Dear Logan,
When I was young, I was a very active participant in Church and in Choir, both in Macau and in Hawaii. Even when I moved to San Francisco, I still went to Church every Sunday (OK, maybe most Sundays). When Aidan was born, I have brought him to Church where he would sleep through the whole mass. Then he got older, noisier, bored and a little out of control when I took him to Church. Then I stopped going.
But with your illness and your eventual passing, God came back into my life. Though your life was short, you have brought our family closer together (especially your grandfather) and also brought me closer to God. It took me so many years before I officially introduced God to Aidan. A couple months ago, I started bringing Aidan to Church again. All of the Churches he's been to, he liked St. Joseph of Cupertino the most, and I am not sure if it's because he likes seeing the hymn numbers displayed, or he feels the affinity to this Church because of you. I enrolled him in Sunday school a month ago, and he's been enjoying it. He brought home activity sheets, stories and crafts that he made. Tonight, we said our first bedtime prayer together.
I have finally decided to baptize Aidan. When he was young, I thought I would just bring him to Church and let him decide if he wants to be baptized when he grows older. But going back to Church, and this very special Church where you had your memorial service, made me realize that I do want Aidan to be baptized. I left a voicemail for the priest to get more information about the Sacrament of Baptism, but have not heard back from him. I guess it's time for a follow-up phone call or e-mail. I have already asked Uncle Kyle and Auntie Leonor to be Aidan's godparents, and they have gladly accepted that. Thanks! Now, I just need to get the ball rolling.
I was glad I was able to have you baptized before you left us.
Love,
Mommy
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Happy 3rd Birthday, Logan!
Dear Logan,
Happy Birthday! I can't believe you're 3 years old already. I still remember the day you were born and how you're wheeled to the NICU for observations. Time sure does fly.
I am so sorry that I haven't written to you for months. I have been procrastinating and there's so much I wanted to tell you about. But this procrastination is making it hard to catch up on the stories, feelings and events that have been happening. It took your birthday for me to get over my laziness.
The last time we visited you, I told Aidan about your passing. Lately, I've heard him use the words "die" and "dead" quite often. I am not sure what Kindergarteners talk about these days at school. He even heard of people saying that when you die, you become a star. So, I asked him if he remembered visiting you at the hospital, and he did. I explained to him that you got really sick and died. I told him that people die because they got very sick, got old, or if they hurt themselves very badly. I told him you're in Heaven with God and will be one of the stars in the sky watching over him. Last Sunday, when we had our weekly Sunday dinner at Auntie Rachel and Uncle Paul's house, I sat with Aidan on their swing seat and enjoyed the view of the bright starry night. Aidan then told me, "Logan is one of the stars up there". Yes, you were one of the stars up there watching over us. This talk about death did not seem to upset him, and I am glad he now can look up in the sky, knowing you're there.
We love you and miss you very, very much.
Mommy
Happy Birthday! I can't believe you're 3 years old already. I still remember the day you were born and how you're wheeled to the NICU for observations. Time sure does fly.
I am so sorry that I haven't written to you for months. I have been procrastinating and there's so much I wanted to tell you about. But this procrastination is making it hard to catch up on the stories, feelings and events that have been happening. It took your birthday for me to get over my laziness.
The last time we visited you, I told Aidan about your passing. Lately, I've heard him use the words "die" and "dead" quite often. I am not sure what Kindergarteners talk about these days at school. He even heard of people saying that when you die, you become a star. So, I asked him if he remembered visiting you at the hospital, and he did. I explained to him that you got really sick and died. I told him that people die because they got very sick, got old, or if they hurt themselves very badly. I told him you're in Heaven with God and will be one of the stars in the sky watching over him. Last Sunday, when we had our weekly Sunday dinner at Auntie Rachel and Uncle Paul's house, I sat with Aidan on their swing seat and enjoyed the view of the bright starry night. Aidan then told me, "Logan is one of the stars up there". Yes, you were one of the stars up there watching over us. This talk about death did not seem to upset him, and I am glad he now can look up in the sky, knowing you're there.
We love you and miss you very, very much.
Mommy
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
End of Summer August Fun!
Dear Logan,
Summer has come to an end, and we had a busy, fun-filled August to end Aidan's summer vacation. Early this month, we had a playdate with Uncle Eugene, Auntie Vonnie and your cousins Quincy and Ruby. Though they live in the Bay Area, we don't see each other often enough. It's nice to have a get-together to have the kids play together. They seemed to get along really well, as they're about the same age. We went to Gilroy Gardens, our first time this season. It was a warm day, but if we compared it to regular Gilroy summer temperature, it was a cool day. We went on our usual rides, but tried out new ones. A couple rides Aidan had been on before, but this time around he didn't want to do it again. He's hard to please!
