Photos: Goofing with Ashwin

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Lydia is laughing at something Uncle Ashwin has said or at one of Ashwin's funny facial expressions. Uncle Ashwin has the unique ability to make Lydia laugh a lot.

Photographer: Ashwin Rao

Dining room

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Lydia is scrutinizing Uncle Ashwin's handwriting as he jots a brief note in our guest book.

Living room

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Uncle Ashwin is showing Lydia a picture that he has just taken of her.

Dining room

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Lydia presses Uncle Ashwin's nose.

Dining room

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 10 2008 in our home when uncle Ashwin came over for dinner.

Photos: Whizz Kids

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Lydia the artist is contemplating her next move.

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Wearing her smock, Lydia is ready for another arts and crafts project.

Note: The staff at Whizz Kids took both of these pictures at the day care earlier this month.

Photos: Christmas Tree

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Our stuffed animal Christmas tree

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The big Tiger (a gift from Auntie Frances Woitte that Lydia received this weekend) and the smaller Christmas Tiger (which dad purchased for her two months ago)

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Peter Rabbit (a gift from our friends Jim and Julie Boyce) and Miss Kitty (a Christmas present from Uncle Mike Wan and Auntie Helen Wan)

In the upper left hand corner of the picture is a praying lamb, a present from our friends Casey Williams and Tariq Hassane.

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 7, 2008 in the living room of our home.

Photos: Christmas Tree Set Up

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Dad is hauling out one of the three sections of the Christmas tree.

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Lydia and her dad are assembling the Christmas tree.

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While her dad checks to make sure that the tree is functioning properly, Lydia observes.

Note: SiowFong took all of these pictures using the camcorder on December 7, 2008 in the living room of our home while videotaping this family tradition.

Photos: Swansons Nursery

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Would the word "pensive" or "contemplative" describe Lydia here?

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I wonder at what Lydia is looking as she is standing outside the reindeer pen.

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Lydia is standing in front of a reindeer riding horse.

When her mother asked if she wanted to ride on the reindeer, Lydia declined.

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 7, 2008 at Swansons Nursery in Seattle, Washington.

Photos: Swansons Nursery, Reindeer and Train

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Lydia and Kyvin Kaing-Li, her friend who is two months younger, are watching a train as it makes a turn.

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Lydia is pointing to the train.

Lydia has liked trains for a long time. At her day care, she plays with the train set occasionally, and when we visit a toy store or a Barnes and Noble bookstore, she enjoys moving the trains along the tracks.

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Standing outside the reindeer pen, Lydia and Kyvin are smiling at someone or something.

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Lydia and Kyvin are looking at the reindeer.

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 7, 2008 at Swansons Nursery in Seattle, Washington.

Photos: Swansons Nursery, Sleigh

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Lydia and mom

After church, we went to Swansons Nursery to see the reindeer and to take some pictures of Lydia with the reindeer. We arrived before the start of the reindeer picture taking, so Lydia and mom sat in the sleigh for a few minutes.

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"Little Princess" and "Big Princess"

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Mom and Lydia are waiting in line for the reindeer pictures.

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Lydia, mom, and a reindeer

This annual event attracts many parents and their young child(ren).

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 7, 2008 at Swansons Nursery in Seattle, WA.

Photo notes: This part of the nursery has a roof made entirely of glass like a greenhouse. The overcast skies today produced even, soft illumination for the picture taking area; as a result, the white balance of the camera was set to cloudy. Finally, the images were made without the use of any flash.

Photos: Swansons Nursery, Santa and Daddy

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The children gather around Santa.

(left to right): Uncle Matt Kaing (who is holding Kayla), Kyvin Kaing, Lydia, and mom

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Wide angle view (which also shows Auntie Mayfanna Li on the right)

Note: We enjoyed visiting Swansons Nursery last December to see the reindeer, and we invited the Kaing family to join us there this morning.

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Lydia and Kyvin (who is two months younger than Lydia) are enjoying a late morning snack of goldfish crackers

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Lydia, dad, and Kyvin

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 7, 2008 at Swansons Nursery in Seattle, Washington.

Photos: Swansons Nursery, Bambi

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Lydia is petting Bambi. One of Lydia's favorite DVDs is Disney's "Bambi", which she first viewed a few months ago at home, so when she saw this one at the nursery, she was excited.

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Lydia is carrying Bambi.

Because Bambi was $ 72 (original price was $ 120), we did not buy it for Lydia, but we allowed her to play with it at the nursery.

