Peter was very tired around 6:30pm last night while Lei hasn't come home from work. I was busy bathing him when i heard Yaya went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. I thought she was trying to take a piece of cheese or her milk cup there as she always did, but when i came into the living room, i saw her holding a big juice box, trying to pour some into her cup. It is her first time doing this---i didn't say a word, but carefully observing her while feeding Peter on the couch. She put her cup on a chair and holding the big box up in the air, very slowly but accurately, she got some juice in her cup without any spill. She was talking to herself like "not much left..." then she grabed a bottle of water from the table and poured some water into the same cup. I watched her trying to screw the cap on, but it seemed not working well. She kept taking the cap off, adjusted it and re-put it back on the cup and twisted. Finally, she was able to get it in track. I reminded her that it needs to be twisted to the very end and she did so, even held the cup upside down to show me it was completely in place. After all of the trials, she was so excited and ran to me, said "I did it, all by myself!" Yes, i was so happy for her too, another first time success.

This reminds me to record some of her first time experience before i completely forget.
*on Dec, 30th, 2002, Yaya for the first time was put in a walker and was able to go around very smoothly within hours. Right before this, Yaya took her first flight trip with parents and grandparents to Las Vegas, and she behaved very well on the trip and airplane.
*on Feb, 22th, 2003, Yaya fell for the first time from bed while staying home alone with me. i was doing some cleaning up and went into the kitchen to get her some milk and heard this huge noise. This is the biggest regret in my whole life that i shouldn't have left her alone there.
*on April, 1st, 2003, Yaya went to McGaw YMCA as the youngest baby in the infant room. She cried a lot in the first month---it was when she was 10 months old---the worst time of separation anxiety, if i had known it better, i would have done anything to avoid sending her to strangers at that time.
*on May 31st, 2003, Yaya's first birthday. We and the grandparents (through web camera)watched Yaya picked her life decision--food, by planning a traditional Chinese game.
*on Aug, 23rd, 2003,Yaya took her first long road trip(5 days) to Wisconsin(Dells, Madision, and Washington Island) with us and began to love swimming ever since.
*on Dec, 24th, 2003, Yaya flew to Florida for the first time to spend her Chrismas on the beach. She had a lof of fun and became a fan of beach ever since.
*On June 20th, 2004, Yaya told me while sitting on my lap in a bus that she was grateful to me for taking her out the whole day. (妈妈,你辛苦了) Because on that day, i took a day off since they had no school and we went to Chicago Aquarium and Childen's museum. I was a little tired on the way back. But i was so touched that my daughter said the above words to me that this experience digged a deep hole in my mind and i will never forget it in my whole life.
*On Aug, 20ish, 2004, we went on another annual road trip to Kentucky and it was the first time that Yaya stayed in her carseat for the whole trip and was awarded an extra hour play in the playground.
* On Oct, 28th, 2004, Yaya insisted that I take her for a bus ride in San Diego and we did so as her first strong request memory. Unfortunately, she was a little scared standing alone and lost her tears. On the night we came back from the trip, she asked Lei to fly back to San Diego because "I want to go swimming in the pool. " " I like San Diego, I don't like Chicago"....
*on Mar 22th, 2005,Yaya for the first time held a baby--her little brother, Peter and she became so independent ever since Peter's birth. She claimed soon that she loves Peter because we are family.
*On May, 31st, 2005, We had the first birthday celebration party for Yaya. She was so happy about everything and cried badly upon her friends' leaving.
*on June 15th, 2005, Yaya went on an airplane with parents, full of curiousity and excitement, going back to China. First time taking an international trip and she commented later that she doesn't like China because it was too long a trip. on Auguest 9th, She flew back to the States with Mom and Peter, acted exactly like a little adult helper, sootheing Peter even when she was in her sleep. Also, during her stay in China, she made the complicated relative relationship completely clear to herself and began to play jokes with adults.
*on June, 30, 2005, Yaya cried before lei got on his airplane and it was her first time showing her reluctance to let daddy go while in mommy's arms. After that, she had to get a call from or call Daddy at least once a day. Also, she wanted daddy to taste the good food she was having through telephone wire by raising the food close to phone.
*on Sep, 10th, 2005, Yaya finally began her first dance class upon her strong requests. She loves it so much that it somehow helps taking away the shyness in her personality. She became more and more like mommy when she was a little girl. At about the same time of the year, Yaya drew her first real picture in her class--her self portait. It was displayed on the wall of the classroom.