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I am back to sunny (actually it's been rainy) California. But, it was fun to be able to go back to Colorado for a day, just wish that I could stay longer. Well, I miss Jim and the kids though, especially after meeting up with my friends' babies.
Yes, we finally got a crib for Arie. Jim put that together on Sunday, and we put it in my mom's room. We don't have enough space to put another crib in our bedroom, so mom just has to room with Arie. Anyway, my mom has been sharing her bed with Arie since the first day. We tried to put her in the crib at night since Sunday, but somehow she still ended up in my mom's bed in the morning. My mom said 'It takes time, I will have to do it gradually, not instantly.' I think she just likes to sleep with Arie...hehe..
Posted by Winnie 4:52 PM

The pictures are here.
Posted by Winnie 8:18 PM

I am here in Denver, and it is COLD. Actually, I kind of like it because it brings back memories when Jim and I were living here. Well, as long as I don't have to wait for buses outside in the cold, I think I am ok. I am here for a training class at the company I used to work for when I first graduated from college. It's amazing how big J.D. Edwards has become now, the campus is huge. I am only going to be here for a 1 day training, so I will be home tonight. With only 1 day to visit my friends here in Denver, I was able to meet up with Barbara and Toshiko last night at the house of Barb's mom. I got to meet their babies - Barb and Tai's Winston, Toshiko and Roland's Natalie. They are both so cute. Winston is crawling now and moving fast. Natalie is a chubby baby and so adorable. I had a great time talking to them about parenting. We took some pictures too last night, and I will post them when I get home. I will be meeting my friend Angela this afternoon for lunch today.
Posted by Winnie 7:31 AM

Max had a tough night with runny nose and a slight fever last night, so he got up pretty early this morning. As we were all lying in bed, I casually turned to Max and said Hi to him. To our surprise, he relied with a 'Hiii.’. First, we thought it might just be a fluke; maybe he was just making baby noise. Then, Jim turned toward Max and said Hi to him. Again, he replied 'Hiii…’. It was so cute. To try and confirm what we thought we were hearing was correct, Jim had my mom said 'Hi' to Max. Once again, Max replied 'Hiiii...’. It was amazing, and we couldn't get enough of it. However, we tried later today; he didn't seem to response to our greeting. Maybe, he only says it in the morning. We don't know yet, but we will sure try tomorrow morning, afternoon, and evening or should I say all the time.
Arie, on the other hand, doesn't seem to response to Hi yet. But, she usually greets people with a smile.
Posted by Winnie 9:58 PM

Max started feeling a little sick last night. Most likely he caught it from Martha who was sick with sore throat and a fever on Thursday. He also got the vaccination shot on Friday which probably made him weak. We took a long walk to the pier and did groceries with the kids in the morning, and he was still doing ok. He couldn't sleep much after we came back from the store, and he started to have runny nose. By 8pm, he was crying and fussing so much that it was hard to put him to sleep. He had a temperature of 99.5F, so we gave him some baby tylenol. It immediately helped him to sleep, but he still had trouble breathing and eating with his runny nose. This morning he was the same, runny nose and fever. The poor little guy just didn't feel well. Luckily Arie hasn't gotten it yet, although she was coughing a little bit this afternoon. I hope she won't get it too.
Posted by Winnie 5:00 PM

We didn't have to wait too long yesterday to see the doctor - usually it's pretty crowded. The kids did okay, of course, they cried. This time, Max cried harder than Arie. Arie sort of got over it after a short while. Max was fine after we gave him a bottle. I still think that 4 shots at one time is really hard to take, and that's how our doctor likes to do it, so I guess it's okay. Jim is thinking to switch to a different doctor near home, so we don't have to drive that far. I asked several of my friends at work, but they all take their kids to the doctors in Santa Monica too. We will keep looking though.
The nurse weighed the kids too. Arie gained over a pound, so she is now 17 lbs 7 oz. Max only gained 10 oz, so he is now 15 lbs 2 oz. We know that Max hasn't been eating enough formula ever since we started on solids. We asked the doctor if we can feed him more solids which Max seems to prefer more than formula. Dr. Sachs said as long as we feed them more than 8 oz of formula and no more than 4 oz of solids, that will be okay. I guess we could have given them more cereals, but we just weren't sure. So, we are now giving them 3 solid meals a day and formula in between. Hopefully, Max can gain some weight. I am sure Arie won't turn down the extra meal.
Posted by Winnie 9:38 PM

