It was Joshua and Jasmine's first time to America. We traveled together with my mum and my aunt on Eva Air. Air ticket per adult is approx RM4k and for Jasmine it was RM1.8k.
We basically stayed in SF the whole trip except Joshua and I was away for a 2D1N trip in Los Angeles, a honeymoon gift fully funded by my uncle. Staying at Sheraton hotel, with limo services ferrying us from point A to point B and free entry tickets to Universal Studios! @.@ I calculated, this costed more than $1k!!
Throughout our stay, we spent very minimally on food because we eat with family most of the time or my aunty will cook. She's a great cook being raised in a family of chefs in Hong Kong. Here's some awesome food she's prepared for us. It's really WOW....
We spent zero on transportation, because my uncle who works from home and aunty who has retired would fetch us to wherever we want to go!
And they borrowed a car seat, cleaned it properly just for Jasmine too. :)
We spend minimally on shopping as well because my uncle and aunty and cousin would pay for our stuffs! My mum and myself got a new coach bag which was fully paid by my uncle. I tried to pay without him knowing but he managed to convince the sales girl to take his card instead.
I bought some toys for Jasmine and my aunty insisted on paying too. At the apple store, we selected some stuffs and my cousin Pascal also paid for all, along with his 15% staff discount. So blessed!!
This was Jasmine's first time flying on long flights. Many people including ourselves were concern on how she will behave on the plane for 4 hours and 12 hours. She was an A.N.G.E.L.
She slept through most part of the 4 hours plane ride. We tire her out during the 3 hours transit and she fell asleep just as we were lining up to board the plane. She slept for more than half of the 12 hours plane ride.
When she wants to crawl about or walk, we let her mess up the magazines in the front seats. Or let her watch her favourite nursery rhymes on ipad. During take off and landing, either I breastfeed her or we feed her water/biscuits or simply give her the pacifier.
When she wants to crawl about or walk, we let her mess up the magazines in the front seats. Or let her watch her favourite nursery rhymes on ipad. During take off and landing, either I breastfeed her or we feed her water/biscuits or simply give her the pacifier.
One time she was too soundly asleep she didn't even want to open her mouth for feeding during take off. It was ok, she wasn't bothered by any ear pressure. :) Because she was so spoiled during the whole 2 weeks in America (pampered by granduncle, grandaunty and grandma) that we were concern again how she will behave on the journey home. Rightfully, we thought she will be more demanding and less patient. But, again, she was an A.N.G.E.L. The journey home was much longer - 14 hours (plus 1 hour waiting in the plane due to some engine repairs) and 4 hours. She slept for almost 8 hours in the 15 hours journey, played for 3 hours and slept again for 3 hours! She is more sociable on the journey home so she waived at strangers smile at them and with those rosy cheeks, she was irresistible to other passengers! We are really proud of her. :)
But we weren't too happy with the baby jet lags! We ourselves were super ok with jet lags. We could adjust just like that but Jasmine....? She was up almost every night in the first week at 2.30am, 3am..... wide awake. -_- We had to stay up with her or Joshua rock her while watching silent movies....until she eventually fall asleep again. We started out from 4th night onwards playing her normal lullaby continuously until early morning. It worked. The music helped to keep her asleep longer. :) :)
Was it just us? We feel that she has grown prettier after the holiday in America! :D Longer and curlier lashes with the rosy cheeks. How I wish those cheeks will stay rosy. :)
During this trip, we took Jasmine to the park 3 times. She enjoyed the baby swing, the slide, the grass and the sand. Also, she interacted with an american baby. :) I hope all these experiences will shape her character to be beautiful, confident, thinking-out-of-the-box kind of girl!
We really love the park.. and how we wish we can teleport anytime back here.
We managed to go to the pumpkin patch before one day before Halloween too!
It was not the halloween but the giant and all odd size pumpkins that really made me happy!!
