Miss Mei-Ling

Zoo Atlanta!

2011-11-12T11:33:00.031-05:00

My parents surprised me with a trip to Zoo Atlanta. I had never seen some of the types of animals at this zoo. I had been to this type of zoo before, but I was too young to really remember that much. The first animals I saw were the elephants.

Here is an elephant enjoying a snack.

There was an enclosed area with lots of parakeets. They are so colorful!

There are so many of them!

We also saw some wild boars.

Here are some meerkats hanging out with each other.

I am so happy seeing all these beautiful animals!

Here is a close-up.

And now the giraffes. Look at those long necks!

Here I am pretending to be an animal.

And this enclosure is called a "Living Treehouse" with all sorts of arboreal animals.

They like to snuggle up and sleep high in the trees.

I'm in a REALLY big bird's nest.

And then we moved on to the primates. These gorillas are descendants of the famous Willie B. Mama talked about coming to Zoo Atlanta as a child and seeing Willie B.

They are just hanging around in their habitat.

And here is an orangutan. Mama said this one is her cousin because of the red hair! Mama also explained to me that we really are the "cousins" of apes since we are all primates.

Here's a nice shot of me with Mama. We don't have any of Daddy since he was the photographer that day.

We also had fun visiting with the reptiles and amphibians. Here is a Komodo Dragon.

And here I am hitching a ride on one. OK, I'll admit it. This is just a very realistic-looking sculpture.

Giddyup!

I love this (fake) Komodo Dragon!

And then the highlight of the visit for me was the pandas! They come from China just like I do. These pandas are from the panda preserve in Chengdu, which is located one province over from where I'm from in Chongqing. Pandas are critically endangered animals (just like lots of animals at Zoo Atlanta) and these types of zoos are doing everything possible to ensure that these beautiful animals don't go extinct.

They sure do love their bamboo. I told Mama that I want a panda, but she said we just wouldn't have enough bamboo to feed it!

I can't even remember what this guy is. But he's basking in the sun.

And spent some time at the petting zoo. These are some fat, lazy goats! But they sure do love being groomed and loved on.

They really love the attention.

Mama really likes these Nubian goats. She had goats growing up and loves them.

Mama knew that the goat would love being scratched under its chin.

We finished up with the flamingos. The gray ones are babies. Their feathers don't turn pink until they get older.

These are some beautiful birds!

Well, that's it for now. We had a fabulous time at Zoo Atlanta. And now we are looking forward to Thanksgiving and then Hanukkah. We love this time of year with the cool weather and festivities.

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T10:51:00.015-05:00

Our family had a very fun month of October and Halloween! Here I am with Mama in our costumes. She was a goth angel, and I was Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

And here I am with Daddy. Lots of people thought he looked very scary. But I wasn't afraid. He was Rorschach from the movie The Watchmen.

We also went to a Halloween carnival. I played lots of games and won prizes.

We really enjoyed the carnival! We did "Trunk or Treating" and then later went to do some "Trick or Treating!

I had fun carving our pumpkin.

This is the part I don't like: cleaning out the messy inside!

This is not very fun at all.

But the finished product was worth all the work!

We also had a great time picking out our pumpkin at the pumpkin patch.

I think we picked the perfect pumpkin!

I made some masks too.

Mama colored this one.

We had a really fun month. And next month we are looking forward to Thanksgiving and a few other events like a trip to Zoo Atlanta!

Our Official Affirmation Of The Jewish Faith

2011-09-25T10:32:00.000-05:00

Our family made a formal affirmation of the Jewish faith. We had been practicing this faith exclusively for almost 2 years, but we decided to make a public affirmation. We had a beautiful ceremony with Rabbi Gerson and some friends and family in attendance. Here we are holding the Torah scrolls.

Mama is giving her "speech."

And now Rabbi Gerson is blessing us as official members of the Jewish people.

Afterward, we had a reception with some delicious foods, including this beautiful cake that said, "Mazel tov!"

We are so happy to have officially joined our local temple and the Jewish people!

First Day Of Kindergarten!

2011-09-05T10:33:00.009-05:00

I've now been in Kindergarten for four full weeks, and I'm having a great time! I'm learning lots of new things, making new friends and enjoying myself. Here are some pictures from my first day of Kindergarten. I know you can't see much of it in this picture, but I also have a cool Hello Kitty backpack.

This year, we are wearing uniforms. We get to pick between navy blue, khaki or black bottoms and several solid color tops. I chose navy blue and white.

I know many of my classmates will be wearing pants, but I'm a "dress" kind of girl. So I'll be wearing lots of scooter skirts and jumpers with white blouses.

And, I have some brand new white sneakers along with some white lacy socks, which I absolutely love. Even with uniforms, there are ways for me to add my own Mei-Ling signature to the outfits. And these lacy, roll-down socks scream, "Mei-Ling!"

Well, that's it for now. I'm super busy with school and of course homework, which I never had in Pre-K. It's a bit of an adjustment for me, but I still love school. We'll be posting more updates later as we move into fall.

End of Summer Round-Up!

2011-08-01T09:55:00.001-05:00

School is about to start soon, so here is a nice round-up of what I've done in the last month. We had "spirit week" at my day camp, and one day was Team Spirit Day. I wanted to wear my University of Georgia cheerleader uniform complete with my "G" to go on my face. Go Dawgs!

We also had "Hawaiian Day", and I wore this pretty dress, a shell necklace and a flower in my hair. I loved dressing up like this.

We also did a few other things here and there such as taking a day trip to one of my favorite malls. Mama was able to get some good pictures of me.

I'm really into peace signs lately.

I always like this waterfall and tossing coins into the pool.

We also enjoyed a trip to the Georgia Museum of Art. Their sculpture garden is so cool with its waterfall.

And, of course the sculptures are cool as well.

This picture makes it look like the water is splashing on my head.

Can you tell which one is the sculpture and which one is me?

This is a neat (and huge) sculpture outside the museum.

We had a great time at GMA. I can't wait to come back when they have their next visiting collection on display.

And now we are counting down to the first day of school. We've already been shopping for uniforms, and I can't wait to be a Kindergartener!

Snake Day!

2011-06-06T08:19:00.001-05:00

We had a wonderful time this year at Sandy Creek Nature Center's "Snake Day!" Now I know there are plenty of you out there who think snakes are disgusting creatures. But we don't feel that way at all! Snakes have many purposes on this planet, and we like them! We aren't fond of the very few species that are harmful to us, but there are so many non-venomous snakes out there that play key roles in our local environment. First on the agenda was getting my face painted with a snake on it!

I also made a cool craft project that was snake-oriented.

Mama was watching me complete my project while Daddy was busy taking pictures.

And now for the fun part! Here's the first snake I was able to touch.

And then a beautifully-colored one! Mama really liked this one a lot.

Now this guy couldn't be allowed out of his enclosure. He's a "monitor" lizard that is very similar to a Komodo Dragon.

Oh no! There's a gator in Athens! But this gator was invited and was a nice little guy. His skin felt so different from that of a snake.

This was a very friendly snake. He seemed to love my Mommy.

For those of you who have never touched a snake, they are NOT slimy at all. Their skin is very smooth, cool and dry. And they love the warmth of the human body.

I was also able to touch a baby snake. So cute!

The wildlife people also brought an owl so we could learn more about them. Look at those eyes!

And we finished up inside the nature center looking at their exhibits.

What a fun time we had at snake day. It was nice to learn more about these beautiful creatures and the vital role they play in our ecosystem.

Summer Camp Time!

2011-05-30T08:15:00.000-05:00

It's time for my very first day of summer day camp. I'm so excited! We have so many fun things we'll be doing. I wanted to wear my tye-dyed shirt that we made at my school.

I'm ready to go and begin my summer of FUN!

My Handsome Daddy

2011-05-30T08:14:00.000-05:00

Sometimes when my daddy has to dress up, he likes to wear his Mandarin silk jacket that he bought in China when he and my mommy were adopting me. Doesn't he look handsome?

I'm A Pre-K Graduate!

