heart song designs

Happy Father's Day

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:34:00 +0000

Though I had planned a few options to celebrate Papa's Day, we had a low key day because Papa just wanted to chill out. Ken is a great Papa, so we did what he wanted to celebrate his day. Mia presented Papa with the cards and handprint she made and I gave him my first scrapbooking project. Mia and Papa went to a park in the morning so that the house would be quiet for Didi (poor boy had a terrible nap week with all our activities) and then went to church while I stayed home. Didi took a mega long nap! I wish I could have made it to church because Mia and the rest of the kids performed some songs from VBS (Vacation Bible School, an annual week long Bible camp that many churches put on) and Papa was really moved and proud of our little girl. I'm glad I bought the CD with the songs so that she can keep listening and dancing to the songs.

We went to McClellan Ranch, but the trail was closed so we headed to Pichetti Winery, but Didi fell asleep again so we just sat on the lawn and had a snack. Mia spotted a huge peacock and while she was very interested in it, she was worried that it would come after our food. I think she's still traumatized by the squirrels at Washington Park that climbed into our stroller and almost got into our snack bag.

Since my Dad is gone, I try to think of him each Father's Day and do something that reminds me of him. Earlier in the week, I came across a recipe for Watermelon Lemonade that jogged a memory. When I was little, my father would sometimes make watermelon juice and it was always such a fun thing for us kids. Now I realize how easy it is to do, but back then, it somehow seemed magical and lots of work to take out the blender and cut up the watermelon, so today as a tribute to him, I used my good old Magic Bullet to make some watermelon juice. I even took the extra step of using a strainer to get rid of the pulp. So refreshing. I miss you Daddy!

David 8 months

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Sat, 23 May 2009 06:21:00 +0000

The little guy is growing up fast. And yes, he's sitting on the john. Doesn't always go on it, but I'm trying to get him to learn that the diaper isn't the only place to pee and poop. Not an EC (Elimination Communication) fanatic, but want to streamline potty training when the time comes.

Currently Didi's a bit out of sorts because he's sprouting his fourth tooth. He's just learned to wave bye bye and does an uncoordinated clap and "gong xi gong xi" movement. It's all very irresistible as I make him my little monkey and laugh at each "performance". Babies are just so much joy to have around.

I braced myself for a boy who would crawl and pull himself up and walk by 9 months. But been lucky so far. While he's really wiggly he's not really crawling yet at 8 months, so he's like Mia. Having another kid makes life interesting because you get to see the similarities in your offspring. So far, I think they are more similar than different. Both are pretty happy go lucky types and rarely fuss, but I have come to realize that this does not mean they are mellow. David is very vocal like Mia. He babbles and "talks" very loudly. He has started signing. The only signs he has picked up are "milk" and "more". We are trying to teach him "please" and "thank you", but he's a bit neanderthal like and wants what he wants NOW and not a second later. Can't be bothered with niceties.

My kids are both proving to be stubborn. Didi is refusing to be fed, wants to feed himself and will bang on his tray until he gets what he wants. He also does this odd, fast breathing through is nostrils a la Bruce Lee when he's pissed off that Cheerios or Puffs are not on the menu. It is actually cute, but we're trying not to laugh or give him any kind of positive reinforcement for such behavior. I'll try to get a video of it up soon.

Lastly our Kona ba Bona turned five this week. Happy Birthday my precious pooch!

Professional Photos

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Fri, 15 May 2009 05:46:00 +0000

We had some family pics taken by a gal from church, Peichi Waite. They turned out great. Wish we had more of Didi and Mia together. But he was napping and we took pics for nearly an hour without him, so hence fewer pics of them together. I hope he doesn't get all sensitive about it when he grows up. The pics of Mia turned out beautifully. If you are in the Bay Area, check out Peichi Waite's website. I also posted almost all the pics on my FB account.
Fairy Mia

Mischievous Mia-this picture really captures Mia's silly side.

Family

Recent Conversations

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:01:00 +0000

Here are some recent things Mia has said that we find funny even though she drives us nuts sometimes.

Mia to Papa: I don't love boys, but I love you Papa.

My sugar and spice. She has decided that she does not like boys, but she still has some friends who are boys. Like the one who kept ramming her with the shopping cart while she was in a car at school.

****************************
Papa went upstairs after eating some yummy nori wrapped seaweed crackers because he heard Mia leave her room at bedtime.
Papa: Stay in bed, don't break the rules!
Mia: Taking a more pronounced sniff, What smells so good Papa?
She sussed out the scent of her favorite crackers. Ken came downstairs doubled over in laughter. I gave her the remainder of the bag the next day during her snack time. She didn't seem to make a connection.
***************************
Mama: When you grow up you will leave Mama and Papa to go to a school called college. Mama and Papa left home for college when we grew up.
Mia: Don't worry, I will come back home.
Mama: That would make me very happy.
Mia: Didi needs money for college too. (This is because Mia has a piggy bank from her Uncle Yukon and Aunt Helen that says money for college. Didi has a bank too, but Mia knows she has more coins in hers)
***************************
Mia: Mama, do you know Barbie?
Mama: Where did you learn about Barbie from?
Mia: From school today.
Mama: Who told you about Barbie?
Mia: A----
Mama: Oh, during sharing time that is what A---- brought?
Mia: Yes, it was one that looked like Tinkerbell but wasn't Tinkerbell.