Towards the end of the month, we had another playdate with Auntie Leonor, Uncle Kyle and Melanie at the San Jose Giants game. This is our second and last game of the season, and the first one for them. Since I purchased a package deal on Groupon before, I was able to get us 6 good seats and a kid's membership for Aidan to play more games. We were lucky and picked the perfect game. For most of the match, where there wasn't too much action, the kids were outside playing the games. Then towards the end, everyone got back to their seats and witnessed an exciting game where the San Jose Giants came back from behind and won! Aidan, as usual, was cheering loudly. That definitely got Melanie in the right spirit to chant "Let's Go Giants" with everyone. At first, I worried the baseball game would be too boring for her, and I wouldn't want to give her a bad first impression. But everything worked out perfectly and it was a very fun playdate.
Aidan's preschool had the last field trip of the summer at Lakewood Park for BBQ/Picnic. I volunteered to chaperone that day and took a day off from work. It was fun to see Aidan getting more comfortable playing in the water park. He had a little boo boo on his knees, but aside from that, he showed me how much he has matured: from making his bed at school, reading a book while waiting, drying himself off and changing his clothes. He sure has grown up a lot this past year.
Last but not the least, we went to the Happy Kids Day celebration in Cupertino. We wanted to show Aidan the Taiwanese culture, as they had many cultural dances and performances. But he wasn't interested in most of them. It was difficult for us to force him to sit down and watch, as the sun was shining brightly above our heads, and there was no shade or tent above the seating area to watch the performances. We ended up eating and playing with different games. Now that we've been here for the first time, next year I know what to expect and will prepare our trip a little better.
That wraps up our summer fun. We will be heading to Disneyland for a few days during Labor Day Weekend before Aidan starts Kindergarten. I know it's going to be hot and crowded, but nothing beats the fun at Disneyland!
Love,
Mommy
Summer has come to an end, and we had a busy, fun-filled August to end Aidan's summer vacation. Early this month, we had a playdate with Uncle Eugene, Auntie Vonnie and your cousins Quincy and Ruby. Though they live in the Bay Area, we don't see each other often enough. It's nice to have a get-together to have the kids play together. They seemed to get along really well, as they're about the same age. We went to Gilroy Gardens, our first time this season. It was a warm day, but if we compared it to regular Gilroy summer temperature, it was a cool day. We went on our usual rides, but tried out new ones. A couple rides Aidan had been on before, but this time around he didn't want to do it again. He's hard to please!
Towards the end of the month, we had another playdate with Auntie Leonor, Uncle Kyle and Melanie at the San Jose Giants game. This is our second and last game of the season, and the first one for them. Since I purchased a package deal on Groupon before, I was able to get us 6 good seats and a kid's membership for Aidan to play more games. We were lucky and picked the perfect game. For most of the match, where there wasn't too much action, the kids were outside playing the games. Then towards the end, everyone got back to their seats and witnessed an exciting game where the San Jose Giants came back from behind and won! Aidan, as usual, was cheering loudly. That definitely got Melanie in the right spirit to chant "Let's Go Giants" with everyone. At first, I worried the baseball game would be too boring for her, and I wouldn't want to give her a bad first impression. But everything worked out perfectly and it was a very fun playdate.
Aidan's preschool had the last field trip of the summer at Lakewood Park for BBQ/Picnic. I volunteered to chaperone that day and took a day off from work. It was fun to see Aidan getting more comfortable playing in the water park. He had a little boo boo on his knees, but aside from that, he showed me how much he has matured: from making his bed at school, reading a book while waiting, drying himself off and changing his clothes. He sure has grown up a lot this past year.
Last but not the least, we went to the Happy Kids Day celebration in Cupertino. We wanted to show Aidan the Taiwanese culture, as they had many cultural dances and performances. But he wasn't interested in most of them. It was difficult for us to force him to sit down and watch, as the sun was shining brightly above our heads, and there was no shade or tent above the seating area to watch the performances. We ended up eating and playing with different games. Now that we've been here for the first time, next year I know what to expect and will prepare our trip a little better.
That wraps up our summer fun. We will be heading to Disneyland for a few days during Labor Day Weekend before Aidan starts Kindergarten. I know it's going to be hot and crowded, but nothing beats the fun at Disneyland!
Love,
Mommy
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
I'm going to miss all the mommies!
Dear Logan,
As I recall the conversation I had this afternoon with a fellow mommy at Aidan's school, it dawned on me that the last two years (at CCLC and Monticello), I have met some wonderful parents. Though I wouldn't call them my friends, everyone has been nice and cordial. Most of these conversations happened during birthday parties, or the occasional afternoon chats after we pick up our kids. Our kids are old enough to enjoy a jungle gym or bouncy house without us fussing all over them. So what do parents do then? We talk. Our conversations always revolve our kids, the school, their behavior, eating habits, tantrums, etc. Recently, it's been all about Kindergarten.
