Wa Gwai 兩隻人見人愛的搗蛋嘩鬼 - My 2 Little Rascals

I think Alex is a very well mannered toddler. He’d say Bye Bye to anybody.
We went to May Flower at the Great Mall for dim sum last weekend. People who has been there knew there’s a little kids area near to the restuarant. When we finished dim sum, Alex said Bye Bye Great Mall, yeah, he said Great Mall, but he was looking and waving at the play area. I guess his Great Mall = play area.

Today, after seeing Dr. Kanel, we went to Saigon Village Restuarant on Lawrance Expressway. Huge fish were painted on the wall. Everytime we go there, both Ashlyn & Alex would be pointing to the wall and say “Yu Yu” 魚魚 (fish in Cantonese). Today, to our surprise, Alex said “Loan Ha” 龍 蝦 (lobster in Cantonese) and pointing at the fish tanks/lobsters tanks. I wonder who taugh him that. When we were leaving, he was waving at the tanks and said “Bye Bye Loan Ha” Bye Bye 龍 蝦, See You!

Here are some vocab Alex’s been saying. I’m sure there’re lots more, I just can’t keep track.
酸味味 (tastes sour)
維他奶 (Vitasoy)
M&M
雪Big (Sprite)
麵麵 (noodles)
包包 (bread)
聽日見 (see you tomorrow)

Ashlyn is talking alot too, and talks back.
Great Auntie Mary: 你 煩 ah (in Shanghaiese) = You are annoying
Ashlyn : 你 煩 ah (in Shanghaiese repeated by Ashlyn)

Ashlyn on the phone: Wei, 邊 個 ah? 我病 ah!
XOXO

We went to Dr. Kanel today, 2nd Orthopedic, specializing in kids. Wait for like 20mins or so, brought into the exam room, waited another 5 mins. Dr. Kanel came in, felt Alex’s thumb, drew a picture to explain to us what’s going on with his thumb, then tell us to go back after Alex’s 2nd birthday to see if his thumb got better and will decide if surgery is necessary. That’s probably another 5 mins of combination of examing, drawing and talking, and we were out of there.

Just like Dr. Wong, Dr. Kanel explained the surgery procedure and recovering time. He told us there’s a kid had the surgery in the morning, released from hospital in the afternoon and off he went to the playground, jumpy and happy as if nothing happened.
Will following up again in the Fall.

XOXO

Alex: 細老同媽媽瞓
*****
Alex: Yo yo yo yeh boat (Row row row your boat)
*****
Alex: 爸爸 lay 埋訓覺覺豬
*****
Alex: 姐姐仔, pleasssseeeee…
*****
Alex: 細老被被, mine!
*****
Ashlyn: Quiet!
*****
Ashlyn: 細老, 呢個姐姐仔既
*****Ashlyn: 我要食朱古力雪糕
Alex: 我要食雪糕
*****
Alex: 細老嘔呀
*****
Ashlyn: 我要坐細老位
Alex: 呢個細老位
*****

It was like 2 weeks ago when my mom found that Alex’s right thumb was kind of stuck in the 90 degree position, and we were not able to relax it. We worried that he got hurt, or bone fracture when he played and didn’t realize it. It didn’t bother him at all, no pain or anything. We took him to the Pediatrician Dr. Yau anyways, to have him check it out. Dr. Yau felt his bone with his fingers, no fractures, that’s a relief. He asked Alex to push the button on top of his pen, and Alex was able to use force to push it down without pain. Dr. Yau suspected that Alex had Trigger Thumb, but he asked us to observe for couple more days to see if there’s any pain complaint or swell up.For the next couple of day, Alex’s thumb was fine. It’s the matter of fact, his thumb was relaxed just like a normal thumb right after we got home from Dr. Yau’s office. His thumb was locked on and off in the 90 degree position, so we went back to Dr. Yau’s in couple of days. He wrote us a referral to Orthopedic Surgeon. We finally decided to take Alex to the Orthopedic, Dr. Wong, a week later as we found this thumb locking happened more frequently. Sure enough, Dr. Wong told us it’s Trigger Thumb, and require a minor surgery to fix it. He said the surgery will take no longer than 30mins, Alex’s thumb will be able to more right after the surgery, and will be fully recovered in 6 weeks. Sounded simple, but of course, we’re going to get 2nd opinion. So, we found this Dr. Kanel, a Pediatrics Orthopedic, and will be seeing him this Thursday. In the mean time, we serach online for more information about Trigger Thumb and the surgery.Here is what we found from www.orthoseek.com:

