SHE's got rings

SHE is hula hooping at the Bay Area Discovery Museum

SHE is watching the puppet show

SHE is on the ferris wheel

SHE's at Fairyland

SHE loves merry go rounds

SHE's playing in the driveway

SHE is with Chris and Kim

SHE's on a Sunnyvale hay ride with Max and Aria

SHE walked one mile to Petco (and slept on way back)

John D. Morgan Park in Campbell

Today I had to run an errand in Campbell.  I brought Ayi and Sierra along to explore a new park.  It was perfectly designed for Sierra with 2 playhouses with tables/counters facing the outside for cooking Sierra style (making piles of sand on the table and calling them various dishes, cookies, etc.). Sierra immediately spotted and went to one of the playhouses.  She started "cooking". There was another older girl "cooking" in the other play house.  Then another girl (5 years old) arrived at the park, surveyed the scene, and joined Sierra to cook (She chose Sierra and not the other girl closer to her age in the other house, for whatever reason).  Her Indian (grandma or nanny?) called her at one point and she said "No, I want to play with her." ("her" being Sierra!)

 

Sierra was enjoying playing with her so much. (The other girl cooking originally in the other house joined too.  Sierra was popular!) She didn't want to stop to pee and peed in her pants. We had to chase her down to change her pants. Sierra finally stopped but told the girl "Please wait for me!" and she did.

 

Later when it got hotter, I told Sierra she could play in the water if she wanted to. There were these rings that squirted water. She loved this! 

 

The pictures below are in random order. Somehow sending photos from the cell phone do not arrive in chronological order.

Her favorite book these days

is the picture dictionary. She has this Chinese - (British) English picture dictionary from the Salvation Army bookstore that Mudder had picked up randomly last year. She did not take interest as a baby, but recently has really, really become hooked.  Every night she asks to read it. I skip pages otherwise it would take forever. And more and more, she notices me skipping pages and insists on going back.

Then I decided to get her a quality picture dictionary from the Mtn View library. I got the Scholastic picture dictionary, with 700 words. It keeps going on and on. I've read it cover to cover 3 times already and she still wants to read more.

It's so funny!  Even if I speed read the dictionaries and just say all the words as quickly as possible, she perfectly enjoys this. For fun, I will randomly say "Daddy" or "Gran gran" or "Ayi" and she will say "Nooooo... that's a parachute! (or whatever it is)"  She finds this funny. I find this cute!

SHE set up a birthday party

 

Jaden's mom (Jen)'s birthday party was at Burgess Park in Menlo Park on Saturday 8/18.  It was the 2nd birthday party that S has been to recently, after Skyla's at Mitchell Park.  Sierra really enjoys the part where everyone gathers and sings Happy Birthday.  After coming home from Jen's, that night, she spontaneously put on her apron (who knows why), gathered all her stuffed toys, and sat them down and said it was a birthday party and she sang happy birthday. Josh got it on video (though it didn't save) and then got a (less interesting) version on video.

 

Sierra will be all ready when it comes time for her birthday!

SHE is holding shadowhands

SHE says Happy Birthday Jenn!

July 3@shoup park

Here are some old pictures I forgot to post from Shoup Park on July 3. Mixed in are some pictures of her playing in the sand from Bubb Park.  She was building a "house" by sticking in all the wood chips methodically in the sand, one by one.  Where did she get this idea? There were two older girls (7 ish) who were building a village in the same way. She did an amazing job!

Skyla's birthday party

Skyla's 3rd birthday party was at Mitchell Park, which has a great playground.  She invited a girl named Holly, who had coke bottle glasses. Holly was 5 years old and Skyla's neighbor.  She was completely taken by Skyla and took Skyla all over, holding her hand. Sierra followed them everywhere and kept asking Holly to do the same with Sierra, e.g., hold her hand to help her on the bear statue, etc. But Holly made it a point to exclude Sierra, which was very disheartening. At one point, she "explained":  "I know Skyla because I've been to her house." (and therefore I will ignore Sierra).  At one point, Holly threw sand in the air and it landed on the Skyla and Sierra's hair.  Talk about a B with a capital B. I had to think of some way to explain this behavior. I told Sierra that Holly was Skyla's babysitter. That's why she had to be with Skyla.  And she was a bad, bad babysitter.
Unfortunately, Sierra still kept calling Holly "her new friend."

