Photos: Dora Gift and Stickers

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Lydia is holding a DVD entitled "Dora Saves the Snow Princess".

Because of how much Lydia likes seeing Dora the Explorer episodes on television, dad decided to buy a Dora DVD for her.

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Dad is using scissors to cut open the shrink wrap around the Dora the Explorer DVD.

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Dad, Lydia, and Tigger the Tiger stickers

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Dad and Lydia are holding "Dora Saves the Snow Princess" DVD.

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Lydia is holding the Dora DVD, something that she watched a number of times today.

Note: SiowFong took all of these pictures on December 25, 2008 in the living room of our home.

Photos: Lydia's Doll Gift

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Mom is helping Lydia to tear open Lydia's gift from mom.

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While her mom is cutting open the box to get all of the accessories, Lydia is placing a pacifier inside baby's mouth.

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Mom smiles while Lydia examines her present, a baby doll with pacifiers, a bottle, diapers, underpants, and a potty. Lydia's mom witnessed how much Lydia enjoyed playing with the baby doll at Northern Virginia Mennonite Church in Fairfax, Virginia during this Thanksgiving, so she looked for and found this similar present for Lydia.

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When her mom asked what name Lydia wanted for her baby, Lydia said, "Isabelle".

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 25, 2008 in the living room of our home.

Photos: Mummie's Gift

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Lydia is presenting mom with her gift.

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Mom hugs Lydia after receiving the gift, a pair of earrings from Ben Bridge Jewelers.

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Mom is putting on one of the earrings while Lydia studies her mom's actions.

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Lydia is scrutinizing the plastic earring container while her mom observes.

The jeweler at Ben Bridge placed this plastic container inside a Ben Bridge bear, which then was placed in the box.

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 25, 2008 in the living room of our home.

Photos: Daddy's Gifts

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Dad and Lydia are posing beside her dad's gift bag before they search for the gifts inside the bag.

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Lydia gives her daddy a kiss.

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Dad and Lydia show the Kodak Gallery photo book that mom made for dad.

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While sitting on her dad's lap, Lydia is leafing through the pages of the photo book, which contains pictures of dad and Lydia that were taken in 2007 and 2008.

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Lydia presents her dad with another gift. The box contained a blue sweatshirt and matching sweat pants.

Note: SiowFong took all of these pictures on December 25, 2008 in the living room of our home.

Photos: Christmas Day

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Fairy Tiger

Fei Ling, one of Lydia's cousins in Malaysia, bought this stuffed animal for Lydia this October. Since it is the only stuffed animal with wings, SiowFong thought that the appropriate place for it would be atop the Christmas tree since some people decorate that area with an angel.

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Christmas tree with gifts around it

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Close up view of some of the gifts around Christmas tree

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Family photo on Christmas Day beside Christmas tree and gifts

Note: All of these pictures were taken in our home. The first three occurred on

December 24, 2008, and the last occrred on December 25, 2008.

Dora the Explorer

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Dora the Explorer and Boots the Monkey (Dora's best friend)

December 27, 2008

Dora the Explorer

For the last few months, Lydia’s favorite television show has been Dora the Explorer that appears on the Nickelodeon Junior television channel. Last year, she liked seeing the children’s programs on our local public television station, such as Teletubbies, Mr. Rogers, Sesame Street, and Curious George, but she never enjoyed viewing any of those nearly as much as she has relished seeing Dora, which is aired at 7:30 AM, the time when Lydia has awakened and is usually drinking her milk.

Last year, she was not nearly as interested in Dora much. Her first encounter with Dora occurred when our friends, Matt Kaing and Mayfanna Li, gave her a Dora the Explorer book about Halloween. Later in 2007, we bought her a Milton Bradley memory game based on Dora the Explorer, something with which she occasionally played. Her third Dora gift occurred earlier this year at her second birthday party when Frank Poon and Wee Kao gave her a Dora plate with a matching Dora bowl. Because she had not seen the cartoon on television or DVD, however, she was not very familiar with the characters, and she was not very attached to those presents.

All of that dramatically changed this fall when she began viewing Dora the Explorer on television as Dora quickly became Lydia’s favorite cartoon character. For those who are unfamiliar with Dora, here is what Wikipedia says about Dora the Explorer:

“In every episode, Dora goes on an exploring trip to find something or help somebody. Dora always asks the viewers at home to help her find new ways to get to the places with the help of Map. Dora also teaches children Spanish.

