Disney Cruise: Day 3 ... A Princess Parade

By KEVIN DING

We know some people who are kind of fascinated by princesses. Do you?

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Disney Cruise: Day 2 ... Goofing Around

 By MAGGIE WANG

We enjoyed breakfast with the characters on the morning of Day 2. The kids were excited to spot the various ones roaming around, but Maven definitely was a bit hesitant with their giant heads coming up close to her, particularly Goofy's.

It was a fun night also, getting dressed up, eating and playing around. Great quality time, with just one Mickey Ears ice cream bar being too much for a kid to eat!

Disney Cruise: Day 1 ... Mickey Pool

By KEVIN DING

Our week-long cruise to Mexico on the Disney Wonder was unquestionably one of the year's highlights. We tried to document some of the countless smiles from the girls while on the trip. The first day started with some quiet time at my parents' house, then a little video chat about Sedona's kindergarten life with Maggie's parents ... and then the first great smile of the trip in that photo of Sedona in the Mickey Pool just minutes after we'd boarded the ship before we started to settle into our cabin.

Pumpkin Carving Tradition

By MAGGIE DING

When we went to our first Mommy & Me class when Sedona was only months old, Teacher Cheryl asked us about traditions we wanted to continue or start in our families. I was saddened at the time, because it was our first Christmas with Sedona, and Kevin was going to be out of town.

As the years have passed, we've created many traditions -- intentional or not -- and they don't have to be the standard ones. I bring this up, because one that we've been so grateful to enjoy annually with Jason and Anita (who are expecting their own baby girl to join us next year) is captured below.

This year, Sedona and Maven requested Smurfs for pumpkin carving, and as usual, Uncle Jason delivered. Thank you!

 Anita and Maven bonded over cooking the pumpkin seeds.

Yum! Yum!

Sedona's Kindergarten Assessment

By KEVIN DING

We had our first parent-teacher conference, sitting down with Sedona's kindergarten teacher Mrs. Strong. She confirmed our belief that Sedona is pretty advanced in many areas -- especially reading -- having already mastered most everything she is supposed to learn in the next seven months or so of kindergarten. But we are looking forward to Mrs. Strong testing Sedona soon to gauge her level of reading better -- and we knew this year of school would be good for Sedona to continue growing in social development anyway. Sedona is a year younger than most of her classmates.

Sedona told me before she hasn't really gotten the chance to read out loud for Mrs. Strong, but Mrs. Strong said she noticed one day that Sedona had picked up the teaching book after Mrs. Strong put it down and started reading it herself. She asked us how we cultivated her great love for reading, because she always opts for reading over other activities when given the free-time option in class. Mrs. Strong said Sedona seems like a model child, playing well by herself and playing well with others. She said Sedona has gained confidence and comfort since the start of school a month and a half ago, and she has started raising her hand more often these days (see "participates" mark below).

Sedona said the test that Mrs. Strong did on the skills below was done early in the school year, and Sedona was feeling kind of shy still -- not yet fully comfortable with the teacher -- and thus didn't do everything to the best of her ability. For example, she is cited in the report as counting to 32 (missing 13), which is considered good for her class, but then the day after the conference she counted to 119 in the car, stopping only because she got confused about 119 being 199 and we had concluded more than a month ago she could count to 199.

In any case, we came away from the meeting feeling warm inside about Sedona's smarts and sweetness.

Pumpkin Patch

By MAGGIE DING

In sticking with tradition, we stopped by the Cottone and Sons pumpkin patch in Torrance yet again this year with Maven's Mommy & Me class (Sedona goes to the class). We've been going to Teacher Cheryl for five years now, and the same goes for other friends -- making it a fun class and activity for us.

Maven has her group of the younger kids: Gavin, Sienna, Killian, Simon, Marielle. Then Sedona's friends tag along with their younger siblings, including Ryder/Sienna, Sabrina/Isabel and Isabel/Mackenzie.

Kevin was around this year (thank you, NBA lockout), and Riley crashed our party.

   

Smurfette and Murfette are Home

By KEVIN DING

The momentum from Alice Tu getting us tickets to see "The Smurfs" movie screening hasn't been stopped in part because of McDonald's Smurfs figurines, watching "Smurfs" reruns on the obscure Boomerang channel, a birthday gift toy set from Whitney to Sedona and now two plush and much-coveted Smurfette dolls from Mike Trudell.

Smurfette has made it into the beds of both girls for night-time, the highest of bars. To my chagrin regarding my childhood stuffed animal Ngow-Ngow, he was recently replaced (along with Sedona's longtime lamb-headed blanket "Blankie) as Sedona's sleep mate by a 12-inch, very soft Clifford the Big Red Dog doll given to Sedona for her birthday by my mom. Sedona clutches that big red dog all night long -- and I will say Clifford smells really nice these days from Sedona's sweet natural scent rubbing off on him. Smurfette, however, has joined Clifford in Sedona's clutches now -- and both girls spend a lot of time creating fantasy experiences and voices for their new dolls.

Maven still sleeps with her soft white pillowcase P.W. (although there are now three versions of him for convenience), with a variety of other animals in bed with her around the perimeter, but Murfette is up there for snuggling. I named her doll "Murfette" (Maven) to differentiate from "Smurfette" (Sedona).

