Quip du Jour

Once a week I took one of the kids out just to have "Alec's Day" or "Sam's Day". I missed "Sam's Day" this week, so I took her out today; leaving Alec home with the nanny. Sean studied at Starbucks and joined us for lunch. Alec called his cell...
Alec: "Hi, Dad. How are you doing?"
Sean: "I'm good. What do you up to?"
Alec: "Just playing games. I called Quinn and he can't play. He is visiting Scott, his cousin. I just wondering if you done studying and wanted to play with me"

Sometimes I am amazed how mature Alec turned out to be...

Quip du Jour

I got this nasty bug and made me sooo sick and exhausted. I had Sammy on a play date and Alec was home, playing video games. I kept switching between working on a project on my computer and playing FreeCell. Alec came to bed and said: "What are you doing, Mom?"
Me: "Play games"
Alec: "Can I play?"
Me: "I don't think you know how to play this"
Alec: "Can you teach me?"
Me: "Can I teach you some other times? I don't feel good and you can play more fun of a game than this. You can play Wii or PS3 or your DS. You have so many fun games and I need a quiet time"
Alec: "Ok. When I don't feel good, I'd like to play boring games, too".
and off he went...

Quip du Jours

When Alec told me that he was going to be on the 'spot light' at church this Sunday, I knew he must be mistaken because I didn't get any email from Primary. But to humor him, I asked him what he was going to say anyway.

Me: "So what are you going to say on the 'spot light' ?"
Alec: "I don't know"
Me: "Well, the reason they do that, they wanted to know you better. Why don't you start with: My name is Aidan, I was born in Ogden and I like to play video games"
Alec: "Can I just read something out of the scriptures?
Me: "But you're not assigned to read scriptures, you're the 'spot light' "
Sean: "You can say 'I like to play skateboard' "
Alec: "Can I just say: 'My name is Aidan Stein and I love to come to church. I love my class and sharing times because I love to learn more about Jesus' "
Me and Sean: "That's ... good, too" (my child has grown up... )

Quip du jour

Alec: "I cannot wait to be 39"
Me: "Really??? Why? There are lots of fun stuff to do before you're 39"
Alec: "Like what?"
Me: "Like when you're 8...
Alec: "O, yeah. I get to be baptized. I forgot. What else, Mom?"
Me: "When you're 12, you can learn how to dive with me"
Alec: "Argh! I can't wait to be 12!"
Me: "And when you're 15, you can see some movies by yourself. When you're 19, you can go on a mission from church. When you're 20 you can go to college and have a girl friend. And you can get married before 30, and THEN you can have your own Alec and be the BOSS. You're always want to be the boss, right?"
Alec: "Yeah. But girls get to be the boss all the time not boys. I know who wants to be the boss of me. She is in Medan and her name starts with V"
Me: "Vicyie? Are you planning to go back to Medan?
Alec: "I don't know. Will she remember me when I go to college?"
Me: "If you keep communicating with her, she will not forget about you"
Alec: "What... do you know her number?"
Me: "I have her mom's number"
Sean: "Ah... the power of blackberry"
Alec: "Can I buy a berry for me, too?

The Tradition

Alec was sooo wound up about Santa, it was so cute to watch. We have been reading Christmas story book, watching Christmas movie this season and excited about tonight.
Alec kept looking into our fire place and wondering how Santa get through the chimney.

We have our tradition of opening 2 presents on Christmas Eve. It usually a book so we can read them to bed and reminded them why we celebrate Christmas. I wish this tradition will go on until they have their own children.

Strolling down the river on Christmas Eve

Busy Day

I volunteered at Alec's school as the class representative. This means I get to represent Alec's class in planning activities and at PTA meetings in British section of this huge school. We have had some very busy months since summer and today is the last activity of the year. We organized a Christmas lunch so parents could come to school and eat with their kids for all of Year 1 (grade 1) classes. In total, we had 45 kids with parents and their teachers and assistant teachers. Quite overwhelming but it turned out outstanding.

I spent the whole morning decorating the room, our little chipper, Sam, tagged along to "help". Though she slows me down a bit, I can't help noticing her passion to help. She "insists" on helping to carry the Christmas decorations and pretending that she was in pain carrying the big box. She was so proud of herself and kept telling Sean how helpful she was when he came and joined the party.Right after we're done with our lunch party we headed to AIT's Christmas Party at the Taipei Regent where the kids got to meet Santa and their friends and neighbors. Alec had a chat with Santa and give him his wish list. He told Santa he wanted a Chainsaw. . .

Beautiful Sunday Walk

7th Ward's Christmas Peagant

Aboriginal Museum Show

School's Christmas Show

Alec is a shy boy. When I received the invitation from his school for his Christmas show I wasn't sure that he will perform in front of us. I feared as soon as he sees me he will froze but I was wrong. He danced and sang and reverently sat when others performed. I had a butterfly in my stomach watching him out there. Great job, Alec!

