@#$%& Apple!

One evening, when mamma turned on her ibook (Apple Macintosh), Skype window popped up and asked her to register... so she did! She was really excited and tried it out with Auntie Joyce for about an hour. Then her laptop went down! The screen is now barely visible!

Not too long ago, she was asked to update her MSN and has lost her entire contact list, plus everything else, too! What's up with the @#$%& Apple??? Or is it time for a PC?! But she has stood by rotten Apples for the past 20 years!

Until Austin's mamma gets her rotten apple fixed, or gets a new PC, she will no longer be able to post on Austin's blog! @#$%&...

Ex-Golden Sanders' Reunion

The Ex-Golden Sanders' merchandizing girls meets every month or so. But the marketing department reunion has never happened before because some are in the States!

We were fortunate enough to have the marketing team over to our humble little apartment in such short notice, upon the return of one member. Austin was really excited because we rarely have company! Even though he has met a few aunties and uncles before, some were strangers. But he hopped around and was unusually friendly, almost a bit crazy, very different from his old shy self!

Mamma and daddy was really excited too! Afterall, we haven't seen our old friends in years! Unfortunatly, Auntie Joyce was busy and wasn't able to join us!

Shihlin Presidential Residence Garden

Austin went on a playdate with a classmate to Shihlin Presidential Residence Garden (士林官邸). After walking through part of the garden with all kinds of flowers, he wanted to go home because he has no interest in flowers. But then there was a natural winding path, like walking through a forest, and Austin loved it! There was also a really cool guide who showed us where all the wild birds were hiding and explaining their habitats and characteristics to us. Austin wanted to walk through it again so mamma promised to bring him back to the garden again, some day!

He hated posing with the flowers...



He was either holding mamma's hands or making her carry him around the garden. When he runs off, 10 feet is the maximum distance he'll go...



Goofing off with his friend...


Overall, it was a pleasant outing! Afterall, getting him out of the house and staying away from the bookstore/library is never easy!

101

Mamma and daddy took Austin to Chili's for brunch after the dentist to reward him for being such a brave little boy!

After brunch, daddy went to work and mamma took Austin to his favorite hangout, 101 Page One Bookstore, by his request. We spent the entire afternoon there! For the three hours that we were there, he read for a while, then walked around the bookstore, read some more, then had to poop, gone back to the bookstore for more reading, spent some time sitting by the window enjoying the view, had some Haagen Dazs ice cream before we left, and wanted to go back to the bookstore... But if mamma spends another minute in the bookstore, she's gonna SCREAM! So she dragged him home!

Sitting quietly by the window enjoying the view while mamma read next to him...



The first Chrismas tree we saw this year...

The Day Has Come... Dentist Visit

Mamma dread the day that Austin has to get his cavity filled... It has finally come!

We showed up 8:30am on the time for the first appointment of the day so there's no waiting. But the dentist didn't show up until 9:00! Austin started crying while getting dressed all the way to the hospital. He stopped crying upon arrival and while waiting but started again when his dentist arrived and called him into the examining room.

For the first 5 minutes, he wouldn't stop crying, even when mamma was there holding his hands. So mamma decided to leave the room and give it a try. The room has a huge glass window so mamma could see everything that's happening inside. As soon as mamma left the room, the boy stopped crying! She could even hear them chatting! W-H-Y???

Austin cooperated with the dentist and her assistant for the entire treatment (about 20 minutes), getting his anesthetic shot(s), having one cavity filled, applying sealants to two of his wisdom teeth (to prevent decay), and getting up to rinse his mouth 3 times!

Next treatment is scheduled in two weeks, applying sealants to two more wisdom teeth and have his teeth cleaned. Hopefully, he will fear less and cooperate with the dentist like he did this time!

Thanksgiving Feast

Austin's class had a potluck lunch before Thanksgiving. Even though Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Taiwan, we go by the American calendar and get 4 days off! Yippie!

All the parents bring a dish and mamma brought turkey cupcakes! The kids had to recite a poem before sitting down to eat but Austin couldn't wait to get his hands on the cupcake that he just stood with his eyes glued to the cupcake while the others recited!

Turkey cupcakes...



Eyes on the cupcakes...



The kids also made a paper turkeys to dedicate to their moms...



Everyone await for the moms to bring them food...



Finally sits and eats cupcake...


You're probably wondering where the turkey is... It's already all carved up!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey!

Mamma was busy all weekend making turkey hairclips and magnet badges for everyone in Austin's class for the Thanksgiving Party! Even though mamma volunteers at school full-time, she avoids volunteering in Austin's class. To make some contribution, she makes things for his classmates! Austin loves the hairclips so much that he doesn't mind modeling for them!

Too Little, Too Soon?

Mamma and Austin ran into Michelle in the hallway on our way out!

"There's Michelle! Don't you want to talk to her?" mamma asked.

"No, mamma! Let's go!" Austin replied in a hurry.

"Why not?" mamma asked.

Austin didn't say anything...



Later in the evening, Austin told mamma... "I don't love Michelle anymore! I only love mamma!"

"Why don't you love Michelle anymore?" mamma asked.

"Because she didn't talk to me!" replied Austin.

"But you could talk to her!" mamma said.

Austin didn't say anything...



So that's the end of that relationship! Wonder who's next?!

The Player

(... no, no, not this kind of player...)

Austin still cries at school once in a while, still a loner, and still very shy... But he has already changed his mind about girls 3 times, and counting!

The first weeks of school, he came home and told mamma that he likes Julianne. Then weeks later, it became Rachel. After Chelsesa talked to him in Mandarin, he changed his mind again. Now that he met Michelle, she IS the one!

