Wordless Wednesday - Bird Catching

Daniel is running after the birds trying to catch them.

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Unwelcomed Unplanned Univited Guests

I woke up this morning to do my morning routine of trying to be productive. As I walk into the living room I see my 2nd sister and a female friend of hers sleeping there. I groan inward because this is not a new thing. I say a silent prayer that her guest don't stay long and continue my process. Then I hear a baby crying. Huh?

It's not my baby, this is a cry from a much younger infant. After a couple of minutes my 1st sister comes out to make a bottle, returns and the crying stops. Then a strange women comes out with a strange infant and starts walking around the living room. What the hell!

This happens all the time with my family. They're always inviting/helping out some friend over to where we're living without asking or informing. My mother hardly says anything because she's weak in control/influence when it comes to her children. Yeah I said it. It's true. My mother is SO not a strong parent figure.

So whats the problem? Two things. First my sisters can't help themselves so how they trying to help these other girls. It's always the same issue. Pregnant teenage girls who have issues with boys friends or mothers. The thing is they're problems tend to follow them here! The last girl here had to call the cops cause her baby father came over here causing trouble. She let him into the apt...without informing or asking anymore...and then homie started grabbing on her. I damn near had a fit!

The second issue is my sister always wants to show off my son like he's some damn freak show. I been meaning to blog about this for a while now. They're so proud of his "look" and always trying to show people their "Korean" nephew. This annoys the hell out of me so I always keep Daniel away from these "guests".

I don't like the way they always want to touch his skin, play with his hair or talk about how "Chinese" my son looks. What's more irritating is that my family can't catch a damn clue. You'd think after hearing me rant or seeing me hide away they'd get it. But nope they're still oblivious.

So I continue to hide and if they force the issue by trying to take my son to these "guest" then I become down right rude. This usually earns me an attitude from my sisters and their guest but hey...these people are no guest of me and my son's so to hell with them.

My Angel Turns Into A Devil

How did my son start off the day being a little angel only to end it as a little devil? When did someone switch my sweet little boy and replaced him with a bundle of mischief?!

The day started so good. Daniel kept my company while I made breakfast and planned the days activity. He sat so nicely reading while I ran around getting things ready. Then later when we went to the post office he was so wonderful trying to help by getting me forms for my packages. True I didn't need any of the forms but I didn't want to point that out. LOL

I am so proud that Daniel is turning more into a big boy. Our post office trip was the first time WITHOUT the stroller. Yup, Daniel walked from where we lived to the post office. He held my hand and walked along for all of the 5 blocks.

Then he stood nice on line at the post office. That is until he decided I needed forms for my packages. Then off he went to get them. I didn't mind the running back and forth cause it kept him happy and quiet. Also, his running around provided entertainment for the other people waiting on line. We all laughed as we watched Daniel and forgot about how long we were waiting.

So after all that how did things take a turn to the worse? I became so angry tonight, I wanted to take him to his father's job and drop him off for a long while. Why? Because, while I was in another room, my son snuck over to the computer and rebooted it. Again. This time somehow the reboot reformatted my USB drive that was still attached.

I check the USB drive as many different ways I could think of but nothing, nada, zip, no files. I didn't know what to do. 100's of photos, documents, vids and projects I had started and hoped to finish deleted. Just. Like. That. I was so angry.

After few hours I realized a few things.

• First and foremost, Daniel is banned from touching the PC whenever I'm working on it.
  
• Second, is that I'm more sad about losing memories and moments in Daniel life.

Yes, Im sad about losing photos and info from blog events but I can find a work around for that. There is no work around for losing that moment when Daniel discovery a leaf for the first time. *sniff*

But this is the life we live. Things are not guaranteed. We can try to save moments in different ways but the best way to remember something is by living in that moment and not waiting to enjoy later. Life might be rebooted for you and then what?

Wordless Wednesday - Being Entertained

An employee of 1800Flowers.com playing with Daniel so I can do my job as "media" and cover the event.

