Avaya: Dalian Grand Opening

Avaya!















Chase and "da-da":



















The ceremony:














Dragon dance in the courtyard (LOVE IT):














You Pung and Chase:














Chase in charge (she took over da-da's office when he wasn't looking):














Brian's print is the blue one in the upper left:














The office looked great. It was a fabulous event!

Taxi Drivers

It must be great to be a taxi driver in Dalian; they have the freedom to come up with creative driving solutions to problems like traffic, pedestrians, bikers and those pesky red lights.

I believe one can summarize their philosophy in three words, "Outta My Way."

One of my favorite taxi stories thus far: A friend was in a taxi on the highway. The taxi driver's phone rang. The driver came to a complete stop - ON THE HIGHWAY - to take the call. The driver did not even pull onto the shoulder. He stopped in his lane and did not hit his hazzard lights.

Now if only they had those bumper car bumpers on the car - then we'd be in for some real fun.

The Dalian Expat Community

I have met several expats at this point; they all seem to know each other. I knew this expat community would be small, but I didn't realize it was "that" small.

At this point, I have lucked into a good group of German ladies. One has the little boy who is 14 months - Nicholas - who is super cute and will make a good playmate for Chase in the coming months. I really like Nicholas' mother as well.

I've decided that meeting new mums (and potential friends) is like dating. It's like you try to figure each other out as quickly as possible. Because what is the point of wasting time if it just isn't going to work. (It's not you it's me) It is all about the fit. Not only on a friend level, but there needs to be a good fit in parenting style.

I'm not sure what any of these ladies did before they had children. I'm not sure what they do during the day. All I know is that they are also trying to make sense of their lives here, which I find extremely reassuring.

As Martha once said, "it's a good thing."

El Canal Del Rooto

Scheduled for Tuesday. Just thinking about it makes my tooth hurt. Of course it didn't hurt all day. And now it hurts. Time to stop thinking about it. The only way out is through.

Our Little Dalian Pearl

Month 10

Hard to believe we are 2 months away from Chase's first birthday. Time has absolutely flown by, but I guess that's what all the parents say.

There is something so utterly magical about watching a baby grow in the first year. I count my blessings that I have been able to be with Chase the entire time.

At this point she is babbling non-stop. Ma-ma, Da-da, Nei-Nei, Pa-Pa. She is scooting around everywhere. She loves pulling up and walking along besides furniture. She is adventurous and like to head off exploring on her own. I pretend not to notice and then follow her on my hands and knees, at which point she "floors it" and speeds off into either our bedroom or her own, giggling the entire way. Encouraging me to chase her. How appropriate her name is.

She is eating almost everything now (except the obvious like strawberries, honey, egg white, chocolate). She loves fruit. Kiwi, mango, papaya and bananas are staples.

She loves her musical instruments. She loves her little soccer and basketball. She loves pulling things off of shelves; making chaos out of order. How interesting that I love the exact opposite.

She continues to be a people-person. She loves to engage people. Make them smile and laugh. She will go after the person in the room who is the coldest and work them until she gets a smile. Being the center of attention (all the time, and not just at home) has ensured that she is strong, independent and self-confident.

She is good with other kids, too. Although she still tends to scare them because she is so outgoing. (I guess it runs in the family - today I made a little kid cry in Gymboree music class - because I'm white. Yep, I left feeling terrible. Chase, on the otherhand, continues to be totally oblivious to the fact that there is any difference between her and the other children).

She is such a blessing. Such a joy. Such a wonder.

Chase, darling, we love you so much and we are so fortunate to have you in our lives.

You've GOT To Be Kidding Me

So I've had the littlest (okay, not so little) pain in my front tooth for the past two days. I have been in complete denial, as it is, after all, my FRONT tooth and I am living in CHINA. Well, I finally found a dentist today (THANK GOODNESS she speaks English). She informed me that YES, I need a ROOT CANAL on my FRONT TOOTH.

I had a number of translators weigh in to ensure she really meant root canal. This then, would be my second since I had Chase. Apparently some women who get pregnant suffer greatly in the dental department both during and after pregnancy because the baby takes what would otherwise go toward keeping teeth strong and healthy. Some women actually lose teeth (note to self for next time 'round).

Anyway, I went to this dentist lady, who was very nice and very reassuring that everything would be okay. Meanwhile I am close to hysterics. What? Another root canal? Are you sure?

