And so it came to pass that as I was relaxing in the living room as the last glow of the setting sun disappeared, a bird flew into the house. At first it just rested on the carpet looking forlornly at me, perhaps wondering into what parallel universe it had travelled to. I called Irfan to approach slowly, but as I edged for a closer look, it flew. Because the top of the doors and windows were a couple of feet lower than the ceiling, the bird had difficulty trying to leave the house. It flew here and there, catching a breather on the floor, at the top of the cupboard and clinging onto curtains. As we tried to help it leave the house, Irfan called up his grandparents to let them know what’s happening. It even flew within an inch of Irfan’s head – causing him to shriek – […]
Continue readingTag Archives: Around the House
TV first
Here are blog posts of things and events that happen at home…
Allie’s 23 Month Birthday
And Allie is now another month older. She was 23 months old last Tuesday, and now is not even a month away from her second birthday! How crazy is that? It feels just like yesterday when Allie was born and now, look at her: [[image:allie668a.jpg:Wearing her trademark barrette:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions It does seem like this year is flying by really quickly. Can you believe that we are almost done with June? Half the year is done already! Allie has been growing like a weed, and absorbing everything around her. In this past month, we had our usual trip to New Jersey for work, but we also got to meet up with Amy and Jef in Philly, and Allie had a lovely playdate with their son Reza. We also met up with Min and Aida, and Allie had a playdate, with Aida’s son Casey yesterday. It’s […]
Continue readingHappy Father’s Day! (Backdated)
This is a backdated entry in honor of Father’s Day. I managed to pick out some gifts for Vin (seen below) and Allie and Lily got together and sent Vin an e-card. In keeping with last year’s theme, Allie models Vin’s presents: [[image:allie638a.jpg:Take me out to the ballgame!:center:0]] Vin got to play in his Father’s Day baseball game, but Allie, Lily and I stayed home since Allie had slept in. Can you guess what Vin’s favorite baseball team is? [[image:allie633a.jpg:Toddler hat:center:0]] [[image:allie634a.jpg:Cubs dress:center:0]] [[image:allie635a.jpg:T-shirt with bear logo:center:0]] The bear logo is important as Allie loves all the shirts and hats that Vin and I have that have the actual cubs bear on it (and not just the “C”). She growls at it. So now she has some clothes that she can growl at when she goes to Vin’s games or goes to Chicago Cubs games with her Papa! And here […]
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Irfan’s Player Character Saves The Day
Irfan played his first complete Star Wars Role-Playing Game adventure today, as everyone’s favourite intrepid astromech droid Artoo-Detoo. He was awesome at figuring out solutions to simple problems that were presented in the scenario that I cooked up. He even role-played Artoo well by having in-character conversations in regular robotic beeps. We played on the living room carpet and I used the gamemaster (GM) screen for the first time ever, with the D6 rules and stats inserts I made. My coterie of white D6 were arrayed on the floor, while the singe red D6 served as a Wild Die. The scenario was designed to be short and with minimal story twists. Shortly after the Battle of Hypori that, Artoo-Detoo, the lone player character (PC), was sent by Clone Commander Cody for a mission. Orbiting the planet, say for story’s sake, Eiattu 6, Artoo’s task was to be flown from the […]
Continue readingIrfan Meets a Cat
It’s not a stray because it seems to be well-fed, not unkempt and has a collar. It’s prowling the corridors outside the tenth floor. Naturally, Irfan tries his best to have fun with it, throwing ball and running around the corridors. It sometimes succeeds in bypassing the blockade and zips into the house, causing Irfan to gleefully try to corner it and chase it outside. [[image:cat-2010-mar-01.jpg:It’s a lion! Get in the car!!:center:0]] At the end of the day, Ain lets Irfan feed it some milk which it lapped up quickly. [[image:cat-2010-mar-02.jpg:Starring Sean Penn:center:0]] If no one claims it, i.e., it doesn’t belong to anyone on the tenth floor, then I should stick a notice downstairs. [[image:cat-2010-mar-03.jpg:oh hai wats goin on in dis post? kthxbai:center:0]]
Continue readingBlizzard! And Allie Plays in the Snow
First big snowfall of 2010 today. We had some snow in December but since Allie had strep and all we decided not to expose her to the cold. But now she is better and we had four inches of snow on the ground and more falling from the sky, we decided to go out and have some fun! We bundled her up in her snowsuit: [[image:allie484a.jpg:Happy little eskimo:center:0]] She couldn’t see very well with the hood up and preferred it down: [[image:allie473a.jpg:Let’s go outside!:center:0]] And off we went, for Allie’s first encounter with snow. [[image:allie474a.jpg:Breaking a path through unshovelled snow:center:0]] [[image:allie475a.jpg:Concentrating on her feet:center:0]] [[image:allie476a.jpg:What is this weird stuff?:center:0]] [[image:allie477a.jpg:Sitting in the snow:center:0]] [[image:allie478a.jpg:Fuyooo! Atok, I’m touching snow too!:center:0]] [[image:allie479a.jpg:Mama help me! My hands are cold:center:0]] Some crazy hat pictures: [[image:allie480a.jpg:This is fun!:center:0]] [[image:allie481a.jpg:Hatted profile:center:0]] [[image:allie482a.jpg:I have a sticker:center:0]] [[image:allie483a.jpg:Is it coming down from the sky?:center:0]] It was fun. Allie […]
Continue readingTrick or Treat!
