Mia's Page

Valentine's Day

2012-02-13T19:36:00.000-08:00

Mia didn't forget to give Mr. Mimi some special Valentine's day cards and we think he was really touched by this. Nobody else had thought of that before.

She also took a picture of the special event

Clean Up

2012-02-02T20:00:00.001-08:00

When mama asked Mia to clean up a bit and put all her toys in a big plastic container Mia did a pretty good job and was proud of her work

Cousins

2012-02-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

This past weekend Mia spent an afternoon with her second cousins Ben and Ella. Ben showed her all her toys but most very related to robots or shooting things - not really Mia's taste.

Also the shooting game on the iPad didn't really interest Mia

So she watched 15 month old Ella instead

For the spaghetti dinner mama had cooked she then joined Ben Ben again at the kid's table

Dresses

2012-01-28T12:01:00.000-08:00

This morning Mia wanted to try out some dresses. They looked cute on hear but are not quite the right outfit in the middle of winter:

But they seem to be perfect for jumping around on her mattress

At Home

2012-01-26T19:41:00.000-08:00

Even after many months the kitchen is still one of Mia's most popular toys. Today she made some jello and a bowl of soup. Before she started she made sure mama helped her to put on her apron

The pants as a new kind of hat was one of her innovative fashion ideas

She also modeled in a bathrobe she didn't want to wear earlier - now it is too small

Using a band aide as a mustache was another idea of Mia

Here she shows off all the stickers she got from a very generous employee at the grocery store

Chloe's Birthday party

2012-01-22T19:38:00.001-08:00

For Chloe's birthday party Mia had to put on some bowling shoes. This year our neighbors had picked a bowling alley for their daughter's party. First Mia was watching Luca, then they tried together and later Mia tried on her own.

The little ramp for the ball that had been set up for the children helped of course.

The Piano Player

2012-01-14T12:19:00.001-08:00

A friend and neighbor owns a beautiful piano and after a dinner party she played a few pieces for us.
Of course Mia wanted to try herself afterwards

We noticed quite some time ago that she really enjoys music and we will certainly try to get her exposed to it more

Matthew's Birthday Party

2012-01-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

Today some friends had invited us for their younger son's second birthday party. For Mia the highlight was of course the cake - which was actually pretty good - and she had to closely monitor the cutting

When she was eating her piece she also tried out a cowboy hat:

After that she promised Matthew her support for the unwrapping of the presents

Some candy for the kids was inside a turtle - Matthew's favorite animal - and needed to be opened with a stick and other brute force:

Mia liked her blue lollipop

"Theater of the Sea" animal park

2011-12-27T12:45:00.000-08:00

One morning we spent at the "Theater of the sea" animal park in Islamorada further down the road from Key Largo. Mia and her baby were greeted by a green parakeet.

Then we watched to dolphins on a short boat ride

At another show parakeets performed stunning tricks. One could even add and subtract small numbers. He would ring a bell as as many times as the correct result.

In another dolphin show the dolphins not only jumped but also sang and gave kisses:

The ugly iguanas are an invasive species

The drive back to the hotel over the Keys was very pretty

Key Largo

2011-12-26T12:30:00.000-08:00

The week before Christmas we took a little break from the winter in Washington DC. and went to Key Largo, Florida. One of the highlights of the hotel was the heated pool. Even though the temperature was the the low 80'ies it was nice to be able to go swimming even in the evening after sunset.

Mia really enjoyed to swim - even if she can go only a small distance.

We also enjoyed the dock by the bay side where we could watch a manatee and her baby drink water from a hose.
Of course Mia had to try as well :

It was also a nice place for a lunch break

In the evenings a skipper who lived in his sailing boat would come for a drink and bring his parakeet along

Botanical Garden

2011-12-18T19:47:00.001-08:00

A neighbor had told us about a very unique train display at the botanical garden. So on Sunday morning we went to check it out. It was in deed very special and worth the long wait.

Mia had also taken her baby along and made sure she saw all the highlights:

The national Christmas tree

2011-12-14T19:38:00.001-08:00

This evening we and another family made a outing to the national Christmas tree that is set up behind the White House. It has a huge model train set up around it and a school choir was performing Christmas songs. In a small house we could take a look at Santa's workshop and Santa was even available for photos. Mia didn't like the idea though - hopefully this won't have a negative effect on her Christmas presents.

Setting up the Christmas Tree

2011-12-14T19:33:00.001-08:00

For the first time ever we bought a Christmas tree this year. It is not very tall but it looks pretty nice and we all decorated it together.

Birthday party

2011-12-11T19:17:00.000-08:00

We had a small birthday party for Mia with some children from our building. Everyone was excited about the cake Mia had picked it at Whole Foods in the afternoon.

The chocolate cake was so rich that five kids and nine adults could not finish it

Mia also liked the presents she got

Three years old

2011-12-10T11:57:00.001-08:00

On her third birthday we took Mia to a pizza parlor down the street from our place that we all like.
After that we played a bit outside before heading home to open her presents

Of course she wanted to open the largest package first: Since she really enjoys our trips to the zoo we got a little Lego zoo for her.