2011-05-28T08:06:00.002-05:00

I am so happy that I have now finished Pre-K. I will be going to Kindergarten next year! My school had it's "Moving On" ceremony for all the Pre-K students. I won several awards for perfect attendance and received my graduation certificate. I also will be in the gifted Kindergarten program at my school. My mommy and daddy are so proud of me, and I'm proud of myself as well.

More certificates!

My class made tie-dyed t-shirts to wear for our "Moving On" celebration. This girl behind me played with my hair the entire time.

I spotted Mommy and Daddy and started to sign "I love you" to them.

And now it's on to summer day camp and then Kindergarten!

It's Time For Passover!

2011-05-26T07:58:00.000-05:00

We enjoyed celebrating Passover this year. Our first night's seder was at our house. And then the second night's seder was at our synagogue. It was a delicious meal and a beautiful ceremony with the reading of the Haggadah. And let me tell you, it is NOT easy to go for 8 days with no grains. It's particularly difficult for a little girl who loves her cereal and pita chips. But, we did it! We went completely chametz free for 8 days. And I am very proud of myself. Here's a picture of Mommy and me on our way to our second night seder at our temple.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-09T07:54:00.001-05:00

Mommy, Daddy and I had a wonderful Mother's Day this year. Daddy let Mommy have a day of complete relaxation, and of course we had some delicious food and did some fun things as well. Mommy never fails to tell me how much she loves me and how happy she is that I am her little girl. We also talk about my China Mommy at times. We think of her and pray that she is happy and healthy. And Mommy says she wishes my China Mommy could know that I am happy and healthy and very well loved. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers around the world.

It's Time For Purim!

2011-05-04T07:48:00.003-05:00

This year, we had a fun-filled Purim celebration at our synagogue. We had lots of delicious food, and many of us dressed up. I dressed up as Queen Esther. We also had fun reading the Megillah and stomping our feet and making crazy noises when Haman's name was read.

This was really a Cinderella costume, but everyone thought it also was perfect for Queen Esther. I did ask everyone to address me as "queen" that night.

Next stop: Passover!

Happy Birthday To Grandma!

2011-04-23T07:36:00.000-05:00

We went to Macon recently to visit with Grandma and Pop Pop and to celebrate Grandma's birthday and an early Mother's Day. We had a great time! Here we are: Three generations!

I love my Pop Pop very much.

We also were able to visit with my brother, Xavier.

And as a very special treat, Uncle Walker was there! He lives in Tacoma and lives very far away. I don't get to see him often, but when I do, we have a great time!

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Tribute To Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2011-02-28T17:13:00.000-05:00

My Pre-K class performed a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during Black History Month!

We had such a good time!

Xin Nian Kuai Le! Happy Lunar New Year!!!

2011-02-22T15:33:00.000-05:00

Xin nian kuai le! That means "Happy New Year" in Mandarin. It's time for the Lunar New Year as we welcome the Year of the Rabbit. As always, we attended a nice celebration that the Asian Children's Mentor Program at the University of Georgia held. Here's a picture of me with my Mommy outside the venue. See that Bulldog next to me? Woof, woof, woof!

This gentleman played some beautiful music on this ancient Chinese "violin" type instrument. It had a very unique sound.

And here are all the kids in their cheongsams and silk pantsuits.

My mentor, Ji In, helped me to make a rabbit by folding paper.

Here they are again.

And a close-up.

A nice close-up of me and Ji In. Mama curled my hair again. Can you tell?

And then it was time for the lion dance!

It moved quickly through the crowd.

Posing in front of the giant fan.

Happy Lunar New Year! I hope all the Rabbits out there enjoy it!

What A Surprise! The B-52s!!!

2011-02-21T15:22:00.001-05:00

My parents really know how to surprise a little girl. They had known about this for months but somehow kept it a secret! See Grandma, my Mama CAN keep a secret if she really wants to. Anyway, this was my first "real" concert. It was the first time the B-52s had played in Athens in a very long time. And it was such a special concert. Here is a picture of us before we left. We first went to Utage to have some delicious Japanese food. And then we walked over to the Classic Center to enjoy the show. I could hardly contain myself when Kate, Cindy, Fred and Keith came out on stage. I shook my cosmic thing for 2+ hours. What a memorable evening.

The B-52s were also having this concert filmed for DVD release. Their manager said that although they play all over the world, when it came time to film this DVD, they wanted to come home to Athens. It was an amazing night. Maybe you'll see us on the DVD! Here is a video (shot by someone else since ours didn't turn out as good) that recaps some of the highlights of the evening that I will never forget.

Alright REM, when are YOU guys coming back home for a show? I'm not getting any younger, you know!

Happy 5th Birthday To Me!

2011-01-23T15:03:00.001-05:00

I'm 5 years old now! My parents threw a really fun party for me at Chuck E. Cheese's. And from what I've heard, parents don't necessarily enjoy doing this at Chuck E. Cheese's (I heard Mommy asking Daddy to pick her up more migraine medicine before the party). But what's not to love about hundreds of kids in a confined space with lots of loud noises, flashing lights and talking animals? Before we left, they let me open my present from them. My own DVD player!

I played lots of games with my friends.

They brought me some awesome presents. Here's my table.

We had pizza and some delicious cake.

Can you tell that Mama curled my bangs before we left?

Here's my Chuck E. cake.

And my Birthday Star balloon.

We enjoyed all of the food.

Here's Chuck E.!

I'm wearing my birthday crown.

And my birthday medallion.

In front of the blue screen.

I'm about to enter the Ticket Blaster booth. That's why I'm wearing goggles.

This was a blast!

I had a wonderful birthday. But the best part was that my grandparents, Aunt Doe, and lots of my friends were there to celebrate it with us. And in a few months, I'll be turning 6.

Mommy's Reunion With Her Sorority Sister

2011-01-03T14:50:00.002-05:00

Mommy told me that sometimes in life you meet unforgettable people. Well, Laura was one of those people. She and Mommy and about 80 other girls lived in the Delta Zeta house and had some wonderful times together. Mommy said that Laura had the best sense of humor of anyone she's ever known. Well, Daddy and I had the chance to meet Laura and her partner Susie. And she does have a great sense of humor! It had been way too long since Mommy had seen Laura. We met them for dinner at one of our favorite places and had a fabulous evening! Daddy took a picture of all the ladies. Laura is in the middle. Now if someone would just hurry up and invent a teleporter, we could do this more often!

Before we picked Laura and Susie up from Hotel Indigo, we spent a few minutes in their very cool lobby. Now we see why Hotel Indigo has won so many awards for being eco-friendly. What a neat place! I'm drumming on a table made of reclaimed wood.

I made Laura and Susie promise to come back to visit soon. Oh, and I also met their dog Truman. I want to see him again too!

Road Trip To See Grandma Dottie & Jim!

2011-01-02T13:50:00.000-05:00

The last week of December, we traveled to visit my great grandmother, Dottie, and her boyfriend Jim. We had a fantastic time with them! We ate lots of seafood, had a blast with her animals, visited with friends in Flagler Beach and then spent some time in St. Augustine. Here we are at a delicious seafood restaurant in Flagler Beach.

And here I am at Ripley's Believe It Or Not in St. Augustine, which happens to be the oldest settlement in the United States. We enjoyed "old town" and had a great time. Here I am at Ripley's with a T-Rex. Don't worry. It's not real. Believe it....Or Not.

Daddy is trying out some of the restraints.

Here I am outside Colombia Restaurant in St. Augustine. Mama absolutely loves Cuban food and wanted us to try some too.

I am a bread lover. And now I'm a Cuban bread lover! Colombia makes some of the BEST bread ever. We had all sorts of tasty dishes, and Mama can't imagine a trip to a Cuban restaurant without having some plantains. They were so good!

Daddy enjoyed his meal too!

The atmosphere at Colombia is nice too. What a fun experience!

In addition to her beloved plantains, Mama also had some delicious mango Tilapia. She was so happy!

