The Mystery of The Shrinking Chair

Today Kari asked me, "mommy why is my chair getting smaller? Why is it so small?"

I looked at her curiously, "because it's made for babies like you!"

Agitated, she clarified, "no Mommy, I mean it was bigger before, really big!  Now it's so small!! What happened?!?!"

I laughed out loud, "it's you that's growing bigger, not the chair getting smaller.. baby."  

She laughed with me, a little embarrassed, and crawled straight into my arms happily.

Conversations with Kayla and Kari

 ...Regarding sharing, charitable acts, and good deeds.

Kayla found kari's new crayon pack and started to try to open it while Kari was struggling to put on her shoes.  On the floor Kari, with raised teary voice, demanded it back, became agitated and started to cry.  I asked her, "aren't you two sisters, and shouldn't you share anyway, be kind and caring to each other?"  She replied, nodding her head as tears dripped down her cheeks, "Yes, we are sisters, and YES we should share, but that is MINE, and *I* will share with her!!"  I got the point, the emphatic "I", loud and clear, made sense to me somehow.   She got her crayon back, but was angry that Kayla had tore it slightly trying to open it.  She said regrettably,  "see you tore it. Now I have to go buy me a new one!"

They couldn't find their bath toys, since I had put them away when they went on their trip.  Kayla was so sad that her face changed instantly and her eyes swelled up with giant tears.   I brought her toys back out, and joy and color flushed back into her little face. 

At night time, we sat around a circle having cheerios and cocoa puffs.  We talked about things like three old friends catching up.  Kayla told me that she was upset because she thought that I had dumped all her toys into the trash pile.  She furthered admitted to fake crying earlier by the bathtub.  She educated me on the reality of toddlers, "sometimes my cry is real, and sometimes it's just fake! And that one earlier was fake..."  Ahhh.....that was some real good acting skills I must say.  

I asked the girls if I should give away their bath toys.  I explained to them that not every kid is as lucky as them to have toys to play with, or money to buy books.  Kayla propped her face in her arm to the floor immediately buying time as she gave it some thoughts.   Kari stayed quiet for a moment, seriously contemplating the idea.  

Then she said calmly, "And some children don't have money to buy a house to live in...."  

"True! True..." I replied, nodding my head emphatically.

"So how about we let them live in our house with us?!..........This way they also get to play our toys, right?!"

Little Problem Solver, a good one.  

Little Leprechauns

Ms. Melli, she is the best and one of their favorite teachers.  They became little leprechauns through the St.Patrick's day celebration today.  The girls are going for a long trip and I asked Kari if she'd miss her teachers.  "Very...Very...Much," she replied, "I am gonna cry..."  We'll try to remember to remind the girls to send letters to them with love.

Kari mumbled to herself, "the bubble bottles can come on the trip with us...but it couldn't buy tickets, cus it doesn't have eyes... It can't see to buy to tickets!!"   What?!

Kayla loves singing the Leprechaun song.  I asked her to tell me the story about leprechaun, and she excitedly started to sing, "there was a little leprechaun and it lives under the rainbow....R-A-I-N-bow..."  I love the little song, thanks for teaching it to them, Ms Jaime.

Treasured moment

Courtesy of little baby photographer, Kayla Jade Fu, of Mommy and Kari (four year old).  She stood so proudly as she took these photos for us.  A rather serious yet comical photographer she is, She gave great instructions such as, "Oh no! Your heads are cut off!", "I don't want to see your belly Kari!", "Kiss like this for long time!!", as she stuck out her little pout way out with her eyes closed and demonstrated the right way to pose for a kiss.  I only wished that I had a camera on my hand then to capture her little hilarious photographer pose.  Love ya.

Headshots

I told the little girls that I needed to take their passport photos.  Kari would hold up two hands in front of her head and giggle at those words, "passport photos?! Like this?!" I am pretty pleased with the result after they were done making funny faces at Mommy.

