Our Little Chef

Fall 2011 Pics

2011-11-07T00:58:00.000-08:00

Beginning this weekend, we have visitors staying with us every weekend through January 2012! M.A.X. is lovin' it.

We'll try to update this album along the way...

Summer/Fall Highlights

2011-11-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a while since we've posted anything. I assure you that cute (and definitely not cute) things are still going on in the world of Our Little Chef. Life has been pretty busy for the three of us and we continue to be grateful for our many blessings.

Some highlights from this Summer/Fall:

~We completed an extensive renovation and moved into our new house! Max loves his new digs, transitioned smoothly to his "big boy bed" (albeit with a few slumbery tumbles), and loves living next door to a huge park (including a bouldering wall), baseball and soccer fields. He was a bit disappointed to learn that our contractors and real estate agent (who were constant fixtures in the house during the 3-month renovation) were not going to be living with us though.

~This summer was the start of a steady flow of visitors. We had a super fun time with the Slater Fab Five, Nai Nai, Ye Ye and Gong Gong. The highlight was seeing all the Ma family for Liz and Adam's beautiful wedding at Chaminade. It was The Party of the year.

~Max turned 3 on September 25! And magically, on this day, too, he was potty-trained. Sometimes miracles do happen. Or, maybe it was just the thrill of wearing firetruck underwear. For his birthday this year, we hosted a breakfast for 70 of our friends and family. Given we were still at the tail end of our renovation, Max was very considerate and chose a construction theme. It was pretty adorable to see all the kiddos running around in their construction helmets. Breakfast would not have been possible without the help of grandparent support though. Nai Nai, in particular, was a superstar. She made EIGHT POUNDS OF BACON.

~Most recently, Max got into the spirit of Halloween this year. It was his first time trick-or-treating, his first time eating candy...and his first time being A Door. His choice.

Snores and Laughter

2011-07-06T00:23:00.000-07:00

At 2.75 years, Max has yet to learn about filial piety. He recently started doing ridiculous impressions of his parents. After dinner (and two ice cream cones), we caught him on video doing an impression of Alan sleeping.

And much like his mother, he roars in laughter at himself as if he is the funniest person he knows.

July Traditions

2011-07-05T23:59:00.000-07:00

The first week of July is always a joy for M.A.X. as it is kicked off with our annual apricot picking at the Packard Orchard and bike ride to Shoreline Park for Fourth of July fireworks.

This year's July traditions were especially meaningful as they were a welcomed break from the renovation of two kitchens, three bathrooms and a whole lot of floors and recessed lights. But, more on that later. For now, we're still enjoying the sweetness of this year's harvest.

February: Naked Trees and Sunburned Cheeks

2011-04-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

For Valentine's Day this year, we visited Gong Gong (XW's dad) in Blacksburg and were happily joined by Mei-Lun (+family) and Michael (+kids). We just wished we could have also seen Jimo, Vincent, Janie and the Chicago kids.

Max had a blast with his cousins and it was quite special to be in Blacksburg for Valentine's Day. He met many of Gong Gong's friends (of all ages) and also sat through his first college-level lecture given by....Daddy! Alan was invited to give a presentation to the Industrial Design students at Virginia Tech.

Following our visit in the mountains of Virginia, we head down to the sunny beaches of Amelia Island, Florida. We were totally spoiled and pampered at the Ritz-Carlton and Max had a blast with his sweet "Texas cousin," London.

We realized on this trip that need to keep up our travel routine so that Max continues to experience different climates and seasons. While we were in Blacksburg, he commented several times, "the trees are naked!" And, on Amelia Island, it was the first time Max was exposed to a warm beach and able to dip his toes in the ocean. The downside were the very strong and sneaky sunrays. Fortunately, with the world's largest sandbox at his disposal, he hardly noticed his sunburned cheeks.

Number Theory

2011-04-12T09:51:00.001-07:00

Now that Max has the alphabet down, we've been working on our numbers. We have a number poster on our refridgerator and we'll call out the number (in Chinese) and ask him to place a magnet on the number.

When we take walks, we look for numbers on fire hydrants (a favorite sidewalk attraction), license plates (hello, cars) and street signs (we've certainly seen enough real estate signs). There's something exciting to Max about seeing numbers "in the wild."

Recently, he has started to point to numbers and enthusiastically call each one out...but it usually goes something like this:

1 One

2 "S"

3 三

4 Cuatro

5 五

6 六

7 七

8 Ocho

9 九

Learning numbers has been a much greater challenge. It could be because unlike "A, B, C", he is learning "Yi, er, san" at home, but "One, two, three" and "Uno, dos, tres" at school.

I was trying to find a photo of Max and his number chart and this was the only one I seemed to have. Let it be known that this outburst was not related to numbers, but a plea for mac n cheese.

Yellow Binky for Baseball Mitt

2011-03-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

Max surprised us again today. After his nap, Mommy and Max were having a conversation about cutting his hair. (We were scarred from the last SnipIt's experience, so we've been trying to find a way to approach the topic cautiously.) Anyway, Mommy was going through her quarterly review of Max's wardrobe (always a joy to discover the boy is actually growing into his cousins' hand-me-downs) and she discovered cousin Ian's baseball shirt with an emblem of a baseball bat and mitt embroidered onto it. Mommy excitedly showed Max the baseball shirt and said, "Max! If you let Mommy cut your hair this afternoon, maybe you can wear Ian Gege's baseball shirt afterwards!"

It seemed to spark something in him, because Max all of a sudden announced (in Chinese), "Max is going to throw away his yellow binky!" And then it dawned on us, a week ago (when Max threw out the blue binky in exchange for the baseball bat), Mommy promised Max that if he threw out his yellow (and last) binky, he would get a baseball mitt.

Mommy and Daddy were shocked by Max's announcement, and before we knew it, Max had thrown his yellow binky into the trash. Daddy nervously fished it out for fear of the repercussions at bed time. He did this without Max seeing, of course. But we stayed true to our word and immediately went to buy Max a new baseball mitt. Our little chef was pleased as punch coming out of the store, and he had it on for the rest of the afternoon.

Well, along came bedtime, and Max realized what he had done. It was like watching a heroin addict going through the stages of withdrawal. There was anger, sadness, trembling, and lots of snot. He even went so far as to go back to the garbage can into which he had thrown the binky. It was a good thing that Daddy took the binky out, after all. Mommy and Daddy (mostly Mommy) stayed strong and Max went to bed tonight without a binky.

Here's hoping that three days from now, our little chef will have forgotten about it entirely. But we're afraid that the sight of the baseball mitt will now trigger memories of his last binky. He might actually come to hold a grudge against baseball.

[aside] We recently discovered a green binky in the car from Max's infant days. It's in pristine condition (unlike the blue and yellow binky, which each had 20+ pinholes--another story for another time). Daddy wants to hold on to the green binky in case of dire emergency (ie, binky addict's conniptions/fits)...to which Mommy says, "not under my watch. no way." Stay tuned.

Blue Binky for Blue Baseball Bat

2011-03-20T22:05:00.000-07:00

The binky has been a source of internal conflict in our household for some time now. Max gave it up when he was about 10 months old. Then when he had to have minor surgery on a sensitive area, we gave it back to him to use. That was when he was 15 months (and thankfully he only uses it when he sleeps). He's almost 30 months old now and his current passion is for baseball. So for the past month or so Mommy has been telling Max that if he throws away his binky, he'll be a big boy and Mommy will buy him a baseball bat because only big boys play with baseball bats. Max has a blue binky and a yellow binky. He uses the blue more often than the yellow. But this morning when he woke up, he specifically requested to throw away the blue binky.

We were not prepared for this.

In keeping to the deal, we went to Target and bought him a blue baseball bat with a very soft baseball. He was so excited to play when we got home. So, we practiced holding the bat, and swinging it, as well. Then it was time for his nap. He must have been dreaming about it because he normally sleeps for more than two hours. But today, he slept for one hour and was up and singing songs to himself. As soon as Daddy went in to pick him up, he immediately asked to go downstairs to play with the baseball and baseball bat. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening swinging the bat with daddy and mommy taking turns to pitch. His batting average was probably around .333. We were excited with him, and surprised at how quickly he took to the concept of standing at home plate, taking a stance, and swinging at the ball. Clearly, as with all children, they learn fast when there's passion. Here are a few pics from the baseball "field" we set up. Did I mention it's been raining and hailing here for the past week?

