小本事

开心一岁了，大孩子了，没什么本事，就会摸爬滚打，话不会说，路不会走，连站着都要扶着东西。

我们家，dinning room和living room之间有两登楼梯，示范了两三次，开心终于知道爬到那里不能勇往直前了。怎么办呢？小身子先专个180度，小屁股一扭一扭往后蹭，一登一登地蹭下两 层楼梯。这下不得了了，小人居然想蹭14级台阶，从楼上蹭到楼下，勇猛精神及其可嘉，不过具体实施要等老妈我批准之后才可开始。

开心喜欢 玩纸，一张facial tissue一条一条地撕成条，在一点一点地撕成小片，最后一个动作就是往嘴里塞了。通常塞了几片以后发现不如想象的好吃，于是在吐出来，两个小手指头捻 成球，顺手弹掉。发挥好的时候，能象我们小时候弹玻璃球一样，一弹好远。大部分时间发挥并不好，小纸球弹不远，还搞得自己满身纸蛋儿。

不 知道发明制作小椅子，小凳子给宝宝的人们有没有想到过，小椅子小凳子的不只是用来坐的，有时候，甚至是很多时候，小椅子小凳子的功效不是大人所能想象 的。开心路还不会走呢，就已经发现了小椅子的特殊功效。我们家的Entertainment Center的第二隔，经常放了写老大的画，做craft的东西，这些都是严禁开心玩的。怎么办？小人有办法。先把小rocker推倒 Entertainment Center 前面，攀上rocker, 站直了，刚刚好能够到姐姐的东西，顺手在把彩纸划一地。这叫什么来着？气人，嗯，就是着两个字了。

Merry Christmas

Santa and Reindeer

我这个人，做事情总是拖拖拉拉，给孩子的礼物也能拖到最后一分钟，居然还没买到。没办法，写信吧，就说是Santa写的。
Christmas Eve, 老大开开心心地在桌子上放了cookie, milk, 还有一封信，

Dear Santa,

I have been very good this year. I like to have stickers and Pony necklace.

Love,

Sarah L

Stickers, 老妈我去Costco晚了，没买到。 Pony necklace， 这东西我见都没见过，哪里买去？到是小人念了很久的Double Easel本来是想买的， Toys R Us 没货了，星期三进货，这可不能怨我了。
礼物包好了，Kathy的Little Touch挺大的一个包，Sarah的Leapster game小小的一个小包。光看大小，也知道老大一定不高兴了。怎么办？和老公一商量，打个letter, 就说是Santa给老大的。

Dear Sarah,

Thank you for the cookies and milk. But I am very sorry that we do not have Pony necklace this year. However, I will have my reindear Rudolph come here to delivery your stickers on Monday night. I have another surprise for you but your parents have to pick it up on Wednesday night.

Be good and nice to your sister Kathy. I will come back next year to bring you more gifts. Please keep in mind that writing a letter to me with your wish list one month before Christmas will give me more time to prepare the gifts to you.

Love Santa.

信写完了，老两口捧腹大笑，what kind of Santa is this?!

教育的迷惑

我的老大，很happy的一个孩子，从来我就不忍伤她的心，每每都是有求必应。今年的birthday party, 老大说想请她以前的一个小朋友。可惜人家妈妈说，小朋友每个星期六上午是dancing, 下午是piano, 所以没时间来。回家跟老大说，老大眨眨眼，i see, but she is still my friend. 事过境迁，现在都在不同的学校，半年里只见过一次面，你把别人当friend, 别人还不一定记得住你。怎么和她解释才不伤她的心？只好说，宝宝，listen, now she and you are going to different schools, you have new friends and she has new friends too. she can not come to the party, but mommy believe that she wish you a very happy birthday. 今年的christmas card是小老大自己设计，指挥我帮她做的，要我寄给她以前的老师和她见过的一些小朋友们，送过她礼物的叔叔阿姨们。孩子自己做的card很粗糙，和外面 买的精美的卡片不能同日而语， 不知道收到card的人们会怎样想。
孩子长大的过程中，会经历friendship, 背叛，刺伤，被忽视，种种世态炎凉，希望在经历了各种不愉快以后，我的孩子们还能有一颗爱世人爱生活的心。

关于学习，我一贯主张，分数不是唯一的衡量标准。当年她妈妈我不就是靠着一点小聪明混到master的？对孩子，我可不能过分不现实地要求门门满分。可是 人呢，就是虚荣，真的要看到孩子的成绩单上的数字低的时候，心里要求得就是门门满分了。小老大的期中考成绩单是11月拿回来的，kindergarten 得各项成绩都是满分，当妈得我乐得嘴角都裂到耳朵根儿。可问题是，她那个学校就成心和我过不去，好好的kindergarten考不就是了？不行，非要用 Grade 1的中考题再考一遍满分的kindergarteners，这下好了， 我们老大5/12，不！及！格！。白纸黑字地列到小人的kindergarten成绩下面。我这嘴啊也恢复正常size了。晚上等老大睡了，和老公说了， 你说咱老大怎么办呢？这个5/12，这不及格啊。怎么教啊我们？得对孩子负责啊咱们。老公白眼球抛过来，闲得你，她kindergarten啊，1st grade得考成那样很好了。 看来，做父母的心理承受力也得不断地提高。

checkup 归来

老大，height 44.5, 90%, weight, 42 lb, 75%
非常奇怪中，小神仙也能75%？难道是骨头和皮重？

老 二，height, 30.24, 90%, weight, 19 lb 10 oz, 25% (with 5 wagon wheel cookies
), head, 18 inches, 75%.

小老二又会说几个字了

叭 - 爬
叭不抵 - 爬楼梯

俩宝贝的成长瞬间

Sarah's teacher's conference

Mrs. Myers said that Sarah is advanced in writing, reading, letters, logical problems and hear-and-write. She will put Sarah in the first reading group which will be guided by Mrs. Myers herself for about 30 minutes a day or so everyday. The only issue that Mrs. Myers pointed out is that Sarah had been bossy with another older girl in her class. However Mrs. Myers seems not concern this issue too much. Though others kids seem to be ok with her bossiness, I am still a little worry on this.

Kathy falled from the bed in our room
sigh, 人生就是这样慢慢地完整的。好在小老二24小时后一切正常。

Sarah 晚上对我说，when Kathy grows up, I will let her sleep in my room and in my bed. I'll sleep outside and she'll sleep inside, so she will not fall from the bed.

不心
老二11多月乐，总觉得也该开始学说话乐。于是先从小人自己的名字开始。
我说，Kathy， 你叫什么名字啊？叫，开心。开心。你说，开心。
唠叨了半天，老二眼皮都不抬，专心致志地看她的塑料书。老妈我生气乐，抬头对老爸说乐，这孩子，怎么傻啊。老爸还没来得及回答呢，只听老二张口乐，不！心！
老爸老妈相对望一眼，嗯，是傻。

娃娃
老二对姐姐是又爱又怕。和姐姐一起玩的时候呢，就恨不得让姐姐leave me alone. 姐姐一跑开了呢，有啊啊啊滴叫姐姐过来和她玩儿。这几天聪明乐，以前只会啊啊啊，现在叫姐姐都有内容乐。啊啊啊，娃娃！姐姐是Sarah, 咱发音不准，当然就是 娃！娃！

无法抗拒的魅力
老大昨天再做monthly activity，有个问题是， If you could invite a person to
your Thanksgiving dinner, who will it be? Why?
老大的answer 是，Alex, because he will play with me.
多好的宝啊，深的妈米遗传。我赞！

