Aidan's 6th Birthday Party

Dear Logan,

I am so sorry that I haven't been writing lately.  I just can't shed that lazy bug and sit down to write.  But I will make it one of my new year's resolutions to write to you more frequently.

Today, Aidan had his 6th Birthday Party at AMF Bowling Lanes in Santa Clara.  We invited all of his friends at school and I was very surprised that most of them attended.  I believe it's either Aidan was popular in school (he does know the names of many kids in other grades as well), or a bowling party really sounded like fun.  I bet many parents are bored of Pump it Up like me, but if their kids wanted to have a party there, what could you do.  Luckily, when I asked Aidan if he wanted to have a bowling party, Pump It Up or pizza making party, he made a wise choice.

We had about 25 kids today and over 35 parents.  It was a huge crowd.  At times, it was a little chaotic.  I should have planned things a little better, but then, it was my first bowling party as well.  We had 5 lanes, ranging from 4-5 kids per lane.  One of my hiccups was to start lunch a little too late.  Since the kids could continue bowling after pizza, I should have started lunch at 12:45 p.m., instead of 1:15 p.m.  I saw some kids and parents hungry enough to buy popcorn (or the kids saw the popcorn and wanted to get some).  Another hiccup was an injury that happened to Makoto.  He missed a step, tripped and fell down.  He got a nasty-looking cut under his chin.  He was fine ultimately, but the poor boy was crying and was looking so miserable.  In the end, he continued playing and had a lot of fun.  Another hiccup was Aidan's tantrum.  He got upset when another kid bowled for him, while he was still eating pizza.  It actually took a some sweet-talking, threatening and bribing for him to calm down.  He wasn't acting very nice.  Aside from being upset that someone took his turn, he was upset that his score was low because his friend only scored a 3.  He wanted to have the highest score.  He still has a difficult time accepting losses.  We need to work on that.

On the bright side, I surprised Aidan with an Angry Birds cake.  I knew he wanted one, but I couldn't find a store that sold it.  Safeway was unwilling to make a special one, but only the ones listed in their book.  I was definitely not talented enough to make one.  So, this is what I did.  Aidan went with me to Safeway and picked out a Hot Wheels Cars chocolate cake with strawberries filling.  Secretly, I have ordered an Angry Birds Game online, and used the toys there as decorations.  He thought he was getting cars as decorations, but in the end, he was pleasantly surprised to see Angry Birds.  And you know what was the most interesting thing?  All the kids were excited to see the cake!  A few saw me decorating it, but ALL of them knew about Angry Birds.  It's amazing how popular this game is among children.  Not even all parents knew about this game.

In the end, everyone had fun, despite a few hiccups and chaotic moments.  All parents were very nice and helpful.  I was running around, while Hank was taking pictures.  We tried to play host/hostess, but were unable to assist the kids, especially it's a first time bowling experience for most of them.  I am very relieved and grateful that most parents stepped in and assisted, and tried to make this party as smooth as possible.

Aidan received many GREAT presents.  I was very surprised at how generous the parents were.  I guess having a party after the Christmas holidays has its perks...deals for great toys!

I am glad the party is over, and now we can look forward to other celebrations.  Tomorrow is Grandma's birthday, and we'll be having lunch up in S. SF.  Monday is your brother's actual birthday, and I'll be bringing some cupcakes to his class and have a small little celebration.  We'll then go out for dinner, as it's Daddy and Mommy's 5th wedding anniversary as well.  This is one busy weekend!

I wish you could be here to celebrate with us.  But I know you're up in heaven watching all of these events.

Love you,
Mommy

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 to Mommy!

Dear Logan,

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

Aidan's 5th Birthday Celebration at School

Hello Logan,

Since we'll be heading down to Disneyland tomorrow for a 4-day trip to celebrate your brother's birthday, and Daddy and Mommy's wedding anniversary, we had an early birthday celebration at school.  I believe many of Aidan's classmates at Monticello celebrate their birthday at school, more than having big birthday parties.  So, per your brother's request, Daddy and Mommy brought in chocolate and vanilla cupcakes for the kids today.

We arrived at 3:30 p.m. and the celebration began.  Check this out!





