What the Girls Have Been Up To ...

BY MAGGIE WANG

While Kevin is on an 11-day road trip, we are keeping ourselves busy. 

For starters, I heard noise in our backyard last night by the trash cans while wrapping presents. I knew it was an animal, but I didn't understand why it wouldn't run away after my third time venturing outside. The next day, I went to investigate ... and this is what I found. 

Saturday morning started with a nice mommy brunch at Terranea Resort for Betty's and Emily's baby shower ...

I made their little ones these personalizes onesies. Pretty proud of myself -- especially given that no one seemed to believe I made them. *sad face* Loretta decided that I'm the most "domesticated, non-domesticated person" she knows (after I labeled her the most "indecisive, decisive" person I know).

In the evening, we headed down to the Hermosa Pier to check out the snowboarding/sledding Snowfest down Pier Avenue. We knew that only the first 50 or 60 people to show up could participate in the snow-hill festivities, so we just went and played with what we could find: a large piece of ice!

Sunday morning started with our annual cookie exchange party at the Meggers' house. (Katie has been in Sedona's class the past two semesters.) The girls decorated cookies and played with Elf Molly.

After nap time for Maven, we considered watching fireworks in Manhattan Beach. But given our nice 80-degree weather, it seemed everyone else in the area wanted to go too, so we decided to stay and eat at our Hermosa beach, go sand sledding and watch the fireworks from there.

Sedona and Riley were mesmerized by the fireworks; Maven, on the other hand, was scared of the noise. But by the end of it, Maven said, "I'm not scared. I like it. I want more fireworks."

Incident Report

By MAGGIE WANG

 I received a call while I was working, so I didn't get it -- but it was from the school. My immediate reaction was, 'Oh, no, one of the kids is sick and needs to be picked up and I didn't answer. Bad mom!'

I listened to the message to learn that Maven had gotten into a little fight at school, so they wanted me to be aware of it prior to showing up so I wouldn't be shocked.

Here is our first incident report -

Is it messed up that I find this incident report to be rather funny and cute?!

I talked to Maven about what had happened and she explained that her in-class BFF, Mackenzie, was on a bike and Maven  wanted to push her. But another girl from another class wanted to also, so that little girl scratched Maven in the face. The school wouldn't release the other kid's name to me -- which annoys me but I get it given that I wouldn't mind scratching the kid myself (!). So I asked Maven for the name; unfortunately, she doesn't know.

The school sat both girls down and make the other apologize. I also talked to Maven myself after school too, telling her to make sure she uses her words to tell other children to keep their hands to themselves and no scratching, biting or hitting -- speaking as a protective mother would. But just as you would expect from our laid-back Maven, the next day I asked if she played with the girl who scratched her and Maven happily said, "Yes!"

Family Photo with Santa Claus

By MAGGIE WANG

Kevin leaves shortly for an 11-day road trip, so we fit in a family picture with Santa Claus before he left. We've actually been seeing Santa a lot lately, believe it or not. Coincidentally, two times in the last four days, he's been driving around our city, on official display and escorted by the cops, while we were out on Pacific Coast Highway near our house.

We actually passed him today on our way to see "him" at the mall. We told the girls that we hoped he would be there for our photo visit given that he was going the wrong way! Sedona is really getting into the spirit of Christmas and excitedly waves at him while Maven is sort of scared of him. Along those lines, Sedona was willing to up by Santa for the photo, but Maven was resistant and needed parental support. Both girls did eventually tell Santa some things from their Christmas lists and even give him high-fives.

The girls are also enjoying their Advent Calendars leading up to Christmas. I'm guessing it is because they like the chocolate behind each day's little door. Just a hunch.

Santa in Hermosa

By MAGGIE WANG

Our talented photographer friend, Tory Oleary (who we cannot afford ourselves) took pictures for charity for the HB school district.  Given the cause and the talent, we took the opportunity to get more photos.  It also happen to be the same day that Elizabeth (my first mommy and me friend was visiting, they have since moved to Dallas) so we took it as an opportunity to get everyone together.

Thanksgiving and A-Ma Ding's Birthday

By MAGGIE WANG

This Thanksgiving we opted for something unique: a sleepover party at the Ding-Chang residence in Pacific Palisades. We spent the night Wednesday. The girls were supposed to sleep on the floor in the boys' room, but they decided that having us four Dings sleeping on a pullout-couch bed was better. Great. They seemed to sleep well (unlike Kevin and me)!

A morning game of Twister. So fun!

