Category Archives: parenthood

Strange confluences of my life

Posted on February 8, 2012 by joycelau8

After five months of maternity leave, I went back to work last week. And, like many new working moms, I feel like I inhabit two worlds.My experience might be more extreme, because of the negative nature of most news. So, … Continue reading →

Posted in parenthood, women, work | 10 Comments

Is it wrong to say I’m bored? Should I write a novel?

Posted on November 8, 2011 by joycelau8

I’ve finally emerged from the fog of the first two months of motherhood. For a while, when Chloe was feeding every 2-3 hours round the clock, it took all my effort just to find time to eat and catch a few … Continue reading →

Posted in amah, chloe, parenthood, women, work, Writing | 9 Comments

Who’s afraid of the Hong Kong autumn?

Posted on October 31, 2011 by joycelau8

It’s not the New England autumn of my childhood, with its falling leaves, but the Hong Kong fall is pretty nice.(*Anyway, the Northeast is digging itself out of a freak snowstorm, so I’ve been feeling pretty lucky.) For weeks, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, chloe, family, health, Hong Kong, life, Marc the Metrosexual, Montreal, parenthood, pregnancy, West Kowloon | 11 Comments

What’s labor actually like?

Posted on October 21, 2011 by joycelau8

Before the great unknown of childbirth, I took a prenatal class, surfed online, read baby books and wrote a birth plan. And I fretted. I did a lot of that, too.Despite my preparation, no source gave me a realistic first-person … Continue reading →

Posted in chloe, health, parenthood, pregnancy, women | 12 Comments

Smartphone help needed

Posted on September 16, 2011 by joycelau8

Dedicated grandparents like this deserve a better mobile phone. This is a day after I gave birth, wearing the world’s ugliest hospital gown. I have, for the record, deflated somewhat since this photo. Chloe looks tiny here. Dear Old Mom … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, family, Hong Kong, parenthood, spending, technology | 7 Comments

A baby is born

Posted on August 27, 2011 by joycelau8

Baby Chloe was born a week ago, last Friday night, Aug. 19.She came two weeks early and a bit on the small side at 2.6 kilos, or 5 lbs 11 oz — though this was not entirely unexpected. Thanks to … Continue reading →

Posted in health, Hong Kong, life, Marc the Metrosexual, marriage, parenthood, pregnancy, women | 23 Comments

Does parenthood change the way you see news?

Posted on August 3, 2011 by joycelau8

I will miss work. I’ll still read the paper every day, as I have since at least high school, and I will certainly miss my colleagues. But it’s definitely time for me to stop. Last night, we had a discussion … Continue reading →

Posted in journalism, life, parenthood, pregnancy, women, work | 16 Comments

My God, what a news week.

Posted on July 25, 2011 by joycelau8

Most people outside the IHT know me as an arts writer, because that’s the part of my work that’s obvious to the public. But 60% of the time, I do newsroom work that’s invisible to the reader. For every bylined … Continue reading →

Posted in blogging, IHT/NYT, journalism, life, news, parenthood, pregnancy, women, work, Writing | 1 Comment

Gweipo was right… I’m preggers.

Posted on July 2, 2011 by joycelau8

Gweipo put together various hints — like our recent search for a full-time amah — and guessed that I have been expecting. Call it a Mother’s Intuition. You may have guessed from my sudden desire to make space in our … Continue reading →

Posted in parenthood, pregnancy | 31 Comments

Happy Father’s Day!

Posted on June 19, 2011 by joycelau8

For some reason, I don’t have many pictures of just me and Dad. There are lots of pictures of me and Mom, or Mom and Dad, or group family shots. Why? Is it because, when we’re on vacation, Mom never … Continue reading →

Posted in blogging, family, life, parenthood | 17 Comments