Daddy's Little Girl

Permanent brain damage from yesterday?
As it turns out, Margaret is probably a bit less delicate than I feared. After her, "incident," she awoke from her nap seemingly without ill effect, and with both eyes able to focus and track the same object. In fact, she seemed quite happy in the afternoon.

It remains to be seen whether her future academic performance has been permanently degraded, however.

Naah!
The rest of the day yesterday was relatively uneventful - even more so since the Internet connection went down (the repair technician came at 1:20 pm on SUNDAY - gotta' LOVE Hong Kong efficiency).

We spent date night at home since SAM wasn't feeling up to a date night out. The sum total of our evening activity consisted of eating a Daisy prepared dinner in, listening to podcasts of "This American Life," and taking care of Margaret before retiring to bed.

Yes, we live a life of extravagant decadence.

Then, this morning, while playing with Margaret and a few stuffed toys, I realized why Tibetan Buddhists believe that the types of objects that young children grab for are an indication of their past lives and future destinies.

Remember this photo?

She's my girl!
I think she's going to like the food in Maine over the summers. I can't wait!

Sad Saturday Sendoffs

Farewell Vietnamese dinner
Alas, a week has come and gone and in that time, so have Roz and Lucy.

We sent them off this morning with hugs, kisses, sadness, and the knowledge that the next visit will be soon (though not soon enough).

Margaret must have known what was going on because she awoke at around 5:00 this morning screaming for a last few hours' snuggle with Mimi, who graciously, and sleepily, complied.

On the way to the airport

After checking in and sending the fair ladies off at the airport, we returned home to a quiet home where Sarah, now reeling from the cold that I'm starting to get over, went down for a nap.

Margaret, of course, was in no such mood.


There's nothing quite so energetic as an overtired baby. Having missed her morning nap, she, to all outward appearances, was ready to tackle a 5K road race.

We tried patting her head in the crib, having her in the bed with us, feeding her, putting her in a sleep sack, everything.

Eventually, I gave up and went to play with her in the living room so that SAM could sleep a little bit.

This was when, while sitting on her mat, she pitched backwards and hit the back of her head with an alarmingly reverberating "clonk" on the floor. Thank goodness she was on the mat, on the rug, sitting on the thick rug pad because I would have been even more panicked about brain damage than I already was.

Trying desperately to "shush" a frantically crying Margaret while trying to remember how to perform a neurological exam, I finally managed to get her to stop crying by sitting her down on her mat again with some more toys.

This is when, while leaning forward for a toy, she pitched forward and hit, this time, her forehead on the floor.

Again, frantic crying. Again, Dad trying despeprately to shut her up before Mommy figured out what was going on, came out and fired him.

At the airport - last goodbyes

No dice, this time.

Mommy came out, all bleary eyed and sick and, with one motion, swooped Margaret into her nurturing arms, patted her on the back, and managed to quiet any and all discomfort she was feeling.

Just a few moments later, settled into bed, both mother and daughter were fast asleep.

I like to think that it was the crying that tired her out so she could finally rest.

Either that, or it was a coma.

Regardless, they were quiet and asleep, and it was still before noon.

A quiet house was mine. Phew.

Look, Mimi! Two hands!

Yep, that's Margaret holding her own bottle during a feeding yesterday. Pretty soon, she'll be able to get her own bottle out of the fridge!

Her manual dexterity is getting better and better these days. She can now grab her pacifier out of her mouth and can sometimes get it back in. Some other times, she'll get it flipped around, then start crying because she won't know how to turn it so that the nipple end is facing her mouth.

As usual, a joy at bath time yesterday
I've been laid low for a couple of days with a rough cold, which means that I can't hold Margaret, but I can snap photos of her and blog.

Hopefully, I'll be able to rally tonight for one last dinner with Roz, Mimi and Lucy before they're off tomorrow morning.

Tuesdays with Margaret

Margaret had another happy day with Mimi and Lucy, today, going up to school with them for her lunchtime feeding.

They even ran into Andrew who had a great time introducing everyone he knew to his cousin.

According to Mimi and Lucy, Margaret's sense of direction may rival her mother's. Apparently, while walking up to school, they didn't take a turn that Margaret is used to and she fussed and fussed and fussed until the whole party went back and turned down the appropriate driveway.