Guess I could not keep her sheltered from the world of Barbie. The princesses infiltrated first. I'll try to keep Barbie at bay for another year or so. . .

What Pitter Patter?

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:26:00 +0000

It's more like FE-FI-FO-FUM when Mia walks around the house. So our little miss has been finding her way into our room. It didn't start when she transitioned to her big girl bed in anticipation of David's arrival last July. It didn't even start happening after he was born in September though she did come out many times during the going to bed process. It must have started around February of this year or so when she would come into our room and help herself into bed. In the beginning I always heard her coming. It was her telltale steps of a GIANT. I would first hear her door then the BOOM BOOM BOOM of her big toddler feet (Size 9-9.5) as she ran to my side of the bed (which is closest to the door).

At first one of us brought her back and stayed with her until she fell asleep or found ourselves waking up in her room around 6:30am. Not by choice by the way, that is when Mia usually wakes up. Then we got lazy and found it easier to endure the mad rustling, odd sleeping positions, slaps to the face, and kicking off of blankets than to take her back and get stuck in a twin. Seriously, the child can cause some damage, yet whenever I check on her in her own bed, she looks so peaceful sleeping on her side with her hands cradling her cute round face.

Mia Napping

Nowadays, she finds her way over about 4-5 nights a week and I don't even notice most nights. She's either learned to walk more stealthily or I'm too overtired to hear her. I often wake up and ask Ken what time she came over. He usually doesn't know either. And when we do know, there's NO PATTERN of behavior. One night it could bet 12:40, another night 3:23, and another night 4:35.

Some nights after I wake up to feed Didi and return to my bed, I'm glad to be returning to her and Papa. It's really nice to see her there even if it means much less real estate in our Queen. So I totally see why people find it hard to give up the family bed. Deep down, I'm all for the hippy attachment parenting. It's also funny when I see Mia and Papa sleeping in exactly the same position. Often with their head facing the side, one arm folded on their tummies, and the other splayed at their side. Sometimes they are both on their sides with their hands under their heads or necks. It's so sweet. And now I see that Didi likes to roll over to his side too.

Once the night before Ken left for a long trip, he said he was sad that she didn't make an appearance because he wanted to be close to her before he left for so long. So somewhere we lost our resolve to kick her out. We figure she'll outgrow it one day. But it will be a sad bittersweet day.

Mia's Bday at School

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 06:12:00 +0000

Mia Thinks She is THREE

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 05:55:00 +0000

Since my family was able to come to town we celebrated Mia's birthday over Easter weekend. In her little head, she's already three. I really can't believe it. She's not even a toddler anymore, she's a little kid!

At three Mia is into dancing, ballet, Caillou, Pinkalicious, Fancy Nancy, playdough, playing mail carrier/post office, tending to sick dolls, princess stuff and Tinkerbell. Before she got her fairy wings from Uncle Jamean, she would put her hands behind her back and pretend she had wings. . .

Mia's party was at the Little Gym where she jumped, bounced and climbed with about 26 other three year olds. It was a bit out of control. Next year we'll leave it to her friends not friends of her parents.

Present from David

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:09:00 +0000

I had a lovely birthday dinner. Ken made us some bulgogi and we ate a yummy cheesecake that Mia picked out from Whole Foods. Papa got me a very nice gift, a gift certificate for a pedicure. After dinner, I decided to bath with the kids. Mia likes to call this, "Family Bath". It's easier this way and I usually hand David to Papa and finish up with Mia.

David was a bit fussy during the bath and I thought it was because he had just gotten a shot (the DTaP) earlier in the day. Well before I know it, I see poop floating around as David continues to fuss. My little guy only poops every 7-11 days, so when he decides to go, it's usually an EPIC production. Ken picked Mia up and was going to get David out, but he was crying and obviously not done with his business. Thinking he would be cold, I let him finish pooping in the bath with me in it. It was all in all, pretty disgusting. Thanks little guy for the birthday gift.

Then I went to sleep at 8 after getting David down and let Ken deal with bedtimes battles with Mia.

Not the Happiest Place on Earth

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:03:00 +0000

We watched the weather and debated the pros and cons for many days before pulling the trigger and buying four day park hopper tickets for Disneyland. We wanted to go before Mia turned three (and had to pay) and because we were engaged there about 10 years ago!
Snow White's Grotto (where Ken proposed)

While we had a lot of fun, it was not easy to go with a toddler and a baby. We were lucky that my mom joined us. She was a BIG help to us. Even with four day passes, we did not get to do everything at both parks. Mia was not keen on any of the indoor rides that were in the dark except, It's a Small World. So we went on Dumbo, the Mad Tea Cups, and the Carousel more times than we care to count. We did "force" Mia on a few rides that her instincts told her might be scary by convincing her they were fun. But on the other hand, she did not like the fireworks the first night, but asked to view them the next couple of nights and actually enjoyed them. It had a lot to do with Tinkerbell's appearance at the beginning and end of the program.