Luckily, my contact at Gymboree (LOVE HER) knew a German woman who used to be a dentist, who actually lives in my complex/compound. I visited her this afternoon. She confirmed the diagnosis. But she also told me she visited the dentist already and was quite happy to see all of the equipment they are using is top-of-the-line. I told her about how they took x-rays (three people standing in the same room - me with the vest, them with nothing). She said it was okay, because the technology is so good. You actually get exposed to more x-rays when you fly (sorry Chase! I think you're going by train from here on out) and that is why all those flight attendants are having infertility problems (I didn't know it was a problem).

Anyway, she went on to tell me that if I wait, my front tooth may turn black, whereas if I do it now, before it really starts to hurt, I can keep my front tooth white. Hmmm. Much to think about. Because it really doesn't hurt "that bad" or "that often." But a black front tooth is not exactly something to look forward to, ya know?

So the German lady said she would come with me (THANK YOU!) and oversee it (hold my hand). Of course this all corresponds exactly with Brian's Grand Opening, so he needs to be elsewhere. Strangely enough, the tooth that needs the work is the same tooth that is giving Chase a real problem. Her left front tooth has yet to emerge, yet her right is growing up a storm.

On to other things…

You Pung, my helper ran to the grocery for me today while I was at Gymboree (I had asked her to buy Tofu and Spinach). When she came back, she told my Gymboree contact that I should NOT eat them together. I asked my language teacher about it and she said that the Chinese believe that when certain foods are eaten together, they create a poison – tofu and spinach being one of these combinations. Hmmm, good to know. Another one is crab and persimmon (rather an unlikely combination if you ask me).

Funny that. Jamie Oliver never mentioned this in his cook books!

2008 Election

Inside sources report that Chase may announce her entry into the 2008 presidential race and give Hil a run for her money. She is working on her platform between naps.

Mandarin Lessons

Today I learned the Mandarin words for various fruits and vegetables. I also learned some interesting things about how the Chinese prepare food.

I have been on a rampage looking for ideas of how best to clean the food we eat and the water we drink. In the US, I hardly ever thought about it. I didn't think about it in London - although I did keep tabs on what they found in the tap water (unusually high levels of estrogen, lead and prozac). In China, however, I've found myself obsessed with eliminating toxins.

So I asked my Mandarin teacher, a really attractive 20-something Chinese gal (I can't pronounce her name, but it means sunrise - because that's the time of day she was born), how the Chinese wash their vegetables. She told me her mother soaks them for 2-3 hours in rice water (water that has been used in the 2nd and 3rd time to rinse rice). The rice water is supposed to bring out the chemicals and toxins. Can this be scientifically proven or is it just an old wives tale? I guess I could buy that the starch from the rice pulls out the toxins. Would love to see if someone knows more on this subject?

I have also heard the Parcell's method, which includes adding a small amount of clorox bleach to a large amount of water, is supposed to clean food and remove toxins - although I must say I am hesitant to try it.

Anyway, she went on to tell me that the Chinese believe this rice water to be very nourishing (which is interesting because in America, white rice is bad, brown rice is good). The Chinese ladies actually use it in their hair as conditioner, and some make-up companies include it in their formulas.

My teacher provided me with a recipe and I taught her the word chili pepper, let her sniff one of Chase's maple biscuits (they don't have maple here) and tried to explain how a dill pickle tastes, which I must admit, is actually pretty hard to describe.

Oh, and as an aside, I also learned that when the Chinese pose for a picture, they say a word that sounds like "cheese," but really it means eggplant.

Weekend Activities

We started out this weekend with a Chinese language class. There are many things I find interesting about Mandarin. First, there are four tones - which are actually more like music notes. Second, there are only three tenses (past, present and future). In romance languages, one must conjugate the verb to indicate tense, but in Chinese, one only adds the word today, tomorrow or yesterday. The verb remains the same. When asking a question, one simply adds the word "ma" to the end to indicate it is, in fact, a question. I'm also learning how to write Mandarin, because no matter where you are in China, you can communicate using the characters (while local accents, meanwhile, vary so significantly that people living in different cities can't understand each other). It is hard, but I love it.

Chase loves her instructor too. This week, she started forming the word "ne ne ne," which I'm convinced is the start of "ne hao" (hello) in Mandarin.

After class, we went looking for a frame store to get our artwork framed. But there were no black frames. Anywhere. Turns out the Chinese don't like black frames. They like big, shiny gold and silver frames. Unfortunately this just won't work for our artwork. Maybe we should just have everything laminated and thumb tack it to the wall - HA.

