Happy 17 month birthday!

Happy 17 month birthday, Izzy! Another month older...you are growing up too fast.

You have taken a liking to money...YES, money! You like notes but right now, you like coins better...but I am sure you will like notes more than coins in the very near future! You like to slot coins into the piggy bank...you are so focused when you do it. Hopefully, you'll grow up to be a good saver!

You are running quite well now. Before it use to take you a second to get from one spot to another, now it takes you a nano-second. It's CRAAAZY! You are so fast, you are like Houdini, and disappear from Mommy's sight all the time. I can't even blink nowadays!

Not only are you Houdini, you are also the Monkey King. During meals, you don't even want to sit in the high chair anymore...you are always climbing out of them! Mommy really doesn't know what to do with you at mealtime these days.

And when you want to, you follow directions very well. But you do have the "selective-hearing syndrome" where you only hear what you want and when you want. Oh, the joys of toddlerhood!

You have also developed the feeling of empathy. Empathy is the ability to not only detect what others feel but also to experience that emotion yourself. It's really comical when you watch Ni Hao, Kai-Lan and start crying when Tolee cries or when Kai-Lan gets hurt. The other day, you started crying when we were watching some nature documentary and 2 of the baboons were fighting! We really have to monitor what you watch so you won't get upset.

Oh gosh, what new things will you pick up next month?

Love, Mom

Izzy enjoying the water taxi ride @ Granville Island in Vancouver, BC

Milestone: Mommy & Daddy's First Trip Away

Dear Izzy,

Our first milestone! Mommy and Daddy went away on our first overnight trip without you. We went to Nanaimo, BC and stayed at a beautiful property called Wickaninnish Inn. The last time we were here was 10 years ago...wow, how time flies!

Although Mommy and Daddy enjoyed and needed this trip, we also missed you soooo much! Ah Ma and Lau Yi took care of you while we were gone. Apparently you were very well-behaved! You ate and slept very well. Ah Ma says you behave better when we are not around...and why is that, Izzy?

Anyway, only after a night away from you, Mommy and Daddy were glad to be back together with you. One day, we will take you here...hopefully we don't have to wait another 10 years for that to happen!

Love, Mom

Beautiful property on the cliff overlooking the ocean

View from our room

Our room with floor-to-ceiling windows

More Molars!

Dear Izzy,

More molars just popped up probably a couple days ago! But you've been so well-behaved that Mommy didn't notice anything. Both of your 1st molars on the bottom have erupted. It looks really painful because your gums are pretty swollen but you are such a trooper. So now leaves the top right 1st molar...I am sure it's not far behind!

Love, Mom

16.5 months

Mommy needs to find a way to get Father Time to slow down! You are 16.5 months today and are a ball of energy. Seriously, the more I look at you, the more Mommy wonders where the little tiny dependent baby went to? You are this feisty, demanding and totally independent little girl. You no longer want to be carried, mostly wanting to go wherever you want to go.

You are starting to string 2 words together. Your first word string is "no more". Whenever you finish eating something, you sign and you say "no more". You are also a stuffed animal lover. When we go shopping, you often beeline to the stuffed animal corner and hug all the animals. You will also usually pick a stuffed bear and walk around the whole store. When we have to go, Mommy tells you to put the "bear bear" back because he lives in the store. Sometimes you throw a fit because you want to take him home with you! You enjoy riding on Mommy's back, whenever I am laying on my belly, you come and sit on my back and press a "button" (which is anywhere on my back) to tell me to start to giddy-up.

Mommy and you flew into Vancouver by ourselves today. Mommy felt like supermom carrying you in the ergo, one hand pulling our 50 lb luggage, the other hand wheeling the carseat and lugging a heavy carry-on luggage on my shoulder. I think I was carrying at least 50 lbs on my body, half of my own weight! People were clearing a path for us when we were walking through. You were so good on the plane, although I think you might have peek-a-booed to death the 3 passengers sitting behind us. An old couple sat beside us and the grandma was so in love with you! She even helped carry you a couple of times...you really charmed her. After playing, you fell asleep in Mommy's arms for about 1.5 hours, you didn't even wake up when the flight landed...we were the last ones off the plane because Mommy had to eventually wake you up! Thank you for being such a good girl!

Love, Mom

My happy little frequent flyer

Happy 4th of July!!

Dear Izzy,

Happy 4th of July to my American girl! You were allowed to stay up a little later today because you had a couple of good naps. So you could also celebrate Independence Day and enjoy your first BBQ prepared by Daddy! Mommy loves it when we get to eat at the table as a family. You enjoyed munching on the corn and chicken wings. They are delicious, aren't they?

Love, Mom

Definitely a Mac!

Dear Izzy,

You are a true Mac girl! Not only you have your own iBook, you have inherited Daddy's old iPhone. Maybe we need to get you an iPad too. You are going to grow up to be a Mac fan girl for sure!

Love, Mom