We also met up with some friends who also have a daughter from China. Our mommies were part of the "July Dragonflies" group, which meant that their paperwork arrived in China at the same time. She, her friend Dusty, and all the Dragonfly mommies helped support each other through the very long wait to meet their babies (that's us!). Here I am with Mary Joyce.

And here's a picture of all of us but Chet (Dusty's husband), who is taking the picture. Dusty's other children are Katherine and Malcom. We had a great time together enjoying some delicious food and our friendship. I hated to leave, because I want to play with Mary Joyce more often.

And then, of course, we had to go back home. Of course, we just happened to be in Florida when they were under a freeze warning. Brrrrr! We had a great time, though, and look forward to visiting again soon.

Visit From Grandparents

2010-12-26T13:05:00.009-05:00

This is what my grandparents encountered shortly after arriving. Snow!!!!

I made snow angels.

And had a great time out there playing in it!

And then we gave Doe, Grandma and Pop Pop their presents.

Doe loved her interchangeable sterling silver necklace set.

And Grandma loved her Star of David with a Christian "fish" in the center. Perfect gift for a Grandma who is a Christian with a daughter and granddaughter who are Jewish.

Grandma loves cherry cordial candies. Mama gets her a box every year.

And just like Mama, Pop Pop is terribly addicted to books. So we gave him several!

I really enjoyed their visit. They were afraid they would be stuck with us for a week with no power due to the snow, but the roads cleared quickly and we never lost power. Stay tuned, because our next blog entry will be about our road trip to visit Grandma Dottie in Florida!

Put On Your Yarmulke. It's Time For Hanukkah!

2010-12-16T10:47:00.000-05:00

Mommy had everything ready for our first night of Hanukkah when I came home from school. Our menorah, gelt and dreidels are ready to go!

This year, I was able to light the candles myself! And now the first candle is lit.

I did it all by myself!

Mommy reads this book to me each year.

And here's a close-up of the dreidels I'll spin and then the gelt Mommy and Baba will hide for me to find. These are chocolate coins covered in gold foil.

I found all the gelt! Should I eat it all at once?

And look what the Hanukkah Fairy left for me! Eight wrapped presents.

And the first one is....a Fushigi ball! I've been wanting one of those. How did the Hanukkah Fairy know?

Fushigi!

I'm contact juggling!

Baba is teaching me how to spin the dreidels.

And now for night 2. I'm lighting the candles again.

I wonder what this is?

It's a bead kit! I can make necklaces and bracelets!

I love it!

And now for night 3. I'm getting better and better at lighting candles.

I did it!

I wonder what this will be?

A spirograph. Mommy and Daddy both had one of these when they were kids.

Our 4th night was very special. We traveled to Atlanta to celebrate with our friends Davida, Yoni and Ami. Yoni is helping Ami and me to light all our menorahs.

They have a cool oil burning menorah as well as the one with candles.

Ami is my new best friend.

We had such a good time playing together!

I love Davida and Yoni!

I had to sneak a hug from Ami.

Mommy had a great time too and enjoys spending time with Davida.

Yoni has both of his arms full!

And now, night 5.

I get to light more candles each night.

And I was really happy with what the Hanukkah Fairy brought me for tonight!

It's a Connect 4 game!

And now for night 6.

There are enough candles now to take pictures without the lights on.

Present time!

Aqua Sand! Mommy would like to add that she feels the makers of this should be forced to live in a house with sand floors and with sand in their beds. Not sure why she said this, but the stuff does end up everywhere.

I love my Mommy!

And now for night 7. This is our next to the last night.

Pretty!

And what did the Hanukkah Fairy bring me for tonight?

Some black boots! I have so many outfits to wear these with!

And now it's the last night of Hanukkah. I'm a little bit sad. I have enjoyed Hanukkah so much this year!

What a beautiful glow from a menorah full of candles.

I'm very excited about opening my last present.

It's a Mind-Blowing Science Kit!

One other highlight of this year's celebration was a song called, "Candlelight" by the Maccabeats. Baba videotaped me dancing to their YouTube video and then posted my video on YouTube! It tells the story behind Hanukkah and what these 8 nights truly mean to Jewish people. Enjoy! Chag Hanukkah sameach!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-30T09:50:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year and continued our tradition of dining at a local winery called Chateau Elan. They have an amazing Thanksgiving meal, and it's also a beautiful, festive setting. Here's a picture of us.

And a nice close-up of me.

Hi Daddy!

I had fun on the carousel at a nearby shopping mall.

And, of course, had my obligatory bungee time.

Grandma and Pop Pop joined us this year.

Playing in their fun zone.

And enjoying their outdoor decorations.

Back at Chateau Elan: A fountain full of cranberries!

I'm trying all sorts of things from caviar to brie to pate. And of course every type of olive they have. I love olives!

I loved the bed in our room.

The pillows were very fluffy!

And I had to have Mommy get a picture of me in this glass-enclosed shower.

And it was actually chilly in Georgia this Thanksgiving. I warmed up by the fire.

And Pop Pop decided to warm up too.

He loves me so much!

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving! We sure did.

Beastie Girls, I Mean Boys

2010-11-03T09:43:00.002-05:00

We bought some Roborovski hamsters. The cool thing about "Robo" hamsters is that they are very tiny and stay that way. When we bought them, we were told they were girls. Being the Beastie Boys fan that I am, I thought we should call them the Beastie Girls. But after we had them a couple of weeks, Mommy noticed something. They had changed a little bit, and she said that it was now apparent that they are BOYS instead. So now they are officially the Beastie Boys. And their individual names are Pip and Squeak. Because one of them squeaks every time we touch him! And they love strawberries.

Mom you're just jealous, it's the BEASTIE BOYS!

Wild West Birthday Party

2010-10-30T09:37:00.000-05:00

One of my classmates had a very fun Wild West birthday party. Here I am in my sheriff's hat!

I had fun riding her horse.

And then interacting with her horse, although I was afraid the horse would bite me. But I learned how to keep that from happening.

And I fed her a treat (just finished).

We also had a fantastic hayride.

I really enjoyed your birthday party, Lee!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-30T09:26:00.005-05:00

This year for Halloween, I decided to dress up like a University of Georgia cheerleader. So what better place to take a picture than at Sanford Stadium! We were headed to the Asian Children's Mentor Program's Halloween party, and Grandma, Pop Pop and Doe came with us.

Here's one of just Pop Pop with us.

My costume wasn't complete without a Bulldog decal on my face!

Happy Halloween!

Mommy's Birthday Outing

2010-10-20T08:51:00.001-05:00

This year for Mommy's birthday, she wanted to do something we would all enjoy. So we spent the day in Atlanta doing some fun things!

First, we went to the World of Coca-Cola. Here I am sitting in front of a sculpture of an old-fashioned "apothecary" preparing something with his large mortar and pestle. Coca-Cola was developed by an apothecary for medicinal purposes.

This is the large atrium inside the World of Coca-Cola. Big room, eh? I look very tiny here!

This is a collection of Coca-Cola bottles representing different countries. Baba and I are standing beside one that represents China.

It's the polar bear!

Here's what an old-fashioned soda fountain looked like. These were often found inside pharmacies.

We went to Pacific Rim for lunch and had all sorts of delicious foods from edamame to sushi. I had my own Bento Box full of tasty foods!

After lunch, we visited the Children's Museum. Here's Mommy's other "child" playing in the sand. He had so much fun.

They had a mock grocery store, and I pretended to check people out at the register.

They had a climbing zone too.

I pretended to drive a delivery truck.

And they had lots of musical instruments to play with.

I learned how products move from farm to table.

I caught some fish.

Let's see if I can catch another one.

I'm concentrating very hard!

I even had the opportunity to be "inside" the pond.

Look! I'm milking a cow!

I'm learning to mix and scratch!

What a pretty mural!

I had fun painting my name on a wall. Not sure why I added an extra letter there toward the end. It's harder to paint my name than to write it.

And now I'm playing in the sand some more.

I also put on some tap shoes and danced!

And climbed up in a "treehouse"!

And finally, I learned to play the xylophone.

