Shake It

"Higher, C-bao. Lift it higher"

Whenever K-bao visits K-Grandmum & K-Grandpops in LA, she feels the urge to put on a performance. Perhaps it is the long, grand staircase, so perfect for presenting to an adoring crowd below, that inspires her. Perhaps it is the untiring enthusiasm and unending patience displayed by her long-suffering grandfolks and great-grandma for K-bao's every initiative (see here, here and here - or even this post from 2009).

Recently, K-bao's proclivity to perform has been further enhanced by her infatuation with all things Taylor Swift.

Below is one scene among many that the K-Grandfolks and K-Great-Grandmum witnessed. The first video below is only the introduction to the show; K-bao insists on properly "Setting the Stage," including allowing her co-performer, sister C-bao, to also have a few words.

The second video captures most of the actual performance - set to Swift's Shake It Off, of course - including K-bao spending a good amount of time with her back to the audience observing her own moves in the reflection she sees in the television set. A few gymnastics maneuvers are also thrown in for good measure.

Vanity

As we know, K-bao likes to watch K-bao. Since she discovered her own blog and Dad's collection of videos, she has become very specific about her viewing requests. Her top two asks are for the clip of her throwing K-Pop's sandals into the ocean on the beaches of Waikiki, and the one of her breaking her promise to K-Mum about eating her grapes one at a time (which she labels the "Don't Worry" video, since in it she gives plenty of glib assurances before she promptly "forgets" her promise). She will watch these videos of her naughtiness with a sly smirk on her face, basking in the glory of her own rebelliousness. And then she will shout, "New one!"

Image Conscious

Before each bath, but only after every ounce of clothing has been shed, K-bao will run over to the scale, press On with her toe, and then step on to inspect the latest poundage. Indeed, she refuses to get in the tub without having checked her number. Once on the scale, she studies the results somberly, typically with her hands clasped behind her back. What this nineteen-month-old's long-term weight objectives are is anyone's guess. K-Pop for one has not put any pressure on her.

(By the way, her image consciousness extends beyond herself. After each weighing she nags K-Pop to get on the scale himself, and will literally sometimes take his hand and drag him over. K-Pop got the message and has since resolved to eat healthier).

The pic of K-bao on the scale has been censored due to privacy concerns, but below you can see K-bao giving herself a smooch in the car mirror.

Mirror, Mirror

One of K-bao's favorite games involves a twist on the "Who is the fairest of them all?" question. K-Pop starts it off by asking, "Who is Daddy's little darling?" We then go through a routine whereby we list all her little stuffed animals (and sometimes some of our dear relatives) one by one, with K-bao firmly shaking her head after each name. Finally, K-Pop is forced to ask in exasperated tones, "So then, who is Daddy's little darling after all?" At that K-bao will smile slyly, pause for dramatic effect, and then point shyly at herself. K-Pop and K-Mum are then supposed to exclaim delightedly, "Ah! It's little K-bao!" And like Snow White's step-mother Queen, K-bao never grows tired of this. After the punchline, she generally shouts, "More!"

Vanity

K-Mum made the mistake a week ago of showing K-bao a couple of the video clips on her blog. K-bao obviously approved of the camera work, along with her own performances in those clips, because since that time she has been insistent on seeing the videos multiple times a day. In fact, she will proactively crawl over to the computer desk, tug on our pants (or bang on the floor) until she is lifted up to our lap, and then preemptively plant a few kisses on the cheek to encourages us to press play.

While the videos are on, she will alternatively (i) smile shyly, and (ii) reach out to the monitor, to get closer to her virtual self. Her early favorites are "Bribery" and "Can't Touch This." When one clip is done, she will beg for the next one by attempting to say More and signing please.

"More K-bao? You want to see more K-bao?"

"Mmmm, mmm!" (scratch, scratch)

Vanity, thou dost strike early.

Update: K-bao's second favorite video is now in fact the below video, which creates the eerie situation of K-bao watching K-bao watching K-bao. She doesn't appear to mind, however, the mind-bend.

Routine

This is a snapshot of K-bao's daily morning routine of watching K-Pop doing his daily morning routine. This is actually one of the few moments of peace we have every morning - plopping K-bao down in her Bumbo and letting her quietly observe K-Pop shaving and brushing his teeth. The operative word being quietly. She actually treats the shaving much like a spectator sport, watching the razor going back and forth from the faucet to K-Pop's face like a tennis ball being hit to and fro. Luckily she appears to know the rules regarding silence while the ball is in play.

She also seems to enjoy the multiple angles the perch affords in terms of seeing her own visage. Notice how she checks out both profiles. With the set-up here and her 80's style hair she resembles Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon, in the mirror scene at the end. Hopefully as the other character in the plot here K-Pop doesn't end up impaled on his razor.

Publicity

K-bao decided that it was time to get her name out there, so here she is taking up real estate on the blog of Phat Baby Photographer.

Actually PBP is a good friend, father of two, and a class A photographer who asked us recently if we might do a guest appearance on the blog. K-Mum and I were shy but K-bao forced our hand. Don't you hold me back, she said.