It's that time again for their vaccination. This time, they will be getting 4 different vaccines..Yikes!!! I still remember the last time they got 4 shots, and they cried so hard, even Martha. The bright side is that after tomorrow they won't be getting any until they are 1 year old. Martha will be going with Jim tomorrow, and I am going to meet them at the Dr's office.
Posted by Winnie 9:32 PM

Yes, Martha came back on Sunday night. In fact, she came back an hour after Maria came to pick up her stuffs. It would have been a little strange to have them both in the house at the same time. We were all very excited to see Martha again, and even Arie greeted her with a big smile. Max is usually in bed by 8 pm, so he was already sleeping by the time Martha arrived. We talked with Martha for a long time about her trip back home. You know, I never realized how good Martha's English was until we started interviewing other nannies. With Maria, I don't think she understands what we tell her sometimes, and Jim becomes our translator at home because he is the only one who can speak some Spanish. Now that Martha is back, my mom can at least talk to Martha when she is home. She also feels more comfortable to leave the kids home with Martha too.
Posted by Winnie 5:31 PM

Jim had to do the tough job of telling Maria. Well, he actually talked to her son first, so that he can tell Maria about Martha's return in Spanish. Jim offered to drop off her stuffs and money yesterday to her house since we both got a day off for President's day. But, she insisted to come back and pick them up herself. Maria came with her granddaughter, and she can speak English. So, I had her granddaughter to tell Maria that we appreciate all her help and please don't hesitate to use us as one of her references. Maria gathered up her stuffs quickly with the help from her granddaughter. She then gave Max and Arie a hug and a kiss before she left. I feel bad that Maria has to go, and I really hope that she can find another job soon.
Posted by Winnie 10:53 AM

She called this afternoon and she is here in LA. She told me that she would like to work for us again, but with one condition. She wants to go to school on Saturday morning which means she will have to leave on Friday night instead of Saturday. She leaves early on Saturday anyway, so we all feel that it would be ok for her to leave on Friday night, but we make sure that she comes back on Sunday night. I just called her and told her to come back on this coming Monday night. Now, we made our decision to have Martha comes back, but the tough job has yet to be done. Who is going to tell Maria ?
Posted by Winnie 10:17 PM

Thank you for the surprise, Jim. I didn't get to check our blog till this morning. I can't believe that we've been together for almost 12 years - we are getting old. This valentine's day is really extra special now that we have 2 little babies, and it's their first valentine's day. Hope you all had a happy Valentine's day!!!
Posted by Winnie 10:05 PM

This is a little message for my wife. It has been over 11 years that we have been together, and every year just keeps getting better. Granted, last year was a tough one (Pregnancy, babies and traveling), but you are what keeps my heart beating every day. Will you be my Valentine?



Love,
Jim
Posted by Max 3:25 PM

There were 2 packages sitting by the front door last night when I got home. My immediate instinct was to open them, but I had to wait for Jim otherwise he will be upset. haha... The heart stickers covered boxes were sent by grandma and grandpa from Indiana. Every year, mom will send us a valentine gift box which she usually fills it with candies or cookies. After watching the 2 finalists performed on American Idol, we decided to open the gifts with Arie and my mom. Since Max was already sleeping, we opened his gifts and card without him. The kids got some new clothes for now and later when they get bigger, a toy, and 2 teddy bears that say 'I love you' in both English and Spanish and 2 lovely valentine's cards. Jim and I got gifts too - we can always use more clothes. It was like Christmas again. Here, we want to thank grandma Dorcia and grandpa Chuck for all the wonderful gifts. Thank You !!!
I went to the mall during lunch time to shop for gifts, but I didn't see anything that Jim likes. Valentine's day is tomorrow, so I should better hurry up. ; )
Posted by Winnie 2:08 PM