Afterwards, Aidan assisted in handing out cupcakes to all of his friends.  This really hit me that your brother is becoming a big boy now.  He's serving his friends!  I could see that he's having a lot of fun, even though he was sitting so still and stiff in the beginning of the video.  He didn't really finish his requested chocolate cupcake, but only ate all of the icing.  It's OK, as long as he's happy.

Tomorrow, we'll be driving down to Disneyland.  This is going to be a long drive.  I hope we can keep your brother entertained during our 6-7 hour ride (hopefully not longer than that!).

Wish you could come to Disneyland with us.


Miss you,
Mommy

Happy 2nd Birthday, Little Lobster!

Dear Logan,

Happy Birthday!  You're turning 2 today!  I can't believe you're 2 already.  It seems like not too long ago I was in the hospital, waiting for your arrival.  You were good to Mommy.  Only had to push for a while and then you came to this world.  Unfortunately, Mommy brought you to this world and you suffered throughout your life.

Even though you've been gone for over a year, whenever I see a child of your age, I imagine what you would be like if you're still around.  Daddy and Mommy have a couple friends with children around your age.  So, whenever I see the kids, I think of you.

How are those balloons?  I didn't get the chance to visit you yesterday to see if the latex balloons survived.  When we brought the balloons to you on Saturday, we saw 3 of the 5 latex balloons popped because of the grass.  No wonder when I did a quick scan around the area, I only saw the foil balloons and not the latex ones.  Now Mommy learned!

I put down your birthday in our little calendar posted on the fridge.  Today when I dropped Aidan off at school, he said, "Today is Logan's Birthday".  I was so proud of him that he remembered, even though he didn't check the calendar today.  At times when Aidan was looking at pictures and videos of you, he would tell me that he missed you.  I'm not sure if he fully understand the word "miss" but it doesn't matter.  He knows he has a little brother, and that's you.

We love and miss you so much.  I so wish you're here and I could throw you a big birthday party.

Love you,
Mommy

Recap: Aidan's 4th Birthday Party

Dear Logan,

It's been almost two weeks since your brother's birthday party. When I came to visit you last weekend, I kinda mentioned to you a little about it. I had your brother tell you what he did for his birthday. Do you remember what he said? He said bouncy house. That's right, we had his birthday party at BounceU in San Carlos, and had a LOT of fun. I think all the kids had a lot of fun. Well, *I* had a lot of fun playing with the kids.

We invited all of your brother's friends from school, and I was happy that half of them came, including his two best friends, Jia Jia and Kiana. I also invited my friends' children as well. All in all, I think we had about 17-20 kids there. We first went into a big noisy room with bouncy houses and slides, and play structures. Your brother went right in and disappeared in the midst of the play structure. His friends all slowly arrived, and in no time, all the kids were either sliding down or bouncing up and down. One thing great about this place is, adults could join in the fun. Well, I joined in the fun. I had a lot of fun sliding down the inflatable structure, did some crowd control to minimize the kids bumping into each other, and encouraged the kids to play. A few were shy in the beginning, but after that, they didn't want to leave. The younger toddlers were able to hang out in a safer bouncy structure with their parents, so the older ones couldn't bump into them.

After 40 mins, we were moved into another room with more play structure. This time, there were air hockey, baseball hitting and alley ball. Your brother LOVES balls. I think he spent most of his time in this room trying to throw the plastic ball into the baseball screen, and playing alley ball. Alley ball has got to be his favorite carnival game. Another 40 mins of fun passed, and now it's time for food.

Nothing fancy, just good ole American party food - pizzas and cake. I originally wanted to get your brother a cake with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse characters on a choo choo train. He actually requested it. However, they didn't have that design, and I had to settle with Lightning McQueen and Mater the Truck. He still liked the cake. I didn't think the kids, or the parents ate that much. We had 3 whole pizzas left and 1/4 of the cake. The kids were just thinking about going back into the rooms to play some more. I felt kinda bad that I had to tell Aidan's little friends that we couldn't go back in there anymore. I guess it also showed we had a successful party, and the kids had a lot of fun. In fact, the following week, parents kept on telling me their children had a lot of fun at the party. I am not sure if they're just pulling my leg or not, but I truly believe it was a fun party. I guess the LARGE amount of money that I spent on this party is worth it, right?