Sedona's comment shortly after being presented with Smurfette on Tuesday was classic -- showing some clever word play in keeping with how the Smurfs sub in the word "Smurf" for all sorts of phrases or words. It left me quite impressed ...

Me: What present did you think was wrapped inside Tru's shirt?

Sedona: I thought it was Smurfette.

Me: Then why didn't you say you thought it was?

Sedona: I wanted it to be a Smurfise.

(Maven chimed in also then with her own take: "I thought it was going to be Smurfette in there because I wanted it to be Smurfette.")

Sweet Stories

By MAGGIE WANG

Pardon me for sharing a few recent stories about my kids, who make me so proud. They are simple things, but just show you the kind of girls they are growing up to be:

* * *

Sedona went potty in her bathroom one morning, and afterwards, I saw her moving the stool from the sink area (where she should be washing her hands) so she could open the cabinets below. My initial reaction was, "*sigh* what is this girl doing?" But then I realized, she was getting toilet paper out to replace the current roll that she just finished up! This may seem like a little thing, but honestly I hate replacing the toilet paper: I'll leave the new roll on top until Kevin does it. Yay! Kevin and now Sedona! 

* * *

Also, we were at my friend Whitney's house for an end-of-summer party the other day. Maven was on my lap, and Whitney was eating mini-cookies next to us. Maven started looking at me, whimpering a bit.

Me: Yes, Maven. Do you want something?

Maven: Looks at me, then at cookies.

Me: Maven, if you want a cookie, you can just ask for one.

Maven: Can I have a cookie?

Me: Ask Whitney.

Whitney: I offered her a cookie.

Maven: Can I have a cookie, please?

The reason why I wanted to point out this story is that Maven knew that she was not allowed to have sweets and snacks without permission. So even though Whitney had offered her one earlier, Maven knew better than to take it without asking me. Ha-ha! It's a good indication about knowing right from wrong, I hope.

* * *

And one more thing on Sedona, as I know this innocence won't last much longer and I wanted to document it. First of all, Kevin and I are pretty stern parents, so it is not uncommon for us to tell our children directly to do things -- but in this case, I decided to use the word "please."

Sedona's new school/classroom is peanut-free (because of other kids' allergies), so I tried out sunflower-seed butter and jelly for a lunch sandwich for her (though Sedona had already indicated she doesn't like it). For lunch this particular day, I decided to put in a note in her lunchbox for her, but I wasn't using the note the way I had dreamed of using it. When I was a child, my mom would write me cute messages. This note was more a request; I felt the need to try and say, "Please eat your sandwich before you eat your fruit gummies. It is sunflower-seed butter. I love you."

Kevin took the kids to school that morning, and Sedona told him briefly on the way when he brought up the sunflower-seed sandwich to come that she was not going to eat it. He picked Sedona up from school that afternoon, and she immediately told him, "I ate my whole sandwich, but I didn't like it!" When he praised her for it, she explained: "Mommy left me a note telling me I had to eat it."  I have to admit, I chuckled and am still smiling as I write this. Our precious little girl read my note and simply did it without questioning whether or not I would actually ever know!

Entering Kindergarten: Who Sedona Is Now

By KEVIN DING

Here's a copy of the student profile Maggie and I put together to submit to Mrs. Strong, Sedona's kindergarten teacher at Hermosa View. The teacher asked parents for a page worth of comments about each kid. It is meant to offer a general feel for Sedona to help Mrs. Strong cultivate Sedona's strengths and make her even better.

Academics:
•    Enjoys learning – and the challenge of learning. Tonight at the dinner table, she said she was happy at View because “I’m learning how to draw more things.”
•    Voracious reader who prioritizes comprehension over just the exercise. Able to read most “adult” words. If unfamiliar with words, has the ability to sound many of them out on the first try. Can basically read herself books such as “Ramona and Beezus.”
•    Can count beyond 100 and do basic addition and subtraction.
•    We haven’t focused much on science or social studies (but she does know her 50 states and all the continents).

Personality:
•    Has plenty of friends but needs to be encouraged to be more assertive in larger groups.
•    Often an observer. Enjoys watching and analyzing situations.
•    Cautious with people, but once trust gained, very loyal, open and loving.
•    More vocal and expressive in smaller groups or 1-on-1 settings.
•    Does not require being the center of attention (despite reveling in being the first Lucky Duck).
•    Doesn’t like raucous play (and even noted how loud kids were at the lunch table).
•    Thoughtful, sweet, analytical.
•    Good listener and helper.
•    Favorite activities so far have been recess (monkey bars) and quiet time.

Family:
•    Sister Maven is 3 ½ years old (19-month age difference). They enjoy playing together and can share and negotiate. Sedona likes playing big sister/mother role.
•    Both sets of grandparents are local. They are very active in her life. She calls them A-Ma and A-Gong (Taiwanese for grandmother and grandfather).
•    We have flexible work schedules. Maggie tends to lead and run daily activities, but Kevin is active, engaged and hands-on.
•    Sedona will document her experiences without us in great detail. She enjoys telling narrative about people, activities and feelings.

Starting School and Schedules

By MAGGIE WANG

Let the activities begin!

Monday: School. Tennis lesson.

Tuesday: School. Mandarin class.

Wednesday: School. Funky Monkey activities class.

Thursday: School. Mandarin class.

Friday: School. Ballet lesson.