We had so much fun celebrating Mommy's birthday!

Moon Festival 2010

2010-09-15T08:37:00.000-05:00

This school year has been a really busy one, and Mommy has fallen behind on her blogging. So now that school is out, she is playing catch-up. Here is a sampling of pictures from when we celebrated the Moon Festival in September 2010. All the young Chinese girls wear our silk cheongsam dresses and enjoy the festivities! The Asian Children's Mentor Program with the University of Georgia throws quite a party for us with lots of food and fun activities.

I know you've met her before, but this is my wonderful mentor Ji In. She has been my mentor for 4 years now! She graduates from college in 2011. I will miss her.

Ji In made a beautiful bouquet of hand-cut paper flowers for me! Aren't they beautiful?

And no Moon Festival celebration would be complete without some beautiful dancers!

Ji In and I are working hard on a coloring project.

She also drew a beautiful butterfly on my arm. She's talented!

I love my Baba!

Ji In is giving me one more piece of art on my arm.

So that's what we did at the Moon Festival this September. Stay tuned for more posts from me!

Guess Who Started K-4 This Week?

2010-08-27T16:03:00.004-05:00

I knew you would guess correctly. I started K-4 this week! I am so excited to be at the "big" school I will attend for the next 14 years. So far, I love it. My teacher is really nice, and I like being around new friends. And even though it's just my first week, I already have some new boyfriends. Yes, I meant for that to be the plural form. Life is good.

My school has a dress code, and the most exciting part for me is that I now get to wear dresses every day. I don't like pants and shorts at all, so the new dress code worked nicely for me. And, I get to carry a full-size backpack like the big kids do! Sure, it's almost as big as I am, but I'm not really concerned with that.

We'll be sure to post more pictures as the year goes on.

Our Siesta Key Vacation

2010-06-13T11:13:00.071-05:00

Our family just returned from beautiful Siesta Key! For those of you who may not know, Siesta Key is a small island just off the coast of Sarasota, Florida -- which is about an hour south of the Tampa Bay area on the west coast of Florida. Siesta Key has won many awards for its beaches primarily because the sand is some of the finest and whitest on Earth. The sand is 99% pure quartz, and does not ever get hot. My grandparents have been coming here since 1956, and my Mama has been coming here since 1970 (when she was 2 years old). I also made my first trip here at 2. Here is a picture of me in the surf.

One thing we love to do every time we visit Siesta Key is to go to the Mote Marine Lab & Aquarium. We started the day touring the inside areas and were able to see lots of interesting animals like this frog fish.

And a beautiful seahorse. Later, you'll get to see me interacting with one!

A lobster. Maybe one day I'll figure out why Mama always starts singing "Rock Lobster" whenever we see one.

Lots of jellyfish.

And an octopus who is so smart, they actually include some pre-school age toys in his tank. Cephalopods are quite intelligent creatures.

Cheeseburger (I say "cheeseburger" instead of "cheese" when someone is taking my picture)! I'm pretending to be a scuba diver.

And here I am being cute in front of the shark tank. Mote aquarium is a fantastic research and educational center. All the animals here are treated with the utmost respect and dignity. And many who live inside these tanks are being rehabilitated and will eventually be returned to the Gulf of Mexico.

They even have a bird sanctuary for birds who are undergoing rehabilitation.

They also have an exhibit that features floral and other botanical specimens that are indigenous to this area.

We also love to go on the Sarasota Bay Explorers' eco cruise. This give us a wonderful opportunity to spend some time on the water learning about the animals that live in this area. This is the bridge that leads from the downtown Sarasota area to Bird Key.

And we are always happy to have dolphin sightings when we go on these cruises.

The marine biologist told everyone that it is dolphin mating season. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but here are two dolphins that look like they are having a great time "playing."

We get to see not only beautiful wildlife on this cruise, but really beautiful homes as well. Sarasota and surrounding areas are home to a variety of celebrities.

Here are some birds perched upon mangroves.

And entire families who make their nests and raise their children in the mangroves.

One of the most exciting aspects of this cruise occurs when the marine biologist drops a trawl net into the bay and then pulls out some sea creatures for us to interact with. Don't worry - they have an educational waiver to be able to do this legally, and they are required to throw the sea life back into the bay afterward.

Wow, a seahorse!

Mama had the opportunity to hold it too (as did everyone on the boat). We both loved the way the sea horse would curl its tail around our fingers. Did you know that it's the male sea horses who give birth? For some reason, Mama thinks it should be that way with all species.

Here's a small urchin.

And some type of sea snail in a shell. I was so careful with these animals, because I didn't want to hurt them.

We also went to one of our favorite places to eat -- Philippi Creek Oyster Bar. They have beautiful gardens outside, and they are located right there on Philippi Creek. We sat at a table overlooking the creek.

The condominium we stayed in felt very much like a "home."

We had a beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico and Siesta Key's Crescent Beach.

And here is a picture of our condo building (taken when we were standing on the beach). We stayed on the fourth floor.

And we all really enjoyed our time on the beach. Here's a picture of Baba.

And one of Mama.

And one of Grandma.

I always loved spending evenings on the beach.

Especially when Grandma and Pop Pop were there with me.

We also had a blast spending time in the pool. It was located in a beautiful spot where we could see the Gulf but could also spend some time in the shade if we were tired of the sun. Here's Baba relaxing.

I had a special swimsuit this year that had floats sewn into it. They really helped me to enjoy the pool - from the shallow end to the deep end!

One thing we always enjoy while on vacation is indulging in a variety of different foods. We are definitely "foodies" who seek out new and enticing culinary experiences. One night, we went to our favorite Thai place in Sarasota - Siam Orchid. We had a variety of appetizers and dishes from curried tofu to tom kha to all sorts of seafood items.

And here I am with Mama.

We also always like to visit Sarasota Square Mall while we are there. Here I am with Grandma and Pop Pop.

Another fun part of spending time on the beach is building sand castles. Baba and I are just getting started.

I'm working hard!

It's slowly coming along.

This is so much fun!

I also enjoyed chasing the seagulls. I never did catch one.

We also had a delicious steak dinner at Ruth's Chris, which happens to be one of Mommy's favorite places. And yes, I like my filet cooked medium. Mama and Baba won't let me have one medium rare just yet.

We also went to a seafood place that served alligator. Mama loves alligator and convinced me to try it. It was delicious! Plus, it's very lean protein. It has 110 calories per serving (uncooked) and only 20 of those are fat calories.

OK, so deep fried isn't the most healthful way to prepare it, but it is SO delicious this way. It is very tender and has the taste and texture of a very mild flavored fish. Also, Mama loves to say that Gator is what Georgia Bulldogs have for dinner.

Baba, a native Rhode Islander, is always happy to get hold of a lobster. He's bibbed and ready to get cracking.

We also were able to visit some of our friends in St. Petersburg: Mary Elena, Joe and their sweet daughter Mara Jade. We had a so much fun playing together.

We also visited some antique stores. I loved strumming this mandolin.

Our last night on the beach, we decided to give the seagulls some of our leftover food. They love Kashi crackers! I still wasn't able to catch one though.

See how powdery this sand is?

There's nothing as beautiful as the sun setting over the Gulf of Mexico. It creates such a glow on the water.

"Cheeseburger!" Is this a good smile Mama?

What a beautiful sunset.

The surf was really up for this part of the Gulf, but it allowed for some spectacular pictures.

And this was our final sunset at Siesta Key. This was a time for us to reflect on our trip and to really be thankful for everything G-d has blessed us with. First, we are thankful for one another and the opportunity to be together with Grandma and Pop Pop at this beautiful place they have been visiting for over 50 years. But this night was a little bit bittersweet. As you all know, there is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that is getting larger every day. Most computer models show that this part of Florida should escape any damage to the beaches or wildlife. However, anything could happen if winds shift direction or if a hurricane enters the Gulf. Mama hopes that I will be able to enjoy this beautiful place for the next 40 year of my life, just as she has. Maybe that is what will happen. But even if this part of Florida escapes the effects of the spill, there are so many beautiful beaches, bays, and estuaries that have been affected already from Louisiana to the panhandle of Florida. And more will be affected. We just hope and pray that somehow every inch of land or water that has been affected can recover. And now, for the final sunset, as we watch the sun take it's "plunge" into the Gulf of Mexico.

