Ashley in Britain

Dear grandpas, grandmas, aunties, uncles and all mummy and daddy's friends,

Merry Christmas and a happy new year! Greetings from Ashley, Bonnie and Benny. Let me tell you what I have done this year - a Lot.

Jan 2007 - I drew lots of pictures with Martina, my lovely au pair from Slovakia. We were living in a bigger house, and my bedroom was upstairs. I wish I didn't have to move. 

Feb 2007 to Apr 2007 - I went to school to learn reading, rolling on my back during PE lesson, learn bo po mo fo in Chinese school (started in Apr after Easter). At ballet school, I learned my first and second position, and stand up straight like ballerinas. I played tennis every Friday. I learned hitting the ball over the net.

Apr 2007 - I went to New York, and I saw the Status of Liberty and I drew a picture of it. I love New York, especially the zoo, Central Park, the big wheel in Toys R Us and I loved watching the Circus show (while mummy had to go to the office and work).

May 2007 - Mummy, daddy and I went to visit Connie and Hauke. We arrived very late and mummy put me to bed. After 1 minute, I climbed out of my bed, and went into the kitchen. "Mummy, I feel too hot. I cannot sleep.' Auntie Connie helped me to pull up the wooden curtain, and I slept like a pig. I love her house, she has no TV, but she has a big movie screen. We watched Ants together, it was too scary, I didn't like it. I love going to the lake and castles and take beautiful pictures for mummy and daddy. I took this one. 

Jun 2007 - I have got a new nanny, her name is Pauline.  She taught mummy how to say 'LV' and "Dior' properly in French. She is a beautiful and sweet French girl. She made very yummy French pastries and cakes with lots of fruits on top. I made one cake with Weetabix, too. I put some strawberries on top. That was very nice and yummy and good and scrumptious and delicious.

Jul 2007 - Summer break was fun. I performed ballet in the school fair and I was a mermaid. It was a nice summer, and I spent a lot of time in the garden. I had a lovely Barbie swimming pool and I took all my toy teapots and teacups out for a summer afternoon tea.

Aug 2007 - I went back to Hong Kong, and played with Andrew in the Chinese university. I went to the beach with grandma. She did not swim. She only read newspaper, and fell asleep in the cafe. I love the noodle and red bean drink. I also went to Repulse  Bay with Thomas and Carol. They did not swim either. They only sat down and read newsletter (as well). What a family! Carol bought me potato chips and mango ice-cream. That was yummy. No one in HK likes to swim. Only mummy and I like to swim. Daddy tried once and we had fun in Cheung Chau. HK was very hot, I turned into a piece of chocolate by the time I left. I was all brown.

Sept 2007 - Before I started school, and before Connie and Hauke went back to Hong Kong, they came and visit me. We went to Cambridge to do the punting. Guess who did well? Daddy was the number 1. We had nice picnic and I helped daddy to do the punting. I did not fall into the water. I did not stick my punt to the bridge.

Oct 2007 - I studied and studied and learned and learned and read and read and did Maths, attended PE lessons. Sometimes I was good, sometimes I was naughty (for example, I cried for no reasons). Mummy told me to stop. I still love my mummy because she wants me to learn, otherwise, when I grow up, I will still cry all day long, and if I am still naughty, I will go to jail. No way! I must learn to be good.  As most of the time, I have been good. During term break, I went to Disney Paris and I played a lot. I went to the 'small small world' four times. Round and round and round and round. I went to Province and saw some fairytale like houses. There was a well in the middle of the old town. We walked round and round and round.... like in Disneyland. It was a real fairytale land there.  

Nov 2007 - Nothing special happen. I did lots of Chinese writing, and I had nice smiley stickers.

Dec 2007 - I sang this song "Mary sweet as Mary, bow down your head and pray. I bring you news from God on high and this is a happy day... Mary gentlest Mary, lift up your head with joy. For you will be the mother of a special baby boy... Mary loving Mary, this child is god's own son. And you will call him Jesus he's the long awaited one... Joseph brave as Joseph, God asked you to take care of Baby Jesus and his mother Mary sweet and fair." Today is Christmas eve, yesterday, I lost a tooth. Tonight, I am sure both Santa and tooth fairy need to fight to come down the Chimney to send me presents. But no worry, Santa is fat, tooth fairy is thin like a toothpick, so they can both slide down easily to my house.

Throughout the year, I worked really hard and have learned and studied a lot. I have also drawn many pictures too. The following are a few recent examples. I love drawing different things.

