Week 196 and Week 108.5 - The Bolsteins come to Macau!

The Bolsteins descended on Macau for a short but productive (it is always productive with Andrew and Emily at the helm) trip to Macau this past Saturday.  We were blessed with warm T-shirt and jeans weather - which was a nice respite from the groggy gray cold and damp weather that it has been before and since.

This was Andrew and Emily's first trip back to Macau in 7+ years - there was no Venetian when they were here last (and they got to stay in a swish suite at the Wynn which Matt and I were able to visit).  Lots has changed in 7 years for all of us!

We breezed through the historic district (San Malo to the St. Paul Ruins).  We have been here all of 7 months and this was the first time we brought the girls here too.  We were excited to see the Christmas decorations were still up as the rest of Macau has brought them down for the Lunar New Year decoration exchange.  Our touristy jaunt was super crowded but fun in that Causeway-Bay-people-gridlock sort of way.  Emily and I exchanged photography tips and we struggled to take wide enough shots with our 35mm lenses (on cropped sensors) while navigating other tourists at the church ruins.  We definitely went there, took a picture, and crossed it off the list!

We took everyone for pizza at the Singing Bean at the Macau Tower - a nice warm day for the girls to run around!

We then headed to Venetian where we saw 42 Harbin ice sculptors do their magic on a Dreamworks themed Ice Show.  It was great!  Somehow you are not supposed to be allowed in if you are under 5 which was odd (and thankfully not very well enforced).  We got big blue coats.  It was 17 degrees F in this Expo Hall and it was cold at the end.  A nice taster for what lies ahead when we go back to the US in a few weeks.  Yikes!

In other news, Charlotte has started her first week of full day school - and it has been a total nightmare!  She is the poster child for overtired.  She is grumpy (she said she does not like Mommy when I was making her eggs one afternoon this week - I was not happy), she has barely touched her lunch we pack for her, and I think she has napped all of ten minutes this week.  I understand that this is hopefully a transition phase but I am happy for it to end now.  Lots of idle crying (these days over Peppa Pig - not sure how she learned about Peppa but I think Aunt Laurie used to buy us Peppa Pig gummies from Marks and Spencer far before Charlotte was aware).  There have been 7PM bedtimes (usually they are at 8:30) but not nearly enough.  Ack.  Adjust please Char!  Adjust!

Sophia has really gotten into Sofia the First.  Sofia is actually pretty cute and watchable.  Matt and I like to snuggle with the girls while they watch Sofia.

We attempted to go ice skating last Sunday... but it was too warm.  We met up with Uncle Rob and the girls got their faces painted and were wowed by the onslaught of entertainment.... Venetian puts on a free show better than anyone in Asia I think.

Matt also cut the girls' bangs on Sunday and did a bang up job (heh heh)!

I have done some sewing which I have forgotten to post so I will this week.  I sewed stockings and a belt for Charlotte (who has wanted a belt forever - and I have looked everywhere for one but decided to make one instead.  She loves it!).

Stockings!

Belt!

Unwrapping Christmas Gifts:

Alicia is a giant!

Sophia is serious:

Walk to the Church Ruins:

Church ruins:

Pizza party!

A little tidying up after a naked pasta lunch:

Not sure what Char has in her mouth here:

Char did *not* like the cold.  She thought we were going to see a real panda in the frigid air:

Amanda on a not so slippery slide:

The fam - I don't have a great grip here:

Sophia's new haircut is nice!

Watching some Brazilian twerking with Uncle Rob- not impressed:

The hand and facepainting was much better:

A monkey for the girls!

(You can't see Char's though):

If you go to Venetian they will snap you a free picture.  This was ours:

Week 195 and Week 107.5 - Happy New Year!

Last weekend we took the girls skating again with the help of Yaya so I could skate (slowly but steadily I may add).  After some arguing with the staff ("our daughter is 4.  Ok, she is 5") we took Char skating (again - and we are no fools to bite the hand that feeds us, K?).  Venetian does a great job.  Sophia was really interested in the non stop entertainment (A band!  3 guys descending the Campanile Tower!  Fire jugglers on the ice rink!).  We will try to go again this weekend before the ice skating closes.  Sorry no photos this go around.

We attempted to go to Galaxy for dim sum and see the Xmas decorations last Sunday with the Raineys - it was not even New Year's and their decorations were down! Char just adores Sarah.

We made a big vat of mashed potatoes (after a mashed potato experience at Telunas Matt complained he never eats them at home so I obliged).  The girls... refused to try them!  Sophia asked for rice and Char was just being stubborn about it.  I know Matt shakes his head at the scoffing of his meat and potato roots.  Ahh the price to pay for an expatriate existence!

Matt and I at the last minute decided to go out for New Year's - and it was really fun!  I haven't been out for New Year's probably in 5 years.  But boy did we pay the price the next day (and we got 2 hours of sleep as it was the night the girls thought it would be fun to get up at 4AM).  Remind me not to go to the MGM and expect a decent outlook the next day... especially with any red wine concoctions around.  Oy!

The girls have really taken to being part of my makeup/get ready experience in the morning.  I let them play and do a big wet wipe clean-up before we leave the house.  It is cute bit a bit distracting.

I am weaning - Sophia asks for the milk and I defer and then she asks for Yaya milk (or the formula).  She has not been so pushy about it of late so I hope that the end of the desire is near.  Though it was a good two year run!

Sophia has not been great about sleeping without some resistance of late - perhaps the milk thing, perhaps a desire to sleep in a toddler bed (she has a couple of nights this week).

Charlotte woke up with a nose bleed the other morning - we think it is because of the drying heat.  It has not recurred so we will watch for it (and now we don't sleep with the heater on the whole night - especially as we know she will sleep in our room with us).

The girls are holding on to their tropical roots!  Sophia is more compliant than Char.  Char refuses to wear socks and coats, or she will go out with a dress (no tights) and a jacket.  Cold weather denial!  I think that the imprinting is complete - and she will be a lifelong warm weather gal!

I am trying out a new lens I bought - great for outside but rubbish for inside - sorry for the first photos!

Here is Char and Sarah:

The kids!

Sometimes Sophia is defiant and crawls:

Computer watching:

Park day - not a lot of kids playing outside this winter:

Big girl!