City Surprises

We step out on the streets of China--we take our lives into our own hands.

I saw my life flash before my eyes a few times this weekend.

We went to Shanghai for our church's district conference. Even though we aren't able to talk or teach about our beliefs to Chinese citizens, we're so grateful we can have church services every Sunday and a larger meeting with members in our area twice a year.

Traveling with two kids is adventure enough--adding in luggage, trains, subway stations, stairs, and busy streets makes it oh so crazy.

#1: Carrying a 15 pounder makes it a little hard to see where I'm going sometimes. That, along with a subway staircase with a ramp on one side is no good.

The ramp looked like this, but a little wider. Most people use these ramps to get their luggage up and down the staircases. It is quite effective as a means for fast travel as well. (Maybe not so great when you're carrying a baby though.)

#2: Maxi skirts and escalators don't mix well. Neither do sleeping toddlers in strollers on escalators. Mister had to jump in front of the oncoming Chinese to rip the bottom of my skirt out of the escalator. I seriously thought I was going to have to lose the skirt for a few seconds there.




Sometimes a little danger is fun, though. They know how to have a good time here in China.

We took Miss A to a play place near our home. She was sent to the smaller area made for kids 9 months to 3 years old. So many of the toys would not be allowed in the US.

a spinning octopus! 

merry-go-round

not very happy about the moving boat 

Doesn't this place look so fun?! 

We survived and had a wonderful weekend, too!

Snapshot

 This is our life lately.

Favorite pajamas until late morning. Wearing Mister's shoes because he is missed. Mister's shoes dirty because we live in China. (Nothing the shoe polishing machine at the bottom of our building can't fix.)

We've been in the second part of our Flagship stay in China for almost two months now. Mister is away at an internship 12 hours each day. He is missed dearly and talked about often. While he's gone I try to get at least one productive thing done and enjoy our cute kids. Sometimes I just try to stay sane.

We're loving this time, though, because when he is home
he is home 100 percent.

Thanks for that, China.

Happy Birthday #5 to Auntie S!

Two Months Two Babies

Guess who's getting way too old way too fast?

This guy!
He's almost 15 pounds at 2 months. Seriously.

We've had some mixed reviews on my parenting skills. Sometimes Brother is too cold, sometimes he's too hot. Sometimes I am crazy for having two children, sometimes I'm brave.

This is what I get the most:

-Hai you yi ge! Oh, there's another one! (Usually said when they realize the bulge on my belly is really a baby)

-Wei shenme? Two children? Why?

-The "thumbs up"

-The "back pat" (I'm not sure if the back pat is congratulatory or more of a sympathy thing)

-The "finger wag"

Most of the time people leave smiling. Who could resist these big eyes and sweet, sweet spirits?

The End of the Beginning

We avoided the millions of travelers during the holiday, but we still had a few adventures of our own.

We went bowling with friends, lit off fireworks, took Miss A to a way cool play place, lit off fireworks, tried to send off some floating lanterns from the top of our building, and lit off fireworks.

We went all out for the last day of New Year celebrations.

The entrance to a neat "Thai" restaurant that was really mostly food from Southeast Asia.

The Valentine Special started off with these lovely shrimp--legs and heads included! Definitely the first (and hopefully last) time I try to eat something with it's head still attached. 

Some of the food was pretty good, like the vegetables in the front. The soup toward the back, on the other hand, tasted like a latrine. mmm.

Miss A could tell this was a fish since it still had its eyes and everything. When this was brought out, they poured sauce on top and lit a fire underneath. Only Mister was brave enough to try it. Even at a nicer restaurant like this the fish is most likely caught from the lovely (green/polluted) Yangtze River.

Fun markets lined streets and shopping areas. We saw traditional cut paper, toy animals, beautiful dolls, and so much more. This woman was sitting at her booth making glass beads. 

We ended our day with a "Year of the Rabbit" treat for Miss A.

A Real Chinese New Year

Lately we have been surrounded by thousands of people celebrating the Lunar New Year. I'm no expert on Chinese New Year, but we've picked up on a few things while being in the middle of it:

Our China girl!

• Try to avoid traveling. 

