Amy's space

话说这已经是快两个月之前的事儿了。今天才有时间拿出来晒晒。

一个周六的早晨，他爸还在呼呼，我带着儿子第一次逛美国的农贸市场。早听说农贸市场卖的当地农民自产的新鲜水果蔬菜都是绿色食品特别好吃。揣了二三十块钱就去了。该农贸市场每周开两次，周末在市中心，周三在另一个地方。大大小小有那么四五十个摊子，规模比我想象的要小。转了两三圈，买了几样水果。真叫贵！不过回家一尝还真叫好吃！和超市里的就是不一样！

不过农贸市场让我印象最深的不是蔬菜不是水果而是一个乐队。也不知道是我赶得巧，还是每次农贸市场都有，赶上一个小型乐队摆摊“卖唱”。墨西哥音乐，欢快的节奏特别适合跳舞，要不是我带着儿子又怀着一个，估计也会忍不住扭起来。自愿伴舞的有大人，有小孩儿，有买东西的，还有卖东西的......

This was almost two months ago, when I took George to Austin's Farmer's Market for the first time. I heard a long time ago that fruits and vegetables from the farmer's market are far better than the stuff you get from the grocery store. It is proved true. And it is also true that stuff in farmer's market is a lot more expensive.

But what impressed me the most is a small band that played Mexican music in the market. Not sure whether I was lucky or there is a band playing on every market day.

国内的请点击看这里：

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/zpDeLh4yIFw/

一次我去幼儿园偷偷看洋洋在playground玩，令我吃惊的是，我亲眼看到他如何欺负其他小朋友！开始，他和一个小女孩一起玩，突然就一把抓住人家头发，小女孩被拉着倒退了几步，被老师及时制止。然后洋洋转战到另外一头，追着一个比他大两个月的小男孩, 愣是把人家手里的球夺过来，小男孩坐在地上哇哇大哭。我都看傻了，没想到在家里那么乖的儿子在幼儿园竟是这么霸道。赶紧问老师，洋洋平时是不是太霸道了。老师说，不是啦，其他小朋友有时候也会这样的，他们正处于这个年龄段。我这才放心。晚上打电话告诉姥姥，姥姥在电话那头那叫一个开怀笑。当初刚开始送幼儿园的时候，姥姥姥爷最担心洋洋被欺负受委屈，现在得知洋洋这么“有出息”，顾虑可以打消了。

洋洋头发剪短了之后拍了一些照片，由于前段时间忙，现在才有时间贴上来：

Took these pictures after George had his first haircut:

正面免冠照：

典型撒泼耍赖照：

变本加厉照：

恢复正常照：

摆个姿势照：

我抠，我抠，我抠石头子儿：

到妈妈公司和老牛照相（注：妈妈公司不是牧场，而是养了两头长角牛作公司宠物--长角牛是得克萨斯州的代表动物）

Above: in front of mommy’s company. (Mommy’s company is not a ranch, but has two long-horns as company pets.)

竞猜结果：豆豆妈和Reiko中奖啦！豆豆妈如果有时间带着小神童从加州来奥斯汀，我请吃饭！Reiko什么时候再来奥斯汀过生日啊？

谜底，不用说了，还是看照片：

So, boy or girl? Please see below the picture:

还看不出来? 请看图解：

Still can’t tell? Please see the illustration:

所以--洋洋要有一个小弟弟啦！

太好了！我不用买新衣服新玩具了，老二真知道给我省钱！

不过......我现在真的是想要个女儿了……

So! George will have a baby brother soon!

But……I really want a girl now……

6月17号照了B超，老二的性别终于揭开了谜底!

因为这个老二前半段过于活跃和医生四处打游击战，害得医生紧追着进行各部位测量，被医生称“Not cooperative"(不太配合)，后半段又过于安静，不管我们用了什么招数（包括医生拿着B超棒在我肚子上强晃，让我左翻右翻，又让我坐起躺下数次，就差让我拿大顶了，总之目的就是想把小宝儿翻个个儿以便测量他的脑后），人家就是镇静地保持自己的姿势泰山压顶也不低头，于是又被医生称“Stubborn"(太犟了)。本应30分钟结束全部测量，我们却用了50分钟。检查和测量结果一切正常。心跳每分钟155下。

一些clue:

• 这次怀孕也恶心过，但是没有上次怀孕恶心的那么厉害，时间也较短
• 两次怀孕体重增加都挺猛的，这刚四个多月我的体重已经较怀孕之前重了十多斤啦
• 上一次怀孕一丁点辣的都不能吃，这次可以吃辣的
• 上次怀孕经常半夜被饿醒到厨房找吃的，这次没有过
• 肚子右侧比左侧稍大
• 两次怀孕期间掉头发都比平时严重

