Ah! Kids! (4)

Older brother just started attending Chinese lessons about 3 weeks ago. He loves going to class for different reasons. He likes skipping his nap, and he loves being with people (even though they speak a language he does not quite understand yet). A week before Chinese New Year, I started playing Chinese New Year songs in my car. Older brother can sing some of the songs now, not getting most of the lyrics right, but it amuses me to no end!

I'm doing a better job of speaking Chinese to Little brother, maybe because he has almond, single-lid-eyes like me! He has acquired the talent of clapping his hands lately. However, he will only respond to the "command" in Chinese. It's really funny when Dad asks him to clap in English, and he just stares at him blankly. Dad asks Mom to say the "command" in Chinese, and his little hands will come together in a clap! Mom hopes Little brother will soon be able to obey the command in both English and Mandarin though!

Ah! Kids! (3)

Older brother likes to play with his cars on a rug with road designs on it. He sets up his cars in lines, and in make-believe parking lots. Little brother just turned one, and has not mastered the great art of walking yet. He crawls about, mostly on his belly, and cars on rugs do not mean "detour" to him. He crawls over the nicely lined-up cars, and sends them flying in different directions!

Older brother does not understand Little brother's inability to play "nice". Older brother gets very upset, and yells at his Little brother, and Little brother, of course picks up on his brother's angry tone, feels hurt, and screams in his baby language, something rude in return. Mom steps in and tries to calm both down, and tries to persuade Older brother to tolerate Little brother's interference in his playing. The alternative, Mom says, is for Older brother to move all his toys to his room upstairs, and play without interference from Little Brother. Older brother, the social being that he is, of course, does not want to play "alone". Mom then tells him he has to put up with the "Giant Baby" destroying his city of cars then (for at least 1 more year). Older brother stops his complaining, and seems to like the idea of treating Little brother as the "Giant Baby" out to destroy his city!

Ah! Kids! (2)

Mom took Little brother to the Pediatrician's office when his 10-month check-up was due. The Pediatrician was a little worried because Little brother was not crawling "right". He slid on his belly, and rolled around to get places. He could not sit up from a crawling position either. The Pediatrician pronounced his actions "delayed". A frown began to appear on Mom's face! She knew Little Brother was not as eager to hit the different milestones than Older brother, but Mom was not worried, until then! The Pediatrician recommended some therapy sessions! Oh dear! Mom left the Pediatrician's office with a somewhat heavy heart.

Little brother turned 1! Mom and Dad still did not take him to any therapy sessions. It was not intentional though, they just could not "find" the time to do so! Of course, Little brother did not start walking when he turned 1! He started sitting up from a crawling position though! He still did not crawl "right", even though his speed had increased tremendously! One time, Little brother dived from his godmother's lap when he saw Mom take out the lap-top! He practically swam towards the lap-top! He loved the keyboard and the screen, especially if he could see himself on the screen!

One new thing Little brother learned to do recently, despite his other "delayed" movements, was doing flips! He loved to be upside down! One day, Dad held him upside down, and pushed Little brother's little legs over, till he reached a standing position. He broke into the sweetest laughter! He turned himself backwards again, wanting Dad to turn him upside down again. Dad did, and he flipped his own legs over! He did a flip! He just broke into laughter after every flip! It was precious watching those short legs at work, and the delight on Little brother's face, when he completed a flip!

Mom wondered if she could talk about the flips at their next visit to the Pediatrician's office, and avoid talking about Little brother's crawling or walking (or rather , his inability to crawl or walk)!

Ah! Kids! (1)

Older brother was very excited! Today might just be planting day! Mom and Dad had a few more errands to run, and then it would be a trip to the Garden Center - to pick out some orange trees! "Maybe!" reminded Mom. To this 4-year-old, planting was a very exciting activity! Mom and Dad had to remind him constantly that the seeds, or trees would not start bearing fruits overnight. "How come?" the ever-expected question, and one parents have to answer constantly since their toddlers learn to say the word 'why'!