And it's gone. I love how the beautiful colors of the sky change every few minutes as the sun drops off the horizon. Thank you for looking at our pictures and for letting us share our vacation with you! We wish you all a wonderful summer.

Our Fourth Mother's Day

2010-05-09T12:16:00.003-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to my Mama, Grandma, Aunt Doe and all the other wonderful moms out there. Mama and I are so grateful that G-d brought us together.

We Are Having A Wonderful Spring!

2010-04-21T12:57:00.008-05:00

We've had a busy couple of months! Valentine's Day was just 3 weeks after my birthday celebration, and we had a great time. I received lots of valentines from my friends at school, and I'm really happy I received one from Javaun, who is my boyfriend. Well, sometimes he is. And sometimes he's not. It depends upon my mood that day. Oh, and he just happens to be the ONLY boy in my class of 15. So he is very popular.

We really enjoyed celebrating Passover this year. The "Passover Fairy" brought me some Magna Tiles, which are so fun to play with. Well, my parents would have me think it was the Passover Fairy, but I told them right away that there was no such thing and that I knew exactly where my Magna Tiles came from. THEY bought them for me. Passover Fairy. Who would even think up something so ridiculous. The picture below shows an example of what I can build with my Magna Tiles.

Of course Spring is always more fun when it includes ice cream. This is a delicious dipped cone from Dairy Queen.

Another fun thing we did recently was attend the Cone Spring Fling. It was at High Falls State Park, and I really enjoyed spending time with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course, Grandma and Pop Pop.

Cousin Carl took some time to pose with me.

Here are the beautiful falls.

And here is a picture of all of Mama's cousins and then some of her aunts and uncles. And somehow I ended up on cousin Steve's shoulders.

We have so much to look forward to in the coming months. Baba's birthday is this weekend. And then at the end of May, we'll be going back to Siesta Key for a vacation. Then after that, Mama and Baba will soon celebrate their 11th anniversary. So stay tuned for more updates!

Guess Who Turned Four?

2010-02-23T18:08:00.007-05:00

Yes, it was me! I turned 4 in January. I was very lucky to have a party at one of my favorite places: Groovy Golf. It's a glow-in-the-dark putt putt golf place. Here I am blowing out the candles on my cake.

I also got lots of presents from my friends!

I had a great time, surrounded by my favorite friends and my family.

Here I am with my friend Lalapat.

I also enjoyed a fun party at my school, and some of my friends from school also attended my party at Groovy Golf. To be different, I had a cookie cake at school and then a traditional cake at Groovy Golf.

January was really a fun month for me. And the best present of all was that Grandma finished her treatments and was able to come to celebrate my birthday.

Also, Xin Nian Kuai Le, or Happy Chinese New Year! We welcome the year of the tiger, and I hope it's a wonderful year for everyone.

Our Holiday Season

2010-01-16T07:08:00.006-05:00

Just one of our "Eight Crazy Nights." Explanation to come. :)

We had a wonderful holiday season this year! And it's probably time to share with everyone that our holidays will be a bit different from now on - meaning that they will now include Hanukkah and other Jewish celebrations! So if you see pictures of Santa AND a menorah, don't think you have the wrong blog.

Mommy and Daddy have both always believed that there are many paths that lead to the same outcome, and we are thankful G-d is leading us to embrace one that Mommy has felt pulled toward for about a decade now. Definitely a "mazel tov" worthy occasion! We appreciate that our family and friends love us and support us in all that we do. Mommy especially appreciates that she has a husband who is so supportive of her and always wants the best for her - even if it means major changes to our family traditions. And you have to admit that there is nothing cuter than a beautiful Chinese-American girl grinning ear to ear over a menorah. :)

And I learned so much about Hanukkah this year! It lasts 8 nights, and I learned how to light the candles properly on the menorah. We played with a dreidel set a sweet friend of Mama's bought us, read from the Torah, and listened to Hanukkah music. Each of the 8 nights consisted of reading about the story behind Hanukkah. We learned a lot about the Maccabees. We ate delicious latkes that Mama prepared. It was a wonderful learning experience for me. I cried on the 8th night, because I did not want Hanukkah to end. But, it will come again next year!

This was also my first year really LOVING my visit with Santa. Tears were nowhere to be found this year. I walked right up to him and hugged him and told him how happy I am to be visiting him. I told him exactly what I wanted.

So that is our holiday update! Guess who has a birthday coming up and will turn 4 in a few days? Look for pictures soon!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-29T09:52:00.009-05:00

We had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving celebration this year. My brother, Xavier, was able to come visit with us even though Grandma, Pop-Pop, and Doe were not (since Grandma is not feeling well and needs to keep her immune system healthy right now). This year, we decided to dine out for the first time! Mama has cooked Thanksgiving dinner every year since she and Daddy have been married with the exception of one year, so this was a real treat for her. We went to the fabulous buffet at Chateau Elan, a nearby vineyard and winery in Braselton, Georgia. Here I am standing by the fireplace at their beautiful resort.

Xavier took this picture of Mama, Daddy and me overlooking the Versailles restaurant (where the Thanksgiving dinner buffet was held) at Chateau Elan.

And here is a nice shot of the buffet tables and the festivities below. I really liked looking up at all the glass and seeing the sky and the clouds as they moved past us.

Here I am sitting in my brother's lap. I love spending time with him.

And here I am in Daddy's lap after eating some of everything on the buffet - including caviar, foie gras, smoked salmon, and all kinds of things kids are NOT supposed to like. My parents love that I'm a culinary adventurer!

We hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving. We look forward to the upcoming holiday season and all the festivities and fellowship that it will bring for us. Stay tuned for pictures from the various events we attend and activities we participate in. And we thank everyone for the continued prayers for Grandma. She has tolerated her second round of chemotherapy well and has only one more to go. We look forward to 2010!

We Had A SPOOKtacular October!

2009-11-08T10:17:00.039-05:00

The month of October was a busy one for us! It was filled with both fun activities as well as those that were more mundane but necessary - as always with life. We also had some news that our family had to cope with - which we will discuss later in this post. Thankfully, all is well. This first set of pictures shows how I typically look on an average Saturday when I go with Mama and Baba to run errands. Here I am all set to go out to lunch and to the library. I always want to wear a "princess dress" at every opportunity, and I always carry a purse. Sunglasses are a necessity in the Georgia sun - even in Fall.

Here is the BIG canvas bag of books we are returning at the library. Like Mama, I love books and reading.

And here I am outside again, standing like a proper little lady. Mama and Baba do say they are proud of my behavior and that I do act like a nice little lady.

We also went to the Washington Farms Pumpkin Patch this year with the Asian Children's Mentor Program. My mentor Ji In and I had a GREAT time petting the animals and doing lots of things. Here we are trying to entice some animals to come visit with us.

These goats finally decided to come see us.

And now we are vising with a donkey. Mama called him something else, but she won't tell me what she called him. She said it's in the Bible, though. :)

I am petting a bunny rabbit now. He has really big ears.

We are on a hay ride now! The wind is really blowing!

This is a big and interesting slide!

Wheeeeeee!

And now we are playing in a bin full of corn!

This is FUN!

Now Ji In is helping me to ride a tricycle through a hay maze.

Woohoo! I'm doing it!

Grandma, Pop Pop and Doe came up, and we did some pumpkin carving! Daddy just took off the top of the pumpkin.

And now I am taking the icky insides out. Yuck!

I'm in up to my elbows!

Whoa - it's empty in there!

Now Daddy is cutting out the pattern.

And now the finished product!

Look how it glows. Spooky!

I really love my grandma!

This year, Daddy was Rorschach from The Watchmen, I was Cinderella, and Mama was a Vampire.

We outsmarted the rain this year by trick or treating INSIDE the mall!

