Scheduling by the Calendar... and Pics of the Kids, Because What Else!

I spent nearly an hour color coding my calendar one night last week... and I'm only a little bit embarrassed to admit it.  I can't decide if I'm more embarrassed that I spent so long color coding, or if I'm more embarrassed that I had not color coded before this?!  My calendar organizing skills were so woefully inadequate.  But now they are pretty amazing.  I have two colors (dusty pink for personal and bright teal for work) which dominate because, well, I am the default option and there is a LOT of scheduling and reminders to calendar.  Next are the helpers and driver (bluish gray), who also dominate because I record their schedules and days off and it's a lot to track. The next most prominent color is lavender (Lola) because purple is her favorite color, followed by the boys who are green because, well I like green and a pop of lime never fails to lift the spirits, or so I've found, followed finally by Michael who is a cobalt blue because blue is his favorite color.  The twins are one color for now but I am sure at some point in my distant but also very near future they will have their own separate schedules as well.  Heaven. help. us.

When doing this, and really in the past four months, I could not help but recall one of my colleagues remarking only half jokingly that she lived and died by her calendar.  It's so true.  If the thing is not on my calendar, I am not going to remember it.  It's happened more than once now and I've learned I need to respect the calendar.  Gone are the days when I only had to look linearly at conflicts - now conflicts abound all over my calendar because it covers so many people's schedules.  Disrespect the calendar by promising to meet up for lunch/squeeze in an appointment/commit to a trial class and you will feel the pain/shock/humiliation/hit to your pocketbook when you inevitably overbook or double book. 

Otherwise, these past two weeks have been a pretty happy, busy but contented period in our lives.  I've been working from home more this past week due to the increased number of Covid cases in Hong Kong (though it's all relative, with our cases reported numbering in the double digits) and the increase in upper respiratory tract infections in kindergartens.  Kindergartens were closed starting the 16th, and over the weekend the government just announced closures of Primary schools grades 1 through 3.

The kids continue to be so amazing, so cute, and so dynamic as they grow and change every, single, day.

Before Lola's school closures this week, she had the flu vaccine at school (administered for free through the HK government) on Friday, which she had been preparing for it for weeks on end with her teachers.  She was very, very brave, barely cried, and other than some complaining about her arm from time to time, was such a champ.

Last weekend our friends rented a lovely beach house in Shek O and invited us over to hang out and go to the beach.  To my surprise, Lola loved the beach and readily embraced the ocean and the sand.  She is turning into such an enthusiastic and spirited, spunky little girl, always up for new adventures and experiences.  How fun!  She kept squealing and running away from the water, but then dragging me into it (I was foolhardy and in less than a couple of attempts managed to waterlog my shoes, socks and tights).  She also loved digging with shovels and dumping sand into buckets (at one point she amassed four) and watching the water fill up her sinkhole.  I love watching her energy, enthusiasm, and generally just her big brain at work.

       

 

Al and Teo had a good time also, although they stayed in the house.  My friends have two dogs and I was happy that the kids got some exposure to pets.  I can't wait to bring the boys to the beach again so that they get to experience the sand and surf.

I had a moment one of these weeknights when I just couldn't sleep with the thought of how much I loved my kids.  They are all so unbearably sweet and adorable but also so finicky and grumpy and weird in their own ways.  I've been told many times, and particularly of late, that they all look a lot alike.  I mean, obviously Al and Teo, but these comments have been coming from those who have known or seen Lola from when she was a baby.  I see it - I guess they all have the big eyes, the same little button nose, the similar cupid bow lips.  The main difference is that Lola was more petite, and she had more (and darker) hair, and the boys drool 100% more.

The boys are so curious and interested in the world around them - always drawn to touching and grabbing everything around them.  They love hair (ouch) and, as usual, everything goes in the mouth.  They love to chew on hard objects like wood, hard plastic and metal (which makes me cringe).  They are wearing 2 year old clothing (polos and jackets especially) and it never ceases to boggle my mind that they are so big.  We are nearing their 11 months' mark and I cannot be more flabbergasted at how slowly/quickly the time has flown.  Al and Teo will soon be one!  Lola is turning three in barely 2 weeks!  Heck, some days I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I have three kids.  I was telling a girlfriend last night, I feel like my life has completed a 180 degree shift in the last 5 years, when at this time five years ago I had just gotten married. Talk about warp speed, whiplash-inducing changes.

Lola has been a pretty good participant in her Zoom classes this week.  We try to crush it all in the beginning of each morning Monday through Friday (an hour of English followed by an hour of Chinese, with breaks in each session and in between) so that she has time to go outside and play or do other things.  On one of the days this week she went on a playdate with her friend from school, followed by a picnic.  It was fantastic.  She came home flushed with excitement, grubby and sweaty and dirty, and just generally in great spirits. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She also had sports with Minisports that afternoon (a multi-sport outdoor activity camp that is held in parks around Hong Kong) which led to her really expending a ton of energy and eating and sleeping well.  I like the venue they go to because it's a nice wide expanse of grass, a ton of little kids are there, it's close to our apartment, and Al and Teo can crawl around and play also.  Win win win.

Ah, this girl.  Here, on her way to the little playground near our apartment.

Other than sports, Lola still loves ballet, and has built up the courage to attend classes by herself/with her friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's hard not to find the boys so freaking adorable as well.  They are famous on our street - aunties up and down the block know and recognize Al and Teo.  Both of them have really blossomed and are just so open, adventurous, and happy and carefree.  Michael says they are two big happy dumplings, haha.  I think they have more depth of emotion than that, but compared to our moody, intriguing, multi-layered, deeply individualistic and strong-willed daughter, our sons are pretty straightforward and easy.  This grateful mama will take it.