Peekaboo

This video is a over a month old. I took it on Scott's camera awhile back and forgot to post it. Or maybe I tried and it wouldn't load.

Anyway, here it is.... my broccoli eating boy playing peekaboo.

Feeding the Fish

As I understand it, the word for good fortune and the word for fish are very similar in Mandarin. Naturally fish are very lucky and you see them everywhere - stuffed ones and the real deal. At the shopping complex across the street from us there is a fish pond and today Blake and I went to have a look. We bought two little canisters of fish food and fed the RAVENOUS fishies. They were jumping out of the water to get to the food! Blake wasn't really interested in the fish, but he did like the containers. Lid on, lid off, lid on, lid off.

Pretty cool that he was very his big gunner, big fish shirt for the photo - not even planned. It was pretty hard to get good photos because I was too worried he would topple in to the pond when I was getting the shot.
Later on, we went grocery shopping. I guess Blake likes cottage cheese - he put about 12 packs in the trolley.

Chucking Rocks

Today has been so beautiful! Warm and sunny!!
We have been outside all day - walking, running, shouting and, Blake's favorite, throwing rocks into the river.

We (I) collected dozens of rocks and then we (Blake) threw them into the water. It was super fun. We're home for a nap now, but plan to head out again as soon as the big gunner wakes up.


It was fun to watch where they landed even though it freaked mum out a little bit.

Some black and white pics.

Ben came to play for a little while, too.

Sick Baby at the Doctor's Office

Yesterday I took Blake to the clinic.

He's not been sick, sick, but he's not been himself lately. He's been running a low grade fever for 4 or 5 days now, a bit whingy, and not eating very much. We know at least 3 sharp teeth have just popped through the gums, so maybe that is what's been bugging him, but I just wanted to check that everything is okay so off we went to the doctor.

My sick baby was HILARIOUS at the doctor's office and not acting very sick at all. He began by running over to the pamphlet holder and grabbing two large, illustrated hand outs about Self Breast Examinations and ran around the waiting room to show everyone.

Next he walked up to each person, arched his back and lifted his shirt and showed them his big belly and then ran away laughing.

Finally, when he got up on the scale to get weighed, he started dancing and wouldn't stop.

Not surprisingly, the doctor said he was fine. Must bring my camera next time we go to the doctor.

Playing Around the House

Blake is pretty physical kid. Sometimes it seems like he is in constant motion.
One of his favorite games these days is to stand up on the bench behind the couch and then throw himself over the top and land on the cushions below.
We are constantly amazed by the number of times he can do this without getting tired and how much joy he gets by simply tumbling over the sofa.
As an added bonus for mom and dad, he stops from time to time to play peekaboo with us behind the cushions.

Good Mates

We spent the day in Puxi visiting with some good friends. Here are the two buddies at the top of a double slide.
Introducing the beautiful princess Maeva.
I guess Blake forgot which hand his snack was in.
Here he is seconds after throwing the soccer ball.
Still a little small to mind this net.
Kilani found a shopping trolley to play with.
Blake still LOVES slides, but we may have a new fave - the swing was a big hit!

Uh Oh

Look who's learned to take off his own nappy.

This could get messy!
One of Blake's favorite activities lately has been standing up on a hope chest playing in my jewelry boxes. Opening the box, closing the box. Pulling out the drawers, pushing in the drawers. And emptying everything out of everything.

If you are a robber casing our joint, let me save you the trouble. These 20 kuai 'pearl' bracelets are about my most valuable possession.

Life is Good

Sitting in the early morning sun, reading a book. Life is gooooood.

Celebrity

Have I blogged about this already?
I can't remember, but I'll do it again because it cracks me up!

When we walk into Carrefour we are immediately mobbed by a group of ladies who work there. All of them calling, "Blak-uh, Blak-uh," and all of them scrambling to find some food to offer him. A few weeks ago there was a new twist. The lady in the orange shirt above, a cigarette & honey saleswoman (the two things go together so nicely), rushed over to us, grabbed the baby and two kuai out of her cash register and rushed over to this little yellow car and plonked him in and started the machine.

It was very clear to us that this was not Blake's first turn in the yellow car. He grabbed the steering wheel and started driving.

Today Scott got his haircut in the Salon behind the car while Blake basked in adoration of his Carrefour buddies.

Having a baby in China is at times the most difficult and at times the easiest place in the world. Difficult because safety standards are low or non-existent. Difficult because heaven only knows what is in the sandpit or in the water or in the food. Difficult because when things go wrong we are VERY far from our families
But there are some incredible perks:
No one would ever expect a mother and her baby to have to wait in a queue in China. Even in the most official places, like customs lines at the airport, we are whisked to the head of the line and treated like visiting royalty.
The whole country loves Blake and gets giddy at the thought of holding him or touching his little hand and they line up to have their photo taken with him.
For the first time in four years we have genuine interactions with the people who live here. Yes, they are all about Blake, but they are real.

It's a wild ride, but it sure is fun.

Sunny Days in Shanghai

They don't come too often. They don't always come on weekends or holidays.
So when the sun does make a surprise appearance, the best thing to do is to get outside and enjoy it!
Throw some bark and stones around. Climb on top of pillars. Get kisses from dad. Lovely.