My Son's First Job Interview

After seeing the debut of the new "Night at the Museum" exhibit at Madame Tussauds, Daniel and I went to visit my old job. What started as a visit turned into my son's first job interview.

Sadly Deb, the Director of Office Operations were out of the office. So Daniel met with Gisselle, the Asst to the Director and with the Diana, the Front Desk coordinator, who now has his mommies past job.

Daniel thinks he impressed them both with his willing to be a go-getter when he "helped out" at the front desk. He tried answering the phones but they wouldn't let him. They said something about needing to learn how to talk first. Daniel didn't get it...he can say "HI" just fine. What more do they need?!

Daniel also took a tour of the office to bond with his future co-workers and felt they were also impressed. He's patiently waiting to hear back about a last "official" meeting with Deb, the Director of Office Operations and keeper of the candy jar. Daniel has heard good things from his mommy about the candy jar =)

Using Chopsticks or Not

While reading thru articles on toddler development on the Parenting magazine website, I came across this topic "Teach Your Child to Use Chopsticks"

I started thinking...should I teach Daniel how to use chop sticks? I want him to have good table manners for his Asian friends. But I admit I never really learned how to use them. If I'm forced to I can manage but all my Asian friends know to have a fork handy if they invite me for a meal. LOL

But what about Daniel...should this be another "culture" thing to teach him? Well my answer is not really. While Koreans do use chop sticks it's not in the same way as other Asians. While China and Japan use wooden chopsticks, Koreans use iron chopsticks. Also, Koreans have some different chopsticks etiquette

• Koreans consider it uncultured and rude to eat rice with chopsticks by picking up the rice bowl and bringing it closer to one's mouth. Dishes are to be left on the table and a spoon and chopsticks used accordingly.

• When laying chopsticks down on the table next to a spoon, one must never put the chopsticks to the left of the spoon. Chopsticks are only laid to the left for deceased family members.
- Chopsticks, From Wikipedia

Besides chopstick Koreans use a spoon while eating. I for one love that fact! Really I think it's more important to get the food where it needs to go...in my tummy! So since the use of a spoon is something Daniel is already learning, I don't feel the need to add extra eat tools just yet. It's hard enough teaching him to get most of the food into his mouth instead of on the floor...or on me

Supporting the Native Americans for Thanksgiving

I've never really been a fan of Thanksgiving along with the major other holidays. It's weird to me that people celebrate something based on misconstrued history. We all know what happened to the Native American Indians after they saved the lives of the pilgrims.

I guess some people just over look that little fact and claim this holiday as a time to be thankful for things in their lives. Well I was never one to over look little facts.

As usual I side with the Native Americans this Thanksgiving as I've done in the past. I refuse to celebrate this "holiday" and what society "suggests" I should be doing around this time.

This year I'm very concerned about trying to raise a socially aware child. I want Daniel to know and honor all people and their cultures. So I started researching online what I can do with him since this month is National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

While I can't claim any connection to the American Indians of the USA, I suspect I have some claim to the Native Indians in Guyana in my family history. I suspect more on my father's side of the family but it could be from either of my parents. Anyway, I'm not the only one. Did you know that many African Americans can claim having Native American ancestry? There's currently an exhibit that highlights this invisible story

The exhibition IndiVisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas is a collaboration between the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian Institution Travelling Exhibition Service (SITES).

African and Native peoples came together in the Americas. Over centuries, African Americans and Native Americans created shared histories, communities, families, and ways of life. Prejudice, laws, and twists of history have often divided them from others, yet African-Native American people were united in the struggle against slavery and dispossession, and then for self-determination and freedom.

For African-Native Americans, their double heritage is truly indivisible.

You can check the exhibit tour schedule to find out when it will be in your area. Since I can't travel to the DC exhibit I'm going to visit the The National Museum of the American Indian here in NYC with my son this month and see what cool activities they have.

 Join me if you like =)