My favorite thing...

After the school performance, Kari fell in love with the "Jingle-Bell" song. She'd ask me to play it over and over again for her as she dances and sings along. One day I made chicken soup for the girls. Kayla stood by me with her cute little mouth open, staring at the food, and asking for "肉肉 (meat)". One bite after another, she kept her eyes on the chicken and me. I begged Kari to stop her "Jingle Bell" for a minute and come eat.

As Kari hopped over happily, she declared, "妹妹喜歡 (Mei Mei likes) Jingle Bell!" Kayla, still standing faithfully by my side waiting for her next bite, whispered, "姐姐喜歡肉肉 (kayla likes meat)..."

We brought them to perhaps their first Christmas party this year. Surprisingly it turned out much better than we expected. Kayla was her usual self, cool and composed. Kari roamed around the room and even conversed with a big boy, asking him to "share" his toy car. Briefly we left the house to the car for the diaper change. Kari was displeased, and refused to leave the "party". She said, Mei mei wants to go to the party!" I think she really enjoyed it! She talked about going to "party" for the rest
of the car ride home.



Kayla feeding bread to her little sister Kari...

Santa made it to the party!!! kayla sat on Santa's lap for less than a second, and got her present before she leisurely walked off set. Although Santa was stranger to Kari, the temptation of the gift was too much to resist. She cautiously approached, snatched her gift off his hand, and quickly ran back to Daddy...


Our final surprise was a visit from neighbors singing Christmas Carols! Kayla welcomed them. Kari was a little agitated and began to loudly scold them in her Chinglish.... No idea what she said.