05.14.08
Smarty pants with written proof
We got Maddy’s Bracken School Readiness Assessment (BSRA) results back for her pre-kendergarten class. The girl is in 99% rank for her age, athletic skill is obviously not included 
05.07.08
Reading Blue Hat; Green Hat
Litttle girl is speaking a ton lately. Her preschool teachers said that she turned two and just ‘exploded’ it. She is gotten a lot of the colors, and is able to ‘read’ the Blue Hat; Green Hat book
livy-reading-blue-hat-green-hat
However, my favorite phrases of hers (unrelated to reading) are
“Meimei farted it”
“Daddy made mess”
05.05.08
Finding her gifts
We showed Maddy the video of her first piano recital last Dec. After a few seconds into watching it, the girl started huming the melody with the right tempo and exclaimed “OH, COME ON” annoyed at her younger self who seemed to be struggling at the performance. We look at each other for a second and then bursted out into laughers.
She has really come a long way since she started piano last fall. The girl really has a natural gift in music. She is still painfully awkward when it comes to anything related to sports (gymnastics, soccor, even ballet), but she plays piano effortlessly. I am not saying that just because she is my daughter. Growing up with my mom’s piano studio in our home and having taught piano as my high school job has given me the ability to recognize musically inclined vs musically challenged.
However, my greatest joy about her and her playing is simply watching her go up to the piano and play the old pieces ‘just because’.. not becase she has to, not because I told her so, but because it is becoming a part of her life like drawing and playing on the computer and doing her preschooler workbooks (yes, the girl goes through them for fun in the morning while her mother is still in bed. I don’t know what I’ve done to get so lucky)
Yesterday the girl kindly refused my suggestion about them watching a Curious George episode while I take my shower, instead she led her little sister on the piano and they played my music for 20 mins. She was tickled to be able to read two measures of “mommy’s music”, and I am tickled to see her blossoming and glowing in her own element!
05.03.08
Piano Recital
Considering the girl was all sulky from the moment she woke up and having a tantrum right before heading out for the recital, I thought she did a great job snapping out of it
carpenter-village-music-school-recital
04.30.08
Sweet surprise from sunny CA
A dear friend wrote a short poem for my birthday. Usually, I only write my mothering journey on this blog, but it is so sweet (and by far the best poem I’ve ever gotten) I thought it is worthy for me to remember:
T wenty-six mile race — a walk in the park
I ndependence wrapped in a big heart
N otes on a page — effortlessly played
A consistent faith in our Saviour and Maker
Happy Birthday, Tina!
Thanks S!!
04.21.08
Baby girl turns two
Livy turns TWO today!!
We had a wonderful birthday party at Pullen Park last Sat with her preschool classmates. I was specially thankful for a beautiful sunny morning, and it was really nice being able to chit chat with the parents and watch the little ones having a great time.
Birthday Party Photos
Password is Livy123
04.13.08
Playground policemom
I had to be a playground policemon TWICE this weekend, but one incident today left me feeling disturbed to the core.
Playground A:
A girl was playing in the sand pit. After she filled her shovel out, she threw the sand backwards it hit a boy in the face. At first I thought she didn’t know there was a child behind her and thought that maybe her parent would soon say something, but realized soon that she did know there is someone behind her and she repeated a few times on purpose
Me: Excuse me [I walked over and tapped on her shoulder]
Girl: Hi, my name is X, that’s my big brother Y, and I have another brother Z.
Me: Hi X, it’s nice to meet you. Can you not throw the sand at other people because it hurts his eyes when you do it.
Girl: Ok. I’m digging a hole.
Me: Ok. Thank you very much.
We chitchatted some more and she went on to dig her hole without bothering the shy little boy again. That was it. It’s a normal “grown up reminds little manner to kids” conversation, and everyone was happy and safe at the end.
Playground B:
Livy was climbing up the playset. Two girls ran over wanting to get up the same way. They pushed Livy (nearly knocked her over to the ground) while screaming “Get out of the Way! Get out of the Way!”
Me: Hey girls, It’s not ok to push little babies like that. You need to let babies go up first because she was there first.
Girl 1: I wanted her to get out of the way.
Me: Well, It’s not ok.. [didn’t even finish my sentence]
Gril 2: (screamed in my face, btw), We don’t like you.
Me: You don’t have to like me, but it’s still not ok for you two to push little kids.
They ran up to the top of the playset, to my shock, started the shooting motion with their hands at me.
Me: What do you two think you’re doing?
That was only half of the story. Girl 2 came back as a ‘lion’ wanted to ‘eat me up’ shortly.
I don’t think I’ve ever met any 3-4 year olds who are that mean spirited. It was definitely a very sad eye opener to say the least.
04.12.08
Spring Fling 2008
We skipped Chinese School to attend the Spring Fling 2008 at the girls’ preschool. We had a blast (sans meimei’s pony ride. She didn’t enjoy it very much)
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- Livy didn’t like to be left alone with her pony
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- Enjoying the live music at Spring Fling
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- Maddy making a big buble
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- Treasure digging station
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- Maddy hanging with her classmates
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- My not so little tinkerbell
04.01.08
The crazy baby
I have this maternal fear that one day I am going to lose Livy. The baby would walk off on us wheneve she chooses to. She plays hide and seek and literally not make any sound for a long period of time. I had told friends many times that I know for sure if I were to have a third child, I would lose Livy because I simply don’t have that many eyes to keep track of all of them.
We went to a park today. Again, the little girl started to walk away from the playground.
me: “Olivia, where are you going?”
Livy: stopped, didn’t look back… then started walking away again.
me: “Livy, where are you going?”
Livy: turned and gave me a smirk.. kept walking.
This is how far she is from us before she even cared to turn back. That’s right. She is that little tiny dot on the far end of the path:
She did turn to us a couple times in respones to our “bye, Livy” and waved to us before heading further again.
First Love Letter
When I dropped off Maddy in school this morning, Jacob, one of her good friends, ran to the filer and got a piece of paper from Maddy’s folder then skipped to me-
J: Hi Madison’s mom, I made something for Madison.
Me: Oh yea, can I see it?
J: Sure
It reads
“I love you, Maddy. I hope you have a great time marrying me
Love,
Jacob”
The girl was given the instruction to write back “Jacob, Thank you for the letter” because daddy thought mommy’s response “Jacob, you have to wait until I finish college and find a good job” is too long for the girl to write.
After I tugged Livy in and came back to check on Maddy, she has her letter done:
It reads
” Madison I love you Chen..
Jacob, Thank you for the letter”
Somehow, I don’t think she got my point across. Oh well. Here is a picture of them two hanging out like buddies in school-
03.22.08
Almost two
You had your egg hunt for the first time in school. You made sure that you opened each egg by youself and insisted on spreading all the stickers on the floor.
You stared down the two boys who drove their toy jeep right in front of you. I think the boy driver was testing your tolerance. I knew you wouldn’t move in a million years and the image of Tiananmen Square guy in front of the tank flashed in my head.
Your tantrums are understood now. I get it. You need to do everything yourselves. And yes, I get it that you also need to throw tantrums at yourselves when you couldn’t do the things you wanted to do. Life at 23 months is so complicated.
I don’t know how you do it, but I am unable to be mad at you even when I wanted to.
There is some sort of magic about you, all wrapped up in that little body.
Perhaps it’s your “I I DO” (I love you) you give whenever I ask for it.
Perhaps it’s your “tickle-tickle-tickle-tickle DOCK” when you sing the Hickory Dickory Dock
Perhaps it’s your silly faces.
I don’t know what it is, nor do I care. I just know that I am deeply in love with you!
03.20.08
Easter Program 2008 in school
K2 class had a nice program in school today. The girl is a bit shy as usual, but I thought she did a lovely job:
The Chicken Dance
The Butterfly Song
You are My Sunshine
There was no program in Livy’s class, but her big sister saved a cookie for her, which she devoured down in no time. It’s nice to have a big sister who thinks of you all the time!
