She Walks!

Sarah came home from work today and Daisy asked her, "Did you know that Margaret can walk?"

Then, Daisy put Margaret gently on the ground, where she proceeded to walk five steps over to greet her just returned Mommy.

I was in a meeting this afternoon at 6:07 pm when the SMS came in, "She can walk."

I rushed home to find that Margaret was being kept awake by her mother (thank goodness!) to perform her new skill which she happily obliged to do, to my delight, with her hands held high above her head, as if in celebration.

We then spent the next twenty minutes trying to catch her walking on video, but instead managed only to record footage of her not walking. The closest we got was what you see above, which is M actually walking about three steps, but with me (and the camera) too close to actually be able to clearly see her ambulating unsupported.

Slightly more humorous was when she grabbed hold of the camera in her hands, wrested it away from Daddy, then, upon careful contemplation of its control panel, slowly and deliberately pressed the red record button. Then, as if that wasn't enough, after waving the camera around for a bit and crawling around with it in her hand, she carefully pushed the red button again to stop recording and left it on the ground. The result is the video you see below.

I call it, "Video Self Portrait of a Baby."

It's enough to induce nausea, but amusing nonetheless.



*sigh* our baby is growing up so fast!

I can only hope that she uses her new skill to walk always forward and always towards us.

It's November 17, 2008, Margaret is 1 year 1 week old exactly, and she walked for the first time today.

2nd Morning Update

Yes, it's a busy day at work, but this morning's shenanigans have me with Margaret on my mind.

That, plus I have my laptop with me at work this morning and so have all the photos accessible to post!

Here's another picture of her from yesterday, tromping around holding onto Mom's hand. She has the strength and energy to go for quite awhile while holding on to something, but seems to still not quite have the balance to really walk on her own for more than one or two truly "baby" steps.

All in good time, however, as I'm pretty sure that once she starts walking, there will be a whole new world of danger and near and actual injurious drama to be experienced.

Monday Morning Update

Sunday morning snack time

While changing a poopy diaper this morning, I was holding M's feet up to get at the mess when I felt a warm peck on my hand and a small kissing sound.

I looked down in time to catch her lift up her head and plant a second kiss on my hand which was at her face level.

She owns me.

Sometimes, I really hate having to leave the house.

To whet your appetite...

Thanks to the many patient fans who have not found a post in a while! We're emerging from jet-lag and a busy week and are even starting to celebrate M's birthday! The day itself came and went with not much more than a few choruses of Happy Birthday. We finally opened presents this morning, 5 days late :-). Photos from the birthday to follow; a few older photos in the meantime to tide you over:

helping Mom unpack her lunch bag

Her favorite page of her favorite book

"Look what I found!"

snacking with Mom

"Hi everybody!"

New England Surprises

So my New England journey draws to it's (unexpectedly late) end and I am sitting in the Continental Lounge in Newark airport waiting for my flight home (which is delayed slightly - typical).

Work was full of unexpected surprises, but we got through our meetings just fine (there's a surprising amount of work that goes into building new toys) and there was even some time at the end to take a couple of colleagues to Durgin Park near Faneuil Hall in Boston.

I haven't been there in years (since before my teens), and my US co-workers laughed when I said I wanted to go, but it is a family tradition as the place that my mom and dad would take us to whenever we were in or driving through Boston. It's place in the hierarchy of favorite and storied family restaurants is paramount.

As I sat contemplating my lobster in their now woefully empty dining room (it trades almost entirely on reputation now), I was hit hard by the realization that now it was I who would be bringing my daughter to favorite family restaurants. That family traditions were now something that I would get to influence rather than have dictated to me.

It made me feel pensive and melancholy, despite the presence and joy of my co-workers at the new experience, and it made me miss my dad. I wished I was ten again and that he was there to show me how to properly clean a steamer or dismantle a lobster rather than me being the one to show my co-workers those things.

Fortunately, the food is still decent, even if the crowds have abandoned it, and nothing can shake me out of a reverie like two lobsters.

I had a couple of old friends for dinner
So yes. Two 1 pound lobsters later, I left the restaurant completely sated. And I wasn't the only one.

My co-worker, Wayne, ordered the 32 ounce prime rib, and after polishing off the last, tender, crimson shard of meat, pronounced it, as only he could, "Reeeeaaaaaally delicious!"

Jerry's Date night at Lucy's!

Due to my need to stay an extra day through Friday, I decided to take an extra day and drive up to Arrowsic to visit Roz and the Maine Fam!

As it turns out, my timing was impeccable as it was Roz's birthday weekend.