Most of Aidan's old friends have started Kindergarten and at different schools. He will start his Kindergarten on September 6. It always amazes me that us parents put so much thought into preschools and Kindergarten. Looking back, I went crazy touring different schools last year, plus researching online, getting feedback from fellow mommies and daddies, and all just for preschools and Kindergarten. Am I going to go nuts when we start looking for high schools, and god forbid, colleges?? I know some parents are still looking to switch schools after Kindergarten, for various reasons.
Aidan is very excited about Kindergarten, as he is a big boy and going to a big boy school now. I am not too concerned about him transitioning to a new school again (he's been going to a new school almost every year). A few of his friends at preschool will be going to the same school and in the same class. At least I know I will be seeing a couple familiar faces at future birthday parties.
Miss you,
Mommy
As I recall the conversation I had this afternoon with a fellow mommy at Aidan's school, it dawned on me that the last two years (at CCLC and Monticello), I have met some wonderful parents. Though I wouldn't call them my friends, everyone has been nice and cordial. Most of these conversations happened during birthday parties, or the occasional afternoon chats after we pick up our kids. Our kids are old enough to enjoy a jungle gym or bouncy house without us fussing all over them. So what do parents do then? We talk. Our conversations always revolve our kids, the school, their behavior, eating habits, tantrums, etc. Recently, it's been all about Kindergarten.
Most of Aidan's old friends have started Kindergarten and at different schools. He will start his Kindergarten on September 6. It always amazes me that us parents put so much thought into preschools and Kindergarten. Looking back, I went crazy touring different schools last year, plus researching online, getting feedback from fellow mommies and daddies, and all just for preschools and Kindergarten. Am I going to go nuts when we start looking for high schools, and god forbid, colleges?? I know some parents are still looking to switch schools after Kindergarten, for various reasons.
Aidan is very excited about Kindergarten, as he is a big boy and going to a big boy school now. I am not too concerned about him transitioning to a new school again (he's been going to a new school almost every year). A few of his friends at preschool will be going to the same school and in the same class. At least I know I will be seeing a couple familiar faces at future birthday parties.
Miss you,
Mommy
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Recap of the Summer - June & July 2011
Dear Logan,
Oh My! I haven't written to you in two months! I can't believe I've been putting this off for so long. I am so sorry. I don't even remember what I've done the last two months. I need to take a look at the pictures that I've taken and then give you a run down.
June 19 - Father's Day! Mommy and Aidan took Daddy to a nice fancy lunch at Parcel 104. We had a BBQ lunch. The food tasted OK, though not worth the price. I figured, this might be a good excuse to visit a fancy restaurant without paying for the full price.
June 23 - We went to our first San Jose Giants game of the season. Yahoo! was a sponsor for the evening, so they were giving out free tickets to their employees. Since I purchased a kid membership through Groupon, your brother was able to play the games unlimited times. He was in the batting cage, and the very nice staff pitched to him instead of using the machine (too fast for him). We cheered for the Giants, but didn't stay till the end since it's a school night. We'll be back again in August for another game.
June 26 - We had a playdate with Melanie, Uncle Kyle and Auntie Leonor. They had free tickets to the San Francisco Zoo and we spent the afternoon there. I never realized the zoo was so big until you're hanging out with two little kids. We probably only checked out 1/4 of the zoo, and mainly in the children and petting zoo.
July 2 - We headed to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for this super busy July 4th weekend. It was beautiful and hot! We spent some time at the beach first, and getting your brother comfortable in walking & playing in the sand. When we came here two years ago, he wasn't very keen on getting sand in his feet. After the beach, we were playing games on the boardwalk. This time around, he was older and was able to get a lot more out of the fun rides and food there. There were rides he could go by himself, and some that Daddy and Mommy took turns going on with him. Aidan didn't want to leave at the end of the day. He said he wanted to come back again. I bet we'll be back again before the season ends.
July 22 - We headed to Yahoo! Family Fun Day. They have it every year and we weren't there early enough to take full advantage of the event. By the time we finished eating, the lines to all games were so long. Aidan played some games, but wasn't patient enough to wait in line for other more popular attractions. He did enjoy free popsicles and ice-creams.
Oh My! I haven't written to you in two months! I can't believe I've been putting this off for so long. I am so sorry. I don't even remember what I've done the last two months. I need to take a look at the pictures that I've taken and then give you a run down.
June 19 - Father's Day! Mommy and Aidan took Daddy to a nice fancy lunch at Parcel 104. We had a BBQ lunch. The food tasted OK, though not worth the price. I figured, this might be a good excuse to visit a fancy restaurant without paying for the full price.
June 23 - We went to our first San Jose Giants game of the season. Yahoo! was a sponsor for the evening, so they were giving out free tickets to their employees. Since I purchased a kid membership through Groupon, your brother was able to play the games unlimited times. He was in the batting cage, and the very nice staff pitched to him instead of using the machine (too fast for him). We cheered for the Giants, but didn't stay till the end since it's a school night. We'll be back again in August for another game.