A party with birthday cake and some families from our building will be today

Cancun

2011-12-04T20:00:00.001-08:00

Since we enjoyed our vacation in Cancun, Mexico in March so much we decided to spend another week there just after Thanksgiving. Mia was ready to head to the beach as well:

A few days were too cool and windy to go swimming at the pool but we still found enough things to do and it didn't get boring

Instead of a evening swim at the pool we introduced an aperitif hour at the bar

Mia also enjoyed the evening dance

Sometimes we just relaxed in the hotel lobby

Busy Sunday

2011-11-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

An unusually mild Sunday turned out pretty busy. After shopping for a picnic at the newly opened Trader Joe's just a block away we headed to the National Zoo again. At the children's farm Mia touched the cow and the donkey for he first time, The cows are kind of big and she was a bit scared before

We also got to see for the first the orangutans use the O-line. These are cables on running between towers so that they can to go from the ape house in one part of the zoo to another.

The tiger was pretty active as well and Mia though the roaring was too strong. The panda bear was eating a big doughnut for lunch.
After that we went straight to Christopher's third birthday party. Mia's favorite part was of course the birthday cake

The school poster

2011-11-12T19:10:00.000-08:00

A picture of Mia was selected for a poster of her preschool: A serious looking Mia is holding a flag. For her it was not the first time she was picked for an advertising role like this: One day after she was born we were asked if a few pictures of her could be taken for the hospital magazine.

At the Zoo again

2011-11-06T18:40:00.001-08:00

On a wonderful fall day we headed to the zoo again. With the cooler temperatures the animals seemed to be more active and we managed to see quite a lot.
The giant panda bear tried to get some treats out of a specially designed "cookie jar::

The lions were really playful and chased each other or rolled around a big ball:

A tiger preferred to walk back and forth by himself:

An elephant was munching down some snack:

Mia watched all this and more and after a long morning at the zoo fell right asleep during the 15 minute drive back home

Halloween Party

2011-10-31T19:46:00.000-07:00

For Mia's first big Halloween party she dressed up as a kangaroo. At her preschool the big day started with a parade were the younger one got help 'big" kids ,

Then after, juice, cookies, cup cakes, candy and fruits it was story time::

After that Mia could unwind a bit in her class room:

Air and Space museum

2011-10-30T19:52:00.001-07:00

On a cold weekend with the first snow of the season we made a trip to the Air and Space museum out by the Washington Dulles International airport. It has lots of space to run around and lots of airplanes, rockets and other things to see.

Fall Fest

2011-10-30T19:44:00.001-07:00

Our neighbor invited Mia to come along for a fall festival at the Ft. Myer base which is just a short drive from our place. Mia enjoyed most the scarecrows.

The new bike

2011-10-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend Mia got her first bike and she is really enjoying it. The first thing she wanted to do when she got up Saturday morning was to take it for a ride in the hallways of our building. We also took it to a park for picnic in the evening.

Mia also took her new bike to the Oktoberfest at the preschool

At the Zoo

2011-10-16T18:42:00.001-07:00

On a Sunday morning with wonderful fall weather we headed to the zoo again. One of the first stops was the kid's farm with all the animals Mia likes. But then she was a bit scared of the two cows who were kind of big and rather posed with a card board "moo moo' later.

Thee was also a great rain forest exhibit called Amazonia. In a aquarium Mia could see fish and turtles. There were also colorful frogs and many bugs. With a microscope Mia could take a closer look.
Of course she also enjoyed the elephants and other animals

Potluck

2011-10-09T12:19:00.001-07:00

Every few weeks we meet with other parents from our building for a potluck dinner. In the summer we meet at the pool but when the pool season our get together is in the common room next to the lobby.
The common room has a big TV which can keep the children entertained when needed.

The adults were more interested in the food and the wine

Mia and Jacob were the youngest

Children's Museum Richmond

2011-10-03T20:03:00.001-07:00

On an unusually cold and rainy weekend we escaped south to Richmond. After spending Saturday afternoon in a nature park we checked out the children's museum downtown on Sunday. It was really a fun place for Mia with lots of things to see and to play with.

She really enjoyed the little grocery store where the cash register made a "beep" sound when scanning a new item. Sometimes she had return an item to the shelf though:

There was also a little TV studio where she could read the evening news with papa.

A new colleague needed some help:

Mia also drove the ambulance:

For teh creative side of her there was a small theater for some dancing and some puppets

Preschool

2011-09-12T19:31:00.001-07:00

For a week now Mia has been attending a preschool nearby. Her "Happy Apples" class meets three time a week for three hours and she seems to be enjoying it.

When mama picks her up she is showing her the puzzles and other toys and would even play a bit longer

Her teacher even managed to get a hug from her

Reston Zoo

2011-09-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

After getting soaked by tropical storm Lee for three days we had a sunny and warm weekend. On one trip we checked out a small private zoo in Reston a 30 minute drive away.
It started with a little safari where Mia could see a zebra, a Llama and may other animals from close up:

She had to check out the rhinoceros as well

There was also a small lake with a paddle boat ride

After the ride Mia was busy feeding the ducks

And since it was quite hot a Popsicle was part of the program as well

Boston

2011-09-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

We all had fun on our three day trip to Boston. Mia not only checked out many new playgrounds - like this one just behind the hotel - but also got to see a lot of new things.