这五年的日子

老大今天整五岁。老妈我回头一看，好像什么都没做，小人已经长大了。吹气儿似的，噌得一下，她就上学乐。不可能吧，总的吃喝拉撒是吧？养个孩子，哪那么简单？要真的这么简单，我就十个八个二三十个得养。真的，我也挺忙的，忙着把下面写的这些事都做了。

1， 瞎担心

这个我可称的上是Expert。没怀老大的时候担心自己不孕。怀上乐开始担心葡萄胎，兔唇，侏儒，唐氏，still birth等等等等。没生的时候担心难产我byebye乐。要不是老公拦着，我遗嘱都能写好了。生了以后担心饿着撑着冻着热着。抬不起头来担心缺钙，不会翻身担肌无力，会坐以前担心脊柱问题，会爬以前担心手脚不协调，会走以前担心骨质松软，说话以前担心是哑巴，会说了担心话痨，不说话了开始担心childhood depression, 说话乐就担心唠叨半天没point, 属于思维混乱智力低下。上学以前担心不适应，上学了担心小人学坏了，说中文的时候担心英文不行，说英文乐又担心中文不好。学习不好担心以后挣钱少，学习好了担心变成书呆子。。。。。。五年乐，穷担心瞎操心都成习惯了。

2， 勤俭持家

没办法，小孩子的东西贵给逼的。等deal, 找coupon, 我不是expert, 不过很自豪地说，咱给家里节省了不少钱。老大还在听命于我的时候，5，6块钱的小衣服，那里有sale那里就有我。买衣服的钱从utility里抠。家规里明文规定，楼下没人要关灯，不到三伏不开冷气，不到冻死人我就不开heater。曾几何时，全家人一人一件大棉袄裹着还直打哆嗦，真真是何苦来的？！买sale 外加自己做，一直以来我爸妈总觉得我那天可能就得吃救济乐。

3，一切行动听指挥

做妈的当家作主的时间到底有多长？没多长，真的？小人从奴隶到将军，人家也说了算了。我傻啊，刚开始还愣是没反应过来，咱家宝，有主见啊！大加赞赏另带见天showoff。没过多久傻老妈我明白了，这以后，还有我说话的份儿吗？老公和宝是一个战壕的，咱是敌人。买衣服老妈你还想省钱捡便宜？不要想得太美，想得太美是有苦头吃滴。宝的兰花指头一翻，that one。贵吗？宝我不认字。不买？宝我就穿漏肚肚的，老妈你谁见都说你虐待祖国的花朵儿。

4， 准备打好持久战

这事儿呢，就是这样的，别开头，开了头就没完乐。生宝容易养宝难。Daycare, elementary, junior high, senior high, college, graduate school, wedding…..你说那个不是钱堆出来了？谁说不谈钱，钱俗。我都想这么飘然，超然，脱俗，不食人间烟火。咱行吗？咱有家要养，咱得挣钱回来给宝吃饱穿暖住舒服不是？这可就不是一天两天得活了，持久战，咱算是打定了，咱得为宝健康赚钱5，6，7，80年。健康，这个关键，咱可不能给宝拖后腿，咱宝打拼事业的时候家里哪能有病歪歪哼哼唧唧的老爸老妈？所以，自从有了宝，老公和我活的特仔细，维生素见天一片，30小几开始补钙，保险咱也买齐乐，开车咱比老爷爷老奶奶开的都仔细。我的宝啊，你就开开心心无忧无虑健健康康滴长吧，你有老爸老妈做你坚强的后盾呢。咱啥都不怕。

he 是河还是黑

昨天从Costco抱还家children's world map 和 Solar System Map 各一张。老公和老大两个人兴冲冲滴把原来墙上的画摘下来，贴上新地图。贴好乐以后，两个人就开始研究了。这里是DC, 这里是Canada，那边是Asia, 这一片是China. 那个是黄黑。我这边就奇怪了，Asia 那个地方叫黄黑啊？这么有名，都上美国的世界地图乐，我怎么不知道。悔不该当初不好好学地理，出丑乐现在。
抱着老二咱也过去看看，长长知识。老大 一看我来了，忙不迭地showoff. Mommy, look, here is DC. Up there is Canada. There is Asia. All of this is China. That curly blue thing, you know what, it's called 黄黑。
我当时立刻就地晕倒。两个大文盲啊，怎么就都在我家呢？

置办冬装的慢慢长路

星期六下雨，取消采购粮草的原计划，抓了老大去mall里开始了给祖宗置办冬装的慢慢长路。祖宗从Sears开始一路看下去，路经Children's Place, Gmboree, Hecht's，Limited Too 等地，其间老妈子我苦口婆心滴游说，看看这个多好看啊，宝宝穿上一定漂亮。老妈子心里不住祈祷，祖宗啊， 你就选几条3刀一条的裤子行吗。祖宗一律No, No, No! 前面就是Disney, 祖宗欢欣雀耀蹦了进去，巡视下来，祖宗小指头一指，I Like that Princess sweat shirt. 25大刀一套，老妈子我心头一滴晶莹剔透的血就这么掉到了这套sweat shirt and pant上。出来之后祖宗说累了，JC Penny 不要去了。不过旁边的Dollar Ocean要去看看，抱了一堆stickers, barbie，puzzle出来。中午回家睡觉，下午老两口去Costo暂且不提。

星期天，阴。再不出去连菜都没得吃了，于是决定豁出去再开远点儿，去看看Osh Kosh有没有降价。这一次不要紧，祖宗连挑带选，老妈子我75大刀出了荷包，换回来4件Jackets, 1条裙子，1副9刀的小手套。这是什么手套啊，9大刀，金子做得不成？打劫啊？！算了，我也是愿打愿挨不是？看着祖宗美得嘴裂到耳朵根儿，值！75刀一掷我为红颜。下午回家，老公和祖宗开始刻南瓜，洗瓜子留着做Project。祖宗画南瓜，编好南瓜头的故事。晚上作业再看一边，为了stickers，千万不能漏掉任何的一道题。睡觉前请示祖宗，宝宝啊，妈妈去年给你买的sweat shirt，那个红的，妈妈明天去再给你买今年穿得好不好？祖宗说好。行了，咱有鸡毛令箭了。

星期一，阴，有时有明媚阳光。送了老大上学，等的老二睡醒。老妈子我进军Target。去年4.99一个piece的sweat shirt，今年5.99了。什么世道？不让穷人活了？算了，总比那25刀一套得好多了。总的吃饱穿暖吧，咱怎么也算个低收入中产阶级吧。买！一天一套还的准备一套换的。回头看看啃bib的老二，怪可怜的，算了，给你也来两套吧。乱七八糟再一买，结帐一算一百多差点二百大洋，我连血都舍不得滴了这次。回家喂老二，哄着小祖宗睡着，立马出门接大祖宗。老大今天拿回来report card，看了看，不错，老师评价挺高的。老妈我立刻忘了那200刀的心头之痛。咱孩子出息了，200大刀算什么，20几年以后，咱孩子几分钟就给赚回来了。喜气洋洋我领着老大上楼写作业，老二一看妈妈被姐姐领走，小脸一皱，马上做痛不欲生我不活了状，回头再哄老二，转头跑上楼指导老大。一个晚上的routine又开始了。

今天一早来office, 泡上一杯coffee, 懒洋洋地看看email, 上上bbs，生活，还是挺美好的嘛。

ps. Sarah的第一个report card昨天拿回来。所有的项目都是Very Satisfied. 最后Mrs. Myers 写到， I am so pround of my only 4-year-old. She is doing so well at school.
The report card made Steve and me proud of Sarah very much.