Today, we bought an oven because they don't come standard with apartments (it is actually just a little bigger then a toaster oven, but it has a rotisserie function). Oooooh Ahhhhh. And, like everything we've purchased here, it lacks set-up instructions.

Still working on baby proofing the apartment. I don't think it's possible, especially as the Chinese don't seem as concerned about the whole thing. For example, I have yet to see a baby gate.

More to come when I can access blogger again ...

Another Week

Another week has flown by. Internet connectivity is horrible, due to a cable that was damaged thanks to the earthquake in Taiwan in late December. They say it should be fixed by the end of the month, but reports indicate the damage is extensive and there are too few people available to work on it. So until it is fixed, I can't download photos, and I find myself often reading gmail in html - good times.

I must say quickly that we have absolutely loved receiving Christmas cards from friends. Thank you!

So what's new? Not much. I adore my helper, You Pung. I don't know how I ever got along without her. The house is always sparkling clean. You could eat off the floors, which is good as Chase is crawling around all over the place.

Mostly spent this past week unpacking, getting our stuff sorted. Trying to find those missing pieces (like Brian's knee braces). Chase is really talking up a storm, saying both Mama and Dada. It's awesome.

I started language lessons (6 hours per week), and Chase has her own instructor(3 hours per week). We are also learning baby sign. This week the words are turtle, bird, dog, cat, and fish. She is also quite the eater. She loves mango, kiwi, and papaya. I have also been feeding her grains from Switzerland, and the local pediatrician recommended some Vit A & D drops. Plus, I'm still slipping her fish oil occasionally, along with brewers yeast and wheat germ. She's looking really good.

Brian's office is having a grand opening soon, so he has been staying at work until quite late. I'll be glad to have him back to myself after the opening.

I promise to take more pictures and post them when I can.

Little Darling

Chase's Room

A quick pic of Chase's room; it is still a work in progress.

Stuff

I am realizing now how silly it is to have "stuff." I was chatting to hubs last night about it.

We have repeatedly had to pare down our belongings - bringing with us only what we could fit in 4-5 duffle bags (used to be 2-3 before we had baby). And we have lived off it for weeks and weeks. Sure, my jeans now have a hole in the crotch and my whitish khakis are no longer whitish, but at the end of the day, a person can live with only four pairs of pants. Basically, one finds out what one really needs.

I am realizing this is very different from the way most people live. If we were not so nomadic, I'm sure we'd have a house full of stuff. Lots of stuff. People are just programmed to buy and store stuff. Take Pottery Barn for example, they have a whole catalog of stuff, just waiting to be put on shelves, in drawers, or on display.

And then our stuff arrives. And I find that I have missed our stuff. It makes our new home feel more like home - but in a weird way. It doesn't change the appearance of our home, it just means we can eat off our own plates.

Hmmm, speaking of which, I am still trying to locate our silverware.

Don't tell hubs, but he may have to eat his cereal or French toast with chopsticks tomorrow if I can't locate proper utensils...

Just Another Day...

Today started off with a grocery run with my new helper (fabulous!). I like to think of her as my Chinese body guard. She really watches out for us. She made sure we had the best fruits and veggies in our basket. The cab gave us a discounted rate.

Plus, she watches Chase and makes sure that (1) there is no skin showing ever - the Chinese love to overdress their infants - and (2) she always has a tissue at the ready to catch a baby boog. Her name is You Pung. At least that is how you pronounce it.

Anyhoo, this afternoon I had a doctor appointment for Chase. Just a check-up with a local pediatrician from another hospital. You Pung and I made our way to the hospital. When we got there, we realized we were in the wrong hospital. Apparently the No.2 affiliated hospital is not the same as the Second affiliated hospital - go figure. The doctor said he would come to my apartment to see Chase, as he didn't want her to be exposed to germs. Cool.

So back the apartment we went. A half hour later, there was a knock on the door. The doctor, it turns out, has actually retired, but he works sometimes. He proceeded to tell me that he would have liked to walk; it would have only taken a half hour. He was a really nice man. Very friendly, although we had a couple miscommunications (nothing serious). He brought with him a stethoscope - and that was it. He asked me questions about Chase's development. Apparently she is the size of an average 1-year-old. When he went to look at her throat, he asked me for chopsticks (yes, chopsticks) to compress her tongue.