Grandma and Doe had a great time as well. So did Pop Pop, but he's not in this picture.

Mama wasn't a "scary" vampire. She said she's a vegan vampire. :)

But with spooky red eyes.

And here's a close up of Mr. Rorschach.

This past month has been tough, as we found out that grandma has breast cancer. The good news is that she is only in Stage 2 with no lymph node involvement. The bad news is that a few rounds of chemotherapy is still warranted. We appreciate the prayers and kind thoughts of all our family and friends who are supporting us through this. And we celebrate that Grandma has a fantastic positive attitude and the love of her family to help her get through this - and especially the love of ME - her favorite granddaughter to give her hope and some humor along the way.

Celebrating The Moon Festival

2009-09-20T15:32:00.016-05:00

On Saturday, we attended the Asian Children's Mentor Program's Moon Festival celebration. This celebration is always scheduled near the Fall solstice in celebration of the coming season. We always enjoy this event. When I first arrived, my sweet mentor Ji In had a beautiful pair of earrings she made me! I'm showing them off here. They are clip-ons since my ears are not pierced yet. Mama and Baba are allowing me to make the decision when to pierce mine, and I'm not ready yet.

Here I am posing with Daddy.

And now with Mama.

Here I am with my friends Grace and Nichole.

Then, we spent some time with our mentors making crafts. I'm not sure yet what we are making, but these are the sheets of paper we'll use.

Ji In is helping me cut the paper.

I'm doing really well with the scissors!

Now, Ji In is painting flowers and a butterfly on my arm.

I have a pretty blue flower now!

Here is our whole group - the mentors, parents and the kids!

This young man is about to play a Vietnamese string instrument.

The music was just beautiful!

The 2009 Moon Festival was a LOT of fun. Be sure to check back later for pictures from our upcoming Gotcha Day celebration. It will be our 3-year anniversary of the day we became a forever family.

Referral Anniversary & Great Labor Day With Friends

2009-09-13T08:33:00.006-05:00

On August 25, 2009, we celebrated the 3-year anniversary of the day Mama and Baba received my referral. What that means is that on that day, they received the call they had been waiting for - that a little baby girl (me!) was waiting for them in an orphanage in China. Later that day, they received pictures of me via e-mail. A week later, they received all kinds of information about me that documented my abandonment at the orphanage and then my development over the months. During the time between the referral and the day they met me (October 9), Mama and Baba were preparing for the trip. Each year, we celebrate these special days. This year, for our referral anniversary, we went out to dinner at the place of my choice. I wanted "rice, noodles and FIRE" which meant that I chose to go have some delicious Japanese food at a hibachi grill where they prepre the food in front of us. We will also be doing something special for "Gotcha Day" but Mama and Baba haven't told me what that will be yet. I think they are planning to surprise me. Another fun thing we did recently was to celebrate Labor Day with our friends Nichole and her mom Stacey. Nichole is also from China and is a couple of years older than me. They visited our house, and we grilled delicious food that day and ended the meal with hot fudge sundae cupcakes! We had a great time. Here I am with my friend Nichole.

I have a doctor's kit at home, and Nichole had fun giving me an exam. Here she is checking my teeth! She said they looked fantastic.

We also had a great time playing in my princess tent. Nichole is hiding in this picture.

We have a very busy few months coming up. Next weekend will be the Asian Children's Mentor Program's (ACMP) Moon Festival. Then, Gotcha Day (October 9), then Mama's Birthday on October 22, then another ACMP event, Halloween, and then we'll move on into the holiday season. I can't wait!

Pop Pop's 77th Birthday & A "Princess" Party

2009-08-16T14:44:00.021-05:00

We've had a few busy weekends recently! This weekend, Grandma, Pop Pop and Doe came up to celebrate Pop Pop's 77th birthday with us! We went out for dinner that evening and then spent some time in the gardens near where Baba works at UGA. Here's a nice picture of me with Mama sitting on a bench in the gardens.

Baba loves taking pictures of my Mama.

I love the sound of these wind chimes. Mama explained to me that they have lots of these in China too, and that I probably first heard wind chimes over there.

This is a pretty color and makes a very pretty sound.

It gets louder when you push this harder.

I sat down with Pop Pop and Grandma for some pictures inside the gazebo. It was a little too shady, but we still were able to get a decent shot. At least it was cool inside!

And then it was Doe's turn since the four of us couldn't all fit on the small bench.

And here's a picture of my Mama and Baba.

I love playing with my Pop Pop. He acts like a very young man sometimes and NOT like a 77-year-old.

We are dancing!

We had some delicious food at Siri Thai. It's everyone's favorite place to eat - including Grandma, Pop Pop and Doe.

This is the first time we've been able to get all our Thai friends in one picture. From l-r: Lala's Mom, Lalapat, Jang, Joom, Mama (of course) and Ratana. They were so sweet to ask Mama to be in the picture with them.

And then a couple of weekends ago, I attended the birthday party of a classmate. We had a tea and "dress up" party! Here I am having tea and some finger foods.

And I dressed up in many different costumes. I was so busy and moving around so much, Mama and Baba could hardly get pictures of me.

A ladybug!

Another princess gown with a tiara!

I brought my friend Addison a veterinarian's kit complete with a little white puppy to work on. That gift was the hit of the party!

Well, that's it for now. Happy birthday, Pop Pop! We enjoyed your visit.

Happy Anniversary To Mama & Baba!

2009-07-16T09:57:00.016-05:00

Mama and Baba celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary this past week! They had a "date day" on Friday while I was at school but then took me for a very fun outing the next day. I always want to look like a "princess" now, so I chose to wear a new blue and white polka-dotted dress that Grandma bought me.

I love being all dressed up. By the way, that writing behind me is my name in Mandarin. I'm covering up the "Mei" part, but you can see the "Ling."

Here are Baba's polka-dotted ladies.

Baba chose something besides polka dots.

The first thing we did was take my picture outside of PF Chang's. That's a BIG horse!

We took a ride on the train inside the mall. Sorry for the extreme close-up. The train car was not that large.

I also enjoyed the carousel.

Baba rode with me while Mama took pictures.

And now, I'm going to get strapped into a harness, connected to bungee cords, and then - well, I'm not sure what will happen next.

This is getting interesting! I'm not sure what to think just yet.

Woohoo! Bungee!!!!!!!!

In case there is any doubt, look at this smile. I am having a BLAST!

We had some lunch at PF Changs, and then I spent some time in a play area. Here I am atop a caterpillar.

I also enjoyed seeing Ice Age 3, and then having some delicious ice cream. Happy anniversary Mama and Baba!

Father's Day Weekend - A Week Late & In Macon

2009-06-28T17:34:00.011-05:00

We had a wonderful Father's Day at home but also had a great weekend a week later at Grandma's and Pop Pop's home in Bolingbroke. We went out for a delicious dinner that evening and then spent some time outside at their place. Here I am with Baba.

Baba took this nice shot of Mama outside.

And a close-up of Mama. This is the same backyard she played in as a little girl.

And here we are together.

Grandma and Doe have been best friends (and sisters) for more than 70 years.

Here I am with my grandparents and Doe. I love them so much.

And here I am again in Baba's arms.

I had a great time with Baba on Father's Day and with Pop Pop this past weekend. And Mama had a great time seeing her daddy too. Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful men out there who are fathers, who hope to be fathers, and who may not have children of their own but who act as father figures to little girls and boys they love.

An Enjoyable Weekend With Friends (A Few Weekends Ago - We Are Behind In Posting)

2009-06-28T17:14:00.015-05:00

We had a fun visit from our friends Cindy and Mike and their children, Shawn and Ginny. We enjoyed some delicious Thai food first and then went to the Botanical Gardens here in Athens and also to the UGA Gardens. Here I am with my friend Joom at Siri Thai.

And here I am with Mommy while we dip our feet in the little stream at the Botanical Gardens.

There were lots of TADPOLES in this stream! Look at how many there are and how tiny they are! It's hard to believe they will be FROGS one day.