I haven't posted any pictures of the birthday party yet. I took some pictures but they weren't too good. I am waiting for Uncle John to give me the pictures that he took. I had asked him to help me out to be the photographer of the day, because I knew I wouldn't have time to do so. Once I got the pictures, I'll post them up for you to see, ok? Your brother also received a lot of presents. Everyone was so generous. Some of the presents will remain untouched for a while. I don't have to buy him any new toys for the rest of the year.

Speaking of your brother's birthday party, you were at his last birthday party. It was also the first time a lot of our friends met you. You were so little then, only 2 months old. But you were very alert, and very well-behaved during the whole time. I remember we bundled you up so much that you were all sweaty. Grandma, Ah Gung and Ah Po were keeping you company, while I was busy taking pictures that day. So much has changed in a year. Now you're only able to watch us from Heaven.


Miss you,
Mommy

Recap: Disney Live Rockin' Road Show

Dear Logan,

I am so sorry that I haven't written to you in two weeks. Life's been busy. There's so much I want to tell you, but now that I have slacked off writing to you, I really don't know where to start.

Let's start by talking about the Disney Live Rockin' Road Show. We went to see this Disney concert/show in your brother's birthday. We met up with Meli, Auntie Leonor and Uncle Kyle, and headed to the Event Center at San Jose State U. I was expecting a larger crowd than the one we had. The Event Center wasn't as big as HP Pavilion, but still a pretty good size venue. I read that this show is a pretty new Disney show, not as well-know as Disney On Ice. Maybe that's why we had such a small audience. Anyway, Auntie Leonor selected some really great seats. We were very close to the stage, and could see the characters and the host very clearly.

Aidan and Meli seemed to have a lot of fun. I was glad that Meli felt better after being sick for a week, and was able to join us. Right when we got into the Event Center, your brother already spotted the lit-spinner from far away, and demanded to have it. Of course, Mommy obliged since it was his birthday. Actually, even if it wasn't I would still have bought him the spinner. He got the Mickey Mouse one, while Meli got the Princess one.

The duration of the show was about 75 minutes, with a 15-min break. It was a little short for adults and the price of the tickets, but I think it was perfect to hold your brother's attention. He enjoyed the singing and dancing, and I was quite pleased to see both kids participated in the jumping and dancing. Your brother was familiar with the main characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy, and Tigger, too. He knows nothing about Cinderella, or Woody and Jesse from Toy Story. However, he did recognize Buzz Light Year from HK Disneyland.

It was a fantastic show for the kids, and I think the parents were happy, because the kids were happy.

I wish you could be there with us. Actually, you were there, in my heart.


Love you,
Mommy

Daddy's Birthday Recap

Hello Logan,

I'm sorry we didn't get to go visit you last weekend. It's been raining like crazy last week and I'm glad to finally see some sunshine this week. We'll definitely come see you this weekend.

Let me tell you how we celebrated Daddy's birthday last Sunday. We didn't do anything exciting, but I think it could be one of daddy's most memorable birthdays (at least I hope it was).

During the day, we met up with Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle John and Auntie Katie for the annual noodle meal to celebrate Daddy's birthday at his favorite Taiwanese restaurant. This is a family tradition that everyone in the family gotta have noodles for birthday. You know, long noodles symbolizes long life. So it's pretty important! I know if we didn't go out for noodles, Daddy would probably have noodles at Grandma's house. What made this meal so especially special, was that it was the first big family meal we had. You wouldn't know how significant this meal meant to Daddy, and especially to Mommy. We had waited for 4 years for this meal to happen. And you know, I think we were able to all sit down and enjoy a family meal because of you.

After lunch, we went home to enjoy some birthday cake. Uncle John and Auntie Katie went to a fancy bakery in Saratoga to get Daddy a delicious Mango Mousse birthday cake. Before we enjoyed the cake, we also looked through their wedding pictures taken in Taiwan. Such beautiful pictures, and Uncle John and Auntie Katie looked so happy together. Now we're officially a family!

At night, Mommy planned a surprise birthday dinner for Daddy. He thought I was just not telling him where we were going for dinner, but didn't know there's more to it. Mommy actually invited his close friends to this Afghan restaurant called Kabul, which is close to where we live. Definitely a surprise! We've never had Afghan food, and Daddy totally didn't expect it. He was honestly surprised to see all his friends sitting there shouting out "SURPRISE" when we walked in. What's better than good food and good company? A few of the friends came over to our new house to hang out after dinner, just chilled and talked.