Anyway, the Garden Center had many fruit trees. Mom too, got very excited! The lovely thought of harvesting their very own berries and oranges nearly pushed Mom towards making some impulsive choices. Dad was more cautious, and read the instructions and information attached to the plants. Mom finally narrowed down the choices to just orange trees. Older brother was delighted anyway. Oranges! His favorite fruits! However, Mom changed her mind suddenly when she considered the price of the orange trees! With the economy being as bad as it was, she did not think they could spend that kind of money just at the moment. Dad was going to respect Mom's decision. Older brother was about to cry when Dad put the orange trees back! Mom and Dad told him the orange trees were too expensive. They would go home and plant some peas instead. Older brother had to get over his disappointment quickly, because whining would cause him the privilege of any planting activity!

Mom said if the pea planting was a success, they might consider planting oranges in the future! It was hard to watch Older brother's face, when Dad put the orange trees back!

Missing Chinese New Year

Fire crackers, red packets, new clothes... These are often part of the lyrics found in Chinese New Year songs. Regretfully, I was tired of hearing these songs for a time in my life, thinking they were too backward, too "Chinese". It was not "cool" to be too Chinese back then (when I was growing up). I was even too shy to mention I spoke a Chinese dialect - Hakka - at home! What? Not even Mandarin, but a dialect? I was afraid people would know my parents did not have much of a formal education.

Anyway, back to Chinese New Year! Now that I have not been able to travel home for Chinese New Year for years, because I have chosen to live in the so-un-Chinese United States, the uncool Chinese New Year songs are all I listen to, in the car, when this festive season approaches. They bring back such warm (not always good) memories of Chinese New Year I celebrated in Singapore. Now, I tell my 4-year-old how cool Chinese New Year is. He is a chatter-box, and feels it his duty to pass on any information learned from me. I heard him telling his father the other day, "Daddy, I want to go to Singapore for Chinese New Year! Then we can eat tidbits with friends all day, and talk nonsense all day!"

Yes, I do miss eating tidbits and talking nonsense all day, which I remember I thought boring one point during my foolish youth! I remember with some sadness certain years when we did not have enough money to buy new clothes. I remember feeling ashamed to put on the only new dress my mom bought me, from the market in the neighborhood (nobody bought clothes there - they were cheap, and mass-produced). I was hiding at home, looking out the window occasionally to see if any kid got on the same dress as me! I was big on being "original" then! I did not want to be caught wearing something someone else had on!

When we got older, and life got better, the dishes on the reunion dinner table got more, and "meatier". We would have fish, chicken, duck, and shrimp dishes all at the same time! My mom's jumbo shrimp dish was my favorite! We used to only be able to afford sodas during Chinese New Year! The orange soda was the popular drink during this festive season. Now, when I drink an orange soda, it reminds me of Chinese New Year. Sometimes, I even seem to be able to savour the taste of peanuts, or melon seeds (瓜子） mingled with orange soda in my mouth!

My mom and dad are getting old. I dare not ask for much, but I long to spend just one more Chinese New Year with them! I want to absorb as much of the Chinese tradition I left behind, and pass it on to my kids! I want them to learn how cool it is, to be Chinese (and American^.^)!

Extra Dime for The Holidays?

Want to shop at a place where you can get almost anything at discount prices, in the convenience of your home? You don't even have to change out of your pajamas, or get into your car, and use up precious gas! Yes, there is a website you can go to, and shop to your heart's content this holiday season! Save! Save! Save! The content of the website screams! Why ignore it? Be a smart shopper, and fight hard times with intelligent ways to shop! A complete mall at your finger tips! Let your fingers do the shopping! Visit Extra Dime!

Good Service Is Out!

Larry had never been to America. In fact, he had been to many Asian countries. It would be his first time traveling on an American-based flight. He was going on a Buddhist retreat in San Francisco.

He did not expect the flight to take forever! On top of that, service was poor. The flight attendants seemed to think the passengers owed them something. They did whatever they were supposed to do in a detached manner. Larry observed that if someone asked for anything extra, the person would be received with a cold reception with a raised eye-brow! Most of the time, the request would not be granted. If, by a slim chance, the request was granted, the person would be discouraged to repeat the action again. Larry missed the warm, caring, (even if faked) and eager-to-please attitude the flight attendants had on some other flights he had taken.

Larry sighed as he thought about the flying industry. The price of flying was always going uphill, but the service was going downhill! It was almost like having to pay a penalty for flying! Gone were they days when you were treated like kings because you could afford to fly!