Thank goodness she got that from her mother.



After bringing Margaret home, Roz and Lucy had lunch at home before heading out exploring and leaving Margaret at home in Daisy's capable hands.

We all were home a bit early again to spend some nice family time before heading out to dinner.



At dinner with Molly, SAM, Lucy, Roz, Lindsay and Sylvia

Rough Mondays

WHAT was that?!
The first weekday with Roz and Margaret here in Hong Kong brought with it carrots in the morning for Margaret.

I think the results speak for themselves.

We'll keep trying them though. We also tried some pear in the evening which yielded a similar face.

Happy time with Aunt Lucy
I got home a bit early from work on Monday which allowed us all some time to hang out while there was still enough daylight to snap some pictures and go to the park for some swing action.

"Really? We're going to the park?"
"Wheeee!"
"Watch me! Watch me!"
"But I don't want to go home yet."
"Daddy's hair is prickly."

One Big Happy Family on Sunday

Not having had the opportunity to see Margaret the evening before due to their late arrival, Lucy and Mimi wasted no time getting re/acquainted on Sunday morning.

They were great sports, tackling an absolutely full day.

After a morning "Christmas in April" during which we went over all the wonderful gifts from so many people brought over by Roz and Lucy, we were off to a marathon three hour Dim Sum session with a gaggle of good friends.

Roz, SAM and Margaret during Dim Sum
Afterwards, it was to home for just a few hours rest (and a fashion show of all the great new clothes that SAM got for Christmas) before we woke Margaret up for more rice cereal, a bath, then dinner with the Koos. And I mean dinner with the Koos.

George's brothers were there with us for the most enormous hot pot dinner I have ever experienced.

Margaret was an absolute champ, managing to stay up for the entire dinner and not going down until after we got home at around 9:30 when we usually have her in bed at around 7:00.

In fact, I was down before Margaret. Some congestion and a sore throat managed, (with the help of some beer at dinner) to worsen into a full fledged cold, and I was off to bed as soon as we got home, leaving the very gracious women of the household to catch up and feed Margaret.

Thank goodness for family.

A Solid Start on Saturday

Craning her neck forward for more
So Saturday was the day that Mimi and Lucy were supposed to arrive, and we had been waiting almost the entire month for them so we could start solids together.

However, with a typhoon keeping us indoors and the excitement building, we couldn't help ourselves. We decided that, while Lucy and Roz wouldn't see the very first feeding of solid food, that they would at least be there on the same day, so it was okay.

So we decided to strip her down and go for the gold. It was about 10:00 in the morning.

Mess? What mess?

Here you can see the results. One very messy baby. Actually, for some reason, our first feeding of rice cereal was really liquid. So much so that we were glad she was naked.

Margaret loved the rice cereal, craning her neck forward between spoonfuls and complaining with, forceful "eh, eh, eh"s when we weren't quick enough on the draw.

Over the past couple of weeks, we've noticed her following us carefully while we ate, watching as we picked up food and put it in our mouths. I guess all the observation over the past few weeks paid off for her because she seemed to know exactly what to do.

She ate her whole very first bowl of rice cereal which, was probably actually only half of a bowl due to all the seepage.


A quick bath cleaned out the half bowl of rice cereal Margaret was saving in her neck folds and we were ready for the afternoon... which was spent cooped up in the house.

Unfortunately, Mimi and Lucy's flight was delayed for a almost three hours due to the aforementioned Typhoon.

This meant that we absolutely had to feed Margaret again in the evening (otherwise it wouldn't be symmetrical), which, with a thicker batch of rice cereal and the deployment of a plastic bib wasn't nearly as messy (though we still gave her another bath afterwards).

Afterwards dinner, Sarah and I were glad to safely pick up Roz and Lucy who arrived late, but otherwise none the worse for the wear bearing a MOST special gift.



Looks like Margaret and I both had gastronomically outstanding days.

Bed wasn't until almost 2:00 AM but it was well worth it.

Thanks, Mimi and Lucy! We're SO glad you're here.

Why is she so happy?

Wouldn't you be if your Mimi and Aunt Lucy were coming in just a couple of days?