Like I said, nothing exciting happened, but definitely a meaningful and memorable birthday. I hope Daddy had as great a time as I did.


Love you,
Mommy

Happy One Year Old, My Little Red Lobster!

Dear Logan,


You would have turned one year old today. I can't imagine it's been a year already. I still remember clearly the day you're born, without refreshing my memory by reading my blog. I am not sure if I would be able to remember everything next year.

Sorry I was unable to visit you today. I thought about taking the day off from work. But then, what am I going to do all day? I think I am more productive at work, instead of dwelling in sorrow. It's best if we could celebrate your birthday as a family, and not just me visiting you. That's why we chose to see you yesterday instead. I hope you're not angry with me. I've never forgotten you, not even a day.

I do hope you enjoy your presents and birthday cupcakes that we brought you. Mommy's not a talented baker (or a baker or cook), so I didn't really bake the pumpkin spice cupcakes from scratch. I used the Trader Joe's cake mix, and got some store bought frosting. Daddy and I baked them on Saturday night after your big brother went to bed. I was happy to say that the cupcakes turned out pretty good.

We also bought you a Mickey Mouse "Happy Birthday" balloon. Your big brother picked that one out for you. Did you see the two little airplanes? Dear Auntie Judy from Texas sent them to me a couple days ago. She said they are presents from your little friends, Kevin and Alan. She wished the planes would soar with your spirit at your new home. Receiving such thoughtful gifts brought tears to my eyes. When we visited you, the pumpkins and Halloween decorations were still there. Actually, for the month of November, they would not be clearing presents and flowers because of the different holidays. First week of Nov is All Souls Day; Second Week is Veteran's Day; Third week is your birthday; and Fourth week is Thanksgiving. I am happy that the decorations could stay longer and won't be cleared every week. That's why I chose to get you potted flowers, instead of just a bouquet. The potted flowers would surely last longer, and they were such beautiful Fall colors.

I know it was weird that I kept on taking pictures at your home. According to Chinese traditions, it's a big No-No. But how can we not take a family picture on your birthday? Besides, this is how I can document everything, with words and pictures. Mommy also received a nice email from Auntie Ta Ta in Hong Kong. Even though she has never met you, she has read all about you. She knew it's your birthday today and wanted Mommy to give you big hugs and kisses. She wanted you to know that she loves you. Actually, many of Mommy's friends all miss you. They all felt like they've known you all your life.

Logan, you're loved by many. Though your life on earth was short and painful, it was definitely filled with love.


Love and Miss You,
Mommy

Melanie's 3rd Birthday Party

Dear Logan,

Last Saturday when we came to visit you, there were a lot of people! It was the first time I saw so many people close to where you are. I then found out that it was Korean Thanksgiving. Your place is right below the Korean section, and many visitors brought blankets, food, flowers, and just hung out like they're having a picnic. That gave me an idea that maybe for your birthday next month, we could bring some cupcakes, a picnic blanket and hung out there to celebrate. Hopefully by next month, our allergies would be a lot better. Coz even though we took our medication before visiting you, we could still feel our nose tingling and eyes watering.

After visiting you, we headed down to Bounce-a-Rama for Meli's birthday party. It was such a fun location. Your brother had so much fun bouncing and jumping, and sliding down the big Lightning McQueen structure. It was great that all the kids could just run around and do whatever they want, and not be confined in the party room the whole time.

When it was time to eat, we all headed up to the room for some yummy food. I was starving at that time, and probably ate a little too much. There were yummy chicken wings, corn dogs, chicken nuggets, many pizzas, and best of all, ice-cream cake! That Coldstone Ice-cream cake was sooo delicious! And yes, I had two slices. I just love how smooth the ice-cream was! Of course, your brother didn't finish up his food, and then started eating the ice-cream. Surprisingly, he didn't eat as much as I thought he would, esp. since it was pretty late for lunch (our standard) and he's been using up a lot of energy.

After food, we headed down again for more jumping and sliding. Auntie Leonor was kind enough to give me extra token cards for the arcade games outside. I was able to drag your brother out to the arcade area and spent some time there. He is no stranger to putting tokens in the slots, and pressing down buttons.

