Thank goddness Olympics is over, and...

the school starts tomorrow... She's going have tough time adjusting to the new schedule!

I'm really surprised how much she enjoyed watching the games and how much she absorbed from watching them!

Not only she finds her idol - Michael Phelps, she pretends melt down or crashed every time she hears/sees Michael on TV, she puts down whenever she's doing when she hears Michael's voice, she screams for him when he speaks or performs. OMG, I can totally see how she will be a drama queen in a couple years :-)

She picks up rules for gymnastics, diving, and beach volleyball, etc. It's so interesting to see that she judged one diver had less water splash than the other before commentator talked about it. She predicted which one will be out because of underperformance and which one should have the metal. She sighed when Misty May and Kerri Walsh missed any points and cheered for any good shots.

She gazed the screen when Nastia Liukin performed. Then, of course, she requests to join gymnastics class again and again…

Now she recognizes more national flags than I do, all the way from USA to China, to Jamaica, to Nigeria, to Germany, to Britain, to Australia... At one point when we watch swimming competitions, she can tell nationality by different colors/styles of swimming suits athletes wears!

It's funny, sometimes she confused between countries and states. She asked where is Maine or California? I guess because she overheard we talked about where the US athletes come from, she thought that's equivalent to a country, haha...

Here we're watching the closing ceremony, and she got so excited with the music from tv, and started dancing crazy, wearing three deflated balloons as a bicycle helmet! I think she got that idea from the performers on tv, thanks goddess, she's not imitating those climbing the tower!

Second Day...

This is picture from day 1 - took off socks and shoes, ate snacks, sat down checking out the surprises I prepared for her (some art craft scissors).

Look at the paper on the floor - stacks of paperwork for parents to read and sign off :-)Second day went well again. This time, I followed Kaitlyn and went in cafeteria while they're waiting to go to their classroom. (picture only show the crowd for the first five minutes) Kids line up based on their grades.

It's a lot of kids - small kids with big backpack :-)

As soon as she gets to the classroom, she finds girls' locker, hangs her backpack, takes out snack... I was wondering where is she going?

This is new from day 1, she must have learned this from her teacher yesterday.

Put snacks in the cubbie. She picks up class routine real fast, I'm so happy to see that :-)I hurried out off classroom after this, because the school bell rang, some parents are still talking to the teacher, then accidents happen - two boys dropped two whole box of stamps on the floor, one boy is crying... I can see Ms. Sanchez expression - what a great way to start the day, haha...

First Day of School!

The Wednesday before school started, we went to check out her class assignment. She is in Ms. Sanchez's class with 18 kids in her class. We went to meet the teachers on Thursday night. The big day finally came! I had no problem waking her up in the morning, she jumped off bed, put on the clothes she picked for herself the night before, ate breakfast, brush/comb again... here we come, off the road to bus stop (thank good the bus stop is right at the end of our street).

Doesn't she look so happy and confident! Even Feizai came out say bye to her :-)
Of course, as nervous as we are (maybe just me and daddy), we're the first at the bus stop! It's so quiet, where is everybody? haha...

Yeah, bus is here! Kaitlyn has been so looking forward to ride the yellow school bus!

Later, a lot more kids and parents got here, it's fun - moms chatting with coffee in hands, kids checking out the new faces, laugh and excitement from all. (For some it's exciting to send kids back to school so they can enjoy some relaxed time, for others like me, exciting to see what's coming up next...) Unfortunately, I won't have much opportunities to experience this with the group:-(

Kaitlyn was the last on getting on the bus, a little hesitated...

She turned back, waved at us, then walked down th aisle finding her seat! Up to this point, I don't feel sad at all, I'm so happy to see this...

Then as the bus rolled away, all of sudden, I feel tears circling in my eyes, soreness of my noses - she is gone! Just like this?! I don't want her grow up this fast, I wish she is still my little girl like yesterday!

Me and daddy walked to school after bus left, and arrived school about the same time. Buses line up in the parking lot, so do parents.