This is the topic we (my mom, Jim and I) have been talking about these couple of days. Should we keep Maria? Or, should we have Martha comes back? How long will Martha stays? Who is better? It's really hard to decide. They are both very nice people, and that makes it even harder to turn either one of them down. We all agreed that Martha is much better in taking care of the kids, and I am sure Max will agree with us. Maria handles the kids ok, but she is quite forgetful. Mom told me that she has to mix the rice cereals for the kids because Maria doesn't seem to remember how much water to use. Besides her unusual singing voice, she doesn't seem to know when and how to get Max to sleep. Maria just started though, and she is really trying hard to take care of the kids and to keep the house clean. The truth is that we are all leaning towards having Martha back, but our only concern is that she might leave again. Do we really want to go through the hassle of looking for another nanny? Probably not.
Anyway, I had to call Marvin (her friend) to let her know that we are indeed interested to have Martha works for us again last night. Marvin told me that Martha will be back actually this Friday instead, and she will tell her to call us this Saturday. Hopefully, she is really interested to come back for long.
Posted by Winnie 5:32 PM

Two of Martha's friends called today. Marvin, her friend here, called and asked me if I am still looking for a nanny. Her English isn't very good, so at first I thought she said that she can come to work for us. She actually meant Martha can come back and work for us, and she is coming back in 2 weeks. I was quite surprised and excited, but at the same time very confused. So, I told her I would talk to Jim about it first and let her know. Of course, I would like to have Martha here again. At around 7pm, a friend of Martha called collect from El Salvador, and he asked me the same thing for Martha. His English isn't too good either, and I was quite confused after our conversation. Before I hung up the phone, I told him to have Martha call me tomorrow. I would rather hear it from Martha to tell me that she is coming back rather than her friends, just to make sure that she is coming back. After talking to my mom and Jim, we all agreed that Martha does a much better job on taking care of the kids compare to Maria. Maria is doing better everyday, and she works really hard. If Martha is indeed coming back to U.S, I will feel bad that I have to let Maria go, but I know the kids will be in good hands. Anyway, I am going to wait to talk to Martha to make sure she is really coming back for long, not just a few months. Let's see....
Posted by Winnie 10:09 PM

It's official - I can finally feel a sharp edge in the bottom of their gums. No wonder they have been so cranky lately, even Arie. They are also drooling and biting their bibs all the time. Their bibs are always wet, and we have to change them almost every hour. Now, I think Maria have to do laundry twice a day because we always seem to run of out bibs. Other than that, the kids are doing ok, and they seem to enjoy pears, bananas, and carrots (we just started on Sunday). I think they would much rather eat the rice cereals than formula. We have been having difficulties feeding them formula rather than solids, especially Max. Sometimes, they are eating as little as 3 oz per feeding with a lot of forcing. Well, maybe this is also part of teething too.

Posted by Winnie 9:36 PM

Well Blogfans, it has been a pretty busy week. We started the week off with some real good blogs. Winnie hit a homerun with her New Years blog and followed by scoring with "Family Day". She has really been on a tear lately. Jim started off the week slow and has finished even slower. This is his attempt to try and save face with all his fans. Unfortunately for him, it may be too little too late. Let's recap the week. Arie is rolling over on a regular basis now. One more step on the road to crawlsville. I can't say if she has been eating well since I have been coming home pretty late, but come on, it's Arie. Of course she is eating well! Max has been getting along with Maria (see unfinished blog below). Although her methods (playful talk and forcing him to walk) may be a little over the top, and her singing voice would only generate foul remarks from Simon Cowell of American Idol fame, I think she may work out. One thing that helps is her cooking. She has only made dinner a couple of nights, but it was pretty good. I am learning how to nod and pretend I understand Spanish. However, I don't know if I am as convincing as I think I am. I think Maria and I could have a conversation without either of us knowing what the other had just said. As for Mom, she has been stuck in the house most of the time now since the nanny is still too new to leave alone. Sorry Mom, but we appreciate your watchful eye! Well I started off this blog by saying it has been a pretty busy week...and nothing has changed...Therefore, I must take leave and finish bringing home the bacon for our beloved children Max and Arie. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
Posted by Max 7:50 AM

