room, Ziggity grabbed a toy from Little Weed #4. In his defense, Ziggity felt Little Weed#4 was putting himself or the toy in danger (he wasn't), so he was responding out of concern. #4 didn't take it that way. His feelings were hurt. He got very quiet and still. He stood silently by the bed for a few long minutes before I grabbed a book, scooped him onto my lap, and started paging through looking at the pictures. No change. I asked him if he wanted to take a walk with me. No response. I handed him his shoes though and he put them on willingly (he know how to tie laces!). He and I went on a tour of the hotel. I asked him if he was sad and told him it was okay if he was. No tears, but a teeny quiver of the lip. And then we spotted the escalator. Umm... Can you say "redirect?". We rode the escalator up and down several times, tried it standing still, climbing quickly, backing up to lengthen the rise, and with a nice little jump at the completion. His smile returned and so did his chatter. He led me back to the room, dug his camera out of his backpack, and proceeded to take a photo of each person in the room. Sticks observed, "He's telling us that we are okay again.". Yup, that's exactly what he was doing. Forgiveness through photography.