Chinatown with its restaurants and bakeries was only two blocks from the hotel and Boston commons, a great old park, only a ten minute walk away. Here Mia could study the art work at the frog pond.
We also went on a ride with the swan boat and Mia could feed some ducks after wards.

It was also a good place for a little race with mama:

The walkway on the Charles river needed some clean up:

We also checked out some historic sites like the USS Constitution

Mia didn't like the sailor's hat from the souvenir shop:

After all the sight seeing it was time for a pizza in the North End. We had to wait in line for 15 minutes first..

..and also wait a bit inside but it as worth it.

After wards we sampled some cookies from a Italian bakery in the park where the elevated freeway used to be
In the evening we all relaxed in out hotel suite

The next day we were off to Harvard. After a snack on Harvard square and a tour of the college we also spend time on a nice playground

County Fair

2011-08-14T20:18:00.001-07:00

The Arlington county fair was only a ten minute bicycle ride from our place. One of the highlights was of course the pig race. Mia was able to watch it from a good spot on papa's shoulder and enjoyed it so much we had to watch it twice. She even talked about buying some piglets for herself.
She also enjoyed the rides but was not too happy when she had to share the driving with a little boy.

But then later she had a whole bus for herself on another ride.

We also sampled some fair food but Mia's main interest was of course the ice cream truck.

For the motor cycle ride she picked the one in her favorite color:

The whale fish ride was almost too tame for her:

There was also a small circus too watch

Chopsticks

2011-08-11T20:01:00.001-07:00

When mama and papa were eating dinner with chopsticks this evening Mia had to give it a try as well. She didn't do too bad and actually managed to eat a few small pieces of tofu and some rice.
After that we went out for a evening walk. Her baby doll had to come along as well and also her dog.

At the right tree the dog had to go for some important business:

Rehoboth Beach

2011-08-03T20:08:00.001-07:00

For a short break from the summer in the city we headed to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. Mia did well on the three hour drive and the hotel was only a block and a half from the beach.

When Mia checked out the Atlantic on the first evening her T-Shirt got wet but it was warm enough for just shorts:
The next day we headed for a nice beach in a state park.

One of the highlights there was the ice cream and french fries lunch

Another high light was the Fun Land amusement park.

One of Mia's favorites there was the motor bike

At the pool with friends

2011-07-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

During the heat wave with temperatures above 100° F it was great to have a rooftop pool just a few steps away. For the last week Mia saw her friends there almost every evening - and sometimes even for a quick splash around noon.
From Erika she learned how to jump and touch the bottom

Chloe borrowed her noodle
But now Mia's friends are about to leave town for vacation. So Mia has to play again with mama and papa:

The Pool Girl

2011-07-10T19:26:00.001-07:00

On a hot summer day its really nice to have the rooftop pool just a few steps from our door. After seeing some other kids being tossed up in the air for a splash into the water Mia wanted to try the same and really enjoyed it

She also tries to swim with a board just like her friends:

But of course papa has to stay around with a helping hand

Glen Echo Park

2011-07-10T19:13:00.001-07:00

Sunday morning started with a puppet show for the very young at Gen Echo Park. Mia really enjoyed the show about different farm animals . There was a a singing chicken or a hula dancing pig and may other animals. The only think Mia missed was a cow.
After that she checked out the 90 year old carousel which had been very nicely restored. Mia not only liked all the different animals but also the organ music during the 15 minute rides

We also met some friends and Mia got to have lunch with baby Ida, Howie and Cherry:

On the phone with Mama

2011-07-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

Mia is already used to talking on the phone with papa when he is in the office. So when mama went for a little trip this Saturday Mia was ready for a little chat:

She also knows how to hang up after a "Bye, bye":

Itsaso's Birthday

2011-07-02T19:29:00.001-07:00

Itsaso had a nice little birthday party for her second birthday. Mia was one of the three girls that was invited. The highlight for her was of course the cake but she also got to meet baby Ainara who was only a month old.

There were may interesting toys to play with and some nice treats. Mia especially liked the kitchen

At the Zoo

2011-06-29T20:01:00.001-07:00

Even though Mia only knew about the zoo from one of her picture books she was very excited about going there this past Sunday. She managed not only to see an elephant but also a tiger, some lions and many smaller animals.

One of her favorites were the prairie dogs:

There was also a small sculpture to check out the details

In the evening then she took her new bicycle helmet for a quick test drive

School is out for the summer

2011-06-25T11:50:00.001-07:00

This Friday Mia started in her well deserved summer break. For a year now she had been attending a program organized by a local school one morning per week. There she met other children and they had some nice activities together.
The "Cleanup" song she learned there - along with putting their toys back - is one of her favorites now

The morning ended with a littler picnic outside of the classroom.

