11/18/2018

We went to grand plaza in Issaquah for a santa event. When we arrived there was no one. We went to a nearby Mod for food. The girls loved the pizza and ate a lot. When we finished eating the plaza was full of people. Ella ran all the way up the hill from Mod to the theater, while laughing and saying things along the lines of Ella自己跑。 I had to hold her back from running into the street.  

The girls got bell bracelets and each a bag of assorted candy. We graciously agreed to protect them until they can be returned to their "主人" at home, one piece per day. Santa soon arrived on a fire truck, we lifted the girls, Ella yelled happily "圣诞姥爷！(which I reminded her should have been 老人) 还有他的可爱的鹿。" There was a deer picture on the truck too. 

The girls each got a cupcake, and we ate it by the stairs by the cinema, away from the crowd. Afterwards I attempted to take some pictures by the fire truck, then Ella asked to see Santa. We headed to the tree, where the Santa picture line was very long. I lifted Ella and she saw Santa, she announced it was 圣诞老人, then stared like spacing out. James and I figured they were falling asleep and headed back towards the parking lot. I asked Ella if she'd like to say bye to santa before leaving, she seemed uninterested and wondered away. After we were some distance away she suddenly cerned and dragged on my hand, after calming down she said she wanted to say bye to Santa. We went back, I lifted her, through someone taking pictures Ella cutely said "bye bye 圣诞老人。" We then went back to the parking lot, Ella ran and walked by herself.

We went to Uwajimaya. I went in to check out the recommended bakery from ir. It was indeed good. But all doughnuts, cakes, or hard crusted breads. I spotted a milk bread and got it, along with a beef curry croquette for myself. It was indeed tasty. I also picked up some fluffy cakes and oranges, which James later informed me were tangerines.

We parked at the botanical gardens for 10 minutes. When we heard jingle from back seat. I turned and saw a stirring ella, she then pulled out her water bottle and took a long sip. She put her bottle down jiggling all the way. Mimi then wriggled around, got her water bottle and started drinking. The girls spaced out in the car seat for a few minutes, then Ella started whining 要出去。 I went to get her, but she refused to go out, said "我要在车上睡觉" while smiling sweetly. I then closed the door and she whined. I asked her if she'd like to come out, she said "我要在妈妈的怀抱里。我要在妈妈的座位睡觉。" I got her in the front seat and hugged her in my lap, ba ba came with Mimi, who apparently also requested to sit on ba ba on ba ba's seat. Ella sweetly leaned on me, Mimi turned around and started driving wildly, swayed left and right, swept ba ba's face violently with her pony tail. We had some car fun. Until the girls were pretty wild and asked for food, then we left to go to the garden.

The girls ran through the garden, ran and followed me into the bathroom. When I came out, they were running loops around the corner building. James went to the bathroom, I gave the girls the milk bread, they rejected without getting to the custard filling. I gave them to sponge cake, Ella accepted and ate with me in the sun by the garden, Mimi went to run around on the other side of the building where I couldn't see, but can only hear her jingle. She ran back just in time when James came back. 

The first chunk of the garden were being prepared for the light show, we can see the structure of the lights. We encountered a huge bee. The girls looked at it and buzzed. Mimi then said "嗡嗡嗡。把海豹爸爸叮了个大包。" In the normal mischievous and bursty Mimi tone, and poked herself on the tummy. James and I laughed and walked forward, the girls followed, Mimi said "突然被叮iiiiing了。" We walked by some grass and the girls asked what it was, they asked for a few bushes previously, all with berries. I said maybe this herb could heal Mimi's 大包，rubbed the leaf, and gave to Mimi. Mimi extended her hand and pretend rubbed my hand, then pretend rubbed all over her belly. It was a nice and cold walk, ba ba 变成冰雕'ed many times. The girls cooked the moss for hai bao and tu tu on a huge stone. Did 青蛙爷爷's work in the asian garden. Fed stones to fish. 

Outside the asian garden, the girls found a bush with black berries. Ella picked some for bunny and ran away with us. Mimi remained picking. A girl walked by and stared at Mimi. They stared at each other for a while. Mimi suddenly yelled "BA\/ BA/ MA\/ MA/" and ran to us. I asked Mimi how did the conversation with the 小姐姐 go, she said "不开心。Mimi 在点菜的时候下了一跳。" I asked her what she was ordering, Mimi said "黑豆给海豹。"

We came to the 亭子。 We played there a little then headed out. Ella held my hand and said we had to go back, I asked ba ba to go ahead and headed back with Ella. At the steps, Ella said "bye bye", waved cutely with cern face, then turned around and led me away. 

The girls played in the information area by the entrace while ba ba peed. They pretended getting wet in the rain. Possibly because when they were feeding fish, a girl was walking on the ledge of the pond, and her parents warned her to not become 落汤鸡。 The girls happily ran around under the roofed area, then would ran out and kneel on the ground, said they changed into 落汤鸡。 Then after a while announce 我变回青蛙了 and back to running around the roofed area. 

It was a little struggle to get the girls back to the car, maybe because the walk was much faster than usual. Ella threatened to go back to the garden all the way, and I had to sadly say goodbye to her. I finally got her to the pedestrian walk by the parking lot, then told her I was sad to see her go and walked towards the car instead of looking back, then I heard crying behind. I looked back, a tearful Ella was looking at me with extreme cern face. I kneeled down, she ran to my arms, we went to the car. 