All of sudden, I feel these buses are so special, they carry hopes, loves, joys and curiosity for both kids and parents. Her bus was at the end of the line, but they got off the first. No school staff around? I'm wondering why? She followed big kids to the cafeteria. What a surprise to see daddy and mommy again, haha... Here she enters into the cafeteria and finds her way to kindergartener section. I didn't know how this is going to work. Looks like she figures it out... On the first day, we are allowed to walk to her classroom without checking in. She finds her name tag. Alright, we're set to start the new day :-) While some kids are crying and wiping tears, Kaitlyn is busy coloring! What a calm and easy girl! Maybe she is used to seeing kids (including herself) doing this at pre-school, haha!First day went pretty well. I forgot bring camera when picking her up. It's super hot outside and school bus has no AC! On our way home, I tried to help her with backpack, she rejected and said "no, no, no no!" seriously. OK, take it easy girl, I'm just trying to help:-)

Well, she is home now, look at the homework she brought home for me on the floor - lots of forms to sign off and guidelines to read!

Everything went well so far, thank good Kaitlyn has been going to school for a while, and Ms. Anny prepared them for real school. Of course, we've been talking about the big change for a while, she is so excited. Grandmas called to check on her and offered secrete survival tips. (I'm not sure what it is:-)

Save craziness for the last!

To celebrate back to school, our community held a big water splash party yesterday. We had so much fun, with food, music, prizes, and of course swimming!

Isn't this crazy?! Like boiling dumplings... haha

Dancing with Radio Disney

Can you find me and daddy? haha...

One big step for Kaitlyn yesterday, she can swim by herself without floater!

When we go to Lifetime every week, she kinds of knows how to swim by herself but still scares taking off floater in deeper water. All of sudden today, she swim to daddy all by herself!

That saves me money :-) I was going to sign her up for swim class, in that case, she would listen to the teacher better:-) Thanks for my hard work and Michael Phelps, haha :-)Go, Kaitlyn go!It was so nice that daddy volunteer to get as many balls as he can for the little ones who can not swim, standing around us :-)

Getting ready for school!

For real this time, Kaitlyn is going to school!

Even though I do enjoy doing all the preparations for her, I don't recommand other parents doing this at all, it's cheaper but time consuming. I did it because I forgot signing up to buy school supplies from PTA.

I enjoy doing this because I like trying out different coloring pens, excited looking at paper (don't laugh at me thinking I'm crazy :-) Plus I can choose the styles.

New experience for her, and new experience for us too.

Here we're doing final check to what's missing, there are few item I can't find it anywhere. II've been to 4 different stores multiple times already:-(

Olympics fever

As Olympics goes on, so is the Olympics heat in our house. This week, the TV is on every night, and the whole sits together enjoy it!

Everyday, the first thing Kaitlyn ask when she gets home is not about snack, is "where is Michael (Phelps)?" She wants US team to win more than anything else, she cheers for them, asks about the rule, sighs when if US team loss point. It's amazing how quick she picks up different game rules (of course based on what we know). Maybe inherited from daddy, she loves watching sports game! (It's like his family tradition everyone stays late to watch as many games as they can:-)

So this Sunday, we took her for ice-skating with a friend, it's such different experience and so much fun! She is willing to try, but still very cautious. After each circle, daddy took a break and sent her out of skate ring, she reminded daddy be sure come back get her!

See, she is all set to go - find her favorite dress and put on her dance tutu :-)

Hey, I'm ready to roll

Oops, almost! It's ok, daddy is behind me! (She actually told me it's acceptable to fell down twice today:-)

Haha, looks like mommy, but... it's not! (It's so funny, I'm about the same size, same height as my friend, she has a little girl two month younger than Kaitlyn)

Mommy's new car

I finally got a new car. We have been talking about buying a new car this year, but can't decide between a smaller sedan or stay with a SUV. Finally, when I saw this 2008 Tahoe, I know this is the one! It has everything I wanted. Of course I thought I was little crazy buying this big "oil sucker". We got pretty good deal, plus I'd rather pay for gas than interests :-) By then, I realize the reason I had been indecisive was I'm not willing to change to small car while waiting for better deals.

What's interesting is the very next day we bought the new car, my pickup started throwing temper at me. First, right-turn signal didn't work. I told my husband, my pickup wasn't happy, as "he" knows I'll dump him :-) Then this past weekend, I heard squeaky sound in the front. Hope everything works well before we sold it.