Baba and I sat down for a bit in the Zen garden area. It was very shady and much cooler there.

Shawn loved taking pictures with me. We are in a nice, shaded spot by the stream.

And another one with Shawn!

And here is one inside the solarium...with Shawn again!

Mama always enjoys the beautiful flowers at UGA Gardens. They have so many different species to look at.

Ginny, Shawn and I decided to wade through the stream.

Ooh, more tadpoles!

This is the perfect way to cool down.

Baba strikes a pose by some pretty yellow flowers.

Shawn, Ginny and I sat inside the gazebo a bit for a photo opportunity.

Here is a nice overview of the UGA Gardens.

I had a great time with my friends. Unfortunately, Mama took so many pictures of us children, she didn't get any of Cindy and Mike. Maybe next time.

Fun At The Park

2009-06-20T15:52:00.017-05:00

We decided to go have some fun at a local park recently. I loved climbing up on the Sea Monster!

Daddy and I decided to try out this tilted thing that looks like a merry-go-round.

We got quite a surprise when we started moving the thing and it threw us into the wood chips. I fell on Daddy, though, so only he got all scratched up. But it did scare me.

I decided to climb on the monster again.

It was so much fun standing up here!

We also tried out some other things. Daddy was helping me learn to balance on this.

And of course, I did lots of swinging!

This one was a really fun swing.

Whoa! Look how high I'm able to go.

Then I decided to get back into a regular swing. They are all fun, really.

Hi Mama!

Even daddies like to swing at the park.

And of course, what is a trip to a park without playing on the slide.

We had a great time! Look for more pictures soon of a fun weekend we had with some friends from Macon.

A Belated Mother's Day Post

2009-05-24T16:10:00.028-05:00

We had a great Mother's Day celebration this year on Mother's Day Weekend and the weekend after when Grandma, Pop Pop and Doe came up to visit.

I love playing with Pop Pop.

This is the Little Mermaid nightgown I love so much, because I think Ariel looks like my Mommy.

Big smiles!

And now a little posing.

I love sitting in my Grandma's lap too.

But Pop Pop really likes to play. I love being upside-down.

And Doe read me a pop-up book.

This is my "pet" lizard. He fits in well with our two cats, a fish and a frog (all real pets).

And my favorite puppy: Anna! We are all getting ready to go eat some Thai food.

I love the princess tent that Ratana and Joom, our friends from the Thai restaurant, bought me.

Daddy took some pictures of Mama. Here's a funny look.

Happy Mother's Day Mama!

Daddy's two favorite girls.

And another shot of us.

I love my Mommy, and she loves me too.

Here are Pop Pop and Grandma. They are about to enjoy some delicious Thai food.

Daddy now has control over your mind. Be very, very afraid.

I'm a happy girl today. Ratana gave me some beautiful hair barrettes.

See! Well, you can't really see it can you?

I love playing with my Mommy's jewelry. This is her necklace that says, "mother to a little girl" in Mandarin.

And here's one with Mama, Ratana and Mei-Ling!

And here is my other friend Lalapat. She, Ratana and Joom are my friends.

We had two great Mother's Day weekends! And how wonderful it is to have both Mama and Grandma to share Mother's Day with.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2009-05-24T15:43:00.015-05:00

Daddy turned 35 years old this month! We went to our favorite place for dinner (Thai of course) to celebrate.

We had such a good time.

Mommy helped me with my Tom Kha (coconut milk soup with lemongrass and other yummy things). I'm doing better getting it to my mouth. I'm also learning how to use chop sticks, but I have a long way to go.

Ratana brought Daddy a special Thai dessert - a Taro cake with coconut milk. Yum!

We had a great dinner. I also was glad to dress like a princess. What I define as "princess" is wearing a dress. I will tell Mama each day whether or not she looks like a princess.

Oh, and notice the Hello Kitty watch and the bracelet. I'm really into this princess thing.

Daddy's two favorite girls.

We're glad you had a good birthday Daddy! May you have many, many more.

A Wonderful Easter Weekend And Celebration Of Grandma's 74th Birthday

2009-04-17T19:48:00.018-05:00

We had a fantastic Easter and a wonderful celebration of Grandma's 74th birthday! Saturday night, we had a delicious dinner for Grandma's birthday. We didn't take any pictures of that. But we did take plenty of the rest of the weekend. On Sunday, we went to church and then out for an Easter dinner - at a Japanese Steak House of course. Here is a picture of me, Mama and Baba at Grandma's house. We are standing in front of her HUGE azalea bush.

Here is a good one of me, Xavier and Baba.

One with Grandma, me, Pop Pop and Doe. Grandma looks fantastic for 74 doesn't she?

I always love a picture with my sweet Baba. And we match today!

And here we all are.

I do love posing for the camera.

And one of me with Mama.

Here we are in front of the pretty azalea again.

On Saturday night, Grandma and I dyed some Easter eggs! That is something Grandma loves to do each year, and this was my first time. What a special moment for us.

This is fun!

Thank you, Grandma, for doing this with me!

After church and our Easter dinner, I found out the Easter Bunny left me a basket at Grandma's house. He followed me there!

Oh wow! The Easter Bunny must know my exact size.

Now I am hunting for those eggs we dyed last night.

I found another one!

Well, that's all for now. This next weekend, we will be celebrating another birthday, but it's a surprise to the person. So I won't say anything more.

Child of Blessing

2009-03-15T16:31:00.011-05:00

Today was my baptism. We were reminded of the many blessings bestowed upon us. We celebrate that we were brought together as a family to love one another and enjoy our time here on Earth. The song sung today was "Child of Blessing," and Mama and Baba are so grateful and feel so blessed that their path led to me.

I really enjoyed the service. Mama had prepared me for water dripping on my head, but she didn't tell me it would drip onto my arm. I had the whole church chuckling
as I shook it off my arm.

This is my more serious face.

Here is a picture Pop Pop took during my baptism. Thanks to Pastors Mark and Beecher and our sweet friends Marie and Bert for participating.

We are so grateful Doe, Pop Pop and Grandma were able to attend and
spend the weekend with us.

And here's one with Mama and Baba.

Smiling as Baba held me in the narthex and we greeted our fellow church members.

After my baptism, we went had had some delicious Thai food. After that, I was surprised with a couple of presents - a tricycle and a hoppity hop ball! Mama will post pictures from that experience later.

Snow In Georgia!

2009-03-11T19:29:00.006-05:00

We enjoyed quite a surprise this month - 9 inches of ice/snow! This was my very first time seeing ice and snow like this, and I really had a great time.

Mama had fun in the snow too. We couldn't believe how quickly it accumulated here.

Here is what our house and yard looked like about halfway into the snowstorm.

Baba decided that Pandora needed to come experience the snow as well. You can probably tell from her expression that she did not appreciate nor enjoy it at all.

This happened last week, and now this week it has been in the 80s for several days. Typical March weather in Georgia. Check back in a few days to see pictures of my baptism! It's happening this coming Sunday. Zai jian!

Remembering Poppy

2009-02-14T15:03:00.006-05:00

David Theodore Tarbox
1950-2009

The past few weeks have been tough for our family, as Adam's father David drew closer to the end of his life. Mei-Ling turned 3, and we had her scheduled to be baptized this weekend but got the call that Poppy did not have much time left. As I type this today, we expect that he will not be with us but for a few more hours. At that time, Mei-Ling, Xavier and I will join Adam in Memphis to bid Poppy our final farewell.

This is a picture of Poppy at his happiest. It was Thanksgiving of 2007, and he's holding Mei-Ling and his grandson George. He had grown a beard for a little while, so this was an unusual look for him. He had already been diagnosed with cancer, and he was battling it valiantly - as he has continued to do even as I am typing this post.

We will post pictures from Mei-Ling's birthday at a later time.
This post is in celebration of the life of David Theodore Tarbox.

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name' sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23

We Had A Happy, Eventful Holiday Season!