Mia's most favorite activity at Disney was going to the Princess Fantasy Faire where we stood in line for 40-60 minutes to meet and greet three different princesses. Mia took pictures and had them autograph her princess t-shirt. I'm no fan of the princess marketing, but my little girl was all wide-eyed and I could see the obsession beginning before my eyes. At the fair, there is a huge area hawking all sorts of Disney princess paraphernalia along with make-up and hair-do chairs. Your daughter can get pics and go home looking almost exactly like Belle or Cinderella.

Our first trip through the line, I was glad to see Mulan there albeit she probably wasn't really Chinese. But get this, there are no Mulan costumes and very very little Mulan merchandise. What's up with that??? On our last day, Mia got to choose one princess item. I had her look the previous day and told her she had to think about it for a day. While I was glad she chose a set of books, (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and Aladdin) the content isn't terribly appealing.

Mia and Mulan

All in all, it was a fun family trip, but we won't repeat Disneyland until our kids do not need naps, strollers, diapers, or any parental supervision. I'm just kidding on that last one. It was hard to get a lot when we had to return to the hotel for naps. Although we kept Mia up past her bedtime, it was hard on her the following day. Ken and I did have the chance to ride Space Mountain thanks to my mom who stayed behind with David.

Sharing Box

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:05:00 +0000

It was Mia's turn to bring something for the "Sharing Box" at school. Actually she was the first to go. It is a precursor to "Show and Tell". Mia already knows all about Show and Tell from what else, but Caillou of course. I asked her what she wanted to share with her friends, but she was stumped. She also said, she didn't want to share her things. So I changed my wording and said, "what do you want to show your friends?" I think she thought she had to give her things away. We're working on giving our stuff away. She's good at giving her things to people she likes. She has no problem giving her old clothes to Baby Victoria. . .

I gave Mia some options and she choose to bring her toddler chopsticks to show her friends. Here's the video I took of the sharing time. It was a bit chaotic because all the kids were super excited. Notice the scuffle at the end. Preschoolers gone wild. I think Harvey Karp who wrote Happiest Toddler on the Block is the one who calls toddlers, little neanderthals. They just need to learn what is appropriate and inappropriate. When I played the clip for Mia she kept asking why the kids were trying to take her chopsticks. ;(

Catch Up

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:35:00 +0000

I've had a couple of blog entries in my head, just getting around to it.

Mia and David
Since I don't do a great job keeping a scrapbook on my kids and their development, this is it. I hope you kids read this one day and forgive me for not having frilly scrapbooks for you.

In as many ways as Didi is different from Mia, he is also very similar to her when she was his age. I hate to compare and am not assigning good or bad, just observations. I promise not to compare in a negative way. Here are some ways they are different.

In utero, Didi moved and kicked more ferociously than Mia ever did. Didi thrashes so much during baths that water splashes everywhere. David also loses his socks from kicking so much. It's an endearing quality. But the biggest difference is when I used to talk to Mia, she really seemed interested in what I was saying and would stop to study my face and lips. When I talk to David, he looks at me, but seems to be more interested in shoving his fingers in his mouth. His singular devotion in life is to his fingers at the moment. Didi has even figured out a way to nurse and suck on his thumb at the same time. Kudos to him for good problem solving skills.

My Artiste
Last week Mia drew her first recognizable piece of art. She drew what she described as Kona on her Magna Doodle (from Uncle Young Jun, Auntie Faith and Julia, thanks). Prior to this, she just drew scribbles, circles, and lines. Nothing you'd be able to recognize so I was extremely proud of her creation and managed to take some pictures before she erased her work. Near "Kona" you will see some mountain like scribbles. According to Mia, it says, "M-I-A for Mia"

Who Needs Comedians When You Have Kids
Mia is the funniest thing in my life at the moment. I realize not everyone might find her amusing, no worries. She always cracks me up. Most of the time she does not intend on being funny, she's just being herself and so earnest too. Last week, Papa was away for one night. As I got Mia ready for bed by brushing her teeth, I told her that she had to help me out because I was tired and by myself. She spit out her toothpaste, looked at me while pointing to my tummy and said, "Do you have a baby in there?" I just busted out laughing. She must have thought back and made a connection between all the times, I used to say how tired I was when I was pregnant with Didi.

Another time, I lifted Mia up to the kitchen sink to wash her hands before dinner. I told her that she's all grown up and getting too heavy for Mama to bao bao. When I put her down, she started to do a hunched over walk and said, "Mama, look, I'm lower now, you can still bao bao (hold) me!" Funny, but makes me sad that she is growing up so much and even sadder that she knows it too.

From the Mouth of Babes

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 07:52:00 +0000

Here are some recent conversations I've had with Mia.

Mia: I want to be a boy when I grow up.
Mama: You can do anything a boy can do.
Mia: Can I pee pee standing up?
Mama: No.

I realize I contradicted myself. Bad Mama. Papa has got to stop peeing in front of Mia. I didn't want a girly girl, but this is not what I bargained for.

Mia: I had a dream.
Mama: What was the dream about?
Mia: Yi qi* (together) princesses making jello. It was scary.

*Mia calls her night diapers yi qi princess diapers because there are three princesses on the diaper.

Mia: When I grow up I'm going to have two car seats.
Mama: Really?
Mia: I'm going to drive Didi in my car.

Funny how she has yet to realize that as she grows up, he will too. But it was a nice thought.