[[image:allie423a.jpg:Buzzy Bee Baby:center:0]] So last year, Allie was semi-kitted out for Halloween, but did not go trick or treating. Last night, the girl got dressed up and ran around outside the house, but we did not actually go trick or treating again. We stayed to hand out candy to a grand total of 4 trick or treaters. We also talked to a “biker” neighbour (complete with earrings and fake tattoo – he was on his way to a Halloween party) and Allie got some candy from him (he brought a basket over and she picked out a packet of M&Ms). But Allie had tons of fun – she loves running down the sloping driveway and making her way back up. In the end we had to carry her down the driveway and let her walk up – she was really trying to run and would happily even roll down the […]
Continue readingThe one with the birthday cake
Since there has been a demand for cake, here it is!! [[image:allie330a.jpg:Let them eat cake!:center:0]] * Please mouse over the pictures for captions On Sunday, July 26th, we held a small gathering, a cookout and potluck to celebrate Allie’s first birthday. Guests include a few members of Vin’s baseball team (the team conveniently played their Sunday morning game at the local high school a block away), some of our neighbors, and a few friends. Even though it rained the day before, Sunday was a gorgeous sunny day. [[image:allie328a.jpg:Guests at the cookout with Allie in her high chair:center:0]] Vin played baseball then came home and straight away lit the grill and commenced barbecueing. Burgers, hot dogs and chicken were the meats, while I’d prepared a couple of side dishes.The neighbors brought food and drink as well as presents for the birthday girl! Allie also ate her lunch while everyone mingled: [[image:allie329a.jpg:Picnic […]
Continue readingThe one with the birthday crepes
Two days after Allie’s first birthday was Vin’s birthday! And since it was his day, he got to pick what he wanted as his birthday treat and he chose crepes. This is my first attempt at making crepes, but I gave it a shot! But first, Allie takes a shot at Lily. [[image:crepe01.jpg:Allie goes after Lily!:center:0]] The recipe was obtained from here, (thanks Alton Brown), where I used his Sweet Crepes recipe. I substituted lime juice for the liqueur. After the dough rested for an hour, I commenced frying up the crepe. The first one was a bit sad – full of holes. More like Roti Jala than crepes… [[image:crepe02.jpg:Holy crepe, Batman!:center:0]] [[image:crepe04.jpg:First crepe ended up a little over crispy too:center:0]] For filling, I made a dark chocolate sauce: [[image:crepe03.jpg:Dark chocolate sauce:center:0]] Allie kept watch to make sure Mama didn’t make (m)any mistakes: [[image:crepe06.jpg:You can do it, Mama!:center:0]] I thought […]
Continue readingAllie’s 12 Month (aka First) Birthday
Can you believe it???? Allie had her very first birthday, and turned a YEAR old last Wednesday, July 22! [[image:allie312a.jpg:Hellooooooo I’m 1!!!!:center:0]] Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to Allieeeeee,Happy birthday to youuuuuu Many thanks to everyone who called/emailed/sent presents/cards/ecards/facebooked/forummed and even blogged birthday wishes for Allie! It made us all very happy and we thank you for your wonderful wishes. *As always, please mouse over the pictures for captions. This last month has seriously flown by! I’m in-between projects so have been able to spend a lot of time with Allie and her Papa! No pesky work to get in the way! Teehee! And Allie has come so far! She has two teeth now (doubled her teeth total in one month!), commando-crawls forward especially in hot pursuit of Lily the cat, strides purposefully if you hold her hands and help her, and she even kicks […]
Continue readingAllie’s 11 Month Birthday
Well, somebody’s pleased to be 11 months old!! [[image:allie297a.jpg:Wheee! I’m almost a year old!:center:0]] 🙂 That’s right, the girl was 11 months old last Monday, June 22, 2009. Another fun-filled month has gone by. It seems like I plan to do so much, but then suddenly it’s 8 PM, Allie’s bedtime and the day is done! And she is now 11 months and 6 days old. She sleeps through the night, enjoys music, and seems to be paying attention to the commercials on TV. She still has one tooth (but goodness, it is sharp!) although it looks like others may be coming soon. Allie is growing fast. She can now pull herself to a standing position if we give her a hand, and she is learning to balance and stands with little help. She can lean her back against the sofa and stand while holding objects in her hands. She […]