开心宝宝10个月之屁挨着床科学实验 2

不想在booster seat做的时候，怎样让妈妈抱我起来？

试验步骤如下

1. 拍手。呱呱呱，小手拍得响，宝宝笑的甜，妈妈，妈妈抱抱我。糊涂老妈说了，“小宝宝，我们一起来唱拍手歌。”白眼球赏妈妈一个。
2. 拍桌子。啪啪啪，小桌拍得晃，我不耐烦了，妈妈，妈妈抱抱我。糊涂老妈说了，“小宝宝，拍桌子手会疼的，咱们不拍了，咱们吃cookie。” 垂螓首，我痛心疾首。
3. 嚎叫，发赖，撒娇。

试验结果是，嚎叫，发赖，撒娇 是三件法宝，小老二我永记心中。

开心宝宝10个月之屁挨着床科学实验 1

水杯里的juice喝完了以后水杯里还有什么？

试验步骤如下，

1. 吸。小水杯举起来，靠在妈妈腿上，上身成10度，30度，45度，75度，和90度， 各吸3下。小水杯发出孜孜响声，无任何物质吸出。
2. 摇。先左手，再右手，各摇5-10下，小水杯未发出里面装有流体的声音。
3. 挤。小水杯倒过来大头朝下，先用右手拇指和食指，再五指齐上，在吸嘴处做挤压各5-10次。歪头看看，妈妈没有生气。

试验结果是，水杯里的juice喝完了以后水杯里就什么都没有了。要想再喝juice的话需向妈妈再次献媚。

小老二练站

小老二只会被抱着站起来。从上个周末开始，小老二被要求自己抓这东西站。笨老二不是很勤奋的练习站，不过却是很勤奋的唠叨。最经常唠叨的是，“姐姐站 站。” 再然后是，“爬爬站站”，“厌厌（小老二被叫做小讨厌）站站”，“站站厌厌”，“站站站站”。小人也很不容易得。：）

Sarah won 4 stickers last week

Yesterday Sarah took home 4 stickers from school, they are Perfect, 100%, Wonderful and Well Done. The note from Mrs. Myers on Sarah's homework is, "Wow, keep the SUPER job!!!" and a smily face. Sarah was excited the entire night.

小老二喝了洗衣水

也怪我，左手抱着小人，右手还忙着，一不小心小老二咕嘟喝了一口，剩下的都到我身上了。
小老二痛饮洗衣水后，首先是小人自己很不满意洗衣水的味道，皱着不胖的脸哼哼唧唧地抗议。紧接着被老妈我一个水杯送进手里强迫性喝水稀释，小老二喝地欧欧地打隔。24小时内全家进行严密观察。

1，食欲。当晚一根剁碎的烤鸡腿，掺在米粉里下肚。昨晚又一根剁碎的烤鸡腿，合着mash淮山吃光。两天中午的蛋羹吃到碗底朝天。
2， 智力。这个总之要求不高，对自己的名字有反映就达标。附加分是记得小故事的下一句，farm friends里的一句，with the cows, the puppies say, "woof, woof, will you play." 老二接，“baa baa daa daa jee jee jee." 破译为，“baa baa, we'll play with you today."
3, 体力。还能站住，还会匍匐前进，还会抓头发，还会嚎叫。
4, 排泄。pee poo都很正常。

结论，洗衣水喝一口是没有问题滴。

Sarah got her first Outstanding sticker from school

for being outstanding on finishing homework and participating in learning clubs.

小老二终于学会用sip cup

我们笨，学了一个星期才学会。

第一天，抱着杯子猛啃，就是啃不到嘴上。
第二天，好不容易找到杯子嘴了，就是不明白要抬起头来才能喝到。急啊，急得嗷嗷叫。
第三天，开心的我明白了要举起杯子抬起头来才喝的到，可惜的是手和脑袋不配合，杯子
拿在左手里，偏偏右手不受控制的举起来。
第四天，哈哈，喝到了，还顺便洗了澡，连带洗了衣服。
第五天，我怎麽就这么聪明呢？杯子倒过来，手手挤一挤能出来水。我挤我挤我挤挤挤，
having a splashing fun.

小老二用得sip cup是老妈子我在walmart买的便宜货，Nuby牌子的，上面的一块是软的
，spillfree， 不过呢，把那个sip cup 大头朝下的话，用手挤杯子嘴，水就出来了。

http://www.babybungalow.com/nunosp8ozcup.html

童言无忌

今天shopping 时看到白桃便宜又好，口水直流。于是和Sarah一起挑桃。小老大一回这个好，一回那个好。大的小的好的坏的统统都是好好好。做妈的我终于忍无可忍了，你说好总的有个理由把。于是乎，当小老大指着一个肥肥大大的说好，做妈的问了，是吗？小老大斩钉截铁地回了，嗯，这个好，这个长得像屁股。老妈我心里憋不住狂笑。表面上还做贼心虚地给旁边的美女解释，嘿嘿，小孩子的话不能听，不能听。

开心宝宝9个月

小开心九个月了。今天的体检也没什么变换。身高90%，体重50%，头围75%。
小开心似乎对这次的医生阿姨不很友好，不笑反哭。医生阿姨问我们会不会爬，会不会自己抓这东西站，会不会拍手。老妈我讪笑，统统的不会。不过我们会锻炼的，会锻炼的。
打了一针，另外tested for iron level. 13，正常。
体检期间小开心不停的吃wegon baby cookie, 医生阿姨赞，she's a good eater. 老妈我赶紧说，是呀，是啊。心里想，我们吃半根烤鸡腿的时候，谁看了都怕怕的。

另外今天, Sarah 从学校里带回来第一份奖品，一个toy fife。特此纪念。

小老大和我谈心

其实也不是什么谈心了，就是不记得我说了一句什么话把小人惹着了。

1，mommy don't alway ask me to do this do that. i am busy too. see, i have to draw, i have to do my homework, and i have to take care of kathy. you are a
grown-up, you should do things yourself.

2, i don't pay for this house, but this house is mine because i fix things.
see, if you broke the window, i will fix it. but you will have to pay. see,
that's all you need to do.

3, i like school. once i come back home, i have to work very hard. and you,
always push me to do this do that. and sometimes i am mad at you.

4, kathy, you don't worry. you will be fine. when mommy moves to her house, i
will take care of you.

5, when i talk, you need to listen to me. it's good manner. did you learn this
in school. i think you didn't.

小老大kindergarten第一天

他们学校很有意思，开学有两个第一天，last name A-M的是今天，N-Z的是明天。8/31所有的学生都上课。

学校里满满的人，家长们拎着，抗着，抱着这个学年的school supplies. 小朋友们拖着，背着，拉着大大的school backpack.先进教室，报上到，name tag挂在脖子上，书包放好，选定lunch, 然后去Cafe吃早餐。
Cafe里排着长长的队，小人们人手一个小小的tray，看到喜欢吃的就放进tray里，等排到check out那里，要报上姓名，“My last name is XXX, my number is 1234."然后从小人们的meal plan accounts里把钱划走。早餐$1.00, 午餐$1.95. 然后自己找地方坐下来吃。
一回功夫，第一遍铃响，大家踢里趿拉往教室里走。5分钟后第二遍铃响。学校大喇叭里开始blah blah, 大家起立，右手放在左胸前，念The Pledge of Allegiance, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." 接着放国歌，大家继续肃立。再然后就是有principal继续blah,大意就是,我们小学生们要做到最好，最优秀，好好学习，天天向上之类的。说完了，各班开始上课。
我和老公慢慢悠悠地回家了。

放学回来，小老大精神很好，说是很喜欢学校，喜欢老师。作业在blue folder里，是一个故事，The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn. 他们今天讲的，回家要在给家长讲一边，然后有两个heart shaped stickers， 分别是给爸爸和妈妈的。作业做完以后，家长要在home work paper上签字。然后我们又做了kindergarten workbook. 晚9点整，小老大上床睡觉。

Kindergarten Open House

Took Sarah to her Kindergarten open house this morning. The open house started at 8:30 AM. By the time we got there, the parking lot was packed with cars. Even the construction parking was full. It took me a while to find a street parking.