I asked him if he could check her ears. He said no, that was the job of the ear doctor, not the child's doctor. Okie dokie, artichokie. And then he left. He didn't charge us for the visit. Nice man.

And then I received a call that the movers were going to deliver our belongings (oh, yah, we do have more stuff). So I spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking. There are still boxes everywhere.

You Pung is going to shed a silent tear when she walks in tomorrow morning. The place is a mess and I am knackered.

Must go to sleep ...

Getting Dressed

Slowly, Slowly

This slow internet thing is driving me crazy. I suspect the only reason why I can access blogger today is because it is still quite early on Sunday morning.

So what to report? Well, I spent most of last week just getting life in order (although you'd never be able to tell by look of our apartment). I have lined up quite a few activities for Chase, including baby sign classes (in English and Chinese), baby music and a baby play group. In addition, I have found a Mandarin instructor to "teach" Chase mandarin 3x week using books, songs, etc.

We have also found a "helper" for me to help keep things clean around the house and go grocery shopping with me. Do I really need help grocery shopping? YES: the grocery carts here don't have the baby seat in them, so I have to hold Chase in one arm, while pushing a grocery cart that doesn't turn left or right. Meanwhile, I also have to fend off every other person who wants to see and touch Chase. And then to make matters more difficult, I can only buy what I can carry in one hand, because after check out I have to get it outside to a taxi. I really dislike grocery shopping here and poor Brian had to put up with a week of - well - the worst cooking ever.

As for other activities ... yesterday, we went "ice skating" with Brian's colleagues - or at least Brian thought it was going to be ice skating. When we arrived, after a drive 1 hour from Dalian, we realized it was not ice skating, it was skiing! There is a small run (a run so small it takes about 2 mins to get down), with man made snow, just one hour outside the city. The important thing is that they had rental equipment large enough for Brian.

I stayed in the "lodge" with Chase. I was lucky enough to find a place that was a little out of the way, but it was the same place where a conference was being held, so at break we were absolutely mobbed. "Can I hold your baby?" "Can I have my picture taken with your baby?" "She is so lovely." People just have to touch her. And of course, her waving, smiling and clapping doesn't exactly send them a "stay away from me" signal.

She is China's littlest celebrity - and she loves it.

This coming week, we have an appointment with another pediatrician (I'm just checking out the hospitals at this point). The VIP thing at the Children's Hospital will work, but I hear this other hospital is a bit newer (cleaner) - but ultimately, the real test will be how well the pediatrician speaks English.

Chase is up! Gotta run!

Chase's Busy Day

Today we woke up at 5 a.m. (still trying to get over jet lag). We watched the sun rise (if you look closely at the bottom right corner you will see a group of men who sing (well, okay, yell) while running.





Around 7:00 Chase fell asleep, but was back up in time to have a couple Cheerios with her Daddio before he went to work. A quick note about Trix cereal in China - it is packed into 5 separate sachets within the box. The manufacturers have also been kind enough to write "not fried" on the box of Trix, just in case there was any confusion.





Just after Daddio left for work, we jumped into a cab and headed to the Shangri-La hotel to meet a woman kind enough to answer "new city" questions I had (like where do they buy meat, produce, etc). She also invited us to sit in on a cooking class they offer to people who choose to live at the Shangri-La. She was also kind enough to arrange a call for me with the head chef, to discuss food/cooking questions in more detail. She is also working to find a retired kindergarden teacher to spend time with Chase during the week. This woman rocks my world.








From there, we headed to the Children's Hospital. I didn't take any pictures. The good news tho - they have a VIP membership, which basically enables you to get immediate treatment from a doctor who speaks English and makes house calls. (Rockin')


We then returned home and headed to the management office to discuss things like telephone bills, internet speed (it takes 5 mins to load a page), utilities, etc. All must be paid, like everything else, in cash.


Now Daddio is at home and I've gotta run!

Room With A View

View from our living room ... I can not tell you how incredibly cold it is here.

Frequent Flyer

Home Sweet Home

We've just returned to Dalian after spending two weeks in Oregon. It was extremely hard to leave Portland. Everything was so easy, so comfortable. Family and friends everywhere.

Now we're back in China, surrounded by people who are happy, nice and helpful, but who do not speak a word of English. I continue to be impressed by the kindness of the Chinese people here in Dalian (with the exception of a few taxi drivers).

While in the US, I found it hard to explain our new home and lifestyle to people. It is harder still to try to convey how challenging the past 6 months have been. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change it for the world, but it has certainly left my head spinning.

