Christmas Extravaganza 2009

Having been raised in an interfaith home that included both Christianity and Buddhism, my family observed the major Christian holidays, including Christmas. Even so, other traditions such as Lunar New Year and the Chinese practice of honoring of passed relatives with incense and food took precedence in our family consciousness. Once I graduated from college, I became even less of a Christmas person. It was just hard to get into the Christmas spirit when the rest of my family was on the other side of the world. Now that I have a family of my own, however, celebrating the holidays has taken on a new importance for me. Although I am not very devout or exclusively Christian, I do consider myself to be a very spiritual person. For me, this time of year represents not just that spirituality, but also the sense of community I have with my friends and my growing family.
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Our holiday celebrations began the weekend before Christmas. We met Shawn, Julie, and Nolan for what was becoming a tradition of meeting for holiday dim sum. The boys exchanged gifts and then tried in earnest to grab the fish swimming in the koi pond in front of the restaurant.
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The next day, Deb and George came over to celebrate with us. In an effort to keep them to a reasonable degree of gift-giving, I told Deb that she was to spend no more than $15 per gift. When she showed up at our door with bags and bags bursting full of presents, she started sputtering explanations. "I stuck to the $15 limit, but you didn't specify who the gifts could be from!" Huh? Well, a peek at the presents explained everything. Not only were there gifts from Deb and George to each of us, but there were gifts from their dogs Seth and Kevin as well! As if their countless hours of Boo-sitting and familial support weren't enough of a gift already, they outdid themself with presents, too! Gift-giving rule-breaking notwithstanding, Benjamin had a wonderful time hanging out with his favorite auntie and uncle, and I had a great time kicking it with my sister.
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On Christmas Eve, we headed over to my in-laws' house for a family Christmas dinner and also to belatedly celebrate my MIL's birthday.

.Benjamin had a great time tearing paper off of his gifts. I think he may even have enjoyed that more than the gifts themselves!

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Christmas Day arrived, and I think that Vince and I were more anxious about the gifts than Benjamin was! We didn't want Benjamin to think that Christmas was just an orgy of gift-giving, but we were excited to watch him open the few gifts we did get him, which were some toy cars, books, and a new trike.

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Santa had left presents for Mommy and Daddy, too. Vince got a new video game and video game subscription, a framed photo of himself and the Boo for his office, and a limited edition Benjamin Chan EP.

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I received a beautiful jewelry holder shaped like lily pads (get it? LILY pads?), a Tiffany luggage tag (to tie to my sanity in case I lose it again), and - drum roll, please - a ROOOOOOOMBA!!!! See, our vacuum cleaner had gone on the fritz several months ago. Add to that the fact that the person to whom the chore of vacuuming belonged always seemed to suffer a sudden allergy attack or last-minute migraine whenever it came time for him to fulfill his duty, and the Roomba became numero uno on my wish list. Actually, the Roomba was more of a gift for Vince since it took one of his house duties away, but I suppose the decrease in blood pressure I get from not having to harangue him every weekend about vacuuming makes it my gift, too!
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Once we were done opening gifts, Vince set about the task of assembling Benjamin's new tricycle. Apparently, the Boo didn't think he was moving fast enough, so he tried to lend a hand. Half an hour and a minimum of cursing later, the trike was done, and the Boo climbed on...
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...without any pants on. Guess that's one way to make sure your friends don't touch your new toy!

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Hope everyone enjoyed their holidays!

Scary Old Saint Nick Part 3

Last Saturday, we went for a stroll down "Candy Cane Lane" in nearby El Segundo. Candy Cane Lane is actually a regular residential street which transforms into a wonder of Christmas lights and displays each December.

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Our neighbors and good buddies Nolan and Kayla (as well as their parents, of course!) joined us for the stroll. As they say, the more, the merrier!

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The amount of work that went into transforming these homes was incredible. While the kids marveled at the blinking lights and colorful displays, we parents marveled at the sheer amount of extra space that must be necessary to store everything once the season is over.

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Benjamin seemed to be having a great time. He and Nolan ran happily from one yard to the next, pointing at the displays and excitedly babbling to one another. But then suddenly, Benjamin stopped cold and starting wailing.

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What had happened? Did he stub a toe? Accidentally get whacked in the face? Suddenly realize that the amount of energy needed to power all of these light displays was cruelly ironic considering that the Copenhagen Climate Conference was happening at this very moment?

