Christmas Day Dim Sum

Christmas Day Dim Sum '05
Originally uploaded by oldforest.

A family tradition revived.

Unlike myself, Heather enjoys the holidays. She has happy memories to share and family traditions to continue. At least as an adult, for me, the holidays have been something to merely survive and get through. Other than going out for Dim Sum, there are no family traditions for me to continue or latch on to. Shortly after my parents divorced, going out to Dim Sum became what my mother and I did, not just for Christmas, but on all holidays -- and before going and judging it as particularly odd, I'll point out that Oriental East, the restaurant in Silver Spring, where we would go, actually opens half-an-hour earlier on holidays to accommadate the crowds of like-minded(mostly Chinese) folks.

In the recent years(after my mother's passing), I hadn't consistently been able to sustain the tradition -- but, after Lily's birth, it became that much more important to me to revive the tradition for good. It felt like a nice way to remember my mother. Unfortunately, last year my sister-in-law, thawarted the attempt to begin the revival(and then, to add insult to injury, she disrespected my mother's memory -- and to-date hasn't apologized).

So, it would not be an exaggeration to say, that I had been looking forward to this day for more than a year...

The "Unofficial " Start to the Holidays...

Zoe's Christmas Card Pose
Originally uploaded by oldforest.

As usual, we knew that Heather's folks would be here for Christmas -- and as usual, we didn't know when they would be arriving(or leaving for that matter). Shortly after leaving the allergist's office in the early afternoon(where this picture of Zoe was taken), on the Wednesday(12/21) before Christmas, I got a call from Heather's Mom informing me that they were at the last highway exit in Ohio -- did that mean they had just gotten to Ohio(Heather's folks live in Hawkins, Wisconsin) or were they almost to Pennsylvania? "So, what does that mean?" I think I shouted. To which I was informed that they were about 6 hours away. I immediately called Heather at work, upon hearing the news, she said "you're kidding!"...there would be no mad dash to straighten the house before their arrival,

Zoe 12/2/05

Zoe 12/2/05
Originally uploaded by oldforest.

Now I know it's too early to tell, but I think that Zoe looks more like Heather, while Lily looks more like me. So far, mine seems to be the minority opinion.

Lucky 7's

Check-Up for the Girls 12/5/05
Originally uploaded by oldforest.

Talk about being on the opposite ends of the growth charts. Pictured here at their check-up(8-weeks for Zoe, 18-months for Lily), the numbers don't lie: Lily is only about 7 pounds heavier than Zoe(20 lbs, 4oz vs. 12 lbs, 13 oz), 7 inches taller(30.5 vs. 23.5)and her head in nearly 7 centimeters larger(47.5 vs 41).

In a few more months Lily will be wearing hand-me-downs from Zoe.

More Gymboree Photos

Gymboree 9/29/05b
Originally uploaded by oldforest.

I've finally gotten around to adding more pics to the Lily at Gymboree set, although I still need to edit some titles and descriptions, at least the pics are up(nearly 50 in all).

To see them, go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kudukhsu/sets/407411/