Week 141 and Week 54.5 - Christmas in Shanghai

Again - so sorry for this late post.  This afternoon I dropped the Levines off at the airport and am now at Matt's office (I like to blog here as his computer is faster than mine).  So much to catch up on!

We flew last Wednesday night to Shanghai.  You heard me - we took a red eye flight with 2 young kids.  Why did we do this?  Because I wanted to save some money on traveling (as we had to spend some money on Chinese visas, I thought this was wise).  Was it wise?  Overall, I say YES!  Though Sophia entered the realm of overtired she and Charlotte basically slept on the long haul flight (and bonus - Charlotte slept on our puddlejumper to Kuala Lumpur).

We stayed at our friends the Levines.  They have a stunningly beautiful four story house (a bungalow) in Pudong.  The last time we saw the Levines we were in Hong Kong and their son Jared was a newborn (he is now almost six).  They have a daughter Juliet who is 2 weeks younger than Charlotte.  They also have four stories which made me nervous as Sophia always perched at the top of any given landing.  Luckily she didn't fall down but there was a lot of lunging for her).  On a positive note she is walking really well!

We had a pizza dinner with the Levines and the Bolsteins last Friday night and bid adieu to the Levines arrived at our house in Singapore on Saturday.  Andrew is an old friend - between he and I we have had 4 daughters and no one had met each other prior to this trip.

We were typical Asian tourists with young kids - eating and napping and more eating and napping.  , went to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, ate dim sum at Superbrand Mall, ate dinner at a boisterous brew house along the River and had Haagen Dazs ice cream (did I mention it was freezing?), attempted to walk down from People's Park to the Bund on Nanjing Road (we made it a block - it was blisteringly cold!), and walked through Yue Garden and Tainzifang.  We also ate hot pot at Andrew's house on Xmas eve which was the most fun of all - with all four kids spending quality holiday time in Asia!  Never would I have thought 17 years ago that we would be spending Christmas in Shanghai together... From Magic Kingdom to the Middle Kingdom!

OK - on with the pictures!

Lovely Juliet!

Jared and Monica make cake!

Walking!

Charlotte and her cupcake before I polished it off:

Sophia is not impressed in her lamb hat (this elicited a lot of gushing from the locals!):

Andrew and Amanda at Haagen Dazs:

Haagen Dazs alarm:

Bolsteins!
At Haagen-Dazs:

Nanjing Road:

Yue Gardens:

Tainzifang:

Shopping Mall I don't know the name of:

Drakes (cold weather does not make very smiley kid pictures for us)!
Haagen-Dazs

Nanjing Road:

Yue Gardens:

Tianzifang:

Anonymous shopping mall:

Ice cream shenanigans:

Blue steel:

Dinner and IKEA Gingerbread house making at the Bolsteins (the IE house was more stable than the Civil Engineer's house... good thing Matt is not a structural engineer):

Shanghai cupcakes for Andrew's birthday!

A cute pic of Char:

The Bolsteins and Drakes:

Sophia likes to walk with her hands outstretched:

Fun Christmas day photos:

Week 140 and Week 53.5 - Christmas Concert and Sophia's last first birthday party

Argh - sorry - flying off to Shanghai tonight and still lots to finish before we go - including packing.

Charlotte had her first school concert this week.  She was really good!

Sophia had her last first birthday party with some of her young friends - although she was near melting as it was close to her nap time.  For her ddol this time she choose... her daddy.  I made a vegan carrot cake that I was pretty happy about.

Sophia also can eat blueberries by herself!

Still so rainy most days so no park pictures this week!

Charlotte and her boyfriend Max:

With Miss Clarice:

And Yunni Laushi (her Chinese teacher):

Party girl:

Chris takes Charlotte's picture!

Olivia and Sophia could be sisters!

Sophia in her hanbok!

Family shot!

Olivia smiles:

Shirtless Sunday in baby jail:

Sophia tries on and out her gifts:

And the videos:

Charlotte's first recital:

Sophia's ddol for daddy:

Sophia's birthday cake:

Sophia eats blueberries!

Week 139 and Week 52.5 - Sophia turns 1 and really walks!

Sorry AGAIN this blog post is late.  This week it is Christmas letters.  I seriously cannot get everything done so quickly anymore since before the kiddos.  All the stuff you hear about having no time with kids is absolutely true.  I can only get things done before they get up (like now), when I am at work, or after they go to sleep at night.  

Sophia turned 1 on Tuesday!  Yay!  Very little pomp and circumstance as Matt was traveling to Manila later that morning.  We did take a family photo though.  More excitement to happen this weekend though.

We have been picking and prodding at Sophia to walk by her first birthday, and yesterday (Wednesday) she finally walked (the day after her birthday of course!).  Yay!

We went to Gardens by the Bay this weekend - it was really nice!  I would like to go jogging there sometime if I can make it early enough.  Singapore has so many great parks and gardens - and this one is essentially in the middle of the city! 

Sophia is drinking out of a straw - mostly.  This is good as all of our sippy cups get really hard to clean after a while (who thought I would ever have an opinion about sippy cups?).

Char and I made flax crackers this week - as I am trying to get her to eat healthier snacks.  She likes them but still prefers the white flour faux Ritz that we seem to have a hundred of.  

Char is also in her very first school production today - we will see how her singing and dancing go!

All this cruising is making my hands dirty:  

Char and I make flax crackers:  

Charlotte negotiates eating (or playing):  

While Sophia makes silly faces:

 

Char dances like Feist with Daddy:  

Sophia crawled up the chair by herself while Daddy fixes the tree:  

Sophia stands in the doorway - not long ago I took a similar picture (same dress!) with Char:

   

The family's first trip to Gardens by the Bay:  

I have a hundred versions of this pose of late:  

Family feuds begin early:  

Trying out the dog:

  

Char's TV face/ southern belle look: 

 

We let Sophia cruise around while we get dinner ready - but usually not with cracker in her eye:  

Char plays with my beads:  

Great birthday shot! 

Family birthday shot:

  

And the videos: 

Sophia stands a long time (trying to walk):  

Sophia walks with mommy:

  

Sophia tried to walk with the dog:

  

Char and Sophia dance to Call Me Maybe:  

Sophia finally walks unassisted!