Cold Day at the Beach

About a month ago, C-bao took a rare trip to the beaches by San Francisco's Outer Richmond district, near the Cliff House. The day was chilly but sunny, and various intrepid souls were kitesurfing and frolicking among the waves. C-bao and her sister K-bao were not among them. They did, however, have a plenty good time digging in the sand, singing in the wind, and otherwise running around creating havoc.

Here C-bao needs some help with her attire:

Next, she does her Feraba African tap-dance to express her joy:

Finally she celebrates the completion of her muddy ditch.

Braids

C-bao has always had the luxury of abundance in the hair department. As a result, she can sport just about any hairstyle she wants.

Below, Sister K-bao again practices her braiding skills on her little sister, producing a rather unique look.

Skating in New York

C-bao had her first experience on ice a couple of weeks ago in New York. Despite it being unseasonably warm, the rink in downtown NY at Brookfield Place had plenty of holiday visitors.

Here she is getting her skates on, with a little assist from C-Mum.

Here's a brief clip of her first couple steps on ice.



There were also a few blue plastic seals for kiddos to ride, and C-bao zoned in on this right away. Unsurprisingly, sister K-bao got roped into pushing her around for much of the evening.

Dress

Showing off her new festive year end dress, C-bao hams it up for the camera. Our little one has turned out to be as much of a fashionista as her older sister. 

Let me show you how I really feel

Speaking of older sisters, here she is sharing a moment with K-bao.

Osmosis

C-bao is fortunate to have an older sister who brings home with her just about everything she learns - be it a new song, poem, rhyme or magic trick - and insists on passing it on to her sibling (often in a very authoritative manner, we might add).

Here, C-bao learns - and then performs - the latest Halloween song her sister has picked up at school.

C-bao is also the first to hear about any new game her sister has been exposed to -- and generally is strong-armed into playing it right away.

Not all of it is rosy, of course. Over the last few weeks, we have also seen little C-bao being sent by her sister to the "principal's office," over just about any trifle. We haven't inquired as to the details.

Dinner Date

C-bao enjoys dinner out with C-Pop and sister K-bao at a local restaurant.

C-Mum was out for several days on a business trip, so C-Pop was forced to be creative with dinner; here, he brings the kiddos to a Latin joint for some seasoned meats (which, it must be said, they attacked like true carnivores).

Sharing is Caring

C-bao attempts to eat a frozen dessert, only to be ambushed by her older sister. 

"Hmm...this looks pretty yummy"

K-bao: "What you got there, C-bao? By the way, you love me, right?"

C-bao: "Wait a sec, sis...just hang on one minute...easy there..."

#ASisterIsForever

Medusa

"Excuse me, Daddy, who did this to me?"

(Who else?)

#ASisterIsForever

Paint

Here are the sisters enjoying some quiet painting time this weekend.

C-Pop: "What are you painting, C-bao?"
C-bao: "Can I drink this water?"
C-Pop: "No. What are you painting again?"
C-bao: "I am painting..." Takes a quick glance down where she is splashing some purple on several other colors..."Lion!" Naturally.

Jig

On a recent visit to C-Grandmum's home in Los Angeles, the two sisters perform a little dance to Taylor Swift's Shake It Off, which somehow infiltrated the family song list recently.

C-bao bunny hops vigorously in the back, providing some solid complementary moves to sister K-bao's boogieing.

Fillmore Jazz

Aunt Carol's family was in town over the independence holiday, and after church on Sunday C-bao took her cousins Justin and K-K to the Fillmore Jazz Festival.

The largest free jazz festival on the West coast, the Fillmore Jazz Festival routinely draws 100,000 visitors. Legendary Fillmore Street is entirely shut down to traffic, and music lovers pack the road and listen to the latest jazz beats from the California Jazz Conservatory Ensemble, Kim Nalley, Blue Grazz, Jungle Biskit, Native Elements and many others.

This was C-bao's first exposure to live jazz, and she grooved it. Couldn't stop moving her feet. Below you can see C-bao bringing out the Feraba African tap dance routine, with sister K-bao jumping in on the action as well, followed shortly by Cousin K-K.

