The Senakams | Corgi + 3

Happy 9th Birthday, Bryson!

2013-01-24T22:43:03-08:00

Happy birthday to you,
happy birthday to you,
happy birthday dear BRY-SONNN!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

(Wow, you're 9, that's like 63 in human years!)

Hold on, cow herding dog boy! That apple pie is a decoy. Your realy birthday "cake" is even better... think beefy and juicy and smothered with cheese, yum... I would have a video to show for it if I'm not having these technical glitches. Oh well, have to try again later.

And a big, big hug from your little sister Eva. Seems like you guys have been siblings forever, but it wasn't that long ago when this strange-smelling bundle landed in our home... *sniff sniff*

Look forward to many, many more happy birthdays with you kids. Nite nite :)

OMG! Santa WAS here!

2012-12-26T07:03:00-08:00

Ho ho ho! Hope you all had a wonderful X'mas with your friends/ families. Today, at our household, we've witnessed a significant milestone- Eva is officially converted as a santa believer.

Recall not long ago (well, exactly 2 posts ago if you care to flip back), X'mas was just a fun day to rip into gift-wrapped toys. There was no expectations whatsoever. But since we loaded up on X'mas-related books @ Borders' 50% off post-holiday sale last year (yeah, back when Borders still existed, sad...), we have been VERY prepared for this guy called Santa this year.

To prepare for the big day, we excitedly wrote Santa a letter (she tried really hard to sign her name correctly)...

And left out cookies and milk by the fireplace (that's 3 fingers for only 3 cookies for santa, I love you but please don't eat all my cookies...)

Look at her reaction this morning when she discovered the plate of crumbs and empty cup and Santa's "response" to her letter... (everything was put behind the fireplace screen overnight, so we'll know that if the food was consumed, it's DEFINITELY Santa, and not Bryson).

(Pardon the technological glitch, I'm not sure what happened with youtube, but you'll have to enjoy a video of Bryson gnawing on his X'mas present before Eva's santa-discovery video. Yes, it's a bully stick, yuck, but he sure enjoys it)

OK, hope you were able to watch Eva's video. If her face wasn't precious enough, check out @1:10 again, where she said with that little voice while covering her mouth "He came." (actually she said "he comes", I guess we haven't quite mastered tense of irregular verbs yet).

And we tried to stay basic in the presents department, sticking to books and board games and wooden toys. I think she's had enough stimulation/ couch-potato time given how much high-tech media she comes across every day, and also I find myself quite nostalgic about these toys, maybe I'm just getting her what I thought I would have loved as a kid...

And she's going through a total Nutcracker phase, in fact, the one thing she asked from Santa this year is a "big nutcracker doll". I had to tell her that it's too big to fit down the chimney, and persuaded her that a nutcracker paper doll activity book is even better... (so far she's buying it, whew)

And our little ballerina finally got her first pair of ballet slippers...

Bryson helps opening gifts too! And he's getting very good at knocking down wooden marble runs that I painstakingly built... thanks, Bry...

And I hope we've hammered in Eva's head how lucky she is, and the holiday is as much about giving than it is about receiving, yada yada yada... In fact, I've sat down with her to watch a number of documentaries about kids who don't have enough to eat or a roof over their heads, as a preparation before our annual Thanksgiving holiday meal delivery. So much so that one morning, upon climbing into our bed in the morning, she stared at the ceiling and said "I'm very lucky... we have a little bit of money, so we can buy food, and hot water". Both Jacques and I rubbed our eyes and looked at her like "hmm...?"

Since even my 3 year-old understands how lucky she is to have food and hot water, I guess I also have to take stock of how fortunate I am this holiday... it may sound corny, but what makes every holiday special is inevitably the friends (who for us really is family) who we get to spend time with...

And extra lucky for us this year, real family who came to visit (hi Uncle Allan and Auntie Sue!)