下面是几张老二的照片，大家观察观察，是男还是女？猜中了有奖阿！那就是--请你吃饭，如果你到奥斯汀来（本身就住在奥斯汀的不算哈，嘻嘻--明摆着不想请）。已经知道答案的同志们，你们就先憋着点啊。正确答案将在24小时后公布，敬请关注！

上图：侧面照 Above: Profile

上图：左臂 Above: Left arm

上图：手臂，手指，特别注意大拇指 Above: Arm, hand, thumb

两周前，即从明尼苏达回来两周后，我们又踏上了旅程。这一次是回密歇根，参加老公高中毕业十周年聚会，同时探望他父母。老公的高中非常棒(Cranbrook Schools)，应该和国内的北京四中是一档的，不过是私立学校，要交很多钱，比上大学还贵。不像我，因为家里经济拮据，上四中的三年，第一年学费全免，第二年免一半，第三年才自己全交的。我上大学也被免过学费，来美国读MBA又几乎是全奖。等我将来有钱了，一定回去好好报答这些学校，没有她们，就没有我的今天。

Two weeks ago we made another trip. We went back to Michigan to attend Dave’s high school ten year reunion and visit my in-laws.

Dave’s high school is a private school, really high end, but it is very expensive, even more expensive than his college. I think it is a lot like the high school I went to in China—Beijing No. 4 middle school. Difference is my school is a public school, and I didn’t pay tuition at all the first year, paid half the second year, due to my family’s hard economic situation. I also got partial tuition waiver in college. And then I got almost full scholarship to come to the US to study MBA. One day when I have a lot of money I will have to pay back to these schools. I wouldn’t have been me today without them.

最近忙得很，不多说了，上照片：

Too busy lately. So no more words. Pictures sometimes can tell more:

上图：在校园　／　in campus

上图：在食堂。食堂的桌椅都是古董级别的家具，每把椅子价值2000美金，真想顺一两个走 

Above:Dining hall. Each antique chair is worth $2,000.

上图：和同学 (左二女生和Dave在高中时被同学投票选为有可能成为下一个比尔盖茨的人，如今看来没戏)　

Above: With classmates (The girl in the left and Dave were voted by classmates who may become the next Bill Gates…)

上图：和好朋友Sid。Sid在北京闹非典那年还和另外两个朋友到北京玩，胆子大吧？我和表妹带着他们爬长城，长城上人可少了。那时候我还不知道将来要和他的好朋友Dave结婚（Dave在之前去过北京，我们见过面）。

Above: With friend Sid. Sid and another two friends went to Beijing in 2003, when SARS was spreading. Brave? Huh? My cousin and I took them to the Great Wall. We were like the only tourists up there.

上图：和计算机启蒙老师合影  With computer science teacher

上图：全班同学合影 Above: Classmates

上图：和老婆  Above: with wife at reunion 

上图：和孩子 Above: with baby at reunion

************************************************************************

上次回米歇根还是六个多月前的圣诞。这次奶奶终于又见到孙子了。

It’s been six months since we went back to Michigan last time during X’mas.

家庭温暖大放送　／ Family pictures:

上图：Mitchell (Dave的大弟弟) 和洋洋  Above: Uncle Mitchell and George

上图：自家后院草坪和码头　Backyard and private dock

上图：Dave的小弟弟Evan在钓鱼。奶奶带着孙子坐在脚踏船上。

Above: Uncle Evan (Dave’s little brother) is fishing. Grandma and George on a pedal boat.

上图：金色猎犬Mitzy是一条非常好的狗，可惜身患癌症，一周前被安乐死了…

Above: Golden Retriever Mitzy was a very nice dog. We all loved her. Unfortunately she got cancer and was put to sleep one week ago…

上图：三代同船  Above: three generations on a boat

上图：没几分钟的工夫，小叔叔钓到一条鱼！Even caught a fish in no minutes!

上图：奶奶赶紧把鱼拿过来给孙子看看　Grandma brought the fish over to show to George

上图：洋洋明显很感兴趣，还伸手摸了摸　　Apparently George is very interested in the fish. He even touched it!

上图：瞧奶奶乐的　　Above: Grandma looks so happy!

上图：和奶奶的妹妹  Above: with Grandma’s sister

今朝有酒今朝醉

上图：爷孙乐  Above: Grandpa and George (George is so happy)

上图：知道我全名的缩写吗？GDP--国民生产总值！ My full name’s initials—GDP!          

上图：和奶奶的妈妈，在去看爷爷的爸爸妈妈的路上  With Grandma’s mom, on the way to visit Grandpa’s dad and mom

上图：和太爷爷，请和下图作对照　　Above: with Great-Grandpa

一年半以前  One and a half year ago…

上图：四世同堂  Four generations in a room

上图：洋洋和老寿星们合影  Above: George and Great-grandpa and Great-grandmas

(I didn’t post any of Crystal’s pictures because I don’t want to do it without asking her first.)

