This morning, I practiced driving with Xiao Yan, feeling less nervous, while Xiao Yan improved steadily.

Afterward, I took Hamer to dance class and then to her dental appointment for sealants, but three of her permanent teeth hadn’t grown in yet, so we scheduled another visit next month.

For Winter Solstice dinner, Hamer and I bought dumplings—she made hersef the dough while I cooked dumplings.

In the evening, Xiao Yan packed her luggage while Hamer and I cozied up to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Today, I picked up my new passport and exchanged 10,000 baht at the bank after several unsuccessful attempts.

In the afternoon, I got a call from the restaurant where Hamer had left her black pouch, and it was found, which was a pleasant surprise. Hamer was initially too scared to go get it, but eventually, she asked her grandmother for help.

After dinner, I decorated a small Christmas tree with Hamer and watched an interview with Billie Eilish.

At work, I spent the day addressing compile warnings and exploring solutions for TreeView’s ItemDataTemplate, but ended up copying a new one.

Hamer’s missing coupon pouch didn’t cause her much worry. After dinner, we arranged some flowers with fairy lights in a tote bag and reviewed her daily schedule together, referring to each other as “teacher.”

At work, I discussed session structures with colleagues, resulting in new ideas, including adding a fun game segment. In the afternoon, I clarified some portal item issues and organized my 230 Earth tips project, which aligned with a tip ChatGPT gave me.

I also spent time at the gym and listened to 3 hours of podcasts, including one on handling kids quitting activities, which gave me useful advice.

Today is a special day—seven years ago, Xiao Yan and I got our marriage certificate. To celebrate, our family went to Sultan for dinner. Hamer wanted finger-shaped ice cream, but there were no finger waffles. Noticing her disappointment, the waiter thoughtfully broke a large waffle into smaller pieces with ice cream. Hamer smiled brightly, holding four small ice creams.

Today, I spent time solving the S123 JS API offline installation issue and researching Arcade expressions for edit summary.

These past two days, Hamer has started using the big alarm clock to wake herself up.

I didn’t write in my journal yesterday because I was busy adjusting and improving the iOS writing app I’m developing.

This morning, Hamer, like usual, woke up early (although I don’t know exactly when). When I went to wake her up at 7:10, I saw her flipping through a book. I said, “It’s already 7:10, time to get up.” She replied, “Oh no, it’s not even daylight yet.” I guess she might have gotten a bit worried because the teacher told her on Friday not to come too early. To solve her habit of waiting for daylight before getting up, I went to IKEA after work to buy an alarm clock, hoping to give it a try.

Today, I spent almost the entire day using Cursor, trying to see if I could create a complete iOS app with it. So far, I haven’t had any success. The results always turn out much different than expected, and I’ve run into many problems I don’t really know how to fix, which has been making me increasingly frustrated. Now, I can use Cursor to build a simple framework and create beginner-level apps, but when it comes to implementing more advanced features, it’s still not quite right.

I feel like I still need to take a nap at noon; otherwise, it’s really hard for me to concentrate in the afternoon.

Today, I drove on the road for the first time by myself. Though my instructor was in the passenger seat, I felt nervous from the start. Every lane change, turn, or U-turn made me panic, forget to check my surroundings, or freeze. The two-hour session was tense, but also rewarding. I realized that, beyond my mindset, my driving skills need a lot of improvement. I’ll keep practicing to get better.

In the morning, Hamer was doing her homework when I left for driving practice. She and Xiao Yan later went to Pop Mart and the mall, returning in the evening.

After lunch, I lay down on the sofa to rest and watched a movie until around six in the evening, when the exhaustion finally started to fade away.

Yesterday, Hamer woke up exceptionally early and was ready for school by 7 AM, but arriving too early prompted her teacher to ask us not to repeat it. I reassured Hamer that I’d keep her company in the mornings if she wanted to wake up early. Later, our product’s new version was released, marking the end of one phase of work.

Today, after a late start due to a midnight meeting, Hamer made a toast breakfast. In the afternoon, we met her best friend after dance class, enjoying a park stroll and roast duck. Meanwhile, I explored building iOS apps with Cursor, gaining insights after initial challenges.

This morning, Hamer had a mild nosebleed but quickly recovered with Xiao Yan’s help. She got ready for school, and I started my day listening to an English news podcast, Up First, which has become a refreshing morning habit.

At work, I focused on the App Link, identifying potential bugs and improvement areas, which fueled my motivation.

On the way to the gym, I had the idea for an app to help parents and children learn Chinese characters. After returning home, I dove into building a prototype, using Cursor to write code, and got fully immersed in the project.

This morning, Hamer woke up early, getting herself dressed and packed with a joyful energy that warmed my heart while I enjoyed some extra sleep. On the way to school, the soft pink glow of the rising sun made the morning feel particularly gentle.

At work, I finished the Popup content, though I felt fatigued in the afternoon from missing a nap. In the evening, after shopping at Hema, we ended up making noodles at home.

Hamer’s upper left incisor started to loosen, and I looked into finding a driving instructor, planning to schedule a trial session this weekend.

After dropping Hamer at school, I felt guilty reading an article about programmers preparing for interviews—something I’d aspired to but never pursued. I later browsed Apple’s 2024 U.S. podcast rankings, adding episodes to Overcast for future listening.

I discovered my passport had expired and applied for renewal online, but the initial review failed. Concerned about needing to apply at my registered residence, I rushed to the Beijing Exit-Entry Administration Bureau. Thankfully, the staff resolved the issue on-site without an appointment and eased my anxiety.

In the afternoon, I worked on PopupManager issues. In the evening, I played badminton and admired Hamer’s self-motivation to study, a remarkable change from her younger years.