And extra-super-duper lucky for us this year, not only old neighbors whom are still near and dear to us, but new neighbors we're just getting to know, who're turning out to be some truly wonderful and special people... like our neighbor's teenage daughter below, whom Eva absolutely adores (and begs to play Princess game with every time they're together).

While I'm happy that Eva is old enough to appreciate holiday spirit and is so full of wonder and fascination about Santa, part of me also can't believe that I have spent so much energy to lead her to believe something that's fabricated, which makes her think that all the toys we've bought with our hard-earned money come from this fictional guy from the north pole whom she's never really met, and this whole lie is something that we'll have to perpetuate for years to come just so we won't break her tender little heart...

Oh well, guess that's all too late now. You can see in her eyes that Santa is now as real as the toys he's left with her. But perhaps that will give us more ammunition for the "if you want to stay on Santa's good kid list, you gotta be good" argument. Ho ho ho!

And here are other pictures of what we've been up to this holiday season, coz god knows when I'll have time to update the blog again (hopefully not another year...):

Yummm, holiday cookies baking! Especially "useful" when it's a rainy day and you need some activities to keep your 3 year-old occupied. They're quite good at sprinkling at this age ("some for cookies, some for me...").

My latest fad is planting succulents. Aren't they so cute? Hope to grow a green thumb now that we live in a space surrounded by greens. Planted these little ones in pots that Eva helped decorate for her teachers at school.

Another one of the 2- and 4-legged kids. Just coz they're adorable!

Ooh... a real fireplace! First time in my life, stuff of my dreams... and apparently Eva's now too, since Santa finally has a way to get into our place.

Hope everyone's enjoying their holiday, and wish you all a very happy new year too!

A Very Belated Letter to Eva: One Year Later...

2012-11-21T14:50:05-08:00

Dear Eva,

Mommy has to confess. I've broken a very important promise to you. It was with fanfare that I declared your birthday as the "Annual Write my Daughter a Letter Day" just a little over a year ago, and as you can see, this blog has seen nothing but cricket chirps since, and I have written you jack, zip, nada... this whole, entire year.

So where have I been? By the time you can read this, you probably won't recall any bit of this whirlwind of a year we've had. 2011 was the year we took on an adventure around the world, and in 2012, we took on a different adventure, the kind of journey that took our lives to a different place in an unexpected way...

Let's see if we can sum it up in pictures (and videos)... be ready, it'll be a looong one, here we go...

After having spent 2 and a half precious years with you at home, your Super Dad decided it's time for him to go back to work. It was bittersweet, there were tearful goodbyes and exciting late night excursions to the hotel to pick daddy up. With some difficulty, mommy has to quickly grow up and learn how to be mommy again, but it was evident that you were ready to let go and grow up yourself. And grew up you did...

You were 2 going on 15...

OK, calm down, we didn't actually let you drink that delicious glass of chardonnay, well, at least not that time...

You've also grown a lot more physical this past year. It looks like when daddy let go of his white-knuckled grip nurturing hand, your inner dare devil was unleashed.

And now, you like to tear up the asphalt on your balance bike...

And enjoy exhilarating sleigh ride courtesy of Bryson (at almost 9 Bry Bry is still going strong!):

But it doesn't matter how many blue and green outfits I put you in (which seems to be a lot), there is a girly side of you that is dying to burst out and show the world your pinkest, fluffiest, twirliest ballet moves (and check out those expressive hands)...

Well, it'll be a few more years before you go to Julliard, so in the mean time, let's remember you actually turned 3, and with that comes the momentous passage from toddlerhood to the next phase...

First day of preschool.

Even though you looked a little unsure here, we were pleasantly surprised how quickly you warmed up to school. In mere minutes after this photo was taken, you were off in their playground, climbing, swinging, digging in the sand, and never look back (all the tears belonged to your daddy and I on this first day). Your teachers at school says you're one of the most joyous, exuberant (I think they mean "loud" in a nice way) and kinesthetic (physical?) kids there. And we're just amazed how you learned all the kids (and their parents) names in the first weeks of school. You've even made some "best friends", Miles, Camilla... Words just can't describe how proud we are of you.