The school was crowded with children from all ages running, teachers and parents were talking in the hallway, the offices and the classrooms.

On the door of the main entrance, there were paper with children’s names separated by class posted. With Sarah’s help, I managed to find her name. She will be in Room 6, Class S with Mrs. Myers as leading teacher.

This year there are about 60 Kindergarteners who will be in four different classes. The room is decorated nicely with computers, a same library area, boxes for each kid, and some activity spots. I could tell that Sarah felt in love with the room right away. Mrs. Myers gave her a piece of paper with some pictures on and asked Sarah to find all of the stuffs on the pictures in the classroom. While Sarah was busy locating each thing on the paper, I started working on filling up the emergency forms for the school. We were also told that there will be another Sarah in her class. So the teacher will call them Sarah L and Sarah E to separate them. Mrs. Myer also mentioned that Sarah is her youngest in the class. The oldest in the class is almost a year older than my Sarah.

Then there was the parents’ conference meeting, which talked about some school related issues, such as clothes, meal plans.

I wish my Sarah the best in her coming school year.

Kathy 八个月

Kathy
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

又被剃了个小光头。：）

1， 吃的不少，还是喜欢吃甜酱酱，渐渐地无肉不欢。
2， 抓到什么都往嘴里塞。
3， 肚子饿里就笑眯眯，小手往妈妈身上抓呀抓。
4， 坐着洗澡真好，东看看西看看，这个抓抓，那个摸摸。
5， 睡觉开始转圈圈，碰了头啊啊哭两声，翻个身继续睡。
6， 不哭不闹，出了两个小牙牙。
7， 8/22/05，小肚皮贴床，开始了有史以来的第一次爬行，往后爬。

Green Egg and Ham

Kathy爱极的这本书，被Sarah磕磕绊绊地读了出来。 特此纪念小老大自己读的第一本书。

Kathy 系列

Kathy 爱吃

小老二也是一位人之初性本饿的人。见什么都要吃，不给就叫，现在学会了不高兴了就叫妈妈。
不管是谁给的东西，只要是吃的就张嘴，真真一个有奶就是娘。昨天晚上吃到吐，还不舍得大口吐，先吐出一小口来，在把嘴里的硬咽回肚里去。然后一个人坐在小椅子上呕呕滴倒气，就是不舍得把那一大口吐出来。至于嘛？又没缺者她什么。搞得我象后娘一样没给人家吃饱似的。

强健的腹肌

自从会坐了，虽然坐的东倒西歪，小老二还是喜欢坐，洗澡的时候更是如此。为了方便洗屁屁，至今小老二还是以半躺式在小浴盆里。每次洗屁屁的，小老二就拼小命地想自己做起来，每次坐起一点点来，马上就被按回半躺式。如此反复，小老二在洗屁屁的一分钟内已经可以做到10个以上的半仰卧起坐了。腹肌如今异常发达，有很快会出现条形腹部健美肌肉的倾向。：）

不哭不闹出牙了

July 22 2005, 惊喜，小人几乎一点都没闹，就是有几天有点温度。前一天晚上还没出来，今天下班回来，小牙牙已经冒出来了。不过小白点在gum上也快差不多一个月了。

Green Eggs and Ham

不明白小人家为什么会喜欢这本书。“I am Sam. Sam I am"一听就笑。爸爸妈妈现在每天晚上都给念一遍。

小老大考学记

<>报名

小老大生日小，小于Kindergarten截止日期两个月。今年初，小老大pre-k的老师对我们说小老大ready了，可以让她去考Kindergarten。 二月初，我去我们这里的Home School给她报了名。报名的时候学校给了一张表要家长填，大意就是这个孩子会不会ABC, 123, 基本图形，能不能和其他小朋友相处融洽，能不能基本生活自理。这张表的link在下面的URL里。
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/forms/pdf/271-6.pdf
表填好，寄出去两个星期后，收到County Division of Early Childhood Programs and Services 的信，给了指定的地点和时间由Early Education Specialist 统一考试。这之前因为听小老大同学的家长说，他们是到他们的Home School 去考， 本以为我们也会去我们的Home School 考，没想到是Early Education Specialist 考我们。于是打电话去问原因，解释说，因为今年的Cutoff Date是九月三十号，十月生日的Kindergarten Early Entry是当地学校考试，再小得像我们就是County统一考。
好吧，谁考都一样，只要小人能考过，我就省了一年pre-k的钱。于是雄心勃勃开始准备迎
考。小老大没事人一样，该玩玩该吃吃该睡睡，急得是我和她老爸两个小气鬼。

<>备考

小老大考试我不担心，不过紧张是一定的，见过高考时在考场外的家长吗？我现在特别理解他们当时的心情。朋友们劝我说，没关系了，一定能考过的。最坏的打算也不过是晚上一年学。是啊，最坏打算是晚上一年学。晚上一年学的代价是$800多一个月顺水漂。
小老大的备考最紧张的是我。象做企划书一样，我也来了个Strategy Plan。先和小老大现在的老师约谈。有着30年Early Education Experience 的老师说了，安了，安了，小人没问题的。问说要不要在家里做题，答曰，有时间就做了。第二步是咨询那本Work Book最有帮助。鉴于小老大preschool的workbook已经做过无数遍了，我看的都是Kindergarten的Workbook. 多方面的调查表明，Giant Basic Skills K-1 和Math Made Easy: Kindergarten Workbook 这两本书最好。好吧，我认为最好。Giant Basic Skills K-1 的link我找不到了，记得是在KB Toys 买的。
Math Made Easy: Kindergarten Workbook 再Costco和Amazon都有的卖。
这两本书都很厚，第一本有200多页，第二本有160页，包括了Alphabet, Spelling, Logic, Numbers, Shapes, Counting 等等的知识。
书买来了，第三步也是关键的一步就是做。每天晚上7：30PM 到8:00PM的半小时，除非有特殊情况，我和小老大都是在做Work Book。其他的时间我和她爸会给她讲一些故事，或者她喜欢听的科学知识。近4个月的时间，小老大终于做完了这两本厚书。小人很骄傲地把书后面的Certificate剪下来贴在自己房间的墙上。另外，我自己还做了一些帮助她记忆加减法，spelling的slides。考试的日子越来越近了，小老大，爸爸妈妈一个月能不能省下$800就全靠你了。

<>考试

考试时间安排在6月30号，下午2：30pm – 4：00pm. 提前几天，我就和小老大唠叨了，宝宝你是大孩子了，今天夏天就要从你现在的学校毕业了。新学校的老师可喜欢你了，他们说30号那天想见见你，和你聊聊天。如果老师问你什么问题呢，你就要回答老师。这样呢，老师就知道你多聪明了。马屁拍了一大通，cross my fingers希望小老大能懂我的心。

