Little copycat

There's a sore lack of pictures this week -- sorry!! But lots of fun stories, so hopefully that will help make up for the lack of pictures.

As always, Gymboree starts off our week, with Xinyi learning more and more about the sequence of events. For example, now she knows during parachute time we shake the parachute and pop the bubbles and look for Gymbo - in that order! And she wants to do it all by herself, like a big girl :).

She's also learning how to play more independently - stacking and re-stacking blocks, sounding out letters and numbers and pointing out pictures.

On Saturday, we had a belated birthday lunch with everyone in this picture! Yay, fun times!

Xinyi was a ham, putting on her sunglasses and waving to everyone!

Nai Nai couldn't resist getting a picture with her two grand babies!

Baby girl walks around the house mimicking what momma does - here she's carrying around a bucket like a purse!

And talking to her dolly, which she uses like a puppet!

Xinyi has really turned into a sweet little copycat right now, saying and doing everything we are doing! She just started saying please and more a week or so ago and yesterday she said amen! She closes her eyes and holds out her hand to pray before every meal. Mommy also taught baby how to ask for help, but she says, "Haaaaal" - like the name Hal. It's hilarious! But she's learning that if she asks for help instead of whining or getting frustrated, that she gets help very quickly!

She's sounding out new words every day and saying words she's been hearing for a while finally. In addition to please and more and help and amen, she's learning more colors and today she said turtle! The other day she said "key" like the keys to a door, because mommy said, wait, I need to get my keys!

She loves to jump and dance and do somersaults still. If you ask her to jump, she jumps up and down with one little leg leaving the ground. She's not ready for the other leg to leave the ground just yet! And when we sing "Ring around the Rosie" she knows when to fall down! While we were reading a book yesterday, I read out the words "love to twirl and spin around, until we fall down" and mid-book, Xinyi got up, went to a big open spot, sat down, then fell down all the way, got back up, ran back to me, sat in my lap and finished the book! So silly!

The other day, baby was wearing a shirt with a piece of cake on it and she looked at it, pointed at it and said, "cake, mmmmm!!!!" And many mornings, she will blow on her food before eating it. Especially if it's food momma is also eating. She thinks that's just what you do with food!!

Finally, Xinyi loves the kitty and wants to pet her all the time. Sophia isn't sure about that so baby girl mostly waves and says hi to the kitty. Baby also loves saying hi to characters in books, babies in strollers, and yes, of course, Elmo.

Sweet baby girl, keep on learning!!

Eeellmmoooooo....

This week, mommy didn't take that many pictures. But we have some from the weekend! We celebrated momma's 30th birthday starting with brunch at Fig Tree Cafe! Yum!

Here's a family selfie in a cool hallway!

I wanted to take pictures with my baby girl in her pretty Mae Li Rose outfit!

Xinyi got excited about pushing the camera button.

Until mommy said no more pictures...

Then baby got sad/mad...

Yup, really sad/mad...

It's okay, she recovered quickly. She's waving at the camera / herself. And then at night, we got to go on a date at a beachside restaurant! Yay!

The next day, we got a swim in at Uncle Bruce and Aunt Mary's. Beautiful weather for it :).

This week, Xinyi has been obsessed with Elmo... she asks multiple times a day for "Eeellmmmoooooo...." She learned how to eat a banana like a big girl from Elmo, and loves to catch balls, and loves to say fish when she sees Dorothy the goldfish. Yeah, absolutely obsessed...

She also lines up her dolls and plays with them like puppets. She's copying more and more things, like the song "Head, shoulders, knees and toes." She's adorable and loud and vivacious and we just love her so!!

"Puh-pull" and other colors

This week, Xinyi loves her colors! One day, we were learning and reciting colors and she was doing so well!

Baby, say purple! "Puh-pull"
Say Yellow! "Well-ohhh"
Say Blue! "Boooh"
Say Green! "Eeeeenn"
Say Red!

At this, Xinyi paused and pursed her lips and we thought she would say red, which she had never said before, but instead she shouted,

"Pie!"

:D!

Here's baby giving a questioning look. Which seems to be a favorite at the moment. 

Here's another inquisitive look!

I think she's trying to put a letter in between her toes?

On Thursday, yeh yeh and Nai Nai had great fun with Xinyi!

:P

Then the other night, Xinyi decided, after months of using a spoon correctly, to turn the spoon upside down and lick the bottom of the spoon to eat her yogurt!! It was hilarious!

Daddy says baby's hair looks longer in this pciture. It is! But only in the back. The front is still scraggly and we've never cut it!

Last night we had dinner with Grammy and Grampy and Xinyi loved her ice cream cone!

But she still had time to stop and say "cheese" for the camera!

Then at home, baby got some reading and cuddles in with daddy. 

Oops book in the face!

She loves copying him!

So yes, baby can now recite A through G and does so spontaneously just for fun! Daddy also taught her how to say one through five! Now she not only recognizes the numbers but can say them too! And she's getting far with her colors! Well except for pie (red) :)!

1, 2, 3!

I'm always amazed by the new things they come up with for the kids at Gymboree. Here are the kids being turned on an upside down half done!

Xinyi stated off the week with a big smile with yeh yeh in an oversized hat!

Then we had a nice play date with cami at the park! 

And some yummy dinner at golden city, yum!

Here Nathan is dancing to his favorite video. 

Baby girl is just watching :). 

On Labor Day we had a great time with Grammy and Grampy and auntie and uncle and the zipkids!

Daddy took Xinyi on a big chair ride indoors too. 

Finally, we took advantage of free museum day and played at the kid zone of Reuben H. Fleet! It's really great!

She was so engaged with all the activities available!

Peekaboo!

And this week, Xinyi decided to learn her numbers too. I guess it comes after the a, b, c's! 

Love you sweet baby!