June 26 - We had a playdate with Melanie, Uncle Kyle and Auntie Leonor. They had free tickets to the San Francisco Zoo and we spent the afternoon there. I never realized the zoo was so big until you're hanging out with two little kids. We probably only checked out 1/4 of the zoo, and mainly in the children and petting zoo.
July 2 - We headed to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for this super busy July 4th weekend. It was beautiful and hot! We spent some time at the beach first, and getting your brother comfortable in walking & playing in the sand. When we came here two years ago, he wasn't very keen on getting sand in his feet. After the beach, we were playing games on the boardwalk. This time around, he was older and was able to get a lot more out of the fun rides and food there. There were rides he could go by himself, and some that Daddy and Mommy took turns going on with him. Aidan didn't want to leave at the end of the day. He said he wanted to come back again. I bet we'll be back again before the season ends.
July 22 - We headed to Yahoo! Family Fun Day. They have it every year and we weren't there early enough to take full advantage of the event. By the time we finished eating, the lines to all games were so long. Aidan played some games, but wasn't patient enough to wait in line for other more popular attractions. He did enjoy free popsicles and ice-creams.
Now that I listed everything down, wow, we had a very busy summer. Summer is not over yet and we have many more fun things to do. I hope to go back to Santa Cruz before the season ends, and maybe another SF Giants game, but I doubt it. I'll keep you posted!
Love you,
Mommy
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Cherry Picking!
Dear Logan,
Our weekend has been filled with a lot of fun lately. Every weekend, there's something to do. This one, we're going cherry picking in Gilroy. Auntie Rachel has invited us to join her and her friends at Buckley Farm for some end of the season cherry picking. This was our first time, so we're not quite sure what to expect. I went to the website and found out that June 18 was the last day of the season for some cherry picking. Right on time!
Auntie Rachel and her friends were running late, so we killed some time at the Premium Outlet in Gilroy. We were going to stop by after picking cherries to buy your brother some clothes any way. Now it was even better, as we weren't as tired. We got to the outlet a little before 10 a.m. and most stores were still closed. After walking around for a while, the stores started to open. We bought Aidan a new pair of shoes and some summer clothes. I also checked out some school uniform and made a mental note to come back before September. Afterwards, we met up with Auntie Rachel and her friends at the farm at around 11:30 a.m.
When we got there, we saw some people with their step stools and ladders. Then we realized most of the cherries worth picking were high up in the trees. Since it's the end of the season, most cherries were gone and the ones that were low enough for us to pick weren't as ripe. Well, we made the best of our experience and had a lot of fun. We jumped and pulled, and managed to pick more than 6 lbs of cherries. I learned that the trick was to look from under the trees, as some ripe ones were hiding under the leaves, and low enough for us to pick. We all had tons of fun. Even Aidan were able to pick some cherries off the branches, while Daddy and Mommy were pulling down the branches for him. I noticed that most other cherry pickers were Asians. Mmm.... I wonder why. I bet the price at $2.75/lb was the motivation. I didn't think they were coming for the experience, esp. when you didn't have kids to bring along.
The weather was perfect! Usually it was pretty warm in Gilroy in the summer. I was a little concerned as we were picking the cherries right at midday. Luckily, it wasn't too hot. By the end of our adventure and after a not-so-tasty lunch at Applebees, we headed home. It's good that we already did our shopping. We would not have any energy left after a day of cherry picking.
Love,
Mommy
Our weekend has been filled with a lot of fun lately. Every weekend, there's something to do. This one, we're going cherry picking in Gilroy. Auntie Rachel has invited us to join her and her friends at Buckley Farm for some end of the season cherry picking. This was our first time, so we're not quite sure what to expect. I went to the website and found out that June 18 was the last day of the season for some cherry picking. Right on time!
When we got there, we saw some people with their step stools and ladders. Then we realized most of the cherries worth picking were high up in the trees. Since it's the end of the season, most cherries were gone and the ones that were low enough for us to pick weren't as ripe. Well, we made the best of our experience and had a lot of fun. We jumped and pulled, and managed to pick more than 6 lbs of cherries. I learned that the trick was to look from under the trees, as some ripe ones were hiding under the leaves, and low enough for us to pick. We all had tons of fun. Even Aidan were able to pick some cherries off the branches, while Daddy and Mommy were pulling down the branches for him. I noticed that most other cherry pickers were Asians. Mmm.... I wonder why. I bet the price at $2.75/lb was the motivation. I didn't think they were coming for the experience, esp. when you didn't have kids to bring along.