A Little Day Trip Down Memory Lane

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 04:21:00 +0000

We spent a great day in the Berkeley/Oakland area. The day started off in the 4th Street Neighborhood of Berkeley where I used to love to shop for Home furnishings. But we arrived super early since we left shortly after the kids were up, so didn't get to go to the Crate and Barrel outlet or any of the other furniture/housewares shops. Sigh. . . but I did get to go to Bette's Oceanview Diner's to-go counter for a cup of Joe, a macaroon that was so yummy that I wish I bought a dozen, and a doggie shaped cookie for Mia. Mia enjoyed The Ark, a fun toy shop before we head to Fred and Becky's to visit their David aka Frecky Jr. He was such a cutie pie and so long or tall like his Dad. I wish we got a pic of the two Davids together.

We took another trip down memory lane and had lunch at Fenton's. I had a yummy Albacore Tuna Sandwich with Egg Salad. It was so yummy. For dessert I ordered my favorite, Toasted Almond. I had forgotten how big their scoops were and am sad to say I didn't get to finish. . . Mia enjoyed her staple chicken nuggets and fries and then had pink ice cream (strawberry yogurt). It was so late by the time lunch was over and Mia was at her wit's end. It was about a quarter to one and way past her nap, so we headed home.

Hope to get back to the Berkeley/Oakland area soon!

Christmas 2008

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:56:00 +0000

We had a great time with both sides of the family this Christmas. It was special because it was David's first Christmas and we met my nephew William for the first time. What cuties together. Here are a few highlights in pics from our trip.

Plane Ride LAX to DTW
Both kids behaved remarkably. Not a peep out of David. Mia slept nearly two hours. Now why doesn't she do that at home?

Mia making her cousin Tyler work. Her cousins got a kick out of how bossy Mia can be. It was so nice to see the kids play together so well. Thanks to Tyler and Alyssa for tolerating your toddler cousin and watching Caillou's Holiday Movie a dozen times. Snow wasn't good for making a snowman, but Mia got to go on a toboggan thus emulating Caillou.

Didi's 100th Day Celebration with the Song clan. He slept through most of it, but woke up for some pics.

Out of all the possibilities at Build a Bear, what does Mia choose? There are kitties, bears, pups, elephants, even Hello Kitty, but dear Mia chooses a dinosaur and names it Rexy just like Caillou. But she does not seem very attached to it. The first time she said she wanted Rexy to sleep with me because she was scared of him. He now guards her a the foot of her bed. He really isn't cuddly with the scales and all, but it was her choice and she had a ball giving him "life". Ken posted the video on his FB account.

Didi's 100th Day with the Chow and Hu family in LA. Slept through part of this event in his honor as well.

Can't believe we're a week into 2009. Happy New Year everyone!

David's Birth Story

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:43:00 +0000

My little boy is two months old today. We can't believe how big he has gotten. I started writing his birth story shortly after he was born, but never finished it. I'm finally getting to it.

My pregnancy was pretty much uneventful and I had an ideal birth. I really thought he would be at least two weeks early, but as I approached my due date, there were absolutely no signs pointing towards imminent labor and I was beginning to fear a large baby. But one day before David's due date, he decided he was ready to break free. My water broke on Thursday, September 18th at 6:20 a.m. The amniotic fluid was clear and there was no blood, so we took our time calling my midwife. And I wanted to stay home and be comfy for as long as I could.

Ken was in Mia's room because she woke up earlier that morning. He came back to our room with Mia and knew something was up because the light was on and I never turn on the light that early in the morning. I was calm and got dressed. Ken tended to Mia while I took a long walk with Kona to help move things along. Then I came home and ate breakfast and showered. We probably called the midwife, Lin's beeper around 8 a.m. I was still only feeling cramps and in no real pain at that point. I had my 40th week check later that morning at 10:45, so Ken told Lin we would just see her then. Lin told Ken that second time could move very fast and boy was she right!

Ken suggested that we go out to eat breakfast, but I said, I didn't think I'd be comfortable, so instead, I sent him and Mia to the library to return our library books and to get bagels. I also called my doula and told her that I was doing okay and that I would just call her after my 10:45 appointment.

Soon after Ken left for the library, my contractions became more and more intense and very close together. But none of the contractions lasted a minute so I still thought I had a long way to go. The pain was all in my back and none of it was in my abdomen or pelvis, so I thought my boy moved and was sunnyside up after all my hard work to get him to face the right way (chiropractor and exercise). It was all feeling very much like it did with Mia who was sunnyside up, so I started to panic a bit about being able to go through with a natural labor sans epidural. A little after 9 a.m. I called Ken--who didn't answer his cell--because the pain was excruciating and I was ready to head to the hospital. Since he didn't pick up his phone, I went upstairs to try to pee and couldn't. I read that emptying your bladder helps move things along so I figured I should try that. No luck, so I ran a bath and got in hoping it would help me cope with the pain. I was on my hands and knees rocking in the bath, but the thing that made me feel better was yelling. By then, Ken called and spoke to my mom, so he was on his way home. The contractions were pretty much one top of each other and I was seeing some bloody show.

