She could have at least slept in.

SS was down by 10:00 p.m., and P was snoring before then. I managed to sleep from midnight to 4:00, more than usual, but not enough to recharge my fully spent batteries. SS woke up whimpering around 4:00 a.m. and that did it for me. I was so tired that I comforted her with my eyes closed. Way to go Mama. Once P is fully awake (Mole's Disease is hitting him really hard this morning) we'll decide if we are going to venture to Fisherman's Wharf. There is something we need to get for SS there. Getting old really sucks. SS's first word this morning "OUTSIDE!!!!," said with the boundless energy, and a huge grin only a toddler can muster.

We saw quite a few families like ours yesterday, and SS noticed. She also noticed the many beautiful faces like hers. I pointed out children in the parade and told her they were Chinese. SS said "me, me Chinese." We took the elevator with another family with a Chinese daughter. The mother approached us outside, and it was a repeat of something that has happened before. If people see me alone with SS, it is very easy for them to understand that I am her mother. If they see SS and P alone, the same. Throw us together and it messes people's schemas. The mother came to us and kind of stuttered out her question, "Is she, is she Chinese?" We proudly said yes, and she asked SS's province, etc. Two Caucasians and a Chinese kid totally understandable, but throw my ethnic womb in and there's doubt.

P was pretty surprised that SS gathered so much attention from the Chinese. Come on, it's Chinatown, she should just blend in, go around unnoticed. We had quite a large group of Chinese behind us at the parade. At a point they were talking to SS in Chinese as I was holding her. My back was to them, while SS flirted and hammed away. They were all smiles, until I turned around when SS asked me something. They went from smiles to WTF looks. They did recover and kept on their Chinese onslaught (and smiles) on our non Chinese speaking daughter, but SS did not seem to mind. Their is something so melodious about listening to a different language, and I think SS gets that.

The parade could have been a heck of a lot shorter if they refrained from displaying every freaking politician in office, as if people care. Wow, some dude or dudette in the back of a car, that sure was worth the three hour drive. UGH.

I looked at the pictures this morning and they were awful, we are so disappointed. P and I will never forget our first Chinese New Year Parade, but the pictures were for SS, who won't remember a thing. We were too far away, and by the time the parade reached our viewing spot, it was nighttime. We are going to look into getting a better flash and perhaps another lens. Our camera is not top notch, but it is a decent camera. We are really sad about the pics, and are going to wait until we get home to try to find a few good ones.

We are off to shower and then we'll walk to Chinatown and soak up some more diversity.