What is it?
Trigger thumb is a condition where the thumb is locked in the flexed position at the Interphalangeal Joint (IP joint). Sometimes, the thumb can be forcibly extended with a palpable or audible click. Sometimes, it is locked in acute flexion and cannot be extended. The condition may be familial (runs in the family) and is bilateral in 50% of cases.
Trigger thumb is due to thickening and constriction of the fibrous flexor sheath the surrounds the Flexor pollicis tendon at the base of the thumb. The constriction does not allow for free movement of the tendon within the sheath. This causes the thumb to be stuck in the flexed position.
What does the doctor do about it?
The condition may present at birth, or during infancy. Treatment is often conservative. Parents are taught to stretch the thumb and gently extend the thumb, even in the thumb that is locked in flexion. Over a period of 18 to 24 months, the triggering may resolve spontaneously. In cases where the thumb is locked in acute flexion and does not allow any extension, surgical release of the fibrous flexor sheath is indicated by age 2 to prevent permanent contracture.

Chinese version taken from www.vghks.gov.tw
定義
所謂的板機指指的是手指屈肌肌腱在指頭基部形成結節，使得手指在彎曲而想伸直時會卡在滑車(pulley)，以致指節無法完全伸直；或者在伸直時會有阻力，形成類似扣板機的情形，稱之為板機指。
　
板機指是先天或後天的？
許多小朋友在出生即有，因此被認為是先天形成的；但也有許多患者是後來才發生的，因此被稱為是後天的。先天的板機指，可能與壓胎現象有關。而後天的板機指，可能與局部的發炎反應、反覆刺激或創傷有關。
　
好發於拇指？
雖然每一個手指都有可能發生，但是姆指的板機指是發生率最高的，尤其是兒童的扳機指，幾乎青一色都發生於拇指。
　
治療
復健、按摩、牽拉運動：絕大多數的兒童扳機指，只要沒有完全卡住，都可經由按摩及牽拉運動恢復正常。
局部注射：大人的板機指以局部注射(local steroid injection)有相對較好的結果，但在小朋友的板機指大致不適合打針，效果也不好。
手術：手術的目的，是把卡住結節的滑車切開。由於手術簡單(平均手術時間只要10分鐘)，效果顯著，適合於完全卡住或持續疼痛，其他治療方法無效的病患使用。

People who know me know that I would do anything for shopping, even sacrify hours of beauty sleep. I would get up at 6am and go shopping the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas, dispite the fact I left the same mall at mid-night when they close. Or get up even early and drive an hour to shop at Outlet mall. That was all history since I was pregnant with Ashlyn.
I was told everything would change once you had babies and your kids are your first priority. I knew it was true when Ashlyn was born, and now, I couldn’t agree more.

Summer recreation classes offered by the community center began registration for residence on 3/24, Saturday, 8 am to 12noon. I got up around 7am, left home and got there, parked, and got in line around 7:25. It’s not far away from home, kind of just around the corner. Got there and there’s already a line of people, about 100 of them, with picnic chairs, blankets, and coffee in hands. I wondered what time they were there. It’s like lining up at Best Buy at the wee hours on the day after Thanksgiving, or lining up at Target, Circuit City, and Best Buy on Sundays for Wii. This is insane!!

I was #127. As I was waiting in line, more people came. They began the registration 15mins early. By the time I got to the door around 7:50am, turned around and looked, there’s probably another 100 people behind me.

The registration process didn’t take long. What they did was simply take your registration form, checked your IDs and take your money from your wallet. Applications will not be processed until later, and will be processed in the order based on the number you received.

What’s the damage? Ka-Ching$$$$ ! $172 for 2 classes for each of my kid, total $344, that’s like a month of my car payment! O, almost forgot, there’s a $20 material fee for each participant for one of the classes.

