Cincinnati Pops Orchestra Lollipops concert and CNY party at our house

 Saturday morning Audrey, Paula and I went to Music Hall for the Lollipops Family Concert performed by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. An hour before the performance they have interactive music stations in another hall.  

  Paula overheard some people commenting about how little Audrey was and how she attacked the drum with so much confidence.

 The violin was a little more challenging but ...

 she worked it.

  She really enjoyed being on stage  with all these kids.  Below is a very short video that sorta shows her dancing, etc.  I don't have much luck downloading longer videos.

We met Anna and Lucy at the concert and Miss A thought she saw Lucy when she was on the stage.  John also caught up with us for the concert after his run in Mt Airy Park.. 

 Paula and Audrey watching a kid playing the clarinet (below).

 Miss A hugging the library mascot dog.

 A photo of us before we went into the concert.  Because I bought our tickets through Miss Amanda's music class we had fantastic seats ... 6th row center orchestra.  The theme for this concert was "It's Storytime".  The concert started with the Carnival of the Animals which included poems written and read by SCPA students.  Towards the end of the hour long concert John Morris Russel, CSO conductor, led the audience in a sing along of Kookaburra that was fun.  In the middle of the show  Russell introduced a  29 year old Chinese pianist named Lang Lang who he described as the" best in the world".  According to Lang Lang's bio he started playing the piano at 3 years old and by the time he was 5 he was giving recitals and winning competitions.

 Miss A's wardrobe change after her nap for our Chinese New Year party with neighbors and friends Saturday afternoon.  This is the same dress she wore on the red couch in Guangzhou when she was just 10 months old.

  Our neighbors gave her so many gifts.  In the picture above our neighbor Nancy T is giving her a new plush puppy.

 Random candid photos.

 They aren't good pictures but they are the only ones I have of the adults.

 Molly M and Miss A.

 Kids at the kitchen table.  We gave the 16 kids who came to our party red envelopes with 10 yuan (about $1.70 each). 

Chinese New Year celebrations start

 Monday January 23 we went to Susie Wong's to celebrate CNY.  Miss A also got new sunglasses (her request) after she broke her last pair.  She kept repeating a long sentence about how the man at the craft store cut the tag of her sunglasses.  Below she is doing a random monkey imitation.  She was a ham that night and well quite full of herself.  She got a lot of attention. 

  This is a picture of Anna, our waitress, who gave her the red envelope.  She told us to put the envelope under Audrey's pillow.

Below she is counting her money the next money.  Her first $2.00!

 So Tuesday we went to Toys R Us to buy a bank.  At first she thought this ride with Bert and Ernie looked like fun but it bored her pretty quickly and she asked to be taken off.

 This week we started playing yahtzee.  We also watched China Globe trekkers dvd's as we will probably have this playing on the 3rd floor where we think the kids will hang out.

 Wednesday we attended Wee Wednesday class at the art museum (picture below).  She choose this outfit and then after she was completely dressed asked to wear a completely different one.  I draw the line at one wardrobe change.

 We also had lunch at the art museum.  Kid friendly and very reasonably priced.

 We might have gone overboard on CNY decorations.  Probably because we think we will re-use them as A's b-day is sorta close to this celebration.

  The staff as Susie Wong's told us the is the mandarin translation of what Chinese say to each other for CNY. 

 One of the posters from Krohn's 2008 B-fly show that we have hanging in our hallway.

Below is another Krohn poster we hung over the kitchen fireplace.

Below is Miss A climbing down the stairs and then a video of her being very chatty.

Ready to go to Miss Amanda's musikgarten class.  One small wardrobe change ... the boots.

 Wrapping "manket" around herself after breakfast this morning.

 Oh, and this was her choice of outfit this morning. 

Prepping for our CNY party

 Breakfast by Baba one day this week.  Eggs, sausage and grapes.  I don't think Miss A fully appreciates the designs Baba makes for her.