Twinkle Twinkle (Chinese version)

2011-03-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

Strapped in his car seat and nowhere to run, Max sings his favorite tune. This time, Chinesey-style.

Twinkle Twinkle

2011-03-11T13:31:00.000-08:00

Introducing the Interpretive Chant-Yell Version of Twinkle Twinkle.

Mind the volume on your computer (but not so soft that you can't hear the musical burp midway through the tune).

Dinner for One

2011-02-11T14:02:00.001-08:00

This was a tasty dish Alan stir-fried and intended for the entire family. On the one hand, we are trying to teach the boy some decent table manners. On the other, who am I to get in the way of a boy and his leafy greens?

For the record, he ate half of the serving dish.

California "Winter"

2011-01-31T22:04:00.000-08:00

We ditched our coats at the Christmas tree farm in Half Moon Bay. And we wore our bathing suits (well, at least Alan and I did) to go swimming the last weekend of January in Carlsbad. Yes, it's been a rough winter in California.

We did get to enjoy quite a bit of snow over the holidays in New York and Wilmington and had a blast with both Wang and Feng sides of the family. At some point, we will get around to downloading photos from our iPhones. Max is still talking about all of his cousins.

Max is now 2 years, 4 months and all-boy. Not a day goes by that he does not talk about soccer/tennis/basket/foot/baseballs or cars/diggers/loaders/mixers/trucks. If there is a Beetle, Mini Cooper, Porsche or Prius within a one-mile radius, he will spot it. If it happens to be an "invertible Poh-sha," anyone within a one-mile radius will likely hear about it, too.

We have definitely been humbled with patience and learnings in parenting these few months. While the boy can be feisty, impetuous and relentless, these "toddler moments" are fortunately balanced by Max's sweet demeanor, creative imagination and fun sense of humor.

Click below for recent photos:

California Winter 2010-2011

The "Nurturing" Things We Do In The Name Of Parenting

2010-12-12T18:16:00.000-08:00

1) give him spicy foods (that he likes) so that he will drink more milk

2) he likes to put firehats on our heads, so XW will hold his dinner and intentionally let her hat fall so that he will come back and put the hat on her head while she feeds him another bite of dinner.

3) cut up veggies (stir fried greens) and mix them in with favorite foods (like spare ribs) so that he doesn't notice.

4) when Max was in his yogurt phase (plain yogurt that is), we would mix in blended broccoli.

5) we put his favorite characters on the bathroom mirror so that he wants to wash his hands.

6) we tell him that his classmates LOVE a particular food so that he will want to eat it himself.

7) we put movies on our phone so that he will lie still for his diaper change.

8) daddy promises to let him "drive" the car (i.e. Stand in the driver's seat and hold onto the steering wheel) in order to get him into the car in the mornings

9) for long plane rides - iPhones and benadryl, not necessarily in that order.

10) we always have him facing windows at restaurants so that he can be distracted by the hoipolloi when we eat.

11) we bring easily-peelable oranges so that he can keep busy for 5 minutes when we go out to eat with friends.

2010 M.A.X. Year-End Review

2010-12-04T00:11:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-01T23:17:00.000-08:00

Holly Chocolate Holiday

Make a statement with custom holiday cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Fall Vacation

2010-11-08T16:50:00.000-08:00

M.A.X. has just returned from the ultimate vacation in Taiwan and China. Below is a photo taken in our hotel room in Hangzhou. Thanks to Max's grandparents, our suite (which was three times the size of our home) came with a sauna.

More pics to come once we get over some serious jet lag.

Two!

2010-09-27T12:31:00.001-07:00

Max turned two on Saturday. We continue to be grateful for the little guy and all the joy he brings us.

More pics of Max & Company after we recover from the excitement (and chaos) from his birthday: a pancake celebration with Max's friends and the fire fighters of Mountain View.

Shades + Stinky Socks = Hilarity

2010-08-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

Self Service

2010-08-09T12:43:00.000-07:00

Reunion in the Apricot Orchard: How Sweet It Was

2010-07-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

Although Max loves going to "school" each day, he misses his beloved Elodie, with whom he shared a nanny for 15 months. This past weekend, the two ran into each other at the apricot orchard. At times, literally. Needless to say, Max was thrilled and perhaps a little too passionate. You'll see how their hug ended below.

Fun photos courtesy of Elodie's mom.

Graduation Crasher

2010-06-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since we've posted anything substantive. It seems Max has been busy crashing graduations, related parties, hosting grandparents, family and playdates, traveling down to SoCal, and the big news: attending school himself! Max started early pre-school on June 1 and is loving it there (so far).

More updates to follow. For now, two pics from the memorable month of June.

Hello, Summer!

2010-06-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

Orbit Baby

2010-05-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

Max and I were flattered to be included in the latest web site for Orbit Baby:
http://www.orbitbaby.com/

The boy loves his toddler stroller seat (ga ga). He gets upset when we stop strolling and demands that we keep walking (moh-mohr!).

Strolling in his ga ga is best accompanied by a cup of milk (da da), fig bar (bobbi) and fresh fruit of the day (nana or booo [blueberries]). If we're particularly lucky on our stroll, we'll see dogs (wo-wo), cats (mao), trucks (da-teh), running water (shui) or police cars (po-po).

Inevitably, as we extract him from the ga ga, the trip ends with Max's favorite choice words these days, "no no no no no no!"

Hot and Spicy. 19 Months.

2010-04-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

Max is 19-months old today. Last night, he enjoyed his first introduction to hot and spicy cuisine at Passage to India. Our Little Chef, who is spicy in his own right, devoured an entire thigh's worth of a tomato and pepper-sauteed chicken. Unfortunately, all three of us didn't realize how spicy the dish was until after the fact. Yum/Oops!

Max on Wheels

2010-04-20T09:53:00.001-07:00

Alan took Max on his first ride in the bike trailer. Thankfully, the boy (who typically fights any form of hat) tolerated his new helmet.

Maxwell discovers the physics of water

2010-03-22T01:35:00.000-07:00

Maxwell discovers the physics of water, and loves it. He normally hates getting water on his face, but in this case, he's clearly made an exception. Two words can be made out in the middle and end of the video: "more" after we take him away from the water. and then "bah!" which means "please!" when Daddy is drying off his face.

2010 03 14

Zebra Robe

2010-03-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

Zen Baby

Jedi Baby

M.A.X. by the Bay

2010-03-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of the very talented Wilmot Yeh. Concept by Hoi Wong and Mohini Rustagi. Fashion consultation by Mei-Lun Wang and Edgar Chuang Industries. More to come, possibly. Stay tuned...

Obama 101

2010-03-08T11:47:00.000-08:00

The Maxwell Threatdown

2010-03-05T21:28:00.000-08:00

Caught on film, at last.

Boy Meets Puddle

2010-03-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

Dweeb

2010-02-28T10:28:00.000-08:00

Oh my. Who is this child?

Nai Nai (Max's grandmother) just sent us this photo from her last visit with Max (Sept 09). As you can see, she really enjoys styling his hair!

Alan's reaction? "Dweeb." I think it's pretty hilarious. You be the judge.

Maxese. 17 Months.

2010-02-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

Max is 17-months old today. As the little man expands his vocabulary, some of it seems to be in the form of theme and variation.

For instance "wa wa" could mean socks (wa zi), phone (dian hua) or perhaps a request to draw (hua hua).

Similarly, "ma ma" could be a reference to either Mommy, President Obama or Elmo.

In Maxese, there's a fine line between parenting, being the world's most powerful leader and dancing like a muppet. Am I flattered? You bet.

"Table for Three, Please"

2010-02-21T01:30:00.000-08:00

On Chinese New Year/Valentine's Day, the three of us went out to dinner in Palo Alto. Max wore his first dinner jacket out on the town (thanks, cousin Ian, for the hand-me-downs!).

Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T12:50:00.000-08:00

February 14th is a special day in our family. This year, it marks Valentine's Day and the start of the Chinese New Year. It is the Year of the Tiger, my mother's zodiac sign.

On Valentine's Day eleven years ago, my mom passed away and our lives changed forever. Of course, we all miss her tremendously, but we know she is watching over each and every one of her family members, including Max, who now looks up and points to the sky when we show him pictures of his Popo.

On this day eleven years ago, my mother literally gave her heart to someone in need. We take comfort in knowing that she helped save and change the lives of six patients in need of vital organ transplants. Though Max did not have the chance to meet his Popo, I can already see her virtues in him. He is patient, generous, kind, good-natured (and dare I say, finds humor in some of the strangest things just like his Popo).

Today marks a day when we are reminded to take time to appreciate all our blessings, big and small. In the end, it's family, friends and the people we love that matter most.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Bumps, Beers and Bruises

2010-02-09T16:02:00.000-08:00

Our little man tends to be a little over-confident in his running and climbing these days. The below photos were taken at a birthday party for Avery (Max's bud in Bernal Heights). I've posted these pics (with credit to Ave's mom!) as they show what seems to happen in Max's world on a weekly basis.

1. Bump (followed by a few tears)
2. Beer (he loves an ice-cold can and it helps with the swelling)
3. Bounce back to playing (occasionally, with a bruise)

Our most memorable bruise was in the shape of the letter "L." Guess who face-planted on his wood MaxwelL puzzle...

Carry on, Max. You are one brave boy!

1970 El Camino

2010-02-01T23:13:00.000-08:00

A "milestone" for Max this evening. Daddy gave Max his first matchbox car.

Skypee

2010-01-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

I've been spending a lot of weekends in the office working on my thesis. Fortunately, I have the most wonderful and supportive husband in the world; Alan has been doing an amazing job of solo-parenting on the weekends.

Yesterday, Alan and Max Skyped me at the office. I asked the boys for their best smiles, and these were the results. I love my boys!

Good Cop, Bad Cop

2010-01-12T10:10:00.000-08:00

At 15 months, Max officially started calling us by name. It usually goes something like this:

Happy, excited, cheerful mood: "BaBa! BA BA!!"

Whiney, complainy-pants, woe-is-me mood: "mAh-mee. mahh-meeee..."

As a child, I once overheard someone ask my parents, "Joe and June, how do you handle raising four kids?" Their response? "Good cop, Bad cop."

I think the boy has it all figured out already.

Maxese

2010-01-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010! After a truly warm Thanksgiving in Arizona, two weeks of Max-and-Mommy time (Daddy was in Asia) and a snowy holiday in New York and Wilmington, M.A.X. is back in sunny California. We'll be sure to post pics of our visits once we get organized; needless to say, Max is going through some serious cousin, auntie, uncle and grandparent withdrawal. He had a great time with the fam, as did we.

In the meantime, I wanted to compile a glossary of Max's "vocabulary" at 15-months. Admittedly, this is more for Max's doting parents than anyone else; we are having so much fun with the boy and wish we could freeze this stage!

Maxese (so far as we can understand, that is)
Blueberries: Boooo
Eggs: Dan dan (ji dan in Chinese)
Bread: Bao (mian bao)
Cheese: Chhhh
Meat: Rou rou (rou)
Socks: Wa wa (wa zi)
Pants: Kkkku (ku zi)
Shoes: Shhhie (xie zi)
Phone: Wa wa (dian hua)
Open/turn on: Daah daah; on a good day, he says da kkhh (da kai)
Yes: Da Da!
No: Vigorous head shaking
Daddy: Baba!
Grandpa: Gonh gonh (Gong Gong--XW's dad)
Grandpa: Yah yah (Yeye--Alan's dad)
Auntie Flora: Goo goo (Gugu)
Uncle Jeff: Goo Ddz (Gudie)
Ma Ying Jeou: Gonh gonh (Jiu Gong)
Pick me up: Bao bao (bao bao)
Please: PBLEA!
Thank you: ZHE! ZHE! (xie xie)

Pavlov's Bag of Tricks
Thanks to basic human development, Max is in a fun Pavlovian stage and has mastered a few amusing tricks.

Gou gou zenme jiao? (What does the dog say?)
Max: "Woh woh!"

Kong long zenme jiao? (What does the dinosaur say?)
Max: "Raaaaar!" (sometimes the dinosaur says woh woh, too)

Wazi chou bu chou? (Are you socks stinky?)
Max: Picks up his socks and smells them.

Xiao yi ge! (Smile please!)
Max: Displays a squinty, dare I say, painfully happy smile.

Fei yi ge! (Blow a kiss please) or Besitos! (Kisses)
Max: Hand taps his nose and mouth and he blows a kiss with an emphatic "Mmwah!" Unfortunately, his finger is starting to slide up his nose as he collects the kiss.

Ni ji sui? (How old are you?)
Max: Gestures one index finger and grins.

Gong xi, gong xi! (Congratulations/Happy New Year)
Max: Hands clasp together in a bowing fashion.

Wo men kan "Good Night, Moon." (Let's read "Good night, Moon")
Max: Index finger touches his lips and he says, "shh" (reference to the quiet old lady who was whispering hush!).

Feng Yan Zhong!? (FYZ is Max's Chinese name)
Max: Raises his hand!

Superstar! (courtesy of Gugu)
Max: Raises two hands emphatically!

Eskimo kiss?
Max: Rubs noses with us.

...and our all time favorite: Shei fang pi? (Who farted?)
Max: Raises his hand. And proudly, too!

Max's Top 10 Wish List, Christmas 2009

2009-12-11T21:13:00.000-08:00

10. Unlimited toilet paper unraveling. (will you forgive me, Sheryl Crow?)

9. Unsupervised, non-hovering climbing time on the staircase (couch and ottomans would be nice, too).

8. Please, I beg you, no more flash photography, Mom!

7. A dip in the toilet bowl. The door to that room is always closed. What's all the fuss?

6. A personal assistant, custodial staff, chef-on-command, masseuse, a captive audience. Oh, wait...already have those.

Okay, 6. When I offer you my half-eaten and personally-juiced orange slice, please accept it graciously. It's my gift to you.

5. I wish to brush my teeth everyday with Gong Gong. Seriously, see "Videos of Max and Friends" link on the blog sidebar.

4. I hear talk about "having the boy go cold turkey with that binky." Please don't do it. You will rue the day. Rue.

3. Magnets. Any color, shape or size will do, but preferably the tiny ones that freak out Mother when I threaten to eat one.

2. To roll, play, sleep and eat in a tub full of blueberries. For this, I might even rescind Wish #8 simply so that I can relive the experience.

1. World Peace. (My parents have trained me to say that. Between you and me, if it doesn't work out, I'll gladly accept a tub full of cheddar. Ideally extra sharp, organic and six-year aged. Thanks.)

Happy Holidays to all!

Much love,
M.A.X.

12 Months of Maxwell

2009-12-05T15:37:00.000-08:00

One of Max's first favorite toys was a character named "Rock Lee" (thanks to the "Godfather," Mike Lopez). At just a few weeks, Max took quite a liking to Rock Lee, so we decided to use Master Lee for scale in our monthly photo of Max.

Although there have been times when we were a little concerned about Max's weight (usually hovering at 20%), reviewing these photos reassures us that, at the very least, he outgrew Rock Lee.

Max as "Max" on Balmy Street

2009-11-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

Because Mommy and Daddy want to get as much mileage out of the outfit as possible, here's one last video of Max on Balmy Street when we did his "photoshoot." Gong Gong joined us, and he actually took most of the pictures that day. We had a great morning hanging out in the SF Mission. Daddy got donuts from Dynamo Donuts & Coffee (Maple Glazed Bacon Apple, Lemon Pistachio, Vanilla Bean, and Banana de Leche) for breakfast, and we just soaked in the sights and sounds near Balmy Street.

Max + Dino on Halloween Day

2009-11-07T01:23:00.000-08:00

"Max" (aka Max) meets up with an adorable "Dinosaur" (aka Linnea) at the Noe playground. Darling "Dino" was so sweet and brought a birthday gift for "Max"! Smiling, sharing and flirting ensued.

