Merry Christmas and Thank You for All the Gifts!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

My second Christmas and yes, DADDY was in town this time!! YAY!

I hear next year, I'll have to share the spotlight! Boo!

We celebrated Christmas this year at A-Go Kristen's house in the Palisades with both sets of grandparents and the Changs.

I love my daddy! Isn't he fun?! I think he's a hundred times funnier with me, too.

Look, I'm fishing! This game is great, even though Mommy says it is a choking hazard. Even though Daddy and Mommy didn't like playing the piano as kids, I think it's pretty great! I also played Mommy's piano at A-Gong & A-Ma's house, and I can't wait to steal that piano!

See all the people? We are opening presents and A-Gu Felix is helping me.

Can you find me among all the gifts? It was crazy exciting with all the presents, wrapping paper and, my favorite, bows & ribbons!Ribbon!!!
Aww... isn't this cute? It's Daddy with his sister. I hope I'll be as great of a big sister as A-Go Kristen. She bought Daddy these retro 'Have a nice day' cups that they used growing up. Daddy said he used his yellow cup EVERY DAY as a child.
Thanks for all the gifts!!

• A-Gong & A-Ma Ding: Fisher Price Piano, 2 beautiful dresses and a great red jacket
• A-Gong & A-Ma Wang: new table & chair set, a buggy, and 4 books!
• Atticus & Skyler: Zoology book, Christmas light & ABC magnets
• A-gu Felix: Fridge Farm & Leap Frog Phone
• Auntie Lulu: lots of BOOKS and a dry-erase board with markers
• Uncle Johnny: mouse book
• Grandma & Grandpa Chang: fashionable jacket
• Auntie Anita & Uncle Jason: Adorable angel jacket from Janie & Jack
• Laney Williford: FP Catepillar & shapes bucket
• Auntie Leslie: Hello Kitty shirt
• Auntie Vicky & Uncle Dennis: FP Little People ABC Animals & holiday cookies
• Riley Williams: cell phone

I really hope you had a wonderful Christmas and will have a wonderful New Year celebration!
I'm trying to convince my boring parents to let me stay up late. I'll update you later!

Love, Sedona

December Play Date with Ethan

Ivy & Ethan came over for a walk on the beach. He just turned 1, but for some reason I'm being the baby! Ethan says, "What did I do?"
-- Sedona

I'm definitely Daddy & Mommy's baby; I LOVE watermelon seeds, too!

Chatting with Daddy

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope you had a very nice Thanksgiving filled with meaningful time with lots of family and friends.

Daddy was in Boston, so we celebrated the high-tech way...

2007 Ding Family Thanksgiving Family Picture Via Web Cam

(ha-ha, we found it amusing).

Because Daddy was gone, we had a slumber party with A-gong and A-ma Wang. It was so much fun. I got to go to the park, go shopping, eat lots of food, play with 'Eeeee-oooohh' the dog ... ... get shoulder rides from A-gong ...
... and SLEEP. Five of us asleep (left to right: Crystal, Mommy, Me, A-gong, and Inu).

Love,

Sedona

Random pictures

Sorry, my mom has been lagging with the pictures lately. Here are a couple Halloween pictures with my friends at the Hollywood Riviera in South Redondo. It's Riley the firewoman and T.L. as Reggie Bush, playing tug-of-war with that poor doggy.

Daddy came along, too!
On a more subdued note at home, here is Daddy reading me our special book, "Daddy's Girl" before bedtime. I love my daddy! (You might notice on his arm is what we call "an ow-ie" from his all-out efforts on the softball field. Every once in a while I'll lift up his arm to check for that mark ... just to make sure it's him!)
-- Sedona

GIRL! GIRL! GIRL!

We're having a GIRL!!!

Here are some pictures of Baby Ding II ...

Sedona is super excited about having a sister to play with. She is ready and willing to share all her toys and clothes (especially since she didn't get to wear all of them). Mommy is happy that she'll have her girls to go shopping, hit the spa and get mani/pedis with -- but is a bit concerned about how expensive multiple girly-girls are going to be.

And well, Daddy? Sorry! You are outnumbered in the house, but there will be lots of "love widgets" for you - maybe we can bring you a boy, Inu, back into the house. Or maybe not.

Love, The Ding Girls

Baby Ding II's First Message

From Baby Ding II [not Sedona]. I'm a person too! :)

My mommy went to the doctor today, and I have a very strong heartbeat.

Dr. Rosenberg gives Mommy and Daddy the VIP treatment. They've gotten to see me every time via ultrasound (so far): at eight weeks, 12 weeks, then another one at the special ultrasound lab facilities and then today at 15 weeks.

Here is my latest picture --

We'll officially find out my gender MONDAY, NOV. 12, so check back to learn more about ME!

Love, Baby Ding II

The Cold Family

So I'll admit, the Ding household has not been pleasant lately (at least for Mommy).

I had my first fever on Thursday, Oct. 18, but felt better and played that Saturday with Uncle Jason and Auntie Anita and watched Daddy play softball Sunday ... only to wake up Monday, Oct. 22, with my first cold! My luck, huh?

I then got Mommy sick with my cold Wednesday (she isn't taking meds for my future sibling's protection) and then Daddy sick Thursday. I'm potent.

Here are pictures to catch you up:

Uncle Jason is craving his first pumpkin for ME! Isn't that sweet?!

I prefer to call it a "ball."

Finished result: Frankenstein and 'George' the clown. I got to keep the clown. Frankenstein kind of scares me. A-Ma and A-Gong Wang really stepped it up and came over to help take care of me because Mommy and Daddy were sick. Don't you think I'm a pretty good sick baby?