Even if I don't know the word in Chinese, it sure is nice to have a place to call home.

Anniversary Dinner

I talked my mom into babysitting so that hubs and I could go out on our *second* date - and celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. We selected an oyster bar we had heard was "excellent," slated to be written up in Bon Appetit's April issue as one of the best restaurants in the country.

In good spirits we decided to start with oysters. Pacific Northwest oysters are sweeter and briney-er than other oysters in the country. Only downside: they are smaller. They were FABULOUS. So we decided to order the chef's specialty, basically whatever the chef felt like throwing together - the best of the best is how it was phrased - but I have to say I can't recall the last time I was so dissapointed in a meal.

Following is what we were served.

First course - three slices of beet with two pieces of frisee lettuce and a dab of goat cheese (I'm allergic to beets)

Second course - four little gnocchi with a poached egg and holandaise sause (good but too small a serving)

Third course - one crostini with marrow-infused bread with steak tar tar on top (after a root canal, I just couldn't make myself consume bone marrow)

Fourth course - Cow gland (it looked like cauliflour and was sort of rubbery so I only took a small bite) on pickled cabbage

Fifth course - Scallops in a chicken liver sauce (UGH!)

We decided to finish our meal with a bang and ordered the banana split - which was great - except one of the scoops was coffee ice cream (which was great but coffee late at night does not agree with me).

On a positive note, we were seated next to a great couple, who we ended up meeting out for drinks afterward. We then hurried home to find Chase fast asleep.

Happy Holidays

Just a quick note to wish everyone a very happy holiday season.

Quick updates on this end. We have officially moved to China, although we are in Portland, Oregon for the holidays. Brian loves his job. China is wild, crazy and promises to be quite an adventure. More on this later (when I have more time).

I had a very dental Christmas - spending most of it in the dentist's chair (root canal, crown lengthening surgery, cavity on the same tooth, night guard). Good times.

My dad and sister-in-law are engaged. Not to each other. A quick blog family welcome Fern and Courtney!

As for Chase, she is a little sick at the moment. But she gave us the greatest gift of all - she learned to kiss and clap on Christmas day. It is outrageous. SO sweet.

Oh and I managed to break one of our digital cameras, which explains why I have not posted anything lately. And why there are no pictures with this posting.

And now on to New Years....

Phuket

Nothing makes you feel more like a sloth than being surrounded by triathletes.

These days I find it exceedingly difficult to get out of bed in the morning (this from a gal who used to bolt out of bed at 5 am to head for the gym). So you can imagine how fabulous one feels when one is surrounded by bright-eyed, bushy tailed triathletes who are out running/ swimming/ biking before the sun rises. I was particularly inspired by (okay, actually kind of annoyed by) a couple uber fit moms (with small kids in tow) who somehow found time in their day to train to be triathletes.

With New Years right around the corner (and New Years resolutions to be made), I decided to take a good look at how Chase and I spend our day to see if maybe we, too, could train for a triathalon. After a closer look, it just might be possible ...

6:15 Chase awakes before the sun rises (a promising start)
6:30 We play quietly while letting daddy "sleep" (maybe this could be where we go for a run)
7:00 Mom finds coffee (breakfast of champions)

Chase eats carb breakie (in bed) to prepare for the day ...




















Swim training begins ...















And then it's time for a power nap ...





















Upon waking, we do some elephant wrangling (to build physical strength and endurance) ...














And then it's time to meditate (to build mental strength) on the meaning of life ...















And then ...

another nap before dinner.















Yep. I'm pretty sure that if we can keep this aggressive schedule up, we'll be ready to participate in the triathlon next year.

Ever Forward

So tonight is our last night in Singapore. I can't say I'm sorry to go. It has been a nice place to spend a month, but I can't say it has won a special place in my heart.

In fact, I have been extremely unmotivated here. Maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's the monsoon rain. Maybe it's that Chase is getting heavier and I don't have a stroller so going anywhere is difficult.

What did I like most? The fact one can find so many Western brands in the grocery store. The people are all extremely kind. The city is so clean. I felt very safe.

Could I imagine living her at some point? Maybe.

I will miss the two ladies I met here; they have been wonderful friends.

I know Chase will miss Erin and Ed. Erin inspired her to crawl and pull up; Ed was her first little boyfriend (he even gave her a goodbye kiss).

Goodbye Singapore ... Hello Thailand ...