洋洋会说自己的英文名字了，而且每次还都用手指点着自己的胸脯说。奶声奶气的声音加上稚嫩的发音每次都逗得我和老公哈哈大笑。

George can say his name now! Look how cute he is when he points at himself and say his name:

国内的请看：

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/bE4-6TX3wCw/

虽然很舍不得那满头可爱的小卷儿，可洋洋的头发实在是太长了，天气又热的不得了，于是，我们上周末终于带着洋洋去理发了。也好，以后就不会有人误以为我们是女孩儿了。

在美国，小孩子第一次理发很重要，要专门到给小孩子理发的理发店里，还要保留一撮头发留作纪念。

上图：剪下来保存的一个小卷儿，信封里还有几个大卷儿 George’s first hair

国内的请看这里：

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/-bKImJ8wO2g/

上周末是长周末，美国的英雄纪念日。我们一家飞往明尼苏达参加两个朋友的婚礼。两个人都是马拉松健将，分别是前年圣安东尼奥一场马拉松的男女冠军，两人也是在那时候结的缘。

长途旅行，懒得带大相机，就揣了小相机，能拍能录的小巧方便。

We went to Minneapolis to attend friends' wedding. They both are Marathon runners and they were woman and man's champions in San Antonio's marathon running two years ago.

上图：新郎新娘不是这两个人啊，他们是老夫老妻了。男孩是我的高中同学，他们刚好也在明尼苏达。他们在机场接了我们，又带我们到中餐馆吃了午饭，然后两人就驱车度假去了。为了见我们，他们特意推迟了出发时间，在此表示衷心感谢。

Above: they are not the bride and groom. The boy was my high school classmate and he and his wife happened to be in Minneapolis. So they picked us up from the airport and treated us dim sum lunch. They postponed the departure time of their own vacation because of us. They are so nice. Thanks!

上图：宝贝儿在宾馆房间的睡姿，不愧是属猪的啊，瞧那腮帮子鼓的

Above: how little piggy sleeps

上图：这才是新郎新娘 Above: Bride and groom

上图：爸爸帮忙把扣子扣好 / Above: daddy helping baby put on vest

上图：小绅士 Above: little gentleman

上图：这样可就不太绅士了 Above: this is not very gentleman like....

上图：吃得满脸都是 Above: how little piggy eats

上图：明尼苏达到此一游 密西西比河穿城而过  Above: Mississippi River running through Minneapolis

我怀孕仅四个月，体重却已长了十斤，唉......

上图：水底世界  Above: Underwater Adventure under Mall of America

最后再上段录像：

国内的请看这里：

昨天我去幼儿园接洋洋，结果被老师“告状”了。

当天洋洋在玩木头积木，一个比洋洋小几个月的小女孩过来索要洋洋手中的积木，洋洋死活不给，争执之中扬起手中的积木就朝人家脑袋上砸将下去…..小女孩顿时雷声大震泪如雨下....老师当然要口头教育洋洋一番，洋洋也撇开嘴哭起来，大拇指放进嘴里开始吸吮--他一定认识到自己错了，受到批评感觉紧张。老师说，之后每次小女孩看到洋洋走近都要躲闪。其实这已经不是第一次了。上一回老师跟我提到洋洋有时候会推比他小的小朋友。看来以后功夫熊猫是不能再给他看了，暴力镜头太多。

其实我可喜欢那个小女孩了，长得特别可爱。每天早上，那个女孩一见洋洋来了，就乐得合不拢嘴，张开双臂跑过来。我和Dave都说她是洋洋的“女朋友”。

唉，这么小就开始被老师告状，真担心以后会像他爸爸小时候一样，没事就被请家长。

Due to political reason Youtube has been blocked by the Chinese government for over two months. Now I have to upload the same video twice, one on Youtube, the other on a Chinese website so that my parents in China can watch them.

Youtube:

国内的请看这里：

哎呀好激动，刚刚在下班路上听新闻，得知即将被奥巴马派往中国作大使的人竟然是现任犹他州州长John Huntsman! 想当初，四年前，在犹他大学中国学生会的春节晚会上，我还有机会与他合影。岂料四年之后，他竟被奥巴马选中做驻中国的大使！据估计，他还有可能在2016年成为继奥巴马之后的总统候选人。哎呀，这张照片我可得好好保留。

John Huntsman，亿万富翁，和亚洲中国很有情节。他在台湾学的中文，做过新加坡大使，从中国领养了一个女儿。四年前他带着中国女儿一起来参加我们的春节晚会。那天照完相后，他还跟我说，如果在盐湖城发现特别好吃的中餐馆一定告诉他。

Four years ago I took a picture with John Huntsman, the Governor of the State of Utah, on Chinese Students Spring Festival celebration party, and today he has been selected by Obama to be the American ambassador to China! How exciting! I remember he said to me after we took the picture:”If you find some Chinese restaurants in Salt Lake City that are really good please let me know!”