She sees everyone equally and mainly good no matter who the character, this noted at her not holding a grudge against Swiper for all the items he's swiped from her party. She acts against villains only when innocence sakes' depend on it and compromise is mostly impossible or unless she is somewhat strictly required to, but even still, she has yet to hold any true accounts of actual anger. Dora is very kind and will always give others a chance to try their hands at certain task for the simple thrill of seeing them excel in the skill even when/if she herself could have possibly fulfill the task faster and/or more accurately.

Though Dora spends very little time indoors, she still best values her family and its background and all who reside at her house. She seems to always want to influence her traditions and customs to those who have yet to know but still she is very subtle in doing so and wouldn't force her beliefs on others.

Dora openly loves her family. She loves Boots too. He is also her best friend since she saved his beloved red boots from being swiped by Swiper.

Dora enjoys sports. She was on a baseball team with her best friend Boots and her other friends and was coached by her father (his employment status was never changed after that). She loves soccer and is very good at it. Dora also speaks Spanish, teaching small words and phrases to the viewers.

Dora is also quite the musician shown mostly as having skill in playing the wooden flute.
The character was voiced by Kathleen Herles in every season, until she was replaced by Caitlin Sanchez[2].

Early concepts of Dora had her as a blond girl of European ancestry. The character was originally based on one of the creator's (Rick Velleu) nieces named Lilli.”

Photos: House Snow 2

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The view of the snow-and-ice covered street in front of our home

One of our neighbor's vehicles is stuck in the snow near the end of the street on the left.

December 22, 2008 (8:35 AM)

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Pre-sunrise picture of our home

Note the walls of snow beside our driveway that resulted from our snow shoveling activities during the last few days. Both of us have shoveled more snow in the last week than we have in our entire lives prior to this time.

December 24, 2008 (5:39 AM)

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Frosty the Snowman snow globe

This was a gift to Lydia last Christmas from Clayton and Jean Cartwright. Normally it resides on the window ledge in the library, but because of all the snow that we have been experiencing lately, I thought that it was a good idea to place Frosty the Snowman on a bed of snow outside the garage for this photo.

December 21, 2008 (1:05 PM)

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View of the snow covered front porch and snow covered front yard from our living room window

December 22, 2008 (4:55 AM)

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Snow covered deciduous tree in our front yard

December 24, 2008 (8:22 AM)

Note: We have had an onslaught of snow during the last week. One of the local newspapers, the Seattle Post Intelligencer, describes the situation this way with its following front page articles:

December 24, 2008: "Desperate for Drizzle"

December 23, 2008: "Stuck in a (snow) rut: Freeze, thaw, freeze"

December 22, 2008: "Will it [the snow] ever stop?"

December 20, 2008: "Start praying now"

December 19, 2008: "Snowed under"

Note: All of these pictures were taken around our home.

Photos: Christmas Eve Present

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Lydia successfully caught a fish.

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Lydia is communicating to us, "Look what I caught!"

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Mom allowed Lydia to open one present on Christmas Eve. When asked about which present she would like to unwrap first, Lydia pointed to this one that was given to her by Victor and Ellen Fung.

Note: Attired in the Christmas pajamas with the word "Joy" inscribed on it, a gift from Dennis and Frances Woitte, Lydia is also wearing another present, some wool slippers given to her by her Auntie MayLee.

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Lydia has unwrapped the gift, and she recognized it since she had enjoyed playing with it during Thanksgiving when we were visiting with the Hsu family (Uncle Johnny, Auntie Ginny, and Cousin Fei Hung).

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Lydia the angler

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The 21 fish in the Let's Go Fishin' game that is made by Pressman Toy Corporation

(not shown are the four plastic fishing rods, two of which are red and two of which are yellow)

Note: All of these pictures were taken in our home. The first four were taken on December 24, 2008 in the living room, and the last one was taken on December 27, 2008 in the dining room.

