Schoolgirl Sedona

By KEVIN DING

Sedona returned from our New York trip and began the next stage of her life: school. Here's a little taste of how she was on her last day as an uneducated person ...

Her first school day -- Sept. 8 -- featured some typical anxiety. You can see it in her face even as she was leaving the Peck Campus for Montessori School of Manhattan Beach on that first day.

But we're proud of her that she overcame all that with the help of a behavioral star system we instituted to motivate her into a comfortable routine. Maven, meanwhile, had her own adjustments to make at home from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. without Sedona. Maven invariably would awaken from her nap and call out the Taiwanese word for "big sister": "Tje-Tje" and wander around the house in search of Sedona.

You've seen Sedona and Maven playing plenty of "Ring Around the Rosie" on these pages. Well, without Sedona around, Maven had to get resourceful.

Maven has learned about when it's time for Sedona to be picked up from school, and if Maven gets to ride along for the pickup, you can bet she's in the back, calling out: "Tje-Tje!" as the drive begins. However, it is understandably confusing for a 1 1/2-year-old to shuttle back and forth between playing by herself and with her sister. To that effect, I think the following video is the funniest one we've ever put up. Especially if you liked that "Candy Land" video, check this one out:

Maven has also pursued other interests at home, such as ...

Feeding herself with a spoon.

Looking outside for Sedona.

Potty training.

Sitting in Sedona's bed and gazing longingly at the photo-montage sisters poster I had made. Oh, the fond memories!

But at work week's end, there's always a celebration with Friday night being "Movie Night," a tradition inspired our visit to the Tsais' house in Connecticut. Whether just the sisters or with Riley over (and second cousins Timmy and Naya were special guests the Friday night of my grandfather's 95th birthday celebration weekend), "Movie Night" could just as well be dubbed "Popcorn Night."

 

But the bottom line is that Sedona is really getting a lot out of being at school. She has a growing pack of school friends and has definitely been showing more signs of fatigue later in the day from being mentally challenged at school. At home, Maven gets Nanny Linda or Mommy or Daddy all to herself for regular spells, which she deserves.

Maybe in the following video Maven knew it was a Friday with "Movie Night" coming up and Sedona's school week ending, but more likely Maven was just enjoying some time to herself without having to fight over toys or attention ...