Here are what I have signed up for Ashlyn and Alex. There’re limited classes for their age. Class #1: Little Panda. The class introduces children to Mandarin through folksongs, nursery rhymes, creative movement and instrumental play. Class #2: Tumbling Tikes. Basically it’s English version of Little Panda, or like Gymboree classes.

I’m sure Ashlyn would like to take ballet class, but she has to be 3 by the time the first class begins. Oh well, next summer then. And for next next summer, when Ashlyn turns 4, will sign her up for Ballroom dance class. Get her ready for her “first dance”!

Classes for Alex? don’t know yet, maybe Hip Hop dancing for him.

So, I got home around 8:10am, just as I got cozy and trying to catch up with my beauty sleep, Mr. Alex was awake! NO WAY!! I have done my part, it’s Johnson’s turn. Wake me up for lunch!
Next time, I’m gonna go early, get in line and get ticket #1, go home for a nap, and return before noon to turn in my application. Just wish I knew better. Oh Rookie!
XOXO

Me: “細老, 食粥 la !”
Alex: “No Way!”
Ashlyn: “細老唔食粥, 係唔係去廁所打?”
Me:” ha? “
*****************************************************************
Ashlyn: “係唔係 Hay Yee 打麻雀 ah?”
******************************************************************
Ashlyn, what’s this?
Ashlyn: “紅中, 白板, 發財, 雀雀, 北, 波波”
Alex, what’s this?
Alex: ” “紅中, 白板, 發財, 雀雀, 東, 波波”
note: 打麻雀, 學中文
*********************************************

Here are some conversation with Alex or something he said out of the blue. Remember, Alex is only 19-month-old.

Great Auntie Judy calling Alex: “Sai Loe? (in a tone like ‘where are you?) meaning = little brother in Cantonese (that’s how we call Alex at home) Alex: “What?!” in English
**************************************************************************
Alex: “How are you my friend?” in English
**************************************************************************
Alex: “Mama, Ten mm doe wor!” meaning = mom, I cannot hear (he was complaining the volumn of the DVD in my car was too low )
**************************************************************************
Alex: “Sic Farn la!” meaning = dinner time
**************************************************************************
Alex: “Jau la” meaning = let’s go
**************************************************************************
Alex: “Mama, hui bin ah? hui upping?” meaning = mom, where are we going? shopping? (he couldn’t pronouce ’sh’ and the ‘op’ sound, it’s like up-ping)
***************************************************************************
Alex: “hui uk-on-no sic shu til” meaning = go McDonald’s and eat fries (he couldn’t pronouce McDonald’s, the closest he got was uk-on-no)
***************************************************************************
Alex: “Mama, Tei ha!” meaning = mom, look!
***************************************************************************
Alex: “Mama, sim sim leng leng” meaning = mom, blink blink pretty (as he was playing with my diamond pendent)
***************************************************************************
Alex: “I got it!!” in English
***************************************************************************
Alex: “NO WAY!” in English (standard answer for any questions you asked him and anything you asked him to do)
***************************************************************************
Alex: “Baba, wei wei yeah yeah” meaning = Dad, call grandpa as soon as the phone was connected
Alex: “wei, yeah yeah, sai loe ah!” meaning=hello, grandpa, it’s Sai Loe (Alex)
Grandpa Tony: “sic jor mum mum may ah?” meaning=have you eatten yet?
Alex: “sic jor la” meaning=already ate
Grandpa Tony: “bao may ah?” meaning = are you full?
Alex: “bao la” meaning = i’m full
Grandma Anna joined in: “sai loe, jone e sic d mut ah?” meaning = Alex, what do you like to eat? Alex: “uk-on-no shu til” meaning = McDonald’s fries
Grandpa Tony: “Ashlyn neh?” meaning = where is Ashlyn?
Alex: “jeh jeh jai gau gau jue” meaning = sister is sleeping
Grandpa Tony: “Ashlyn gau gau jue ah?” meaning = Ashlyn is sleeping?
Alex: “hai ah, Bye bye!” meaning = yes, bye bye.
**************************************************************************
I’m sure this is not the end of it. There’s gotta be more, but I cannot remember right now. Geez, I should have marked down every single one when it happens.