6月30号那天，阳光明媚，热气腾腾。老公和我请假在家。小老大一大早就睡不着了。不到
7点就起来梳洗打扮，翻箱倒柜地一件一件试穿老妈我给买的降价衣服。终于找到一件Disney的裙子很合心意。吃完早饭后说要看101 Dalmatians。好吧，看吧，反正临阵磨枪也来不及了。老妈我上网灌水。中午说要吃McDonald。好吧，咱都随你，Junk 就Junk 吧，小人喜欢就好。吃饱喝足，一家三口上路去考场。
2：30pm，我们准时到达。这一组考5个孩子，一进考场才发现，居然是10个老师考5个孩子。天呢，早知道就不让小老大喝那么多奶了，到时候吓得尿裤子可就丢人大了。
一进去，先是让小孩子们在一起自由活动，其实只有一个选择就是画画。小老大认生了30秒后就瓜拉瓜拉开说了。1分钟以后已经和坐在她旁边的小男孩争论起Robot是不是只有silver一种颜色。
10分钟的自由活动后，老师来叫了，小朋友们我们去大教室了。5个小孩子跟屁虫一样一个接一个地跟着老师去了大教室。我们家长也像跟屁虫一样，尾随着这帮小人们。进去后，在大教室的一个角落上有一排的玩具盒子，小老大窜上去大叫，“Dinosaur!” 老妈我这边心里开始抽泣，“大声喧哗，扣分。55555”。差不多5分钟以后，老师又说了，小朋友们把玩具收起来，我们讲故事了。小老大那边应了，“Just a minute please.” 只见其他的小朋友乖乖地把玩具放进盒子了，只有我们小老大还在对着恐龙们恋恋不舍。老妈我心里再次抽泣，“无组织无纪律，扣分。55555”。就在这个时候，一位美女老师走过来对我们这帮家长说了，请大家出门等候，我们要给孩子们一个安静的环境。
出的门来没10分钟， 小老大被另一位美女老师领了出来，她考完了，美女老师说。老妈我的心立刻漏跳半拍，“完了，象我想当年考政治，永远第一个交卷，从来没及格过。”想着套一套美女老师的话吧，她考得怎样呀？美女老师说了，我不能告诉你呀，10天以内我们会寄信给你的。老妈我的心再次漏跳半拍，“完了，人家这是不想让我伤心呢。”这样一来二去也有10分钟了吧，怎么再没有其他的孩子考完出来了呢？老妈我浑身冰凉，大热天的我只觉得冷汗直流。老公安慰我了，也可能像你考Statistics一样，第一个做完还能拿A。 希望是吧，老天啊，希望是吧。

<>通过

好在我这个人没心没肝，天大的事没3分钟就忘了。考完了，小老大回家睡了1个小时的觉。起来后老妈我就开问了，老师问什么了？你回答了什么呢？你有没有回答 “I don’t know“呢？小老大说了，有Alphabet, 是认字，老师指一个，她就回答是lower care 还是upper case 的哪个letter。 然后就写自己的名字，first name and last name。然后counting，shapes, 再然后就是2 adding, 2 subtraction。最后是个小小的educational game。 看来还行吧，总算不糊涂。
等待的几天中，老妈我天天折磨老爸的耳朵，你说她能不能考过呢？考不过的话，你再去打份part time吧。老公耐心安慰，会过的，会过的。朋友们也耐心安慰，会过的，会过的。还好只有10天，要不我就是祥林嫂第二。
日子一天天的慢吞吞地过，24个小时一秒钟都不少。还好家里不停的有事要我操心，要不我见天地就往坏处想。第11天了，怎么中间愣插上个holiday呢？中午哆哆嗦嗦地看信箱，County Education来信了。薄薄的一封信，我攥在手了几分钟愣是没敢开。心里想着，完了，没过，恐怕里面就写了个sorry。哆哆嗦嗦我拆开信封，居然，哈哈，过了！再check一下，眼镜，带了。信纸，应该不是假的。舒舒服服地我狠狠地透了一口气。明年去哪里vacation呢？NND, 我有钱了。

开心宝宝会坐了

142-4293_IMG
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

2005年7月11号，开心宝宝终于会自己坐了！

这个周末还有不少值得记录的事情。

诱敌深入斗智斗勇

开心宝宝爱吃甜食，梨酱，苹果酱，统统拿下。各式各样的鱼鱼我们也吃得香香甜甜。就是不爱吃没滋没味的肉肉和青豆豆。医生奶奶下旨曰，吃肉。妈妈遵旨而行。可惜小主子就是不从，紧闭小嘴，做大义凛然状。绝食！再给我吃肉我绝食！
臭 小人，你以为妈妈我吃了三十几年的饭都是素的？一小勺调好了的青豆豆肉肉米糊糊，妈妈我在勺子尖上沾一点甜酱酱。小勺尖在小主子嘴唇上轻轻点过，小主子 尝到甜头，心急火燎张开大嘴，妈妈见机不可失，一勺子青豆豆肉肉米糊糊送进小主子嘴里。如此反复，一小碗青豆豆肉肉米糊糊下肚，外加奖励的一小瓶甜酱酱。 小主子吃的直打饱嗝。Lunch搞定。老妈子自豪的晕晕乎乎，如此聪明，谁人可比。
晚 饭如法炮制。小主子经历一个下午似乎想明白了什么，哼哼，想骗我？咱们比试比试。老妈子我故伎重演，小主子小嘴微启，甜酱酱我笑纳了，青豆豆肉肉就免了。 几番较量，老妈子又生新招。小勺子上盖上一层甜酱酱，看你从是不从？小主子再次上当，一小碗青豆豆肉肉米糊糊就这么稀里糊涂地被喂下肚。饭后再次奖励甜酱 酱一瓶，小主子甚喜。老爸铁嘴直断，老妈子你这法子用不了一两次了。老妈子气急败坏，我，哼哼，三十六计地研究去也！


抛砖引玉层层逼近

开心宝宝不会坐，老妈我已经开始怀疑是脊柱问题了。被叔叔阿姨教育瞎担心后稍作收敛。可就是禁不住地每天晚上对着小人家长吁短叹，遭遇老爸白眼无数，没事做啊你，清理basement去。
话 说老爸这个周末清理basement，找出姐姐玩的灰尘覆盖doll house 一个及配套家具小人无数。开心宝宝立刻全心爱上，目送秋波不断，另加嗷嗷呐喊。老妈子擦洗后，姐姐坐在地上玩得起劲。开心宝宝手痒大嚎，也被老妈子我放在 地上。咿？怎么不用靠山就坐的挺稳了？原来以前不会坐是因为懒！看来小人家也是个不见兔子不撒鹰的主。

Kathy 的小熊掉下来了

142-4286_IMG
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

昨天下午小老二把她的小车上 她的左边 照片的右边 的那个小熊给掰下来了，也就是说小老二把那个蓝色的塑料棍给掰断了。看来不能只换一个小熊和棍子，我想买上面那一套。已经去问了有没有可能replace, 反正上面的那一套是可以拿下来了。
看来小老二是个小破坏精，希望小人长大了不要把我家里的东西都破坏了。

小Kathy七个月

142-4271_IMG
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

我的Kathy是个大宝宝了。能吃会玩爱笑，调皮捣蛋样样皆通，就是还不会坐。
Kathy喜欢吃，什么都想放进嘴里咽下肚去。不给我们吃饭那可不行，虽然我们吃的一天臭臭三次。
Kathy喜欢吃鱼，三文鱼，比目鱼，反正是鱼就要吃。
Kathy喜欢吃水果，梨子是我们得最爱，苹果排在第二位。
Kathy喜欢吃ice cream, 只要见了姐姐的ice cream, 就要嗷嗷叫甜甜笑地要两口吃。
Kathy喜欢看电视，动画片，教育片，儿歌片，京剧，统统看的有滋有味。
Kathy喜欢管闲事，啊啊这是什么，欧欧那是什么，呜呜你们在做什么，大事小事天下事，事事关心。
Kathy前几天还见到了干爸干妈，用力亲亲干妈，仔细地研究一下高个子干爸，嗯，还不错，挺帅的，做我干爸我喜欢，谢谢干爸从Boston开过来看我。

小老二叫爸爸妈妈

小老二昨天晚上极其深情地对这一盘salmon叫“妈妈”，又极其深情地对着自己的丫丫叫“爸爸”，其母痛心疾首，其父悲喜交加。
其实也不是每次都说错，昨天洗完澡我问她要不要喝奶奶，小老二清清楚楚地大叫“好！”。