I remember being in our bathroom when Ken returned home and asking him to get me a pad and the guy goes into a drawer and hands me a pantyliner. I was like, what am I going to do with that? I need a serious pad, like an overnight one. BOYS! I could barely make it downstairs to the garage and was trying to appear nonchalant by not screaming because Mia was around, so now I now what gnashing of teeth means. Mia wanted to come with us, but I handed her a pack of fruit snacks and gave her a quick hug and that seemed to appease her. It was also a good thing that my mom had been around for nearly two weeks, so she was okay being left with Pua Pua.

Once in Ken's Mini, I let it all out and yelled and moaned through all the contractions which were all in my back. I felt like someone was taking a bat full force to my back. I kept waiting for the pain to move to my front but it never did. I was totally reclined, but I saw that Ken ran some reds as we made our way to El Camino Hospital. He was otherwise his cool self. I was calling on Jesus and the baby to "HELP ME" get through it and I was yelling "OPEN" to my cervix. I felt tremendous pressure in my pelvis and felt like pushing towards the end of our ride. I also remember telling the baby to move into the right position.

When we arrived at the hospital we left the car and everything out front. I could barely walk and felt like pushing. Ken found a wheelchair and I was yelling, "HELP ME" all the way. We arrived at L&D and the nice volunteer in the lobby held the door open for us. The nurses were calm and it seemed like they encounter these scenarios all the time. They directed us to a nearby room, Olga, the other midwife in the practice was there helping another couple. She heard me screaming and came to check me. I'll never forget what she said, "You are already at 10 cm, so you can stop yelling OPEN, save your energy". I was so relieved to hear those words and very excited to meet my little guy. I felt ready to regroup.

The nurses just quickly checked the baby's heartbeat to make sure he was okay and I started pushing on my knees. It turned out that the baby was in the right position. I must just labor in my back. . . not fun. Being on my hands and knees was the best position to be in for me. I had been afraid of the pushing, but it turned out that pushing was a huge relief and not as painful as the contractions during the transition period. Lin talked me through all the pushing with her calm voice. Then she suggested that I squat on the floor while holding a bar from the bed. I really didn't feel like leaving the bed, but I did it and pushed a couple of times there before Lin said I better get back on the bed because the baby was coming. I have to say, my boy was very good to me. He didn't make it difficult on me by prolonging things or decelerating. Our guy came about 20 minutes after we arrived at the hospital at 10:48 am. He was 8 pounds and 2 ounces. It was just a little over four hours after my water broke. We joked with Lin that we made our 10:45 appointment after all. It was an exhilarating experience and I feel so blessed to have had such a quick labor. My poor doula arrived just after the baby did, so she missed it. But she got some great pics for us because we didn't have our stuff with us.

After Mia's birth I remember not wanting to have anymore kids. The difference this time is that I feel like I can totally do it again. Just have to convince Ken.

Random and Odd Attachments

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 04:12:00 +0000

Before we left for Hawaii back in May, I bought Mia a pair of flip flops, but she refused to even put them on so I returned them. It was a period when she was extremely opinionated about her footwear and objected to all open-toed sandals. I recall an episode at StrideRite when she refused to try on most sandals and let me know she did not care for them by chucking them. Fast forward to the last couple of weeks. . .

It all started when our neighbor S, a girl a bit older than Mia, wore flip flops during a playdate. Mia told me she wanted shoes like S. Ever since then she tries to wear my flip flops (one of the few shoes my swelling feet can tolerate). Earlier this week, she said, "I want flip stops like Mama's". It was too cute, so I went to Old Navy (bonus, they were 2.10 for a pair!) while she was attending school and bought her "flip stops". Part of me thought she would not like them once she tried them on, but she likes them so much she wants to wear them in the house, but we're a, "Please Remove Your Shoes, Mahalo" family. I have allowed her to carry them upstairs to avoid the drama.

That brings us to Mia's random attachments that are often very shortlived. When traveling in Boston, we did not bring many toys, in fact, we only brought books and crayons, and her loveys which we do not allow to be removed from bed. She became attached to a rubber duckie given to her when we checked into the Westin. We had to bring the duck everywhere we went in Boston. Now it is an occasional part of Mia's bathtime.

For about a week Mia has been attached to a compass with a string on it. She wears it like a necklace and wants to take it with her everywhere. She sports it while in her carseat, but I make her take it off before we get out of the car. Thankfully she is reasonable about leaving things in the car so they do not get lost. One night she took it to bed, but I told her she had to hang it on the side of her bed. Fearful that she might choke on it during the night, I removed it after she fell asleep. When she woke up crying around 5am, Ken went in, but I heard her crying for her compass. I got out of bed and grabbed it from her shelf and gave it to her. She fell back asleep for a bit.

Mia likes the American flag. She points it out whenever we see one and likes to march around the house with a flag I bought her. She also has a DC souvenir shirt with the flag on it that she likes to wear.

Mia has a pair of toddler safe scissors that she loves. It has conveniently been lost in the car (hiding in the seat back pocket) because she insisted on bringing them somewhere. My main issue with her using the scissors was her level of frustration because she could not cut with them. She would get so upset over it. It's been awhile but she will still ask me where it is every so often.

Do your kids have random attachments?

First Haircut @ 28 months!

