It's a Bird, It's a Plane...

K-bao practices her Supergirl flight pose. Point those toes baby!




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Location:Rowland Heights

Hurt

"Daddy, I know that sometimes when you discipline me, it hurts your heart," said K-bao out of the blue.

A promising start to a deep philosophical conversation filled with rich educational opportunities, thought K-Pop satisfyingly. "Yes, that's right K-bao."

"Well, you can use this and you won't hurt anymore," says K-bao, pulling out from behind her back a sandal cleaner spray she found in the closet, and motioning for K-Pop to rub it on his heart.

Cuz

K-bao has been hanging out in LA this week and was reacquainted with Cousin Justin, whom she hadn't seen since Thanksgiving of last year. Looking back over these pages at the last time her cousin was profiled here reminds the K-folks how quickly time has flown by.

In the presence of this handsome boy, K-bao quickly abandoned her fuddy duddy parents, and has been spending all of her time with her Cuz (which unbeknownst to her is just dandy with her folks). Here she is learning advanced chess moves from precocious little Justin (while K-Mum lounges in the background).

Persistence

Here is K-bao once again pulling out her high-pitched entertainment routine for little C-bao, whose attitude could frankly use a little more gratitude.

What's impressive about K-bao's approach is not the humor quotient, which is only inadvertently high, nor the pitch at which it is delivered - which is about as high as it can get - but the relentlessness of it.

K-bao takes the "When at first you don't succeed, try, try again" philosophy to extreme lengths. The first delivery may not succeed in squeezing a smile out, but knowing her sister's short-term memory is currently poor, she'll do a lap and come running back for another round.

Fun Daddy

Egged on by K-Mum, K-bao chants her current life mantra at K-Pop, exhorting him in Jerry McGuire style to "Show Me the Fun!" while C-bao looks on amusedly.

She even made up her own gangsta rhyme - framed as a threat - to finish up the verse (rhythm and actual rhyming could use some work).

Believe

K-bao: "Daddy, look at these hair clips Mom bought me. They are so pretty you will believe your eyes!"

K-Pop: "You mean I won't believe my eyes?"

K-bao: "You will! You will!"



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Coo

One of K-bao's favorite activities these days is entertaining her little sister. This consists of making clown faces and cooing at her at a pitch several octaves higher than her normal voice.

"A-coo-coo-coo-coo-coo-coo!" sings K-bao repeatedly in a high falsetto while prancing around her sister.

C-bao used to enjoy this song and dance routine (and her affirmation would be publicly proclaimed by her sister: "Look! She's laughing! She loves me!"). However, as with all things, novelty wears off, so now she at best smiles weakly and appeasingly, for a moment. Below is a representative sample.

Favorite

"I am C-bao's favorite," declared K-bao confidently this morning. "And you are last favorite, and Mommy is in the middle," further observed the little one.

"Is that right?" queried K-Pop, dejectedly. "And why am I the least favorite?"

"Because your voice is too loud," answered K-bao, showing a shocking lack of self-awareness.

Thanksgiving

K-bao magnanimously invited C-bao along to her Thanksgiving Daddy-Daughter Special Date today, but after an hour of walking around decided that her legs had had enough and that she needed her usual position in K-Pop's arms back.

Unfortunately, C-bao's Baby Bjorn was now in the way. Rather than gritting through another couple of miles, K-bao's solution was to double down on K-Pop the Mule by finding some other unoccupied sitting space. Here she is on the way to the bus.

Boo

K-bao dons a Colombian Sombrero Vueltiao - straight from Bogota - and is immediately inspired to sing a spooky song.

Boo!

Jocose

Some tomfoolery with my sister C-bao.

Princess

Happy Halloween, froggies! Here is princess K-bao posing for the camera and then hanging out with her SLS buddies S and B.





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Psalm 23

K-bao, who once was quite fluent with Psalm 23, has been working hard on regaining that fluency recently (admittedly with the help of a little bribery on the part of the K-folks).

Here she dedicates her bedtime (Chinese) recitation to her absent K-Grandfolks, her aunts and uncles and other beloved relatives. Concentration could use a little work ("Look! My sister is smiling at me!").

Pike

"Daddy, somethings you know, and some things you don't know," opined little K-bao expertly one day last week while out on a walk with K-Pop.

Taken aback by this accurate but nonetheless quite unexpected assault on the breadth of his education, K-Pop probed a bit further.

"Um, that's true, K-bao...what do you mean?"

"What is pike?" Somewhat stumped, and unclear whether this was a genuine question or a rhetorical one aimed at demonstrating the truth of K-bao's prior assertion, K-Pop offered weakly, "A type of fish?"

"What is tuck?" Dimly, a light bulb began to turn on in K-Pop's brain, but before he could put the pieces together, K-bao triumphantly demonstrated a couple of quick poses - "Ta da!"

Turns out the uber-expensive gymnastics classes K-Pop was sending little K-bao to - and the highbrow and insular terminology she was picking up there - was in turn being sneakily used to undermine K-Pop's standing as an educated adult!

The Politician

K-Mum was washing some strawberries after dinner and asked K-bao to try some. K-bao demurred. "But these strawberries are sweet!" K-Mum exclaimed.

"Mom, sweeter than you?" asked K-bao, ever so innocently. Sly smile. And for added emphasis, "Sweeter than honey and sugaaar?!"

Later that evening, without prompting, she burst out with this gem: "Mommy, thank you for working so hard, so we have money, and for loving me."

