Sunday, December 27, 2009

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!! It's been a long time since Mommy got some photos up here. We hope you enjoy! I got to spend Christmas with my two Nanas, Grandpa Kent, Mommy and Daddy. Here are some photos from our fun week together!

Here I am, the chrismas doggie, picking flowers from a tree.




Mommy and Nana Peggy.



Me and Na Na watching the WonderPets and eating uncooked noodles (my new favorite thing from the pantry).



Christmas cookies decorated by Mommy and Nana Peggy. You can see that most of my favorite things are represented: moons, stars, octagons, and cars (the kitties/bee-yas are on a different plate).



Here I am "helping" Nana Peggy wash some dishes... I think it helps to put your whole body into it.




But clearly it's much easier to wash if you get in the sink with the dishes.



Displaying the ambulance (or "ammu") cookie Mommy made for me





Laughing with Daddy.





Saying "cheese" with Grandpa Kent (aka "Pa" and "Ye-Ye")



One of the new games called "more!"




Playing at the museum with Mommy and Daddy.





Me, demonstrating how long my arms have grown since last Christmas -- a lot!!



Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!!


Friday, November 20, 2009

China Trip Part 3

No trip to China is complete without a big bowl of steaming hot noodles.
Unfortunately, I missed out on this.

Luckily Daddy has a strong back, so he didn't mind that I was hanging from him during his entire meal. Mommy had to rig-up one of my shirts around my neck to keep my head from doing some major bobbing.
Here's me and Mommy on the train to Quzhou, which is Nana's hometown. We took a side trip there for a few days to meet Nana's entire family! The train ride used to be about 4 hours, but now with a new high-speed train, it was less than 2! You can see the train is pretty nice and very clean.



The first item of business once we arrived in Suzhou was to meet my other Tai-Tai (Nana's Mom) for the very first time.


Tai-Tai's house is where I learned to drink tea... and now I love it!!



Here I am just checking things out in Tai-Tai's door.



Washing up with Daddy and Ye-Ye outside my Tai-Tai's apartment.



The view from the sink seen above.
Taxi alternative. Kinda fun. Kinda scary.







The restaurant version of a high chair... a box of beer under a red napkin. Lasted maybe 30 seconds or long enough for this photo.




Anyone notice a movie star in this picture? My great-uncle. He's the spitting image of Kyle MacLachlan with a Chinese twist.




One of the newest additions to the city of Quzhou is a giant underground Walmart. Outside the Walmart there was a man selling rides on a bunch of remote controlled cars...




Mommy and Daddy let me try!!



Turned out I was good for business, so the man let me have a few more rides on the house. When it was finally time to go, I cried hard.



On a walk outside one of the city gates.



Final goodbyes at the train station with my great-auntie and great-uncles.

Me and Mommy on the train ride back to Hangzhou. Until next time Quzhou!!


Stay tuned for the final installment...

Friday, November 13, 2009

Halloween Belated

Now that I've almost finished all my halloween suckers and Mommy has long finished the halloween chocolate, here are some photos of my first time trick-or-treating...

As you can see, I was a bee. But not just any bee... a worker bee (note the boots). I was joined by my two friends Isabelle and Cherise.
Heading out the driveway towards our first house.


Already thirsty after just one house... that's what happens on a humid 80 degree day wearing a turtleneck, tights and fuzzy bee outfit. Who would've thought? Mommy says this may be my last 80 degree halloween for awhile.
Standing-by very patiently as a hoard of girls find a piece of candy for me.


The girls also gave me a glow bracelet which I let Mommy wear on her ear.


Me and Daddy trekking home with a bucket full of candy.


Me, Daddy and Cinderella Cherise.


Isabelle as Tinkerbelle.
After a hard's night work as the worker bee. Still sweaty.


Chocolate on my chin after I spit out a hershey's kiss.


Suckers are more my speed I've discovered.


Pay no attention to the girly feet of my worker bee "pants."


Happy Belated Halloween!!
More China pics to come!

Thursday, November 05, 2009

China Trip Part 2

After recovering from some initial jetlag we ventured out to meet my cousin Avery. She and her mommy, daddy, and grandparents now all live in the small apartment where my Daddy grew up. You can see that Daddy was pretty excited to be back home. Avery, not so much.

Later that day, a special popsickle at Wushan square. If you look carefully, you may see the river of melted ice cream running down my arm, leg and chin.

And speaking of food... here's me and Mommy at a street-side noodle shop. We both liked the dumplings there.


I helped her use the chopsticks.

And continuing with the eating theme, this is me with a mouthful of grapes... about to spit them out on the floor like with the apples as mentioned in my prior post.

On the riverfront outside our apartment on our way to the very famous Six Harmonies Pagoda which you can see in the background. We were prepared to walk but couldn't figure out how to get on the bridge. Thank goodness for an abundance of cheap taxi transportation!
Running around on the grounds of the pagoda... apparently my outfit made me look like a girl because everyone there referred to me as "mei-mei," which means little sister. Clearly, I am a "di-di" (little brother), but Mommy says it's always a complement to be mistaken for a girl. She will have to explain the logic of that to me someday.


Making funny faces inside the pagoda.

Clearly a response to this sign, which we found inside... and wondering, what exactly IS the thing?


Standing back from the wide open windows that were way above treeline.


Me and my longtime friend, Bee-yah.



Mommy and Daddy trying to take a picture of the three of us... too embarrasing for me, so I ducked.



Feeding flowers to Mommy.



Asleep in the taxi home after a fun day out. This is my makeshift restraint system -- the backpack with human arm headrest.



Face of the headrest.



Mommy and Daddy with my uncles, aunties and cousin Avery. Where am I? Jetlagged asleep in the next room.


Daddy and his cousins.



Back to the old family apartment. Meeting my cousin Avery for the first time... and it happened to be her 1st birthday!



She's clearly fiesty. A sign that we'll get along great.



Me and my Tai-Tai.



Daddy's trying to stay out of the photo.



Enough pictures! Pay attention to me!


Me, Daddy and Tai-Tai headed out to visit Tai-Tai's old homestead.



Checking out a memorial at the site of her old home.


Ordering a quick snack.



Standing outside the market that now stands at the site of Tai-Tai's family home.

Still more photos to come!!