 A and I sweeping prior to Mary (our EI specialist) visit.  Right now she enjoys being included in any activity.   She also wants to know if we are going to bed when I put her in bed.

Friday we celebrated Mary's birthday with cupcakes.  Miss A was taking notes on the candles, wishes, singing "Happy Birthday"  etc.  Unfortunately I did not take any pictures.

  Playing her piano and singing "snuggle puppy".  My attempts to get this on video weren't successful.  She won't take requests.

  Friday afternoon we went downtown to AAA to order Chinese money for the red envelopes we are giving the children coming to our party this Saturday.  Audrey choose this hat and then loved the attention it drew.

Saturday morning we hung out at home as we had an ice storm the previous night.  In the above picture they are playing with Chinese lanterns.

 By Saturday afternoon the ice was less treacherous so  we went shopping for our CNY party.  Here Miss A is pushing the cart. Mary advised us we should take advantage of this "monkey see monkey do" stage.  No pressure.

  Because it was so cold we had another fire Saturday evening.

 Riding her pony.  This is the expression you get when you ask her to do "surprise" face.

 And her natural smile which I am sometimes lucky to get. 

We moved the dragon for the party to a more subtle spot.

Sunday afternoon we toured a toddler enrichment preschool in Hyde Park.  We were impressed with the teachers and facility.  They teach signing and Spanish on alternating weeks.  They focus on teaching children how to negotiate relationships with other children.  Overall they convinced us they had some good methods for fostering a love of learning.  Additionally Audrey was at ease in the environment.  We will see if we get in sometime in February.

Weekend in W VA nd Virginia

 This past Saturday morning we went to Peanut Butter & Jam's Winter Concert which was Bim Bam Boom (percussionists) held at Wyoming Arts Center.  As usual just a wonderful experience and we both learned a lot.  For example the steel drum instrument has only been around since 1951.   Kids in Trinidad used washed up oil drums to play these drums.

  Miss A choose her outfit.  After class we got a late start for our trip to W VA due to a tenant heat issue.  Fortunately we were able to still make it to Lewisburg in time to have dinner with Nancy at one of our favorite restaurants.  We were a little concerned how Audrey would deal after such a long day.  But she was great.

 The next day we took a more scenic rout to Richmond to accommodate Audrey's napping.  So we arrived late afternoon with a cheerful little girl who was very happy to see the pony at her Grandma's house.  This horse is about 60 years old.  One of John's mom's friends gave it to for Andrew to play with.

 Climbing Baba... note the cute pigtails.

   We celebrated Christmas with John's family after dinner. 

  Audrey's sweet cousin Andrew taught her how to crawl down steps! 

 Cuties.

  Audrey really likes her cousin Andrew.

 Going to a Mexican restaurant Monday for lunch.

 And then we went to Richmond's Science Museum.

 One of my favorite pictures of these 2.

 Fishing with baba.

 Andrew working on the car in the exhibit sponsored by Carmax Cares.

 And Miss A and Baba changing a tire in the same exhibit.

 Ambulance driver and his co-pilot.

 Then we stopped by the Playhouse.

 1st costume change was this really odd fitting blue dress.  We never figured out the neckline.

 Next was this leopard dress which she wore only briefly.

 She was totally comfortable in the blue tutu.

 Watching the stage performance with Baba.  Basically what was happening on stage was little boys opening and shutting the curtain and play fighting.

 Hugging the red dino on the way out.  She pointed it out to me that he had money.

 Tuesday we drove to Lewisburg and went swimming.  This is such a goofy picture of Audrey but I didn't get many and wanted to remember how excited she was about her swimsuit.  She kept walking around the room saying "my new swim suit" over and over.

That night we went to a nearby Chinese restaurant. I remembered Nancy and I did not care for this restaurant 8 years ago when we ate there but thought it might have improved.   Sadly no.

 

 But we liked their cool dragons.

  And this picture of the summer palace made us nostalgic.

  Warming up by the lobby fireplace at our hotel after dinner.