Phil's on the train back to Beijing. Last weekend the 2 of us went while Yali stayed home with Madeleine. Our goal was to find an apartment for our stay there this summer but we were unsuccessful. So, off Phil goes to try again. We're a bit better equipped this time knowing our housing budget and so something should work out today. He's got a full day of apartment looking, negotiating, and then making a deposit. I wish I could be there. We've spent all week looking at places online and I won't get to see any of them but the one he ultimately chooses. Poor me.
Mom flew up yesterday morning. She'll hang out with us until Tuesday morning. It makes it so nice having her around. Madeleine is happy to have her here, too (even without Gramps :-) ). Mom thinks she's just the sweetest little girl - and although, she's right, I'm always glad when Madeleine is sweet to people. That's been a characteristic of hers lately. She says things like, "Thank you cooking, Mommy." while we eat dinner and "Beautiful glasses (Aunt Sheila)" to one of our friends who wears glasses and "Sorry, baby" after she accidentally kicked my stomach.
Phil said once that it's when your first kid becomes a toddler that you remember why you wanted kids in the first place and that's why so many kids are about 2 years apart. I agree. Who, honestly, thinks "I can't wait to get another!" when they already have a 10 month old. Okay, I know people do but they are special, very loving, patiently gifted people, unlike us.
I had a hard time sleeping last night. Probably a combination of factors. One being that we have a whole crew of parents and kids going swimming today at a local, indoor, heated pool. This was my idea and so I have the feeling of responsibility that you get when you do something like this. It's like when you're the one who picks out the movie to watch with your friends and you can't remember if it has a bedroom scene or not and your worrying about when to grab the remote and fast forward. I doubt there will be a bedroom scene taking place at the pool - this being Asia and all - but I haven't been there for awhile so it may be nasty, or closed, or boring. Stupid, I know.
I don't know if you've ever experienced forgetting what it's like to have options out the wazoo. But that happened to me last weekend in Beijing. We went to this little import store that had more options in it than I've ever seen here. They had a whole aisle of candy bars. If I want a candy bar/candy in Xi'an I have these choices: Snickers, M&Ms (peanut and plain), Dove, Chinese chocolates (uh, no thanks), and then super expensive imported chocolates that we only buy at xmas time. So, when I saw Almond Joy, Twix, Heath, Reese's Cups, York Peppermint Patties, and on and on it was shocking. They had Dr. Pepper there and A&W.
It's worth having more kids just to go to Beijing every few years for the candy.
Mom flew up yesterday morning. She'll hang out with us until Tuesday morning. It makes it so nice having her around. Madeleine is happy to have her here, too (even without Gramps :-) ). Mom thinks she's just the sweetest little girl - and although, she's right, I'm always glad when Madeleine is sweet to people. That's been a characteristic of hers lately. She says things like, "Thank you cooking, Mommy." while we eat dinner and "Beautiful glasses (Aunt Sheila)" to one of our friends who wears glasses and "Sorry, baby" after she accidentally kicked my stomach.
Phil said once that it's when your first kid becomes a toddler that you remember why you wanted kids in the first place and that's why so many kids are about 2 years apart. I agree. Who, honestly, thinks "I can't wait to get another!" when they already have a 10 month old. Okay, I know people do but they are special, very loving, patiently gifted people, unlike us.
I had a hard time sleeping last night. Probably a combination of factors. One being that we have a whole crew of parents and kids going swimming today at a local, indoor, heated pool. This was my idea and so I have the feeling of responsibility that you get when you do something like this. It's like when you're the one who picks out the movie to watch with your friends and you can't remember if it has a bedroom scene or not and your worrying about when to grab the remote and fast forward. I doubt there will be a bedroom scene taking place at the pool - this being Asia and all - but I haven't been there for awhile so it may be nasty, or closed, or boring. Stupid, I know.
I don't know if you've ever experienced forgetting what it's like to have options out the wazoo. But that happened to me last weekend in Beijing. We went to this little import store that had more options in it than I've ever seen here. They had a whole aisle of candy bars. If I want a candy bar/candy in Xi'an I have these choices: Snickers, M&Ms (peanut and plain), Dove, Chinese chocolates (uh, no thanks), and then super expensive imported chocolates that we only buy at xmas time. So, when I saw Almond Joy, Twix, Heath, Reese's Cups, York Peppermint Patties, and on and on it was shocking. They had Dr. Pepper there and A&W.
It's worth having more kids just to go to Beijing every few years for the candy.