Although it sounded as if this trip was nothing but awesome, I still had my own share of struggles. There were nights I stayed up to discuss serious matters with my brother and sister. I teared due to the pressure of managing those personal P&C things. I had many thoughts and plans and concerns flashing through my mind almost every moment... trying to balance myself, to take care of not just myself, not just Jasmine but also my mum. :)
A few times my patience fell short when I was trying to figure out where is the boarding gate or where to pick up luggage, I was not very polite to my mum. :( I feel so so so so bad!!! You know sometimes mums can be random, or have her own way of doing things? Like we were trying to get our boarding passes printed by showing our passports. When we carry Jasmine out of the stroller, my mum will push the stroller to my feet and said "check this in!" I would tell my mum with a frown "mummyyyy now is not time to check this innnnnn" And when mummy put her wanton into my soya dessert because she wasn't wearing her glasses. :( I seriously was not a good girl when that happened. I also felt the guilt when Jasmine was suppose to be eating full bowl of porridge but the adults only fed her half? If I was around to feed her she would've taken more... and the guilt when she was supposed to nap but she did not because we were out too much? And the guilt when she was swimming in a full diaper but we forgot about it?
A few times my patience fell short when I was trying to figure out where is the boarding gate or where to pick up luggage, I was not very polite to my mum. :( I feel so so so so bad!!! You know sometimes mums can be random, or have her own way of doing things? Like we were trying to get our boarding passes printed by showing our passports. When we carry Jasmine out of the stroller, my mum will push the stroller to my feet and said "check this in!" I would tell my mum with a frown "mummyyyy now is not time to check this innnnnn" And when mummy put her wanton into my soya dessert because she wasn't wearing her glasses. :( I seriously was not a good girl when that happened. I also felt the guilt when Jasmine was suppose to be eating full bowl of porridge but the adults only fed her half? If I was around to feed her she would've taken more... and the guilt when she was supposed to nap but she did not because we were out too much? And the guilt when she was swimming in a full diaper but we forgot about it?
The main reason why we decided to travel to San Francisco was to visit my grandma and let Jasmine meet her. I said before that though neither of them will remember, but we will. :) My grandma is 90 this year and she is the most beautiful 90 year old I've ever met in my life.
It was hard when we had to say goodbye on the 5th November afternoon.... I finally teared. I waved my last goodbye to her with tears in my eyes. I don't know whether this will be my last time seeing her in person.... but we did managed to say a simple prayer for her and with her, so I really trust that Holy Spirit will be there for her all the time.
When we return to Malaysia, I suddenly felt regret that we didn't take a photo of just me, Jasmine, my mum and my grandma. The 4 generations! We have group pictures and candids here and there but there's not one photos of just the 4 of us..... Thank God my uncle sent us some photos taken with his iphone.. there's one photos of us 4, with Joshua and my aunt on the left... :) God, you're awesome. :) Although the picture is blur but at least we have a picture. :)
I was privileged to help her remove deadskins around her toes, trim her toe nails... while I was doing that, I told myself this feet has been in use for the past 90 years, wow!
I love my grandma, she's very cute. She can get angry with my uncle when he provokes her. She tried to beat him with his hand. She screams when he pinches her face or pulled her legs. She makes scary faces when my uncle dared her to. She pretended to cry as well when he dared her to. She even sing along the old chinese songs.... :) Throughout the visits, we don't have all the grandma time to ourselves, because my 2 other aunties are there too. So with the little time we get, Jasmine managed to play with my grandma! :D She was so natural! She waved at her, she touched her face and even pulled her blanket. My grandma could even play with her.. like how a normal adult would to a baby. :)
It was hard when we had to say goodbye on the 5th November afternoon.... I finally teared. I waved my last goodbye to her with tears in my eyes. I don't know whether this will be my last time seeing her in person.... but we did managed to say a simple prayer for her and with her, so I really trust that Holy Spirit will be there for her all the time.
When we return to Malaysia, I suddenly felt regret that we didn't take a photo of just me, Jasmine, my mum and my grandma. The 4 generations! We have group pictures and candids here and there but there's not one photos of just the 4 of us..... Thank God my uncle sent us some photos taken with his iphone.. there's one photos of us 4, with Joshua and my aunt on the left... :) God, you're awesome. :) Although the picture is blur but at least we have a picture. :)
Here's some group pictures we took, not a lot, but still thank God we managed to get everyone in for some pictures. :) When will be the next time we gather together again for a fun time like this? :)
God, thank you for my family. :)
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