Les Miserables: Confrontation

Over the last couple of months, K-Pop has slowly told the story of Victor Hugo's classic Les Miserables to K-bao and C-bao. It took about 15 dinners and breakfasts, but the kids followed the story closely and stayed engaged throughout.

In fact, they got so engrossed that when they heard the first song from the musical -- the classic vocal duel between Jean Valjean and Javert in "Fantine's Death: Confrontation" -- they asked to listen to it over and over again.

This morning after breakfast they decided to enact the parts themselves.

Peter and the Wolf

Readers of this blog know well both the theatrics and theatricality of little K-bao. Over the summer the K-folks decided to give K-bao a taste of real theater, and enrolled her in a one week theater camp. The culmination of the week was a musical performance of Peter and the Wolf.

K-bao was assigned (or fought for, unclear which) the part of the Wolf. In the play, the Wolf is described as a "misunderstood character." K-bao shows us her fierce wolf face below.

There were some cute songs in the production. Below the Wolf makes its nefarious entrance. K-bao tries to keep a smile off her face as she thinks about pouncing on the silly duck. The cast then breaks into a song about food.


Her favorite song in the production was the Hokey Pokey.



Whether this camp is a first step towards Hollywood remains to be seen (we hope not). What is clear already though is our little one's love for performance, music and drama.

A New Chapter

At long last, after 3 years of phenomenal growth, many adventures with new friends, a handful of dramatic incidents and a long list of lessons learned, K-bao has graduated from preschool.

SLS, K-bao's preschool, has traditionally put on a big graduation ceremony for the little tots, and this year was no exception. Filled with pomp and ceremony - as if to convey one last time to the gathered parents that all that tuition was indeed worthwhile - the event was replete with balloons, diplomas and musical performances. K-pop naturally joined the many other obnoxious fathers who ran around snapping endless pictures and recording way too many videos (until he literally overran his phone's storage).

Here is the procession, set appropriately to a solemn rendition of Pomp & Circumstance, the classic graduation tune. Rather than marching in an orderly manner, K-bao of course was running when K-Pop first caught her on camera. When she noticed K-Pop, her first question was, "Where is Xiao Ah-Yi (Aunt Christina)?" You're welcome, little one, for the past 3 years of tuition.

This is the scene at the front, a privileged position K-Pop elbowed his way into.

Here is an excerpt of some of the songs, most of which our little K-bao belted out with gusto, though it was also apparent that her distraction factor was high. All in all, very well done program.

And here is the big diploma-receiving moment.

Aunt Christina and Uncle Calvin were able to make the event to celebrate the big day. Here are a few shots of K-bao with friends and family after the ceremony.

Congratulations K-bao!

Daddy Daughter Day

On a recent Saturday, K-Pop had the opportunity to participate in the annual "Daddy Day" at K-bao's school. After donning identical T-shirts, the many daddies participated in various activities with their preschoolers, including art, music and gymnastics.

K-Pop at various points had to walk a balance beam, hang upside down from a gymnastics pole, roll from one end of the room to another, and paint a tie.

During music class, K-bao was invited to keep the beat, as shown below. All in all, an excellent day that thoroughly wore out K-Pop.

President

Here are K-bao and sister C-bao prancing around Union Square recently in colorful outfits in celebration of Presidents' Day (an office that K-bao clearly has designs on, if her actions at home are any indication).

They sisters also took in some loud street music.

To Our Nieces

K-bao and C-bao's talented Aunt and Uncle (Shu-Shu and Xiao Goo-Goo) penned, sang and recorded a brief piece of music for their 4 nieces, including K-bao, one recent afternoon in Taipei. The song contains a number of worthy messages for our little one.

Music: To 四個乖小孩

Lyrics:

寶貝妳要做個乖小孩

Watch the tone when you are asking why

做個討神喜悅乖女孩

Our love will always be with you

永不分開

寶貝乖乖跌倒不用怕

It hurts a bit but you will grow a lot

別因妳可愛就不用聽話

Learn to love and trust in God

Your life will be

Right where it should be

記得永遠守護妳的心

XGG & S2

The bulk of K-bao's time in Taipei this trip was spent with the K-Grandfolks, Xiao Goo-Goo (Aunt Catherine, aka XGG) and Shu-Shu (Uncle James, aka S2).

Indeed, within 24 hours K-bao made clear she would rather spend her time with XGG and S2 - who appeared half as mean and twice as fun - than with her own parents.

Let's just say that that message (which sounded a whole lot like "Free babysitting!") was music to the ears of the fatigued K-folks.

On one of the first days in Taipei, XGG took K-bao and the family to her old workplace, Xue Xue Institute, a private non-profit entity working to foster greater creativity and intersection among the arts, philosophy, design, business and science.  There, K-bao assembled magnet houses, was filmed dancing to Gangnam Style while twirling a baton, and generally ran around creating a mess.

Meanwhile, Uncle James / S2 was strong-armed into playing chess, answering nonsensical questions, and sitting next to little K-bao whenever she had a meal. Indeed, instead of greeting K-Grandpops politely when she saw him in the morning, her first questions were invariably, "Where's Shu-Shu? Where's Xiao Goo-Goo?"

By the end of the trip, poor XGG and S2, who had indeed put in plenty of free babysitting time, appeared almost as worn out as the K-folks. As for K-bao?  Her usual refrain: "I'm never tired!"

.........

Here is little K-bao getting an impromptu live concert by the talented XGG and S2. Before long, K-bao was on her feet, dancing along to the music.

Jammin

K-bao spent some time by the Farmers' Market this morning, where there was a little horn ensemble playing a few tunes. K-bao joined a few young music lovers in swaying to the melodies.

Parochial

Trying to broaden K-bao's musical horizons the other day, we stuck in one of K-Pop's old CDs. K-bao took in about 5 seconds before she demanded her old nursery rhymes and Sunday School tunes back. Looks like the little one won't be joining the U2 groupies any time soon.

Strum

K-bao exhibits here an early knack for the guitar and musical performance in general, including the applause piece at the end (self-given). Our kid also gives a lesson in percussive guitar, whereby she deftly uses both the strings and the wood to achieve an optimal sound (note the rhythmic pounding on the soundboard as well as the scraping along the frets and strings). There's even some less than tonal grunting and squawking in the background as K-bao attempts to contribute some vocal harmonies, though at this early stage the intonation and musical ear could use some refining.

Literature & Music

K-bao is making the case early that she is both an artist and a musician, as evidenced by her enjoyment of fine literature ("The Going to Bed Book") and her keen sense of rhythm (the bongo drums). While it is true that mostly she puts the book in her mouth, and her music-making is limited to when she is excited or angry enough to flail her arms (during which time she occasionally hits the drum), who are we to say that all this does not in fact mark the beginning of a cultured, illustriously bohemian life?