San Diego

C-bao & Co. took a trip down to San Diego a couple of weeks ago for a long-overdue few days off. While the family had debated whether driving down there made any sense, C-Mum wisely made the call to save everyone a day of stuffy claustrophobia and burn the airline miles instead.

"See Dad? I told you Mum is always right"

The first evening, the family took a relaxing stroll around Carlsbad Village, which just happened to have a farmer's market going on. Unsurprisingly, the two little munchkins went shamelessly from stall to stall, soliciting free samples. The fruit was unbelievably sweet and we came away with several bags of it.

Sugar & Spice

"Mom, I want you to buy fifty of these!"

While beach day was earmarked for later in the weekend, the C-fam strolled near the beach to catch the sunset, before heading off to a late dinner.

The rest of the trip was jam-packed with activities and deserve their own posts, so more to come. 

Boys

Over the last couple of months, C-bao has begun mentioning the names of some of her best friends at preschool. What struck C-Pop right away was that the list was comprised of ALL BOYS. This observation did not fill C-Pop with any warm fuzzies.

"Let me show you how to use that, my lady"

Now, some of the little tots in C-bao's class have always been quite friendly to our little girl, and in the beginning of the school year, when C-bao was first getting adjusted to a new environment and needing new friends, all of that was fine and good. Perhaps even welcome. Indeed, one or two little tykes even insisted on calling her "cutie" and giving her a hug when she left school each day.

"Surely a quick tap-dance isn't too much to ask?"

Things are different now. C-bao has settled in nicely. She seems to enjoy the learning environment and is comfortable with her surroundings. These days, C-Pop has begun to look askance at the various chummy overtures and overly affectionate gestures of those little chicos.

"And swing your partner 'round and 'round!"

 Just what exactly are they up to? What are their intentions? C-Pop found himself asking.

"My intentions? Um, a game of high five"

All this, of course, was accentuated by the parent-teacher conference today, during which C-Pop and C-Mum were shown various "cute" pictures of our little girl "having fun" at school (some of which are posted herein) - virtually always in the close companionship of some little pipsqueak or another.

Wait...WHAT???

And to think, all of this is just beginning. We've got twenty five or so more years to go, maybe more! C-Pop can feel his blood pressure rising just thinking about it. 

Rabbit Hole Drama

Over spring break C-bao attended a superb summer camp for a week (discovered by C-Mum of course) called The Rabbit Hole. The camp centered around drama and theater, and on the last day, C-bao and her camp friends put on a nice little performance, entitled The Time Machine Crystal Ball.

C-Pop was coming back from business travel but flew through the airport and to the city, just in time to catch her act. 

C-bao was a little shy and took some coaxing, but frankly did quite a bit better than many of the kiddos in the class. Here she is with her celebratory week-ending flower to commemorate her experience.

Voice

Over the last month or so, according to C-bao's teachers at school, our little one has really "found her voice."

She apparently is becoming more vocal, more demonstrative, more assertive, and generally letting her personality show a little. A little more boisterousness, a little more spice.

How much of that is her growing comfort with her school environment, how much of it is natural maturity and how much of it is her sister's sassyness finally rubbing off on her is anyone's guess. 

Chores

C-bao and her sister K-bao are gradually coming up to chore-readiness age, and for the C-folks it cannot come sooner.

Today was a big day as the girls did a full load of (their own) laundry pretty much from beginning to end. Here they rest and observe their work.