I wish my mummy and daddy a merry Christmas, and a happy new year. I hope they will enjoy my show in the church crib service this afternoon at 5pm. I will be the angel (again!!!).

Lots of love, Ashley

P.S. Ashley mummy and daddy would like to send our warmest regards to our friends and relatives worldwide. Whether you have a sunny and warm Christmas, or a terrible snowy ones, we wish you and your family (and your newborns) well. We have been busy but we do thinking about you from time to time. Yes! Take very good care of yourself.

go to Chinese school every Saturday with Clea and Mei. I love writing in Chinese characters because I can learn many new words. I write very very well and finish all the homework every week. My teacher Wendy said well done to me and she gave me two gifts and one prize for being a hard working student. I was very happy to receive the award in front of many children and parents.

土  Soil
木  Wood
大  Big
日  Sun
水  Water
小  Little
刀  Knife
人  People

Daddy and I went to see a pre-performance opera show which was called Tosca. We were caught in a traffic jam so by the time we arrived, we were very late. Instead, Daddy and me stayed at Covent Garden and watched the street performance.  We saw someone trapped with metal chains and he tried to free himself. He shouted loudly and finally he escaped. Then Daddy and I played the same trapping game with his strong hands. I escaped lots of times. I also trapped Daddy, but Daddy could not get away.

After that, I ran faster and faster away from Daddy. Suddenly I trapped my ankle between the cobble stone ground and twisted the ankle of my left foot. I could not walk and felt a strong pain at my foot. Daddy examined my foot and then he took me to a cafe to get some ice. The waitress said there was no ice and then she said there maybe some ice in the next restaurant. So Daddy and I went to the next restaurant to get some ice. We sat down by the kerb. Daddy applied the ice on my ankle. I felt that my ankle was still hurting. But Daddy said his fingers were freezing cold.

I tried to walk but my ankle was still hurting. So Daddy carried me to the security office to find someone to help. At first, no was was able to help. So Daddy wrapped around my ankle with an enormous triangle bandage. But it did not fit well. So he found a soft bandage roll to wrap my foot. It felt much better. We took another short rest before going to meet Mommy and her friends. Daddy said that because Ashley was a very brave girl, I could have an ice-cream in a restaurant. Afterwards, I felt fast asleep in Daddy's car because I was so tired.

In the next morning, I still felt my ankle hurting. So I took a day off from school. After taking some rest, I didn't feel any pain and have fully recovered.

一二三四五六七八九十

What are these characters? They are one, two, three, four, five, six, sever, eight, nine, ten in Chinese writing. I learnt them from the Chinese School. I am attending the school with Mei and Clea every Saturday morning. The teacher teaches us writing, speaking, reading and singing in Chinese. Mei and Clea are both attending Queen's School like me.

好   Good

我   Myself

小朋友   Kids / Children

張艺思   This is my name in Chinese writing. The first character is my surname. The second character means artistic. The third character means thinking. So I am good at both art and thinking.

人   People

頭   Head

手   Hand

腳   Foot

口   Mouth

14th June was my birthday. I went to school as usual. First Miss Lippiatt took the class register. Then the birthday girl Ashley and Ley were honored to bring the register to the school office. When we came back, the class sang a birthday song to me.

Barvik said it wasn't my birthday. I told him that it was but he wouldn't listen to me. I repeated a few times but he still didn't listen. I ignored him and got angry a little bit. But it was fine in the end.

Daddy and Mummy gave me a birthday party at home after school. They have invited six other children to come. When I got home from school, I asked Daddy what time the birthday party would start because I couldn't wait. Finally, the children began to come and the party was started.

We have played lots of party games. My favorite was the Musical Chairs. Tom won the game but I enjoyed playing it too. Daddy performed a magic show. He played very well and it was fun. I helped him to drop a cotton ball through a plastic cup, and it worked magically.

We had dinner together. Before dinner, I blew the candles. And we all had a piece of birthday cake after dinner. I actually had two birthday cake, one made in chocolate, and the other in apple. The apple cake was made by Pauline.

Then it was presents time. I have received lots of birthday presents. I opened all of them with all the children and friends, and daddy and mummy an d Pauline. Here are some examples of the gifts I have received.

1. A birthday treat to visit Germany
2. A Barbie doll's head for putting make-ups on
3. Making colorful foiling stickers
4. Four colorful story books

It was the best birthday party ever.