As the title suggests, SAM and Margaret have arrived smoothly and I have one less thing to worry about. Their Business Class in-flight accommodations seem to have served them well and Sarah said that the flight was easy.
Meeting up with Jack was likewise hitch free (They even had Subway for dinner!) and now the whole crew are sleeping soundly in NJ.
Besides giving us a good picture to signify that SAM and Margaret have landed safely in New Jersey, Margaret's newfound skill of waving and holding her hands over her head have also allowed her to do such fun things as wave her pacifier around on the end of it's tether like some sort of juvenile defensive weapon.
Not sure if it will hold off the Mongol hordes but her parents were easily kept at bay by the hard piece of silicone and rubber whipping around the room.
She managed to get herself in the head once, but seemed not to notice or care much.
Of course, on occasion, she also puts it in her mouth.
It is very quiet in the house without them. I wound up calling my sisters in Taipei who are at home without my mother (until today) for some company. That's the best thing about family. You're never really alone!
Of course, I do miss the family that I made. Besides the normal noises of coming and going that SAM and Margaret made, some of the ones that I miss the most are new ones - ones that have only been recently introduced into my life since the entrance of Margaret into it.
Sounds like the soft sighs that Margaret sometimes makes for no apparent reason when she's sitting or sleeping; the murmurs of SAM singing a lullaby to Margaret at bedtime; and most of all, the little clack of the plastic handle of Margaret's pacifier against its plastic body that is often our first indication in the morning that Margaret is awake, or at night that she hasn't yet fallen asleep.
Sarah thinks that the pacifier is a bad habit that Margaret should be weaned of as soon as possible. To me, I love it - it's a symbol of Margaret's baby-hood, and she's going to have to grow out of both the stage and its prop sooner than any of us would like. Soon enough, the sight of Margaret and her pacifier will only exist to us in photos and the sound of its soft clack only in our memories.
Will we even remember it when she's 10 or 14 or 18 or 28?
I wish I could hold onto that sound, and this baby, forever.
It's funny, now that I have written my last post and put up the last of the photos I was holding in reserve, positions have now effectively switched.
Our US family is now the one with the current news on Margaret and I will be the one constantly checking the blog, hoping that Jack or SAM (or, by a very long shot, Margaret) has had time to put up a couple of snaps or write a snippet on what is going on in their lives.
It is a very strange feeling to be on this end, now.
Interesting tidbit - I wonder if Margaret understands that the pictures and video of her inside the camera are actually of her. I very much doubt it because it seemed like she was waving at the baby inside the camera yesterday when Sarah showed M video of herself.
A few days ago, I was joking with Margaret, telling her that I had babies captured inside the camera until I realized how macabre and scary this actually might be to a young child. It could almost be the theme for a horror movie.
And yes, while I know that Margaret doesn't probably understand enough language to know what I was saying, it struck me - I'm a grown up. I really shouldn't try to permanently scar my own daughter.
It could potentially be rather poor form.
I'm now going to start my day with a walk (conceivably with jogging, but I'm trying not to psyche myself out) before heading out to see a triple feature with some colleagues.
We're going to watch Kung Fu Panda, Wanted and The Incredible Hulk all back to back.
Yes, when the cat is out, the mouse will play!
2 comments:
Oh, John, you are wonderful! This is a great entry, and the pictures show a child thriving, secure and happy with her life and those in it. What gifts you send to us by sharing both SAM and Margaret for a few weeks. We are so grateful! And then you will be here too, and all will be right with your family. We can't wait!! XXOO
Hey -- how was 'Wanted'? The kids and I went to see Kung Fu Panda which we thoroughly enjoyed. Not only was it completely entertaining, i thought the artwork, well, a work of art. A very clever amalgamation of western and Asian aesthetic influences.
And the references to the HK martial arts movie tradition! I loved the scene where they're practicing kung fu with the chopsticks and dumplings in the bowl.
Miss you guys!
love,
joy
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