Happy Halloween (for real this time) and Birthday (to Mommy and DDJJ)

2009-11-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

Halloween Day started with a haircut for Max. We went to a place called "Just Kids." We read rave reviews on Yelp about it, so we decided to go there with Gong Gong. Well, it was miserable. The lady was a little rough, but fast, and she started by spraying Max's hair with water, which made him pretty upset (note: when we left, a father brought in his son and specifically asked for 'no water'). Max got over it pretty quickly, though, and after his nap, we headed up to the city to meet up with our friends, Nea, Kristin, and Dan. Nea was dressed as an adorable dinosaur, and she and Max played well together. Afterwards, we went to Emmett's house for a reprisal of last year's Halloween Party (refer to blog entry from one year ago where Max slept through the whole party in his bumblebee costume).

This year Max had a little more interest in what was going on around him, and so did all the other babies that were there last year. We saw Emmett, Q, Avery, Ezra, Olivia, Roxy, and Matthew at the party, and it was a happening soiree (note the kids hanging out at the water bar). We rounded off the evening with a visit to Matt Kahn's annual pumpkin display at Stanford (sorry no pics - it was too dark). Max didn't go to bed until 9pm that evening! Finally, Mommy's bday gift . . . and like last year, we only took pictures of the box, and not the gift inside . . . this year it's the box, and stuffing inside. FYI: last year's gift was a miniature of XW's now-sold car, Turbie. And this year, it was bowls from Heath Ceramics (where Daddy served as an engineering intern back in 2004).

As an aside, Auntie Tina (who works with Mommy) saw the last posting with the crown from Burger King. Yeah, ok, we thought we were being "resourceful." Anyway, she was SO disappointed in us that she decided to knit a crown that night and give it to Max the next day. Needless to say, we loved it, and were floored that she knit it one night! Anyway, enjoy the new crown!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-30T22:38:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween, everyone! And Happy Birthday to DiDiJiuJiu and Mommy!

Max is walking everywhere he can these days, and we went to the local supermarket to play with some big pumpkins. Last weekend, Mommy and Daddy cut and paste (with hot glue) Max's "Max" costume for Halloween. It's all about felt scraps at Joann Fabrics, people. Anyway, the week before Halloween, we went to Balmy Street in the SF mission to take photos in front of the "Max in his private boat" mural. There were some other great murals there, too. It wasn't TOO hot, and Max was a happy trooper, despite being in polar fleece in 65 degree weather.

Maxwell Turns One

2009-10-29T00:50:00.001-07:00

Maxwell turned one year old this year on Sept 25, 2009. It was really special to have Gong Gong and Nai Nai both here to help him usher in his first birthday. We bought Max a water heater for his birthday, being the loving parents that we are. And we also bought him a house - one that he toppled over within minutes of entering. But the highlight was when Max decided to put out the candle on his cupcake with his hand, and Mommy kind of freaked out. All in all, Max had a great day. We've included some of the photos from that weekend, as well.

The following weekend, Mommy pulled together an amazing party to thank everyone out there who has helped, supported, and contributed to Maxwell's rapid growth. We could not have survived without you all. Of course, we weren't able to invite everyone who has supported Max, but we tried our darnedest. Kudos to Mommy for pulling it all off, and a huge thanks go to Nai Nai and Gong Gong, as well as to all of our friends and family who could make it, and to all of our friends and family who could not. We are so grateful for all of you, and we are grateful that Max can be surrounded by so much love and friendship. Here's to you all!

Wrestling Cousins

2009-10-11T21:31:00.001-07:00

To the loyal fans of this little blog:

We, the Management, apologize for holding out on you guys. We've been a bit lazy about all the new things going on with Max, but here's something to (hopefully) appease you for the time being. If you've been following Cousin Lia's blog, you'll have already seen the first video (GuGu is just that good!!).

yours,
The Management

p.s. There's a lot of fun stuff from Max's birthday to come.

and here's a blast from the past:

New Cousin (+ blog link)!

2009-09-09T19:48:00.001-07:00

We want to welcome Tyler Le Wang, who made his swift and glorious debut into the world on August 3, 2009. You can follow his adventures, along with big sister, Sammi, in their blog, "Pure Joy." Just look to the right-hand column under "Cousin Links" and you'll see we've added their blog to the list!

We are overjoyed to see Tyler (as well as his blog)! He looks just like DDJM's (Di Di Jiu Ma) dad! We love the blog, and we love Sammi, Tyler, DDJJ, and DDJM.

Our Little Carnivore: Epilogue

2009-09-07T22:03:00.000-07:00

This Labor Day Weekend, Daddy was on duty as Mommy kicked on the afterburners for school and work. So, Daddy and Maxwell got some quality time together on Saturday and Sunday. We tried a few "food-firsts" for Maxwell:

- First In-N-Out Burger (double-double animal style, thanks to uncle Mike)
- First In-N-Out Fries (well-done, as Daddy prefers them)
- First Pig Knuckle (thanks to Mei Mei Yi Po)
- First Roast Beef (also thanks to MMYP)
- First McDonald's Vanilla Milkshake
- First McDonald's Fries (Maxwell didn't take to these as well as In-N-Out)

Let it be known that these were what we gave him AFTER we fed him his usual meal (of veggies, fruit, tofu, and yogurt). Please don't think that this is all we feed our son. Or that Daddy is off his rocker.

This, of course, all follows on the heels of Nai Nai's Niu Rou Mian, which officially introduced him to the carnivorous side of life.

In addition, for your viewing pleasure (or disgust), Maxwell noshing on a pork knuckle.

Our Little Carnivore

2009-09-06T22:19:00.001-07:00

Summary of tonight's dinner:

Appetizer: Steamed Lentils
Max is hungry, so he not-so-delicately smashes lentils into his mouth with his fork. As usual, fork is held in left hand while right hand decorates his tray with misfit lentil droppings from his mouth.

Course One: Plain Yogurt with Tofu, Carrot and Rice Cereal
Max is still smashing lentils into his mouth, so I take the opportunity to shovel in spoonfuls of protein and high-calcium foods. Note that nearly all vegetables must be mixed with plain yogurt in order for Max to eat it these days. Sigh. At least he eats broccoli and brussel sprouts.

Palate Cleanser: Sugar Plum Tomatoes
Okay, so it's not so much of a palate cleanser, but it bought me a bit of time to prepare Course Two. Max sucks out the inners of the tiny tomatoes, leaving behind a dainty trail of tomato skins, amid lentil droppings...all over his tray...the floor beneath him...and in his hair.

Course Two: Baby Borscht
Max LOVES borscht (beets, yukon potato, apple, spinach and pear blended with a savory sauce). He goes a bit gaga for the strong flavors and essence of dill. This is the one baby food we don't make from scratch, but at the rate he eats it, I am this close to hiring a live-in Russian chef.

Dessert: Half a Pluot
Our boy adores his sour foods. (Did I mention most things need to be blended with plain yogurt?) Though Max consistently spits out tomato skins, he savors his plum and pluot skins. (insert squinty smiley face)

Bonus Course: Pig Knuckles
What!? You're still hungry? Who are you, and what have you done with our Max? Daddy offers Max a bit of his "zhu-2 jiao-3"...that's right, Chinese pig knuckles. Sound appetizing? Apparently, Max thought it was the tastiest delight in the world and grinned with each bite like we've never seen before. He actually took whole bites and digested the stuff. Yes, the boy who rejects tomato skins can chew pig knuckles. Intermittently in between bites, Max would raise his head up high, clasp his hands together and thank the gods for such delicious creations. No exaggeration. We caught it on video.

I tried not to show too much disappointment that Max didn't react with this enthusiasm to his lentils and tofu. It looks like we may have a carnivore in our hands.

Maxwell in the Big Apple

2009-08-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

We recently attended Xiao-Li Yi's and her husband, Joe's, wedding. It was the first time all the cousins of Alan's generation were gathered together in one place. The wedding was held in downtown Manhattan, and we also got to hang out at GuGu's house and play with Ian and Lia.

Maxwell very much enjoyed hanging out with his two cousins, but Lia especially liked to play with Max. Each time she saw Max, she would point at him and say, "Baby." She is 10 months older than him, but right now, she seems light years ahead.