It was a super fun day. On our way back, we headed to Ranch 99 for some groceries. By the time we head back home, it was 4 p.m. already and your brother couldn't help but fall asleep in the car. Actually, Mommy fell asleep, too. I was still sleep when we arrived home, but your brother was awake and would not continue to nap. I think he only got maybe a 30-minute cat nap.


Love you,
Mommy

Happy 8 Months Old !

Hello Honey,

You're 8 months old today! Time sure flies. I still remember the day you're born. I went to the hospital and was already a few cm dilated. You're good to Mommy. You knew Mommy didn't have a good time with the epidural this time around, and you came out fast. I still remember you almost came out before the doctor arrived (or at least it felt that way).

If you were here, you should be sitting up pretty well. You might even start crawling a little bit. Your brother was a late crawler. He liked to scoot backwards instead of crawling forward. We would have to child-proof the place for you. I wonder if you're a serious little guy.

When you're young, Mommy always felt that you got your serious gene from Daddy, while your brother got the happy gene from Mommy. But then, it's probably because you have never felt good enough to smile. No wonder you're always so serious. Luckily, Mommy was able to capture some silly faces of yours. One thing I know, you liked to be held, and Mommy should have held you more. I have missed several precious opportunities when I could hold you in the hospital. I was so silly.

I've been posting on Facebook the last few months on the 15th and 16th about you. Maybe I should stop now. It seems depressing to announce and remind everyone of my loss. I'll just tell you how much I miss you here.

Miss you,
Mommy

A Fun Birthday Luau

Dear Logan,

Daddy, Mommy, and big brother attended baby Calvin's 1st Birthday Luau today. It was a lot of fun, especially, with the beautiful warm weather down in Palo Alto. When we first got there, we immediately spotted a bouncy house. I tried to get your brother to go inside, and without much encouragement, he immediately climbed in. I was so surprised! Your brother has never, ever been inside a bouncy house. I've tried many, many times to get him to play in there since he's 2 years old, but he was always scared to try. I am not sure why all of a sudden he became such a fan. He spent most of the day in there jumping up and down!

This was such a kid's party! There were all these different bubble wands, bubble machine, leis and hats for adults and kids to play, beach balls, and balloon animals. It was a fun party, and your brother definitely had a lot of fun. We didn't eat a whole lot at the party, because we went to Ikea for some meatballs right before it. Daddy had promised Aidan that we'd go there on the weekend.

While we're at Ikea, I took the time to show your brother the play area inside. I wasn't sure how much fun it was, but I told him all the fun things that he could be doing inside, IF he was potty-trained. Daddy and Mommy both talked up this place, and when we left, your brother immediately wanted to go to the restroom. Ha! Not sure if that's going to work. But at least when we went home, he was a little less resistant to use the potty. We kept his pull-up, but continued to remind him to use the potty. He initiated once to use the potty at the party, and twice to use the potty in the afternoon at home, and once he actually told me he wanted to poop! Since it's a holiday weekend and we're going out most of the time, we couldn't potty-train him full force. But we'll just continue to motivate him, and bribe him.

Your brother has been playing a lot of Wii lately. Everytime he comes home from school, he would play 20-30 mins of Wii with either Mommy or Daddy before dinner. This has been our routine last week. I bet he knew that and he has been napping at school. He is actually playing a lot better on Tennis and Bowling. I think his record bowling score was higher than mine!

It's been a very tiring day because of the sun. Tomorrow, we'll be meeting with Meli, Auntie Leonor and Uncle Kyle at the Children Discovery Museum. We have opted to stay home and watch the fireworks because it's just too much hassle, and a little too late for your brother to be doing that outdoors. He's still a little scared of the noise, though he likes watching the fireworks. Maybe when he's a little older, then we'll take him out for the real deal.

Enjoy some of the pictures at the Luau party today and Mommy will talk to you soon.




Love you,
Mommy

A year Older but am I a year Wiser?

Hi Honey,

Mommy is ready to type away and tell you all the fun things that I did yesterday on my birthday.

