Sorry I haven’t posted in a while. Between work and parenthood, life has been a little crazy. But there’s plenty of news, so I should share!

Last night we booked the tickets for Mom, Dad, and me to fly to the Philippines on Feb. 1 and return on Feb. 5. It will be good to finally see Greg, Rose, and little April over there. (Mom and Dad’s overall trip dates are Jan. 24-Feb. 9.)

Alana’s birth abroad has been reported, and we’ve successfully applied for her U.S. passport. After we get that (in a week or so), we’ll be able to apply for her social security number. SS has also applied for Alana’s Shanghai hukou (户口). According to the Chinese registration, Alana is from Hubei (following her maternal grandfather’s heritage, rather than he foreign dad’s or her maternal grandmother’s Taiwanese roots). That’s pretty weird. I’ve been fighting a nasty cold (mostly a bad phlegmmy cough). I’ve had it for about a week, and it just got really bad. I stayed home from work today and slept in. I’m doing some work from home today.

SS has been dealing with a plugged duct in her breast all day (it’s 3pm now). It’s really pretty bad. There’s a nurse over here massaging it for her, working through it, but it’s clearly VERY painful. :( She’s had this issue once before, and got through it, but it seems a little worse this time.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and we’re going to 7pm mass. I’m taking one of my new clients with us, who isn’t even Catholic, but he’s curious and wants to tag along. Christmas dinner will be at our place tomorrow, and SS’s parents and some of her relatives are coming over. Should be nice (but I sure hope my cold starts to clear up soon!). I guess that’s it for now. Merry Christmas!