Happy 2008!

Today is my 21st month birthday! I am well on my way to being two years old, when I will no longer be a baby.

I have had a fantastic 2007. In January and February, we were in Taiwan attending my uncle's wedding, my aunt's wedding, and celebrating Chinese New Year. Then we returned to Seattle and my mom started working again after her maternity leave and I had a fantastic nanny named Sherie. I still talk about her and her dog, Kobuk, all the time. In 2007, I had my first birthday, took my first steps, went on my first hike, went camping for the first time, picked my first strawberry, spoke my first sentences in English and Chinese, had my first haircut, posed for my first modeling gig, learned how to use the potty, swam in a pool then in the ocean, went to Vancouver, England, Germany then to Hawaii and finally Taiwan. It has been a very eventful year and I am lucky to have so many people around me who adore me.

For 2008, we are looking forward to more adventures in Taiwan and abroad.

My new year hopes are:

• Eat more Chinese food
• Play with more friends

My mom's hopes for me are:

• Keep being a happy child
• Learn more Chinese

and lastly but most importantly,

• Be the first child ever to not go through Terrible Twos

Baby Fish!

Today my mom took me swimming at a public pool. I can now blow bubbles in the water and kick really hard with my legs and splash water everywhere. The lifeguard made us wear swim caps for sanitary reasons. This is different from the pool we used to go to in Seattle. Even though I don't really like to wear hats anymore, I kept my swim cap on because my mom told me it looks pretty.

Happy Christmas!

Today is Christmas day, the second one I've celebrated in my life. My friend Nina and her parents celebrated with us this morning.

My Busy Sunday!

Today we went to a Christmas Party with the Taipei City Playgroup. It was held at a nice house with a large playroom full of toys. My mom asked if I wanted to move in to this house and I nodded my head. That night, we went to a steamed dumpling place in a resort seaside town that was kind of far away but the food was good. I especially liked the soup they had. I can now pick up the whole bowl of soup and drink the broth without spilling it too much.

My Busy Saturday!

Today we took my friend Nina and her parents to Danshui and had wonton soup. Then my Ahma came over and cooked dinner for all of us. She said that because it was winter solstice, we had to eat tang yuan (glutenous rice balls) so she made our solstice dinner. Then my uncle and aunt came over so it became a big family gathering, which is what people do during winter solstice. I got a little jealous when my Ahma was holding my friend Nina but I am learning to share – not just toys but also my family members.

My Busy Friday!

Friday was a very big day! My friend Nina and her parents came to visit us from Seattle on Friday morning. I had fun playing with her and learning to share toys with her. I then went with my mom to a Ladies' Lunch at G'Day Cafe. There, we met up with other moms and babies and I got to flirt with other customers at the cafe. We had American food (sloppy joes and brownies with ice cream) which was pretty good. After lunch we went to a park where I modeled T-shirts.






On Friday night, the school I go to part-time had a Christmas recital. I got to dance to songs like "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Jingle Bells". I was a bit scared when Santa Claus came out. For one, he looked Asian and was fairly thin. Also, he passed out things my mom wouldn't let me eat (chocolates and hard candy).

Later on Friday, after I had gone to bed, my dad finally came home from England. I had been missing him all week so it was a nice surprise to see him in the bed when I woke up in the morning.

The Beach!

Today my mom took me to the beach. We took a ferry across the Tamsui river to a place called Bali. There we walked on the boardwalk at Left Bank Park. Then I got to play in the sand!

I Can Count!

I am counting a lot now in both Chinese and English. I don't always have the order right but I've got up to 10 in Chinese and up to 5 in English now.

New Sweater

My mom made a sweater for the first time and it was for me! It's an Aran cable sweater – for the Irish in me!

I had another big weekend with my Ahma and uncle and aunt. We spent the weekend at my Ahma's house. She bought a baby doll for me as an early Christmas present. I've been putting the baby in the high chair and feeding it and putting the baby to sleep.

Today my mom took me to Danshui riverside park for a walk and we saw some ponies. I kept saying, "Sit!" to mean I want to ride the pony. Here are the pictures to prove I rode a horse today for the first time!

More Playdates!

Today we hosted a playgroup and had lots of friends over. We ate yummy muffins that Harvey and his mom brought from the Hyatt. We sang "Michael Finnagin", then played and played. It's great to make new friends!

Paint!

Today we went to a playgroup and did some painting with brushes. It was a lot of fun. Check out my photos!

E-I-E-I-O!

I am constantly singing and humming and making up songs to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" Now I've got a new song that I've been singing for the past few days. It's E-I-E-I-O! I can't sing the "Old McDonald" part yet but I am trying!

Lasagna!

Yesterday my mom made lasagna for the first time in Taiwan. Some ingredients like ricotta cheese were hard to find but my mom was able to find it after searching. The lasagna was so yummy that I kept saying "Lasagna!" over and over again. My mom reminded me that my nickname is "Anja Lasagna!"

Lots to Do!

My mom has been behind in updating my daily life because we've been very busy. Last Friday we had a "Ladies Lunch" at a Thai restaurant with other moms and kids from a playgroup. After that we went to an indoor playground called Playspace. I didn't want to leave! In the first two pictures, I am playing in the sandbox with Brendan and Georgia.

On Saturday we went Christmas shopping for my grandparents in Seattle. We hope they like what we picked out.

Then on Sunday, we went to my mom's cousin's engagement banquet. It was held at the World Trade Center and it was really posh. As usual, I was the star of the event, along with the bride. Lots of people took turns holding me and taking pictures with me. I ate lots of yummy food. After the banquet we took a walk to Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world. The last two pictures show us at the engagement banquet.

Paint!

My mom took me to a playgroup today and we played with puzzles, then did finger painting, and then had a snack. It was a lot of fun. I found out I didn't like the red paint on my hand. Yellow was great so I made a painting that was mostly yellow.

Happy 20th Month Birthday to Me!

If you correct my age, then I am still 18 months but I am acting like I am already 20 months. I spent the weekend at my Ahma's (grandmother) house and I learned a lot of Mandarin and Taiwanese. My Ahma kept showing me off to her friends and neighbors. I was very good when my mom left to get a haircut and my Ahma babysat. I even let her put me to bed. That's not something I let everyone do!

My Ahma and my mom took me shopping on Saturday. I am discovering that I love girly things like purses and of course shoes. Then on Sunday, we had lunch with my mom's great aunt and uncle. Does that make them my great great aunt and great great uncle?

My dad came home from a business trip to Japan on Sunday and he brought me a hand-made wooden spoon. We are still very sad about the fork we lost at the restaurant at the Hyatt. That was my favorite fork. My parents loved it too because they bought it in Bamberg, Germany and it was the fork I learned to eat with.