Everybody got up early for various reasons. The main reason was because they had to go to Sunday mass at 9:30 a.m., and we had to cut the birthday cake before mass started. So we all got up early, including a very sleepy Mommy who slept way too late the night before. Auntie Mena bought Mommy a delicious Haagen-daz ice-cream birthday cake. Ice-cream early in the morning! Of course, your brother is always very excited when there's ice-cream and blowing out candles involved.

After that, the rest of them, excluding Mommy and big brother, went to Church. After Church, we're picked up to go to Taipa for dim sum, while Ah Gung and Uncle Carlos tried to buy the cheap MOP$38-fan at Fisherman's Wharf (they were sold out the day before, but they were still sold out, even though they waited in line before the store opened). Mommy and big brother met up with a bunch of friends and their little ones for dim sum. We went to the Chinese restaurant at Grand Waldo Hotel, because afterwards we're heading to the spa next door. Since the restaurant doesn't take reservations for Sunday dim sum, we got there at 11 a.m. to get a big table for 14 ppl. We're lucky to only have to wait for 5 minutes, and was able to get a big table. Mommy gave your brother his gameboy to keep him happy while we waited for our friends to arrive. It was nice to see all the kids there as well. We were able to take a lot of pictures at the end of the meal. Your brother was most excited when he was playing with my camera. Since each family had a camera, Aidan was more 'encouraged' and kept on taking pictures of all the uncles and aunties, and the little kids. Aidan was the oldest of the bunch. Considering we're at the restaurant for two hours, your brother was pretty well-behaved.

We then headed over to the Spa. The rest of the family (Ah Gung, Ah Po, Uncle Carlos, Auntie Mena, Grandaunts #6 and #7, and your two aunties) were already there. There were a lot of stuff to do there, some weren't included in the entrance fee (MOP$188+15%), but some were. We first headed up to the restaurant for some lunch, which would be food served all day buffet-style. The lunch wasn't that great, in my opinion. While we're there, your aunties and big brother were already on the computers. Kids these days! Then we went to the 5th floor to explore the Children's area. You can see from the pictures all the different activities: Arcade games, slide, children's area, pool (costs extra $25/hr), ping pong table and an outdoor play area. It was raining periodically that day, so we were unable to go out and play.

After that, Mommy, Uncle Carlos and Auntie Mena went to the spa for our facials and massages (cost extra $). By now, Mommy should be used to the comments that Chinese people make when they see my enormous body. But that doesn't mean it didn't bother me. After the facial, we went to the aromatheraphy massage pool/sauna area. Since it's divided into the men's and women's sections, I was unable to accompany your brother. I was told that he was dipping his hands into the hot and cold pools, running back and forth and having a lot of fun. We spent some time down there, showered and then it's time for dinner. Dinner definitely was better than lunch. At that time, I was starving already! After dinner, we rented a large VIP room so that the "older" generation could play some automatic tile-piling Mahjong (it was so cool), and us "younger" ones sang Karaoke. It was only MOP$60 an hour and it was worth it. Your brother at the time was getting tired, but he fed himself enough fruits and orange juice to keep the energy level up. We left the spa at around 11 p.m., spending almost 11 hours there (we could only stay for 12 hrs without getting charged extra). By the time we got home, we all felt that we were back from a day-trip somewhere else.

It was such a tiring day that we all slept in this morning. Your brother slept from around midnight to 10 a.m., and I didn't get up until 11 a.m. He had so much fun that he cried twice in his sleep last night because of all the fun. I vaguely remember he said "Stop pushing me" in his sleep. It was a really fun day with friends and family. Looking back, I don't think I've ever spent my birthday in Macau since I left for college in 1996. Wow, that's a good 13 years!!

As for tonight, Mommy just got home from dinner and some bubble tea with friends. I didn't bring your brother with me tonight. It was nice to catch up with friends and to chat without worrying about kids. No kids tonight!

One more thing is, my pregnant friend who I've been praying for, wanted to reach out to me and chat. We didn't have time today, but we're meet at another time. I am so glad she wanted to talk. I haven't told her that I kind of know what she wants to talk about, but we'll have plenty of time to do so, if she chooses to. She is waiting for news of her amniocentesis. The doctor said it will take 3-4 days, and if she doesn't hear from them, then it's good news. Let's pray she doesn't hear from her doctor!!

That's it for now. Tomorrow is the 15th again in the States. That means you have left us for 2 months already. Time sure does fly.


Miss you,
Mommy