The first day we were in New York was a humid one, and it's clear that Max, Mommy, and Daddy have been softened by California living because we were all sweaty messes, especially Max. Nai Nai (aka Wai-Po) flew at the same time as us from Cali to New York, so we got to spend some extra time with her. You can see from the pics we had a great time with the family. MMY-Po gave Max his first taste of alcohol at the wedding reception (as she did with Ian at Wes Su-Su's wedding a few years ago), and he very clearly chose red wine over milk. *sigh* Our boy is growing up so fast.

Xiao-Li Yi and Uncle Joe should be on their honeymoon in Africa now, so we wish them another hearty congratulations, and it looks like we'll be back in the Big Apple for Xmas this year!

Google Vanilla

2009-08-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

As an ice cream and gelato enthusiast, I must pause to note a vital milestone today: Maxwell had his first ice cream cone today. (well, half a mini-ice cream cone)

The flavor? Google Vanilla.

Huge thanks to Uncle Davidson for a fascinating tour of the Googleplex. We are trying to establish lofty career goals early on for the little guy.

"Maxwell Feng, Little Chef, Google Cafe." That has a nice ring to it, no?

(No pictures to follow as personal photos are not permitted at Google. But, please use your imagination of Max experiencing his first "brain freeze" moment. So happy, yet so sad, right?)

Milestone Alert!

2009-08-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

Max is taking his first steps these days. We're convinced that this is the good influence of his twin (@ the nanny-share), Elodie. She's nearly running already! In any case, he's also really into clapping, and turning on and off the lights in the house (when we hold him to the switch - Kai1 Deng1! Guan1 Deng1!).

But most exciting of all is that Max has officially starting eating table foods with us. The meal that did it? Super Nai Nai's Niu2 Rou4 Mian4 (Beef Noodle Soup). He is very much into Nai Nai's cooking, and the soggy udon are a great complement. He was sucking on the beef chunks to get the "au jus" out, but not so much into the texture of the meat yet. HOORAY!

Mommy was the intrepid food explorer who introduced it to him, and the results were amazing! We haven't seen Maxwell open his mouth for the next bite in a long time. So, hats off again to Super Nai Nai (aka Super Wai-Po to our cousins, Lia and Ian).

Video to follow . . .

The Nai Nai Series

2009-08-23T22:24:00.000-07:00

Nai Nai came to visit us for the week preceding our trip to NYC. She arrived to our house and in one night, got over her jetlag. She took care of Maxwell during the day while Mommy and Daddy went to work (and a bachelor party, ahem).

She took A LOT of pictures, as any loving grandmother with a digital camera and 4GB memory card would, and below is what made the cut. She made Max smile and laugh like we've never seen, and he really started opening up and being more interactive during and after her visit.

You can see that Nai Nai likes to "style" Max's hair to look like a Chinese politician's or a punk rocker's. The jury's still out on the "guai guai" look. But we dig punk rock Max. Somehow, between babysitting Max, and doing pretty much EVERY household chore that needed doing, she stocked the freezer (again!) with enough dinners to last us until her next visit. Super Nai Nai to the rescue!

So, here's a salute to Nai Nai - thank you for all that you do! Love, m.a.x.

Maxwell in Monterey

2009-07-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

Daddy spent the first two days of his paternity leave with Mommy and Maxwell in Monterey. Big shout out to T.D.A.L.P.F. for helping to sponsor two awesome days at the Monterey Clement, a binky's throw away from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. As you can see, we had great time in both the hotel and the aquarium. Max was very adaptable to the accommodations, as were Mommy and Daddy.

If you see Monsees the Monkey, it's Maxwell's way of shouting out to auntie Shari.

New Batch of Videos

2009-07-15T11:30:00.001-07:00

We've uploaded a whole bunch of new videos of Maxwell. They're from the past couple of months. We hope you enjoy. Just click on the link to the right under "VIDEOS." Cheers and thanks!

Maxwell Picks Apricots

2009-07-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights of working at the Packard Foundation is the opportunity to pick apricots at Taaffe House (former estate of the Packard family). This year was an amazing crop, and Maxwell did his part to harvest. He brought along a date, Jacqueline, or "Q," and her parents, Brad and Laura, as well.

After Maxwell picked his first apricot, he held onto it for dear life all the way home. He's since had at least three apricots a day. Yum.

Maxwell goes to Blacksburg - his mom's hometown

2009-06-27T23:34:00.001-07:00

Xiao-Wei conspired to have an incredibly elaborate retirement party for her father, and it turned out smashingly well. There are a lot of people now who have met Maxwell. So, we're going all out on this blog. There's not a picture missing from our collection that's included here today (I think). And we want to thank the Sunshines, in particular, for being so thoughtful, loving, and compassionate with Coach and the whole Wang clan. Mommy and Daddy thought seriously about transplanting to Blacksburg after a week there. See for yourself how much fun Maxwell had . . .

Maxwell goes to Park City

2009-06-22T23:22:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Daddy have this sick sense of humor, and they thought it would be fun to visit the place where it all started . . . actually, Mommy and Daddy went to meet up with Mommy's college friends, Charlotte and Heidi. Heidi now has two adorable children, Adam and Isla, and her husband Andrew is pretty cute, too. Charlotte's husband, Jim, is a natural with kids, so a good time was had by all.

We went to visit Stein Eriksen Lodge, where we went skiing and had our last pre-parenthood vacation. Super posh. Hence, we can only afford to stay there when Mommy's employer is footin' the bill.

We really love it there in the Spring!

Maxwell in cognito

2009-06-22T22:58:00.001-07:00

Ok, ok, so we've been a bit remiss to post to the blog, as mommy's co-worker, Irene (mother of the adorable 7+ mo. William), anxiously reminded her yesterday.

In any case, 5/17 was the Bay to Breakers event in San Franciso, where Mommy and Daddy walked and pushed Maxwell with the rest of Orbit Baby through Golden Gate Park. It was a pretty awesome day (with not many pics, unfortunately or fortunately . . . there were a lot of naked folks that um, maybe shouldn't have been naked), but Maxwell enjoyed it overall.

We also have a few pics of Maxwell in his Milk Chicco shirt that Nai Nai bought for him. The sprout on top is functional, and daddy-approved.

Finally, we have Coachlet Maxwell - the new Virginia Tech football coach. I'll leave it at that.

Maxwell Goes Swimming

2009-06-22T22:47:00.000-07:00

May 16, 2009 - Mountain View, CA. Maxwell spends a lazy morning in bed with Mommy and Daddy, and ends up having an adventure of a lifetime at the local YMCA!

Note the skepticism on Max's face at the pool.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-11T22:25:00.001-07:00

Another month has gone by and Max has had quite the event calendar. Of course, Mother's Day this year was also GuGu's birthday. Happy Birthday, GuGu! Daddy surprised Mommy with some pics of Maxwell, and below are a number of the ones that were put into Max's Truck album, given to us by Auntie Farrah.

You'll see Maxwell's toes touching the ocean for the first time, lots of hangin'-with-Mommy pics (of course), some after-bath shots (PG-13 rated), Easter Brunch with Adili and his parents, dancing in Cuesta Park with Rebecca, hangin' with Mommy's hula sisters, getting cultured at the Rodin Sculpture Garden, surviving a heat wave, pics with Rock Lee on Max's 7-month birthday, the CD that bled ink all over Max, chillin' with Linnea, Mother's Day with Keely, Jeff, and Copper, and of course, HAIRCUT!!!

The Miscellaneous Maxwell - Shuffle Mode

2009-04-11T21:52:00.001-07:00

So, it's been a while since we've blogged and shown any pics of Maxwell. This is a carefully selected "dump-all" of the last couple of months.

Of course, as much fun as we have with Max, let it be known that it's not all peaches and cream. He's not quite into bottles in general, but boy can he pack away the solids. We'll take the trade-off, but it has not been a trivial amount of stress that Mommy (and the nanny) has been experiencing. In any case, after our recent wellness check, here are the stats:

Weight - 25th %ile
Height - 50th %ile
Head Size - 70th %ile

We're guessing that half of his weight is his head. But you be the judge after looking at the pics. Other news: the nurse who gave Maxwell his 4 vaccinations was shocked by the fact that a) he didn't really mind the shots - not a tear shed; and b) he abhorred the sweet, sugary oral vaccines. Apparently, we have a strange child. We think we'll keep him. Enjoy the pics.