The weather was perfect! Usually it was pretty warm in Gilroy in the summer. I was a little concerned as we were picking the cherries right at midday. Luckily, it wasn't too hot. By the end of our adventure and after a not-so-tasty lunch at Applebees, we headed home. It's good that we already did our shopping. We would not have any energy left after a day of cherry picking.
Love,
Mommy
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Happy Birthday to Mommy!
It's Mommy's birthday. Time flies and I sure am getting older, physically and mentally. I try to stay as mentally young as possible and your brother definitely helps with that. This year, I did something different. Instead of just spending my birthday with Daddy and Aidan, I actually had a pre-birthday dinner with my friends.
I met up with a bunch of friends for a nice dinner of Shabu Shabu at One Pot in Cupertino. This was everyone's first time coming to this restaurant and it's actually not too bad. It may not be the perfect location to have a big group, but will probably come back for our small family dinners. We tried the American Kobe beef and Kurobuta (pork), with tons of veggies and two different soup bases: House Special (organic soy milk & miso) and Sukiyaki. Lovely! I really liked the House Special, while Aidan liked the Sukiyaki. After dinner, we enjoyed a lovely birthday cake from our usual bakery, Sheng Kee. Aidan picked out this Mango Mousse Cake and it was super delicious.
On my real birthday, Daddy took us to Maggiano's Little Italy. Luckily Daddy made a reservation, if not we would have to wait forever. I couldn't believe how busy it was on a Tuesday night. I had the best Linguine & Clams with White Clam Sauce, Daddy got the Spaghetti with Meatball and we share an appetizer of crab cakes. Food is usually pretty good here, and you know how Aidan loves pasta. Because the decor and atmosphere were so nice and it "felt" upscale, Aidan declared that we're having a "fancy lunch". The previous week, his school had a "fancy lunch" where they had a candle-lit (LED tealight) lunch and laid tablecloths on their tiny little tables at school. Therefore, when he saw the little candle on our table, he thought we're having another "fancy lunch". Just too cute!
After dinner, we're sooooo full. But we just couldn't resist dessert. Aidan and I shared a delicious Berry Tiramisu and Daddy had his usual Creme Brulee. And when we got home, Daddy gave me a birthday present. It's not really a surprise since I already knew what it is. It's a family camera! Now I can learn to take better pictures instead of using the simple point-and-shoot. The gift was a perfect end to an almost perfect day. It would be perfect if you were there with us.
Love and Miss you,
Mommy
Sunday, June 5, 2011
First Giants game of the season!
The long-awaited day has arrived! It's finally the day we took Aidan to AT&T Park for his first San Francisco Giants game of the season, after watching so many games on TV. This time around, the experience was totally different, in a good way (for the most part).
First of all, it was raining! It was so frustrating and disappointing at first, because we've been waiting for this day to come and we didn't want the game to be canceled because of the weather. Luckily, by the time the game started (after delayed for 20 mins), the rain pretty much stopped for the rest of the game.
Aidan is finally tall enough to get on the big Coca Cola Slide. Last time he was there, he's not quite 42 inches yet, so he had to go on the smaller one. Unfortunately, he was taller than 42 inches, and was unable to go into the small baseball area to hit some baseball with the other toddlers. We did have a great time walking around, where he pointed to all the snacks that he wanted.
When we watch the baseball game at home, Aidan would try to pretend to be a pitcher, catcher and hitter. He would swing his bat, run to base and score a home run. He fully participated in the game. At times, he would start chanting "Let's go Giants!" and then clapped his hands. Sometimes I would have to calm him down and told him to use his inside voice. But today, we didn't have to. He could shout and chant as loudly as he wanted. He was an enthusiastic fan, waving his newly purchased foam finger. He was so cute that neighboring fans were smiling and high-fiveing him. He totally understood what's going on with the game, and had a wonderful time singing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame".
Best of all for him, he was snacking the whole time! First we had a hot dog lunch, then Daddy got him hot chocolate and caramel corn. I also brought some snacks and juice packs from home. Last but not the least, we had garlic fries! He wanted cotton candy, but I just had to stop him!
Oh, and did I tell you we're all in our Giants Jerseys? Daddy and I had the Lincecum ones, and Aidan got a Posey. Aidan also brought his glove to the game. After he put his glove on, he said he's ready to catch some foul balls and home runs. When we had to leave, he disappointingly said that he didn't catch any ball. Silly boy, it's not easy to have a ball fly up to the View Reserve area
.
We had such a great time at the ball park today. Aidan had a lot of fun, but he was disappointed that the Giants lost 1-2 to the Rockies. Next time, maybe I should pick a game against a weaker opponent, so that we would be at a winning game.
On our way back home, he was so tired that he napped the whole car ride home and even after our arrival. But the problem was, he didn't fall asleep until close to 11 p.m. He had way too much fun and excitement, and he couldn't keep his hands off the Cody Ross Bobblehead.