Father's Day

2011-06-19T11:33:00.001-07:00

For Father's day Mia picked her best dress - a sporty green one piece

She had to change bck to Capri pants and T-Shirt though when we headed to the playground. Here she impressed papa with her climbing skils:

The night before we saw our old neighbor Megan and her cat Tigget again for a house warming party. Mia was really happy to see Tigget again. The two of them used to play a lot when they lived just two doors down the hall.

Of course Mia has always Mr Mimi to play with:

Two and a half years old

2011-06-10T19:49:00.001-07:00

We missed buying a cake for Mia when she turned two and a half yesterday but she had a nice evening at the pool. There were a lot of big changes in the last six months. For a few weeks now she doesn't wear any diapers during the day and she is reminding us all the time that she is a big gril now. So when we talk about here and use the word "baby" there will be a complaint from her. She also plays more with other children - mostly with Jakob and Erika. So today their mother could leave Jack at our place for a play date when she had to take Erika to her new school.

Little helper

2011-06-02T16:41:00.000-07:00

Mia has watched carefully how mama vacuums the floor and the sofa. So this weeks she was ready to give it a try on her own

She even went to the closet to get the extra vacuum cleaner for the sofa

Here also a 27 second video

Another Pool Season

2011-05-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

On the first day of this pool season Mia was ready for a jump in the pool. She even checked it out yesterday to make sure everything was ready. So even though it was a bit windy this afternoon we had to go for a little swim. The water was warmer than expected and she had lots of fun.

After her swim she spend some time with Mr Mimi

..and then headed out for a ride with her tricycle.

Earlier that day we had a birthday lunch with Vi which also included a birthday cake - which for Mia is the most important part of teh party. She didn't want to wear her diapers for that trip to the restuarant since she is a "big girl". She has made a lot of progress with her potty training recently and only wears diapers when she sleeps now.

Shoes

2011-05-20T19:40:00.001-07:00

Mia always showed great interest in shoes and checked out mama's from the stroller when she was only a few months old. Last weekend we went shoe shopping she tried out quite a few herself. So when a neighbor gave her some shoes her daughter used to wear Mia checked them out of course.

After that papa and mama had to try them as well and Mia took a picture

Open House at the German Embassy

2011-05-08T11:47:00.001-07:00

The highlight of the open house at the German Embassy this weekend was of course the beer garden
Mia enjoyed the sausage and was clapping her hands to the Volksmusik

An authentic beach chair from the Baltic sea was a good place to relax

Mia could even check out the famous Neuschwanstein castle

At the end we could relax at the ambassador's residence and try some chocolates

Trip to New Orleans

2011-05-07T12:12:00.001-07:00

We all had a good time on our trip to New Orleans. Most of the time we stayed in the French Quarter were Rob's and Bill's place was in walking distance from Jackson square and the French Market where we all tried some fashionable straw hats:

Mia also liked Bill's hat and sun glasses

She also liked the street music on Jackson square

Jackson square was also the starting point for the tours with horse carriages.

Since Mia liked the carriages so much we also took her on a tour.
On the way to the aquarium she explored a sculpture on river walk

The little booy needed some serious words

A cat in a antique store

A photo by Mia

2011-04-29T19:44:00.001-07:00

Last evening we took some pictures of Mia. First a few with her towel after a bath

Then a few when she was playing with her toy train.

After that she also wanted to take a few pictures herself. Some didn't turn out too bad:

Maybe some good practice for our trip to New Orleans tomorrow.

Ben Ben's Birthday

2011-04-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

Cousin Ben had his birthday party at a park in Clarksburg. Fortunately the rain had stopped just in time. Of course Mia had to check out the playground first.

Even tough it was Mia's first time in an open seat swing she was not scared and wanted Mama to push her higher and higher:

Later all the children got ready for an animal show:

First Mia didn't want to touch the reptiles and snakes but then she changed her mind.

Her favorite was the turtle
Ben was not even scared of the big snakes:

The highlight for Mia was of course the birthday cake

A busy weekend

2011-04-17T19:04:00.000-07:00

After Mia got another cold last weekend she finally was well again by Thursday. So Saturday she was ready for her first egg hunt that had been organized by the management of our building.

Even though she got distracted by a bagels and other food she still managed to find quite a few eggs.
The next day she was invited at Aidan's birthday party. Luckily the day was sunny after it had been raining all day Saturday.

One of the things she was really looking forward to was the birthday cake

Mia even got a little surprise bag that went to all the children:

Waiting for spring

2011-04-03T11:33:00.001-07:00

The past week has again been unsually cold and windy. So not many opportunities to get outside and play on the playground or look for neigborhood cats or dogs. But with the start of April it should only be a few more days until the winter coats can move to the back of the closets.

Playground

2011-03-26T18:28:00.000-07:00

On a sunny but really cold afternoon Kelly and Itsaso came for a visit. After same tea and cake we bundled up and all headed to the playground were Mia and Itsaso hd fun

Alexandria

2011-03-21T18:46:00.001-07:00

With the weather being a bit nicer we made the first trip to the waterfront in Alexandria for this year. Mia enjoyed looking at the birds and ships and also fed some ducks.

