Still here.

Just got fairly busy.  A few posts in the works for you based on the past week's adventures: An update from my OB appointment on Friday, a detailing of our family trip to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum on Saturday, some information about the ayi hire as our wonderful lady starts Tuesday (!), and a recounting of the Sunday Funday we are just finishing up.  Lots to share.  And with the ayi starting, I will have a bit more time to write.

Neil returned home on Thursday night very late.  It was so great to see him and hear about his travels first hand.  He took some amazing photos, and I will be sure to ask to share some here.

That Thursday had been a successful day in itself since Harper and I had a fab play date with some new friends.  I met another red-headed kid mama while at the Kerry playground one day, and we began to chat.  At the end of our visit, we exchanged information and planned to get the kids together again soon.  She invited another fun mama with a kiddo the same age as ours, and we set out to an indoor playground to let the kids run and play a bit.

First off, the indoor playgrounds here are serious business.  They are HUGE, and I am pretty sure Chuck E. Cheese would bow his head in shame if he saw what awesomeness they have here.  Hampster maze like levels, a mini-zipline, a ball shooting/ collecting/ air toy room, trampolines, kitchens, cars, ball pits, slides, FUN FOR ALL AGES.  I mean it, the parents can follow the kids right on up.  Here is a video I took while resting on the edge of the ball pit.  My mom-friend was following Harper (seen in the distance mid-video) as she climbed up into the hamster maze.

Only problems: Very busy.  Lots and LOTS of kids and parents everywhere.  And then the air conditioning.  We are spoiled in the Southern US- the A/C is usually out-of-control starting in April, so the instant relief you get when walking inside spoils you.  Actually, I used to take a sweater everywhere "just in case" it was too cool.  Yea, not here.  The air conditioning is not as powerful, not set to cool as far down, and not turned on until the business opens.

Translated: The play area is full of kids and grown-ups running around in a warm room.  Makes for a very sweaty pregnant lady.

Luckily, my new friends were willing to run after Harper when she decided to climb up into the second layer of the hamster-maze.  She is a daredevil climber now (thank you so much, Neil's genetic code), and the bigger the slide, the better.  Kid has very little fear.  Here she is on the slide:

And discovering the ball room:

We finished our trip with a yummy lunch and then an extra-long nap.  New friends and play dates are fast becoming one of my favorite parts of the China experience.

Doing well

Tuesday night and all is well.  Surviving the week without Daddy fairly well all around, although it breaks my heart when Harper asks for him in the afternoons.

We actually had a lovely day.  Though it was rainy, we started the morning with a Skype call with a friend back home, then had a fabulous play date with some other expat moms and kiddos followed closely by a nice, long nap.

Our trip out for some lunch resulted in an impromptu meeting with a mom from the playground who invited us to join her and her friend.  We had a nice lunch and chatted a bit.  The three of us are getting together again with the kids later this week- the pool if the weather allows, an indoor playground if it doesn't.

Harper and I have plans to head out to a museum tomorrow for some sight-seeing and playing.

Today almost felt like a regular day.  It took just shy of a month to get there, but it was a nice feeling.  Don't get me wrong, there are still moments when the "we live in CHINA" comes out of nowhere, but I feel like we are lucky to have ended up in Shanghai.

Welp, off to bed I go.  Have a great day, folks.

About this week

Not sure how much writing time I will have, but I will try to keep you all updated.  In the very list, I will start some posts so I don't lose ideas.

You see, I am flying solo this week.  Neil is out of town on business, and Harper and I are kicking it just the two of us.

Yup.  I was scared am anxious about it too.

However, I am set-up for success.  My husband is a rockstar.  He gifted me with two nights in a row of baby duty while I took a (pregnancy-approved) sleeping pill, donned earplugs, and checked out early wile he dealt with an unhappy-while-teething-molars baby.  And he stocked the kitchen, finished up the laundry, reorganized the kitchen to make dishes easier for me to reach, straightened the surfaces of piles, and on and on to help me be successful.

God, I love this man.

I also have the luxury I have mentioned before: Everywhere in Shanghai delivers.  I mean EVERYWHERE.  Grocery stores.  McDonald's. The corner store.  If I didn't want to leave the apartment, I would not have to do so.

But, of course, I will.  Stir crazy happens easily.  We have a few play dates planned and will frequent the playgrounds to let Harper run out some ya-yas.

I have already survived day one.  I am tired, but not exhausted.  I am hungry but putting down the computer in a moment to grab some food.  And so far, little miss is sleeping pretty well.   Also, the apartment is not collateral damage.

I'd call it a success.

Good news/ Bad news

Bad news first- I have sliced my finger.  Stupid bread knife.  I'm fine, no stitches, but that really great throbbing is in full effect.  So, typing is pretty difficult, and I'm not writing a bunch today.

Good news- I *think* I have officially hired an ayi!  She is wonderful, highly recommended, and great with kids.  I interviewed her yesterday and will be working out the details over the course of the week.  I promise that when the finger heals a bit, you will get a longer post about exactly what an ayi is, how I found this one, and what interviewing is like in different cultures.

Until then, I am off to get the dry cleaning ready, put in an order from the City Shop (grocery stores deliver for FREE!  Heaven.), and start reading my new Etiquette Guide to China.  Hopefully it stops raining so the toddles and I can get to the playground after nap time, but something tells me we might be taking a stroll through the mall.