嘆かわしい

Friday was the second last trading day of the year. Time to clean up the financials (sell off the losers in the portfolio) and prepare for the April tax filing. This year has been a terrible year in terms of trading for me. I think even more so than 2000-2001, thanks to the subprime saga which affects the global markets.

But what caught my attention in the news lately was all the pets left behind by their owners when the houses were being foreclosed. It's so sad to see video clips of so many dogs, cats, turtles and other pets that were left to die or to be found until local SPCAs were called to the rescue. I can understand that these families are losing their homes and have to find ways to cut their bill payments, but how hard is it to just drop off the pets at the SPCA? How can they just leave them in the house to die from dehydration or starvation!?! Abandonment is bad enough, stupidty (and cruelty) as such is just despicable!!! Can they just call SPCA to pick up the pets? I am sure they are keeping their cell phones!

睡眠習慣

My daughter is nocturnal like me. She is sleepy during the day and all awake from midnight to around 3, 4am. So here is a picture of us attempting to shift her wake schedule by having her come out to the living room for a few hours around dinner time with the TV on. Unfortunately, it's not working...she would just sleep through it. (-_-)"

バウムクーヘン

Finally, I will be out of my hibernation and go out tomorrow. (Oh, I mean later today...) とりあえず、I have to buy me some baumkuchen (バウムクーヘン) and eat it with a piping hot cappuccino at a nice cafe!

Merry Christmas!

頂き物

先日、私の両親からの郵便小包が届きました。
届いたものは、色々可愛い赤ちゃんの肌着セットでした。
すごく嬉しいと感謝しました！
実は、小包は五重の包装紙があったので、両親の優しい心を感じて、とても感動しました。

Parenthood

I have no idea that taking care of an infant is this much work!! Feeding, burping, diaper changing, putting the baby to sleep, repeating it 6-8 times a day for the next 2 to 3 months. Plus, add endless laundry, cleaning and occasional singing (yes, and how I wish I can sing & know more songs to sing to...) to the list, on top of your own daily schedule as a person. It's actually a full-time job for 2 people! And wait till the baby can roll and crawl...and walk and starts to talk back!

I think if anyone ever have doubts about their parents' love for them, just try to raise a kid all alone from infant to toddler stage. After that experience, not only will you be amazed how demanding an infant actually is but how any less love would not have sufficed. (No wonder a good nanny is almost unheard of because the same love just isn't there.) Seriously. Right now I can't see how parents with twins can actually sleep!?!

Anyway, recently I have been receiving a lot of once-a-year-Christmas email and a few Facebook greetings (messages, hugs, gifts, etc.) from old friends. To my surprise, via Facebook's friends list, I see most of the people I went to school with have at least 2 kids all born within the last 5 years!! Even those who were really career-oriented! I guess women my age are now all getting into motherhood before it's too late.

These days, I am seeing imagines on stories I heard from my mom on how my dad used to wash our diapers before putting it in the washer, and how my dad had to quickly use the hair dryer to dry my sister's must-have blanket to stop her crying whenever it's washed, etc. They have to do so much more back then!!

I guess it might be a good idea to take out 東京タワー ～オカンとボクと、時々、オトン～ DVD (based on Lily Franky's book) and start watching it if I have time. I think I need to see how people did it and how much more they have to go through in the old days to really appreciate the easier life of parenthood now.

クリスマスツリー

今年、娘のためにクリスマスツリーを買いました。飾りがあまりないから、来年は娘と一緒に選ぶのが楽しいですね。

ツリーの下に寝たネコはべーごーちゃんです。見えますか?

新米ママ

My daughter always falls asleep like this after every feeding.
Funny looking, isn't it?
This is one of those moments I would remember, always.

出産しました!

I gave birth to my daughter 10 days ago and it's a pretty amazing feeling to finally meet the little person I was carrying around for so long. I was lucky enough to avoid the big "C" but I now do know what excruciating labor pains women had to go through in natural birth. My labor progressed so fast that I almost missed the window for epidural!! I am so glad the pains and the pushings are over and all done with! Whew...

So far, she is a good baby and a lot of fun to be around with. We were told to get some sleep whenever the baby sleeps but my husband and I actually staying awake for as long as we could and always looking forward to her next eyes wide open moment. We do chores, read magazines, watch TV, use the computer, have tea, eat snacks in between her sleep time and are actually really relax and enjoying our time at home! :-)

The traditional Chinese postpartum thing to do is really to lie in bed at all times, no shower or shampoo and eat only food that was cooked with ginger, sesame oil, and rice wine for a month to rest and recover. I am not doing any of that and I am feeling pretty good and strong!! But I do plan to stay home as much as possible (besides the pediatrician visits) and not catch a cold during this recovery month.

Life going forward is going to be very different but I plan to take it easy, not let any one person dominates how we live and hopefully raise a good-hearted, down-to-earth little girl!