Kisses and Cuteness

I worked from home today, my new home. Remodeling is at it's tail's end, and there are so many questions to be answered that instead of having to fly down to the new house at moment's notice, I decided to pack up my laptop and work down there. It was perhaps the longest amount of time I've spent in the house since we bought it. I set up my laptop in the office, and worked to the tune of our painter's AM radio, and the hum of our contractor's drill and saw. In a really bizarre way, it felt like studio at RISD. I felt a sense of camaraderie with the guys there, all of us just working side by side, doing what we were gifted to do. I think I've been freelancing for too long. Put me in a house full of workmen and I suddenly see them as coworkers.

Greyson is at home with our nanny today and it is the first day in almost a week that we've been apart for so long. Last week, Xiao Ling couldn't work the second part of the week, so Grey and I have had so much alone time, it felt odd to hand him off to her today. I dropped by to visit midday and he showered me with lots of slobbery kisses and hugs. It was so heartwarming. Our boy just loves giving kisses. Watching him greet me, the nanny asked me how to ask for a kiss in English so she could ask for it too. I just said, "Go give Xiao Ling Ah Ee a kiss, kiss" and he climbed out of my arms, crawled over to her and planted a big one on her cheek. She just about fell over. It is evident how much she has bonded with him. Sometimes the fear of losing her makes me go cold. I know too well that life comes in seasons. I just pray that we'll have a long one with her. I stayed home long enough to watch Grey eat a full bowl of Super Porridge, chicken and veggies, 2 tbsp each of peas and kidney beans, 1 tbsp of shredded beef brisket, 1 carton of Yobaby yogurt and a kiwi. Xiao Ling shook her head in disbelief. Our child eats like he's in prison.

We are scheduled to move in on November 9th. It will be bittersweet leaving the Richmond, where we have spent most of our life in San Francisco. I will miss seeing the inch of Golden Gate Bridge from our bedroom window. I will miss being up high on the third floor. I will miss the Seacliff mansions and Land's End. I will miss my friends at the corner grocery store. I will miss the ocean. Most importantly, we will miss having Uncle Arvin just 5 mins away. Roque says the sadness of leaving our condo won't hit him until we can't go back to it. I can't imagine driving by the place that used to be our home, and not having the key. It will be so strange. At the same time, I'm excited to make new memories. I'm looking forward to having Roque just a walk away, and being a mom in a neighborhood that is so kid-friendly. I'm excited to have more room for our family, and our extended family. Greyson will most likely take his first steps and say his first words here. That's something to look forward to.