Poor baby has had toothache since her dental treatment.  She cried inconsolably with the pain as she tried to show us the tooth that hurt.  No more candy!! I scolded them decisively.  Kari tilted her little head with tears still circling around her pretty little eyes, "...until Halloween, right?"  She refuses to give up her full right to sugar.  Afraid that her teeth would hurt with the hot soup, her grandma had the waitress take away the soup.  She protested sternly, "I told you my teeth doesn't hurt anymore, do you not remember?!!（你不記得嗎)" 

I have to remind myself... they are only four years old..

At night the girls would start out sleeping on their baby couch and baby car bed.  Kari asked last night when she could come up to our bed for some cuddling.  I told her that I would bring her up after she fell asleep.  Silence pursued for about twenty minutes, and I happily thought that perhaps the girls fell asleep early today.  Suddenly a little voice broke the silence, "May I go up now? (什麼時候可以上喫丫？）A little surprised that she was still awake, I replied, "I said when you fall asleep honey."

Little voice sounded disappointed, "but I fell asleep earlier already, and you didn't bring me..."

Obsessed with Princesses

They got their wishes....The beloved princess backpacks made the way into their princess collections.  (Thanks to John's Incredible Pizza and Daddy)My attempt to raise them without the Disney influence -- Epic FAIL.  Kari did so great with the dentist and Kayla with her first day alone at school, that they just deserved a wonderful presents as such.  Kayla said that she was very sad to go to school by herself, and she wanted to cry.  But she was brave and held back the tears...

Kari twirling around in front of the dentist's office, waiting to get in.  She was happy, with not a trace of fear.  She said she wasn't going to cry, and she didn't shed a single tear!  Still delirious from the conscious sedation, she asked if she could have "dippin-dots".   I asked if she knew that Mommy held her hand during the treatment.  She said she thought it was the dentist uncle holding her little hand...

My poor baby survived her first dental visit!  Hugs.

Little Fashionista

Through the melt-downs, tantrums, misunderstood demands...
She gives me these looks that make me giggle at the end of the day.

Her favorite things to say as of now:
"Everything is broking!"
"Mommy, you're in TROUBLE!" coupled with her cutest pretend-angry face that I never want to forget!

Just another day

    Although she rarely stands still for me anymore, Kayla posed here like a true princess, just before she happily went off to school.  Just another day of autumn, and just a little taller.

Autumn

   A stroll around the block, Kari greedily stuffed her little jean pocket full of beautiful autumn leaves.  She loves them just as much as me.  "Is it still autumn now, mommy?" She'd ask, afraid that winter will come too soon and sweep away all the gorgeous fall colors.  I want to stay in this season for just a little bit longer...  

More so, and perhaps greedy of me, I just want them stay this small for one more autumn...

                     Blissfully giddy over her collection of autumn leaves

                                  Kari F. The smile that brings light to my life.

2013 Day 2

Day 2 of 2013, as I sent them off to school.

My new year's resolution:
1. Be who I want my girls to be...  
2. Eat, stretch, and exercise.
3. Paint my fairytale and compose my own storybook, one day at a time, a story that belongs to me,  a tale that's decided by me, and a beautiful life that I choose to live.

2013 Day 1

Just waking up from her nap, she clutched to her Cinderella and gave me a big smile.  I know I will be saying this for years to come, but I can't believe she is growing up a little everyday.  It's getting harder for me to hold her, but I will for as long as I can.

"Happy New Year, Kayla!" I said as I held her in bed.  She said defensively folding her hands across her chest as if she's mad, "No mama, it's my normal ear, it's not new..."

Watching Ice Age 4 before bedtime, she broke the silence and exclaimed loudly, "EVERYTHING IS BROKING!!!!"

Don't ever change, Kayla, you are too cute.

By Kayla F. My Family.  

Lovely, although... who is that extra person in there?  (It's her cousin Kenneth, she said)   She drew figures the same way I did when I was little, without noses.   And no offense taken, the mother was depicted here as having enormous feet...

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Ready for another round of 365 days?  Bring it on!

Christmas and Santa

Kayla happily went to bed in anticipation of Santa's visit.  She was content, for she had been a good girl all year... Or at least she thought.

Kari contemplated if she had been a good girl, or if Santa would really visit.

"Why does Santa come when I go to sleep? And not when I am awake?" She asked.