Milestones

2009-04-01T22:51:00.000-07:00

No pics this time - this one's just a record to keep for Mommy and Daddy.

Milestone 1: Maxwell turns 6 months old on March 25, 2009.

Milestone 2: TOOTH! Bottom left is popping out now. (It clinks on the glass when Maxwell is drinking). It arrived on March 27th, give or take a day.

Milestone 3: Maxwell rocks and rolls onto his tummy from his back (old news), and onto his back from his tummy(new news!).

New Feature of the Blog: Upper right link "Videos of Max and Friends" takes you to videos on youtube. Enjoy maximum Maxwellness in high-def video.

Sparkling Maxwell

2009-03-22T23:55:00.000-07:00

Maxwell recently started showing interest in what his parents ingest. He loves to watch XW drink water, and has begun reaching for her cup. XW will give him a sip every now and then, and one day decided to let him try some sparkling water. He made quite the face when he first tried it. But he kept reaching for more . . . so we recorded a video.

Maxwell goes to Hollywood

2009-03-22T23:48:00.000-07:00

Maxwell and family made a quick jaunt to L.A. for 2 days to see family. Xiao-Wei's auntie Gretchen and uncle Bob, and Alan's paternal side of the family (lots of 'em) all live in the L.A. area. It just happened to coincide with Anita's housewarming party. What a gorgeous house! Cousins Ethan and Alan were consummate hosts, and let UNCLE Alan play with all of their toys and video games. Maxwell enjoyed watching the two of them so much. We also got to meet cousin Isabelle, who is the cutest, and the most en vogue!

Maxwell goes to Naperville

2009-03-12T00:09:00.000-07:00

To remember Maxwell's Wai-Po (maternal grandmother), we traveled to Naperville, IL, over Valentine's Day to visit Max's cousin, Samantha, his DiDi JiuJiu (Uncle Vincent), and Janie Jiu-Ma. Two of Max's older cousins, Morgan and Emma, came to Naperville from Ann Arbor, along with Max's GoGo JiuJiu (Uncle Michael), and Jimo Jiu-Ma. We had a great time together: Sammi wooed us with her renditions of Disney's Mulan, and Morgan has proved to be the most eccentric of us all (oh, hi). Emma is a mature young lady now, and Maxwell just LOVES hanging out with her. Most of all, it pleased Gong Gong to have so many grandkids gathered together. Gong Gong was especially thankful and cheerful. So much so, that he cooked dinner from SCRATCH. It was aMYzing.

Taiwan Part 5 - The Gang's All Here

2009-03-10T22:15:00.000-07:00

We saw lots of different family members while in Taiwan. We had dinner with the First Lady of Taiwan, who is the "ku4"-est lady in the world; we paid our respects to XW's grandmother, and Alan's grandfather (with Max in a polar bear jacket); we went shopping at the mall (where XW fed Max in a pretty snazzy lactation "chamber"); and Max got to just hang and have quality time with his cousins and grandparents. A good time was had by all.

Hair Daze

2009-03-08T22:09:00.000-07:00

Maxwell has been getting comments on his hair. XW has decided that we will not cut his hair for a year; we'll see where it goes. In the meantime, we have a "reach" goal (see below).

For more 80's nostalgia:

Maxwell gets it

2009-03-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

Maxwell has grown so much in the past month, and has had so many milestones, it's tough to keep up! On our way to the airport in Taiwan (for the return flight home), we watched Max play with his pacifier for the first time, grabbing, exploring, and trying to shove it in his mouth. After 15 minutes of trying to get it in his mouth, unaided by us (tempted as we were), he did it! And promptly fell asleep, no doubt exhausted from the effort. Since then, he's learned to grab things and switch from hand to hand, roll over in his bed (onto his tummy), sleep 8-9 hours at night (i.e. soothe himself back to sleep), eat solids (blog entry on this coming soon!), and a myriad of other little things that come with his new sense of awareness.

Anyway, below is a video of Mommy and Maxwell playing peek-a-boo for the first time. And you can see the realization on his face. This is one of our favorite moments with Max (so far). Enjoy.

Maxwell's Twin: Elodie

2009-03-01T14:40:00.000-08:00

Xiao-Wei has been preparing herself to go back to work, and in doing so, has found a great nanny named Sandra, whom we will share with XW's co-worker, Stacey. Stacey's daughter's name is Elodie and she is five days younger than Maxwell. Sandra commented that it's like taking care of twins because of their closeness in age. So, we recently all got together to do a meet & greet (Sandra is great!), and we put Max and Elodie next to each other. The result is what you see in the video. Max didn't seem too happy about it, though the first time they met, he was reaching for HER hand. It looks like the tables have turned, and Max just doesn't know what to do with himself. Enjoy.

Taiwan Part 4 - Fun with Food and Family

2009-02-24T23:23:00.000-08:00

From OLC - Taiwan Part 4

So this posting has less of our Little Chef, but it is definitely an homage to the funny foods we saw in Taiwan. It's just a quick snapshot of our day to day. Taiwan has so much good food, as well as weird food. Snacks and fast food definitely have their places in the hearts of the Taiwanese, but there is a traditional side, as well. Enjoy!

Taiwan Part 3 - The Presidential Palace

2009-02-22T20:21:00.000-08:00

From OLC - Taiwan Part 3

"The man behind the man in Taiwan."

Earlier this year, NaiNai's little brother (Max calls him Jiu Gong) was elected president of Taiwan. This time while we were there, she arranged for a personal tour of the Presidential Palace. What a treat! One of the most fascinating rooms, believe it or not, was the breastfeeding room. XW, Max, and I broke off mid-tour to feed Max. They had a lady come down to where we were to take us to the breastfeeding room. Two elevators, a couple of floor changes, and a few security card swipes later, we arrived at a room with a big, red, candy-like button that activated a large metal sliding door which was the entrance to the breastfeeding room. Kudos to President Ma Ying-Jeou and his administration for being so family-forward! We were totally impressed by the facilities. The phone inside had the same ring as on the show, '24,' so when they called in to check on us, we felt super official.

We also got to have lunch with President Jiu Gong, and everyone had the requisite pint of milk along with their bento box. Very simple, very straightforward, and quite delicious. Afterwards, we took a tour of the office. Jiu Gong said that this office is actually smaller than his office when he was mayor of Taipei. But it's still plenty of space for one person, he said. Well, after Ian used the bathroom, Lia changed her diaper, and Max was fed, we all went on our merry way back home, while Jiu Gong continued to do what he called his "homework." Jiu Gong is awesome.

Taiwan Part 2 - Max meets Lao Nai Nai (YeYe's mommy)!

2009-02-19T22:57:00.000-08:00

We really got to see Jiu Gong a lot this time while in Taiwan. I think we had a record number of meals with him (4) in the three weeks we were there. You can see Mr. President chillaxing in denim in the first few pictures of the slideshow. Ian also got to play Mah-jongg (sort of) with Lao Wai Po! We had such a great lunch with Lao Wai Po and Jiu Gong.

A bit of trivia: Maxwell is the first great grandson with the last name of Feng, and he got to meet the matriarch of the family, Lao Nai Nai, who is currently 98 years old! She was thrilled to see him. YeYe (Alan's dad) gets bragging rights among his 7 siblings because this grandson is the first in our family with the last name "Feng." Technically, Ian Feng Slater is the first grandson with "Feng" in his name, but unfortunately, the Chinese don't count that. Of course, we're not really into the whole Chinese filial piety thing, but hey, if it makes him happy, why not?

We also had a milestone: Max sat in a baby carrier for the first time! We promptly took a walk with GuGu and Lia to the nearest 7-11 to check out the goods and get some "fresh" air, too. YeYe has a wad of 7-11 vouchers (that are pretty much like cash) in the living room drawer, and 7-11's in Taiwan are a whole different beast than what they are in the states. Believe me, it really is heaven at 7-11 in Taiwan.