We will definitely go back again. But first, we'll have to visit the San Jose Giants, as I got some tickets already. Wish you could be here with us.
Love,
Mommy
Friday, May 27, 2011
Preschool Graduation
Your big brother is really growing up. I can't believe he's going to Kindergarten in a few months. In a weird way, he just had his second preschool graduation. He had one when he was a Sea Lion at CCLC, graduating with the other 5 year-olds, when he was only 4.
This time around, it felt more official. He was in official cap and gown, and even received a diploma. Daddy and Mommy were ready and had a game plan. Daddy was in charge of taking pictures, and Mommy was in charge of taking videos.
With past experience at school events, Daddy and Mommy knew that we had to be there early enough to get a good seat. Even though seating started at 3:30 p.m., and the ceremony started at 4 p.m., we arrived at around 3:15 p.m. Of course, many parents were already there. Parents that volunteered got reserved seats. I thought about volunteering since I took the day off. But if I did, then I couldn't go with Daddy and had to come in separate cars. Logistically, we opted to go together.
The children marched out of their classroom, all throughout the schoolyard to their assigned seats. After that, announcements were made, and they headed up to stage. They started out with the Pledge of Allegiance and sang "America the Beautiful". The children then performed a few more songs: The Alphabet Song and signed the letters, The Capital Song, "Stand By Me", and "I'm The Greatest". Your brother has been practicing these songs at home quite often, so I wasn't very surprised. However, it was still very enjoyable to see all the kids having so much fun. Aidan, as always, was very enthusiastic and LOUD! They were all just too adorable!
After the songs, the children went back to their seats. One by one, each of them was called up on stage, shook hands with the directors and teachers, received a diploma and a candy lei. At the end they stood at the end of the stage and waited for their parents to shoot many pictures. Daddy prepped Aidan beforehand where to look. He told me he was looking at Daddy first and then turned around to look at me. Aidan was also the ONLY child that ran up to the stage. He was either too excited or impatient (he's the third to the last to get his diploma).
And guess what, when I went home, I realized that Aidan has changed my camera settings! Arggh... the pictures and videos were at pretty low resolution. You would think by now I have learned. Oh well...
It was a fun day. It was a good day. It was a day full of pride and joy. I wish you were here to share this day with us.
Miss you,
Mommy
Saturday, May 7, 2011
March of Dimes/March for Babies 2011
Dear Logan,We participated in the March of Dimes/March for Babies walk again this year with Team The Arc of San Francisco. Our team raised over $4000! What an amazing amount and my client did a spectacular job soliciting, well, harassing, for donations. I was fortunate and grateful enough to raise about $1000. Not a bad amount despite all the different tragedies happening recently around the world.
We stayed over at Grandma and Yeh Yeh's house the night before the walk. This saved us a lot of time. I picked up Lola Lolita bright and early in the morning to head over to Fort Mason first. Daddy, Aidan and Grandma came a little later in a separate car. It was yet another gorgeous day at Fort Mason. You can see the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge as we walked along the beach. This time around, we didn't go all the whole way to the end and back. Last year, we had a stroller for Aidan, so it was fine if we walked more. This year, he's all on his own and it would be difficult for us to complete the whole 6.25 miles. Grandma was the one in the best shape. I have to say, I am very proud of Aidan. He walked 95% of the 3 miles that we did. I only needed to carry him towards the end of the walk. He stayed close to Grandma most of the time, and it didn't hurt that Grandma had a whole backpack full of yummy snacks.
It was a lot of work putting together this walk for the team. However, as Lola said, after all said and done, it was totally worth it. My body was sore for the next two days. My feet were tired, and my muscles were sore from carrying the heavy items in and out of my car, and up and down the hill.
However, I look forward to next year's walk!
Miss you,
Mommy
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Swimming and Kung Fu Classes
Guess what, Mommy finally signed Aidan up for a swimming class. This is just so long overdue. I've been wanting to do that since he's 2 years old, but I keep on procrastinating. Finally, at 5 years old, he is taking swimming lessons!
The purpose of this class isn't really to get him to swim. I just want him to overcome the fear of being in the water and having water in his eyes. He's just like Mommy, scared of water. He doesn't even like water in his eyes when I'm washing his hair. So, I signed him up for 4 classes through Sunnyvale Park and Rec. Unfortunately, the last class coincides with March for Babies, so he can only attend 3.
Though I'm not a soccer mom, I feel that our weekend plans will have to work around Aidan's busy schedules with classes and birthday parties. I don't want to overwhelm him with too much. But it's nice to keep him physically active, so that he's not on the computer all day. With this, I don't have to always try to come up with "fun" things for him to do every weekend.
Love,
Mommy
Friday, April 15, 2011
It's been two years...
