shiso mama

We’ve been trying to teach Otis to say excuse me after any display of bodily function. The other night, we were all eating together when Otis suddenly tooted, stopping all conversation. “What do we say, baby?” I asked him. He thought about it for a second, and then said, “Aiyaaaaaaa!!!!!” We could not stop laughing after that. I guess it means that the kid’s getting some good Chinese training. Unfortunately, he also thinks it’s immensely funny when he farts now - is this the start of adolescent boy humor?

1. Does this necklace make me look fat?

This was a birthday present from F and Otis. After some serious hinting that I saw some necklaces that I really liked at one of my favorite stores where I never buy anything (everything there requires dry cleaning! As I’m sure they know, since I always go and secretly rub my face against all their luxurious fabrics), F asked Otis which necklace he though they should buy me - a giraffe or an elephant, and he chose a giraffe. Otis was excited to be a part of the whole process, especially the secret keeping, although he did innocently ask me one day, “Mama, do you like giraffes or elephants? … or camels or kangaroos?” I would’ve interpreted his question as part of one of his usual animal-centric conversations, but F jumped in and said, “Hey, buddy, remember, we’re keeping a secret?” Otis likes to make sure that I’m wearing it every day.

2. It’s hot cross bun season! I’m on a quest to eat as many as I can get my sticky little hands on (I’ve tried 4 different bakeries so far, but it’s still early in the season so I have many more to go). I wonder if I would like them as much if they were available all-year round, and the answer if probably no. It reminds me that this is probably how we should our fruits and vegetables, too….

3. We bought our first piece of furniture for the baby’s room.

It’s in fantastic shape and fits perfectly in this space, although it means that we’ll have to move some of our artwork around. I’m now looking for a mobile (perhaps made of wood? or haha, maybe I’ll make something in all my spare time) to hang in this corner. I would be grateful if anyone had suggestions (nothing too baby-ish or representational, I think I’d like something more abstract)…

4. A serendipitous find:

I’ve been on the craigslist hunt for a used paper trimmer so that I don’t have to shlep all my paper to work and use their old, rusty contraption, but I just haven’t found the right one for the right price. And lo and behold, I happened upon one for $9 while I was looking for recycled art materials for work. Can’t beat that. In case you haven’t heard or haven’t been, East Bay Depot (in the East Bay here) and SCRAP (in SF) are fantastic resources for all kinds of great recycled materials, and I believe there are places like these in many big cities.

Our friend, Jessica, just opened up shop! Check out her supercute creations and support a mom/indie designer. I see some pretty good gifts on the website…

Because I work in a museum, it’s often difficult for me to go to a museum for fun, even when there’s a show that I want to see. But I’ve been thinking lately that it’s been so long since I’ve taken Otis with me to a museum, and feeling a little anxious that he wasn’t getting enough exposure to art, and to museums, which are such a big part of my life. So last Monday, when Otis stayed home from Grandma R’s house, we had a rare playdate together - first to Tartine for croissants, and then to the SFMoma for the Olafur Eliasson exhibit. I was a little concerned before we got there, because Otis kept asking, “Are we going home now? Where are we going? Why? What’s art? THEN are we going home?” But it turned out to be a fantastic date. The Eliasson exhibit is such a perfect introduction to museums for small kids because it is so experiential, and it was so rewarding to see him get excited and have fun. I think it can be challenging to pick a good exhibit for small kids to explore (other special exhibits were of black and white photography, which would’ve bored him to tears) but we really enjoyed this show. If you happen to be local and are looking for something to do, the show’s up through Sunday.

It’s been so strange being without a computer all these days. I keep telling myself that it’s good for my soul, that I need time to myself and my thoughts, but I’ve really just been doing a poor job of fooling myself. Especially since I only recently discovered the joys of reading Casual Encounters on Craigslist. They’re so bad they’re good, egregious spelling errors and all. But now that I’ve got my fantastic new computer, I can read twice as many listings twice as fast!

For the Chinese Mafia, an update. We went to a birthday party this past weekend. Can you tell which part of this outfit Otis picked by himself?

Can’t tell?

Still can’t tell? Knitted cat-shaped earmuffs. And, well, they used to belong to me.

A quickie post with no pictures tonight, as my computer is down and I’ve stolen F’s computer away from him during precious work time to write.  I know I owe many of you emails, and I’m apologize, but it might have to wait until I get a new computer! 

Lately, there are times when Otis will suddenly yell at F, “Baba, you’re a PIG!”  F’s always taken aback, wondering what provoked such an outburst, and then will relax, remembering, Yes, yes, I was born in the year of the pig.  There’s been a lot of that going on lately, especially with the continuing obsession with the animals and arrival of the Lunar New Year.  “Mama, you’re a cow!” To which I respond, “Oh, yeah?  Well, you’re a chicken!”  How is it that we’re all born in years that can have such derogatory connotations when put in certain contexts?  Just wait, little Otis-ette will be born in the year of the rat. 

Tonight we celebrated Chinese New Year with Fifth Aunt Grandma K.  We made dumplings over the weekend, as is tradition in our family, and filled some of them with little hidden treasures - coins, peanuts, dates and rice cakes.  A coin in your dumpling means good fortune, peanuts mean long life, dates mean future offspring, and rice cakes mean that you’ll do well in your work and be promoted.  Although it’s good luck to find any of these treasures, there’s always a race to see who finds the most coins, and we gulp down our dumplings desperately, slowing down only after all the coins have been found. 

Otis is now old enough to fully participate in the race, and was really excited to look for treasures in his dumplings.  Fifth Aunt Grandma K held her breath, trying to pick a coined dumpling to give to Otis, and F and I could tell she was terribly disappointed to bite into one of her own dumplings and find a coin there, because she had felt quite sure that it could not possibly be one of the lucky ones.  From then on, she poked her chopstick into each dumpling before biting into it, in the process finding the last coin.  Excitedly, she said to Otis, “Hey, why don’t you try this one?” 

“No,” Otis said.  “I don’t want that one.”

“Uh, OK,” Fifth Aunt Grandma K replied, doing some quick thinking.  “Why don’t you pick your own then?” while quietly slipping the coined dumpling back onto the plate and spinning it around and around again, finally placing the one with the telltale chopstick hole in it directly in front of him.  “Which one do you want?”

“This one,” he said, reaching in, the wrong dumpling almost slipping into his hands, but for the quick thinking of Fifth Aunt Grandma K, who managed to trick him just in time.  We all called out in mock surprise and erupted in cheers when he finally found that coin.  It was great fun, and we all ended up with one coin each.  Otis has officially been inducted into one more of our family’s traditions. 

Now he is snuggled in his bed in our nice, clean house, wearing his new pajamas, with his New Year’s money tucked safely under his pillow (all musts for an auspicious year).  Tomorrow morning, on New Year’s Day, we will ring in the New Year with some deep-fried rice cakes.  Happy New Year, friends.  And remember not to sweep tomorrow, or your good luck will be swept right out the door!