Continue readingAllie’s 8 Month Birthday
This past month has also gone by in a whirlwind. I can’t believe it, but Allie is now 8 months old (last Sunday, March 22)! She’s just continuing to grow and develop before our eyes, and we feel blessed to have her in our lives. [[image:allie198a.jpg:The birthday girl:center:0]] Allie sits like a professional now, able to balance while she plays with her toys, reaching with impressive yoga-like stretching ability to pick up the toys that she has thrown everywhere. She expresses her emotions in so many different ways (not just crying). She giggles and squeals, hugs and kisses, and kicks her feet happily. She loves peekaboo, and loves to run around in the house in our arms, chasing and being chased by each other. She rolls all around the floor as her means of “crawling” – she does get where she wants to go! When she sees you walk in […]
Continue readingA Visitor!
During the time of the big hu-ha (laptop dying + snowfall + sad miserable cold Sila), we had a welcome visitor here in Southwestern Ohio! Unfortunately, the weather being what it was, we were unable to take our visitor out to sight-see very much. We decided instead to relax indoors. Allie got along well with Flat Cavebaby: [[image:cavebaby1.jpg:Allie posing with Kakak Flat Cavebaby:center:0]] Allie enjoys “tummy-time” with Flat Cavebaby: [[image:cavebaby2.jpg:Allie demonstrates being on her tummy for Kakak Flat Cavebaby:center:0]] [[image:cavebaby5.jpg:Kakak Flat Cavebaby, Allie and Lulu hold hands and sing Kumbaya:center:0]] Cavebaby is very excited that snow is falling: [[image:cavebaby4.jpg:Snow falling on the back deck:center:0]] Too bad Auntie Sila is grumpy and hates the cold. By the way, it was way below freezing and the snow just keeps falling and falling. Grumpity grump! This is not really normal weather for Southwestern Ohio. We get some snow, yes, but the weather does […]
Continue readingSequence of Events
I have a few backlogged blog entries to make, and here is the sequence of events detailing why they were delayed: 1. Thursday January 22, 2009 – Allie’s 6-month birthday. Lots of picture taking occurred. 2. Friday January 23, 2009 – my laptop screen dies in the mid-afternoon. Connecting it to an external monitor shows that the laptop itself is fine. I drive to Best Buy, stand in line forever, only to have the Geek Squad (f*ckers!!!) tell me that a) my laptop warranty ended November of 2008, and finally they come around to say that they don’t fix laptop screens. Please call someone else. They suggest a company. (Don’t even get me started on how angry I was that I drove all the way to Best Buy to have them give me this bullshit. What kind of Geek Squad doesn’t fix laptop screens?) So I get back in the […]
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Ashley and Her Parents Come for a Visit
Teik Sing, Michelle and adorable little Ashley took some time to come over for dinner with us on Friday. They fly back home next Saturday. Clear skies, guys. Check out the photos: By the way, Irfan is at the age where Teik Sing and I first met in Standard 1.
Continue readingLines of Communications
Commemorating Sila’s birthday on the 29th, we have here a series of screencaptures taken from Skype on Atok Irfan & Alya’s computer in Sitiawan The proliferation of the internet and its communication applications has been one of the most amazing things to be invented in the last decade or so. I remember in the early 90s, when my sister’s vacation was over and she had to return to the States, it was the saddest time ever for me. Nowadays, or at least the last couple of times Sila and Vin were on their way out of here, I was all like, “Going? OK, see ya when you get home.” So here are Alya, Alya’s Mom and Dad in webcam view. Alya catches sight of the webcam and is intrigued. Perhaps it tastes good. Grab the sucka! [[image:alya-skype-jan2009-01.jpg:Incoming flyer!:center:0]] [[image:alya-skype-jan2009-02.jpg:Attempting to acquire target:center:0]] Who are these strangle people crowded in the […]
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