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 04:59:00 +0000

We took Mia for her very first haircut this weekend. My genes gave her sparse hair from birth and it has not really grown in much, but is long in the back. If she's anything like me, it won't really come in until she's four years old. Poor thing will be mistaken for a boy until then. I used to be opposed to girly clothes, but gave in because people kept assuming she was a little boy. And she received a lot of girly outfits. But I digress, recently Mia began to scratch her neck and pull at her hair, so we decided that though she does not have much, we should take her for a haircut.
Looking Down

Mia did very well at Lollipop Cuts, a salon that specializes in pee wee clients. We arrived early so that Mia could play and see some other kids getting hair cuts. I think it helps that she has gone with us to get our hair cuts. The shop has various cars for their clients, a large screen TV with an impressive DVD library, a loft filled with toys and video games and of course tons and tons of lollipops! That went over really well with Mia. She picked a pink classic cruiser and though the stylist was pretty rough (guess they have to establish control), especially when trying to get Mia to look down, she did extremely well. You can see her look of dismay in the pictures, but no tears or protests. I think the lollipops helped. We would hand her one to hold every couple of minutes and told her to look down at them when she wanted to look up.
The Sneer

What's Keeping Her Going

Sutures Removed and Cat Crazy!

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:27:00 +0000

Mia and I took Kona to get her stitches removed today, but shortly before we left I noticed that some of the stitches were already gone. Sneaky Kona, even with the cone, she was somehow able to do some acrobatics and lick her wound. Thankfully the vet said she healed well.

While waiting at the vet, there was a family there and the mom was crying because they lost their pet. Mia kept asking me, "What's a-yi doing?" and I tried to explain that she's very sad because her dog went to heaven and she can't be with it anymore. Mia kept asking me, "Where's a-yi's dog?" and why the woman was crying. On the way home, she saw some a dog being walked, and said, "Look a-yi's doggy there!" I think she thought she "found" the dog. It's hard to explain the concept of death let alone heaven to a 28 month old! And yes, there is a doggy heaven! I start to tear up whenever I think about Kona dying. She's four and I hope she lives another 10+ years.

We also saw a kitty in box while waiting at the vet's. Because of that darn Caillou and his cat Gilbert, Mia loves cats. Sometimes she says, "I don't love dogs, I love cats." Oh boy, I am so not a cat person. She's already asked for a cat so we promised her a toy cat, but this kid is picky! We have gone to look for stuffed cats, but none of them have been quite right. Mia will say they are too big or just flat out refuses the ones we have come across. I think what she really wants is Gilbert.
I really don't want to give in to her Caillou craze, but sadly I did look online and saw that I can procure a Gilbert stuffed cat from ebay. Should I do it? Maybe it could be from her didi (little brother) when she first comes to visit us in the hospital? I had planned on getting her train tracks, but. . .

Thomas

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:38:00 +0000

Mia and Papa on the Train Pulled by Thomas

A couple of weeks ago we took Mia to Day Out With Thomas with some friends from church. It was kind of a let down for us adults, but the kids seemed to have a great time. We took a 25 minute "train ride" where the cars were pulled by Thomas. We were in the third car, but I guess for the kids it was still a thrill.

The events were kind of boring to us as adults, plus it was HOT and wiped me out. Guess we've lost the glint of childhood fun in our eyes. There was a Thomas coloring and painting station where the kids were just given xeroxed copies of Thomas and Friends to color and paint. For some reason this was loads of fun for Mia. Look, we can do that home kiddo, was my first thought. Mia and her friends also had fun running around and climbing bales of hay. We didn't even bother to get in line to meet Sir Toppam Hat. Mia likes and knows Thomas, but not the whole gang so she wasn't affected by her lame parents who didn't want to wait in line.
Mia Painting

Other highlights were getting a tattoo, face painting, and snow cones. But Mia wanted the painting on her arm and then she promptly wanted the tattoo removed. Oh well...
Mia Sharing her Snow Cone with E

We ended the day with a puppet show and then loads of kalbi at F & J's.

Price of Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:53:00 +0000

The above is a picture of Kona lying on the couch with an Elizabethan collar to keep her from licking her wound and accidentally removing her stitches. My little Kona has been through a lot in her short life. She's had two knee surgeries, been to the ER to induce vomiting after ingesting ant bait, had a tooth extracted, and been attacked twice by the neighbor's dog. The latest incident happened at the groomer's yesterday. We had a free day on Wednesday so I called the groomer we've been going to since a hack job at PetCo last summer. Canine Showcase is just 2 minutes away, they've always done a superb job and Kona appears happy there. They were able to take us last minute. I brought Kona there at 9am and expected to pick her up at 2pm.

Mia and I spent the morning running errands and then at 1pm while Mia was napping I received a phone call from the owner of Canine Showcase saying that she accidentally cut Kona's dew claw (an appendage that most dogs have removed at birth) and that it was bleeding. When I picked Kona up an hour later, she was still bleeding and I saw that the dew claw was half cut off. I took Kona to Sunnyvale Vet Clinic and long story short, they needed to sedate her to remove the dew claw. The bill came to a whopping 525 dollars and some change! That included all the meds during surgery and post-op as well as the two follow-up visits she needs. Luckily the groomer said up front that she would pay the vet bill and I have to commend her, she was very apologetic and took full responsibility for the incident. I could tell she honestly felt terrible about what happened.

