Family in Taipei

While in Taipei, we spent a lot of time with our close family there. It was really nice to see everyone again (we missed you!) and also great for Natalie to meet all her aunties and uncles again and hang out.

Natalie with Nai-nai, Clark, and Tai-por cuddling close on the couch in our hotel room.


Tai-por playing with Natalie. Natalie loves playing with Tai-por. They seem drawn to each other (maybe because they look exactly the same!)


Natalie laughing and giggling when Tai-por tickles her.


Natalie playing with Ching-por. She's very interested in what Ching-por has in her hands. She'll watch for a short while before demanding the interesting object be passed to her.


Good thing Ching-por has a toy drawer that has been around for 30 years and played in by her daddy, and numerous uncles and older cousins. Natalie was kept very busy by the toys in that drawer.


Natalie also spent a lot of time with Auntie Ann who showed her all the magnets on the fridge and looked through lots of photos with her. It was so sweet to watch them play together.


4 look-a-likes and one Tracy pose for a family photo. Cheese!


Natalie hanging out with Auntie Amy. Auntie Amy just came back from Malaysia and we were really lucky to meet up on our last night there.


Uncle Joseph, Ann's mother, and Auntie Ann with Natalie. At this point, Natalie was very grumpy and sleepy. Look at her trying to wriggle away.


Nai-nai, Natalie, and Tracy pose for a photo before heading out for lunch. This was our last meal in Taipei and on my request, we had Western (I was all asian'd out by then). We had salad, ravioli, and shepherd's pie at Carnegie... yum!


Natalie with Nai-nai. She likes to kiss the jade necklace that hangs around Nai-nai's neck.

The above photo was taken right before we said thank you to Nai-nai and kissed her good-bye and got on the Tai-Yo bus for the airport to head home. Thank you so much to Nai-nai for helping to take care of us and Natalie for the past 2 weeks while our helper was on vacation. See you again soon!

The Taipei Zoo

Photos from our Taiwan trip are being posted in bits and pieces. Here are pics from our visit to the Taipei Zoo. It is actually a really nice zoo! And practically free to visit (only NT$60 for Clark and I, $0 for the Nat). We were totally amazed at the size and number of animals in the public zoo, but we went a bit late and only managed to visit a few animals before we had to go.

Natalie wonders what's going on while Clark and Nai-nai figure out the train system in Taipei.


Now we're waiting for the train to arrive.


Natalie and her daddy riding the train on our way to the zoo. She has no idea where we're going and I think she was a little grumpy because it was so hot and sunny. She wouldn't say "Hi" to a nice young couple who stood in front of her.


We're at the zoo! The first animals we see are the emperor penguins. Natalie very importantly points them out to us. She says "Bur!" and we say, "Yes, Natalie, birds!"


We also saw several bears (one brown, a few black). This one got very close to the observation window... very cool. Then it drank some water, and fought with another black bear (kinda... they got really close and opened their mouths at each other). It was just like the discovery channel!


This was Natalie's constant expression while at the zoo. Her eyes and mouth were wide-open the entire time. What's she looking at here?



It's a deer! See her tiptoeing to get a better look?


Natalie posing with Nai-nai and the deer.


Natalie and her daddy study the donkeys (I think... not sure what they really are).


What's Natalie looking at now?


The very cute koala bears.


Can you find Natalie and her daddy here? They are front and center at the display.

Settling in

This weekend, we went to Taipei for a 4-day family vacay. We stayed at the Far Eastern Shangri-La Hotel which is fabulous: modern, clean, spacious, and it also had a great view! Here are pics of Natalie getting settled on our arrival.

Natalie is cheerful and happy after two naps (one on the plane, one during the ride from the airport into the city).


First thing's first, we give Natalie a bottle and she eagerly tries to drink. Then she realizes she has to lie down to get any milk out.


After guzzling down her milk, she offers us the empty bottle. (We've learned a little trick: If she hasn't finished her bottle and tries to give it to us, if we don't take it from her, she'll drink some more. When she's really done, she'll drop the bottle and move on to something else)


Happy with a full belly, Natalie is feeling playful. She gives a little smile to the camera.


What a cutie!


The great view of Taipei city and 101 from our room windows.

More busy-body-ness

Natalie is a little busybody. While we were packing for our trip to Taiwan, Natalie kept herself busy trying on her daddy's shoes and helping us pack (and unpack) the suitcases.

Natalie loves to put on shoes. Here she is trying on her daddy's shoes.


Natalie has climbed into the suitcase and is looking through all the "stuff".