Dear Logan,
I can't believe it's been two years since I last held you in my arms. Time really does fly, and I am sure I will say that every year on April 15. Though life is back to normal in a sense, I have not stopped loving or missing you. I can still remember vividly all the lovely moments that we spent together. From calling you a little red lobster, since you turned red whenever you sneezed or cried, to the night time feeding with a feeding tube or a bottle, and the eventual hospitalizations. I still have the Google Spreadsheet for tracking all the night time feeding, medication administering and your bowel movements! I thought about deleting that file, but I wanted to hold on to those little memories of you.
I didn't take time off from work today like last year. I only left work a little early to come see you and spend a little alone time with you before we visit you on Sunday with Daddy and Aidan. I enjoyed that little quick visit, though heart-breaking in another sense. Whenever I see kids around your age, I would smile and imagine what you would be like if you're still here. Life will be hectic with two kids, but I will never know for sure, right?
Everyone is doing well. So don't you worry about us. We love you and miss you as always.
Love,
Mommy
I can't believe it's been two years since I last held you in my arms. Time really does fly, and I am sure I will say that every year on April 15. Though life is back to normal in a sense, I have not stopped loving or missing you. I can still remember vividly all the lovely moments that we spent together. From calling you a little red lobster, since you turned red whenever you sneezed or cried, to the night time feeding with a feeding tube or a bottle, and the eventual hospitalizations. I still have the Google Spreadsheet for tracking all the night time feeding, medication administering and your bowel movements! I thought about deleting that file, but I wanted to hold on to those little memories of you.
I didn't take time off from work today like last year. I only left work a little early to come see you and spend a little alone time with you before we visit you on Sunday with Daddy and Aidan. I enjoyed that little quick visit, though heart-breaking in another sense. Whenever I see kids around your age, I would smile and imagine what you would be like if you're still here. Life will be hectic with two kids, but I will never know for sure, right?
Everyone is doing well. So don't you worry about us. We love you and miss you as always.
Love,
Mommy
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Chaperoning for the 1st time!
Dear Logan,
I've been meaning to tell you about the trip to Hidden Villa for a long time. But then, Mommy's laziness, procrastination, fatigue, TV, web surfing and Facebook, got the best of me. So, I am just writing to you now about my experience to go on a field trip with your big brother.
Ever since I got the list of field trips at the beginning of the school year, I've been thinking about volunteering to be a chaperon for one of these trips. However, I keep on putting that off and forgetting about it. This month, Aidan requested and really wanted me to come along. I felt so bad that 2/3 of the school year has gone, and I still haven't gone on a field trip. So, I took a day off from work and went with him and his school friends to Hidden Villa in Los Altos on March 3rd.
The few days before the trip, it was raining cats and dogs. Luckily, the rain stopped the day of the trip, but going to a farm in the mud wasn't something I am used to. I should have listened to the teachers and got Aidan his rain boots. But because it wasn't raining that day, I didn't, and what a messy mistake I made.
I arrived to school and met with 5 other parent-chaperons. Everyone was in good spirits, and we had some time to kill before the school bus arrived. I was assigned to be with Aidan, of course, and his little friend Sindu. The ride to Hidden Villa was about 20-30 minutes. It wasn't that far away, but the non-stop talking and questioning from the children drove me a little crazy. They were cute, but gosh, they really do talk non-stop. I don't know how the teachers do it everyday.
When we arrived, we met up with 4 other guides. Our school team of about about 40 students, 5 teachers and 8 chaperons were split up in 4 groups. We first visited the garden: touched, smelled and tasted different plants and flowers. It was a lovely experience to be with nature. Daddy and Mommy really are not the nature type. We don't take Aidan hiking and usually don't do any nature walk aside from being at a park. So, to have Aidan experienced this was great. He seemed to be having a lot of fun.
Then we walked to visit the animals. We saw sheep, chicken, and cows. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to visit the goats. Did you know that after you put your fingers/hand inside the nice warm wool of a sheep, your fingers will feel a little greasy? Interesting, right? I never knew that!
The whole tour lasted about an hour, and then it's lunch time. A quick lunch of sandwiches, chips, fruit cups and juices later, we're heading back to school. And let me tell you, our ride back was horrible. I had a really bad headache, and I knew another parent had one as well. We're all tired, and the kids still had so much energy that they kept talking non-stop again. By the time we're back to school, I was BEYOND tired!!! I got Aidan settled in his mat and hope that he would take a nap.
I got home, took some Advil and went straight to bed. I slept for two whole hours! There is no way the teachers can take all these kids on an outdoor field trip without any chaperons. I actually asked the teacher this and she said the trip would have to be canceled if there's no volunteers. There's mud everywhere, so many things for the kids to pick up and put in their mouths, running around and not following instructions, etc. This was so much more work than going to work, plus my 2-hour commute. But you know what, I signed up to be a chaperon again in April. Though it was tiring, it was fun as well. I know your brother really wants me to go. It makes him happy, so it makes me happy.
