Pumpkin Patch

By MAGGIE WANG

Kevin made his first out-of-town trip for the season: Las Vegas -- believe or not, he didn't gamble! It must be documented! Anyway, A-gong Toshi & A-ma Alice came over to play with us at home. They accompanied our Funky Monkey class to a pumpkin patch at Cottone & Sons. Can you believe this was their first time at a pumpkin patch?

Sedona bravely fed the animals while Maven was afraid to get near them.

 But she happily touched the pumpkins ... after she got over her weird fear of walking on the hay.

 Picture with Teacher Cheryl (this is our 4th class with her: 3 years with Sedona and now with Maven)

Both so cute ... I couldn't decide which to post!

Bonding with A-ma Alice. I think they look very similar!

The girls got to ride the ponies! (See Sedona in the back)!

Rain, Rain, Go Away ... But We're Going to Bowl!

By MAGGIE WANG

Last Monday, we were scorching hot in record high heat. This Monday, it rains. This is October. Did California miss the memo?

But when the weather doesn't do exactly what we would like, we still find ways to have fun.

 To the Gable House Bowl we go!





And with whom? (Yes, Riley). Maven was surprisingly scared to bowl, but she had a good time running around while Riley and Sedona got down to business.

For the record, Whitney and I don't actually plan out all these dates in advance. They just sort of happen. We pretty much communicate every day somehow (email, phone or Whatapp) about something (our children doing something crazy, our husbands annoying us, tennis matches, activity ideas, etc.), so it just becomes natural that we happen to stumble upon times when we both aren't doing anything. It also doesn't hurt that our children ask for each other at times.

We had a nice time today and look forward to more fun Thursday while celebrating Whitney's birthday!

Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair

By MAGGIE WANG

We have a pretty busy schedule in this family with everyone's social schedules and our jobs, but this particular Saturday was even more than the usual social day.

We started with a Valley Park Get-Together that I organized along with Andrea Barker (Regan and Gavin's mom). We're the two room moms for Maven's and Regan's Montessori class, so it is our job to organize the parents, communicate volunteering opportunities and announce school info and events. Some of the children in Maven's class are young enough to be holdovers from Sedona's last year, including Regan. But many others are new, so it was great to learn who they were and meet their parents. After the park, Sedona and I had a fun date with Julie and her daughter Katie Meggers at the girls' favorite restaurant, Souplantation. (Maven went home to nap to have energy for her playdate later with Ronin.)

With Ronin & Co. on the scene, we hit up the Hometown Fair in Manhattan Beach.

The kids always want their kettle corn, so as usual ... they got it.

Maven showing Daddy her boo-boo.

But here is the real boo-boo. See the black toe? Nope, it's not nail polish. Maven hurt her toe more than a month ago, and it is sadly still black. She has hardly mentioned it since and says it doesn't hurt unless you push down on it. I talked to Dr. Saad on the phone about it, and she says that if it doesn't hurt, the nail should grow out even if it takes a while. We'll keep our eye on it and see.

Since we parked at Metlox in Manhattan Beach, the kids ran around the water structure there. I love these action shots Kevin took using the "action" setting of our SLR camera. Sedona flying! So cute!

Once we were finally done (after playing a couple games of Uno with Ronin's dad, Jimmy), it was time to say good night with hugs!

Checking Up with Dr. Saad

By MAGGIE WANG

Both girls had doctor's appointments today, and I brought Kevin went with me after I'd heard it might be a day for numerous immunization shots. Little did I know one of our kids would be so tough-minded about her shot.

Sedona is 36.6 pounds (60th percentile) and 40 inches (50th)

Maven is 30.8 pounds (75th percentile)  and 35.5 inches (50th)

They are both healthy as can be! No immunization shots, it turns out, just the flu shot that is combined with the H1N1 (so no trip to Compton to get the free shot this year). I'm not a fan of flu shots, so I would complain if I had to get one. Sedona certainly didn't want the shot and cried while getting it as Kevin held her (although she was chipper by the time we were in the car, at which time Kevin made sure to reinforce to Sedona that as we told her, it would only last a second and be over).

Maven, though .. that 2-year-old was a trouper! She said she wanted the shot (because she wanted to get a unique bandage different from the Scooby-Doos, Barbies and Doras we have at home). When the nurse started to set her up for it -- even with Sedona still whimpering -- Maven said with confidence, "I'm not going to cry." And she didn't. She literally didn't flinch before, during or after. She was basically expressionless and even went as far as saying it didn't hurt!

Sedona All Dressed!

By MAGGIE WANG

I can't believe how big my little girl is getting. I'm so proud of Sedona, and well, I feel like I should slow down and enjoy this time of her life. Today was a reminder!

Not to sound like bad or lazy parents -- because we aren't, with Kevin and me both staying up late working so we can spend daylight hours with our girls -- but we've been teaching Sedona, who likes to wake up at 7 a.m., to go upstairs quietly and turn on the TV so the rest of us can get some additional sleep. 

