Little Bro wanted to play dress up with us. He reminds of of S when she was a toddler (blonde version!) Big Sis got a big kick out of it!

Our two blessings. It's all I need for my 36th birthday!

You can't go to Myrtle Beach without a little golfing and speed! :)

Quote for Minicoops

" For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

Benjamin Button

Myrtle Beach 2012 July

The pond right next to our Myrtle Beach condo has a pair of large turtles, a pair of white ducks, and we just spotted the black swans !

Yummy lemon icee!

Myrtle Beach - first time to beach for him!

Getting dolled up! Summer 2012

Perfect weather and great company at Little Elm!

This semester the focus is on power arms!

Summer fun dining 2012

New room upstairs with Big Sis

This morning Minicoop was already in her brother's room! She was leaning over the crib trying to wake him up. ... She mentioned.."He is not waking up!"

Staying cool at the zoo. These misting fans are perfect! Both Minicoops can operate them! Safe for little kids!

Weekly swim school with Daddy. 2012 June

Shots

After 3 shots and a hand prick... She got suckers.. Her response "Maybe if you let me watch videos it may cheer me up!"

Watching TV

Preschoolers!

Tonight's classic line "Mommy can we watch TV so we don't interrupt you and Daddy?" :p. she will be quite a negotiator!!

Tonight's closing line...

Tonight's closing line after reading "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit.. Right Mommy?!!? Minicoop

After the clock struck midnight the party was over and Cinderella was slaving away this morning for Father's Day 2012! LOL!!

Hungry swimmer !

Big Sis' Celebration of Life

Minicoop's school has a tradition called the Celebration of Life.  It is common in Montessori schools. It is a special way for parents, teachers, and classmates to show appreciation for the birth and growth of a child. Parents are requested to list highlights about the child's life and share pictures during each year of her life. This is the first time we are participating since she has only be at her new school for 5 months.

Here is her precious four years of highlights summarized on one 8.5x11 sheet of paper. This was tricky to me to keep it short but it was a great exercise.  Thanks to all of my photojournalism and blogging, I think I have the facts properly organized!

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Before the age of one 

·        S is part Vietnamese and part English. Her Mommy was born in Vietnam and her Daddy was born in England.

·        When she was a baby, she thoroughly enjoyed a lot of nursery rhymes and songs sang by Nana.

·        She was dressed in a little monkey costume for her first Halloween.

·        Her first road trip was over Thanksgiving to Wichita, Kansas to visit Grandma and Grandpa.

Between one and two 

·        Her first plane ride was to Raleigh, NC to visit her Uncle Miles, Aunt Stacey, Aunt Melissa, and her cousins: Harvey, Gala, and Alex.

·        She celebrated her Big 1 in North Carolina.

·        When she was 1 and 1/2 years old, she started Emler’s swim school.

·        She also went to her first Pumpkin Patch for Halloween.

·        Her favorite colors were pink and purple. She still loves pink and purple.  She continues to love clothes with polka dots and vibrant colors!

·        She continues to love animals, especially seeing dogs at the park.

Between two and three 

·        S first time to the beach was in Hawaii for Aunt Cindy’s wedding.

·        When she was 2, she started WOGA gymnastics. She loved the parachute game.

·        Her favorite shop for yogurt is Yogurtea.

·        She became a big sister when she was 2 and 1/2 years old.  

·        For Christmas she had a great time building not 1, but 3 gingerbread houses with her Nana and Grandma.

Between three and four 

·        Last Christmas, S tried ice skating for the first time at Frisco Square. She loved it!

·        Her favorite Valentines celebration was at the Daddy Daughter Dance at Gatti Town.

·        S is continuing her swimming lessons and gymnastics.

·        But this year she is also playing soccer.  Her team name is Gorillas.

·        This July, S plans to go to Myrtle Beach for our summer vacation.

·        At home S helps us set the table for dinner and helps make breakfast on Sundays.

·        She is very helpful and loving to her brother.

