I forgot to share very exciting news but second family is now visiting from Vancouver. It has almost been a year since I last saw them so it is a very exciting time. When I came to pick them up at the airport, Ryo gave me such a priceless look, as if saying,"Who the F are you and why the heck do you know my name?" Then she looked to Jenna as if to say, "Do you know who this strange person is?"
So far, she has been quicker to accept me this time around, already letting me hold her hand and read her books. I love that she still loves reading as that is my favourite type of gift to get her. She hasn't been too sure of Stefan yet. I guess it did not help that we all pretended to scream in horror when he walked through the door. We forget that a nearly two year old doesn't understand sarcasm yet...
About two months ago, I got a phone call at work that I never wanted to ever hear. Even though deep down inside I already knew before she had uttered the words. My mother had been diagnosed with cancer.
It wasn't completely unexpected, she had been having some issues for awhile, all of us are medical junkies so we read up all the possibilities of what it could be. And you pray that it's not what you think it is.
I cannot believe that it is our second wedding anniversary already! I can't believe because I am still not used to the idea of you-us-forever. If you think about it, marriage, taken seriously with the thought of forever can be a daunting thought.
The truth is, this year wasn't all rosy. A few close friends ended marriages or long term commitments. To say that these turbulences in our friends' lives don't affect our own would be a lie. You start to question things, issues that were underlying within our own relationship gets brought into the surface. Every time one of our friends' relationships ended, we'd have a couple of sour days following.
Talked to Marie really briefly tonight. For lack of time during the day, our actual voice conversations have gotten really scarce. The time difference never helps either. I am glad for the times when I am home late because every so often I get to catch her while Ryo is still awake.
She was saying how she's gotten so many hits on the video I recently posted. I have to confess.....it's me. I watch it often, I make my friends & family watch it often. I can't help that I love the kid.
Today, Ryo told me what sounds a cow, a sheep and a horse make. It was astounding to me that she understands and knows.
I just love that kid.
Can you imagine what it would be like if or when I actually have my own?
It's rainy, cold and I am tired. I've been working pretty long hours and am about to hit a crazy pace until the end of February. And sometimes, all I need is a little boost. And then I get this:
To me, hearing her laugh is instant joy. Isn't she SUCH a big girl now? I miss my West Coast family, and me thinks it's almost time to go for my bi-annual trip.
Marie says Ryo is developing a crazy little personality which she attributes to me. As much as I would like to think that I could somehow have influenced my goddaughter halfway across the country, I can take no credit. That child was born with a personality; capital, bold P. My favourite part of this video is the interaction between Marie and Ryo. Watch out for her breathy, Marilyn Monroe-esque "Hi" towards the end. All I can say is - Teenage Ryo? Watch out boys!
No longer a baby as you turn one today. One year ago, I spent most of the night crying before your birth, worried about your mama and sad that I couldn't be there. You definitely did not give your mama a good time of it, but suddenly there you were, this perfect being. I always thought you looked like a peach blossom at birth, all rosy cheeked and wrapped up.
I am sorry that I am not there with you today. For one brief moment when we were in Vancouver, I seriously contemplated attending the open house across the street from where you live. But Murat Daidai said I couldn't live so close to you because he couldn't have you loving me more. Little does he know, you will love me so much more when I start buying you outrageous outfits that neither your mama, dada or godfather will allow you to wear.
You probably don't remember this but maybe you can refer to this post when you are old enough to understand. We were at the night market and you finally, voluntarily came into my arms. Your mama said I could give you back if you got too heavy. Dude, you were so heavy (you're a good eater, I love this about you) but no way was I giving you up until my back really ached. We had our first real heart to heart talk.
I told you that you would never be a baby again, that the next time I saw you, you were always going to be a little bit bigger, grow into your own and that I was sorry that I couldn't always be there while you are growing up but that no matter what, I love you. You responded by sticking your finger up my nose, your newest trick last week.
I know in your own way, you were telling me you love me too.
Remember how I said Stefan and I don't travel well? Turns out that I was wrong. See? I can really admit when I am wrong, it's just that it doesn't happen very often. So this is what I discovered. Stef and I definitely have different attitudes when it comes to travel. I have a whole routine when I get to the airport while Stef likes to just meander through. I definitely need to have various options when it comes to what will keep my A.D.Dness occupied on a plane. Stef couldn't understand why I needed to buy another book when I already had two. Turns out, I didn't like one of the books I brought and I finished one of my books on the plane. It was 2 minutes of grumpy time for Stef who had told me not to buy a book at the airport.
We actually were fine in the plane. I sort of treat Stefan like my own personal Gumby (sans the green rubber), bending his limbs to suit my personal comfort. Yes, this is one of the few times when being small in stature really helps.
Anyway, how did the worlds colliding go? Better than expected. They both hugged and then proceeded to keep throwing random barbs and jibes at each other. All in a very good natured way. Ryo looked perplexed when she first met me and used one of my hands as a personal towel to wipe some dribbling drool off her face. She spent our first night acting shy, and hiding around Jenna. She would shoot me death stares but around Stefan, she would flash "beautiful eyes" and smile coyly. This was completely disconcerting to me.
Luckily this morning when Ryo woke up and was brought to say "Good morning" to Uncle Stef, she was completely bewildered by his presence and would sort of cry. All is good in my world again.