The whole incident has helped teach Mia a little something about compassion and caring for a sick pet. She kept saying, "Sorry Kona" and that she wanted to get Kona a toy.

Below is a picture of Kona's sutures.

First Sewing Projects

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:46:00 +0000

After taking the sewing machine basics class last Sunday, I embarked on my first project, a nursing cover. It's not perfect, but I managed to complete it last night using this pattern. The only part I skipped was the boning at the collar area. I couldn't find boning and figured I could do without it. Will probably try to make another one if I find fabric I like.

On my first trip to Eddie's Quilting Bee, I bought a very pretty flannel with flowers and butterflies on it to make Mia a throw blanket for her new big bed. I finally finished it tonight. Again the stitching is not perfect, but I'm sure Mia won't notice.

A few days ago, I took her to Joann's to get some needles and browse the fabrics. There were no shopping carts and Mia was wandering beside me (most of the time), but she kept fixating on fabric with hearts. She would pull out the bolts of heart fabric and say, "Maybe Mama likes this one" or "How about this one?" In the end I didn't buy any fabric because I wanted to use up the fabric I already have, but she kept asking for a heart blanket. I kept telling her she was going to get a butterfly blanket instead. On Saturday morning she woke up and asked Ken, "Where's my heart blanket?" So now that I'm done with her butterfly blanket, we'll go shop for some heart fabric. . .

Frequently Visited

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:41:00 +0000

Can you believe that I go to Trader Joes, Safeway and Whole Foods at least once a week each? On top of this we go to the Sunnyvale Farmer's Market every Saturday for our fruits. Highly unlikely that I will keep that up after the baby comes. Sometimes I go to Trader Joes twice a week. There are items I like to purchase at each place and each store has it's perks.

Trader Joes
Mia gets a balloon (she recently started liking them again after a traumatic loss last fall when her balloon flew away) and generous supply of stickers given each time so that's a major draw! Mia and I both like to sample from the demo area. We like to get our organic milk and dairy products there. They have the best prices. Other Mia approved items are chicken stock, organic alphabet pasta, mini bagels, cheeses, cereals, crackers, quattro frommagio pizza, frozen waffles, dried fruit bars, organic kiwi, and other fruits. Trader Joes carries some fun items to try out and usually the items do not let me down. Their gluten free brownie mix was delicious and I love their Swedish Pancake mix. Recently I found out that if you ask they will help you load your car!

Safeway
Being very pregnant, I like always being offered help out at Safeway. I only wish they would follow me home and unload the groceries so that I don't have to lug them up two flights of stairs. Let's see, I go to Safeway when I have to. I am not happy with their fruits, but if I've run out, I'll buy some there. I go there for mainstream stuff on sale like Cheerios, Heinz ketchup (after trying out organic and other brands, Heinz is the best), and sometimes meats.

Whole Foods
Ah, if money were no object, I would shop here all the time. But surprisingly some items are cheaper there. For example, flour. You can get a five pound bag for less than the regular price at Safeway or TJs. Mia enjoys a free juice box and string cheese at the Los Altos store each Wednesday after Chinese Story Time. Then we share a slice of cheese pizza. She also loves that they have small shopping carts though I dread it when they are available b/c it slows down our shopping. We also buy Elmo Soup (Earth's Best), meats, organic coffee beans if on sale, and whatever fruit might be on sale if I've run out. I also like that they have a great selection of bulk foods.

Other Spots

Every once in a while we go to 99 Ranch or Marina for our Chinese snacks and food items. We also go to Han Kook Market for marinated beef and side dishes.

Come September I will be sending Ken out to do our shopping and might even try Safeway.com

Mia's Latest Phrases & Big Bed Coming Soon!

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:14:00 +0000

Here are some of the things that come out of Mia's mouth these days. She is also starting to ask permission to do things which is great.

"Just a little bit"/"Just a little bit more"/"Almost done"
These phrases are used by Mia many times a day when I want her to stop something or shift to a different activity or get ready to leave the house. They collectively mean, I'm no where near done. Getting her out of the little wading pool and bathtub takes quite a bit unless we swoop her out, but that often results in some drama.

"I want Mama/Papa/____ share Mia"
If Mia wants something that belongs to us or a friend, she always says the above phrase. But sometimes it's an object or food item she should not have like a knife or gum. How do you explain not sharing when you want the child to learn to share? I usually say, it's not for kids.

"What are you doing?"
All day long, Mia asks me this question and even when I respond she asks me over and over again.

"I want come too"
If one of us leaves to go somewhere or to walk Kona, Mia always wants to be part of the fun.

We ordered Mia's "big bed" (a twin with a trundle) back in mid-June. It was due to arrive by first week of July, but we still don't have it. Ken's called numerous times, been hung up on, put on hold for 10 minutes, and told to call back. Finally the entire order is in, but we found out that they only deliver on weekends and have a backlog of deliveries. The store has a good selection, but do not order furniture from Baby Super Rocker World unless you have plenty of time to wait. The main disappointment is that we've hyped up this "big bed" for so long and Mia asks us all the time where her big bed is. She says, "Crib is for di di (little brother), Mia has big bed".