Taiwan Part 1 - Max meets YeYe!

2009-02-19T22:23:00.000-08:00

Mommy and Daddy are finally back in the swing of things, and it's time to blog again. We were in Taiwan for 3 weeks, and Maxwell had a fantastic time. We got to see Lao Wai Po (Alan's maternal grandmother), Lao Nai Nai (Alan's paternal grandmother - see Taiwan Part 2), Jiu Gong (the President of Taiwan!), MeiMeiYi Puo, YeYe, NaiNai, GuGu (Flora), GuDie (Jeff), Ian, Lia, and lots of other family members! But more importantly, we were all there to give YeYe moral support as he was healing from spinal surgery. As you can see, he was quite happy to see his grandchildren! Ian, Lia, and Max were all there to show their moral support. In this picture, YeYe is having a great time with Max and Lia. A superb time was had by all.

From OLC - Taiwan Part 1

Here's the slideshow:

100 Days with Maxwell

2009-02-03T11:55:00.000-08:00

Before we shipped off to Taiwan to see Alan's parents, Maxwell celebrated his 100 days birthday on Jan 3, 2009. Because it was right after the holidays, we honestly didn't expect many people to come. In the end, we had plenty of friends show up, and it was such a great day for Max and his parents. We also went to see our new friend, Linnea Sherwood-Salkeld, b. Dec 27, 2008. We forget how much Max has grown, and he looks like a total bruiser next to her! It was fantastic meeting her, and in the same week, we also met Man Yi Puo (Nai Nai's sister) and Yi Gong (her husband) for the first time, at Auntie Gillian and Uncle Wes' house. Maxwell was all too eager to grab the Hong Bao (red envelope) from Man Yi Puo. It was only the beginning, as we later saw in Taiwan that Max has a penchant for grabbing Hong Bao's and holding onto them VERY tightly.

Christmas Week

2009-01-23T06:04:00.000-08:00

Following on the tail of the last posting is a retrospective: a look back at Christmas week. Auntie Hoi asked all the Orbit Baby employees to take pictures of the Stroller system in as many places as possible over the Xmas break, so please excuse the over-abundant number of pictures with the Stroller system in it. Anyway, enjoy, and apologies for not posting any pics for a while. Our little man is growing fast, and we're having a ton of fun with Nai Nai and Ye Ye in Taiwan. Happy Chinese New (Niu) Year!

Kicking off the New Year in Taiwan

2009-01-19T18:38:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year! Happy Inauguration Day! We hope you had a pleasant holiday and that 2009 is off to a great start.

Maxwell has had many "firsts" since our last posting:

Max enjoyed his first Christmas and first trip away from home at Costanoa (where his parents got hitched several years back).
We celebrated Max's "First Hundred Days" over dim sum brunch with friends and family.
Max embarked on his first international journey. Thankfully, he slept a good portion of the 14-hour flight to Taiwan.
Max survived five days away from his dad for the first time. Alan was in China on business our first week in Taiwan (during which Max also had his first bout with jet lag--convenient timing, eh?).
For the first time, Max has been tolerating tummy time without screaming his head off.
Max caught his first cold. :(
In Taipei, Max finally met his Yeye (Alan's dad), cousins, Ian and Lia, and both great grandmothers for the first time. Within 24 hours of arriving in Taiwan, Max met the president for dinner, too!

We're having a great time with the family in Taiwan. Photos forthcoming.

Organic Little Chef

2008-12-27T22:10:00.000-08:00

On Friday, I enjoyed a girls' day out with Nicole while Max and Daddy enjoyed a boys' day in. I pumped a bit of breast milk before I left that morning and prepped some formula to get Max (and Daddy) through the day.

Well, we learned that Max is living up to his in utero name. Some time the past month, our Little Chef became quite picky about food! It had been four or five weeks since we last gave Max formula (to supplement feedings during my bout with mastitis). Since then, Max seems to have developed his taste buds and was less than enthusiastic about formula--apparently, he outright hated it. After furrowing his brow and fussing at the bottle, Max was offered a bit of breast milk which was promptly mowed down. Ah, our organic little chef.

Conversation with Max

2008-12-26T18:21:00.000-08:00

Max recently started to coo in response to us. Daddy and Maxwell have a conversation.

Max Aggressively Yawns While Leaning On A Capybara

2008-12-22T23:28:00.001-08:00

Maxwell is chillin' on Auntie Nicole's and Uncle Eric's couch next to their giant stuffed Capybara, aka, 'Chimichanga." Capybara: Wikipedia Definition

Boxing Makes Max Happy!

2008-12-22T23:19:00.000-08:00

This is one of the first times Maxwell has ever laughed. We had Uncle Mike over for pancakes, and after breakfast, we decided to work out to burn off the calories. It turns out that Maxwell loves to box!

Max seemed to get the hang of it pretty fast, and he actually punched back a couple of times. I guess sparring with Rock Lee, the Green Beast of Konoha, has really honed Maxwell's boxing skills.

Motorcycle Maxwell

2008-12-22T23:16:00.000-08:00

Recently, Max learned how to hold his head up (decently). Anytime Max learns to do something new, Daddy has a compulsion to push the limits.

Gugu!

2008-12-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

"Gugu" is Chinese for "father's sister." Because of the patriarchy that is the Chinese culture, there is actually a difference in what you call your mother's sister, "a yi," versus your father's sister, "gu gu."

Anyway, Gugu (Flora) came out for 4.5 days to visit with Maxwell, and it was a blast. We had so much fun with Gugu, and she was able to impart much wisdom upon us. For dedicated OLC Blog fans, Gugu's children have their own blogs (which is where we got the idea for OLC Blog in the first place), and you can click on the cousin links to check out her super awesome, super adorable kids, Ian and Lia. We are also extremely thankful to Jeff (Gu Die) who courageously and magnanimously took care of the two kids so that Gugu could come out to visit.

Take-your-baby-to-work day

2008-12-11T01:54:00.000-08:00

Mommy and Daddy took Max to each others' respective workplaces. So we just wanted to give a shout out to the working stiffs (we are all thankful that we still have jobs), and say thanks for the support and welcoming Maxwell with such open hearts and minds. Farrah, our host at the Orbit Baby holiday party, threw a kickin' shindig that was fun for the whole family!

Nai Nai wants more!

2008-12-04T23:32:00.000-08:00

Nai Nai wrote me an email.

"Hey, please give me more Max's photo!!
He is so big now. I love his smile, so lovely !!"

Here you go, Nai Nai!

@ the de Young Museum with Gong Gong

2008-12-01T22:07:00.001-08:00

We took Gong Gong to the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park to see some exhibits by Asian American artists. Gong Gong actually knows some of those artists personally, believe it or not. Golly, that's a guy!

In addition, auntie Hoi allowed us to borrow a very special edition of the Orbit Infant Car Seat and Stroller Cargo Pod made with 100% wool from Maharam, with a pattern designed by Paul Smith. Of course, uncle Colter and Daddy had a hand in putting this little ditty together, but the mastermind behind it all was most definitely auntie Hoi.

Maxwell didn't seem to have an opinion about the Stroller, but he did seem to gravitate towards post-modern Japanese paintings, with little interest in Maya Lin's exhibits. A good time was had by all.

Gong Gong's back from China!

2008-12-01T21:34:00.001-08:00

Gong Gong went to China for a week to give a talk on "homeless housing" at a university in GuangZhou. At the same time, he went to see family, which included seeing Maxwell's JinWei Yi! Here she is (cropped from Gong Gong's really big family photo of the Liang family, which is XW's Mom's side of the family). Hi to JinWei Yi and all of the family in ZhongShan!! We believe that she is OLC Blog's #1 International fan!

Little Chef got dolled up in his Totoro hat to meet Gong Gong at the airport with eyes wide, and ears perked up. Gong Gong was in great spirits, as were we!

Two Months!

2008-11-26T13:12:00.000-08:00

Maxwell turned two months old yesterday. To usher in the occasion, he set a personal record of seven consecutive hours of sleep last night. (Thanks, Max!)