Natalie inspects the wheels.


Too bad we couldn't pack her away and save on her infant ticket. She's too big now.

The Park

After a healthy and hearty breakfast (at a restaurant that shall remain nameless), we decided to take our big bellies out for a walk to Causeway Bay. On our way, we passed through the beautiful Victoria Park and decided to stop by a kids' play area and see how Natalie took to the swings there.

Natalie loves balloons. While in the "restaurant", she kept pointing and excitedly repeating "boh-boh! boh-boh!" and so of course we had to ask if we could keep one of their balloons (for a small donation).


Natalie was not too impressed with the swings, but at least she didn't cry this time.


Instead she sat there, quietly holding her boh-boh and watching the other kids play.


Hey, what's Natalie looking and pointing at?


She didn't know her parents were... ninjas!

Natalie can walk!

Over the last couple of days, Natalie has taken a quantum leap in her physical development and has adopted walking (toddling) as her main form of travel. She still crawls around because she hasn't figured out to the stand from a sitting position. But she will pull herself up into the standing position using the nearby sofa, shelves, chairs, or other people, and toddle around from place to place. She still finds it really amusing and fun and will laugh and clap her hands and wave them in the air excitedly as she walks.

Watch Video 142 of Natalie walking around. First she comes to me where I point out a long, red crayon mark (made earlier on the sofa). She babbles something to me, but when I try to remind her "No no", she completely ignores me and turns around and walks away to find something more interesting than her nagging mum (it begins so soon!). She walks all the way to the dining table and asks for Nai-nai to pick her up. Once safely on Nai-nai's lap, she sits contentedly and they watch the computer together. Aww... :)

The little artist

We did it again. We bought Natalie a fabulous new toy. And the good thing is... she seems to like the "toy" better than she likes the box it came in (yay, let's hear it for progress!)

It's a crayola magnetic easel / table with chair and Natalie loves drawing on it and moving the magnets around (and occasionally throwing them on the floor). She can't sit up on the stool by herself (it's too high) so she'll make complain-y noises until we lift her up and sit her on top (legs dangling) and she'll laugh and start moving the magnets around or drawing -some times on the sofa next to her. Good thing these are "washable", although we haven't tested that yet.

Natalie playing with her new toy. Doesn't she look just like a little artist?

Natalie has slipped off her stool. She looks around for someone to help her back up.

Nai-nai tries to get Natalie to pick up the magnets she has thrown on the floor, but Natalie's attention has been diverted by the tv.

Ball chaser

Here are a few more pictures from our relaxing Sunday morning yesterday:

Natalie is chasing balls we bought for her at Toys R' Us. While at Toys R' Us, Natalie was a little over-whelmed and stuck close to me, but when she saw the balls display, suddenly her little hand pulled out from mine and off she went, toddling over to play with balls calling "Boh-boh! Boh boh!" Of course we couldn't resist buying her three (buy 2 get one free).


Natalie playing with the three balls.


Natalie kindly offers me a ball to play with. She can also throw them very well (almost in the right direction).


Natalie laughing and having fun with Nai-nai.


Natalie takes a short break before resuming play.

Phone fun

Natalie has changed ALOT over the past few months. Not only has she developed physically and is bigger and sturdier, but she is also better at picking raisins out of buns, timing her kisses, and walking further distances. Every day, you can almost physically see her learn new things such as perfecting how to throw a ball and what new words are for new things. She's even started saying "Nyo nyo" while shaking her head.

However, despite all these changes, one thing remains the same: her love of the telephone. Here are some photos of her chatting (she really babbles) into the telephone.

Natalie casually chatting on the phone.


Natalie says: Um, excuse me, but I'm on the phone right now. Can this papparrazi stuff wait a few more minutes?


She really enjoys the phone. She can turn it on and listen to the dial tone (and the orange light comes on when the phone is on). She hasn't figured out how to turn it off yet.


When I start singing "Twinkle twinkle little star", Natalie raises her hands high over her head to do the "twinkle" action. As you can see, the phone stays firmly in her hand.

Lunch with your Baby

Yesterday, my office planned a "Lunch with your Baby" networking session for parents with babies (2 years and under). It was great! 19 babies registered and the event took place in one of our large meeting rooms. Natalie had a chance to play with and meet many new friends and I met other working parents with young children, enabling us to form our own internal support networks. All in all, a great event.

Natalie wearing a company hat. Ever since our trip to Thailand (where we forced our poor, wailing, protesting child to wear a hat at all times, she's learned to accept "things" on her head).


Can you find Natalie in this crowd?