Here’s Owen’s current people preference list from high to low:

1. Mommy
2. Daddy
3. Grandma/Grandpa Yao
4. Grandma/Grandpa Hong
5. Uncle Chuck

It’s amazing how smart babies are and how God created the bond between parents and child…even if Mommy and Daddy are not the ones who spend the most time taking care of him, Owen knows who his parents are and prefers them nevertheless.  To be honest, since I am at work all day and do not get to see Owen until after work (~6pm) and only have 3 hours with him before he goes to sleep at around 9pm, I was really worried that Owen would not be close to me.  I’m SOOOOOOO glad I was wrong!

Today, we went the outlet mall in the afternoon.  On the way home, we stopped by grocery store to buy some groceries; because it was cold and we figured Owen was already tired from a whole afternoon’s shopping, grandma Yao stayed in the car with Owen while the rest of us went into the store to speed up the process.  When we came out, I was so busy loading the bags into the car that I did not realize that Owen was already crying madly in the car…it was not until I was returning the cart that I saw Grandma Yao pointing at me and telling Owen, “Mommy is here.  See? Mommy is there…”  When I got in the car, Grandma Yao handed a crying Owen to me and I commented, “He’s probably hungry - it’s time for nursing.” But because we were so crammed in the back that I really couldn’t nurse him - as I struggled to find a way to nurse Owen, I suddenly realized that he had stopped crying and was contently looking out the window.  “Interesting…” I commented, “He’s not crying anymore and I have not even fed him yet.” Grandma Yao said that Owen was looking all over for me, and when he couldn’t find me, he cried; regardless of what she did, she could not calm him down.  Now that he’s sitting on Mommy’s lap and leaning back against Mommy’s tummy and chest with Mommy’s arms wrapped around him, he’s content and happy - and he was. 

After we got home, we went through our normal bedtime routine and I put Owen to bed.  I asked Daddy to listen to the monitor in case Owen wakes up while I took a shower…and of course, he did.  As he often does, Daddy decided to take Owen into the bathroom to see Mommy - BIG mistake this time.  Unlike the usual times when Owen would smile at me when he sees me through the glass in the shower, tonight, he saw me and started crying.  That had never happened before I wondered if it was because he wants Mommy or because he doesn’t recognize Mommy (I was washing my hair).  Daddy tried it 2 more times, and each time he saw me, he started crying.  It got to the point where he wouldn’t stop and Daddy could not calm him down anymore.  Daddy thought that Owen must be hungry and I told him that I had just fed him, and I knew he was full.  Regardless, I quickly finished and took Owen into my arms and within seconds, he stopped crying.  A few minutes later, he was fast asleep in my arms.  No feeding, just Mommy’s scent and arms.  ;P It’s truly amazing how safe babies feel in their Mommy’s arms and presence.  I had heard a radio hostess once said, “Before becoming a mother, you never knew how such a little thing can make you feel so big and important.” I can not have put the feeling I had tonight in better words.

Forget to say, Happy Chinese New Year of Pig, to all of Owen’s fans!

Many young parents, especially first time parents, tend to be nervous about the baby’s development, they frequently ask others about things like: can your baby do this by his/her xx month and worried whether their children are on the normal curve, here we will show you something Owen can do so that you can set the right expectation… please read carefully, these are all for real and have photo as proofs, not believing? check the photos and seeing is believing.

1. A six month can drive
2. A six month have girl friend(s)
3. A six month can sit straight
4. A six month can walk
5. A six month can recognize the importance of cash.
6. A six month like to party
7. A six month like to talk to people at the same age.
8. A six month like to pose in front of camera.
9. (many more talents waiting for your discovery)

Today just learned some lessons that I prob should share with parents-to-be: if you are expecting baby delivered soon and you want to increase flexible spending account contribution to cover the delivery cost for some tax benefits, be careful you must change your contribution early on so that your new contribution level is active before the deliver day. I learned the lesson in a painful way.

My original contribution was only $480/year, and I can only change the contribution to $2000/year after the delivery day. At the year end, I’d expect most of Own’s delivery cost (~$3000) to be reimbursable, Nay, said the FSA administor.  In fact, because most of the cost was dated before the new contribution level was active, so that reimbursement is subject to $480 limit and I cannot apply that to the yearly total, i.e. if I don’t have expense after the delivery date, I’d have to forfeit the added FSA contribution, i.e. $2000-$480=$1420, that, is a lot of money…

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to Owen, happy birthday to me.  I’m half-a-year old today.  Mommy is so thankful to God that I’m past the most dangerous period of SID and that she breastfed me during the most critical period.  She has been worrying nonstop that she would not have enough milk for me to drink…now she can breath a sign of relief.

Now that I’m 6 months old, I can sit pretty straight and have much more strength in my legs to stand straight. I love touching Mommy and Daddy’s faces and babble.  Whenever I go out, people often look at me, smile, and compliment me.  Mommy and Daddy and Grandma Yao all say that whoever sees me can not help but fall in love with me! *kiss*