At this morning's two-month well visit, Max weighed in at 11 pounds, 5 ounces and is measuring 22.5 inches long. The little guy received four vaccinations (three shots, one oral) and took it like a champ. I think the shots were harder on me than on Max; as I held him tight, Alan was rubbing MY back when the needles came out.

As Thanksgiving approaches, we wish to share our thanks to all our friends and family for the incredible love and support you've shown us, particularly the past two months since our little boy's arrival. To all our loved ones far and near, we hope to see more of you over the holidays!

Our Little Chef wishes you a warm, happy and tasty Thanksgiving!

OLC Blog's #1 Fan

2008-11-24T19:42:00.000-08:00

Meet Keely. She grew up with Xiao-Wei in Blacksburg, VA. And she is most definitely, far and away, our blog's #1 fan. If a picture hasn't yet been on the blog yet, she'll tell you. If we've made any repeats, she would know. This posting is an homage (and a jab) to her, partially because she's so self-conscious. But as everyone can see, she is a beautiful person whom Xiao-Wei and I love dearly. She even re-routed her business trip to stop through San Francisco just to see Maxwell. What an awesome auntie! In addition, she brought birthday gifts (that she has literally taken around the world - like from VA to Germany and back to CA) for Xiao-Wei and myself. Ridiculously sweet and thoughtful. Anyway, when questioned about certain photos on my phone, she said, "nope, haven't seen that one on the blog yet . . . oh yeah, that one is on the blog, uh huh . . . umm, nope that one isn't . . . " She's a veritable archivist for the blog. So, Keely, if you're reading this, we love you and thank you for stopping through our neighborhood for a hug and a kiss. Maxwell and his parents are so grateful! In addition, here's a shout-out to your lab-mates who check out the blog, too. Big ups to San Diego!

Sad to see Nai Nai go . . . but happy to see Gong Gong arrive!

2008-11-22T19:53:00.000-08:00

We were so utterly sad to see Nai Nai go back to Taipei. She stayed with us for 3.5 weeks, and in her last two days, made enough food to last us 38 consecutive days. Our freezer is a veritable filing cabinet of home cooking. Xiao-Wei said that the last day Nai Nai was here, she found her in the kitchen cooking, doing laundry, doing dishes, sweeping the floor, and feeding Max all at the same time. But she is needed elsewhere because Ye Ye signed up for spinal surgery a little early, so she had yet another "patient" to take care of. One thing in common that Xiao-Wei and Ye Ye (my dad) have in common is that they are both impatient patients. Anyway, before Nai Nai left for the airport, we had some quality time with her. Maxwell was quite upset about her leaving, so we tested a theory that Daddy read somewhere: cry louder than your baby, and they'll stop.

It's been an exciting few weeks for Max. Nai Nai came and went. And Gong Gong has come to visit! Max is now officially in his 8th week outside of the "joint." We've been to baby showers, been to other baby's homes, had lots of guests, had dim sum for Daddy's birthday, lunch dates with Mommy out on the town . . . oh, man, it's been busy!

Xiao-Wei and I both realized in talking with friends that there are a lot of readers of this blog out there. Thanks for taking time to look at our son's growth and progress. We are blessed and proud to have him in our lives, and your silent support contributes in such a positive way. Thank you!

Faces of Maxwell - Love? or Cruelty?

2008-11-20T02:29:00.000-08:00

Mommy and Nai Nai LOVE to dress up Maxwell. While at Day One, Mommy picked up a pair of sunglasses for Maxwell, and well, Nai Nai ADORED this new look. As you can see, we got a little carried away with the sunglasses (Daddy thinks it's kind of humiliating for the poor guy), but they do serve a purpose.

Ultimately, Max ended up topless, with gloves and pants on. He kinda looks like Russell Crowe in Cinderella Man. You know, kinda that 40's boxing look. Max can also pull off the "thug life" look, but he didn't like it for very long. Regardless, Max is gaining a good amount of baby fat, and it is making his parents very happy!

Week Five

2008-11-20T01:52:00.000-08:00

It's been a couple of weeks since we've added to the blog, so we'll be clusterblogging over the next few days. Add to that, there's a LOT you dedicated LC fans have missed, so bear with us . . .

Week Five for Maxwell was great - we saw a whole slew of friends in and out of the house. All the while, Maxwell has been growing long and growing fast! He's quite a reasonable baby. Mommy and Daddy have no complaints.

Happy Birthday, Xiao-Wei!

2008-11-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

To usher in Mommy's birthday, Maxwell decided to don his "First Halloween" outfit, a gift from his MMY. We also went to the pumpkin patch the weekend before where Mommy took full advantage of Maxwell's sleeping disposition. And on Mommy's birthday, our friends, Colin and Melissa, hosted a Halloween Newborn Party. "Cuteness overload" would be an understatement . . .

Halloween Newborn Paparazzi
Clear evidence that your offspring will turn you insane.

Maxwell vs. Rock Lee! Go, Max, Go!

2008-11-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

XW has decided that we're going to measure Maxwell against Rock Lee, a gift from his Uncle Mike (aka Rev. Lopez) each month in his first year. This is the first measurement at one month.

Maxwell vs. Rock Lee - Round 1
Maxwell "Little Chef" Feng vs. Rock Lee. Little Chef throws a few punches, prematurely announces his victory, then shamelessly continues to pummel Rock.

Maxwell vs. Rock Lee - Round 2
Little Chef is reluctant when it comes to close-quarters boxing. You can see him shying away from his opponent, none other than the Green Beast of Konoha, Rock Lee! Near the end, the camera starts shaking cause Mommy is laughing her @$$ off.

The Making of "Maxwell vs. Rock Lee - Round 2"
A behind-the-scenes look at the filming of "Maxwell vs. Rock Lee - Round 2."

Happy One-Month, Maxwell!

2008-10-24T23:53:00.000-07:00

Today is Maxwell's one-month birthday, and to usher in this momentous occasion (Nai Nai says Mommy can officially have a cold drink now - sort of), we present a suite of videos. Enjoy!

Video #1: Tummy Time Turn
At 2.5 weeks, Maxwell shows us that he's determined to gain his freedom. Meanwhile, his Mei Mei Yi cops a feel.

Video #2: Tummy Time Superman
Always on a quest for his freedom, he does his best impression of Superman for Mommy, Daddy, and Mei Mei Yi.

Video #3: Hanging with Hiccups
Maxwell hangs out with Mommy, and has a very subtle case of the hiccups. Just another day in the life . . .

Video #4: Green Sneakers Part 1
Mei Mei Yi gave Maxwell some green sneakers (as if he can walk), and Nai Nai and Mommy could not resist.

Video #5: Green Sneakers Part 2
Nai Nai, Mommy and Daddy take a "walk" in the park. Ironic that Maxwell has shoes on but can't walk yet. Sheesh.

Week Four

2008-10-23T16:08:00.001-07:00

Maxwell is four weeks "old" today. He is showing his personality more and more each day, along with new grunts and facial expressions. Living up to his in-utero nickname, Max is quite the foodie and is all too punctual with his feedings. When he's super hungry, we call him Baby Barracuda for his intense latch (ouch!). Amazingly enough, Maxwell's umbilical cord stump still has not fallen off. I guess the little guy just can't let go of the past....

Also on the home front during week four, Alan has returned to work (working from home and part-time in the office). There has been lots of excitement at the office about "The Office"; Orbit Baby was featured in last week's episode!

Click on the link below to view Orbit in "The Office":
"THE OFFICE"

Nai Nai's here!

2008-10-21T19:48:00.001-07:00

Maxwell's Nai Nai (Alan's mom) came this past week, and she nearly gobbled him up on sight! It's been a blast having her here, and we have been eating and sleeping well. The one-two combo of Maxwell's Mei Mei Yi followed by Maxwell's Nai Nai has completely spoiled Maxwell's mommy and daddy. Maxwell has very very lucky parents.

Click on the link below to go directly to the album:
LINK TO ALBUM

Sad to see Mei Mei Yi go . . .

2008-10-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

We were so sad to see Maxwell's Mei Mei Yi go last week. Her stay here was a total godsend, and we could not have survived without her!

We miss her already.

Click on the link below to go directly to the album:
LINK TO ALBUM