scenes from downtown

 In June went downtown to the Air & Space Museum, then walked around Capitol Hill.  It's actually a very grassy and park-like area.

 Library of Congress

 The Great Reading Room in the Library of Congress

 Supreme Court (near Library of Congress and Capitol Building)

Inside the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts

DC outing for Chinese New Year

 While Jeff studied, Ariel & I hit the Smithsonians.  Our big Chinese New Year party was canceled the day before due to snow (bummer.)  Jeff helped us get last-minute tickets to Disney on Ice. So between museums, we economized with a packed lunch.  Ariel had a short nap in the theater at the Native American Museum.  As always, she's in her element being out on adventures, just like Dora.

 Disney on Ice was at the Verizon Center in Chinatown (downtown DC.)  Our Chinatown is very small, but was bustling with people and lights this snowy evening.  We lingered to enjoy the sights.  Disney on Ice was lively with lots of music, dancing, and theatrics from Mickey Mouse and many other Disney characters.

 Happy Rice Girl (her chopsticks eventually landed on the floor.)  We sat by another Disney-on-Ice family.  The little girls were excellent pee role models in the bathroom (they had a "who can pee the fastest" contest in the stall next to us, so Ariel & I did the same.)

 Vegetarian "chicken" and broccoli at Chinatown Garden.  

Riding the DC Metro is a thrill in itself.

Merry Christmas!

 Ariel on the National Mall. A warm day before Christmas.

 At the National Christmas Tree.  The family who took our picture offered their baby boy as "eye candy" for Ariel.

 at the White House

 behind the White House, looking at the First Squirrels

Reading to Ralph & Nene

and a Christmas song

Our cutie pie

 Riding a donkey somewhere near Dupont Circle in DC.

 at the breakfast table

 I was singing to her about letters.  She's very studious, you know.

 Waiting for the school bus with Dad.

Neighbors handed down this great toy kitchen to us.  Ariel and the cats like sitting in the oven.

America World zoo outing, and nama biru

Last month, our adoption agency, America World, hosted a family zoo outing at the National Zoo.  About 100 families came from the DC area.  You can see Ariel in the back (on Jeff's shoulders.)  We sat with the little girl holding the sign.  It was her birthday!

After the zoo, we stopped for nama biru (Japanese draft beer) at a restaurant called Mum Mum in Adams Morgan (a DC neighborhood with lots of ethnic restaurants.)

Now and

3 years ago (at Hamazushi in Akishima, Japan)

Don't worry, Ariel drank pineapple juice

and surprised us with her chopstick skills!

Happy Forever Family Day, Ariel!

Yesterday, we celebrated the day we met Ariel.  That was 3 years ago in Guangzhou, China.  We were nervous and rushed that day - flying in from Beijing in the morning, checking into our hotel (choosing between a luxurious small room and an older but more spacious apartment - we chose the room), filling out papers exactly right just before the big moment.

But all that rushed and nervous feeling went away when we met Ariel.  She seemed happy to meet us, and comfortable to be in our care.  She especially liked looking at and cuddling with Jeff.  She was only 13 pounds.  We had a short bath together, which she surprisingly enjoyed.  She had some moments of crying that week in the hotel.  She preferred to be on the go, rather than stuck in the room.  We often heard her friend, Haley, from down the hall shouting an exuberant "Hao la!" (pronounced how-lah) which loosely means "let's go, I'm ready for a change!"  Ariel agreed, and has proven herself to be an adventure girl ever since.

We love you so much, Ariel Hao Liang!

Here are a few recent pictures:

She was drawn to this store's merry-go-round.

And was very excited about the big, fast carousel on the National Mall.

She likes to give Mrs. Potato Head unconventional looks.  She completely assembled her this day while I turned my head.

Cuddling her bunny from Grandma Barb and Papa Rich.

National Book Festival

Well, I found a few photos to upload.  A couple weeks ago we went to the National Book Festival on the National Mall.  We got to meet Martha (a dog who talks from her books series and "Martha Speaks" cartoon on PBS.)  I got to meet Sonia Manzano, who plays Maria on Sesame Street.  She wrote a semi-autobiographical novel about growing up in Spanish Harlem.  There were lots of tents with authors reading from their books and fielding questions.

Then we walked along the reflecting pool to the Lincoln Memorial.  Ariel climbed all the steps with Jeff!