We could even look at a boat a builder had just finished:

The highlight of course was the ice cream parlor with the little polar bear in the window. In the evening we then all watched the "Super Moon" rise over Washington DC. It was supposed the largest full moon for more than 10 years. For a couple of weeks now Mia is excited about seeing the moon in the night sky.

Relaxing

2011-03-19T11:19:00.001-07:00

Sometimes Mia likes to take a break from her busy schedule and relax on the sofa with a good book or spend some quality time with Mr Mimi.

Luca's Birthday

2011-03-12T18:30:00.001-08:00

After practicing "Happy Birthday" for some days Mia had the opportunity to sing it at Luca's birthday party today. But maybe she was distracted by all the cup cakes and cookies and that's why she didn't sing with the other kids.
After the party she played a bit with Jakob who is only two months older and lives in the same building. They both shared an interest for water and luckily some was left in puddles after it had rained all day Thursday

Then after the trip to the playground they checked out two new cats that have moved into the neighborhood a few days ago:

Earlier this week Mia saw her first Mardis Gras parade here in Arlington. She enjoyed it and now has a few beads. A day earlier she had to watch the Rosenmontags parade in Cologne via the internet

Cancun. Mexico

2011-03-05T11:30:00.001-08:00

We all enjoyed our one week escape from the winter in Cancun. The weather was really nice and we had picked a place that was kid friendly. So there was a play area for kids

There were hammocks to relax:

The pool had lots of shallow areas for Mia to play in:

Lots of things to see at the beach:

We had a nice big balcony with ocean views:

A little puppy got fed by some girls

We all dressed up for dinner:
And there was even some live music in the lobby after dinner

Papa's birthday

2011-02-25T19:51:00.001-08:00

On papa's birthday Mia was really excited about all the unpacking that she could help with. Unfortunatley there were no picture books or toys in any of the packages

Visiting Itsaso

2011-02-13T19:09:00.001-08:00

This weekend Mia and her mother were almost recovered from last week's virus and we were finally able to get out again. On Saturday we had another birthday party - the highlight for Mia was of course the cake - and a Chinese dinner with Barbara. On Sunday we got together with Martin, Kelly and their daughter Itsaso. Mia needed some time to warm up but after some cake and a pizza she felt much more comfortable.

Maybe next time she can show Itsaso this new trick: Balancing a Cheerio on her head

Sick Days

2011-02-07T18:48:00.000-08:00

Early last week Mia caught some kind of virus and it took her quite a few days to get better. She still has a bit of a cough but is much more active than last Saturday. She had a few days where she had no appetite, had some fever and didn't sleep very well at night.
Now she is back in business constructing a stroller mobile out of her baby stroller and push car.

Chloe's Birthday Party

2011-01-30T19:02:00.000-08:00

Mia's most stylish birthday part yet was a nice restaurant in Georgetown. She got the invitation from the parents of Chloe who are our neighbors. There was great food, a magicain, and a great birthday cake.

Miaalso wanted to try mama's drink but of course she got the virgin version

From the magican Mia got a little bunny made out of a balloon. Of course she made it disappear behind her back:

Some other kids from our building were there as well

Snow

2011-01-28T18:12:00.001-08:00

After the first major snowfall this winter Mia joined some other kids from our building for a trip to the playground.

She didn't join Jacob and the others for sliding down the hill but there were plenty of other things to do.
Mostly she had to stay indoors in the last few days where she feeds her baby

or plays some music to entertain the little ones:

The new haircut

2011-01-19T18:48:00.000-08:00

After Mia's hair had gotten a bit long it was time for a hair cut. A good thing that she agreed to have it done by Mama.

Ready to go out

2011-01-16T18:18:00.000-08:00

After another cold and windy week Mia was ready to go out. She not only had a hat, a scarf and a stylish handbag but also her own set of keys.

Mia's kitchen

2011-01-07T18:17:00.001-08:00

Two week after Christmas Mia still enjoys her kitchen set. Starting with a kitchen towel she pulled from a shelf she set up a little kitchen. She arranged her pots and pans and then picked some healthy vegetables

In between she still found some time trying to turn a bib into a fashionable hat:

After all the cooking and eating she never forgets to brush her teeth:

Dancing Queen

2011-01-02T18:36:00.001-08:00

One of Mia's new hobbies is to do a little dancing. Especially when ABBA's "Dancing Queen" is on. She then also wants Mama to join the action:

Another new past time is hiding things behind her back. Then mama or papa have to ask where this or that is suddenly gone.

After that she first shows her empty hand and then - big surprise - the other hand

This works better with a small mandarin orange but not so good with a big stuffed panda bear

Bathroom News

2010-12-26T19:25:00.001-08:00

With her determination to do more and more things on her own Mia has also started to wash herself in the bath tub. She is also a big fan of the potty we got about 10 days ago and uses it a few times a day. Already two months back in Shanghai she was setting up the changing pad and getting the fresh diaper ready when she thought she needed a change. This might have been a good time to start the potty training but we decided to wait until we are back from trips to China and Europe.