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Lydia and Bambi

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Lydia is getting ready to carry Bambi.

Note: SiowFong took all of these pictures on December 7, 2008 at Swansons Nursery in Seattle, Washington.

Christmas: A Toddler's Perspective

December 6, 2008


Christmas: A Toddler’s Perspective

Lydia has a few Bibles, and over the last two years, she has preferred that we read a particular one to her. Last year’s favorite was the Candle Bible for Toddlers, which is filled with colorful cartoon-like pictures and short sentences, that we purchased for her. Earlier this year, it was Kenneth Taylor’s A Child’s First Bible, a thoughtful gift sent to her by Paul and Melissa Chen in May that features more realistic illustrations, more words, and questions. Recently she has been enamored with The Rhyme Bible Storybook for Toddlers by L. J. Sattgast, and she often asks us to read to her from this book as she enjoys hearing the rhyming stories.

Below is the story from The Rhyme Bible Storybook that is entitled “Who Saw Jesus?” (Luke 2) that we have been reading to her many times over the last few months:

“Little baby Jesus
Lying on the hay,
Who was there to see Him
On that first Christmas Day?

Mary was His mother.
She held Him in her arms.
She wrapped Him up
In strips of cloth
To keep Him safe and warm.

Gentle Joseph saw Him.
He smiled at Him and said,
‘You’ll need a place
Where You can sleep,
So here’s a manger bed.’

The holy angels saw Him
And sang a song of joy!
They told some shepherds
Where to find
This very special boy.

The shepherds ran to see Him.
They knelt and bowed their heads,
For Jesus was the Son of God
Upon a manger bed.”

Photos: Country Village Lights

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Santa's reindeer and sleigh

Photographer: SiowFong

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Angel

"But the angel said to them [the shepherds]. 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'" (Luke 2:10-12 New International Version of the Bible)

Photographer: SiowFong

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Christmas ribbon and bells

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Santa's sleigh and reindeer

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 6, 2008 at Country Village in Bothell, Washington.

Photos: Country Village

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Auntie Frances Woitte, Lydia, and mom are standing in the parking lot awaiting Santa's arrival by sleigh.

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Dad, Auntie Frances, and Lydia

Note: Auntie Frances, who lives in Dallas, Oregon, stayed with us this weekend after arriving to attend a wedding of a friend's son.

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On this bitterly cold evening, we went into one of the shops to warm up, and Lydia is sitting in a chair at that shop.

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Hall of Lights

Dad and Lydia are looking at mom (who is taking this picture) and Auntie Frances who are at the other end of this corridor of Christmas lights.

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Something has caught Lydia's attention at the shop.

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 6, 2008 at Country Village in Bothell, Washington.

Photos: Country Village, Santa on Sleigh

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Around us was a large crowd of visitors to see Santa's arrival by sleigh, the highlight of the evening.

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Santa is getting ready to fly in from the sky.

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The sleigh, which is suspended on two heavy gauge wires (similar to those that support gondolas), descended from this rooftop position to the ground.

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 6, 2008 at the Country Village in Bothell, Washington. The two special events for this evening were the tree lighting and Santa's arrival by sleigh at 7:00 PM.

Photos: Bethany Christmas Brunch

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The families gather around the buffet table as Debra, a Bethany Christian Services staff member, makes introductory remarks before praying for the meal.

Because Lydia's three post-adoption visits and reports were done by Bethany Christian Services, we are invited to this annual Christmas brunch for adoptive families. We enjoyed the one last year, and we had a similar experience this year.

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Ruby Lohmann, Lydia, mom, and Kurt Lohmann

The Lohmanns, former New Hope clients, are in the process of adopting a child from China through Bethany Christian Services, and we had the privilege of meeting them and giving them some information and encouragement about the journey.

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Lydia and another boy are hugging each other as they say goodbye to each other at the end of the event.


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Our table that features three families who have or are adopting a child from China





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After brunch, the children can participate in arts and craft time in another room at the church.




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Mom is assisting Lydia during arts and crafts time while Lydia is examining an Elmer's glue bottle.

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The kids love doing arts and crafts.

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Family photo

Dad, Lydia, and mom

Photographer: another adoptive parent

Note: All of these pictures were taken on December 6, 2008 at Mill Creek Community Church in Mill Creek, Washington at the annual International Family Christmas Brunch that is sponsored by Bethany Christian Services.