Michelle is actually mamma's friend. Because she's a bit slow, the poor girl sometimes gets left behind... and because mamma volunteers at school, she sometimes has to show her the way and gives her a little push! It wasn't until a few days ago when Austin saw mamma talking to Michelle in the hall and became very curious and interested in her. "Who is she?" "What's her name?" "How do you know her?" "Who's class is she in?" were just some of the questions he asked his mamma.

But mamma really doesn't get her little boy sometimes... because HE DOESN'T EVEN TALK TO GIRLS!

Too Little, Too Soon!

Austin was sitting on mamma's lap, on the bus, when mamma asked, "Who does mamma love the most?"

"Austin!" he replied.

"And who does Austin love the most?" mamma asked.

"Michelle!" Austin replied.

"Michelle? Why?" mamma asked.

"Mamma loves Austin and Austin loves Michelle!" Austin replied.

"Boo hoo hoo... mamma's sad!" mamma pretended to weep!

"Okay! Austin loves mamma. Mamma, don't cry!" said Austin.

"Austin loves mamma the most. But Austin loves Michelle, too!" he added.



P.S. Michelle is a girl in school from another class. They are both the slowpokes of their classes, the last in the line, the last to finish their snacks, the ones who seem to be in their little own worlds, and the ones who usually get left behind...

Dinner? No! Geography? Yes!

Austin never likes to eat! The only time he spends in the dining room is doing crafts and drawing on the dining table. Now, there's one more reason to stay in the dining room - a world atlas! Everyday, the boy will spend some time in front of the map! He now could locate 10-20 countries on the map.

His favorite place on the map is Madagascar...



Mamma's trying to find a world atlas with flags too! So he could associate the countries with their flags. But no luck yet!

YeYe's Birthday!

What's that little mouse up to? Sneaking onto the table for a piece of cake? But the picky little mouse doesn't even like cake. He's only interested in picking the chocolate on top!





It's YeYe's birthday and he lets him do whatever he wants, including blowing out the candle!



Happy Birthday, YeYe!

Weekend Gallery 11.11.07

Austin's doing more art at school during craft-time. So he's doing less at home!

Here are some of his home creations. Enjoy!

101 Building Installation
medium: mixed (plastic containers, bottle caps...)



Vaccum Cleaner and Car Transporter
medium: markers



Steam Engine, MRT and High Speed Train
medium: markers



Rainbow Track
medium: watercolor



Fireworks I
medium: watercolor



Fireworks II
medium: watercolor



Going to School, Riding on the Freeway Overlooking The Grand Hotel
medium: computer (Pencil Pal Drawing Software)



Apartment Building
medium: computer



Volcano
medium: computer



Rainbow
medium: computer



Steam Engine Meets Truck at Railroad Crossing
medium: computer



Anchor
meduim: Tangrams



Ambulance
medium: drawing pad



Steam Engine
medium: drawing pad

Zoo Visit on a Rainy Weekend

For the past weeks, Austin has requested bookstores after bookstores for his weekend outings... which drove mamma crazy! This weekend, mamma specifically states "...anywhere but the bookstore!" and Austin wanted to see penguins at the zoo!

We've never visited the zoo on the weekend. And since it's a rainy day, mamma thought that it wouldn't be crowded. WRONG! The zoo was jam packed! We took the train and went directly for the penguin. Didn't want to fight the crowd, Austin just took one look and wanted to leave! We walked back to the train stop and took the train back to the entrance/exit and that was our zoo visit, less than an hour! The MRT ride to and from the zoo was more fun than the visit itself! At least, we got to ride the train, saw the penguins for a few seconds, and visited a few other animals too!

Waiting for the train to arrive...



Complaining that the seats on the train are wet...



In front of the buffaloes...



After our brief visit to the zoo, Austin requested to go to the bookstore, and mamma took him there!

Shy Plant

Austin was on a playdate a while ago and had a chance to played with a pot of "shy plant" (含羞草).

Mamma remembers, in the good o'days, they used to be everywhere! But now, even if you have the money, you need some luck to find someone who sells them. His classmate bought it at a nursery. So NaiNai offered to try to find it at Jiang-Kuo Flower Market on the weekend. She asked around and looked everywhere, and finally found a couple of tiny pots of those shy plants.

These little plants are so cool! The leaves shrivel up when you touch them. But within a few minutes, they open up again. And in the evenings, they shrivel up again, and open up in the daytime!


Mamma hasn't seen them since she was a child living in the countryside. And this is Austin's first encounter!

Pre-Registration Already?

How time flies! We're already half way through fall semester and pre-registering for the spring semester (which begins in Jan. 2008).

Austin has progressed slowly but surely. He's already getting used to the 3-hour pre-K routine and cries only occasionally. He's still not participating in large group activities like sing-along and gym but will sit and watch. During recess, at the playground, he will run around once in a while when he feels like it. He loves craft-time and is beginning to write a little, but still using his fist to hold a pencil.

Mamma is thinking about enrolling Austin in a full day program next semester (just two hours more, one hour lunch and one hour play). But she worries that he is such a picky eater and he won't eat anything at lunch. NaiNai prefers to have him enjoy his days at home as much as possible since he will be off eventually! Come to think of it, all his cousins were in the half day co-op preschool program and they seem to be the happiest kids in the world!

Hard decision to make!

"Pediatrician Problem?"

Parent's Magazine - November 2007

"Up to 17% of pediatricians are not certified by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), according to new research in the Journal of Pediatrics. Though not mandatory, ABP certification is important because it requires physicians to pass an exam every seven years and keep up-to-date on medical advances. The study revealed another scary statistics: 12% of doctors who call themselves pediatricians never completed 3 year residency training in pediatrics. To see whether your child's pediatrician is certified, log on to abp.org."

It show ABP pediatricians all over the world. There are even a few in Taiwan!