And then we saw the source of his distress:

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I guess his Santa-phobia extends to Santa-themed shrubbery!

Scary Old Saint Nick Part 2

Last week, my friend Heather was having a few moms and tots over to her place to meet with a friendly Santa she knew. Like any parent swept up in holiday cheer, I wanted a picture of Benjamin sitting happily on Santa's lap. Well, at this point, I would have settled for just plain sitting. Despite having had two failed attempts at capturing this Hallmark moment, I figured the third time would be the charm.
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Boy, was I wrong! Benjamin's reaction to Santa was even more instant than the last two times. As soon as he entered, Benjamin ran screaming to me...
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...and took refuge in his new favorite hiding place under my belly.
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And it didn't get any better over time. Just as soon he would start to calm down, he'd spot Santa and start bawling again.
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Unfortunately, there were three witnesses to his theatrics - Pedro, Claire, and Adelyn. Judging from the looks on their faces, one can only imagine what they were thinking.

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Potty Training à Deux?

Until about two weeks ago, my pregnancy had been fairly unremarkable. I had the usual complaints - queasiness, fatigue, inexplicable cravings, and hormone-induced bitchiness - but for the most part, I was able to go about my day without feeling pregnant. In fact, I'd sometimes forget that I was pregnant and be reminded only when I knocked over something with my belly.

That's all changed. In the past weeks, I feel as though my midsection has grown enough to accomodate not just my baby, but her car seat and crib, too. My skin is stretched so tight that I can play it like a tympani. And I swear she's sitting much lower than Benjamin did. She's so low that she's using my bladder as a neckrest, and sneezing in public has become a heart-stopping experience. If things continue, I may have to borrow some diapers from Benjamin.

Speaking of diapers, Benjamin is well on his way to saying adios to them (fingers crossed). It's not unusual for him to stay dry for four- or five-hour periods of time, coming to tell me when he wants to use the potty, or even just going on his own. According to conventional potty training wisdom, this means that he's ready for (drum roll)... BIG BOY PANTS! But even though the books say that he may be ready to make the transition, I don't know if I am, so we're meeting halfway and using cotton training underpants.

Taking a cue from a fellow Emerson mom, I decked out Benjamin's training pants with one of his favorite characters, Elmo. Since I couldn't find Elmo underpants that fit him, I created my own by making a sheet of Elmo decals with Photoshop, and printing them onto iron-on tranfer paper. A few quick swipes of a hot iron, and - VOILA! - custom-made Elmo training pants! When I put the pants on Benjamin, I'll tell him, "Don't pee on Elmo! He wouldn't like that!" The idea is that Benjamin's fear of soiling his beloved Elmo will heighten his awareness of his need to go. I have yet to try it out, but I'm hopeful.

Maybe I should make myself some Elmo underpants. :(

Scary Old Saint Nick Part 1

Last Christmas, Benjamin was still an infant. Sure, he was captivated by the twinkling Christmas lights, and he enjoyed crinkling wrapping paper in his chubby baby fists, but the more abstract concepts surrounding the season were beyond his comprehension. This year, however, he was old enough to start participating in certain holiday traditions, and what better tradition to begin with than with a visit to Santa Claus!

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We found out that "Santa" would be visiting Playa Vista courtesy of the LAPD. So on a recent evening, we bundled up the Boo and waited in line for our turn to sit with Santa in his sleigh. Several of his friends were also there, and everyone seemed excited to meet the big red fella. As we waited, Benjamin tapped out a happy rhythm on a park bench and did a little dance in front of the twinkling lights.

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Unfortunately, his enthusiasm was short-lived. Benjamin took one look at Santa's big red face obscured by his giant white-beard, and he completed freaked out. Even candy canes offered by a friendly police officer didn't stop his wailing.

. A few days later was our holiday celebration at Emerson. I was a bit nervous because I knew that Santa would be paying the class a visit. However, Benjamin seemed to be feeling happy and relaxed. He listed attentively to Teacher Kathy as she read a Christmas story, and he happily shook jingle bells while we sang carols. Perhaps this time things would be different.

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At precisely 11:00 am, the door to the classroom opened and Jolly Old Saint Nick burst in. "Ho! Ho! Ho" he proclaimed. I turned apprehensively to see Benjamin's reaction...