2009-01-05T10:43:00.067-05:00

We officially kicked off the holiday season with our annual Cone Family Christmas party in Liberty Hill, Georgia - just outside of Barnesville. This is my Pop Pop's side of the family. We had a great time as always. Our family is so large, we end up having this party every year in an historic community center there in Liberty Hill. A few of my cousins were not there this year, and we missed them. But it was a great party. Mama learned on this night that I definitely can hold my own playing with older boys. I ended up on the bottom of a tackle pile twice, and hopped right up without incident.

And here is a great shot of my brother, Xavier, who was able to attend the party with us.

Very little captioning is needed for this next round of photos, which hopefully capture the magic and wonder of a two year old on Christmas morning. But I'll give you an idea of what I was thinking in each shot. Here, I am just overwhelmed with what all is under the tree!

Wow Santa was GOOD to me!

This one is easy to get into.

PJ's!!!!!!

I like these PJs!!!

And another soft package.

I'm having fun!!!

"Princess" nightgowns and PJs were a direct request for Santa this year. I am very much into "princess" things right now.

See Grandma, Pop Pop and Doe? It's Cinderella!!!

Now for a BIG box. I wonder what is in here?

This one is tougher to get into!

This is looking like something that will be FUN!

It's a cash register with MONEY in it! Yaay!

Look at all this (play) money!!!

This will be so much fun to play with!!!

A baby doll. I love babies. This one is soft and easy to squeeze.

Here, you can see her too!

I'm opening some things from my stocking now. I think these are Disney panties.

And now another large box. What could this be?

It's another tough one to get into, but I can do it!

Rip, rip, rip.

OK, I'm in.

Wow, this is cool!

Yaay! I doctor's kit!

A stethoscope!

I like this kit!

What is this? A pager!

Do I talk into the pager like a phone?

Wow, it speaks to me and tells me I have a patient waiting on me.

I love playing with Grandma's real stethoscope, so this will be awesome for me to have my own!

Grandma, I need to take your blood pressure.

After all the gifts were opened, Mama and Baba told me Santa had left one more thing for me. And I closed my eyes, and they brought out THIS:

Want a hot dog Pop Pop?

I love my 50s Diner!

My very own oven!

There's a table side juke box, and I am about to make some coffee!

It bubbles just like it's boiling!

Now I'm getting creative and cutting up some "fruit" (Play Doh) on the booth side of the diner.

I'm going to make some more coffee.

My juke box is playing some cool tunes!

Let's see if the stuff in the oven is done.

Anyone need anything else?

OK, rewind to my visit to Santa. We did things a little different this year. Since I was terrified by the Santa at the mall last year, we decided to have a more relaxed visit with Santa at our church. Here I am listening to some music first.

What is that I hear?

Oh my!!!! It's Santa Claus!!!!!

Now we'll jingle some bells while Santa and his elves sing.

Santa looks so cute up there!

I was the first (as usual) to volunteer to sit on his lap. Obviously Mama and Baba made a good decision this year.

Santa is telling a few stories.

I'm enjoying sitting up here!

Awww. Santa gave me a gift - a cute candy cane!

Here is my collection of artwork from the season. I was very busy in school creating beautiful things that Mama and Baba eagerly displayed in the arched entrance to our sunroom.

And here is our collection of Christmas and Hanukkah cards we received from colleagues, friends and family members. Thank you all for remembering us!

We also had some really fun times after Christmas. My brother, Xavier, visited. We had a great time and Mama will post pictures of that later. Happy 2009 to everyone! This month includes my birthday (January 22). And then there's Chinese New Year too which will be coming up soon as we welcome in the year of the cow!!!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-19T11:25:00.013-05:00

This is how I feel about the holiday season:

So far, I have enjoyed putting up *my* Christmas tree, decorating it, and going to the Cone family Christmas party. Here I am posing with *my* tree.

This is an example of my really big holiday smile. I also can't wait to see Santa this weekend (even though I cried last year when I sat in his lap).

I decided to dance around the Christmas tree a bit. Dancing is one of my favorite things to do.

I also like to get under the tree and look up into it, but for now I just decided to sit down. Mama and Baba said that they always enjoyed looking up into their trees too.

We decided to take our own photos this year for our Christmas cards. Here is our first attempt. Mama and Baba said that it's really difficult to set the timer, get the lighting right and then get me to look at the camera, be still, and smile all at the same time. This one was NOT our best shot.

This one also was not the one we selected for the card. I'm not sure what the look on my face was.

Take 3 - not the best one either.

Take 4 - I'm not sure what I'm looking at, but at least I was staying still.

And finally - we all have our eyes open, decent smiles, and I'm not moving.

I have really enjoyed *my* Christmas tree so far. This year, because of a certain cat who may or may not be named Bandit, we decided to get an artificial tree. We won't go into detail of what happens when Bandit eats REAL Christmas trees. It's NOT pretty. But I am somehow convinced that this tree *is* my Christmas present. Mama said that I am getting more from Santa on Christmas day. How cool is that?

This Sunday, we go to our church's annual Christmas dinner, and that's when I'll meet Santa. Then Grandma, Pop Pop and Doe are coming up to visit. I can't wait. And of course, I am excited about Santa visiting my house. He's been here twice already (or so my parents say), but this year I have a better understanding of what all this is about. Happy holidays everyone!

Introducing "Little Purple Cat"

2008-11-24T21:07:00.008-05:00

Today in school, we learned about Native Americans and crafted some cute little construction paper headdresses. When it came time for us to choose Native American names, the teacher, Miss Kim, asked me what my favorite animal is. I said a cat! Then, because I was wearing purple, I became Little Purple Cat.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

We Had A "Groovy" Weekend With Xavier

2008-11-15T10:22:00.017-05:00

Last weekend, my brother Xavier came up to visit. And one of our favorite activities is to go play putt putt golf at our friend Greg's place, Groovy Golf here in Athens. Here are some pictures from our adventure - starting with Baba making his first putt.

And this is what it looks like when Mama isn't using the flash. The whole place is lit with black lights and there are lots of glow in the dark features!

And our friend Greg plays plenty of dance music from the 70s. I love to dance!

I'm still dancing while Baba putts.

In fact, I seem to like dancing more than playing putt putt.

Xavier was very happy to get a hole in one!

Baba looks on as Xavier putts.

And here I am posing with Baba.

This is what Groovy Golf looks like without the flash.

It's definitely very retro!

Here's the outside of Groovy Golf. It's inside the Georgia Square Mall in Athens.

And here are a few more shots of the grooviness.

And one final shot.....

We did have a really nice weekend that included of course Groovy Golf, some shopping, and our weekly trip to Siri Thai for some delicious food. Thanks for coming up to visit with us Xavier!

November 4th Was A Wonderful Day For Us To Remember

2008-11-05T03:30:00.011-05:00

On November 4, 2008, we completed the final step in my adoption process. It wasn't a necessary step but was one that ensures my relationship with Mama and Baba legally at the state level. It was called "domesticating" my adoption, and it will result in my having an American birth certificate, with my legal American name on it and with Mama's and Baba's names on it as my parents. Our court date was today, and the judge heard our case. Here I am with Baba outside the courthouse before the hearing.

And here I am with Mama.

Our attorney took a picture of us in front of the judge's private chambers, where our hearing took place.

Here's another shot of us outside his office.

And here we are going through the paperwork. It did not take long at all.

Here we are with the judge just following his signing of the decree.

After we left the courthouse, I wanted to go have my picture taken on one of the many artistic Bulldogs that are placed around Athens.

We went out for a delicious lunch after our hearing, and had a great time. Thanks to Miss Debra (our attorney) and the judge for being a part of the final step to domesticate my adoption!
What a special day November 4, 2008 has been.

Sweet Father-Daughter Moment Caught On Camera

2008-11-02T17:42:00.004-05:00

Today, we had a very "lazy" day - hanging out around the house in our robes and PJs. And Baba decided to be the one to give me a pedicure this time. Of course Mama had to go get the camera and take a picture to capture the moment for posterity.

Look at that concentration! Now my toes are a beautiful, shiny and glittery burgundy color - perfect for Fall!