Dragonboat Festival

Despite terrible weather and an unfortunate setback in the first heat, Su-Ting's team emerged victorious, winning the gold plate!

THE WINNERS!

Party Animals

At a jungle themed birthday party

 

French Fry Fun

After a dip in the pool, we had lunch at the Club... the kids were starving! And Sasha, not know just how lucky she is, tried her first french fry... what's not to be happy about?

Sofie's Bag

We found this a bit funny. Cleaning up Sofie's Mimi-chan handbag, which she regularly packs, unpacks and repacks, and found it completely overflowing with random things she found necessary: several pens (like Daddy), a donut and french fries (snacks like Mommy), a handful of her Barbies' shoes, a few Cinderella dolls and spare outfits, and of course her Aurora mobile phone and a pink flowery compact. She is all girl.

Playdates, playdates, playdates!

Sofie the Socialite often has Girls' Nights In.... the agenda is generally the same and always involves lots of princess and fairy costumes, girly baths, and big social dinners!

Sasha's Head Banging

Sasha's new dancing - with her head

Summer Swimming

Summer is officially here.... we finally started spending time at the pool where Sofie very proudly parades around her baby sister, who has fearlessly taken to water like a fish!

Playsport Party

Some outdoor fun at a Playsport themed birthday party

Sofie and her friend, Chloe

The infamous trio, who can't seem to stay out of trouble when they are together

Gymnastics Club

Sofie's new gymnastics class

Mother's Day 2009

Sofie graciously hosted Mommy at her school's Mother's Day celebration, where we made a beautiful bouquet together (decorated with puffy heart stickers, of course) and did a little groovin'

On Mother's Day itself, Daddy indulged us in morning Mommy & Me Cappuccino and Babycinnos, and a good old hearty Sunday brunch where Sasha monkeyed around at the table...

Deep Water Bay Regatta

Su-Ting joined a dragonboat team! Their first race was at the Deep Water Bay Regatta.

Angela & Shen's Wedding

The final stop on our trip was at the gorgeous Renji Golf Resort for the wedding our Angela & Shen! Sofie was the angel flower girl, and it was a dream come true for her: she got to ride in a horse drawn carriage with the bride...

More Beijing

A happy pair after our scrumptious and authentic Peking duck dinner

Enjoying the huge adult swing where we were staying

This is Sofie's FAVORITE outfit. She has other clothes, really, I swear. But now that she knows where her clothes are, she MUST wear it every week, and often more than once if she finds out that it's been cleaned and available. Apparently the flouncy skirt trumps her [new] favorite color, pink.

Beijing Part 2: The Great Wall at Badaling & the Ming Tombs

We "climbed" the Great Wall of China (at Badaling) which was a big feat for young Sofie. To us, it was a gorgeous view and a historical moment. For Sofie, her anticipation had been building since she had been watching Dora's World Adventure, during which the last stop is the Great Wall. Of course, she applied it very literally and wanted to jump OVER the Great Wall, as well as inquired whether Dora's wall was also very dirty. And lastly, when we climbed down, she wanted to know: Where are the friendship bracelets that we were there to collect?!

"I DID IT, I DID IT, I DID IT, HOORAY!"

We also visited the Ming Tombs, which ended up really just being a visit to one emperor's massive tomb. I found it so difficult to believe that the emperor and his 20 concubines... AND his massive amts of priceless treasure... were actually still buried there, and that there really truly had been no one there trying to pillage it for personal gain?!

Beijing Part 1: Tiananmen Square & The Forbidden City

The Fu's at Tiananmen Square
(the children were underwhelmed so we did not stay long)

The Forbidden City was massive! We were a little unsure as to just how large it was, and spent over an hour putzing around the first courtyard, thinking that we had seen the entire thing. Little did we know we hadn't actually even gone in! Once we strapped on our audio tours and foraged on with our 2 strollers (which was masterfully learned to bump up and down loads of steps) we spent a good 5 hours there. We found it incredibly interesting and rich with history - and scandal! Sofie even loved it, particularly the marriage exhibit, of course.

Sasha about to "enjoy" the Forbidden City on a full belly!

She passed her time by playing "pull-my-socks-off-over-and-over-and-throw-them-and-lose-them". She had a rather good time...

No Blue Guy at the Forbidden City? Then I'LL be Blue Guy!

Imagine the girls back in the day

Sofie was really fascinated by the original artifacts... and channeling them!

Visit to Shanghai

Bubble tea at the night market

Some interesting finds at Marks & Spencer...

Look what we bought!

Sofie and Jolene meeting for the first time... looks like they hit it off!

Hanging out on the Bund
The 2010 Shanghai Expo's Mascot: Haibao
a.k.a., "Blue Guy" as Sofie has named him...

Haibao is a "人" (people)-shaped mascot that is apparently a goodwill ambassador for the Expo; he "is embracing friends from all over the world with his arms and confident smile".
Obviously. He had me at the wave.

Look at those confident moves!
We soon found ourselves in need of another stroller, in large part so Sofie wouldn't TOUCH anything...

A glimpse of the nicer side of Shanghai: Xintiandi

Sasha excited to eat at Din Tai Fong (of all places!)!
One last lovely dinner with Eric, Julia & Jolene