Summer Sun

The sun is starting to set later now so Katy is rebelling when we start her bedtime routine while the sun is still shining. We all sat down to do a quick puzzle as a transitional quiet time before starting the bedtime routine proper.


We had a really lovely unrushed, unbusy, relaxed family day.

New tooth?

Katy seems to be growing another tooth. We'll have to take her to the dentist as apparently this is not supposed to happen. She already has her two premolars and she isn't supposed to grow more molars until her adult teeth come in.

Swing High

Dada is trying to teach Katy how to swing by herself.










But Katy loves to swing high! And Dada loves to oblige.

First Family Picnic

Today was a beautiful day - warm but not yet hot and sticky! And most of all, Dada has been feeling much better and today, we all went down to the beach for our first ever family picnic!! We've always entertained at home, and it's been busy, and somehow, unbelievably, we haven't yet been able to squeeze in this staple of dreamy family life.

But we did get a groovy zebra picnic mat recently!
There was a gorgeous cool breeze on the beach, and it was lovely munching on turkey, smoked salmon, brie, cream cheese, tomato and spinach croissants and sandwiches, while reading the Sunday paper.
Katy was more interested in playing than eating of course. She had a great time exploring with Dada.

Cuddling with Dada

Mama has still been pretty congested at night and sleeping in the guest bedroom as not sleeping well. So Katy has been bunking in with Daddy. And Dada has been the hero and getting up with Katy at 6 or 6.30 to play.

Dada has always been the best at playing games with Katy and getting her to focus. Katy really plays up for Mama when we try to do learning stuff.

This afternoon, they had a lovely cuddle practicing number-writing.

What a cutie! And Katy too!

Tagalog playdate

We still have a bit of a power struggle getting Katy to speak in the other languages she knows. She fully understands and can speak, but she is reluctant to do so, and will answer in English if she can get away with it. Mama is getting a little frustrated and also worried as there are many people who can fully comprehend a language but cannot speak it and although Katy is "only three", this is exactly the time when her language habits are being formed.

So we have started trying to have Tagalog playdates with Mary Jane, a K3 Filipina girl at her school. As usual, when I set up the playdate, I was told that Mary Jane spoke Tagalog. And she can. But it also turns out that she prefers to speak English and speaks English with her own family. Yet another reluctant Tagalog speaker!

They've had two playdates together. Not much Tagalog gets spoken. But they do have a lot of fun.

Here they are after a makeup session.

And here is Katy getting upset after Mama commented that there would be no more Tagalog playdates if there is not enough Tagalog spoken.

At least Mary Jane could cheer her up.

But she still stayed mad at Mama.


It's not that Mama is so mean and ambitious about foreign languages. It's that I have first-hand experience about how easy it is to lose a foreign language and let it slide and how hard it is to get it back and to learn a new foreign language as an adult.

Also, Katy has been extra grumpy this week and I discovered why last night. She is growing another molar on the back right hand side. She says it doesn't hurt or itch, but she sure is irritable.

Another day, another trip to Disneyland

The weather as been getting warmer, so Tia and Naan took Katy for another trip to Disneyland. We are packing them in while the weather is good and while Tia and Naan still have their annual passes.

It is a regular playdate now with Tia and Naan and another good opportunity to give her a Tagalog only environment. The routine is that Tia and Naan pick up Katy from school and they have a nice lunch together in Tung Chung. Then they take the MTR to Sunny Bay and then change to the Disney Train.
Katy is in her fairy phase now. Maxine tells me that Disney has carefully segmented the market and tailored the Princesses for the toddlers and the fairies for the preschoolers. However it has happened, Katy loves to be Tinker Bell.

And she gets quite a lot of admiring fans when she visits Disneyland.
Katy's special Disney treat is a big ball of pink fairy floss (aka candy floss in the US). Mama always insists that she gets it freshly made rather than in the prepackaged bags.
Of course, Katy is still thrilled to meet her favourite Princess, Aurora.
And this time, she was also delighted to meet Rapunzel for the first time.

Katy loves the parades and she seems to always be featured in the parades. Here it looks like she got to join in. I guess that's what happens when you are a regular visitor!
Katy got two rides on the carousel, which is still her favourite ride.
In addition to fairies, she is also going through a pony phase. She is obsessed with her horsey, which seems to be the alter ego now that justifies antisocial and naughty behaviour (as in, yes so and so can come for a playdate but she can't be near my horsey because she might make him sick).

Katy proudly told me that she rode on the horsey for the first time by herself! And then she giggled and said that it tickled her bottom. That made us all laugh.
Of course teacups. That's Mama's favourite. I guess she was being very unselfish and chose a blue cup as blue is Tia's favourite colour.
As always, there are several changes of clothes while at Disneyland. She is a very snappy dresser.

Day at the Museums

On Sunday we met in Tsuen Wan for the first leg of Kung Kung's birthday Hakka clan day.
Katy just loves being with Uncle Bert, Auntie Pinky and Gabriel. She is always asking if they will be visiting or meeting us whenever we go out.
It was mine and Katy's first visit to Tsuen Wan. Dada couldn't make it. We were delighted to find a Beard Papa right there at the MTR station. Katy's first custard puff.
In Tsuen Wan is the Sam Tung Uk museum, which is a traditional walled Hakka village.
Uncle Bert was great at taking Katy around and investigating all the exhibits.
Gabriel was very curious too. He loves to pucker up.




Afterwards, we drove to Tai Wai and had lunch in a divey restaurant with great authentic Hakka food.

Katy never eats anything at these family meals. She's way too excited and wants to play with everyone, especially Gabriel.
Michael and Xiao Yuan joined us for lunch.
After lunch, we drove up to Sha Tin to the Hong Kong Heritage Museum.
It was fantastic and we all enjoyed it a lot, especially the old Chinese artifacts gallery. Katy wanted to know what everything was and dragged Kung Kung around to make him explain to her. Who is this man? Is he really old? Is he dead? Where is he now?


Katy like to hang onto Uncle Bert's ears, just like she does when on Dada's shoulders.
There were some great interactive exhibits and films also, and...
best of all there was a huge children's area with lots of activities for the kids to practice being architects and restorers. It was really well done and Katy enjoyed it a lot.

One exhibit has them putting together a 3D puzzle of porcelain pieces, just like you would if you found old pieces at an architecture dig.

One exhibit has them using transparencies to design porcelain bowls.

And there's an aquarium that allows you to be inside the aquarium!


We didn't even get to do half of the stuff as we had to get going.

Uncle Bert and Auntie Pinky dropped us off at the DB ferry on the way home, with a short stop for Haagen Dazs enroute!