The year 2020 was a miserable one for many people. The coronavirus, Covid-19, reached pandemic proportions in March, and the US went into lockdown. Essential businesses such as grocers and pharmacies remained open, but schools, retail stores and restaurants closed. No assemblies were allowed, indoors or out. Those who could, worked from home, gathering on-line in Zoom meetings. When folks left their homes, they wore face masks.
For Brett, it was also a year like no other, but for good reasons! First, on October 1, he and Kaiyun Liang (originally from Taiwan, and naturalized here in 2019) were married. Because of the pandemic, there was no gathering to celebrate, just them, a witness or two and the officiant. Two weeks later, they closed on the purchase of a home in Costa Mesa. And a month later, Kaiyun found she was pregnant and due to deliver the end of June 2021.
Their new home required updating, and Brett was able to do most of the work himself. They had kept Kaiyun's condo, and rented it, furnished. Thus they needed furniture as well as pots and pans, dishes and kitchen gear for both their two bedroom, one bath main house and the "casita", with one bedroom and bath. By the end of May, the major work had been completed. Essential furniture had been acquired, including nursery items for the baby's room.
 |
| Front ("Main") House |
 |
| Casita |
Kaiyun was sick all nine months. Toward the end of her pregnancy she was losing weight, and near the end of her eighth month, her doctor put her on bedrest for a couple weeks.
 |
| Just a few days to go! |
Because the doctors had told Kaiyun she could deliver any time after her 36th week, I flew to stay with them on June 9. Then we waited. Baden was in no hurry to arrive. (Baden's name was taken from the Baden-Powell mountain crest in the Angeles National Forest. It was where Brett and Kaiyun hiked on their first date.) Baden was delivered on the date Kaiyun had scheduled for a C-section, June 25. He was a healthy 8 pounds, 9 ounces.
 |
| He's here! |
 |
| Time for a diaper change |
Kaiyun and Baden came home on Sunday. Such a small bundle!! These photos were taken periodically through the next month. When I returned home the end of July, Kaiyun was on her feet, and Brett and Kaiyun were ready to get on with life with just the three of them.
 |
| Baden's home! |
 |
Trimming Baden's tiny nails,
Kaiyun shining a light to help |
 |
| Baden's first bath at home |
 |
| Alllll clean! |
 |
| Dad's hand on Baden's tiny chest |
We made a day trip up to Big Bear Lake where Brett and Kaiyun wanted to look at investment property. Midday we stopped at a park adjacent to the ski slopes for lunch.
Brett and Kaiyun returned a month later to spend a weekend at an AirB&B at Big Bear. Brett had taken his mountain bike with them, and he spent time in the morning riding trails that are snow-covered in the winter. I received a text from him Sunday afternoon.
We just had a bear in the house.
Me: Were you out/away when it came in?
Woke up to it in the kitchen
Apparently he had opened the door to get cross ventilation while he, Kaiyun, and Baden slept.
Brett, waking up, he said, because he heard a something, saw Kaiyun asleep on a couch and Baden, in his bassinet on the dining room table, who couldn't make the noise he was hearing, and thought to himself, "So what/who is in here?"
He sat up slowly and looked toward the kitchen to see a bear, standing on its hind legs, endeavoring to open a cupboard door where they had put their food. Brett got up and spread his arms wide, waving them and uttering sounds to shoo the bear, but not approaching the animal. The bear looked at him, dropped down to all fours, and ambled back out the door.
Kaiyun provided a photo showing where they, and the bear, were during the event.
 |
Baden now a month old
with Mom and Dad, Kaiyun and Brett |