Fortunately for me, it was Roz who gave me the gifts with two delicious lobsters greeting me when I walked into the door.

She sure does know what I like! It was quite embarrassing that I didn't have anything for her, but I'll take lobster regardless of how much guilt is attached. THAT is how much I love those little critters.

Sisters
Saturday morning involved me driving my own car again and running some errands with Roz and the afternoon was mainly hanging out at the house just relaxing.

The main event was Roz's birthday dinner at the Pieh's with everyone in the picture you see above and then some (mainly Gerry and me who are un-pictured). There was 7-Layer Dip, Zucchini Crust Pizza, Canneloni and little children to play with. There was even ice cream cake and present opening.


The evening was over much to soon, however, and before I knew it, I was back in Arrowsic getting repacked to head back to Hong Kong. With an 11:40 out of Logan, it was an early night and an early morning rush down 95 to Boston.


However, GPS made the drive go well, and I was there early enough to make it on the 9:35 AM out of Logan which, because my original flight was delayed, would make sure I would make it home even if my bags don't.

The great thing about catching the earlier flight was that a call to Jack made sure that I had a lunch partner at the airport and didn't have to eat alone.

It's been a long trip full of work, but also unexpectedly full of family and found time.

It's been a great preview for the fun to be had over the Christmas season, and I can't wait to get home to work towards the holiday season.

Dad's Away...

Miss Margaret is becoming quite the helper (when she wants to be!). Knowing Daddy and everyone else are hungry for pictures, I took out the camera today to snap some photos. Margaret helped with the lens cap:

"Here, Mom, let me help you with that"

"Hang on, I've almost got it on"

Lens cap back in place (and subsequently discretely removed again by Mom), I distracted her the best way I know how so as to really take some photos:

"Let me help you organize this mess"

"I'll just put all the bills in one pile..."

"...and the cards in another. Sort of."

Dad is back on Monday, and boy, do we miss him. As, I'm sure, do the loyal fans! All I do is sit around eating dinner by myself and crying while I watch the election speeches replayed. What a moment. I'm also commuting to Year 5 Camp, where I have blissfully been relieved of night time duties in order to meet my obligations to Miss M. John says we should hurry up and get pregnant again so I can get out of next year, too :-)

She loves me!

Another nice morning with Margaret.

Sorry, no photos again.

As is usual, Margaret and I were sitting on the living room floor playing for a few minutes before I had to go to work.

As the time ticked down to when I had to go, I looked at Margaret and said, "Daddy has to go to work now."

Upon hearing this, she looked up, crawled over to where I was and climbed up onto me, trying to stop me from leaving. She even made kissing sounds.

She must have known that I wouldn't leave if she was attached to me, because she proceeded to stick to me and not get off me for the next ten minutes. She changed her position from standing, to sitting in my lap, to sitting on my leg, back to standing with her arms around my neck, but for about ten minutes, she wouldn't get off of me.

Finally, she must have thought it was safe to get up, because she did so to get at a toy on the couch. Unfortunately, that was my signal to leave for work, and she knew it, because she immediately started screaming as soon as I stood up.

Luckily Daisy chose that moment to come in with the laundry, and after putting on my shoes and another quick hug, folding laundry was enough distraction for M for me to quickly slip out the door.

As the latch clicked shut, I could hear another couple of brief shouts, but they were short lived, thankfully.

It would be another long ride into work this morning.

Even worse, I'm in MA from starting from Saturday to next Saturday for meetings. So no weekend fun for us. So sad.

Bittersweet

This morning, while putting on my shoes for work, Margaret crawls over to me, pulls herself up on my pants legs, hugs my legs, looks up at me with her beautiful, glistening eyes, and says, "Bah bah!" (her version of "hold me" in Chinese)

I pick her up, upon which she says, "Shie Shie." (Thank you, again, in Chinese).

After a few minutes of snuggling, kissing and last minute playing, I put her down, upon which she immediately begins crying.

The bag and shoes must have tipped her off.

As I waited for the elevator, I could hear the pounding of little hands against the other side of the door.

My heart is broken. *sigh*

They're Back!

The Fam sans me at my dad's mausoleum
Well, SAM and Margaret are back yet again and boy am I happy to have them back.

My whole family (except for George and I) had a great time in Taipei. There was lots of eating, lots of family time and even some time taken out to visit my dad at the cemetery which I wish I could have been a part of.

The Tsien Girls
Margaret took the opportunity to show off some new skills to my family and got some good socializing time in with her cousins.

Apparently, she very much enjoyed playing with her cousins' toys, including the stroller (below) and a walker which allowed her to practice walking.