One morning, Alex woke up, yawning and stretching. All the sudden he said : “mama, sai loe larn sei sei 懶 蛇 蛇 (lazy snake snake)” meaning = Mom, little brother (referring to himself) doesn’t want to get out of bed.
XOXO
Wednesday March 21, 2007 - 11:16am (PDT)

$2 monitor updates

Greetings from Amazon.com
This is what I got this morning in my email:
Greetings from Amazon.com,We’re sorry, but the following order from PC Universe has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience.
That’s for the $2 LCD monitors. Oh well, worths a try.
Monday March 12, 2007 - 09:24am (PDT)

What? Are you sure?
I thought it was Johnson’s wishful thinking, or he was not reading the product listing correctly. He told me this morning, well, Sunday morning rather, Amazon was selling a NEC 19″ LCD monitor for $2 plus shipping.

So, on Sunday morning, around 12 noon, as usual just like any other weekends, Johnson, Alex and I went over to my grandma’s place to meet up with Auntie Mary and Ashlyn to go out for lunch. Since Ashlyn refused to have her milk this morning, my aunt suggested to give her some baby food potato with corn. Yeah, Ashlyn is still having baby food occassionally when she didn’t want to have milk, so, it’s like snack for her. As I was getting ready to go make Ashlyn some snack, Johnson started to browse his favorite website Slickdeals and said “Vickie, 19″ LCD for 2 bucks!!” here is the conversation.

Johnson: Vickie, 19″ LCD mon for 2 bucks each
Vickie: what? are you sure?
Johnson: yeah, that’s what it says here on Slickdeal

Before he could finished his sentance, he clicked the link and both of us were in disbelieve.
Vickie: try to buy it. how many can you buy?
Johnson: 3
Vickie: ok, buy 3 then 3

seconds later

Vickie: did it go through?
Johnson: yeah, with shipping for 3 monitors is about $78
Vickie: that’s only $20 something each!! Let me buy some (note: I said SOME, not 1)

So, as soon as Johnson completed his transaction, I took over the computer.
Vickie: Johnson, look, it says the quantity requested not available!
Johnson: gone that fast?? Oh, IE crashed. Open another browser. Hate IE, try Firefox
Vickie: OK, 3 again.

waiting as it was loading…

Vickie: OK, went through. I must call Jessica now.
Vickie: Miss Wong, Amazon, $2 19″ LCD monitor, will give you the link
Jessica: what? OK!

that’s exactly how short our conversation was, right to the point.
called her back

Vickie: you checked the link? if it says qty. not available, start a new browser and try again. that’s what happened to me.
Jessica: OK, have you checked your email? did they send you order confirmation?
Vickie: let me see…. Yahoo mail not working wor
Jessica: OK, I guess it’s Yahoo issue, I tried to log in all morning without success. I got 3 too. Geez, Mr. Wong is not answering the phone. Too bad!
Vickie: aiyo, just reserve 1 for him la
Jessica: just hope they are not going to cancel our orders once they found out it’s a listing mistake
Vickie: oh well, if they shipped and charged us $78, that’s great! if they canceled our orders, nothing to loose.
Jessica: that true

As I was putting in my order, Johnson went downstair and told Uncle Chi the deal. It was funny that Johnson didn’t ask Uncle Chi if he wanted to place order, nor Uncle Chi mentioned he was interested. Until I went downstairs and mentioned again, well, actually, Uncle Chi told me he already knew before I had a chance to finish half of my sentance. So I asked him if he’s interested. He said “of course, place an order for me, as many as possible” So off I went upstairs and told Auntie Mary, she said “buy 3 then”. In 30 minutes, 4 of us placed 4 orders for total of 12 units of 19″ LCD monitors at $20 something each.

Soon after I had the conversation with Miss Wong, Johnson called his coworker to tell him the great deal/steal.

So, we checked the forum again in the afternoon, people were discussing what if they charge us full price, what if they cancelled our orders…etc. Lots of “what if’s”. The only thing we all can do now is to hold our breath, wait and see what happens next. Some dude called the vendor to reconfirm the price, needless to say, that alarmed the vendor. How did I know he called? He posted himself that he called to verify the price. Other people who ordered the monitors jumped on him and saying how stupid he was to call and let the vendor know they made a price mistake. Oh well, we’ll see.
Happy Shopping!