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So You’re Expecting… Here’s a List

March 18, 2010 in c'est la vié, education, family, mentat notes, people | No comments

So you’re expecting a baby.  Do you know what you need?  Do you have a list?  Some stores are helpful in giving you a list of the things you will need for your baby.  Most do not.  Since I’m a parent three times over, here’s a list of what you will need for your baby.

  • Hygiene and feeding essentials: baby bottles (12 or more), silicone nipples, breast pump (manual preferred), disposable diapers, washable diapers, cotton swabs, baby wipes, alcohol, diaper rash cream (or ointment), petroleum jelly, medicine dropper, nose vacuum, nail clippers, baby shampoo, baby soap, lotion (optional), bottle sterilizer, baby clothes (gender neutral colors recommended in case your doctor doesn’t know how to read a sonogram correctly), wash cloth, sponge, bathtub, hair brush (or comb)
  • Sleeping essentials: crib (don’t dare forget the mattress), pillows (flat and firm recommended), bed linens (3 sets minimum), swaddling blankets, playpen
  • Travelling essentials: car seat (especially if you have a car, brand new recommended), diaper bag with lots of pockets, stroller, portable small mattress

I highly recommend buying a good brand of car seat.  A lot of parents see it as an unnecessary expense which I do not subscribe to.  You might be a careful driver but what about the other drivers on the road?  I do not trust them.  Neither should you.  I’ve seen a lot of babies in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit because of vehicle accidents.  Trust me, it’s not a sight for the faint of heart.  Safety should always be your priority; on the road or off it.

This list is by no means complete but these are the absolute essentials.  I don’t believe in using pacifiers so it’s not included in this list.  Above all, have fun and enjoy your baby as they tend to grow up too fast.  ;)

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Age: The Chinese Version

February 19, 2010 in c'est la vié, mentat notes, people | 3 comments

There was some discussion in the office earlier this week about age reckoning the Chinese way, seeing as the Chinese New Year has just passed.  I thought I’d put it down in writing for those time that people will ask me again and again until I’m tired.  hehehe…

Here’s how the Chinese compute your age.  They do it the moment you’re conceived.  So by the time you’re born, you’re already a year old.  And once a Chinese New Year passes, they add another number to your age.  Yes, that’s right, they don’t add the number on your birthday but at the new year.  Not that they don’t celebrate birthdays, of course.  They do.  You’d just find it confusing.

So it became a rule of thumb for most people to add 1 to your real age when they’re referring to your Chinese age.  It’s a rule of thumb with an exception.  If one was born at the tail end of the Chinese year, then you’d have to add 2 to the number.  Confused yet?  Review the rules I laid out above and let me illustrate.

A baby’s born on February 10, 2010.  That makes him 1 year old by Chinese reckoning, correct?  But the new year event happens on the 14th.  So you add another 1.  That makes the infant now 2 years old.  As opposed to a baby born in September 2009, you only add 1 to the age number.  Every year.

I hope this clarifies the age question between the Chinese and the rest of the world.  If not, well, the comments section is still open so pose your questions and I’ll be happy to answer them for you.  :D

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Happy Birthday, Mama!

December 15, 2009 in family, literature, people, relationships | 1 comment

Career.  Business.  Friends.  Acquaintance.  Advice.  Discipline.  Ideas.  Strength.  Courage.  Respect.  Resourcefulness.  Skill.  This is only a partial list of what you have, Mom.  I know you have more inside of you that needs to be mentioned.  I am who I am because of who you are and what you did for me when I was growing up.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAMA!  May you have many more to come.

______________________________

Super Mom

Mom, you’re a wonderful mother,
So gentle, yet so strong.
The many ways you show you care
Always make me feel I belong.You’re patient when I’m foolish;
You give guidance when I ask;
It seems you can do most anything;
You’re the master of every task.You’re a dependable source of comfort;
You’re my cushion when I fall.
You help in times of trouble;
You support me whenever I call.I love you more than you know;
You have my total respect.
If I had my choice of mothers,
You’d be the one I’d select!

By Joanna Fuchs

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