Christmas Day

2010-12-25T10:08:00.001-08:00

Since it had gotten a bit late the evening before when we went out for dinner with Howie and his family, we decided to give Mia her presents on Christmas day. When possible she would help with the unwrapping

One of her favorites was a set of pots and kitchen utensils:

Now she can "cook"the vegetables she got a bit earlier

She also liked a new bag from her Oma in Cologne

Uncle Andreas picked a little drum:

The day before Christmas

2010-12-25T09:55:00.000-08:00

The day before Christmas Howie - an old friend from LSU, who just moved to the area - came for a visit with his wife and 14 month old daughter Ida. In the beginning Mia was a it shy - like usually - but then she ended up playing with Ida

She showed her her farm with little animals

And climbed around on our bed
When she is playing by herself she sometimes likes to try on Mama's shoes with one of her gloved

The advent calendar

2010-12-17T18:52:00.001-08:00

One thing we brought back from Germany for Mia was an Advent calendar. Now she is ready every morning after breakfast to have a new door opened. Her main interest is of course the chocolate and not so much what kind of object is shown behind each door.
During breakfast and other meals she also insists more and more to eat by herself. Sometimes this gets a bit messy but in general she is doing pretty well

Because of the cold weather and the snow this week she hardly got out. So a lot of playing was done indoors.

Two years old

2010-12-09T17:50:00.000-08:00

On her second birthday Mia woke up early. Maybe it was the jet lag. Maybe it was her excitement about her birthday presents. One was a doll from Oma in Cologne:

Since it was another cold and windy day she had to stay and play mostly inside

Which didn't mean she could not try out some winter accessories

In the evening it was then time for the birthday cake

Back from Germany

2010-12-08T12:04:00.001-08:00

After Switzerland we stopped in Cologne to see some family and friends. It was also a good opportunity to check out a Christmas market. Mia not only enjoyed the food - Potato pancakes (Reibekuchen ) and Sausages - but also the ride for kids

Because of the cold and the snow we couldn't spend much time outside but fortunately we could let Mia play at the large Porta furniture store in Lind. They had plenty of children beds with a slide for her to check out.

She also had fun playing with her cusins Ellis and Malin

After Cologne we went to see Ji's friend Andrea in Spellen. There we also had lots of snow but one afternoon we went out so that Mia could see a real horse nearby

She also played a lot inside

Very popular was the toy kitchen
Mia also liked the baby doll
On the evening of December 5 St. Claus made an early appearance so that Mia could meet him as well

Back home after a long flight Mia was happy to see Mr Mimi again

Riding the tiger

2010-11-27T06:01:00.001-08:00

On her first full day in Schaffhausen Mia explored some fresh snow and the toy department of a nearby department store. They had not onlt a big assortment of stuffed cats but also horses and tigers:

In the afternoon we mad a quick trip to the Christmas marked nearby Konstanz.

Schaffhausen. Switzerland

2010-11-25T12:17:00.001-08:00

After a smooth flight from Washington, DC to Zurich, Switzerland we made it to Schaffhausen where we are staying with Antje. She showed us arround town in the afternoon and Mia was happy to discover a childrens's ride like the ones she enjoyed in Shanghai.

She also enjoyed the cake at an nice old café:

There were also some nice toy stores in the old town - just a few steps from Antje's place

In the evening it started to snow and we took Mia for a little walk

Off to Switzerland and Germany

2010-11-24T09:16:00.001-08:00

For a Thanksgiving get together with some old friends we are leaving from Schaffhausen, Switzerland this evening. After that we add a week in Cologne, Germany to see family and friends. Since the weather forecast calls for snow and temperatures below the freezing point Mia got some snow pants and winter boots. She is still also interested in other shoes and doesn't restrict herself just Mama's shoes.

Playing

2010-11-21T18:51:00.000-08:00

After sitting in a corner for a few months now Mia has re-discovered her building blocks and sometimes put them together for a little tower. She then makes sure her work receives the proper attention. On a sunny and mild weekend we also spend a lot of time outside and went to a farmers market and the playground.

We are also getting ready for our trip to Schaffhausen, Switzerland and Cologne, Germany this coming Wednesday. Since the forecast for Zurich for Thursday says snow we got Mia some snow pants and boots today.

New old toys

2010-11-14T18:13:00.000-08:00

This weekend Mia finally got her own tricycle. She always liked to play with the ones that are available at one of the playgrounds so when we saw one at a yard sale we picked it up for her. At the same yard sale Mia was also very interested in a pink toy stroller and since she liked it so much the very nice owner offered if for free when we got the tricycle.
Now Mia has two and since she couldn't decide this morning which one to push around she pushed both

Another old toy Mia sometimes plays with is papa's more than 40 years old teddy bear: Last week he was wrapped up and but down for a nap in an old chair of Mia

Here also a picture of Mia right after her afternoon nap where she is relaxing a bit with mama on the bed

Mia and Mr. Mimi

2010-11-07T18:01:00.001-08:00

After being apart for more than four weeks Mia and Mr. Mimi are best friends now. Mia has become very good at petting him and Mr. Mimi is very nice to her as well.

