ding!

We celebrated Ethan's first birthday recently by going to Monterey's Aquarium on a Friday. A few days before going to the aquarium Ethan had been saying "yu" a lot, which sounds like "fish" in mandarin. He would point at stuff and say "yu~", so I thought he might actually like to point at a fish instead of stuff that aren't fish. We were happy to see new additions at the aquarium. There was a new corner near the tidepool exhibit where waves would come crashing down on a clear plexi-glass roof.

We walked around the Canary Row and had a late lunch (clam chowdah in a bread bowl). We also walked down to the beach where Ethan felt the chilly water of the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

He's back!

I'm still getting used to the new and improved Ethan. He's just started to walk 2~3 steps. He's also started to make faces on demand (like the pic above). More pics on the way.

Point Reyes

With Sherie and Ethan still in Taiwan, I found my weekends very uneventful. So when my coworker invited me to join them on an 8-mile hike near Point Reyes I quickly agreed.

Taiwan '07

I've finally reduced all the pictures I took in Taiwan down to about 250. I'm also trying a flash version of CS2's automated gallery. I'm hoping the download time won't take too long.

If I had to reduce all the pictures I took down to one, it will prob be this one:

Taiwan is all about rice, especially during Chinese New Years. This picture was taken near my grandma's home in Yi-lan. I was only able to spend 2 days here but I got to see grandma. She's still trucking along at 102.

Besides Yi-Lan, we also took a short trip to Wu-Lai for a day. We ate at a restaurant that overlooked the Wu-Lai river. Afterwards we had afternoon tea/coffee at a hot-spring hotel. I ordered a Kahlua Coffee for about $6 USD, which also includes a dessert.

We stay in Taipei for most of the 2 weeks I was there. Not much was going on in Taipei as most business was closed due to Chinese New Year. Sherie's mom cooked us a huge dinner on the second day of New Year, traditionally the day where married women return to their parents home. Sherie's family, like most families enjoy "dry-land swimming" as part of the new year tradition. In front of Sherie's place there's a park with a wide open track. Although signs clearly say no fireworks, there was a show every night from 7pm to 3am.

Baby Plane

Don't have a silver spoon for your little one? No worry, dress it up with a Baby Plane!

9 month check-up, what a no-bloody mess!

Ethan's turned 9 months old this week. His weight gain has slowed but is still at a hefty 23lb-14oz. on a weight-height ratio, he is *still* off the chart, above the 100-percentile curve.

Before we saw Ethan's doctor we were told to do a survey. These questions are specifically for a 9-month old. We filled it out and for the most part it was a great reminder. One of the question asked if we lived in a place built before 1979. We do. The doctor sent us to have Ethan's blood tested.

We get down to the lab and two assistants were there to draw Ethan's blood. Actually, their badge said "Assistant II". The first assistant, felt around Ethan's arm for the vein. Felt around some more. Then he whispers to the other assistant, "oh, its a flush". The other assistant tries to feel the vein too. Both of them seem to be unsure. The first assistant, sensing me getting impatient quickly swabs Ethan's arm with alcohol and took out an adult-size needle. He didn't hesitate, to which I thought was a good thing at first, and plunge this adult-size needle into the Ethan's arm. He loosened the rubber strap and no blood anywhere. He then tries to dig around a bit more, still, nothing.

I knew these guys were practicing on Ethan. Fine. The only way they were going to get experience were on babies. So go ahead, practice on my only son. All this time, Ethan is crying louder and louder, and the assistant is digging around for a vein. Finally, I asked him if they could get someone else. Another guy in white coat came, used a "buttlerfly" (a thinner) needle, and was able to draw enough blood for the test (this guy saw Ethan and said "oh-oh, and I have carpal tunnel!").

So what went wrong? I don't know, but I have a few theories. I could've kept quiet for a little longer and maybe the first assistant would eventually find a vein with an adult needle? Couldn't this first assistant used a "butterfly" in the first place?

In anticipation

The whole chen5.1 gang will be taking a trip to Taiwan for Chinese New Year. I will be posting more frequently, so I hope. The furthest we've traveled with Ethan was a 2 hour drive to Monterey. So flying for 14 hours should be an adventure.

There are a few things I'm looking forward to. Introducing Ethan to Sherie and my family. Food. Yi-Lan (grandma Lee's farm is there). The night market and the grocery-market. New year festivities. TV! 7-11 (yeah that's right, 7-Eleven). Buying breakfast.

As giddy as I am, there are also some things i dread and can't avoid. Smokers, especially with Ethan. Smog. Lack of organized/clean sidewalk. The returning trip, it'll be tough since Sherie and Ethan are staying behind for a few weeks longer. Jet lag.

As I write this post, there's a list of things we need to bring back that's been growing exponentially. Vitamins tops this list both in quantity ~and~ importance. I frequently remind family that there IS a Costco in Taiwan... Glucosamine is the same everywhere right? We will be packing lots Ethan's things as well. We're still in the process of deciding what we can/can't get by. Long gone are the days when I can only pack 3 shirts and a jean.

So friends, family, and coworkers, what do you look forward to (or dread) when you go on a vacation? Food? People? Music?

Ethan's pics from 6 to 9 months

Things to eat before first birthday:
Chicken, check!

Baby Tech - Babykeeper

I saw this from gizmodo. Seems like such a great idea, no?

6 month check up

We were a little late getting to Kaiser (by 5 min) and was told our doctor couldn't see us :( Boooo~~ After some thinking, i approached the nurse again and tried reasoning with her. I also held Ethan up to the window to help my case. it did! a few minutes later the doctor came out to greet us. ...it could also be that i was begging a little.

Ethan weighed in at 22lbs. plus change. the doctor was convinced that he was on a strict snickers diet. We explained, up until the check up, he was getting mostly breast milk and not much else. Ethan is now almost 7 months old and has since then moved into semi solid foods like tofu and mushed up carrots.

The 6-month check up also meant getting more shots. With the 3 vaccine shots Ethan got a bonus flu shot. We're going back in a few days for his second flu shot. I had mention to the doctor about mercury based preservatives in flu shots. Out of all the pediatricians I've asked at Kaiser, most of them seem to think its no big deal. What's a parent to do? The alternative was to wait for vaccine shots that *didn't* have the mercury preservatives... not likely, since there's already a shortage of the regular vaccine.

baby tech

2 baby tech products that recently came across my screen. weird? yes. useful? seems users have been reporting getting more REM sleep.

2 month check up

Ethan got his vaccine shots on Tuesday. I'm happy to report that he weighed in at 13lbs and 14oz, at a hefty 92 percentile. We were told that weight was big even for non-asian babies. His height is 25 inches and off the percentile curve on the printout. The doc said he was at 97 percentile. At this rate, he will be 900lbs and 8 feet tall before he turns 13.

Ethan at 7+ weeks

more after the jump.

my day job

Duke of Poop, aka Sir Poopington. in rougher neighborhoods he's know as Sir Poopalot. 

What Ethan thought of Sushi House

what? no green tea ice cream? 

where have i seen that frown before

Lean mean poopin' machine

These are some of the images taken on the night Ethan was born.

blast from the past

wedding pics - micky D style
jio fen - old town in taiwan
yi-lan - secret to grandma lee's health

that's it for now, more will be up soon

chen5.1.1

Muffin is in the oven!