She started saying lots of new words as well, including "shum" (not sure what that means) and "bah bah" which is trying to emulate "bao bao" which is Chinese for "hug."

Everybody Walk The Dinosaur
(boom, boom, acka-lacka-lacka, boom)
Unfortunately for us, Margaret as she is developing, has gotten quite possessive, not only of her things but of people as well.

According to SAM, Margaret got upset and was batting at my sister Joy's hands, when Joy tried to snuggle her own daughter, Samantha. Apparently, Margaret thought Samantha was her own personal property.

Margaret now also has learned the power of her voice, and has taken to screaming whenever she doesn't get her own way.

Boy does that girl have a set of lungs.

I'm not sure how to nip that in the bud, but we'll start out with a calm, "Mommy/Daddy doesn't like that," while stopping what we're doing and we'll see how long that lasts for. My feeling is not very long, but, hey, we'll give it a try.

With the Koo Boys
After a week without my girls, the weekend with them went by much too quickly.

SAM got home on Friday night and both girls were exhausted.

Luckily, Margaret, back in her own bed, woke at her usual time of 6:20 on Saturday which was much better than the 5:40 AM wake-ups she was having in Taipei.

It was great to have her back and to go through our normal morning routine of having some time together in the mornings.

Of course, it was sort of sad that I wasn't able to sleep until 7:00 as I had been while the girls were gone, but it's a small price to pay for such joy.

Home at last!
After work, I met Margaret and SAM and the Koos at Tommy and Valerie's for E's one year birthday party.

There was plenty of food, people and even a dog which proved plenty of stimulation for Margaret who could take no more by 2:30 and was dragged, exhausted, home by an equally exhausted SAM while I stayed for another hour to catch up with my sister.

A quiet moment this afternoon
Of course, Saturday night was date night, and that was an enjoyable time with Sarah's Milton friend Natalie and her husband, Amir who I coincidentally went to business school with. Such a small world... which got even smaller when we were able to make some Exeter connections.

Another funny coincidence is that we wound up eating at a restaurant that Natalie and Amir chose that just happened to be owned by my boss.

Anything's a pretend phone
Today was a very lazy Sunday with our usual routine - twice to the park (the morning visit included a McDonald's picnic), a nap in the afternoon, all buttoned up at the end with a post.

Fortunately, this is my last weekend for the next six months (except for January) where I have to work Saturdays! Woohoo!

We're going back to 5 day weeks now that the Christmas shipping season is over. Unfortunately, I miss the next two Saturdays at home because I'm off to the US for meetings.

Oh well. There are worse things.

Almost Home

Only one more workday and I get to come home from work and find them as I usually do, ready for bathtime and for some last minute snuggles before Margaret falls into bed.

It's nice to have my independence for a few days to watch movies and eat junk-food, but it's nothing compared to having SAM and Margaret at home under the same roof.

Joint snack-time
Apparently, they're still having a blast in Taipei and have been eating much yummy food (going to all my favorite restaurants). However, tonight was the last night, and now they're all packed up and ready to come back home.

And as much as it must be sad for SAM that her week-long fall break is over, I can't wait.

The Expressions of Margaret and Video

I'm home from an overnight trip into China and have an opportunity for a more substantial post.

Above, find a video I quickly edited together of some of her antics over the past couple of weekends. Please forgive the roughness. It shows her doing various things that we enjoyed watching her do over the past couple of weekends.

She's developing so fast, it's amazing us.

Margaret and SAM are doing well in Taipei with the rest of the family. She loves hanging out with her cousins!

However, it seems we need to work on some social skills. According to SAM, M was quite possessive of her toys tonight at dinner with my Godmother's grandson who is just a few months older than her.

Other than that, I don't have too much to report and will let the video above and the pics below (all taken on Sunday) speak for themselves.

"Um... it wasn't me?"

Just plain happy

Pure Laughter

"Whoah"

Tired

"Mom's the best!"

Do it again, Daddy! Do it again!

Sarah and Margaret are away in Taipei for a few days and I'm in China for work, so there won't be too many new photos of the peanut. However, we did take plenty over the weekend which I haven't yet posted, so expect those through the week.

Margaret just keeps getting more and more fun, with new expressions, new skills and just more of everything (including more of her).

She's more fun to carry now because she puts an arm around our necks now. She's more fun to watch because she will do things now that SHE thinks are fun, often with hilarious results. She's just all around more rewarding to be around because she is so able to make her opinion known and she definitely has an opinion on everything.

The above was taken on Sunday morning after breakfast. She's started crawling into the toy box now, after discovering that she likes siting "in" things (starting with the suitcases). We're cheating here because I put her in it on Sunday morning, but she totally loved being pushed around in the toy basket like she was having a go-cart ride. Unfortunately, I got tired of it before she did, but that didn't stop her from getting out and pushing it around herself, using it as sort of a walker.

There's video which I'll try to post after I convert it sometime this week after I get home.

She changes so quickly, it's hard to keep up.

*sigh*

Off on Saturday!

Look at those teeth!
A full two day weekend is amazing to behold. Today I took Saturday morning off and I feel a changed man when contemplating another full day off tomorrow.

Unfortunately, we spent today like we would have spent any Sunday. After feeding Margaret in the morning, we went to the Flying Pan for breakfast. Then I took Margaret to the park while Sarah went to, what I can only explain as a Chinese Medical Chiropractor which made her feel very relaxed.

Today at the park where she also walked a round holding onto her stroller
After that, it was date night!

We decided to spend big money and ate at our local shopping center food court.

Actually, it was pretty delicious Teppenyaki style Japanese grill (think Benihana, but more assembly line and less dancing shrimp), after which we did some shopping then came home.

Yes, we are lazy homebodies, but we like it that way.

And hey, we have a daughter! Who are we kidding? We're tired!

Vietnam building dedication

Margaret and I were in Vietnam last weekend to attend the dedication of the new elementary building at Saigon South International School, named after John's father. It was a moving ceremony, honoring my father-in-law's commitment to education. I was especially struck by all of the photographs of his many years of work in Vietnam, some of which can be seen enlarged in the backdrop of the stage for the ceremony.

stage backdrop

We had tours of the beautiful new facility and heard speeches and performances from students, in addition to the formal dedication and unveiling of the plaque. It was a special family moment to share in.

three generations

More photos can be found at:
http://ssisart.forumotion.net/teacher-s-corner-f15/

Weekday Mornings

One nice thing about not having to go to work until after SAM is that I get to spend a little bit of time with Margaret in the mornings. SAM gets a similar amount of time in the evenings between when she comes home and when I usually get home, so it's nice that we each get a little bit of special time with M each day.

For some reason, Margaret was a bit fussy and feeling out of sorts this morning, and after SAM left, was especially sticky to me.

After her breakfast, I took her down from her high chair and set her up on the rug with some toys while I got ready to eat my breakfast.

Instead of playing with her toys or crawling around the house, she came over to me, pulled herself up, and laid her head on my leg.

Nothing could have melted my heart more.

She loves bags these days
Of course, I had to pull her up and sit her in my lap and feed her bits of my muffin as I made my way through breakfast one handed.

Through it all, she sat happily in my lap and we enjoyed an incredibly nice breakfast together.

Afterwards, she didn't want to hang out alone, so we read and played (and took photos) on the floor together. For much of it, she didn't want to sit on her own as she normally does, and instead, stepped into the space inside the the triangle that my legs outlined while sitting cross legged and held tightly to my shirt, while bouncing up and down on her feet. Alternatively, she would pull herself to me and put her head on my chest.

My daughter was acting all lovey dovey and smiley and didn't mind no matter how much I kissed and snuggled her.

Really, it was paradise.

In my lap
Unfortunately, I eventually did have to leave for work, but it was entirely too difficult to tear myself away and I seriously considered going in late.

Sadly, after coming home from work, she wasn't in the mood to repeat the tenderness of the morning, but there's always tomorrow...

We're Back!

A quick post just to say that we're all back and all trying to recover from the busy week that passed by.

Sorry for the lack of photos taken during M and S's trip. You can find them over at Philip's Blog.

Here are a few from when she came home and was helping Mommy unpack.


Yes, she loves being in the suitcase and crawls into it on her own. Maybe that's how she knows she won't be forgotten?

In just a week, I've noticed that she's much more agile and steady in her movements, and she is much more verbal, making some new sounds I'd never heard this morning.

It's 8:30 in the evening and SAM's already in bed. I'm not far behind her.

It's great to have my girls back!

We'll Call You Back Soon!

I'm in Shanghai for work and SAM will be in Ho Chi Minh City (where they are dedicating a building to my dad) through this Sunday.

So we may not get a blog post out to you this weekend. Especially since posting from China is blocked for apparent "security" reasons.

However, to tide you over (and just because the title of this post is an excuse to post this photo), here's a picture of M from Tuesday, chatting away on the phone. She does this now with everything, pretending to be a little chatty Cathy.

It must be the fact that we spend all weekend on the phone with family!

Weekend Photo Fest

Bathing Beauty
Saturday

Another weekend, another post. Time goes quickly when you have a baby. I suppose maybe it's just that everyone is so busy that there's no time to mark its passing.

On Saturday, we took Margaret swimming. We got together three babies all around the same age - E (Tommy and Valerie's) and A (Natalie's) and went over.

Luckily for us, the sun wasn't very strong on account of an approaching tropical depression, so we were able to put Margaret in the lovely backless number you see her in above.

Unfortunately and embarrassingly (for her parents), seconds after taking the photo, Margaret released her bladder onto E's floor.

Thankfully, pee is sterile, and pools have chlorine in them.

Thanks, Tom, for loaning me the shirt.

Unfortunately, the water was too cold for a long swim, but we managed a few splashes before the weather really turned and it started raining cats and dogs.

M didn't care, though, as she got to hang out inside and partake of the cheese plate, including Camembert and Roquefort.

Trot, trot to Boston, trot trot to Lynn. Trot to the ocean...

...but don't fall INNNNN!
"Dah, Dah, Dah!"

One of the coolest parts about Saturday was discovering that Margaret actually knows me as Dada.

We met up at Tom and Val's place separately - I went from work and SAM and Margaret came from home.

We arrived at about the same time, and I saw SAM's cab turn into the driveway ahead of me.

Apparently, Margaret saw me and started screaming, "Dah, Dah, Dah, Dah, Dah!" upon which SAM said, "No, no, we'll see Daddy later."

Of course, they opened the door, and there I was.

It's wonderful to be recognized.

"Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse"

"With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes."
Sunday

Today has been defined largely by the squally rainstorms that have been on and off all day.

This morning, I got to sleep in until about 8 while SAM took care of M (I am soooo lucky!).

After spending some time snapping photos and hanging out, we headed to the Excelsior for a delicious buffet brunch.

Margaret, as usual, had a field day with the cheese, with plenty of cheddar and swiss winding up in her tummy along with smoked fish, omelette, raisins, pineapple and congee. The girl eats like it's going out of style.

Using a lens cap as a "telephone."

"Can you hear me now?"
Aside On Parenting Skills

Due to the tropical depression, the sky was raining buckets, but after brunch, we still ducked between the rain drops to Ikea where we picked up some more anti-baby cabinet locks and gave M a ride around in a shopping cart (photo below).

As Margaret gets older and more canny, we've had to escalate our baby proofing measures.

This morning, SAM discovered that Margaret can actually reach two electrical outlets near the base of her crib because, for some reason, her crib had been shoved closer to the wall than normal.

Shocking.

Thankfully, the were switched outlets, and were off, but we quickly put outlet covers on them anyways.

I just hope nobody takes her away from us.

At the Excelsior
Sunday Continued

After Ikea, the rain was telling us that nap time was nigh, so we were home and the entire family was in bed by noon for nap time.

Delicious.

But not as delicious as the Seven-Layer dip we had in the fridge to bring over to Joy's for dinner!

We were at Joy's by four for some family time, which we haven't been getting as much of as we would like, recently.

The kids enjoyed seeing Margaret on their home turf again, and were missing no opportunity to find new and creative ways of entertaining her.

Something that we found interesting was that she got quite nervous when Sarah disappeared to the bathroom or kitchen, even if I was there.

It seems like she is beginning to get real separation anxiety from mom.

Unfortunately, she seems to suffer from no such anxiety from being separated from dad. In fact, even if I was holding her, she would try to go to SAM if there was a choice.

Of course, I wonder if this is a further extension of something else she has been doing lately, which is that she has started being coy with me.

Shopping for baby proofing gear
Often, these days, if I try to kiss her, she will turn away from me, seemingly quite on purpose. Or if I sit down on the ground or lie down next to her in the bed, she will turn towards her mother and away from me.

I know that it is something that many girls do, and I've observed it with my niece, but it's still a little sad when she will kiss Mommy or a stuffed animal on command, and I have to steal mine.

The thing is, that it isn't really all the time, so it's not all bad. Sometimes, she will happily kiss me, or even flash me a huge smile and come over and grab my legs. I just have to catch her in the right mood, I suppose.

Happy together
Dinner at Joy's was fairly early, after which Margaret even had a bath at the Koo household with her cousins all helping.

Samantha showed us her ingenuity today, when she came up with the idea of using a squeezable water bottle to help direct the water when rinsing off Margaret's head.

Shampooing has long been the hardest part of bath time, and has always guaranteed a squirmy, crying Margaret because she doesn't like her face to get wet.

Problem solved.

Thanks, Samantha.

Chillin' at Joy's
We're now settled back at home, where SAM is busily trying to finish some preparations for school tomorrow before we go to bed.

*sigh*

Night, night!