Back from Shanghai

2010-11-05T19:00:00.001-07:00

Here some pictures from our trip to Shanghai

Mia loved to look for cats around the building where Ji parents live - and she found quite a few.

First visit to the World Expo: Artwork at the South African pavilion

At the South African pavilion: Moments before the South African president came for a quick visit

Mia's first ferry ride to another part of the Expo

Ferry ride
Artwork at the Latvian pavilion

Relaxing at a park
At a park
Selling pets at Qiboa village

Qibao village
Uncle Zhongwei and Mia's cousin

At a children's park
Mia and her cousin
At the second visit at Expo it was much colder

Mia posing in front at Lupu bridge - teh longest steel arch bridge in the world

Heading to Shanghai

2010-10-01T18:26:00.001-07:00

This coming Sunday Mia will start her biggest trip yet: All the way from Washington DC to Shanghai. Her grandparents there are already excited to see her and so is her cousin who is only nine months older.

Posing

2010-09-21T18:51:00.001-07:00

Recently Mia likes to pose for her frequent photo shoots. After building a little tower out of two jars and one toy she espcially requested to have it documented in a photo:

Another photo opportunity was as a new doll - a little purple fairy- she got from Ji's friend who went on a cruise in Alaska

On another day she was trying out different hats:

On the weekend she used a trip to the Potomac waterfront in Old Town Alexandria for some creative shots on a bench by the river:

Good thing she still has time for a little kiss for mama:

A Rainy Weekend

2010-09-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

A rainy and cooler weekend was a good opportunity for Mia's first trip to a mall. There we met Ji's cousin Yilei and her son Ben. After lunch Mia and Ben tried their luck with a vending machine but none of them had any luck.

Mia also got a rocking horse and brushed her teeth like a real cow girl: In the saddle with the doll in one hand and the tooth brush in the other one:

21 Months Old

2010-09-09T19:25:00.001-07:00

We forget to get Mia some cake when she turned 21 months today but she had fun at the playground. She enjoys the slides for teh bigger kids and always has an eye on a tricycle or a push car. Actually she can even pedal a little bit.

National Building Museum

2010-09-05T19:04:00.000-07:00

A neighbor had told as that the National Building Museum has a special section for children. So this Sunday morning we headed into town to check it out. There really was a big area with lots of toys just for children and Mia had lots of fun. The rest of the museum we will have to check out some other time

In the afternoon we were at the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria again. We had ice cream and Mia saw the street musican again who performs for kids:

The Daredevil

2010-09-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

For a few days Mia really enjoys going down slides. She tries even the high ones and sometimes even goes head first. We find ourselfs a bit surprised since Mia usually is kind of cautious and shy

Mia is also enjoying the bike trailer we got a week ago. For Ji it is now a good option to go places in our neighborhood.

Mr. Mimi has warmed up to Mia and is allowing her to pat and hug him.

Spark Lab

2010-08-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

On a hot Monday afternoon Mia headed to the National Museum of American History again. One section is devoted to science and has a small hands-on lab for children, the Spark Lab.

Mia is still a bit too young but she has fun at the play corner. Today she even found a little playmate.

In the morning she also enjoyed her first shopping trip in the new bilke trailer. Mama let her even ride in the shopping cart for kids which is designed like a car. In the evening it was time again for the pool.

Stepping into Mama's shoes

2010-08-29T17:56:00.001-07:00

Mia's has a long interest in shoes in general and especially in mama's shoes. This weekend she wanted to try mama's flip flops and actually managed to walk in them a bit:

She also enjoyed the new bike trailer we got for her. After the first spin around the block she wanted out again but once she got used to it she didn't want to leave anymore. Some pictures from the first outing soon.
Suddenly she also enjoys an old car toy again - even though she is now a little bit too big for it:

Back to normal

2010-08-22T18:28:00.001-07:00

After Mia was sick last week things are finally back to normal and she eats and sleeps like she used to do. She also enjoys again having her teddy wear different shoes and outfits. She also likes her picture books.

If we have one of the items shown there at home - like sunglasses - we are happy to show her the real thing.

Together with some neighbors and their children Mia also went to a music concert for kids in our neighborhood.

We don't let her drive quite yet but we took her to the air and space museum where she could sit in a model plane

Recovering

2010-08-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

After Mia came down with a virus on Monday evening she didn't really eat and sleep well for about three days.
We took her to the doctor on Thursday who gave us the diagnosis of the virus - we initially thought she might have a problem with teething - and were we found out she had lost more than a pound.

This weekend things were finally returning to normal and she is almos eating like she used to and getting a full night of sleep again.
We also took her to a little outing to the harbor of Old Town Alexandria where there was also an Irish festival with music and dancing in a park at the Potomac. Mia also enjoyed a street musician who performed blues: "She has in her blood" was his comment after he saw her claping and waving her hands to his music.
Today then she had fun at a playground with pretty high closed in slide.

Amercian Indian Museum

2010-08-08T18:40:00.001-07:00

Another hot Sunday in Washington DC was a good opportunity for Mia to check out another museum. This time we took her to the museum of American Indians which had a lot of space to run around and many things to look at.