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So far, so good. He wasn't jumping for joy, but at least he wasn't hysterically crying like last time. Hmmm... Maybe he'll even be willing to go and sit on Santa's lap.

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Nope. As soon as stood up to approach Santa, the Boo started bawling, so we beat a hasty retreat back to where we were on the side of the room.

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From our safe vantage point, Benjamin continued to look fearfully at Santa. His eyes were glossy with tears, his lip quivered, and a low whimpering sound came from his throat. Each time I tried to go anywhere, he grabbed my legs and whimpered even more. He eventually sought refuge beneath my belly.

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That's funny - I always thought that it was the older sibling who was supposed to protect the younger one!

Diaper Distress

Benjamin hit a potty milestone this week: without prompting from me, he stopped playing, took his diaper off, sat on his potty, and peed - in that order. See, sometimes he'll sit on the potty and pee, but forget to take his diaper off. Sometimes he manages to get his diaper off, but then gets distracted and continues playing, and winds up peeing on the floor - or worse. So this is a major potty coup! Of course, it's only happened one other time since, but such is the rollercoaster that accompanies all toddler milestones. The fact that he was even able to remember to take his diaper off before going potty is enough for me.
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Now, if only he could figure out how to get the diaper back on.
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Whirlwind November: Part 2

We had much to give thanks for this Thanksgiving: a happy home, Benjamin's continued health, a baby on the way, and a loving group of friends and family.
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Speaking of friends and family, Thanksgiving proved to be a reunion of sorts. We had hosted the last two Thanksgivings at our home, but this year we decided to visit my brother Leon and his wife Claire at their new home in Kansas City. Our dear friend Umbo also joined us from Milan for the second year in a row. Like me, Claire is pregnant, and her baby boy is due in February just a week before my baby girl. Seeing those familiar faces and knowing that in a year our family would have two more members gave us even more to be thankful for!
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There was one new face in the mix: Skittles, Leon and Claire's Yorky Terrier. Benjamin and Skittles hit it off immediately, perhaps due to their similar stature.

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This was our first trip to Kansas City, MO, and we weren't sure what to expect. The word "Kansas" conjured up quaint images of Americana - farm animals, freezing weather, and clapboard homes on spacious lots. The reality was far from that. Yes, it was rather cold, and yes, there was lots of open space, but we discovered that Kansas City was much more cosmopolitan than we'd imagined. Leon and Claire's home was situated in an area known was the Plaza, a bustling, pedestrian-friendly area filled with shops and restaurants that reminded us of Old Town Pasadena.

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Though they had moved to Kansas City from Miami six months prior, Leon and Claire had moved into their condo only recently due to the massive renovations it was going through. When we arrived, contractors were still in the process of finishing their work, but the place was nonetheless beautiful. It had an open, spacious feel and views of a nearby park. On Thanksgiving Day, while Claire spent most of her time in the kitchen putting together our Thanksgiving feast, the rest of us got to work dusting, mopping, and tidying up the areas still under construction.
.Benjamin helped, too. Well, he helped as much as a three-foot tall toddler is able to!
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That evening, due mostly in part to Claire's hours spent in the kitchen, we enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving feast. After dinner, we watched fireworks from a window and went to bed semi-comatose and groaning from overindulgence in the delicious meal.
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The next day, we visited some of the local attractions, among them the Crayola store.

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After that, we checked out a beautiful Christmas display at the plaza across the street. As you can tell from the t-shirt-clad kids running soaked through the water fountain, the weather was unseasonably warm.

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Back at home, we cracked out our favorite board game: Settlers of Catan. If you're not familiar with Settlers, think of it as a less-onerous, shorter, and much more fun version of Risk. We had a great time playing, though one of us proved to be a sore loser AND a sore winner. I'll bet you didn't even know that it was possible! I won't tell you who that person was, but I'll give you a hint: his behavior made us think that sportmanship is inversely proportionate to height. Oh, and his name rhymes with "Schmeeon."

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On Friday night, we met up with Vince's cousin Kathleen and her kids Tanner, Samantha, and Trevor. Tanner and Sammy were smitten with Benjamin and fought over who got to carry him, sit by him, and feed him. I don't know how she did it, but Sammy even carried Benjamin on her hip for much of our walk around the Plaza!