被小人管

昨天的事，晚饭前打发小老大去喊爸爸来吃饭。小老大嘟嘟囔囔极不情愿。赶巧她老爸是那种一次请不动的主儿，麻烦小人再请其父一次，那边小人已经唠叨上了。
“Mommy, you just know how to let me do this, do that. You need to learn do things yourself. OK?”
什么世道这是？人家的孩子也这样？打死我也不相信。教育失败，彻底失败。

Kathy likes table food

So far I found that Kathy likes baked salmon and fried Sole Fish.
As for nutrition fact, I have got this from the website.

http://www.salmonoftheamericas.com/qf_nutrition.html
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-001-02s034n.html
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html

Salmon recipes
http://www.salmonoftheamericas.com/cook_tips.html

Omega-3 fatty acids
http://www.salmonoftheamericas.com/washingtonpost.html

Ω3 脂肪酸
http://baby.sina.com.cn/edu/2004-08-26/55_10473.shtml

***
促进大脑生长的食物

　　你的宝宝是母乳喂养的吗？你可以通过调节自己的饮食帮助宝宝促进记忆力的增长。以下就是一些对母婴都有好处的食物：

　　胆碱。北卡罗来纳州大学正在进行的一项研究表明，胆碱这种营养物质经由神经细胞能转换成一种名为乙酰胆碱的大脑化学物，而该物质能增进记忆力。富含胆碱的食物包括鸡蛋、鱼、豆类、肝脏、菠菜、花椰菜和麦芽。

　　Ω3脂肪酸。营养学家Lyssie Lakatos指出，Ω3脂肪酸在脑组织的成长和发育过程中起着重要作用。富含Ω3脂肪酸的食物包括海鱼(三文鱼、金枪鱼、沙丁鱼)、亚麻仁、菜籽油、大豆和南瓜籽。

　　碳水化合物。这种化合物是大脑能量的源泉。最佳食物选择包括全麦面包和通心粉、糙米和果蔬。

2girls

2girls
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

Looking at this picture, all of sudden, I realized that my Sarah is a big girl now. Though in my mind, she is still a little baby.

June 23 2005

**** Sarah finally brought back a bug, a small ladybug. The bug was put in one of Kathy's baby bottle. Hopefully the bug can survive for couple days. Sarah said the next thing she will take home is a baby snake!!!!!

**** The plant which Sarah give to mommy as Mother's Day gift finally bloomed. Hubby told me that the flower was there yesterday. How come I didn't see?

**** For the first time, Kathy was put on a pair of shoes which scared her a little.

**** Kathy's new habit, poopoo on tummy, peepee in bathtub.

Bath time peepee

For the past entire week, every time I put Kathy in the tub, she'd peepee in the water. I tried to hold her and let her release to the toilet. Somehow she still managed to hold till be put in the tub. :(

Today

Sarah and her caterpillar

Sarah found a one-inch long brown worm in the sand box at school, which she believed will turn into a beautiful butterfly couple months later. She took the “caterpillar” and put it into her box. When we picked her up, she said that she wanted to take the “caterpillar” home to “raise it up and let it turn into a beautiful butterfly”. Ms. Robin and I both tried to talk her to let the “caterpillar” back home to re-union with its parents. Sarah didn’t buy this because “the caterpillar was alone” when she found it. Finally I gave up and said she could take it home but had to put it in a jar. Thanks goodness, the gentleman parked next to us knew this worm and recognized that it would become a moth rather than a beautiful butterfly. The worm was let go at last. However to make Sarah feel better, Steve and I promised that if she can find a real caterpillar that will grow up into a beautiful butterfly, she can keep the worm. Now I am crossing my figures to hope that she will never bring home a worm.

Ps. Sarah made a card and a cap for her Dad as Father’s Day gift.

Kathy rolled over smoothly for the first time. Finally on the day she is six months and 10 days old.

Kathy虫半岁了

从没出生就跟着妈妈东跑西窜，我的小老二从来都是个好孩子。
半岁了，还是一如既往的瘦，被姐姐吓到了还是只会眨眨眼，翻身还是要人推一把，坐还是要靠山。会什么呢？
我们会踢腿。高兴了两腿往天上一踢，脸上永远带着笑的。
我们会吃脚丫。小袜子一脱，脚丫马上进嘴了。
我们会抱奶瓶。虽然只能坚持5秒钟。
我们会趴着转。左胳膊为支点，右胳膊一推，我们就转一点。
我们会欧欧叫。周末爸爸妈妈你们也得定点起床。
我们会傻笑。笑得爸爸妈妈心里那个甜。
我们会咬东西。不管是什么抓起来先放进嘴里尝滋味。
我们会踢水。放进澡盆里就开心的劈里啪啦地踢。
我们会侧翻身。头和身子能称90度。
我们还会哭。受欺负的当然要哭出来。
我们最喜欢听故事，听京剧，听浪漫舞曲。

我的小Kathy虫，爸爸妈妈希望你永远健康，顺利，幸福，聪明，美丽。

排骨小将6 month checkup

weight: 16 lb, 50% (这还是好心的护士阿姨从15lb1573oz四舍五入上的)
height: 27.5 in, 95%
head: 17 in, 75% (这个可是比姐姐少多了，小老大那时每次都有90%以上)

可爱慈祥的医生奶奶第二个进来看我们。小老二先是傻愣愣地盯着医生奶奶一分钟，很不高兴地想把听诊器用手推开。得到医生奶奶大力表扬，“She’s alert. Her nervous system is developing very well.” 接着看皮肤，joints，眼睛，鼻子，嘴还有小屁屁。又得医生奶奶表扬, “Her skin is beautiful. She’s perfect。” 再接着是医生奶奶拉着小老二的手坐起来。再次受到表扬，“She can sit perfectly.” 然后是医生奶奶抱着站起来。小老二很争气地站了5秒钟。又受到表扬，“She’s very strong.” 此时妈妈已经被表扬的警惕性提高到Red Level了, “Is everything OK with her? Nothing wrong? You know, she cannot roll over yet. She still needs support while sitting. And she drills all the time and no sigh of a single tooth coming thru. She doesn’t response when I teach her to say Mommy.” 医生奶奶用美丽的笑容堵住了妈妈的嘴，“Absolutely nothing wrong with her. She’s growing beautifully.”

检查继续进行。医生奶奶把小老二放在bed上做tummy time. 小老二抓住机会两手齐动，把床上的大纸几下子拉倒眼前，低头狂啃。再然后小老二被放在妈妈腿上坐着。医生奶奶递过来检查嘴用的冰糕棍一支，小老二一把抓过来放进嘴里啃得有滋有味。突然意识到好东西是要share地，于是从嘴里拔出来，带着我们的热情，带着我们的体温，也带着我们的口水，嗷嗷地递给医生奶奶。“可好吃了，您也来一口吧。”医生奶奶笑开花。出的门来被老妈我教育，“宝宝呀，以后呢，带着我们口水的东西就不用share了。”

然后是挨了4针，哭得哇哇的。在waiting room里喝了6oz formula. 奶足饭饱后我们就回家了。

另， 在waiting room 里，小老二十分social，居然和一位白爸爸你一句嗷嗷，我一句啊啊地聊了半天。一位白妈妈对我们的中国血统表示怀疑，“Pardon me。But she really doesn't look like an Asian baby."

一休san

139-3969_IMG
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

半岁前一晚小Kathy被剃了个小光头。Hair Trimmer的声音可是把我们吓坏了。哭得哇哇的。爸爸一个劲地念叨，“叮！小和尚。叮叮叮叮叮，叮~~~~~~！”

Sarah's Teacher Parents Conference

I am just copying the letter from her teachers.