Second trip to Chicago

2010-08-07T18:20:00.000-07:00

After we met Ji's brother in Chicago last November we decided to take Mia there for a second time to meet with Christian and Beth who were visting this weekend.
This time we didn't stay in the suburbs but in a nice hotel downtown. One of the nice features was the pool on the 19'th floor. Since Mia enjoys water we too her there for a morning swim

For lunch we met Christian at a Cajun joint at the Chicago river

Mia was not very interested in the red beans and rice though but she had a bite of Ji's catfish poboy

She had more fun later that day in the Millenium park. There was a reflecting sculpture

A nice square to push her stroller around

There was also a very nice water installation which is a big hit for kids:

The next morning we took her to a nice playground reight next to the Hancock tower.

Then it was lunch again with Christian - this time in a beer garden on top of the Rock Bottom brew pub
Later Mia relaxed with some shoe shopping at Nordstrom. After that we met Beth, Tore and Christian for some cocktails at the 96'th floor lounge at the Hancock tower - for Mia it was just water.

The next day at the airport before we flew back Mia helped out with one of the electric carts

Teddy Bear

2010-08-01T18:13:00.001-07:00

Mia has become more creative with her playing. So her teddy bear has become more busy and sometimes has to wear her old clothes.

After that he might have to go into her stroller for a trip down the hallways. If he is lucky he could also get some cheerios or a bottle of milk.

Sometimes Mia also likes to try papa's socks or fancy boxer short:

At the Museum of American History

2010-07-18T18:10:00.001-07:00

Another hot and steamy Sunday afternoon was a good time for a trip to the Museum of American History. Mia had fun poking the fake people, running around and especially with an old Chicago streetcar.

With so much to see we only covered one section on the ground floor. We sure will be back to see what else is there to discover.

In the evening it was time again to cool off in the pool on the rooftop.

First hand bag

2010-07-05T17:51:00.001-07:00

Somehow Mia found Ji's hand bag in the closet. Ji hadn't used it for a long time and never showed it to Mia. Still she figured out that this is an fashionable acessory and headed right out to the hall way with it. No really a surprise: For a long time she has already loved shoes and now comes the hand bag. Now we are wondering what fashion item will be next.

At the petting zoo

2010-07-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

On a hot Sunday morning we took Mia to a small petting zoo in the coutryside. It turned out that she is mostly liked the smaller animals and wasn't really interested in the bigger ones. So we will try again when she is a bit older and it is a bit cooler.

Enjoying summer

2010-07-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

When the record heat took a break at the end of this week we used the opportunity to take Mia to the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria.

Ther were many things for her to see and to discover: Ducks, fancy yachts, a fire truck, art studios, an ice cream shop, and live music.

Back home Mia went for quick spin around the playground.

At the end she had to push though.

Playdate

2010-06-21T17:15:00.001-07:00

On another hot and steamy Sunday afternonn we got invied by a colleague who's daughter is only a few weeks younger than Mia. Mia enjoyed to check out a new place and to play with some new toys.

World Cup

2010-06-13T16:59:00.000-07:00

Mia watched her first world cup game of Germany at friends place. He had a nice TV with high definition, great food, and very comfy chairs and couches

Mia also had fun roaming both floors of the house and playing peak-a-boo

Back at home we just had enough time to try out the new bathing suit Mia had gotten from Ji's girl friend

18 Months Old

2010-06-09T17:35:00.000-07:00

Mia started off this special day halfway between her first and second birthday by sleeping in all the way until 6:40 am.
Unfortunately it was a bit rainy so there were not too much outdoor activities that day But then she got her favorite dish for dinner: Rice with scrambled eggs and tomatoes.

As a surprise there was also a little fruit tart for desert:

Born to be wild

2010-06-05T16:44:00.001-07:00

On a hot and muggy Saturday afternoon we headed to a playground nearby to get outside a bit. Some toys have been left there for everyone to play with and Mia likes the ones were she can sit on and be pushed around. We already agree that she won't be allowed to ride a real motorbike though
On hot day playing inside has its benefits as well. In this case the lion custom fortunately didn't scare Mr. Mimi

Pool season

2010-05-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

The Memorial Day weekend was also the official start of the pool season for our building. On a hot and humid Monday we though this might be a good place for Mia to cool down a bit. As it turned out Mia had a lot of fun in the water and didn't really want to get out even after 30 minutes.

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-30T17:30:00.001-07:00

This weekend Mia discovered that it is more fun to eat on her own with a fork than to be feed by a spoon or then by picking up her food with her hands. Unfortunately this doesn't work for her favorite dish right now: Rice with scrambled eggs and tomatoes. It does work pretty well for a small piece of pancake though.

In time for the Memorial Day weekend it has turned hot again and it is good that we can escape from the afternoon heat to a bookstore close by

So far Mia is mostly intersted in books with a booton in front: When pressed thei either play a melody or one hears the sound of a dorrbell.

Another welcome escape from the heat is a new water installation at a courtyard nearby:

At home she can now relax on her own little chair with matching table