·        S enjoys playing dress-up, playing with her brother, and friends at the park, swimming at the community pool, and playing hide and seek. 

vantrancooper@gmail.com sent you a video: "Maroon 5 - Payphone/Moves Like Jagger (Live The Voice UK)"

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vantrancooper@gmail.com has shared a video with you on YouTube: Big Sis loves Maroon 5 songs: Pay Phone and Moves like Jaguar. She also loves Beyonce songs (Chipettes version). Maroon 5 - Payphone/Moves Like Jagger (Live The Voice UK) Maroon 5 performing a melody of their new single Payphone from forthcoming album 'Overexposed' and Moves Like Jagger from their last album 'Hands All Over'. Both tracks performed live on The Voice UK Final June 2nd 2012.
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:)

She crawled into the crib. Taken over the weekend.

Notes from Hoa Ma + Hoa Con

Tu Phi cuoi mim {cuoi khong thay rang} dep gai qua. Ma va Hoa Ma goi qua cho Tu Phi sinh nhat o nha bang America bua nay. Chuc chau luon manh khoe, mau lon, hoc gioi!

Big 4 celebration!

Cute apron and pool toys from Aunt Cindy and Uncle Toan :)

First Words and Expressions

Little Brother cracks us up.  He is really understanding how to express his himself.  His first words have been bananas, bubbles, ball, balloon, Dadda..moe (for more)!

He loves to copy Big Sis when she is speaking.  The kiddos were in the garage.  Big Sis heard kids playing in the back alley.  She yelled "Hello!?"..Little Brother following along echoed in his Scooby Doo voice "UrerroOO!?".

When he gets upset he surprisingly knows how to give us an eye roll, glare, and wrinkle his eyebrows at us!

Little brother is 18 months now.  He recently joined his Big Sis at the same Montessori school.  He is learning how to sit in a big boy chair, throw his own paper towels away, push in his own chair, balance and carry his own work station, and wash his own hands.

He loves the class fish and garden.

In the past month we noticed he is taking a liking to dancing.  If he is in a high chair he will nod his head or sway side to side to music.  If he is in his car seat, he will nod his head or kick his legs.  If he is standing he will sway, twist his body, or bounce up and down!

He is very stable with his walking now.  It has allowed him to follow his sister and her friends EVERY WHERE!  Like it our not!

He loves to copy her sounds, words, and personality!

Big 4!

She asked us "Am I four now?"

Thankful for the love from her family and soccer/school/gymnastics friends!

She asked Why are you shaving Daddy? Are you trying to look handsome?! LOL.

First day and he is not crying!!! Whew!

Reflecting in June as she turns another year in a week! Her first and second Lunar NY celebration.

Reflecting in June as she turns another year in a week! Her first and second Lunar NY celebration.

Uniforms!

That go to the same school now :)

School Uniforms

They go to the same school now!

Matching school uniforms

Finally did more planting! Rosemary, Basil, parsley, tomato, yellow bell pepper, oregano, thyme,mint, rau ram(Viet herb).

They did surprisingly well with tailgating and stayed for the entire game! Feels great to be prepared and have great company !!

Go Rangers!

Carnival fun 2012 to celebrate summer

Valuing your child(ren)

If a child is given love, he becomes loving...If he's helped when he needs help, he becomes helpful. And if he has been truly valued at home... he grows up secure enough to look beyond himself to the welfare of others."
~ Dr. Joyce Brothers, 1974

This quote I think is so profound. It seems like common sense, yet so many children grow up feeling unloved. So many children never feel like they are valued

Sophia and Vietnamese

Me: Sophia ngủ ngon (sleep well aka sleep tight)

She replied: Mommy ngủ ngon.

Me: Mommy thuong(love) Sophia.

She replied: Sophia thing Mommy! :))

New generation of trouble!

He didn't want to leave Greyson :)

Look at my new cousin!!! 3 weeks old.

Hurry up a grow dude!