Mia was a butterfly this year for Halloween. Here's a few pics from the costume party she attended.

A few days ago we headed over to the Kowloon side to visit a park here in Hong Kong named Nan Lian Garden (南蓮園池). It's a gorgeous classical Chinese landscape garden in the Tang Dynasty style located next to Chi Lin Nunnery. It's relatively new, having opened in late 2006, and it was neat to see the backdrop of the urban city against this tranquil spot of well-kept land.

Mom has a blue step stool she uses in the kitchen to reach the upper shelves. It is made out of a cheap plastic and weighs next to nothing. Mia has recently learned she can carry this step stool around and climb up on top to get to things she shouldn't be playing with. The past few weeks it has basically been attached at her hip. Wherever Mia goes, step stool follows. It's like she's uncovering a whole new world.

The other day I had just exited the bathroom and saw her running towards me, step stool in hand. I thought she was coming to give me a big hug. But to Daddy's chagrin, she proceeded to run right past me to her bedroom door. Now mind you the door was shut to keep her in the main living room where Mom could keep an eye on her. I watched her as she carefully placed the step stool down in font of the door and climbed up the stool to grab the handle. (The door handle is a lever type you pull down to open). Luckily, the handle was too stiff for her to move. I sat there laughing, amazed at her determination for about two minutes while she tugged on the handle with all her strength.

Then she suddenly decided to jump off the stool while holding onto the handle. Sure enough, her body weight forced the handle down and the door popped open. Mia marched right in like nothing had happened and grabbed her blanket, which is apparently what she was after the whole time.

Dad was away for half the month on business, but Mom kept him updated daily with the latest photos of his baby girl. He even fit in a few Skype sessions while away. And as you can see in this slideshow, he eventually returned with a brand new set of wheels for baby Mia courtesy of Abuelita.

She hasn't quite figured out how to push the tricycle just yet, but Mom and Dad taped her feet to the pedals to help her get the motion. It won't be long before she's rollin' all over the apartment.