Sarah is a very smart girl who has grown a lot on her language and social and emotional skills. Sarah is a sweet girl who likes to play in housekeeping, the computer, blocks, and buid up floor puzzles. She loves to draw and color. She also loves to play in the sensory table. When Sarah first started in our classroom, she was shy, but she is not anymore. Now she has more friends to play with. Sarah can recognize and write her name very well. She can also recognize and write upper and lower case letters of the alphabet. Sarah can count numbers in Spanish and is able to sing songs in Spanish. She also knows the colors in English and Spanish. Sarah is very respectful with her teachers. She needs to work on how to be herself because some times she likes to copy others. We think Sarah is ready for the kindergarten. Good luck Sarah. It's been a pleasure to have Sarah in our Butterfly Room.

Now I need to work with her to have her to herself.

我的担心

前两天 每天晚上对着老二教她说“妈妈”。第一天没反应，吃着手指头瞪眼看我。昨天有反应了，两只小手捧着我的脸说“嗷”，以为我叫她呢。这孩子是怎么回事？都快 六个月了，翻 身要推一把，坐要扶着，就会嗷嗷嚎，盯着姐姐碗里的饭咂吧嘴，瘦的小猴一样。老大那时候6个月已经翻得很熟练了。今天早上我在想是不是怀孕的时候没好好 养，把个孩子搞得这样了。刚怀上的时候不知道，还跑了趟大陆，每天背着30多磅重的老大爬6楼，朋友聚会啤酒喝了不少，机场里过安检，回来上班对着3个 21inch monitors, 忙得有时候中午饭都没时间吃，后来换工作，天天安检，最后两个月每星期跑长途，天天下了班到处跑 着看房子，啃个面包又是一顿饭，每天指望一杯coffee清醒一天。从出生开始到3个月大，几乎每天都在生病感冒流鼻涕，中耳炎，外耳炎都得过。我奶少， 只吃了3个星期。小老二如果以后一直傻愣愣，我可怎么对得起她这一辈子？

Sarah 歪诗一首

很puke, 不过总算是小老大口述，她老爸笔录，记下来给她小姐长大了看，让她自己puke自己去。：）

It was on the way back from NY after the visiting of the families.

When I see a pond, I pee

When I go inside the tree, I eat
Upstairs pee poo in my food
(Daddy puked)

When I go inside the grass, I eat
Upstairs pee poo in my food
(Daddy puked again)

When I go inside the car, I eat
Upstairs poo pee in my food

When I go inside the bike, I eat
Upstairs poo pee in my food

When I go inside the motorcycle, I eat
Upstairs poo pee in my food

When I go inside the mud, I eat
Upstairs poo pee in my food

When I go inside the box, I eat
Upstairs poo pee in my food

When I go inside my shoe, I eat
Upstairs poo pee in my food
(Daddy throw up, “Sarah, You should throw your food away.”
Sarah, “Daddy, just write them down!”)

When I go inside the fire, I eat
Upstairs scare of the fire then cry
Now I can eat my food
(我和她老爸吐一地 ;P)

Kathy's New Names

Kathy's full name is Kathreen S Liu, 刘力瑄。 Kathy is her nick name. Last weekend, Sarah started calling her sister Sissy, for "Sissy is a good baby." And Daddy calls little Kathy 小虫虫。;-)

My Sweet Sarah

Bay Bridge

There was a joke between my husband and me about the Bay Bridge. Steve is scared of the Bay Bridge, the height of the Bay Bridge. On August 12, 2004, Steve and I took that bridge when we drove to my on-site interview for my current job with the State. After drove thru the bridge, I saw he sweated.
The bridge was kind of high above the water and narrower than any of the others we ever drove thru before. In the link below, there are quite a few of the pictures of the bridge.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com/Chesa_Bay_Bridge_Photos.html

I always think my Sarah is not a sweet girl since she seems to be more a careless person, a Tommy girl until last Saturday.

On the Memorial long weekend, we decided to take the girls to visit their grandparents and other relatives in New York. To avoid the heavy traffic, we took the Rt 50 which made us to take the Bay Bridge. On the way to NY, I talked about how Daddy scares of the Bay Bridge to Sarah. When we came back the next day, right before the bridge, I warned Steve, “here is the Bay Bridge, be prepared.” Right after I finished my sentence, Sarah asked her Daddy to play magic using the straw’s paper cover with her, and play the straws like swords too. So when our car was driving on the bridge, Sarah and Daddy were happily playing. When we approach to the end of the bridge, Sarah said to her Dad, “so you are not afraid of the bridge any more.” After made sure her Daddy is not scared any more. My little sweet girl took a nap. I was so touched about what she had done. To make her Daddy not be afraid, she tricked her Daddy to play with her to divert his attention from the bridge to something more fun. What a sweet girl she is!

Sissy

Sissy is a sweet little Chinese girl in Sarah’s class. Her full name is Catherine Gao. Sissy is her nickname. She has beautiful eyes and very sweet smile. Whenever I see her, I’d try to make her smile or laugh. I enjoy to look at her round eyes becomes half moons, and little mouth opens up to show her tiny teeth.

I spoke to Sissy’s mother almost every time when we picked up the kids at the same time. Sissy’s mother is working in a lab at NIST, which is an agency under Department of Commerce. The family was from Shanghai. Sissy was born and grew up in the States. Since both of her parents are very busy on building up a new life in this country, Sissy may end up be the only child that they will have.

Yesterday as usual, the three girls, Sissy, Grace – another Chinese girl in the class, and Sarah played after school, while three mothers chatted and my husband relaxed on a bench. All of sudden, the three girls stopped running up and down. My husband went to check what went on. After a short pause, we heard Sissy cried hard. Our three mothers ran to comfort Sissy. The first thought came up to my mind was that Sarah pushed Sissy, which was proved to be wrong again. Of course later on, I was educated again by hubby.

On our way home, Sarah and Daddy told me what exactly happened to make Sissy cried.

The three girls found a caterpillar on the ground while didn’t realize it was dead at that time. Sarah and Grace are not afraid of any reptiles, while Sissy is. Somehow, Sissy picked up the dead caterpillar. After a second of holding the bug in her hands, she burst into tears and started cried hard.

For some reasons, I think the other two girls somehow talked into Sissy to pick up the bug, while Sissy tried to prove she could be as brave as her little friends. Peer pressure makes people do stupid things. Poor Sissy learned the lesson in a hard way. Or did she learn the lesson?

Someday, my little Sarah will do something silly or even stupid as Sissy did yesterday. What will she learn then? What will go thru her little mind then? Is there anything I can do to help? I wish, how much I wish, my babies were born with a manual, "Bring up me well and easy”。 ；）

What's in Kathy's mind?

Every evening hubby and I share the duty on taking care the two girls. Usually I'd have Sarah and hubby cares for Kathy. This Wednesday night I happend to have time to take care Kathy before she went to sleep, while hubby went downstairs working on something.
After read several stories to her and played with her for a while, Kathy seemed still not sleepy. I put her on her back and read my book next to her. Kathy sucked her fingers for only several seconds, then turned to me and spoke "ah ah ah oh...". So I smiled back at her, and said, "it's time to sleep, my little baby." She'd smile back at me, turn back on her back and continue sucking fingers. After not even one minute, she turned to her side and tried to grab my arm. "ah ah ah oh.......". I pick up her and held her in my arms. Kathy looked around, acting like she was trying to find something. I offered her bottle and she refused. While I was holding her, she kept looking aroung and talking "ah ah ah oh oh...". At that moment, I realized that Kathy was looking for her Daddy. It was about 10 o'clock. Kathy need to go to sleep. I put her in her crib while telling her that Daddy was downstairs doing something important. Kathy seemed to understand me and stop talking. She then took the bottle and went to sleep.
Downstairs I told hubby what Kathy acted. He went on silence for couple seconds, and said, "she's a very sweet baby." After finishing up what we need to do downstairs, we went up to our bedroom. There Kathy was sound sleep. Hubby bent down to the clib and talked to his little sweet girl. "Kathy, Daddy is here. Daddy will stay with you every night from now on." In the bathroom, I was almost in tears.