Next month, we're going to a LOL Party (whatever it is) at a Sportsplex. I am not sure what to expect, but at least there won't be mud and all the kids are indoors.
Love,
Mommy
I've been meaning to tell you about the trip to Hidden Villa for a long time. But then, Mommy's laziness, procrastination, fatigue, TV, web surfing and Facebook, got the best of me. So, I am just writing to you now about my experience to go on a field trip with your big brother.
Ever since I got the list of field trips at the beginning of the school year, I've been thinking about volunteering to be a chaperon for one of these trips. However, I keep on putting that off and forgetting about it. This month, Aidan requested and really wanted me to come along. I felt so bad that 2/3 of the school year has gone, and I still haven't gone on a field trip. So, I took a day off from work and went with him and his school friends to Hidden Villa in Los Altos on March 3rd.
The few days before the trip, it was raining cats and dogs. Luckily, the rain stopped the day of the trip, but going to a farm in the mud wasn't something I am used to. I should have listened to the teachers and got Aidan his rain boots. But because it wasn't raining that day, I didn't, and what a messy mistake I made.
I arrived to school and met with 5 other parent-chaperons. Everyone was in good spirits, and we had some time to kill before the school bus arrived. I was assigned to be with Aidan, of course, and his little friend Sindu. The ride to Hidden Villa was about 20-30 minutes. It wasn't that far away, but the non-stop talking and questioning from the children drove me a little crazy. They were cute, but gosh, they really do talk non-stop. I don't know how the teachers do it everyday.
When we arrived, we met up with 4 other guides. Our school team of about about 40 students, 5 teachers and 8 chaperons were split up in 4 groups. We first visited the garden: touched, smelled and tasted different plants and flowers. It was a lovely experience to be with nature. Daddy and Mommy really are not the nature type. We don't take Aidan hiking and usually don't do any nature walk aside from being at a park. So, to have Aidan experienced this was great. He seemed to be having a lot of fun.
Then we walked to visit the animals. We saw sheep, chicken, and cows. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to visit the goats. Did you know that after you put your fingers/hand inside the nice warm wool of a sheep, your fingers will feel a little greasy? Interesting, right? I never knew that!
The whole tour lasted about an hour, and then it's lunch time. A quick lunch of sandwiches, chips, fruit cups and juices later, we're heading back to school. And let me tell you, our ride back was horrible. I had a really bad headache, and I knew another parent had one as well. We're all tired, and the kids still had so much energy that they kept talking non-stop again. By the time we're back to school, I was BEYOND tired!!! I got Aidan settled in his mat and hope that he would take a nap.
I got home, took some Advil and went straight to bed. I slept for two whole hours! There is no way the teachers can take all these kids on an outdoor field trip without any chaperons. I actually asked the teacher this and she said the trip would have to be canceled if there's no volunteers. There's mud everywhere, so many things for the kids to pick up and put in their mouths, running around and not following instructions, etc. This was so much more work than going to work, plus my 2-hour commute. But you know what, I signed up to be a chaperon again in April. Though it was tiring, it was fun as well. I know your brother really wants me to go. It makes him happy, so it makes me happy.
Next month, we're going to a LOL Party (whatever it is) at a Sportsplex. I am not sure what to expect, but at least there won't be mud and all the kids are indoors.
Love,
Mommy
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Chinese New Year Celebrations
Today is already the 11th day of the new year already. Sorry it took me so long to tell you what we've been doing. As always, since we're not in Asia, the atmosphere was so different. Our days were pretty normal, aside from a few minor celebrations here and there. One of these days, I have got to bring Aidan back to Macau for Chinese New Year. It's just not the same here.
Mommy and Aidan, along with Meli, Auntie Leonor and Uncle Kyle visited SF Chinatown the weekend before the New Year's. Daddy had to work, so we entertained ourselves and hung out with our dear friends. It was a quick visit to Chinatown to check out the flower market. Unfortunately, it was a rainy day and we only stayed for about 30-45 minutes. There were definitely many people buying flowers before the new year. For us, we only bought two pinwheels, one for you (which I brought to you today) and one for your big brother.
On New Year's Eve, we went over to Grandma and Yeh Yeh's home for dinner. They prepared a lovely feast and dessert. See, this is a tradition that we have got to continue. Always had to have 團年飯 with the family.
Aidan's school had a little Lunar New Year celebration as well. Parents prepared red packets for the children to feed the lions. A few of the kids were scared, but most were excited about the performance. At the end show, the kids got to play with the drums and cymbals, and also a tiny little lion.
Last Friday, at Daddy's workplace, they also had a Spring Celebration. The performances and the food were OK, except for the excellent martial arts performance and the lion dance. I was surprised to see your brother unfazed by the loud music and drums. He seemed to enjoy quite a bit.
Happy New Year, my baby.
Love you,
Mommy
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