It was our last day in Hong Kong. There are so many people we have to thank – Mom who took care of us during our stay at her home, Cousin Hellen who helped us out upon our arrival and fed us homemade meals, parents who lent us baby gear and toys and gave us helpful tips, friends and family who wined and dined us at their homes, fancy restaurants and private clubs. It was truly sad to leave Hong Kong and all these wonderful people.
Two unsung heroes were also Cameron’s favorite people – Ras and Sophia, the nannies who took care of Darren and him. Without them, our stay in Hong Kong would literally be impossible. We think that Cameron actually “learned” how to say Ras. One time I was holding him, he saw Ras walk by. He said, “Ras!” and leaned over to her. She ended up taking him from me. He was all smiles!
I must admit that I am not a big fan of long-distance travel with kids. However, the love, care and generosity of our family and friends will bring us back even though it means 16 hours from SFO to HKG and 11 hours back. (Oh, and don’t forget the jetlag!)
In a previous post, I said that Cameron was no longer shy. He has actually become quite outgoing. Now he smiles at people and even reaches out to them. For example, at the Christmas Eve family dinner at the Kowloon Cricket Club, he was held by so many relatives. Michelle and I hardly had to entertain him. We always claimed that Darren was the outgoing one but maybe we were wrong.
We went to Hong Kong Disneyland today. We were planning to bring our nanny but she had to take a day off. We borrowed a double-stroller from our friend Vicky and ventured to Mickey’s home.
It was Cameron’s first time at Disneyland. Obviously he had no idea what he was in for. Even though he was young, we managed to put him on a few rides.
It was an exhausting day for everyone. However, it was well worth it as the kids had so much fun!
Cameron turned one today. We threw a big celebration for him at the American Club at Tai Tam. Michelle had the foresight of getting a big inflatable slide inside the ballroom. It turned out to be a huge hit – kids and adults were flying down the slide continuously.
Even Cameron got to participate in Michelle’s arms:
The only time that the slide was quiet when everyone sat down for lunch. The club prepared an array of food from mini-burgers to Peking Duck wraps to peppered seared tuna.
However, the calmness didn’t last long as the kids (and adults) were eager to get back to the action. The action was only temporarily suspended again for the cakes. We actually got three different kinds of cakes for Cameron. He couldn’t eat the cakes yet but we mashed up some fruits that were on top of the cake for him.
Thanks everyone for coming and making this a fun event!!!
Michelle took the whole gang to meet up with Auntie Alicia at the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Garden. It was a cold day and everyone was bundled up. But that didn’t dampen our spirit. We strolled through the park leisurely while looking at various monkeys and birds. As we approached the big water fountain, we saw a concession stand. The thought of warm Vitasoy came to my mind immediately. Guess what? I saw the shopkeeper handing these steaming bottles to the customers. Cameron is too small to drink Vitasoy but it didn’t stop him from becoming the caretaker and feed Michelle this special treat.
Cameron was a very shy kid before this trip. However, seeing so many people both inside and outside the house, he has grown accustomed to being surrounded by people. More importantly he is no longer afraid of being handled by anyone other than his parents or nannies. He used to start crying when a stranger was within five feet distance. We are very happy about this change as he is really a sweet kid.
Today we had lunch with Uncle Jovis and Auntie Lucy. Cameron definitely brought his new personality and charmed the crowd. These pictures do not do him any justice. I wish I had brought my SLR with me.
Finally, 10 days before turning 1, Cameron meets his grandpa for the first time! He had stranger anxiety at first, but he warmed up to him during the course of our dinner together. Also, Grandpa held Darren for the first time!! When Grandpa visited Darren soon after he was born, Darren was so little Grandpa was too nervous to hold him. But now 20+ pounds heavier, Darren got lots of cuddle time with Grandpa as we tried to take lots of pictures to remember this memorable day of “firsts”!
The Ocean Park is surprisingly friendly to kids at Cameron’s age. Instead of getting stuck in a stroller, Cameron got to ride the merry-go-round and the little train. I was worried that he wasn’t having fun as he wasn’t laughing or giggling or even smiling. But then I remember Darren being very serious while riding the train at the age of two. I guess sometimes even a parent can’t understand what the kid is really thinking.
By this time we should know that an eleven-month-old has more cognitive power than most people think. Cameron proved this again today at the Ocean Park when he spent his time watching, touching, and at times talking back at everything. Michelle thinks that Cameron is a more serious and patient learner than his brother. He really takes his time examining and tinkering with new things. That doesn’t surprise me as I heard that there is only a very slight chance that two siblings are alike.
We spent the day at Ocean Park. I hadn’t been there for probably twenty years. As we were approaching the park, we saw the cable cars going up the hill. It’s nice to know that some things never change. At first I was a little worried about taking the kids on the cable car as I was afraid that they would get scared. But both of them loved it. I guess they are not afraid of height – at least not yet.
