Serena's milestones

My little Serena:) is growing up so fast, and developing at a faster pace than Lina<3 did, because she wants to play, and interact more with her jiejie (big sister in Chinese).


My little Serena:) is learning how to wave buh bye.  During breakfast time, I showed her how to wave buh bye, and her little hands just open and close, and open and close.  It was so cute to watch her watch her hands open and close like Mommy's because she was just as excited as I was to see her hand open and close. She is learning so fast. 

Also today, this evening with Baba (daddy in Chinese), Serena:) walked along the entire length of the couch. Baba did the same tricks (having a toy out of reach) I used to try, and get her to walk along the couch but it didn't work well for me.  It was amazing to watch her move her feet, one dragging foot after the other.  She is moving her chubby little feet :)


Speaking about chubby little feet, Serena:) walked by self with the walker for a longer stretch than her usual three to four steps. She walked from kitchen to Mommy's room.  It was shaky start. Even if she does not walk, she stand very well for a long period of time. That came with a lot of practice because if her jiejie is on the couch, Serena:) would stand by the couch just the see what her jiejie is doing. I am so proud of my baby Serena:) who is so quick to learn things because she wants for play with her jiejie.


Serena:) third tooth came out. It is the top tooth. It was peeking yesterday, and past few days, which led to a lot of clinginess and fussiness. Since it came out, she feels much better, and able to enjoy the day better, which is always a good thing.

NY Aquarium and Coney Island’s Luna Park

NY Aquarium
We were taking advantage of the nice weather at the aquarium, and donation day on summer Fridays, last Friday.  Lina<3 had read a little bit about the aquarium and seemed interested in fish from our own aquarium at home.  Our first time here went well for Lina<3 and Serena:) who was startled by the loud noises from the sea lion show. Lina<3 liked observing the smaller fish but not the bigger ones, as it comes to close to her and it frighten her a bit.



Luna Park

Sisterly Bond

As my baby girls get bigger, they are starting to play together well whenever big sis, Lina<3 wants to play, lol.  Serena:) loves watching her big sister play.  I love watching my babies interact with each other. It is so adorable as they learn from each other. When Lina<3 is in a good mood and not throwing temper tantrums, she is so sweet to her baby sister, and plays well together.

Serena:) first word!

Serena:) says "Ba ba ba ba ba".  It is her first word, and it is in Chinese meaning Daddy. At first, it sounds like babbling, but once we reinforced it, it sounds more like words. I love hearing it. It is so cute, it happens when she is usually playing. she had been saying for over a week and it only sounds cuter and cuter. Daddy loves hearing it, and stating, of course she would say Baba first :) Serena:) also says "ma" but only once or twice a day. But "bababa" she says more often during the day. Even Lina<3 recognizes  that Serena:) is speaking now. I can't wait til my little Serena:) speaks more and her vocabulary begins to develop.

our 4th of July weekend

4th of July was a rainy and start of the day. It ended well with some neighbors doing fireworks at nighttime. Lina<3 was so cute when the fireworks started. She likes the idea of firework and does not enjoyed it outside. So we enjoyed the fireworks from our window. She thinks the fireworks are too loud from outside and inside by covering her ears every time she hears it. The fireworks lasted 1.5 hours. And it woke up Serena:) who was in bed by 8pm. Serena:) was able to enjoyed her first fireworks her first 4h of July. They both got to stay up later than usual. Firework is the word of the day :)

BBQ Saturday was fun at Auntie Helen’s house :) Lina<3 loves bubbles. At Auntie’s house, Lina<3 actually played with a little girl that was there.  The little girl was so sweet, playful, and attentive towards Lina<3. And Lina<3 actually played with the girl, not just for a second, but the rest of the night. It was so cute to see her socially play with someone else besides family. They played bubbles together. They played inside the house together. Lina<3 tried to have short conversation(s)
with her, but all she really said is “bubbles”, “more bubbles”, and “what’s your name” (this question Lina<3 asked over and over). My little LIna<3 is learning about social play.


On Sunday, my little Serena:) pulled herself up to standing position for the first time. A new new milestone!  She had been pulling self up onto her knees for a week.

Recap Time

It started to get nice out since April, and what do we do when it gets nice out, go out! We have been spending time outside as much as possible.  The weather has been so crazy, with extreme periods of dry spells, wet weather, humidity, and cloudiness.  Lina<3 had been enjoying every bit of her time outside when possible. Since April, we have been spending a day a week at PorPor's (grandma in Cantonese) house.

Serena:) is now 8 months, and has grown so much in terms of development, in weight and length.  In April, she could barely crawl, and did not even like tummy time at all. But as we did more and more tummy time, she began to crawl, sit up and now starting to crawl on all fours and pulling self up to her knees. There's a lot of babbling of "ahs" "oh" and "coo".  As well as some words that sound like "ma" to me and some words that sound like "ba" (for baba, which means daddy in Cantonese) in the last week or so.  She puts everything in her mouth, which is very alarming, and needs to keep a closer eye on her.  With the beginning of solids at 5 months old, she loves to eat. It was hard to get use to the foods (in the beginning, when the spoon does not work well, I used my fingers to feed her and once she got use to the idea of eating, she was more willing to take the spoonful of food).  Serena:) is enjoying playing with her jie jie (big sister in Cantonese). It is so cute watching them play together espeically when Lina<3 in the mood to play with her mui mui (little sister in Cantonese).

Lina<3 is developing fast too.  She is 2 1/2 years old, and it is amazing how fast time flies.  There is so much energy when her temper tantrums are not overwhelming her and us.  She is speaking more, and putting words together.  There's still an obsession of apple juice (especially when she knows it is in the refrigerator.  She loves to read.  We read every night before bedtime and at least once or twice during the day for a few minutes at a time.  Her eating habits varies just like her mood, and her nap time.

That's what has been happening in the last three months.  Now it is July, time really does fly.

"Happy Feet" Crying Fest

Happy Feet  is a great movie for kids, or so I thought.  Since Lina<3 is 2 1/2 years old now, I thought that she may enjoy this movie.  Also, I needed something to distract her from her nap because she woke up so whiny for Mommy - it was Mommy this, and Mommy that.  At first, the movie was great, Lina<3 sat down, and watched it as I tell her what is going on, on the screen.  But as soon as Mumble (the main character in the movie) was born, the water works started.  There were times when Mumble was alone, Lina<3 kept saying, "mommy, mommy, mommy", pointing to the screen, and crying a lot.   I tried to explain to her that mommy was coming back, and Mumble is big now, and does not need mommy to go places with him. Lina<3 just kept on crying, and saying, "mommy" as she points to the screen.  My poor baby, with a waterfall of tears down her cheeks.  When she does not stop crying, it was time to put an end to the movie, almost 30 minutes into it. Don't worry, as soon as the movie was turned off, Lina<3 was fine.