Braces... Me???

Finally went to the dentist after being here for a whole year. I'm glad to use my benefits or rather, DH's benefits. Before DH's employer got acquired, we were under DMO plan and the selection of dentists under that plan was... rather not so interesting. In other words, the good ones don't even bother dealing with DMO. I waited until the acquisition finalized. We now have new benefits under this parent-company and it is costing us much cheaper in premiums!! Premiums is the portion that is costing the employee out-of-pocket for the health benefit coverage. We are saving something like $80-$100 for both of us in premiums per month.

It wasn't too hard to pick a dentist with good recommendations. I searched on Yelp.com and just randomly picked one that had good recommendations and close to home. DH and I went together for a preventive cleaning and check-up. Now, Dr. Goh says I have bite alignment problems causing too much pressure on my molars and jaw. A night guard would be a temporary solution, but for permanent solution, I would need braces. Euh... Braces? Me? aiya!!! I'm 30 and married... I really don't want to go through 2+ years of braces unless it's very necessary! *sigh* I wouldn't do it for cosmetic... but now that she brings that up, I do feel my jaw tired sometimes. Ok, I should go get a second opinion from a specialist.

Welcome to the Bay Area!

On Saturday, we had a welcome party for my sister! The first party I organized since I moved to CA. We had it at her corporate apartment and I made some of my favorite desserts: mango pudding, coconut pudding, water chestnut pudding... and I also cooked French Canadian delicacy pâté chinois. It was fun, we had about 14 guests and we played Apples & Apples. I also surprised my sister with a early birthday cake!! haha... She really didn't expect that!!

I'm still hanging around!

Dear readers,

I don't mean to neglect my blog, but life has been busy since I got back from my trip. For the past few weeks, I have been babysitting 3 days a week to help out my friend until she finds a good nanny. The other two days of week day are just enough for me to catch up with my volunteering work and get back in touch with my network here. Thankfully, my friend just told me that she found a nanny who will start in September, so I don't need to help her out anymore! Yay!

My sister just moved here on Friday the 10th from Chicago. I am definitely part of the reasons why she moved. I feel so blessed... to have family to support me. She is leaving behind 7 years of seniority with her previous employer and her beloved house to be here. She started her first week at her new employer last week. She is loving it! Well, hope this honeymoon phase will last... hehehe

Meditation while Babysitting

I've been helping my friend taking care of her son while she looks for a good full-time nanny. Today is my 7th day babysitting. Baby Nathan is almost 9 month-old and is quite a good boy, that's why I agreed to help since I lose patience with cry babies. But now, he is teething and has been quite fussy since yesterday.

Babysitting made me meditate on motherhood. I'm thinking... A mother goes through 9 months of pregnancy, plus painful and endless hours of labour to give birth to a baby. Then she breastfeeds him. Now can you picture this? It is quite an intimate relationship. Fathers can only imagine, but could never experience. Would they stop and think about the effort a mother puts into a child?

Then a baby is born, from this moment on, a mother spends the rest of her life devoting to him/her. She spends time nurturing, caring, and protecting him/her. She worries... Does he eat? Does he sleep? Is he cold/hot? Does the sun bother him? Is the noise too loud?

I always knew that mother's love is quite something - mother's love is generous, grand, heroic! But why? Have I stopped and think how it is to be a mother?

Nathan is almost 9 months old and his routine is based on 2-hr slots: he plays for 2 hrs, then sleeps for 2 hrs. When he sleeps, I prepare his food and can't step away too far: if he wakes up in the middle of his nap, I have to put him back to sleep, because sleeping helps growth. When he's awake, I can't detach myself from him: he may get hurt while I'm away. I entertain him, feed him, play with him in a very educational way because it helps his growth. Then the routine restarts. That is so much work! And I'm only watching him 1/3 of the day! And I have not been in the picture since the beginning! Well, reality is there is no break for a mother: it is a 24/7 job and it's for the rest of her life!

Now I wonder... What if the child she raised turn out to be a brat? What if the child she has cared of and gave unconditional love to turns out to hate her? How heartbroken can a mother be? How would she feel if her dear son moves away to be with the woman of his life? How would she feel if he turns his back on her to protect another woman?

To all mothers on Earth who choose to love unconditionally: Chapeau!

Babysitting - Day 5

This is the baby I've been babysitting. :)

He is particularly talkative when I put him in his bouncing saucer, which he also uses as a poo station.