Kathy 被牙刷吓到了

每天给kathy洗澡的时候，我都是把她的bath tub放在sink 上面。 自从小Kathy会侧翻身， 每次洗澡小人都翻身去抓toothbrush holder里的牙刷。 我很喜欢看她用尽吃奶的力气， 小脸涨得通红的样子。 昨天小人家也照旧去抓牙刷。 小手指头捅呀捅地，没几下就先把上面的floss给捅到地上了。 盒子掉到地上的声音把小人自己吓地转过身来冲我撇撇嘴。 老妈我赶紧安慰， 没事的， Kathy 不怕。 小人咧咧嘴， 转过身去继续抓牙刷。 不知道是碰巧了，还是吃多了有力气了，小Kathy这次居然一下子把牙刷从toothbrush holder 里给拎出来了。 这下可好， 小人先是很惊叹地对着牙刷盯了2秒钟， 然后一松手放开牙刷， 转过身来对着我号啕大哭， 嘴里还不忘了给我念叨着刚才发生的吓人事件， “啊共共， 啊幕幕幕， 呵呵。。啊啊啊。。。。” 安慰是没有用了，直接把小人从水里捞出来， 放在大毛巾里擦干。 小人抬头一看见爸爸，眼直盯着爸爸 哭得更怨了。凄惨的故事当然是要更添油加醋地重复一边， “啊共共， 啊幕幕幕， 呵呵。。啊啊啊。。。。阿共共共呀。。。。” 可恨她老妈我在一边狂笑得肚子痛， 被老公指责没良心呀没良心。 ：（
最可惜的是居然忘了拍照留念。

后记，
一个星期之后， 小老二再也没有用手抓过牙刷， 最多也只是瞪着眼傻愣愣地看几秒钟。小孩子的记忆到底能持续多久？

Kathy Sits

Kathy_sitting4
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

May 8, 2005
Kathy can sit by herself with some support on the back.

Since then, Kathy practices sitting everyday. A week later, Kathy can sit without support for several seconds.

Kathy rolled over for the first time

Record the history.
For the first time, Kathy rolled her little body over from back to tummy this afternoon. But she screamed for helped because she could not roll back on her back. Mommy laughed so hard and forgot to help little Kathy to rolled back. Kiss Daddy for being so helpful. :)

Sarah teaching Kathy counting toes

136-3632_IMG
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

If you don't know how those mathematician became mathematician, now you will know. They started with counting toes. :D

Sarah and Kathy

真正的煤炭工人和未来的煤炭工人
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

See how dark Sarah is now?
I took this picture the night when Sarah insisted to hold Kathy herself. After that I read 3 books for both of them with Sarah sitting next to me and Kathy laid next to her sister. Kathy screamed the entire time when I was reading. Guess she was too excited to listen to the stories with her sister.

Kathy in mall for the first time

mybaby4
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

May 7, 2005. It was the first time we took Kathy to the mall. She didn't know what to do. Looked absolutely silly. :)

kathy_reading2

kathy_reading2
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

The book she's holding is titled "Biscuit". It's about a little puppy rescued a little duck and became friends. The very first time I read this book to Kathy, she laughed so hard whenever I read the words "woof, woof" and "quack, quack". And that was the only time she laughed when we read this book to her. :(

Sarah In Mall One Day Before Monther's Day

Sarah
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

After took this picture, we went to a Chinese Buffet restaurant, City Lite Buffet in Gaithersburt. The restaurant has very good seafood trays for very reasonable price. Sarah ate 3 slices of pizza and 2 cups of icecream. And we paid $6.95 for her!

Kathy's New Chair

mybaby7
Originally uploaded by shryl2004.

Mommy and Daddy had to buy a new booster chair for little Kathy because Sarah won't give up hers.
We waited for the Mother's Day sales and got this one for $5.00 less.

不容易呀不容易

从星海那里知道了blog这种新玩意。
有在六月妹妹的手把手指导下开了个url。
保证以后要努力学习新技术。

繁花点点

Some old posts。

PIGGY BANK

给你说个我家老大的。那时候还小，跟小人说舅舅来了拿你的 PIGGIE BANK，你就没钱买ICE CREAM 了。吓的小人把PIGGIE BANK藏起来。结果舅舅走了，PIGGIE BANK也找不到了。小人也是特茫然，怎么也想不起来自己给藏哪了。后来我们换季收衣服在我们房 间的CLOSET里给找到了。小人给藏到最墙角，不去深挖细找还真找不到。


动物园

那个大象馆呀，我是再也没脸去撩。上周末（4/16/05）突然发神经带老大去ZOO。小人特别兴奋地要看大象，一进馆子，那叫一个人多。老大拼命挤到栏杆前，然后用特大声嚎出一句差让我
就地晕倒的话， "Mommy, Daddy, look at the elephant poopoo. ~~~~ Hi~~~ everybody~~~~, lots of elephant poopoo."
就在我觉得天玄地转的当，只听馆子里一阵哄笑。我差点就不任这个女儿了。


吓哭小老二

我 家老二昨晚上被我吓到了。我在调CELL PHONE 的 RINGER TYPE。小人听了就撇嘴想哭又哭不出的样子可爱及了。把我乐的就一直换RING TYPE，结果CELL PHONE不停的唱，老二不停的撇嘴。等她爸SHOWER出来，小人一见爸爸张嘴就嚎。结果是昨天夜里哭醒两次。今天一大早我遭遇老公严厉批评。


Friends

There is this girl by the name of Lily in my daughter's class, who seem to really really want to be friend of my daughter and her best friend. Now I want to share couple stories about these three girls here.

Lily was timed out one time because of the other two girls. What happened that day was, my daughter and her best friend were playing together, while Lily wanted to join in and sit in between of them. But the other two girls refused and told Lily that if she really wanted to join, she had to sit next to one of them. Lily refused, then pushed the two girls and sat in between. My daughter and her best friend went to the teacher and reported Lily. The teacher timed
out Lily for 5 minutes.

Then that's yesterday. When we were on the way home, I asked my daughter if she wanted to go to Lily's birthday party this Saturday. My daughter said no, she wanted to go to the zoo. I think it'll be better and polite if we can make to the party. On the other hand, I respect my daughter's decision. However I will prepare a card and a small gift for Lily.

To me, Lily is a very sweet girl. I'd love to see those three girls become good friends. What should I tell my daughter to make her accept Lily just like she accepts her best friend? I am not hoping them can be best friends, but at least, accept Lily as a very good friend.


Spell the word for me

Started from the end of last year, I taught my daughter spelling the word. So far she can remember the spelling of shapes, colors, numbers, and some animals and food. The more she gets into spelling, the more she is anxious to learn. She loves to spell the words on her books, the words she sees on the streets, in the stores, and pretty much everywhere. To be very honestly, I love to see her enjoy learning. But on the other hand, at the time her English is improving, her Chinese is going backwards. I can tell that she's loosing interest in books in Chinese since the time she asked me to spell "三角形“ in Chinese, which I told her that there is no something like spelling in Chinese. She then asked me how she could every remember Chinese words. At the point, I had to tell her that to remember Chinese words, one has to simply write and read the words over and over again. All I am hoping now is that someday when she grows up, she will gain back her interest in Chinese.