And to make up for the lack of a real birthday party last year when we were in China, we celebrated your 3rd one BIG this year, and yes, with a REAL fairy... Ooooh... you're still talking about "Daisy Fairy", and other moms are still cursing reminding me of it, LOL...

And you're always the good sister to Bryson, making sure he's well groomed and photo ready on your birthday.

And mommy is glad to have the excuse to break out my new laser cutting machine to craft your party invite. It took some trial and error and many trips to various paper stores, but I absolutely adore the final product, and the creative process is so therapeutic...

And creative therapy is something I unexpectedly had a lot of time for this year. Your daddy and I took a 180, as he re-embraced his work life and I left mine behind this summer...

Yay for my right brain! The luxury of being able to learn something new (laser paper cutting), catalog my archives of paper and fabric (whew!), whip up projects whenever I want (well, when I don't have my hands full taking care of you)...

Allow me to indulge myself in a not-so-brief recap of my creative endeavors...

Every fairy needs a hand made fairy wand, this one made from a huge mass of gingko tree clippings mommy diverted from a dump truck outside Emeryville city hall...

This is how much tulle goes into one little girl's tutu... absolutely nuts. And all of us exuded glitters from every orifice (uh hmm) for the next few months...

Crayon roll, just coz I feel like using some pretty fabric. Of course the crayons still prefer to roll around under the couch, behind bookcases and other general nook and crannies visiting dust bunnies.

Another project I get to use my laser cutting machine, Auntie Van's baby shower invite with a tea party theme. As you already know, you and Baby Austin are forever tied together by fate, when he decided to meet the world early so he can have the exact same birthday as you.

And let's not forget the 20 party favor bags the Senakam sweat shop mommy lovingly hand sewed in 3 days, while whipping you through potty boot camp (you were a total champ, no accidents after 2 days, woo hoo!)

And no, I didn't part time at a tattoo parlor, but did pick up face painting for fun, since you love getting your face painted at fairs, and mommy is, well, frugal, why pay someone to do it when you can do it by yourself, right? Don't ever forget you're half Chinese, frugality is in your blood.

And last but not least, the matching outfits for Halloween for you and Bryson! Now this is really becoming a yearly tradition, starting from Pharoah and sphinx, to vet and patient, red riding hood and big bad wolf, and now...

Fairy Princess and her Magical Steed... hee hee!

Wow, that was a lot of fun stuff we created together this year. And if you still wonder why mommy didn't have time to write you, well, remember when we dug up every single little thing in our loft, shoved them in boxes piled all the way to the ceiling, and one day hauled everything to this strange little house in the woods?

Yeah, we moved.

I won't miss the crazy, endless days and nights of purging and packing (that's your daddy reminescing in the old US Marine hat he dug up from the Crypt, you'll have to ask him about it)

But I'll miss sunsets like this from our windows...

The quiet little moments we shared in our home...

And the neighbors who have filled in as families since you were born...

And now, as we're just beginning to settle in our new abode in the woods, with Thanksgiving coming up in less than a day, I can tell you how truly thankful I am of having you in our lives.

Even though you're little and have to hold my hand when we cross the street, in so many ways you're the one guiding us through life in chaotic, turbulent times...

You remind me where my priorities should be when I'm confused and overwhelmed, you show me the beauty of a quiet moment between just you and me, you teach me that I still have lots to learn in the departments of patience, generosity and letting go, you remind me to own up to my emotions, and remember when to say "please", "thank you" and "I'm sorry"...

This post is going dangerously long already as it is, so I'm just going to conclude with some photos of our adventures this year. Love you, baby, looking forward to many, many more years of adventure with you, your daddy and Bryson.