We decided to just get the mattress though we are unsure of when the actual bed will come. I really need the bed because getting Mia into the crib and lifting her out is not easy with a big belly.

This morning, I gave Mia a big surprise present. It was a dragonfly and butterfly twin sheet set, quilt and sham. We had to wash the set so she got it this morning. Papa came home a little early and went to pick up a twin mattress for the bed from Mattress Discounters. Mia said, "I'm so excited!" as we made up the bed. As a result it took her a long time to fall asleep tonight, but no crying and she didn't get out of bed. We'll see how the next few nights go with all the changes. Along with removing the crib, we also took out the glider this morning and replaced it with her little arm chair. Poor girl has a lot of transition ahead of her.

I'll post pics of the big bed when it comes.

Sew Excited & Other Shopping Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:55:00 +0000

Well, you all know I love to shop and craft, but am CHEAP too. So I enjoy a good bargain. I've been wanting a sewing machine for ages though I don't know how to use one very well. My cheapness motivated me to look for a machine because I refuse to pay nearly 40 bucks for a nursing cover when it's only a square piece of cloth (costs less than a couple of bucks to get a yard of fabric at Joanne's) with a strap sewn on. Well, it is slightly more complex with some boning added to the side with the strap to make the fabric to be stiff thus allowing the mom to view the baby. I digress.

I started looking on craigslist last week for a sewing machine and came across a man selling the Janome Hello Kitty sewing machine. Brand New in box. Target sells them for 109.99 and he only wanted $65 for the machine. I thought about haggling a bit because I am cheap, but then again, I thought it was a really good deal for an adorable machine that has some decent reviews. I just didn't want to trek to Milpitas with Mia in tow, but in the end, I did it. How could any Asian girl resist Hello Kitty? It was a big decision because even $65 bucks seems to be a big purchase to me.

Back in 1999 I took a sewing class, but I was so intimidated when I opened up the box that I decided I better sign up for a class so that I don't break my lovely and cute new machine. So off I went to Eddie's Quilting Bee to sign-up for a class. I'll be sitting in a class all day next weekend with my sewing machine. The serious sewers with their white Berninas will turn their noses up at me for sure, but whatever. I can't wait to learn how to work my machine! Of course while I was browsing at Eddie's I could not resist their beautiful designer fabrics. There I learned that Joann's is cheap for a reason. The designs at Eddies are much nicer. But of course, it's quite a bit more than Joann's. Everything seemed to start at 9.49 per yard, but I found the cutest flannel fabric with butterflies and flowers on it for a throw for Mia (her big bed is set to arrive anytime now though the store promised end of June) and a Asian Zodiac patterned fabric for a blanket for the new baby. With their Christmas in July sale going on, I decided to get bit of each. Will post pics once I make my projects. As for the nursing cover that started it all, I'll be going to Joann's tomorrow in search of cheap fabric as well as the required items for my class this weekend!

While lunching in Campbell with some Las Madres friends, we happened upon a new yarn shop, Green Planet Yarns. I was only able to browse for a minute since Mia was with me, but what a beautiful shop and a friendly owner. Will definitely have to return though I have not done any knitting a long time. She had a whole wall of Blue Sky Alpaca organic yarns, all naturally dyed and it reminded me that I have some Blue Sky left from that time I bought a whole lot at Monkey Knits in Seattle before it closed.

Lastly I spent almost all day and night Saturday and half of Sunday in SF with girlfriends. What a much needed treat after a long few days with Papa on the road. We got our nails done, window shopped in Hayes Valley, Noe Valley and downtown. Then enjoyed a lovely dinner, then drinks at the hotel bar, and finally did lots of girl talk while lounging on the Westin's Heavenly Bed.

I came home with some cute items for Mia and the baby boy. Nothing for me, but it's so much more fun to get stuff for them now, plus I had just gotten the sewing machine for me. Found some bargains at the huge flagship Old Navy downtown. Bought the most adorable board books at Lavish that I have not seen anywhere else. Not sure if they will be for Mia or used as gifts. I bought Haiku for Baby and a Taro Gomi book My Friends. My fave food stops were Miette for some gumballs, Lovejoy's Tea, and Blue Bottle Coffee.

Now I'm feeling rejuvenated and hope to be less short with Mia and Papa.

It's Been A Year!

noreply@blogger.com (winda) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:22:00 +0000

We officially closed on the home we a year ago. It's hard to believe that we packed up and left Seattle last July 2rd! Mia has grown up so much since last summer. She can help me make lemonade and cupcakes, she speaks in sentences, can often outrun me, negotiates very well, and more. But she still wants to be a baby sometimes.

Mia still says, "I want to go to Seattle!" We're sad we could not go this summer visit our friends and to enjoy Seattle in July and August.

Mia Last July
Taken before our home got cluttered with toddler toys.

Living here has some perks for us. Mia can attend Chinese music class, Chinese story time and she will be going to a bilingual Montessori school in a couple of weeks. We are trying it out for two weeks to see how she does. Or to see how I do without her. She'll be going three days a week from 830-noon. Please pray that she adjusts well.

Mia Today
I tried to get her to sit nicely in the chair so that I could mirror last year's photo, but you know how it goes when you want a toddler to do something... She's wearing the mix-matched PJs she picked out for herself.