Negotiating an extra bite of froyo from C-Mum

Sister K-bao with her well-rehearsed "Studied Indifference" look

Sumo

Occasionally, C-bao's sister K-bao likes to initiate a little rough 'n tumble. C-bao doesn't back down; in fact she welcomes it and is happy to throw her weight around.

Here are the siblings at the park last weekend.

Negotiations

In the early days, C-bao's interactions of give-and-take with older sister K-bao were relatively one-sided, particularly given the natural business proclivities of her sister. In general, she typically found herself either sweet-talked or strong-armed into handing over whatever it was that was the subject of discussion.

These days, C-bao is increasingly holding her own. In the difficult negotiations around the coveted Magnatiles, for example, C-Pop observed C-bao using the following lines effectively:

1. "Let me think about it." (this she repeats several times to buy time)
2. "Nope"

Of course, as her sister's teachers have noted, K-bao can be "endlessly persuasive" when it comes to her agenda, and C-bao soon found herself cooperating anyway. Of course, in the end nature won out - C-bao had to drop everything anyway in order to make a quick run to the bathroom!

Fob Pose

C-bao attempts to do the Asian Fob Pose for the picture but can't quite pull it off. That stubborn third finger keeps sneaking in there.

"Beware of the Girl in the Purple Mask"

Walking & Talking

Here is C-bao walking the streets of San Francisco, rather loudly and colorfully, with sister K-bao on a lazy Saturday afternoon. What they are saying, of course, is a mystery to all.

Just Playing

"Um, K-bao, what are you doing to your sister?" inquired C-Pop.

"Oh, nothing," replied sister K-bao innocently.

Little did C-bao know that her sister had laid her out like a roast suckling, about to be braised in a high-temperature oven.

When confronted, K-bao insisted somewhat unconvincingly that that wasn't on her mind. Nor was she offering up any type of propitiatory sacrifice. Just to assuage us, K-bao arranged the various fruits quickly on the ground and hopped in herself. "See, Dad? No big deal."

Potty Joke

"It's hard for anyone to make me laugh," said sister K-bao last night in the car, with a serious but proud face.

A few seconds later the following conversation took place.

C-bao: "Where are we going?"
C-Mum: "To a party, C-bao. Remember I told you? Sister K-bao's friend is having a party."
C-bao: "Pah-tee?"
C-Mum: Yes.
C-bao: (Pause)..."Why are we going to the bathroom?"
K-bao: HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Seriously, you couldn't make this stuff up. 

Hike

C-bao enjoyed a hike with the family and Uncle Calvin (Jiu Jiu) last weekend at Mount Davidson Park.

Despite looking like she couldn't care less in the above pics, she actually enjoyed herself - largely because, instead of having to exert any energy, she was carted around like royalty in a special hiking backpack pretty much the entire way.

She also has been spending some extra time these days with Jiu Jiu, who has always been held in high regard by the little one. Notice the affection below.

C-Pop was also able to take some nice shots with the girls.

"Smile softly and carry a big stick"

Chitchat

Little C-bao, at 2.5, has become quite the conversationalist. Pick the topic - life, love other mysteries - and C-bao has an opinion.

Sister K-bao is a bit of a chatterbox herself, and together the two of them can go on endlessly.

Below is a snippet caught at the park of the two girls chatting it up. At one point, K-bao has to remind C-bao to let her finish before adding her own perspective.

A bit later on the walk the two girls discuss (1) who is "big" (concluding that they are big and C-Pop and C-Mum are small); (2) who their favorites are (C-bao singles out Uncle Calvin, a.k.a. Xiao Jiu, while K-bao includes a broader swath of the extended family, during which time C-bao reminds her sister not to leave out WZ Shu-Shu); (3) avoiding water on the ground, and sundry other topics.

2015

C-bao wishes everyone love, joy and peace in 2015! Happy new year all!

"Progress is everyone's business"

Let's move forward in 2015!