Lookalikes redux

Turns out that the "5-day stomach bug" referenced in my previous entry was a 7-day stomach bug. Happily, everyone seems to be on the mend. But my plans to post about our New Year's adventure may not materialize until February.

As I was looking through our pictures from New Years, however, I noticed some uncanny resemblances between the Gong girls and some luminaries in the music world. Here, for instance, is Fiona at her New Year's celebration (Actually the morning of January 1. Yes, she starts her partying after breakfast):

Those lips immediately called to mind the pucker of another legendary party-er, Aerosmith's Stephen Tyler:

But then I moved on to this picture of Fiona and Campbell relaxing (or, to be more specific, "chillaxin'") at our rental house New Year's weekend. And not many people look as bad when they're chillaxin' as a Gong girl....

...except perhaps the rap duo Three 6 Mafia.
I mean, it's like looking into a mirror.
I'm already reserving a spot on our mantle for the Grammy.

Christmas with the Chickens

Turns out it wasn't locusts (re. previous post)...it was a nasty 5-day stomach bug. (And torrential rains for the past 3 days. And also ants). As I type this, I am the last Gong standing. So, I'm taking solace in reflecting upon happier times, like Christmas.

For Christmas this year, we tried something new. Grandmommy and Granddaddy Gong rented a house up in Sebastopol (a town in Sonoma County), and the entire immediate Gong clan headed up there for two days over Christmas.

Fiona loved exploring a new house, was immediately enthusiastic about her own bed, and invited Granddaddy to lounge.
Here's the whole gang (except Granddaddy, who was taking the photo) on Christmas Eve, enjoying a delicious hot pot dinner.
On Christmas morning, Fiona expertly opened both her own and Campbell's gifts (seen here). It was, after all, her 3rd Christmas and Campbell's first. But she generously shared her new Hello Kitty sunglasses with her little sister.
We enjoyed a lovely Christmas Day stroll on the beach at Bodega Bay. Note Fiona with her entourage.
The best part of the house we stayed in? It was located on the property of Full House Farm, which meant that the day after Christmas we were treated to a tour of the farm.
Fiona got to ride the pony, Missy Brown. She was tentative at first, but soon gained confidence.

She met the two goats, and has decidedly overcome her previous goat phobia....
She really perked up, however, when we hit the chicken coop. She got right in there and fed the dozens of chickens, most of them almost as big as she is. Apparently our girl's a born farmer.

After our idyllic time in Sebastopol, we headed back to the Bay Area for a Chinese Christmas banquet with extended family. Despite the look on Fiona's face here, the food was delicious and she ate heartily. In fact, I have no idea what's really going on in this picture, but I feel it somehow perfectly captures our two girls. I'm willing to bet that if we all look back at this picture in 25 years or so, we'll say, "Yep, that about sums it up."
The HIGHLIGHT of Christmas was finding out that Uncle Wesley (Erick's brother) and Auntie Kristin are expecting their own little pickle in July. So Erick & I will have a niece or nephew, and Fiona and Campbell will have their first cousin! We are thrilled. Wes & Kristin will make wonderful parents.Well, at least we're positive that Kristin will!

New Year, New Developments

Happy 2010! There are many happy photos of the Gong Christmas and New Year to share. But I'm finding that a little bit daunting at the moment; those of you who see us in person or follow our Facebook updates will know that the past 2 weeks have been consumed by ridding our house of mice, sleep training Campbell and getting the girls to share a room, and replacing our bullet-punctured car windshield. So, as I sit here awaiting the plague of locusts that is surely on its way, I think I'll just do a quick update.

Our girls continue to grow up, as little girls do. Campbell has made some impressive strides over the past month. She is now starting to eat "solid food," in the form of watery rice cereal. From her very first encounter with the stuff, she proved to be enthusiastic only if she was the one in control of the spoon....
But she seemed genuinely contented at the results.
Campbell is also starting to attempt sitting up:

Although she's still a bit wobbly.

She's also showing an early inclination to devour books...in the literal sense.
Fiona, on the other hand, is finally starting to develop hair. Enough to support a "ponytail" of sorts:

As well as not just one bow, but ALL the bows she owns. This hairstyle was her own creation. After attempting to nap with it intact, however, she hasn't asked for a repeat.