While this blog is mostly about parenting and our family, I'd be remiss in omitting the recent events that have made our hearts heavy and filled with sorrow. We have been very depressed about the massacre of our community in Orlando. Dance floors are sacred space for the queer community. It's safe to be you and express yourself without fear. The function is very much like a church or synagogue. A place where people "like you" go most weekends to be with their community. It's been horrible to imagine raising our son in our country, that now absorbs these sort of mass shootings as normal. The media and general belief that these shootings are a result of "terrorism" (if the shooter is Muslim or non-Christian) or "mental health issues" (if the shooter is a white male Christian) and not an issue of gun control, intolerance and hatred! The utter disregard for human life is frightening and access to automatic weapons WAY too easy. Raising a white male son comes with responsibility and we have much awareness of his privilege already. We did go to a vigil at stonewall last Monday night. 
Another blog update after Pride March this weekend.
On a much brighter note: The Anzel Update:
I got him a little chair of his own which he adores!
He also has learned to open and close most things around our home. We didn't realize the repercussions until last week. We couldn't find the TV remote for two days. I found it when I took the recycling out. He had buried it in that bin without anyone seeing. Then Cristina couldn't find her compact and it turned up in the other bin full of plastic. Finally on Sunday I made banana bread and couldn't find the potholders that normally sit on the oven door. Well, those definitely got thrown in the garbage by Anzel and was taken out by us. I wonder what else we might be missing? Maybe he's the answer to all of our clutter problems.
We have to watch every move he makes now. Most of what he does is crazy cute so not boring to watch.
He's also really starting to say words. "No" has been uttered but isn't in high frequency use. There's a sometimes "mama" and "Baa baa" everyday. It's what a sheep says FYI. (Also means dad in Chinese). We have learned why they teach babies animal noises, it leads to speech development. So I got him an old Fischer price toy they still make called the "Farmer Says". I had this as a kid and loved it a lot.
Anzel continues to become more and more social. He loves people more than any New Yorker we've encountered. He continues to wave and make eye contact with everyone he sees. We are still struggling with child care because we know he thrives in day care with lots of other kids. For now we have found a Nanny share in the neighborhood with a very cute two year old girl. It has been only a couple of days thus far but will be helpful for us this summer.
Happy Summer Y'all.
