S with another Special Guest: Cousin K

Going through old photos and videos is fun and sad. It's fun to relive those special moments, but it's sad to see how much S has grown and changed~~ This video was taken in July when L and D drove up from LA to Napa to visit the family. It was also the first time the two babies got together. It was funny to see how they seemed to be a little "shy" around each other. :)
Our niece K looks like a budding ballet dancer!!

Special Guest: Goo-lu Goo-lu Mei-Mei

My cousin T recently found out that her adoptive daughter (9-month-old) is 1/4 Taiwanese Aborigine. Taiwanese Aborigines are "usually" better singers, dancers and also "better" looking than Han Chinese (big eyes and more western looking facial features.:)~ Many famous Taiwanese singers, actors and actresses are either full-blood or part Aborigines. T and I are very excited about this news and have been day dreaming about the day when our mei-mei will be as famous as A-Mei.~~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-mei

Can you already see mei-mei's talent in this video? T and I definitely see lots of potential!! :)

Sleeping Angel

(The first picture was how S slept when he had his pacifier in early Nov..ignore the pink tummy wrap..)

(The second picture was taken today... Shaun has overcome his addiction!!)

At first daddy and mommy were going to let S have his pacifier until he is ready to give it up. However, upon viewing the video taken in late Oct, mommy decided that it was time for his lazy parents to bite the bullet & take the pacifier away. For the first few nights, S would be crying, sobbing and screaming for his pacifier for 30- 40 minutes at bed time. The crying got shorter and shorter in 2 weeks. After almost 3 weeks of being firm and persistent (felt like a lifetime), we are proud to announce that S can now fall asleep at night without his pacifier (most of the time:)!!Yeah!! S still naps with his pacifier at school, but we are going to let that one slide for now (for the benefit of his classmates.:)

Addicted to Pacifier Oct 25 2007

弟弟中毒太深了...要奶嘴配飯. :)
S is soo addicted to his binky. It's time that mommy and daddy help him quit "cold turkey"...

December Update

(S is playing Mah Jong with mommy)

Well... time has really flown by!! S. is 18 months old and has grown into a very active toddler. He actually has a clue about what is going on around him and that his life has a purpose- for example- he needs to get out of bed in order to eat and play!

We finally had tubes put into his ears on Nov 27, because he has had multiple ear infections. Our friend recommended that we have it done ASAP so that it doesn't impact his hearing and speech.. That kind of make sense. Thanks to our wonderful PPO, I was able to schedule a surgery within 3 weeks without having to wait for a referral forever! His ENT also agreed to clip his tongue. S. is border-line tongue tied. Hopefully his girlfriend/wife will thank his mommy for pushing for this "clipping", because I am sure he will be a better kisser (but I won't let him get married until he is 50 years old...lol....:)
S and I are flying back to Taiwan on Dec 13th. It's going to be much harder to fly with him this time than the previous two trips, because he like walking and running around now. Luckily we got a call from EVA today that we got upgraded to business class, but it is still not going to be easy!:(

S thinks I should wear an adult diaper (尿布) for the flight so that I don't have to keep getting up and waking up our little devil... hmmm... I thought S is brilliant, but now I think he is a GENIUS!

Nov 25 2007 - I WANT....

Shaun was so upset when mommy put her make up bag (化妝包) away... He finally was happy with the post-it notes instead.. phew.:)

Nov 27 2007 - Busy Shaun

Can you believe this little guy just had a surgery this morning!! He bounced back so fast!

Thanksgiving Holiday

(With W and family in Marriott Hotel)

We spent the Thanksgiving holiday with Simon's parents and cousin W and W's family in Napa. W and family are moving back to Singapore before Christmas, so we were happy to see them and say good-bye in person before they move back. Simon's parents just came back from a long trip to HI, so we had a more low-stress Thanksgiving dinner in Marriott.

Grandma and Grandpa decorated their house with Christmas deco so that they get to enjoy it for a full month until all the family come over to Napa for the actual Christmas celebration. I am bummed that S won't be there to open his Christmas gifts under the BIG Christmas tree. However, Simon and I agreed that he can not handle S all by himself for 2 weeks, so it's better that S goes back to Taiwan with me. Not sure if I should spoil the deco for D, L and K, but here it is: the big Christmas tree and deers!! Too bad I forgot to bring my camera, but Grandpa took a couple of pictures with us and W's family.

As S and I talked about the dinner, we realized how funny that things have changed now that we are parents. I can still remember that 5 years ago when I first met W and his family, their youngest daughter M was still a toddler. They spent most of their dinner time taking care of their kids. Fast forward, S and I were the ones spending most of the Thanksgiving dinner taking care of S, making sure he had enough to eat. I don't remember making any "adult" conversation during dinner.. I ( and W's kids) were then chasing S around the restaurant, because he was getting restless while W and his wife no longer had to worry about their kids..hahahaha... This give S and I hope- babies do grow up and become independent of their parents. However, sometimes I like Shaun the way he is... just a cute baby who still depends on his mommy for a lot of his needs.. sigh.. life is never perfect!! :)

Visit

Grandpa and Grandma came to visit us after spending several months in HI. We also combined Grandma's, Auntie M and daddy's birthdays celebration into one. Tahoe Joe's steak did not disappoint & Shaun had a great time!

Shaun's First Halloween

Life before our baby: S and I would turn off all lights and hide in Borders on Halloween. Please don't judge us... that was the old "J&S." Now we are "J&S&S" and at the urging of our dear friends and co-workers, we decided to be good parents and dressed S up in a funny costume and showed him off to the world... our little world that is.

A few of my coworkers offered us hand-me down costumes... we got Superman first, so Shaun was Superman this year. Only this superman was a little short, chubby and sleepy after walking around for only a few hours. We had a blast and were so glad that we listened to the other "wise" parents!!

Big Boy in Day Care

(May 07)

(Sep 07)

When S first started day care, he sat in one of the "slots" of the small-baby table. By September he was sitting in the individual chair for the bigger toddlers. I feel sad when I think about the day when he starts pre-school. Doesn't he look so big already... :(

California Fair

We had a great time with J's coworker at the CA Fair. We have been to the Fair a few times, but it felt really different with S there with us.

Update pictures of Shaun

(Dads and babies)

(The Lim Clan)

(The Lim Clan)

(S. with Grandma and cousin K.)













(S had a bad hair day..lol..)












Big head













(S was drooling so much in his sleep that his auntie had to put tissues on his chin)













(Korea)












(Korea)
After procrastinating for over 11 months, I am finally posting on this blog. Our life is quite uneventful from day to day, so we will devote most of this blog to give updates of Shaun.
Above are pictures from early 2007.

Trip to Taiwan

(S. with a-gong and cousin)



(S with his auntie and new cousin)

After hesitating to take off from work, I decided to take the 6 week paid LOA to spend more time with Shaun in March and April. Other than attending business school, I haven't taken off from work for such a long time. Shaun and I traveled back to Taiwan for 4 weeks. It was not easy traveling with an 11-month old by myself, but we made it there and back! Love Eva Air! :) Highilights of our trip: 1. Lots of great Taiwanese food (Daddy would disagree..:) 2. Five-day trip to Korea with Auntie, uncle, cousin and S. 3. More Taiwanese food.. 4. Totally forgot how to wash my own hair, since I go to the hair salon every other day..lol... 5. Foot massage once a week.. (does life get better than that!) 6. S. got plenty of adult attention! 7. S. learned how to walk while we were in Taiwan.

Shaun taking off his own pants