Today, at around 8:15 pm west coast time, my worlds are going to collide. Stefan and Marie have never met each other and today is the day that they do. People always think it's so weird that they haven't met despite the fact that I have known Marie for so long. The reason is because Marie only ever comes out east when she does the trade shows in NY and I tend to go out west for work. The one time when she did come to Toronto, Stefan was out of town. Also, my friendship and love for Marie has grown over time, the old fashioned way - emails and phone calls. There was never a circumstance when they would meet.
Over the years, the two of them seemed to have developed a love-hate relationship. Marie, who is soft spoken with a razor wit sense of sarcasm, loves to butt heads or opinions (usually conveyed through me via emails or phone calls) with Stefan who can never resist teasing a girlfriend. Neither one is more of an instigator than the other, they both do it the same amount. It can be quite funny to witness the various barbs and zingers they lob at each other. But part of me worries that they really won't get along. They both are equally important in my life.
But, I figure they're both adults and they'll work it out. As for me, I'll be hanging out with this little person, trying to make her do more of what she's doing in the video below.
7 years! I can barely believe it. Do you feel the itch? I don't feel one at all. If anything you enthrall and interest me more and more everyday. You're always making me laugh, assuring me when I need it, and you constantly challenge my mind. Knowing my A.D.D-ness, you would have thought that I would have gotten distracted by now, but you still completely fascinate me. What I appreciate most of all, is that you make sure that I begin every day and end every night knowing that I am loved.
You know those Mazda ads where the little boy looks into the camera, and says in an awed voice,"Zoom Zoom?"
That could aptly describe how I feel about Mitsuko right now. I've been transferring my contacts over from my PC to the Mac. It took both Stef and I a couple of google searches, but once we figured out to do it, it was pretty insane. All I would have to do is to drop the file and literally half a second after, all the info was there.
The weekend started off with Stefan being in the dog house for reasons that we won't go over right now. He's out of the dog house now and is currently happily situated in a place called "Sucking Up". All I can say is that boys can just be so DUMB sometimes. I spent a good day contemplating how lesbians are so lucky because at least they're all playing on the same mental playing field.
Despite the slow start to our long weekend, we are ending it off with a bang. Please meet "Mitsuko" the newest member in our family. She joins big sister "Millie" my 20G ipod and "Max" Stefan's ipod mini. We're slowly building our family of Apple gadgets. I have no idea why they all have names starting with "M".
So far the transition has been pretty smooth. I've been slowly migrating my info from the old clunker to this one. The reason why it's been slow is because "clunker" is unbearably slow. But as soon as the transfer begins, it's been pretty lightning fast on Mitsuko's end. The learning curve hasn't been as painful as I expected, although this will most likely change as I add iWork and Creative Suite onto this.
Some people have asked whether the macbook was a part of Stefan "making up" but no, I didn't even think about asking. This is purely my private purchase. I know we're supposed to share stuff now that we're married, but I especially don't like to share (I know, it's bad, I am working on this) technology. It's the Asian in me, I like to have my own technological toys. Stef may borrow it to test his stuff once in awhile but other than that, Mitsuko is for my own play.
Stef did clean the toilet today though, which you all know that to me, is a great way to make up.
As I mentioned fairly recently my parents live really close to me now. So close that walking over EVERY day for a Mama Kang home cooked meal is plausible. Stefan sometimes quips that I am taking advantage of my parent's closeness by raiding their fridge too much, but as usual he doth protest too much.
After all, my mother times HIS separate meals (because he really is THAT picky about food and my mother is convinced that when he's home, I chain Stefan to the old rotting radiators and feed him nothing but stale bread and water) to be ready just as soon as he walks in. Not only does he get an instant dinner, my mother also PACKS him a lunch. It's getting so bad that my mother who has developed a recent allergy to gluten will still bake him cakes daily, despite the fact that she can no longer eat it herself.
That, and I also get daily lectures from my father and mother that I have to not "bully" Stefan while he looks at them with his sad puppy dog eyes and asks why TSN is not in high definition on my dad's giant TV. I don't know what type of "bullying" they think I can really do to that stubborn giddy goat of a man that I married. Plus, he's twice my size and weight.
Then, there is also the fact that since my parents moved to a smaller place that they had to buy almost all new furniture to fit. Of course, the main thing for my parents is that they can have all their children en masse at the dining room table. But for the past month, the main focus of everything else is whether Stefan will be comfortable on the couch, what if he has no room to stretch out? He likes to have comfy pillows...
So excuse me if I deign to eat my mother's home cooked meals practically every day. I like to think I am making them happy by reliving my teenage years, where the only evidence I existed in their home was the fact that some food would be missing in the morning. Who's taking advantage of whom here, is what I am asking?
Like I said last week, Mama and Papa: Please remember that you gave birth to me and that you've known me longer. You should take my side once in awhile. After all, "technically" your beloved son-in-law has only officially been part of the family for a year and a bit. And Dad, seriously, DO NOT SUBSCRIBE to HD NHL Centre Ice next year. You don't even watch hockey.
Despite the slow start to our long weekend, we are ending it off with a bang. Please meet "Mitsuko" the newest member in our family. She joins big sister "Millie" my 20G ipod and "Max" Stefan's ipod mini. We're slowly building our family of Apple gadgets. I have no idea why they all have names starting with "M".