A-Go Kristen bonding with the girls at the Bel-Air Bay Club down the street from their house, pointing out a butterfly.

Maven taking Skyler's small baseball and throwing it to Kevin.

We mixed baseball with some modeling on the grass.



A-Ma prepared a feast!



By the time dinner was done and the cake came out, our girls were back in their pajamas (actually Atticus and Skyler's hand-me-downs) for the drive back home. Happy 70th birthday to A-Ma Ding! We are thankful for her!

Sedona, Montessori and the Lakers

By MAGGIE WANG

Today when I picked Sedona up from school, she went to hug Miss Traci, then walked to her Miss Valerie and then back to circle area for Miss Marisa, too. It was so cute how she went out of her way to hug them all before coming to me to go home. She has done this same thing another time. It makes me happy to see her loving her teachers. 

As Sedona was going to Miss Marisa, Miss Valerie and I talked about how much they love Sedona and what a great, sweet and independent girl she is. Miss Valerie mentioned to me that she is a huge Lakers fan, and she and Sedona talk about the games. Sedona even told her that she knows Kobe -- which Miss Valerie blew off, causing me to say: "Well, she doesn't know Kobe, but Kobe did meet her a Lakers event two years ago. ... Do you know what Kevin does for a living?"

As expected, a huge reaction! I'm not sure if it is because Kevin has the coolest job on earth or if she was stunned that Sedona really did know what she was talking about. Either way, it was cute and sort of funny, because Sedona had earlier in the month told me that a child's mom went to visit her classroom to talk about bones ... but Kevin and I couldn't go to speak at her classroom because we weren't doctors. I guess she'll learn soon enough that her dad has a cool job too (even if it doesn't pay like a doctor's job!).

Miss Valerie then told me two Lakers have children at Montessori: Steve Blake and Theo Ratliff -- and Miss Valerie noted that Blake drops his child off when he isn't at a game or practice.

What good daddies!

Hello Kitty Extravaganza

By MAGGIE WANG

While Kevin was out of town, the girls and I went on an adventure to Sanrio's Small Gift Los Angeles -- otherwise known as a ridiculous Hello Kitty extravaganza -- at the Santa Monica Barker Hangar. We had a good time without buying anything but did a couple activities.

Afterwards, we met up with Alice Tu to meet her new doggie! Sedona loved Wolfie!

Savoring Hermosa and Its Pier

By MAGGIE WANG

The City of Hermosa Beach renovated Pier Avenue and in an effort to get more people out there, and as part of the promotion there was a sidewalk sale, so we walked on down. We had a great time spending the morning together as a family.

Kevin and I conducted our own fun photo shoot of the girls outside a new restaurant on the Pier, using the surfboard-bench outside.

 We also headed down to the beach, where the girls played in the sand and climbed everything, including the surfer statue.

After playing, we doubled back to the Pier and had a nice lunch at Sangria's: yummy omelets and waffles!

 On the way home, we passed Millie Velasco and decided to stop for the usual Disneyland artist to do her thing with the girls (Tinkerbell theme for Maven, Ariel theme for Sedona)... and it was well worth it!

What a fun family day! We are so fortunate to live in our down-to-earth, sweet and small (2.3 square miles) city of Hermosa Beach.

Photographer Dad at the Park

By KEVIN DING

Here are some photos from a day at the park with the girls. On the second one of Maven, she is patting the bigger stool as a gesture for me to come sit down next to her. I love my girls (including Maggie, who was off making the big bucks this day while I entertained the kids)!

Candid Family Photos 2010

By MAGGIE WANG

Each year, I try to get family pictures professionally done. The first year, we visited Natalie Young in her studio; I think she did a great job, but she doesn't shoot families regularly, so we can't hire her whenever we please.

The second year, we hired Goofyfoot through the Hermosa Mom's Club. Big mistake! She stunk! This year, we hired Kaui from Makame Photography, and she was great! She lives in Hawaii, so we can only get her when she is in town. But hopefully she'll be in town at least enough for us to get pictures with her on occasion.

We chose Kaui because we thought she had a natural eye for meaningful candid moments -- the same reason we chose our wedding photographer and wedding videographer way back when -- and she came through ...

The one on the right is one of my very favorites! It completely captures Maven's personality. Outgoing yet shy and sweet.

I love how artsy both the pictures on the left are (above and below).

And Sedona hanging from the tree is just priceless!

And what a small world, I just Facebooked her, and Kaui is friends with Tricia (a fellow bridesmaid in Jennie's wedding). Weird!