Month: September 2014

Categories
fun

Big baby, little baby

My elder daughter Serenity finally used to sleep in her room recently. The trick is I decided not to co-sleep with her. Also, she still needs her mommy watch her falling asleep, which usually takes an hour or so, since she gets up sometimes: ask me questions, etc. (delay tactic).

Little baby Sophia is getting big, she weighs about 14 lbs in 2 month check up, which doubled from her birth weight. She likes to sleep on my shoulder. Today my coworker told me one reason is she like to feel heart beat. Also sometimes she sucks my neck or upper arm. It’s normal in baby growth, I just found out from web, although I am second time dad. Never stop learning.

Categories
advice and tips fun

Found out why I missed 25000 miles Alaska Airlines from credit card

I signed up the BoA credit card 50,000 miles promotion last Dec. But I forgot to spend $1000 in the first 3 months, I spent $995 in the first two months and then stopped. The reason was I thought I had reached this limit. But I forgot one thing: to check my spending at both BoA and at Alaska Airlines websites. I did not go to the latter because I thought I did not have the mileage plan number.

Today I found out on my credit card I do have the number. But the 3 months has long passed. They now offer 25,000 miles for bonus opening their credit card.

Categories
advice and tips kids

Chinese kids

Saw this discussion at mittbbs.com (发信人: waluzz78 (哇鲁庄镇), 信区: Parenting). I think I agree.

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最近跟国内来的访问学者或旅游的家庭往，感觉国内的孩子很活泼自信，跟大人打交道
也很自然。跟他们相比，我们周围在美国长大的10岁左右的小孩，包括我们自己的孩子
，显得更木讷，尤其不擅长跟大人打交道。我琢磨了一下，觉得原因是孩子在美国长大
，只想用英文说话，而在家里父母用中文跟他们交流，他们虽然能听懂，但不愿用中文
回答，久而久之，跟大人的交流也变少了，而中国父母跟美国家庭的来往有限，孩子们
也缺乏跟美国大人的来往，结果既没学会中国人待人接物的方法，也没学会美国人的方
式，基本上只会跟同龄人打交道，在成人面前就显得很木讷。想起夏天一个孩子班上搞
得跟老师告别的party上，美国孩子即兴侃侃而谈表达对老师的感激之情，几个中国孩
子唯唯诺诺的回避发言，当时以为是性格所至，现在看应该是生长环境造成的。国内长
大的孩子普遍就大方多了。现在很想亡羊补牢，改善一下孩子的社交能力，我能想到的
就是多带孩子参加活动，尤其是美国人为主的活动，因为让孩子学中国人待人处事已经
不切合实际了，只好人他们学习美国人的方式，自己也只好step out of the comfort
zone了.也许加入country club是个办法。以前觉得那里中国人太少了，加入是受罪.不
知大家有什么好建议。
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Categories
advice and tips fun

Trying to beat the coffee habbit

Lots of headache first few days. It’s getting better as time goes. The reason I am trying to do that is it (the coffee) appears to make me go to restroom much more often. I want to eliminate this one factor to see if things get better.

A second reason, is I don’t want to dependent on one thing (coffee is addictive). I recall last summer when I was in China, and I could not find coffee in my hometown and my wife’s hometown, and I got headache. Eventually I was able to find the “American style” iced coffee and a bakery and certainly at McDonald. I think I need to reduce my coffee intake, and if I can stay alert without it, that will be the best.

Categories
advice and tips kids

Made same mistake again: stocked up too much new born and size 1 diapers

When we were expecting the second baby, we vaguely recall the baby quickly grew out of the “new born” size diaper, so we did not stock up this time. When the baby came home with us, we already had a box of 88 pieces of Huggies natural, and being a person like to stock up things, I bought two 88 pieces Pampers new born. In about a month, our baby grew to 10 lbs, which is the upper limit of new born, and we still had about 40 pieces left.

Now baby is about 2 months old, and approaching 14 lbs (13 lbs 6 oz as of 2 month check-up), we still have a box of 92 pieces unopened. We bought a box (192 pieces) of Huggies little snugglers size 1 from Sams’ club before the baby was born. And a friend brought in 92 pieces Huggies, another friend gave us the “diaper cake” which probably had 50 pieces.

So here is our mistake again: stocked up too much new born and size 1 diapers. The good thing is we can always give it to friends who are expecting new baby 🙂

Categories
fun kids

New problem with new baby

We had a new baby girl about 2 months ago. One problem we anticipated did not show up as I feared: the feeling of being neglected for my older daughter, as new baby usually gets more attention. That’s good. When I think about it, I heard so many warnings from my friends and tried to spend some quality time with serenity.

But another unexpected problem arose. The financial one. Between the medical bills related to new baby, the home helper to help out my wife, and rising child care cost from Serenity’s school, and at the same time my stagnant take home pay, I suddenly found out I am not on a sound financial footing. I am doing some maneuvers, such as consolidating checking accts., refinance mortgage, etc.

I hope to get through this school year, because in next fall my elder daughter will start kindergarten at local public school. No more child are cost for her, if any 🙂