Everyone wants to get home before New Years Eve for a big family reunion dinner. Going to Shanghai with two babies (two weeks before the holiday even) was crazy! Being packed like sardines in subway cars, buses, and train stations is not as much of an adventure as you would think.

• Invest in some earplugs. 

The fireworks begin on the eve of the new year and don't. stop. This is to remember a man who--instead of running to the mountains like everyone else--used "bamboo fireworks" to scare off a sea monster (Nian) that came to eat crops, livestock, and people every year.

This awesome photo was taken by a friend from the 9th floor of our building.

• Get your shopping done early. 

Stores are crazy right before the holiday and then the whole town shuts down. We found our fresh market closed twice before we could finally get some decent produce. We were also bread-less for a week because the big grocery store was open, but the bakery workers were off.

• Load up on gifts for your friends. 

Cooked duck, eggs, and fruit are some favorites--but you can find almost anything in convenient gift boxes.

• The holiday is all about family and tradition--the food, customs, and decorations have meaning.

• Food is chosen for its homophones: fish=surplus, mandarin oranges=luck, seeds=fertility
• Red decorations are placed on the sides and top of doors to scare away the Nian.
• Fake paper money is burnt to honor ancestors.
• Red envelopes (with money) are given to children for luck in the new year.

Lastly, try to get some sleep. With all of the fireworks and busy streets it is a tiring and exciting time in China!

Out With a Bang

That's what you get when millions of people come together to celebrate Chinese New Year.

We have had less sleep than usual this past week thanks to nonstop fireworks. That's ok though--we've had lots to celebrate too:

Getting older!

Grandma and Grandpa coming all the way to China for Brother's baby blessing.

It was a wonderful day and we're so glad we had family there with us!

Mister and Grandpa being adventurous with Chinese cuisine. (They even tried stinky tofu...)

Aunt J and Grandma at the Confucius Temple. We had lots of adventures with them on their short stay with us.

Brother growing a lot (here he is at 1 month!)

Being married for 3 wonderful years!

This is what flower arrangements look like in Nanjing.

Getting new clothes from grandparents! 

Brother getting really strong...

and rolling over twice! (accidentally) 

A New Year gift! (They put stickers on apples while they're growing to get the characters.)

Getting comments that our daughter IS actually warm enough (even if she can barely move her arms).

Having our own firework show! (Miss A was not impressed.)

Eating Valentine's day brunch with our loves!

Goodbye year of the Dragon! 

Xin Nian Kuai Le

(Happy New Year)

...What are you Doing?

You'd think that's what I'd be saying to these Chinese people living all around me, but no.
Most of the time
it's the exact opposite.

The first time I actually heard these words from a Chinese person (in English, I might add) was while I was in active labor with Brother--in the middle of a contraction!

There was a shift change for the nurses. They walked in to introduce themselves and there was Mister kneeling on the hospital bed so I could lean against him and a nurse asked us "What are you doing?" Seriously. She said that. Later a cleaning lady got on to me for not wearing socks and sitting by the window.

Since then I've realized that people think I'm pretty strange.

-I buy TWO whole loaves of bread at the grocery store.
-Mister doesn't know how to open a bottle of wine (he learned while celebrating our anniversary, thanks to our neighbor).
-Miss A wears funny footie pajamas
-I travel with one arm holding a baby and the other pushing a toddler in a stroller.

These are "special" pajamas according to our neighbors.

We have two children. What? 

I know I'm strange to some people, but the Chinese are still a little strange to me too. :)

This is the really cute split bottom outfit Brother was put in at the hospital.

In the hospital there was a room with windows where the babies are given their first bath. The English name of the room is "Baby Swimming Room". I thought it was just bad translation, but no.
This newborn is floating by it's head in a tub that is a little deeper than the baby is long. A nurse would come over and push him around in the water every once in a while, but other than that he was left floating alone.

(Sorry for the poor pictures...I was trying to be sneaky because the grandparents were standing by us.) Don't worry, I did not allow them to do this to Brother.

I've been out of commission lately--for some reason I need six hands to take care of two babies and I haven't had enough to type, too.