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We took it easy on Saturday, doing a little shopping and walking to nearby Loose Park. We were headed for the pond at the edge of the park, but our plans were put on hold when Benjamin discovered the joy of stepping on crunchy, dry leaves. He ran as fast as his short little legs would take him, back and forth across fields of leaves, with the wind chapping his cheeks and a grin plastered on his face. I think he would have stayed there for hours if we'd let him!

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We did eventually make it to the pond. As delightful as it was to watch Benjamin running deliriously through the leaves, it was equally as touching to watch him quietly contemplate the ducks.

We left Sunday morning to catch our flight back to LA. We were exhausted, but happy, too. Those five days with Leon, Claire, and Umberto had been full, fun ones. I think that Benjamin was especially sad to say "ciao" to his Zio Umbo.

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They'd really bonded during this visit. As we left, he kept saying "Dow!" (his approximation of "Ciao") and "Oom-oh!" ("Umbo"). But as great as it is to visit friends and family, it feels so good to return to the familiar. Witness the reunion between Benjamin and his best friend later that day:

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As a girl named Dorothy once said, "There's no place like home!"

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Whirlwind November: Part 1

Novembers are a busy time of year for me; not only are there Christmas gifts to start shopping for and Thanksgiving preparations to make, but I also have several important birthdays to celebrate - my dear friend Deb's, Benjamin's dear friend Nolan's, and - let's not forget - my own! For as long as I can remember, my birthday often got lost in the hub-bub of Thanksgiving, but it seems to have diminished even more since Benjamin came on the scene. Not that I'm complaining - I'm often so exhausted that the very idea of staying out past nine PM to celebrate what amounts to an arbitrary personal holiday makes me yawn. But still, I figure that once Baby #2 arrives, my birthday might just up and disappear altogether, so this year, I did it up!
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The night before my actual birthday, four of my closest girlfriends - Sheila, Yvonne, Julie, and Deb - took me out for a surprise night on the town. We started out with dinner at a nice Italian restaurant in downtown Culver City where they unveiled their first surprise - an itty-bitty, adorable baby-sized dress form! It was a group gift from the four ladies, plus my friends Grace and Holly who couldn't be there. With it, I could easily craft clothes for my new baby girl or even for my Lileeloo Designs line. Thank you so much, ladies!

After dinner came the big surprise - tickets to see the hottest new movie on its opening night:

Whoa, whoa, wait... Where did that poster come from? I meant to show this poster:

There, that's better. That first poster looks like it should be for a very different sort of movie called "Nude Moon." And judging from the delirious screaming teenyboppers in the packed theater, that might have been preferable! I'll cop to doing a bit of shrieking myself, but only because of the fantastic special effects and plotline. Taylor Lautner is cute, but let's be honest... he's no Vince Chan!

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Speaking of my beloved, I nearly forgot to mention that he swept me away for a romantic birthday dinner a deux a few nights before! He had returned from work that evening to find me in my usual harried state - waddling around in sweats trying to pick up toys and straighten up the place while muddling over what to cook for dinner. Imagine how surprised I was when he told me that our friends Deb and George would be coming over to watch Benjamin so he could take me out to dinner!

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Imagine how much more surprised I was when he told me they would be there in three minutes. Luckily, my mommy autopilot setting switched on, and I was able to prepare Benjamin's dinner, lay out his PJs, tidy up the place a bit, change into a dress, put my hair up, and slap on some makeup by the time they arrived. Dinner was wonderful, and it was great to get away.

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On my actual birthday, we had a dinner with Vince's family and his Auntie Viola. Auntie Vi was going to be celebrating her 80th birthday at the end of December, and to commemorate the occasion, she was traveling about visiting family. We enjoyed steak at restaurant in Long Beach, and then headed back to Vince's sister's Adele's house afterwards to open gifts and eat cake.

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We wrapped up my weekend of birthday revelry with a casual get-together at our place. We ordered take-out from our favorite local Hawaiian restaurant and shared a mellow dinner with friends. And the grown-ups weren't the only ones doing the sharing - Benjamin and Nolan got into the sharing spirit as well! They shared everything from toys to fire engine rides to potty time:

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And thus ended my perfect birthday weekend. I really couldn't have asked for anything more. I got time with friends and family, good food and wine, a night out with the girls, and a great movie - not to mention a dark-haired, hunky guy to moon over!