Even in the bathtub! I love the steam for my cold and popping the bubbles from my bubble-making machine. What a great invention! Mommy is feeling a little better by Saturday so they brought me to Hermosa Beach's Pumpkin in the Park, where all the other kiddies were. It was windy!
I'm picking out a pumpkin to take home. This small one is perfect!
Uncle Mag & Aunt Sarah came over to play with me afterward. I can't decide which one I want. Oh, did I tell you? Aunt Sarah has a baby in her belly, TOO! And it's due within days of my sibling! Pretty cool, huh? Congratulations!
Love, Sedona

My First Trip to Hawaii

The L.A. Lakers train in Hawaii every other year. My mommy used to tag along with Daddy for vacations. This year I made sure it was fun but not relaxing!

A-Gong and A-Ma Wang came along to make it easier for Mommy, but I can wear out three adults easily!

I woke up at 5 a.m., so here we are at the BEACH. It was the only thing open.

A-Gong and A-Ma buried my feet in the sand. I'm pretending to like it but well ... sand feels dirty to me and I'm a clean girl! That same day, we went to the Honolulu Zoo. I loved all the moving animals. I'll admit it, I couldn't see the ones that didn't move.

Here they are attempting to get me to pet a rooster. It's not clean either!
And then a GOAT. Even dirtier! I touched its ear. That seemed to satisfy the grandparents.
Here we are on our balcony. Mommy & A-Ma love it when I stick my tongue out.
B.T. (Brad Turner, the Lakers writer for the Riverside Press-Enterprise) came to visit me at our Sarento's dinner. The light was a bit bright so I have 'daddy' eyes. Here we are at the Waikiki Aquarium. It is a small aquarium but did the job. I got to see two seals and lots of fishies. They moved and weren't dirty. It was great!

Here we are at the Dole Pineapple Plantation. Can you believe they don't give free pineapple samples? But it's OK, because my doting grandparents will buy me ANYTHING I want.
We are waiting in line for the Pineapple Express - a 20-minute train ride. It is not worth the money, but don't I look CUTE? We're on the train. It looks as if I like the ride, but really I'm just entertained by Daddy. I don't get to spend much time with him when he is working; the Lakers canceled their morning practice, so we could drive out for pineapples and see the North Shore.
Aww... this picture breaks my heart. It's my beloved Dole teddy bear. (Or one of about 20 different Dole teddy bears that I hugged.) A-Gong and A-Ma tried to buy a bear for me, but Mommy & Daddy stopped them. They are poopers! Don't they understand that grandparents are allowed to spoil their grandkids!
OK, I'm over the bear. Moving on ... I can WALK (13 months and 8 days old).
Thank you for viewing my blog and seeing how my trip went.

Mommy will post my walking video soon, so come back and visit!

Love, Sedona

Guess What!!!

Look at what book I'm reading!

Wowie!!! Breaking news!

There's another Baby Ding on the way, scheduled to arrive April 8, 2008! Even though I'll be older by just 19 months and eight days, I'll be a big sister. I'm told it wasn't planned, but it wasn't unplanned. In any case it sure is exciting!


Can you see the new baby there? Sorta curled up -- the head on the left, the feet on the right!

Love, Sedona

Finally! I got to meet Uncle Andy!

Uncle Andy was in town for business but found an evening to have dinner with us at Gyu-Kaku. He was so fun ... now it's time to meet Anaya and Jay... they've gotta be cool!

He looks so nice. Mommy says it's a "suit" -- whatever that is. I've never seen one on Daddy!
Love, Sedona

Auntie Anita's 30th Birthday Party

Happy Birthday, Auntie Anita!

She had the best party with banberry pie and a bounce house.

Here I am -- going in ...
I like it! I like it!
A-Gu's turn! I don't want to get out!
UNCLE JASON! Why are you ignoring me?
Thanks for inviting me to the party! I was pooped afterwards ... Mommy & Daddy were very happy.

Love, Sedona

My Birthday Party

Sorry it took me so long to get the pictures up. I'm a busy little lady.

Here are my Boston cream pie birthday cakes (because Daddy wanted them).

Here are A-Gong and A-Ma Wang with lots of Leap Frog gifts (school bus, books and my own learning video game). Daddy doesn't think girls can play PS3, but this'll get me started to showing him.

Auntie Leslie bought me these adorable shoes with horseys. I love Robeez -- and my mommy is a horse in the Chinese zodiac.

A-Go, Uncle Mitch, Atticus and Skyler bought me this beautiful Chinese dress and a fun frog clock.

A-Gong and A-Ma Ding bought me a Sesame Street book, a musical chair and cute dress.

Auntie Lulu and Uncle Ray (my Baby Gap source ... the Baby Gap near them has much cuter things than ours) bought me this adorable denim outfit.

A-Gu bought me more books to go with my Leap Frog system and then a Leap Frog Caterpillar. These Wangs are really trying to make sure I'm smart! Haven't they seen my tricks?!

Ha-ha, look at my "Sedona" posse!

It was such a fun and long day that I actually fell asleep eating -- and that is a big deal considering I LOVE to eat. Thank you for a great birthday party!

Uncle Mag & Auntie Sarah also joined us for the pre-party brunch at Sea Empress Dim Sum and gave me a Schoolhouse Rock DVD. "Interjections" is obviously cooler than cool!!!

Auntie Anita and Uncle Jason were in Omaha for my birthday, but they sent me a Water Wheel Play Table. It's fun. I love throwing the boats out and getting Mommy wet.

Thank you everyone for the wonderful birthday and gifts!

Love, Sedona