Watch us grow!
This afternoon, the whole family came to pick up Janie from school. We found her at the water table with two boys.
She was jumping for joy when she saw us at the door.
Before heading home, we went out for ramen as an early dinner. We were impressed by how well she twirls noodles on her fork now and she was apparently very hungry this afternoon!
She still loves noodles!
Meanwhile, poor Peanut just sat there watching us eat. One day you’ll get some noodles!!
For dinner, we had soba and salmon. We tried to convince her that she should hold both chopsticks in one hand but she showed us how efficient she could be with one chopstick in each hand.
https://youtu.be/DmK0wt8eeEY
This girl is stubborn but had a good point. She later used the chopsticks the right way to pick up and eat the salmon.
Before bed, she sat in her “bedroom” and read some of her favorite books. One of them happened to be called “Chopsticks”.
There’s a new weekend line that picks up right in front of our house and it’s a TROLLEY!! Janie gets so excited when she sees a trolley so it was a such a special treat for her to ride one.
We had the whole trolley to ourselves this morning and Janie happily sat by the window singing her own little trolley song.
The best part of this ride for us is that it stops right in front of the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market. It’s so much more convenient than the regular muni train.
What made the morning even more exciting was that we had lunch at one of her favorite restaurants – Hog Island!! She tried fried anchovies for the first time today and gobbled up about 3 on her own. When the raw oysters arrived, she helped herself and showed Yai how to squeeze the lemon, scoop the hog wash onto the oyster, and use the tiny fork to eat it. On top of that, she slurped and practically bathed herself in the clam chowder that we shared. What an epic meal it was for her.
Just like we did with Janie when she was a week old, we took Peanut out to the Farmer’s Market today.
Big sis rode her scooter while Peanut hung out in the carrier.
https://youtu.be/Z2NGxMqG9P8
He was super cozy and slept the entire time with the exception of his feedings throughout the day.
Janie got a special treat, soft serve, for having such a successful first week of preschool.
She picked out vanilla and chocolate swirl and had it in a cone with a spoon – her favorite.
She felt so special because soft serve is for big kids and not for babies.
After a stop at the playground, we had lunch nearby. 
Janie tried to use chopsticks to pick up gyoza but then realized stabbing them with just one stick was more effective.
Dada shielded Peanut’s head from his noodles while he ate lunch.
This was very similar to what he did last time with Janie.
On the way home, Dada carried Peanut in the carrier. He, again, snoozed the whole way home.
Janie also slept in her stroller so that’s why she wasn’t included in this photo.
Here’s the photo we took with Janie when she was the same age.
Can you see his little face inside? So cute.
This morning, Janie went to visit her new preschool for the first time. It was scheduled for 11-12pm and we were asked to pack a lunch for her. We all went together and took the train to school. That was an exciting change for her.
Mama and Dada got to join her for the hour and we all met her teachers and classmates.
She got to play with toys and briefly played with two 4-year-old girls who will be going to the older class next month.
Before lunch, everyone sat on the rug for a couple stories. She got to sit on Dada’s lap today.
Next was potty time and Janie used one of the little toilets all on her own and washed her hands at one of the Janie-sized sinks too.
She joined the kids for lunch and was so happy to see that Dada had packed her one of her favorite meals: Kao Mun Gai (chicken rice with sauce, cilantro, and cucumber). Dada had to leave for work but Mama stayed with her for lunch. She opened the containers on her own and ate like a big girl.
On our way out, we saw where the kids will be napping. It’s in the room next door and they all have their own cots with bedding and blankets that they brought from home.
What a great first visit! It was super easy considering Mama and Dada were there with her. We will have to see how Thursday goes when we drop her off for 2 hours on her own. This is the entrance to her new school. It’s part of Bright Horizons and Marin Day Schools. We hope she will love it.
To celebrate a successful visit, Janie got a special treat while Mama and Yai had lunch.
She got some orange jello from one of the dim sum carts. Cool!!
Yai made Sakoo Sai Moo for Mama today. It’s one of her favorite things to eat. Janie tried it today for the first time and was a complete fan.
Who wouldn’t love tapioca filled with a sweet and savory meat filling covered in garlic oil?
Anyway, she had her fair share this afternoon and loved the lettuce and cilantro too.
This morning, we went to IKEA and got there a little before it opened. I guess their cafe is open beforehand and they sell really cheap breakfast. Mama also got free coffee.
Janie had some sausage while Mama had heart-shaped waffles.
What I love about IKEA is that everything is so kid-friendly from the bathroom sinks having step stools to the kid-sized rails on the stairs.
Janie had a great time in the kid’s section.
She cooked, went through the tunnel, and loved the chair that has a shade that covers her up completely.
https://youtu.be/Q63GCvZwCwo
She sat so quietly inside at one point that she startled a person walking by when she popped out.
For lunch, we picked up Thai food and ate with Mama’s friends at work. What a fun morning!
She even got a quick nap on the drive home.
This morning, Janie woke up and asked, “where we going?” She does that just about every morning. I told her “Farmers’ Market” and she popped right out of bed. She was excited to run free and buy some “fruta”.
It was sunny and warm outside and she asked for her sunglasses.
In addition to buying some yummy plums, we also picked out pretty flowers to bring home.
Before lunch, we went to the playground across the street and she really wanted to go on the big slide.
https://youtu.be/6KiSf8Gsu9E
She also tried the spinning ride today and got plenty of laughs. It makes me dizzy just watching her.
She also got to pick some flowers in the grassy area nearby.
We had lunch at the Ferry Plaza and she had a hearty meal of miso soup and salmon rice.
Before heading home, she also got a little bit of vanilla and chocolate soft serve.
This kid is loving her “summer vacation” with Mama.
This afternoon, Janie was in a much better mood. When we got home, she snacked on the bell pepper she picked out at Safeway.
Then she opened and ate the banana she found in Mama’s lunch bag.
She also had a fun time with Dada when he got home from work.
For dinner, she had a hearty chicken soup and dipped some of Mama’s bread in the soup.
We had lunch in Japantown today. We tried out an organic ramen place.
Janie played with her flashcards while we waited for the food to arrive.
She got some of Dada’s broth and noodles today. Yum.
Afterward, we stopped at the fish store where Janie payed a visit to her favorite fishie – it’s the black moor goldfish with the big eyes and says “mum mum mum”.
She also watched the fish guy catch 6 red shrimp for us to take home.