K-Mum and K-Grandmum were stunned into silence. 48 years to the White House! Maybe 44!

Up

A great day at Golden Gate Park for little K-bao, including experiencing a little air here with K-Pop.

Babel

"Daddy, look! I'm higher than everyone!" exclaimed K-bao triumphantly at the top of the playground structure.  "I'm higher than everyone in the whole world!"

"Yes, by George you are," affirms K-Pop encouragingly.

A moment later, "Am I higher than God?"

And suddenly all the hours K-Pop spent studying languages his whole life flashed before his eyes.



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Super

On a daddy-daughter "special date" with Super Duper K-bao.

Hike

K-bao hit the trails last weekend with her sister C-bao. Here she is posing coyly at the beginning of her hike, which she handled like a pro.

This was perhaps her fourth visit to Lands End and the first time she handled the walk by herself. A prior visit - where she was carried like royalty throughout - was documented in these pages as well. Looking back, it's clear that her mischievous spirit has carried through bright and strong over the last two years.

New Cousin

K-bao welcomes her newest cousin Grace Yan! Many hugs and kisses from the West coast to blustery Boston.



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The Critic

K-bao, who has never been shy about expressing herself, has been taking her opinions to a new and unprecedented level recently - particularly on matters of art and fashion.

For example, K-Grandmum, who is visiting for a spell, was subjected to the following unfortunate exchange this morning:

K-Grandmum: "Good morning, K-bao!"
K-bao: "I don't like your clothes, Grandmum, can you go change please?"
K-Grandmum: "...Um...what would you like me to wear?"
K-bao: "I like your pink shirt, please change into that one."
K-Grandmum: ......

But what K-bao taketh away, K-bao also giveth. A similar incident occurred when Aunty Katie walked in the other day:
K-bao: "Oooh, Aunty Katie, I love your shirt!" Then, running over to run her hands over it, "So soft!"
Aunty Katie: "K-bao, you're making me blush."

Short Strokes

Thinking she would show off her skill on the greens (and her shared heritage with Yani Tseng), K-bao got in a nice round of golf with her Xiao Goo-Goo before her aunt had to depart fair San Francisco. Unfortunately, it wasn't the best day for her short stroke...Caddy K-Pop had to round down a few numbers (and we had to let a few parties play through) before the day was done. But nevertheless, some good Vitamin D exposure for all involved.

Crazy

K-Mum: "Kayla, you're driving me crazy!"

K-bao: "Yes, but not as crazy as Dad drives you"

K-Mum: ......

Aunty Catherine

K-bao's Xiao Goo-Goo is in town, and the little one has wasted no time in immediately strong-arming her aunt into being a sponsor of her regular slate of activities - painting, doing puzzles, being loud/silly, reading storybooks and eating cheese. All before poor Xiao Goo-Goo has had a chance to get over her jet lag.

Aunty, who has been a frequenter of these pages before, is a softy at heart and has been a good sport in meeting the little one's demands despite at times being barely able to keep her eyes open.

By the way, in case any one thinks that any of the above activities seem relatively uncomplicated, note that the K-bar for delivering a satisfactory experience is set pretty high. For example, any monotone in a story reading is likely to elicit a chirpy "Be more excited! More silly!" reaction.

Here is K-bao 'eating good in the neighborhood' (grilled cheese, of course) with Xiao Goo-Goo at Applebee's.

Swing

Here's K-bao taking a swing or two at a recent b-day party for friend NL (and yes, that is Baby Sam of the Liu Clan, in the background of the first pic, looking on).

As K-Pop has made sure to indoctrinate, the Taiwanese are world champion Little Leaguers, so she had better shape up that stance and swing early (though K-Pop is admittedly not being helpful by tossing multiple balls at her, as he did in the last pic).

Tricky

K-Pop recently discovered that K-bao has somehow picked up the tactics of trickery and diversion, as evidenced by some smoke and mirrors she threw K-Pop's way in a game of tag he happened to record.



Just to be clear, this chicanery was not taught at home.

In the below follow-up video, K-bao explains the mindset required for deception, and ends with a little Tricky Girl Anthem she made up on the spot.

"I'm a tricky, tricky girl, tricky tricky girl!
I'm a tricky, tricky girl!"

...Giving K-Pop an 80's Run DMC tingle.

Shoes

"Your daughter has a shoe fetish," declared K-Mum to K-Pop this afternoon.

"This is not news," replied K-Pop, noting the strong hereditary factor.

The latest data? Apparently K-Mum had sent away for several pairs of "Sugar & Spice" Stride Rites, LA Underground silver sandals, purple Keens and Converse All-Stars. While K-Pop normally preaches restraint on this type of discretionary spend, even he had to concede that K-bao's feet had apparently experienced a recent growth spurt.

However, the original premise of the purchase was that some of these models were going to be sent back. Unfortunately little K-bao had already laid eyes on the new kicks before the full construct was explained and agreed to. The subsequent explanation unsurprisingly led to vigorous negotiations, pleas and protests.

"Please, Mommy please!"
"I love them sooo much!"
"They are sooo cute!"
"Can I please keep all of them?"
"Please Mommy, you're the best!" 

Favor

"Mom, can you do me a favor?" asks little K-bao.

"Yes, what is it honey?"

"Can you go check by the door to see if Baby Sister is crying?"

C-bao has been slumbering peacefully in her room for a bit, apparently too long for some concerned citizens. 

Work

K-bao is off to her power job.

Could use a new tailor.

Faces

The many faces of our expressive little K-bao.