Another Sleep Experiment

In preparation for our migration to the homeland (we're going to the phils), we had decided (ok, I decided and G sort of went along with it) that we had better train s to sleep in the same room with us and her sister. To those who do not know, s had been sleeping in her own room since her birth. She and I shared the room for the first 4 months but when we started sleep training, she slept alone. I have found that whenever I tried sleeping in her room with her, she tended to wake up more because she wants to be held or carried. My reasoning is that back home, we would probably all be in one room anyway and it'll be hard to have her crying all night there. I won't hear the end of it from my parents, I am sure.

So we did it. We took advantage of G's time off and we just did it. We moved her crib into our room and put her to sleep the same way. I was surprised actually that she slept the same way in our room. G would do the same routine and put her down awake. She slept. Of course, she awoke a few times at night. The first night, she cried loudly and incessantly at 5:00 AM, waking up her poor sister. We have a rule that we don't go to her before 6:00 because I don't want to encourage her waking up any earlier than that.

So far it's going better than expected. It hasn't been quite so hellish. However I do have to get used to her numerous nightwakings, her grunting and random 2 second cries. However my experience with s has taught me that the only constant with her sleep habits is that it is bound to change sooner than later.

What a way to spend a day!!!!

Turned out to be a perfect day for the park. The weather was not too cold and the kids had a serious case of cabin fever.


Come here, doggie.



higher!!!!



Gratuitous photo of the 'hood.

QOTD (Question of the Day)

 

What is the orange thing supposed to be?

For the uninitiated, this is a picture of shiumai (siomai, if you are pinoy). There is commonly an orange spot on top. Sometimes this is roe of some kind (which kind though? who has heard of pig roe?)

Just wondered if anyone can shed light on this?

One of Santa's cute little helpers

 Couldn't resist posting this one.

It turned out to be a family day for the family c. Originally the plan was to have dimsum with Gmom's mom (PP) but PP decided that since she was having dinner with her sons, that's more than enough merriment already. Oh well...

So we dimsum'ed anyway. This time we headed towards 8th avenue, which is a blast from the past for us since we haven't been there in at least 2 years. Even Gmom hasn't been there in a long while. We headed for the restaurant we usually go to for dimsum only to find that it is now a bank. Thankfully another place further away from the 8th avenue hubbub still serves dimsum. As expected it was crowded. There was a line outside the door. Thankfully we got there a little before the crowd really started to come in. g and s like dimsum. The restaurant actually served dishes that we haven't seen ourselves (like durian wrapped with noodle...doesn't even sound like a good idea, does it?)





I am not sure what this stuff is called but it is good and didn't stand a chance with g. It seems to have been made with some sort of tapioca soft shell that has the consistency of fruit snacks and stuffed inside were 3 different kinds of custards (egg, lotus paste and mung bean). It was really delish that we ordered 2.

So this is before:


And this is a picture of g sucking the insides out:


After a hearty meal, we strolled (more like fought) our way to 58th street for a bag of rice. The crowd, the lack of respect of personal space (heck, the lack of personal space) - all remind me of home. It made me a little homesick. I think I will always miss living close or in a chinatown despite the attendant noise and grime associated with it. I know I look back at it with much nostalgia but I do remember distinctly being annoyed at the fact that my brothers and I never really had a place to play. All we had was a little bit of sidewalk.

The kids retired at Gmom's home while G installed a cell repeater. After that we went to dinner. Another Chinese joint, of course. Then again, I love Chinese food.

It's just pretend (g says the darnest things...the series)

Today we wrapped Christmas presents for Gmom. g helped by tearing pieces of tape. s helped by keeping out of the way and not tearing any wrapping paper. We finished the roll of wrapping paper leaving only the paper center roll. The kids latched on to their new toy. It was first a megaphone (daddy's idea, I think). Then a club. So they were gently bobbing each other on the head.

g used it for balance as she walked on her "balsam beam" (balance beam). This went on, hours of fun from a paper roll.

I was cooking when g put on an old straw hat and put the paper roll between her legs. She proclaimed herself a girl cowboy and started calling her dad a buckaroo. She said that the roll was her horse. She took a liking to a hobby horse that she saw at a toy store recently and this might also have something to do with repeated viewing of Elmo's Wild Wild West.

Her dad responded, "well, where's your horse's eyes?" To which, g replied, "daddy, it's just pretend."

OK, g, I think he got it now.

g on the cell

Overheard today. g had recently memorized our home phone number. Today she was playing on an old cell phone. She was talking and reciting our home phone number. I asked her who she was talking to. She said that she was telling A (P & K's son) her phone number. Then she proceeded to babble as if carrying on a real conversation.

Her dad from across the hallway called out to her. He pretended to be calling her on the cell phone, saying "hello, g. How are you?" g looked at him incredulously and says, "why are you calling me? I am right here."

Later on, g showed me her "notes". She was "writing" out our phone number for A.

s' Christening

 

It was another sad comedy at the Christening. It is supposed to be a deeper and more meaningful event than it turned out. However I guess it was not surprising because the same person made the same crazy mistakes when g was christened.

Before the ceremony began, we spoke briefly as we waited for some other kids to show up. There were only two families there at the time (mine included). He was from the Philippines so he asked the same basic questions (ie where are you from? where's your family from? how long have you been here? where is your accent?) He was nice enough. After a few more minutes of waiting, he decided to begin.

He began the prayers asking the Lord to watch over Cindy and Julian (the other child there to be baptized). No, s's name is not Cindy. I chuckled and he probably saw it and quickly corrected himself. However as he proceeded with prayers, he constantly interchanged Cindy and s throughout.

During the actual annointing with oil, he called s "julia". HUH??????

Finally we came to the final prayers. He asked the small congregation to welcome new Christians, Julian and Sylvia (again, not s's name). ::::eyes rolling::::

Just as an aside, Julian (the other kid) was raising a holy ruckus during the whole thing, running around the church and throwing tantrums. That might excuse him a little but only a little.

It turned out to be really funny and entertaining for the non-christians. It is sad though that her initiation into the church will be remembered more for doubts on a deacon's sobriety and/or his inability to remember a simple name.