Mini Mundus

Yesterday I took JT to the community park about 3 blocks down the street. Strollers were parked all around the edges of the playground, which is basically a large sandbox with various play structures, some blocked off because they are broken. In one corner near the swings there was the Chinese contingent, mostly grandparents, talking while the kids napped or snacked. JT played with a chubby-checked little girl from Belgrade, who then met up with 3 other babies, all with grandparents. Only a couple of "moms" were there, no obvious "dads", and hardly any plain-Jane Americans. It was a mini mundus, a microcosm of the world, sort of. Most likely the parents work in the bio-tech industry or at the university. It is interesting that lots of grad students here have their parents come over and watch the grandkids. In these small 2 bedroom apartments. I guess with both parents out of the house all day, it works. Down the sidewalk from us lives a couple that I have never met. I met the woman's mother, who was here helping her out during her pregnancy. After the baby was born, the grandmother and grandfather took the baby back to Korea to raise. The parents were too busy studying. I wonder if the woman misses her daughter. That must be really difficult. I prefer to write my dissertation slowly. I am up to 20 pages, by the way. (20 pages in a year, that is a terrible rate. However, if you count the actual hours I spent writing, the rate is much better.
Here is a picture of Burli and his tooth. :)