I thought you'd be.

We can barely stand the anticipation.

All photos from this past Tuesday.

Unassisted Sitting!

She actually did this for the first time on Tuesday night after her 9:00 pm feeding, but this is the first photo we've managed to catch.

She still can't hold it for very long. After about 20 seconds, she'll either slowly start leaning forward until she clonks her forehead on the floor or fall backwards quickly so we have to make sure we watch her carefully and catch her if she goes backwards.

What a week!

Lazy Sundays

Early in the morning with her new pal, "Gedeon" the French Duck

An easy day today. Dim sum at noon with Sarena, Shan, Lindsay and Graham, then a brief walk before coming home.

At home, after our walk, she turned over twice! Both times after Daddy asked her very nicely to do so.

The rest of the afternoon was mostly napping.

Yay for pretty dresses!

Wild and Swinging

It's been a weekend of firsts.

I know that Jack will be disappointed he wasn't here for this, but we passed by the swings in Victoria Park this afternoon and couldn't resist.

Margaret is just tall enough to get her arms over the sides of the swing, and I feel like her neck has only gotten strong and stable enough within the past couple of weeks to withstand the back and forth without lolling.

Shoving her up against the front of the swing so that she was leaning slightly forward, we found that we could get her quite upright.

She loved it.


We're hoping that this signifies the start of a more active time at the park with Margaret.

On the way home, I was telling Sarah that I can't wait for her to ask me to take her to the park and push her on the swings.

Of course, for now, she doesn't even have to ask.

Bathtime is always so much fun!
A clean baby is a happy baby!
Mom and Daughter

Five in the Bed...

Carrying her own weight
Friday was off today... a national holiday all across China. So what did we do?

We slept in. Delicious.

We also did some grocery shopping, but not a single thing more.

Rather proud of herself
Well, actually, Margaret did do something interesting.

Click on the video to see what it was.

Jack's Back... And Gone From Here

Father, Daughter and Grand-Daughter
It was with absolute and utter sadness that we sent Jack off this past Wednesday. We all got up a bit early to send him off, on his 10:20 flight. SAM had to go to work, but he and I shared a few extra moments together as I took him as far as the in-town check-in counter at the Airport Express.

It was both fun and entertaining for me to have this time to spend with Jack.

So much of our time spent together in the past was in the company of others or during a holiday visit which always seems rushed and purposeful. With him here for three weeks, however, we all had time to relax and just spend downtime together.

They let me into one photo
In addition, the time that Jack and I had as housemates while SAM was in Beijing was a real gift. I feel like we got to spend time together in a way that few in-laws actually get to, and I will always be glad to have had the time to really share time and space with him.

I take it as the highest possible compliment that Jack seemed so relaxed and at home in my home and I simply can't wait for him to come back.

Thanks, Jack. Thank you for visiting.

Checking in and getting his seat
All aboard!

Stanley (The place, not the dog)

At "Main Street, USA" for brunch
Saturdays are for lazy brunches, long, meandering walks headed nowhere and plans to have no plans.

That was us today at Stanley.

Sarah's brilliant idea was to head out to Stanley for brunch, take a spin around the boardwalk and come back. Aided by warm weather and the first day all week in which it didn't rain, we needed no encouragement to agree with her.

We were sitting down at the restaurant by 11:20 am and tucked into our breakfasts not long after. Breakfast being cheeseburgers for Jack and I and a more traditional one of melon, english muffins, eggs, ham, sausage and tea for SAM. Then, we were out of there by the lunchtime rush.

Marvelous.

Quiet moment by the sea
We were blessed by a breeze while we explored all around Stanley and absolutely overjoyed at how perfectly the day had turned / was turning out.

With Stanley Market, quiet bits of shore and historical buildings, we spent the early afternoon until about 3:00 just wandering together.



After a brief break at Pacific Coffee to recharge the grownups and Margaret, we headed home on the bus.

Thank goodness for that, too, because dinner was hot pot with us and our closest eight friends so having a rest beforehand was essential.

A wonderfully engaging (and filling) time was had by all.

Breaktime at Pacific Coffee before headed home

The prettiest girls I know



Home this afternoon after Stanley