Dining out

Shocking!

I was talking to Sean in Chinese and suddenly Alec interrupted us saying: "You were planning to escape without the kids, weren't you guys?"

It's PINK!

Alec has been joining soccer since early September. Every Saturday morning we went and watched, and Alec is getting good at it. Today he scored 2 goals and immediately run into me. "Mom, don't tell anyone, I saw my coach's underwear and it's PINK!"

Monkey Love

Wounded soldier

We had a really productive morning and treated our selves to a delicious desert at Friday's, which, turns out, has a fun balcony Alec loves to play on. They also have wooden white picket fences that separate the tables which is very cute. But to Alec, the fences are also look like an army barricade you've seen on tv or in movies, so it was too much for Alec to resist... of course he had to play on them. Since it was so cold outside, no body sat on the balcony. It was quite hard for me to say no to.

He was doing pretty good showing off his ability to walk on and jump over or jump from one fence to the others. Soon, lot's of other kids were joining in. We ate, and Alec asked whether he could play again. I can tell he was getting tired so I told him "no".

I ran upstairs to pick up our tickets to see the new Disney Christmas Carol in iMax-3D, while Sean waiting for the bill. Since the queue was long I went back and decided to order the ticket by phone (more on Taiwan's awesome service another time). When I came back, Alec was playing outside with a bunch of other kids. A few minutes later, though, he came in crying after a fall. Since we didn't see how he fell, we assumed he was alright when he stopped crying.

We watched the movie and about half way through it, Alec started whimpering and sobbing that his arm was hurting. Not taking any chances, we took him the ER and this is what we have now ~ a wounded soldier :(

Beautiful Sunday

Say a little pray

Alec has a sniffle and gone worst by the day ends. This was his prayer last night before he's gone to bed...

"Dear Heavenly Father... (sniffle) thank you for today ...
umm... (sniffle) thank you for a beautiful day today... I had fun at Church...
please help me to sleep well tonight...umm (sniffle) and wake up NORMAL again and be happy.
I say all these in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen"

Welcome to Taipei European School

It has started to feel like home...

I'm graduated!

I want you to read "ARMY", Mom!

Happy 6th Birthday

Holy smokes Batman, you are six years old!

I cannot believe how a six year old could carry on with so much grown-up conversation like you've been doing forever. You are very smart and very, very passionate about all things military (especially guns!). You mentioned many many times that you are hoping to be the army "boss" when you grow up. You don't believe in magic, you believe magic shows are tricks. I cannot fathom how such a young boy could absorb so much information and still remember small little things I promised months ago, like playing paint ball.

Each morning this year when your daddy wasn't traveling, you would get up very early and wake up daddy to play Wii before he sent you off to school. You guys have really bonded that way ~ you two are screaming together, telling each other what to do, planning strategy to take the bad guys down. It's become a morning ritual for both of you. You have lost 5 teeth so far and have gained 4 and a quarter new teeth. (My favorite are the two giant beaver teeth that are coming in so quickly!) You are smart and bilingual and often translate bahasa cartoons for your Dad (still haven't figured out that he already understands, though. Hmmmm). You play basket ball very well for your age and are really good at soccer! Watch out Beckham ^_^ I'm amazed to see those little legs go!

You are pretty strict in telling between right and wrong, the truth and lies. There is no grey line with you -- especially when it's related to your sister. You are very caring toward your little sister. You are really good at swimming, you are quite popular in your class, everybody loves you, especially the girls! One of your classmates even says she wants to marry you!

Whether it is a science project, a bahasa language project, a book fair, or any other school projects; your friends fight to be in your group. You also had a hard time when I told you that we are leaving Medan for good. You mentioned your best friends' names in your prayers hoping that you will see them again when you grow up.

My hope for you, Chunko, that you will always be comfortable being who you are wherever you are. You are such a special kid. I will always be your biggest fan and, as I have said a gazillion times, I am blessed to have you in my life and I love you more than I thought possible.

Happy 6th Birthday
Love, Mom

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Since Alec's friends are leaving for the summer holiday and will not return until we're gone, I decided to celebrate your birthday a couple of weeks early so you can celebrate with them. We had a snow ball fight, squirt gun fight, popping ballons with your foot games, whacked a pinata and we all had a blast. Since we'll be in Taiwan on your sister's 3rd birthday, we celebrated her birthday at the same time. I made a Princess Cake for Sam and an Army Cake for you. I was very happy to see your big smiles when you saw the cakes.
Though they weren't the greatest, I made a simple pinata for each of you. Sam refused to hit the pinata but you and your friends had the greatest time ever.


Even though I asked our friends to not bring gifts (you have enough gifts from your grandma alone), you ended up tons of new stuff anyway. Thank you friends!

Friendly Tooth Fairy