"Why does Santa come down the chimney? Isn't it just easier through the door?"

"Oh yes, but make sure you lock all the doors on both sides of the house Mommy, just in case the big bad wolf comes at night... Don't forget!!"

Santa came at last, while the girls were sound asleep....  They got so much presents in the morning!  Happiest Christmas ever, with all the princesses they got from Uncle and Auntie, and all the teddy bears and candy from Santa.

"Will Santa come again tomorrow?" Kari asked.  She really wanted to come home, because she thought that Santa would likely come again...

She wanted to go check under the tree.  All of a sudden, I feel that a year is such a long time to wait for another Christmas to come...

 

                                                                     Happy Holidays!

Minnie Mouse

Kari the Minnie Mouse

Although there were many on this Disney cruise, she is the cutest one in my eyes.... besides the other one I have.

Cabo San Lucas

The boat is wavering from side to side with the strong ocean wave in Cabo San Lucas, but the girls feel so safe in the arms of their dad holding on to them with all his love.   Winter in LA, but we find summer in Cabo.  I want to spend my winter there...

Cinderella

"Hi, Cinderella,  I am Cinderella too..."Kayla would whisper, a little confused why there were so many around on this Disney cruise.   She never stays still for a photo anymore.  She went hiding behind that door.  Then she peeked out curiously for that one split second looking for me, looking like a true princess.  She looks as if she's been standing there forever waiting for this photo...

I hope you never lose that innocence in your eyes...
xoxo

The Story of "Kayla and the French Fry"

One beautiful day out at Sea on the Disney Wonder in Mexico, Minnie Mouse Kayla met a beautiful golden French Fry...

Gonna eat this fry... But let's honor it first!  It's a beauty...

**music begins...**

There's something sweet
And certainly oily
But it was salty and it was coarse and unrefined
But now it's near, and so magnified
I wonder why I didn't see it there before

There may be something there that wasn't there before ...

duh..duh..duh duh..

                                    It's slowly coming closer...Gonna eat it...

                                    Oh oh.. It is officially going in my mouth!!!

                                   這是什麼情況?!   What is that claw?

                                     Ate it!!  You too late, AHA!

                             Dear Claw hand,
                             did you have a problem with me eating that fry?
                             Cuz you know.. I'm gonna eat one more...
                             and more...
                             and more.....

So the love affair begins, between Kayla and the French Fries...
And they all live happily ever after, in her tummy.  
The End.

                                     
                         And did I mention... Very Happily Ever After?!

                                       
                                  Love you, my baby girl. xoxo.

A princess' Dream

A family vacation, finally. Thank you Daddy.

Thinking..about that mango ice cream cone...

Still waiting...now I am getting very suspicious that the promised mango ice cream is never gonna come...

whoa...the two stayed still, together, both facing forward, for a generous second?! 

Giggling and laughing long after Minnie Mouse left the scene, Kari said, "Minnie was sooo funny....she kissed my cheek with her nose..."

That's what I call "living THE life"... Breakfast on the balcony facing the vast moving ocean,

Kari wonders on Disney Wonder, "are the houses across the ocean moving? Or...are we in a house that's moving?"

Always will be, Daddy's girl.



Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust...

Lights Lights Lights! It's a Small and *Beautiful* World

Disney at Christmas 2012.  The happiest place on earth.

Poor little girls had their four year big checkup.  Five shots of immunization left them crying in pain.  Kari looked at me unforgivingly as she sobbed for long after the nurse was gone.  Disneyland was their consolation. Even if it couldn't take away the pain, at least it slipped in some thoughts of happiness enough to crack smile!

For the first time both stayed awake for the spectacular holiday firework.  Kayla handed the only juice left to Kari, and proudly patted her own back, "Kayla cares for Kari so much... (姊姊好疼妹妹哦)"

At the Merry-Go-Round, Kari really wanted me to ride the pony next to her.  She gave me her signature "be-with-me" look that I could never resist.  She gives me this look when she wants to cuddle in bed with me.  She gives me this look when I say "good-bye" to her.  She gives me this look when she wants a little love from me.  She steals more than just my heart with it, my little princess on the pony.