It's really strange, I had this pickup since 1999, the only problem I had once was window motors, that's it! I had many scratches on it, and several accidents from others, it's like the money I got from insurance is more than its value to be sold now! Now you ask me to sell it, I do feel sad. Think about, 8years, how many things "he" witness in my life, my trip to San Marcos two three times a week, one trip to New Orleans with 7 people in it, numerous trips to take Feizai to the park, moving from Austin to Houston, etc... "He" knows all of my friends and relatives, and he hears my thought when I'm driving (probably thoughts I never shared with my husband), haha...


I joked with a friend the other day, "he" has plenty of reasons not happy about. It's like I'm dumping my longtime muscular "boyfriend", move onto a new "family guy". And now, "he" has to share the garage with this "new guy", his old buddy of the black sedan was kicked out to small garage, even Kaitlyn enjoys riding new car better... What a life, "he" is part of our family for so many reason. I can't imaging when Feizai leaves us one day...

Boyfriend is back!

When I picked up Kaitlyn yesterday, they were outside in the playground. I saw her and Christian walking around side by side, and remembered Christian was gone more than a week on vacation. That's right, he is back today!

Then when she saw me, she ran to me not notice the curb. She felt face down big time. Ohh, that hurt!! She didn't cried at all, but smiled and told me it's ok. I almost had a heart attack!

Ms. Keisha told me something really cute. She and Christian had been hand-to-hand, talking all day. When she asked them what are they talking about? They instantly let their hands go, walked away in different directions, pretended nothing happened, and said "nothing! nothing!" Then turned around walking, chatting again, holding hands. She asked if they're catching up, they both laughed.

Ohh man, I wish I know what they were talking about! Ohh no, I shouldn't do that, I'd better not be the kinds of mom driving kids crazy, trying to find out everything they did. Haha...

fun weekend

I don't remember what were we doing last Olympics. I was probably busy changing diapers, haha. Thanks to blog, I'll know where I am this Olympics, haha...

Grandma, grandpa and Aunt Lynn came over, we watched opening ceremony together. Not that surprised, but still amazed with the performance. Must be extraordinary experience if sitting inside the stadium!

TV was on all day, switched between NBC and Chinese channel. My favorites are swimming, volleyball and tennis. I'm surprised Kaitlyn is also so drawn into the games as well. Whenever a competition came up, she would asked "where is my American?!" She cheered "Go! USA!!" all the way through. Haha, here she did high five with daddy after US won 400m relay. That was sooo exciting, I was holding my breath until the last 5secs, can't help yelling, jumping off the sofa.

Ohh, finally Kaitlyn starts her life playing on computer now. I was hesitated buying her any computer games, but she received several Webkinz and computer games for her birthday. There is no excuse not to open her presents, right?! Haha...

Since I only let her play Webkinz on the weekend, she finds opportunity to play MaJiang with daddy. Daddy said she is pretty good at finding matches. What a good example daddy is setting up!

I caught you, two computer nerds :-)I want to show you this one, some of her favorite Webkinzs and, daddy's very first tattoo

prepare for the storm

The news about tropical storm is everywhere, like a category 5 is coming again!

We barely had much rain in Katy at all. Kaitlyn's school is closed as a result of bad weather prediction, how many more excuses they need to close the school for another day. That's at least 2 to 3 unplanned school closing each month.

Well, I sure don't mind at all, I do enjoy any extra time with Kaitlyn. It's so funny, when she heard about school closing, she pretends surprised and being sad, asked "no school?! Ohh no..." then jumped up yelling"Yeah!!" I know she's so excited to be home as well, even though she's been complaining boring as well.

Ohh, here is what I'm writing about, almost forgot. I guess her teacher told them about the storm and asked them to help parents with preparing for the storm. So she has been reminding me about things on her checklist (in her mind) since I picked her up from the school. I joked with her I can't remember, her list is too long. Then she get this checklist for me when we got home, and checked off each item when it's done. I'm so amazed at how much she knows and can write, with clear idea of what she wants.

I'm especially touched when she came up with the last item to "take care of herself". I'm so glad to see this, that she knows taking care of herself is important.