So Alana is 16 months old now. What’s new? Not that much, really…

Shanghai has finally warmed up. We had a picnic in the park last weekend: Alana is walking better and better (and is eager to do so), but continues with the same babble and handful of words. “Doggie” remains her #1 most-oft used word (and most correctly used word).

Recently she’s started showing signs of jealousy for the first time. If I lavish attention on Newton, she gets upset and toddles over to me, protesting. Or if Mommy holds another baby, she starts fussing.

Alana doesn’t have many more teeth than before (still just around 8), but she’s really getting into eating. Every time she sees someone else eating something, she wants some. If I’m at the dining room table eating, she waddles over and “begs” for food (audibly) very similarly to how Newton does it.

Alana and Song Shen have started regularly going to church with me. They have a special “children’s Liturgy of the Word” where all the children in the congregation get called up to the altar right before the first reading, and then they all go off to a room in the back of the church where they hear a children’s version of the Gospel, discuss what it means, do some coloring, etc. Then they all return to the church (via the back) during the Prayer of the Faithful, and each kid gets a flower to take up to the altar for the Presentation of the Gifts, after which the kids return to their seats.

The “children’s Liturgy of the Word” is for children 3 and up, but even younger children can participate if a parent or caretaker accompanies them. Now that Alana can walk, SS takes her. This is great for both of them, because SS doesn’t get much out of the normal readings, but follows the kid’s version no problem. For Alana, it’s less boring, and she gets to move around more and interact with other kids. Everybody wins. I think this is a great model for any Catholic church to follow.

Easter is coming up, and SS is asking me how we’re going to celebrate. Argh, I totally forgot about the whole kid’s angle on Easter. Maybe start next year, though…??