With a little help from daddy, she finally did it last night. We were clapping our hands and cheering for her, and I think we scared her a little bit. This time I have pictures to prove it, but I will have to post them tonight when I get home.
Posted by Winnie 11:31 AM

They just started eating pear with rice cereal since yesterday, and my mom said that they didn't seem to get enough of it. I am sure it tastes much better or sweeter than banana. They are eating rice cereal twice a day - 10 am and 6 pm. I should check to see when we can increase the amount of food. Dr. Sachs really didn't say much on how to introduce them on solids. All I know is that we should feed them one kind of fruit at a time and wait several days to see if they are allergic to it. No citrus fruits yet. Anyway, I will get to ask Dr. Sachs soon when we take them for another round of vaccines this month. :(
Posted by Winnie 12:12 PM

First, my brother Ricky and his girlfriend Kimmy came this morning to visit us for Chinese New Year. They had to leave early because Kimmy has to work later tonight for a wine tasting party of 45. Kimmy has an Asian fusion restaurant called 'Michelia' in Beverly hill, and she is the head chef there. The food is excellent, and the place is well decorated. She told us today that they have finally gotten their wine and alcohol license which they have been applying for almost 1 year. She said business was so bad without the license that they were afraid that they would need to close. Now that she got the license, they are getting a lot busier than before. The restaurant is also ranked #24 in Zagat. We are all very happy for her. Anyway, Ricky and Kimmy played with the kids for a short time, and Max and Arie weren't too fussy.

Around 4pm, aunt Carol and uncle Bob from Indiana called and they were on their way to our house. Max and Arie just got up from their nap when they got to our place. Carol and Bob are going to Australia this Thursday, and they are stopping over here in LA before their 14 hours flights to the land down under. Max had so much fun bouncing up and down with Bob's assistance, and the exercise helped Max sleep longer afterwards. We talked with Carol while she held Arie on her lap, and Arie later fell asleep on her shoulder. They left after an hour, and it was great seeing them again. I am sure they will have a great time in Australia.
Posted by Winnie 10:22 PM

Goodbye horse and welcome goat. Happy Chinese New Year!!! Gong Hei Fat Choi (Good Fortune and Prosperity) !!! Horse was the animal sign for last year, and this year's animal sign is goat. Every new year, my mom will check out the Chinese astrology for us. She will then tell us what might happen to us. She told me last year that there would be a big change in my life, and that was before I told her that I was pregnant with twins. She also told me a few years back that I would be traveling a lot, and I did have to travel when I was working as a consultant with E&Y that year. So, I listen to her predictions every year, and I will try to follow her dos and don'ts. I sometimes become quite superstitious about things. Here is one of the sites that talks about the different characteristics of each animal signs Yahoo! Chinese Astrology Anyway, I hope you all have a happy and healthy new year.

Jim gave me the news of the shuttle Columbia tragedy this morning. The image from the last space shuttle disaster came into my mind immediately and I was in school then. Not a very good start on the first day of Chinese New Year. My thoughts are with the family and their children.

My mom has already called my grandmothers in Hong Kong yesterday since they are 18 hours ahead of us. And, my mom's mom was preparing the big dinner for Chinese New Year. I also talked to my grandmothers and wished them good health and fortune. Both of my grandmothers are in good health, and they both sent their regards to Max and Arie. Jim and I talked about how we wish we could take the kids to Hong Kong to meet their great grandparents and relatives. Tonight, I called several of my best friends from secondary school in Hong Kong - Astrid, Bonnie, and Anny. I talked to them briefly as they were all busy either shopping or working or getting ready to go out. Astrid sent me some baby clothes and shoes for the kids, and they are just lovely. The shoes are so cute, but they are a little big right now. Thank You, Astrid!!! Anyway, it was great talking to them, and I miss them so much. We didn't really do much today except going out for a walk after Jim took our nanny home. My mom went out with Jenny to South Cost Plaza, and she was proud that she didn't get anything from the mall.

Posted by Winnie 9:27 PM