Finally the agony ended when Sierra met another girl Olivia. Oliva was about 6 or 7 and had 2 other older fairy friends. She told Sierra she could be a fairy too.  So the older fairy friends took Olivia around and told Olivia "Bring your new fairy friend" (Sierra).  Sierra had such a blast. We didn't leave the park until it got dark (8:15)!

Sierra's new friend Lila, age 3.5

From: Jane Corpos <jcorpos@gmail.com>
To: "cloverh@yahoo.com" <cloverh@yahoo.com>
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2012 9:07 PM
Subject: Re: playdate?

Hi Clover,

It was such a wonderful playdate.  The girls played so well we hardly had to parent them at all!  Much credit goes to Sierra and her exceptional sharing.  I was talking to my mom earlier today and I said "you know, I think Sierra might be Lila's first 'kindred spirit'".

Let's absolutely do a playdate next week, here at our place.  Let's do Wednesday morning.  Is 10:30 good again?  10am is fine for us as well, if you won't be rushing yourselves.  Let me know!

We are at 845 Burgoyne Street, the peach house with the boisterous bougainvillea and the bronze Outback.

It is nice to hear that Sierra is an animal lover.  It think she will enjoy meeting Jasper.  I'll control the introduction so she won't be overwhelmed by canine affection, and if he makes her (or you) nervous in any way I'll pop him in his crate.  Not even a problem.

I hope you enjoy the weekend.  Is is supposed to be hot?  I feel like I heard something to that effect.  We are in a funky little attic-less ranch so we really bake in the afternoons on hot days...wish us luck!  :)

"Hi" to Sierra!

Jane

On Aug 10, 2012, at 2:22 PM, cloverh@yahoo.com wrote:

Oops, I meant Tues or Wed. (Though Thurs could work, I have a noon meeting, and would have to leave around 11:30.)

From: "cloverh@yahoo.com" <cloverh@yahoo.com>
To: Jane Corpos <jcorpos@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2012 2:21 PM
Subject: Re: playdate?

Hi Jane,

Thanks again for coming over yesterday!  It was great to meet you and your girls, who both are so social and verbal at their age! Sierra had such a wonderful time meeting kindred souls!   Would you still be interested in another playdate next week? We're open Wed and Thurs morning.

Clover

From: Jane Corpos <jcorpos@gmail.com>
To: "cloverh@yahoo.com" <cloverh@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 7, 2012 9:16 PM
Subject: Re: playdate?

Hi Clover,

We'll come to your place.  I think the girls and I have a touch of cabin fever this week so a playdate out will be just the thing.  10am this Thursday.  We'll be there!

Cheers,

Jane

650-906-3230

845 Burgoyne Street

On Aug 7, 2012, at 7:05 PM, cloverh@yahoo.com wrote:

Hi Jane,

That is so great that Lila is excited to see Sierra again too!  How about Thursday morning, say 10 or 10:30?  We could meet at my home or yours, it's up to you. I work flex time, so I can go either way. I often take time off to hang out on Sierra's playdates. :)

Looking fwd to it!  And that was also Sierra's first time to that park, so definitely a stroke of luck!

Clover (Huang)

947 Mountain View Ave

650-968-2945

From: Jane Corpos <jcorpos@gmail.com>
To: "cloverh@yahoo.com" <cloverh@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 7, 2012 3:32 PM
Subject: Re: playdate?

Hi Clover,

It is excellent to hear from you!

My goodness, yes, Lila and Sierra really hit it off.  Lila talked about Sierra all through lunch, detailing the many games and set-ups they could do together.  We would love to arrange a playdate.  We are free the rest of this week, and next week as well.  The girls nap from 1-3 each day.  We are happy to come to you, if that is easier (your mom mentioned that you sometimes work from home), or host you at our place.  Lila is keen to have Sierra join her for "JUMPING TIME!!" on her bed.

