Chinese Chorus

The first week we were in Taipei, K-bao attended a summer chorus camp at K-Grandfolks' church, Hsin-Yi Friendship Presbyterian Church, led by one of K-Granpop's closest friends, Pastor Shen. K-Pop and K-Mum figured this was a way to combine music & singing (K-bao's interests) with Chinese and church (more the K-folks' priority).

The camp was no joke. The teachers were apparently "the strictest in the whole world," according to K-bao. The music was in German and Chinese - serious pieces by composers such as Mendelssohn. And K-bao arrived in Taiwan only in time for the second and final week of the camp, so she had to play catch up.

However, K-bao took gamely to the task. One of the great things about our little one is her gumption and adaptability. After a bit of hesitation on Day 1, she dove right in, and completed the week without complaint.

At the end of the week, the choral group and the drama team put on a little concert play. The full family group attended, including K-Grandmum (K-Grandpop had to be in HK for the weekend), Aunt Catherine, Uncle James, C-bao, and the parents.

Her favorite song of the camp was probably Abenstille Uberall, which K-Pop captured in the video below.

 

After her performance, Xiao Goo-Goo and Shu-Shu presented the little one with a rose.

Generous

Unbeknownst to us, K-bao managed to commit our past, present and future income - along with the aggregate resources of many subsequent generations - to the offering basket.

While her assessment of family resources needs, um, a little work, we liked the "loving spirit" in which she made her offering.

Old Friends

When she was in NY earlier this month, K-bao got to see her ol' buddy MJ and her family. MJ and her younger sister AJ were born within weeks of K-bao and C-bao, respectively, so despite living across coasts the two sets of siblings have always hit it off in the few times they've been able to get together.

Below K-bao ropes her friend into a game of Down By the Banks of the Hanky Panky while having dinner at a tasty BBQ restaurant in K-town.



On Sunday, MJ's family was gracious enough to invite us over to worship with them at their local church in New Jersey, and then had us over to their house for a fabulous Sunday brunch.

"I always make mischief when my belly is full of good food"

1 on 4!

Reunited

K-bao's old friend Gillian (subject of the now famous interview) is back in town! Here is a Sunday School pic from this past weekend of the two of them chaperoned by longtime guardian Reagan (who gave the two the bunny ears in this pic).

Friends

K-bao has been blessed with some good friends in her young toddler life, though with her Too Cool For You schtick (how does a 3 year old have a schtick?!) these days she doesn't always readily acknowledge it.

For example, a big part of her adjustment to Sunday School has been the presence of a trio of benevolent and affectionate sisters, G, R & M, who embraced young K-bao at an early age and made sure she felt welcome each and every week. Indeed, when K-bao learned she was going to have a little sister, her chosen name - which she stuck with for months, literally until we told her C-bao's real name - was "G, R, M Hu."

Today she was lucky enought to share a post-church burger lunch with her buddies (also including Gillian, whom we covered in a prior interview).

Here's an older pic of K-bao with M, who may have been the first non-adult to give her a hug:

Here she is getting a high speed whirlwind tour from R after class today:



Growing some extra ears:

Learning from G the difference between indoor voice and outdoor voice: