Last Days in March

A woodpecker visited the feeder.

James had bright-eyed moments (and another smile?).

He grabbed for Daddy's nose... and eye(brow)s.

The yellow orchid is primed to bloom.   

House Hippo watched over James.

Daddy's Turn

First Smile?

When the phones and their charges align...

and the woodpecker feeds...

... the baby will smile.

Soothing sounds

Catherine: "Boop-boop boop-boop..."

Mom: "Ungoo... ungoo..."

Me: "Shhh...."

Aunties C & C and a Pattern?

Charlotte and Catherine came for a visit today!

Catherine is (another) natural -- she knew what to do with James and was happy to do it.  I had to ask: Did she play with dolls?  The answer was yes.  She even had that doll I remember from television, the one that "drinks" from the bottle and its nappy gets wet.  I wonder if that's part of my problem (I didn't play with dolls, I'm kind of scared of them -- though I might be mixing up the cause with the effect).



















Haven't seen Charlotte in a while, so we needed updates: 1. She's half contemplating becoming a ninja (they're taking applications... and Mike would love to too...)  2. They're looking for a new car.    

Charlotte wasn't jumping to hold James (she's got 3 of her own after all), and when she did she said he was light :)  I appreciated how candid she was about post-partum depression.  And she's had near-death birthing complications...  I asked and she told me about getting to the point of not caring about all the judgement (I hope I can get there).

She also brought me a BabyBjorn, an adjustable, ergonomic carrier.  It's so cool!  And Charlotte says Lucas (and Mike) loved it.  But James isn't big enough for it yet (min 8 lbs).

I've also considered making a "Moby" or monkey sling... but that would require time and energy.

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I think I see a pattern now with James: there's a good day, then a bad day... and then repeat.

Or maybe I'm the one who has a good day and then my hopes get up too high.

(Below: Paul and an uncertain James / Further below: James, certainly crying)

Was a little scared when the area around the incision starting hurting a few days ago.  Maybe just cramps?  I'm trying not to think of Angela's story about how the stitches inside can tear.  It's not red and puffy like other signs of infection... just need to rest and keep an eye on it I guess.

Paul's photos of James's 滿月 "Full Moon"

Ack!  Has it really been a whole month?!

Full Month / Full Moon! James's 滿月

Celina: "Don't gender colours!"
Jack: "What?  Pink is for girls.  Salmon is o.k. for guys."

Except, of course, it's a big Chinese event so pink, red, orange are for everybody!

Angela, Patrick, and Jack came up from Calgary, so with Theresa, Carl, Celina, Kevin, and my parents it was a(n over-)full house!

Egg-cellent party favours (w/ sour soothers and gummy bears)

So much cleaning up this past week, did it pay off?  Well, some of my boxes ended back in the baby room... And I had a good hard time trying to not let the criticism get to me...  But in the end, even if it was a bit of a strange setup,  I think we did o.k.

James protested his bath, but slept soundly through the rest of things.

I bossed people around to move tables and grab chairs and it felt rather good.  They didn't want me to lift things either... yep, that's still probably a good idea.

The meal included traditional items (barbeque pork, chicken, bean noodles/threads), vegetables (for the vitamins), and brown rice.

Oh, the brown rice my Mom worried and stressed about days before.  Guess what?  Kevin and Celina ate it (even asked if they could make some at home). Patrick and Jack ate it.  Everyone ate food and eventually were not hungry!  Granted Dad did have a bit of trouble with it and his teeth.  And, Mom, trying to stay positive for the day conceded it was good at least for slowing down eating :)

(Above: James's new hat is "gansta!")

We'd opted out of some of the other traditions (e.g. first hair cut, and Paul had requested no incense in the house -- my parents burnt offerings outside instead), but there was one that seemed relatively harmless... well, except for the sex / gender bias.

Celina: I'm not going to do it if it's just because I'm the only girl!

So instead, Kevin carried James in the baby sling (for all of 1 minute, for photos).  But this ritual* supposedly means the two of them will be "buddies" for the years to come.  I carried Celina and Kevin -- and that's what Theresa and Mom credits for us being so buddy-buddy :P  

* It doesn't seem quite as well known (and likely practiced?) as the red eggs, hair cutting, naming, coming out to public, and offerings to ancestors  (per Baby Centre Malaysia's "Baby Traditions: Chinese full moon celebration" or Wai Yee Hong's "Chinese baby customs & full moon party").  I like the metaphor though.

There was also a dinner out at a restaurant tonight, but the guest of honour (James and therefore I too) was not allowed to go (my dad is convinced it's a bad idea to take him to such public places)... that's o.k. we managed more than fine.  I was happy to have a relatively quiet house after all the noise (and family).

I ate an orange and after a month of not being allowed to**, it was great.  Not the best texture (out of season?  rather dry), but a lovely taste, not too sweet with a hint of sour, just how I like it.

**Oranges are cooling foods (Ping Ming Health's handy list "Warming and cooling characteristics of common foods")

James and the Squirrel

"Hello, Mr. Squirrel!  What are you doing?"

"Nothing!  Uh, oh, hi kid.  You know, just hanging around..."

"Uh, I'm just gonna... uh... " 

"... move this pine cone here so it doesn't get lost."   

"And um... it looks like... "

 "... I got some peanut butter on my hands."

"Go away, kid."

 

"Oh, OK.  Bye, bye."