This was our first outing to that particular park, what a stroke of luck to meet Sierra.  I am very impressed with her verbal and social skills.  She is quite grown-up for her age.  A couple of times Sierra was obliged to take care of business--shoe change, potty--and each time she carefully told Lila to wait for her, that she would be right back to continue their play/work.  It was really cute.  

I enjoyed talking with your mom.  She seems awesome.

Hope to see you soon,

Jane

On Aug 7, 2012, at 1:42 PM, cloverh@yahoo.com wrote:

Hi Jane,

My mom just came home and told me about how she met two very smart and sweet girls (Lila and Daisy) at the park today and how much fun everyone had playing!  Sierra has been talking nonstop about it too.  Would you be interested in having a playdate another time?  It would be great to meet you too!  I heard you live near Safeway on Shoreline. We also live close by downtown Mtn View.

Clover

Finally willing to try it

We have never tried giving S peanut butter since we suspect potential peanut allergy.
However, I have been trying to give her sunflower seed butter for the longest time.  Everytime I eat a sandwich with it, I show it to her and ask if she wants to try. She loves sunflower seeds so I tell her mommy chop chop chopped sunflower seeds to make it. I carefully (most of the time) avoid using the word "butter" since she does not like butter (or at least not knowingly. She'll eat it in cookies!)

Anyway, this week (Monday?), I was eating toast with ss butter and she actually said "yes" she would try it!  And she liked it (of course!)  Today I gave her 2 small slices of toast with ss butter. I just called it sunflower toast or sandwich. I sprinkled sunflower seeds and wheat germ (two of her faves) on top for good measure. She ate them!

Now lunch packing will be so much easier! (knock on wood)

SHE's at the Japanese garden with Jaden

SHE's on Roaring Camp Railroad

SHE fell asleep on the way to the train

Sierra's counting prowess

Sierra can count to (at least) 10 in English (she's close on 11-20) and 20 in Chinese. The funny part is when she reaches 20 in Chinese, she says shi shi (instead of er shi), which is actually logically correct!
Being able to count is one skill. Being able to count objects (and keep track of them with your finger or in your head) is another.  Sierra can count objects up to 10 most of the time, and definitely up to 5-6.

She also understands the concept.  Tonight, I asked her how many bowls of rice she had (I was at Whole Foods during dinner and did not know.) She said, "3 bowls." I responded, "3! That's too much!"  She said, "No, 3's not too much. 4 is too much. But 3 is OK."  (Sierra likes to repeat and explain her logic to us. This is a great example of that.)

She also will often negotiate the number you count to before you shut off the light or do something else she wants to delay (she picks a higher number) or speed up (she picks a lower number).

SHE's driving the car ride

SHE made new fairy friends

At Skyla's birthday party

SHE is driving

SHE knows what she wants at Gilroy Gardens

This is the first time Sierra planned out the rides we were going to do at GG. She held onto the map and said first we will ride the merry go round. After the merry go round, she said we will ride the toddler merry go round. After the toddler merry go round, she said we will ride the car ride. Then she said we would ride the caterpillar and then go to see the Curious George show.  But daddy jumped in and said we could squeeze int he boat ride before the show. Daddy was wrong because all the shady seats were taken!  Ha! We should have stuck to Sierra's plan!  

Previously, we would ride each ride multiple times and then suggest other rides to get her going to the next ride!

To get her to leave Gilroy Gardens, I suggested we pick out a toy. We walked up to a toy stand and she immediately picked out a Beanie baby with big eyes. Josh and I tried to suggest other toys, but she stuck with her initial choice. (So not like mommy, who has to analyze everything!)  Anyway, we were calling it a cat all this time, but by the time we got to the car, she announced that it was a guinea pig, not a cat.  The tail was short, I remarked. And she agreed. And she added "And there are no whiskers."  Hmm... We got home, and I googled her Beanie baby, and sure enough - it was a guinea pig!  http://store.ty.com/newtys/tyshop_items_preview.cfm?ITEM_NO=36037  (Later we even showed Oscar and Oliver, our neighbors the toy and they both thought it was a cat.)  I am still not sure - do guinea pigs have whiskers?

SHE's crossing

SHE's playing Halloween