Today when I came upstairs, Sedona was absolutely precious. She had gone potty, taken off her PJs and put on the butterfly dress she picked out the night before. She was quietly waiting for someone to come up. She didn't even turn on the TV.

Sedona has been trying hard to remember to brush her teeth in the morning also, and we're about ready to give her responsibility for doing that herself before school, too.

Since the girls have started school, my business has been kicking into gear. Kevin started Lakers training camp Saturday. We have a lot going on ... but it is important for me to slow down and be present.

Ding Siblings

By MAGGIE WANG

We are doing a sibling class this year out of South Bay Adult School with my friends Lisa (McKenzie and Isabel), Loretta (T.L. and Paulina) and Emily (Raychel and Charlotte). We have new teacher, Cynthia Kringen.

Here the girls are painting outside the classroom.

Last Saturday, we attended Dylan McCleary's 3rd Birthday at Fit Kids.

After school we usually try to do some fun activity. In the photo below, we are are hanging with the Maleman family after school: Sydney and Kaitlyn (Ethan not shown).

Naya in Town

By MAGGIE WANG

Kevin's cousin Karisa and her daughter Naya (officially Caroline by birth name) came in town for 24 hours to celebrate the 96th birthday today of Kevin's grandfather at Tasty Duck in San Gabriel. The girls were slow to warm up at the restaurant but became fast friends once they got to A-Gong and A-Ma Ding's house post-dinner.

Cowgirls and Ballerinas

By MAGGIE WANG

We picked the girls up from school to attend Jack & Siena Mondello's birthday party. They are in Sedona's class this year and were in Miss Valerie's class with Sedona last year. It was a cowboy-themed party -- so there were pony rides!

Maven and I are marveling over Sedona taking the first turn on the horse, but Maven was in there soon enough with Sedona going again.

They had a wonderful time riding the horse and playing. I, however, made the mistake of touching the horses and then my eyes, only to be reminded that I'm allergic to them. Oops!

Afterward, we hit up Maven's ballet class. She loves it so much! She told Kevin recently that she loves it even more than scootering, which she said she loved more than Disneyland. It's great to see how active and excited she is to do ballet and tap. Poor Sedona is still out, because her class remains full -- so we are just waiting for a spot.

Sedona Hanging Out, 2 Years Later

By MAGGIE WANG

We have 2-to-4 birthday parties a month, which I can only assume will decrease as Maven and Sedona get older and the parties we're attending are getting smaller.

That said, we gladly celebrated Isabel's 4th birthday today at Fort Lots of Fun (Sedona and Maven have had birthday parties there, too). It was a princess theme with Snow White making a special appearance.

Think these are fun pictures to see especially when you compare them to Sedona's 2nd birthday invitation picture. Kevin asked Sedona if she wanted to re-enact that photo, and she was excited to do it -- although she also liked using the spinning thing properly by sliding down, unimaginable back then.

 

The girls were totally engaged in listening to Snow White, even though they don't actually know her story.

One party down, two more next weekend!

Maven's Ballet Debut

By MAGGIE WANG

Maven started her first ballet class. She asked to do it after watching Sedona do the summer session at Redondo Beach Dance & Music. Maven and I have had fun watching Sedona do ballet and tap this summer even though Sedona's desire to participate has waffled. She loves to do ballet at home but at the studio was shy the first few times. She got into it over time, but when I asked if she wanted to do it again in the fall, she said, "No. I want to just watch Maven through the window." I had a feeling that after watching Maven she would want to do it again, but she was wishy-washy so I didn't sign her up.

So, we moved on to watching Maven make her debut ...

She was a superstar!

Of course, as I suspected, Sedona declared she wants to do her class now after watching Maven rock. Sedona's class is now booked, but we got on the waiting list.

When we were getting Maven all registered up, the gentleman behind the counter asked how old Maven was. After hearing she was 2 years old, he was shocked. He said he had never seen a 2-year-old understand and talk so much. His quote: "She even understands and laughs at jokes."

Maven's sense of humor led me to laugh ridiculously hard tonight when the girls were taking a bath. Sedona whiningly said, "Maven splashed me in the eye with water." In a low, deadpan voice, Maven said: "Oh, poor Sedona. Poor, poor Sedona."  The sarcasm in Maven's voice was unmistakable. It was so funny! So funny that even Sedona laughed at herself.

For now, the girls have school five days a week. Maven has ballet and Sedona has swim. Sedona is still at Lucky Duck Swim School and is continuing to improve immensely. She can pretty much swim already (though still needs supervision). She has accomplished so much, a great victory after her initial aversion to water. She now opens her eyes in the water, dives for rings, listens really well so she can improve, jumps into the deep end and loves the whole thing. I'm so proud of her.