An Apple A Day

K-Mum has begun giving K-bao an apple slice every once in while after a meal. K-bao, who only has half of two teeth, can't actually eat it but sucking on the cold apple slice soothes her sore gums and gives her a taste of that apple sweetness. More importantly it gives K-Mum five minutes to clean up and rest up before the next battle, um, adventure with K-bao.

In the below example you'll also see a bit of K-bao's feisty (a.k.a. bratty) personality shine through.

If You're Happy and You Know It

Having heard plenty of applause from the folks over the months as she embarked on various clever or cute endeavors, K-bao decided to learn the trick herself so she could give herself a hand anytime she felt like it. She is now a vigorous clapper - always left hand on right - and she claps when she's happy, hungry, tired or bored.

Newport

A few weeks ago, we took K-bao to the site in Newport, Rhode Island where the K-folks got engaged. K-Pop even showed K-bao the place where he popped the question. Of course, said K-Pop, it looked a lot more romantic at the time, with the sun setting and the waves crashing gently against the shore. K-bao didn't appear too impressed.

Perhaps it was the visit to RI, or perhaps it was this book (on the questions every dad should ask prospective suitors of his daughter - a playful gift from Da Goo Goo a.k.a. Auntie Esther, K-Pop's sister), but K-Pop has been dwelling on the unfortunate topic of one day having to give little K-bao away to some wet-behind-the-ears, eager-to-impress little chump whom K-Pop will have to pretend to like. And all that we have to prepare the little one for before that day so that she takes that journey gracefully and well-equipped. Weighty questions indeed. In the meantime, K-Pop has already begun eyeing little 1- and 2-year old boys suspiciously.

Breaststroke

Yes, it's true that K-bao is a bit behind on her terrestrial skills. Babies many months younger are crawling vigorously while K-bao continues to perfect the stationery arm flap and the anchored stomach pivot.

However, she is making up for it by getting a head start on her swimming strokes. Look at the expert breastroke frog-kick below, for example, and the obvious joy and exuberance with which she is doing it. Left to her own devices, K-bao practices this kick 20-30 times a minute...all day long. Lying down. When being held. And especially on the diaper changing pad.

Ballin'

K-bao's early attempts to interact with her first basketball reflect a passion but not a skill for the game.

As you can see below, things are looking good for rowdy bleacher fan but not so good for varsity point guard.

(Incidentally, you will notice the ball has a Harvard logo on it. No, we are not trying to send our child any subliminal messages. The ball was a gift to K-Pop almost ten years ago by the esteemed JOQ, Esq.)

Puffdaddy

Yes, we did it. We ran a Pavlovian conditioning experiment on K-bao. How? First, we shake a bright yellow, sleekly-contoured HappyBaby Organic Puffs container. The whole grain puffs (with faint banana flavoring) make a nice rattling sound as they bounce around inside the container. K-bao stops whatever she's doing and fixates on the yellow container. Her eyes light up. Then, with her eyes never leaving the container, we weave the container above eye level, slowly open the cap, and finally let a few puffs tumble onto her tray. "Ooooh," she would say. Out would come those gummy hands, grabbing and pinching and then stuffing the puffs into her mouth as quickly as she can. Below is an example.

These puffs are her favorite snack in the world. In the early stages, it would take K-bao five or six tries to secure a puff. Then, half the time, the puff would fall down her shirt or off the tray en route to mouth. Then, when she did manage to get it there, another 50% of the time it would get stuck in her palm or between her fingers in such a way that she couldn't release it. She would end up either punching her own face or sucking on her knuckles, desperate to get that sweet banana taste into the gills.

Now, however, she's a pro. And if we want K-bao to quiet down and stop yammering? Perhaps she's in the car and isn't quite the model passenger. Or she's being fussy with her peas and carrots. Shake-shake-shake. Immediate focus and peace, along with the attendant Pavlovian saliva. Ahhh.

Cousins

K-bao got to meet Cousin Elizabeth, who is almost 2, last week at the house of Da Goo Goo (Aunt Esther) and Da Goo Chan (Uncle Ying-on).

Cousin Elizabeth is unbelievably precocious and normally runs around like a steam locomotive, but demonstrated empathy for her infant cousin by lying on the mat with her and Pompous the 'Po, asking to play in the little exersaucer she hadn't had occasion to use for a year (she had to do it on her knees because her legs are now too long), introducing her to Disney's Mulan six times in three days, and taking K-bao into her lap every now and again. Good times by all.