Testing the Limits

Tonight, Nina and I went to the park that runs pretty much through Shamian Island. There is a small play area for the kids, and she had fun on the slide, until some big boys ran her over and she face planted into the rubber mats.
Miss Spicy Girl is running on no nap today, as she was too busy being wild earlier. I don't think she needs her long naps anyway (at least not daily, or not for 2 - 3 hours!), as it was after 10pm by the time she finally fell asleep last night.
Anyway, I would guess that the no-nap-situation is not helping, as she has been testing our limits quite a bit today. On our way to the park, she'd run away from me, looking back and laughing in a defiant way. At meals, she throws her stuff around and rather plays monkey than eat, and a while ago she clubbed me in the head with her magna doodle *ouch*.
Wow, our relationship is moving into a new phase... she obviously feels safe enough to test us (a good thing), but it's a fine balance between being nurturing and reassuring and being a total pushover. She needs to learn some boundaries, that's for sure, but we will need a lot of wisdom on how to go about it and on which battles to pick. What makes it even harder is that we don't speak the same language so we could communicate details needed to make discipline effective. We are definitely having a wonderful time with our new daughter, but there will be many more challenges ahead. We got a little glimpse of that today.
It makes me think about unconditional love again: DOING the right thing. No if's and but's. Laying your life down for your friends (or your fiesty new daughter?). Keep our eyes on the one who has the perfect love.
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A quick update 5 minutes later.... it took her about THREE minutes to fall asleep (or 2 1/2....), so tiredness was MOST LIKELY a factor in her state of mind.....



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