Inner Harbor

It is always nice to visit Inner Harbor but this time is especially nice! Mom's Auntie and Uncle are visiting the states from China and it is the first time Alvin in the harbor seeing the boats!

Do you notice Alvin is always looking away from the Camera?

Too much attractions in the harbor, or my boy doesn't like to be a camera star?

Without the hat, you can see what my Daddy has done to my hair on the last day of summer?!

*** Alvin's Update ***

It is not that much going on lately, except that Alvin has learned another language: Iranian! He understands "Clap Hands" in Iranian (da-shi-da-shi). Try him out next time!

Alvin can walk pretty well right now - without too much arm balance and with shoes on.

Daycare teacher told mom last Friday, "Alvin is weird. He never cries in the center, not even when he fell and got a bump on his forehead."

Firehouse

The Germantown Fire Department had its annual open house last Saturday. It is such wonderful event for kids. It features games, musics, foods, reptile petting zoo display, fire simulation, equipment display, and it is educational! Even Alvin enjoyed it !

Compare to my tricycle at home, this one has more bells and whistles.
Ride on the back of a Firetruck!

What's wrong with my parents? Even I know it is backward!

Woo...this giant thing matches my cloth colors. Must be a new toy mom bought for me.
Oh, no! It is flying away!!! (The helicopter takeoff swept up the dirts and grass and Mom was trying to protect Alvin. But he insisted to watch it off.)

They are eating my melon. Let me get in because I can crawl faster than they do.

Catch me if you can...

Look Out...

What is new? The Fountain Hills community has a new pedestrian! This little determined mind doesn't want to hold his mom's hand and he is up and down the street all by himself. So, watch out for the new traffic!!!


This little brave mind is also not afraid of anything. If he collapses or falls, he just gets up and walks again! He just enjoys his new freedom so much!
Mom read from a toddler book and found this paragraph: "Keeping up with the toddler's whims can drive parents 'up a tree' during this time. Some years ago a noted athlete tried to keep up with the gross-motor actions of a walking toddler. He literally fell apart by midday and gave up following the child about." This is sooooooo true. If I collapse on my butt 10 times a day, I will be totally disable by the end of the day. If I fall down on my knees only once, I am probably disable right then.

Marathon Social Events

Alvin was all booked up last Saturday. He attended 3 different events in a day!!!

Early in the morning, we took him to Imagination Station's Open House. IS is a school for early childhood education thru drama, acting and dancing.

Alvin enjoyed the games and singing in the toddler class.

And, we joined older childeren for a dance party.

Just after a 10 minitues nap in the car, Alvin woke up and found himself in Black Hill park for a BBQ Party. He was quite content in his portable highchair because he was placed just next to the foods.

He insisted to drink from a cup like other kids and he handled it pretty well (if we disregard the fact that the water dripped all over to his clothes).

Yes. Yummy..

The BBQ party exhausted Alvin and he took a long nap in the afternoon and he was all freshed up for Tiffany's Princess Birthday Party in the evening!

Gettysburg

Over the long weekend, we visited the great America history landmark - Gettysburg, PA. The parents claimed that they wanted Alvin to learn a little American history but the real reason behind it is that the town has a new shopping outlet. :)

In fact, we did learn American Civil war history and paid tributes to the soldiers fought for their freedom.

The famous 10 sentences 277 words 2 minitues speech byAbraham Lincoln

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

New Rider

*** New Rider***
Alvin loves to ride on his Tricycle - a wonderful birthday gift from Auntie Shuang and her family. He keeps rocking and rocking until the tricycle hits the wall. Any toys that can burn up his energy is a great help to his parents!

And, lately, he has discovered a new skill that can be well received in a circus performance!

***Icecream and Discovery Room***

Last hot Saturday we took Alvin to Germantown Library. Before heading to the library, the thirsty Mom decided to try the "Cheesecake Fantasy" icecream from Cold Stone Creamery cross the street. Although it is very costly for a small bowl cone icecream ($6!!!), it has its distingish taste and texture. Since it is so expensive, the Dad decided to give Alivn the first try of the sweet!

The new Germantown Library has a Discovery Room specially designed for small childeren from newborn to 8 years old. It has all kinds of learning toys and it is absolutely a Disney World for Alvin!

***Alvin's Update***

For the past month, Alvin has changed a lot. He used to be a laidback relaxing baby but now he becomes an energetic and demanding boy! As he toddles into his second year, his parents move closer to their retirement years - Alvin has made his parents feel aging!

Alvin now can stand for extended seconds even mintues. He loves to stand up and throw ball to us. He can also walk several steps towards parents but still afraid to take the step without parents nearby.

The parents is so proud to annouce that Alvin is trilingual - he learns both English and Spanish from his Daycare teachers. His spanish-speaking teacher Ms. Gloria told Mom the other day that Alvin speaks "Great!" in spanish whenever he accomplishes some "difficult tasks". No wonder why she loves Alvin dearly - both red lip marks on his face and prefume smell all over his clothes can certainly prove that!

Agricultural Fair

What a great evening for Alvin! - we went to 2007 Montgomery County Agricultural Fair! Alvin was stunned by the crowd and cheers, fascinated by the carnival flashing lights and excited by all the farm animals. He pointed to everywhere and talked to every animal he met. We were also surprised that he could handle the animal smell so well - I guess he is around with similar odor everyday (if you know what I mean :)).

Since Alvin hasn't met the age requirement for the fun games, we jumped right into the animal exhibits.

See, how excited we get!

Have you ever been to Charlestown Horse Racing? What can be more fun than that? It has to be the PIG race! Following athletes are competing at the World Cup level.

Well, if you think PIG race is fun, wait until you see our DUCKY race!

What a life! In contrast to the racing pigs, this couple is enjoying eat-and-sleep-and-eat-again life very much. It is hard to find a companion who has similar taste of life.

We then stopped by the Old McDonald's Barn. Alvin loves Rocky the giant cow.

And, he was relieved that he doesn't need to compete with anyone else for his formula.

see, new born babies!

Yes. This is a sheep ,,, m-e-e ,,,

The pourltry house hosts many beauties, including our Black Diamond, Snow White and unnamed princess.

There are many more animals in the fair that aren't in our pictures. It was the first time we saw Alvin got so excited and curious about his surroundings. He definitely had a great day!!!