Christmas is at the corner. But this year, I am cutting corners in Christmas preparing.

I decided to skip making photo calendars as a tradition which started since 2009 (see Baby calendar). Instead, I made a set of 20 photo cards with pictures of DD and twins.

I decided to give gift cards instead of going through all the hassle of shopping, choosing and packaging different Christmas gifts to different family members.

There is no Christmas tree setting up in the house, no Christmas lights hanging along the roof, or no Christmas decorations putting onto the door.

What am I thinking?

Things like how to keep my breast milk coming, is it ok for Baby B to so much, what caused the rashes on Baby A’s face, why Baby B suddenly stopped eating via a bottle, and etc.

What am I doing?

Things like pumping breast milk for Baby A since she prefers the bottle, staying late to 2 am trying to rock Baby B to sleep, holding Baby A and walking with her and constantly changing position to make her comfortable, talking and entertaining Baby B to keep her awake and stimulated, and etc.

This year, I have a special Christmas, all because the twins arrived only two months ago.

But, it is Ok. Because next year and in the future years, I can still prepare for Christmas as the usual way: making photo calendars, shopping Christmas gifts, setting up Christmas tree and decors. The difference is I will have more family members to share joy, hope and blessings. And I am looking forward to that!

Related posts:
Baby calendar
Baby Christmas card
Baby’s first Christmas

Tags: | Fourth Year, From Lina | Lina | December 23, 2011 2:42 pm | Comments (0)

“Jingle Bells” is one of the best-known and commonly sung winter songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh” in the autumn of 1857. Even though it is commonly thought of as a Christmas song, it was actually written and sung for Thanksgiving. It was the first song broadcast from space, in a Christmas-themed prank by Gemini 6 astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra.

The first verse and chorus are the most well-remembered sections of “Jingle Bells”:

Dashing through the snow

In a one-horse open sleigh

O’er the fields we go

Laughing all the way

Bells on bobtail ring

Making spirits bright

What fun it is to laugh and sing

A sleighing song tonight!

(chorus)

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way.

Oh! what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh.

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way;

Oh! what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh.

 

Here is Chinese version of Jingle Bells. Watch the video to listen to the Chinese children’s song. You can replay the song by clicking the “play” button. Click here to download the song with English translation and Pinyin in PDF file.

Due to the size of the program, content in the frame below may display blank. Simply refresh the current webpage or press F5 on your keyboard for the refresh function. (Please enable your computer audio and increase the speaker volume. You can hear the song and follow the sound track):

Related posts:
Chinese children’s song: If you’re Happy Clap Your Hands
Chinese children’s story: Kitty Goes Fishing
Chinese children’s song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Tags: Bringing up Baby Bilingual, chinese for children, chinese language for young children, Chinese learning for babies, teaching young children chinese | Bilingual Baby, Fourth Year, From Lina | Lina | December 14, 2011 8:45 am | Comments (0)