We had a good Costco run. Ella stood by my cart and followed me nicely. She lingered at the TV, but I was able to tempt her away with orange, moving one TV per orange piece. At the fruits section Ella asked for "绿色的葡萄。" I headed straight for the green grapes and grabbed a box, turned to see Ella happily pointing different pu tao boxes with little folded dino arm. I showed her the green box and asked if this color was OK, she jumped and agreed, then did a left and right swing as I put the box in the cart. A couple went by and commented on her can't be cuter. We went through the bakery section, Ella pulled on the cart, stopped it by the cake, said "我们到了人少的地方我们可以吃葡啦。" I looked around and the section was indeed empty, I gave her pu tao. When we were at the cereal isle, Ella pulled a honey flakes box off the shelf, it hit her flat in the face, she gave it to me and said "我们买这个。" I informed her it had to wait till she made money. I put it back on the shelf. Ella pulled it down again, it landed flat on her face again, she gave it to me again and asked "这是什么。" I informed her it was flakes. We had the same conversation that ended with me promising her we'll get a smaller box if we see it in a grocery store. We then walked down the isle, with Ella asking what each fancy looking cereal was. 

We caught up to ba ba at the bread section. Ba ba turned back to get some yogurt. Ella and I waited by the bread. Ella pulled on some loafs but couldn't get them off. I gave her a bag of Dave's bread, she carried it to the cart two shelves away, but put it on the ground right before the cart, said "嗯。。我累了。" She ate more pu tao. We had an easy checkout despite the long line and crowds. The girls ended out of Costco standing on the side of my cart while I pushed.

We came home and noticed the neighbours had put out the lights. Tony and the neighbour with the 骷髅，and miscellaneous nice halloween decorations, they did it again for christmas. I took the girls out of the car and straight to the 骷髅 neighbour to see santa. The girls rejoiced. We then went to Tony's to see the snowmen and penguin, the girls rejoiced loudly. Tony's daughter came out and assured us we were OK with our volumn, or was too nice. The girls played there for more than 40 minutes. Around half way, Ella started putting the shrub lights in her mouth, said it was strawberry. She then went around the yard, tasted all the lights. I ignored her and played with Mimi. She then came to play, and I noticed she pulled hard on the light with her mouth, then started to try discouraging her, without success. She told me to not 偷看 her. We then took Mimi train and walked towards home. Ella 大公主马 stopped a few times and ate grass, really ate grass, one time had a bunch of dirt in her mouth. We got to the house and I walked towards the house, when Mimi informed me that was the wrong destination, and we headed for Santa. The girls played there, I headed back home. Ella followed me and Mimi stayed with Santa. Ella apparently ate more grass, and gagged while I took off her shoes and cloth. Ba ba called for Mimi and she ran all the way to our yard, then lingered and walked when I started recording her cute run. Mimi came in the house briefly, refused to take off anything, and asked to go out again. I let her, and Ella followed. I put on thicker clothes and ba ba and I horded the girls back home. Ella asked to eat, Mimi grumped and played.

Mimi eventually came to eat, the girls had broccoli, rice, and seaweed. After almost finishing one plate, Ella dumped her broccoli stems on the ground. I asked her to clean up, she looked away and brushed the counter wall. I asked her to clean up before I count to 10, and start hitting her. I started counting, she started picking up, and she really picked up all the stems, the plate, and the spoon right when I counted 10. We then did this a couple times when Mimi and Ella made mess. I then dropped my chopsticks, I started counting and hurriedly picked them up, then wiped my sweat. Mimi said "1234打aaa", and made hitler salute as if to hit me.

I was cleaning up when Ella held one piece of seaweed in each hand and walked around, she slowly walked almost to the playroom. Ba ba called for her to come back to the hardwood floor. Ella briskly turned around, pulled open a kitchen drawer by the fridge, said "小兔。" And pulled out her grey bunny from the drawer. Ba ba and I cracked up, finally found bunny. 

I gave the girls each a piece of chocolate as promised by eating very well. We then made the yetis, the girls played with them. James and I did laundry, then James chased the girls around, then we read a book almost to finish, then it was 9:10 and we started night time routine. 

Ella went to bed without complain or requesting to pet lao lao today. Mimi whined some but didn't linger. Ba ba and I left the room, as I closed the door, Ella asked "妈妈你的眼睛呢。" Presumely because I told her I took it off when I laid on her bed to wait for ba ba and Mimi. I said I have it on my face, then closed the door. The girls were quiet for a couple minutes then Ella cried and kicked the door. I went to check on her, she softly whimpered "痒痒。" At first I thought she was asking for 羊羊, and looked around for a while, after her 10th whimper of yang yang, she said "我要lolo." Then I realized she was itchy, and got the lotion. She laid on her tummy and I lotioned her back, then tucked in her legs. When I stood to leave, Mimi said she was itchy too, and pointed to her tummy, I lotioned her too. Mimi said "妈妈你用你的lo手给我lo吧。" I agreed and gave her extra lotion. I left the room, Ella gave a couple soft whimpers, then went quiet.