Forgot

One of K-Pop's chief pleasures is watching the expression on K-bao's face right before she does something deliberately naughty, when she is reveling in the delicious knowledge that she is about to break the rules.

O the joy! The juicy anticipation!

You can see it here at 0:13 right after she ensures K-Mum that she has not forgotten her promise to take only one grape at a time.

Of course, one of K-Pop's chief sorrows is dealing with all of the naughty things K-bao actually does, including the flaunting (observe the triumphant declaration "Two grapes!" afterwards).

But that impish expression almost makes it worthwhile.

Biblephile

K-bao shows off her piety (ironic, we know) by finding her favorite psalm in about 5 seconds.

Of course, it helps that the binding has been weakened there by her frequent meditations on the writings of David.

Manners

Here's K-Pop trying to teach K-bao a little manners. Admittedly, the exercise veered a little into bribery.

For the non-Mandarin speakers:

KP: "Let me ask you a question. What do you want to play?"

KB: "Opposites" (a Fisher-Price online computer game)

KP: "I see. You'd like to play Opposites on the computer. Well, how do you need to ask Daddy?"

KB: "Please!" (Bows). "Please play Opposites!"

KP: "A bow. Right. Daddy also wants you to dance."

(KB does a Feraba African tap dance).

KP: "Now sing a song."

(KB sings the Taiwanese folk song GeGeBaBa)

KP: "Daddy also wants you to ask in English."

KB: "May I? Opposites. Right now. Please."

KP: "Good job."

Kitchen

K-Pop pulled a near all-nighter yesterday assembling K-bao's new KidKraft Large Play Kitchen, shown above. Admittedly, a part of it had to do with K-Pop's circles of competence, which pointedly do not include arts, crafts, engineering, woodwork, furniture or any related subjects. Perhaps other contributors to the plodding pace were the multiple episodes of the latest season of 24 playing in the background and the couple glasses of red wine.

But in K-Pop's defense, the KidKraft instructions clearly countenance the high possibility of irritation, vexation and ill-humor on the part of the customer while assembling this product. In fact, the instructions start off by saying, "Before getting frustrated and returning the product...PLEASE LET US HELP!" (emphasis in original). Indeed, the "please let us help" part is then repeated 3 times in bold and large font. Never a good sign when the manufacturer assumes that its products will lead to exasperation and abandonment.

K-Pop found himself asking throughout the evening how many years K-bao would need to play with the product to make this initial grunt labor worthwhile. The number bumped up as the night went on. By the time the last screw went in, K-Pop was planning play dates for the little one and her kitchen through the end of 6th grade.

This morning K-bao woke up to her brand new kitchen and played with it for 3 straight hours. Good start. 9 years to go.

Waikiki

K-bao had a good time in Hawaii, and spent most of the vacation playing on the sandy beaches of Waikiki (where she amused herself by repeatedly throwing K-Pop's sandals into the ocean, all the while giggling uncontrollably).

Here you can see her flattening sand castles created by K-Mum, making a variety of faces at the camera, sharing her juicebox with Baby in a moment of generosity, posing reluctantly with the K-folks outside the hotel, and being entertained by K-Mum and Clifford the Big Red Dog on the flight back.

Incidentally, K-Mum's idea to bring along the car seat, which K-Pop had vigorously protested at first and then begrudingly assented to, ended up being pure genius. Somehow, once buckled in, the subconsciously acknowledged principle of not being able to move around in a car seat transferred beautifully and little K-bao miraculously did not squirm, wriggle or squawk to come down even once.

On the other hand, with the extra boost that enabled her little feet to touch the seat in front of her, did she give the passenger ahead a 6-hour gratuitous kick-massage through the airplane seat back? O yes.

Rest of album is here.

Humor

Little K-bao is developing a sense of irony. The small comedies of life will make her laugh: her little penguin falling off the crib; trying on K-Mum's sweater and shoes. The other day she ran out to tattle on K-Pop to K-Mum: "Baba little bit silly goose!" Apparently Dad was being too jovial.

Other exhibits of the humble beginnings of a comedic wit:

1. K-Pop says sternly: "That's not funny, K-bao." Response: "Yes funny. Hahahaha!"
2. K-Pop: "Give me a kiss, K-bao." Respose: runs to K-Mum and gives her a kiss. (Luckily this goes both ways - the one sure way K-Pop gets a kiss is if K-Mum asks for one.)
3. K-Pop: "Sit in the high-chair, K-bao." Response: "Ba-ba sit in high-chair. K-bao sit here." "But Ba-ba is too big for the high chair sweetie, I won't fit." "Try! Try!"
4. "What is your name?" "Emily Elizabeth" (from Clifford, the Big Red Dog)
5. K-bao asks to play with iPhone; K-Pop tries to distract her instead by starting to read from the famous "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?" book, and asks, "K-bao, K-bao, what do you see?" Response: "I see an iPhone looking at me! Gimme iPhone!"
6. "K-bao, it's time to be quiet." Big smile. Then in her loudest voice: "Aaaaagghh!!!"

As another exhibit of her contrarian nature, K-Pop in the below video says Yes and OK (in Chinese). K-bao's response, of course: "No and Not OK. Hahaha."

Shaka

Here is K-bao flashing the Hawaiian hang-loose "shaka" sign and saying Aloha. Peace-lover she is.

Hawaii

K-bao is having a little fun in the sun on the beautiful island of Oahu. Here are a few pics from the first couple of days.

Getting comfortable and checking her voicemail upon arriving at the hotel (major props to Rita who comped us a sweet suite upgrade):


Posing with the flamingoes on the grounds of the Hilton Hawaiian Village:


Getting ready to go for a dip with K-Pop:


Giving K-Mum an Eskimo kiss and sharing a pineapple soft serve with K-Pop at the Dole Plantation:


Practicing the Zoolander Blue Steel look before heading off to bed:

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