Photos: Christmas Eve Service

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Rita Rowlands (Associate Pastor for Worship), mom, and Lydia

Note: Because our church, Shoreline Community, did not have a Christmas Eve service this year, we attended one at Westgate Chapel. Because of Lydia's age and size, we try to sit in the front row for special events so that she can see the people and the action. Fortunately for us, even though we arrived just ten minutes before the service began, nobody was occupying these seats next to where Senior Pastor Alec Rowlands and Rita, his wife, were sitting. Pastors Alec and Rita were very friendly and made us feel welcome in their church.

Lydia enjoyed the service, and during the event, her attention was focused on whomever was performing on the platform at the front of the sanctuary. The only regret that Lydia had about tonight's service was not being able to see Westgate Chapel's children's choir since she really enjoyed seeing the children's choir at Shoreline Community Church, our home church. Associate Pastor Rita explained to Lydia's mom that the children's choir had already performed six times on the past three Sundays; as a result, they were not scheduled to sing tonight.

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These two Taproot Theatre Players are presenting the Christmas drama which followed the Christmas carol portion of the service.

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The ornate Christmas decorations on the platform in the sanctuary of Westgate Chapel

This December's calendar at Westgate Chapel had four special events. During the first three Sundays, December 7, 14, and 21, the adult and children's choirs presented Christmas music followed by a special Christmas message during the 9 AM and 11:15 AM services. Finally, on December 24, Christmas Eve, the special event at 5 PM and 7 PM was Christmas carols by candlelight followed by the Taproot Theatre Players' Christmas drama.

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Brittany and Breyanne Nordtvedt, sisters who are professional vocalists and who attended Westgate Chapel during their childhood years, sang special Christmas music and led the congregation in the singing of Christmas carols during tonight's service.

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Brittany and Breyanne Nordtvedt along with the Rowlands family (Associate Pastor Rita, her daughter, and Senior Pastor Alec) are standing on the platform while Senior Pastor Alec makes some closing remarks.

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 24, 2008 during the 5 PM Christmas Eve service that was entitled "Carols by Candlelight" at Westgate Chapel in Edmonds, Washington.

Photos: HealthPoint Crafts

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Lydia is playing with a glue stick as she makes cards. As Lydia has not gone to day care for a week, she has missed her daily arts and craft time, but her auntie Mayfanna (Mayfanna Li) brought out a number of art supplies for producing home made cards today. Lydia was delighted, and she was focused on this activity for thirty minutes after she helped to distribute gifts to her father's colleagues.

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Lydia is applying the glue stick to a card.

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Lydia is examining something that she is considering placing on a card while Mayfanna and Laura Nelson observe her. (Mayfanna's son, Kyvin, loves making cards every day at their home.)

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 24, 2008 at HealthPoint-Bothell in Kenmore, Washington.

Photos: Daddy's Little Santa Helper 3

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Dad and Lydia are ready to proceed down the corridor to distribute presents to dad's coworkers.

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Lydia is handing the second of two gifts to Dr. Melissa Baker, a clinical psychologist.

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Mayfanna Li (Auntie Mayfanna) is receiving the gifts from Lydia. In addition, one extra package contained presents for Kyvin and Kayla, Mayfanna's children with whom Lydia has often played.

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Laura Nelson is not only ready to receive a gift from Lydia but also eager to give Lydia a hug.

Note: SiowFong took all of these pictures on December 24, 2008 at HealthPoint-Bothell in Kenmore, Washington.

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Dr. Kilhong Park, a family physician, and Lydia

Note: SiowFong took all of these pictures on December 24, 2008 at HealthPoint-Bothell in Kenmore, Washington.

Photos: Daddy's Little Santa Helper 2

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Lydia is handing a large mailing envelope containing an 11 x 14 print of the Seattle skyline near sunrise to Lybia Kolb. Lydia, her mom, and her dad visited her dad's workplace today to deliver Christmas presents to her father's colleagues.

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Lydia is giving a small mailing envelope containing Rick Warren's book, The Purpose of Christmas, to Xochitl Ochoa.

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Lydia is giving to Becca Dalan a silver gift bag that has a Thomas the Train DVD and train for Becca's son, Andrew, while her dad is looking through the bin for Becca's gifts.

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Lydia presents Lilian Mendoza with her photo gift while Leslie Whitecrow observes.

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Maria Jose ("MJ") Otalora carries Lydia.

Note: SiowFong took all of these pictures on December 24, 2008 at HealthPoint-Bothell in Kenmore, Washington.