Things I Just Don't "Get" About Singapore

State Land "Enter at own risk"signs ... Are there land mines there or what?














A new washer/dryer with a "short cycle" of 2 hrs and a long cycle of 9 hours - neither includes dry time.

Packing

And so we pack our bags again...

Crawling!

A Couple Things That Made Me Laugh Today ...

How Does This Straw Thing Work?

Photo Opp

I forgot to mention that a strange thing happened yesterday. We were at the mall (very exciting, I know) and a woman with her son approached Brian, who was holding Chase, and asked if her they could have their picture taken with Chase.

I'm telling you, this little girl gets a lot of attention.

I'm starting to get a little afraid that she's going to grow up expecting that every time she enters a room, people will want to talk to her, touch her, exchange smiles and take her picture.

But who knows, maybe they will!

I Love Sushi

Learning A Little More About Chase

Yesterday afternoon, Chase and I went over to visit her new friend, Erin.

Erin was kind enough to share her toys, many of which had flashing lights, made noises and had the ability to play songs.

Watching Chase with Erin provided me with insight into Chase's character. As I'm with her all the time and have no one to compare her to, I found watching these two kiddos interact with each other to be fascinating.

Erin, it turns out, is much more of a go-go girl than Chase - she has to be upright and moving at all times. While Erin can't crawl or walk yet, she had great control when it came to pulling up, and used everything she could to support herself in her quest to conquer the living room.

Chase, on the other hand, was content sitting, spending time on her belly or standing, but she didn't have the same level of desire to be everywhere at one time. (Maybe it's because she has already been so many places? Or maybe because she's spent so much time in my lap or in my arms?)

Chase strikes me as a thinker, a flirt, and communicator (she obviously got the flirt and communicator part from me and the thinking part from hubs). Everywhere we go she has to interact with someone new (it doesn't help that people are constantly cooing over her - they are only fueling the fire). She was outright flirting with an older guy earlier in the day and I could tell his girlfriend was a little jealous she wasn't getting the same kind of attention. When he looked away, she would grunt loudly (think Incredible Hulk when he splits his clothes), until he looked and smiled at her again.

At Erin's, she thought about each new toy and would, at times, crack herself up. She was also content just looking at the new books. She did get very excited when she realized Erin had a tambourine, too. She shook it with all her might (she was so focused she was actually holding her breath).

It will be so interesting when she starts to talk ...

Update: December Travel Plans

Once again our travel schedule is "hotting up" (admittedly hubby's never really settled down). The good news is that this should be the last of living out of suitcases for at least a year.

So starting 1 Dec, Chase and I will fly to Thailand to spend a couple days in Phuket. From there, we will move to Hong Kong to await our Chinese visas - while hubs returns to Dalian, China. Once we get our visas, we will join him. And then we return to the US for Christmas.

Bad news: Blogger doesn't work in China.
Good news: I'm working on a new Web site (stay tuned for URL details).

Not sure when/how I will be updating in the weeks to come...

Picking Up More Than Groceries

So I picked up a friend for Chase at the grocery store. Really, I did.

I was lucky enough to see a mom with a girl about the same age as Chase, so I asked her a couple questions about Singapore and the next thing you know, we're having coffee and talking about life as we know it.

Here are the little ladies, munching away on teething biscuits (mmmm, yummy) ...

Chase's Boyfriend

So I met a lovely woman, who has a darling little boy. They just moved to Singapore last week.

I think this woman might just be about the coolest mom ever. Why? Because her little boy wanted a pink stroller to push around. So she bought him one.















On our walk, we saw this Santa.
He was just hangin' out with his pants down.
He was the strangest (and most inappropriate) Santa I've ever seen.




















Should go back and pull his pants up?
Would you have pulled his pants up?

Compare

Singapore on a melt-your-face-off sunny day:















And Singapore on a monsoon-style rainy day:

Going Shopping ...

So I thought I'd post a couple pics from the local grocery store.

Mmmm, sushi (you can't see the prices, but you can get 16 small pieces for just over Sing$2.00, which is about US$1.oo).




















And if you can't find anything that suits in the prepared sushi section, you can buy fresh fish that is ready to be made into sushi ...




















And of course, no meal is complete without ooodles of noodles...




















Tons of tofu ...















And this is by far my favorite ... the tofu fountain! You can't really see it, but cool water is pumped into the top of this tofu holding tank (below). After the water fills the top shelf, it spills over into the next shelf, and so on, and so on. I wonder if they light it at night?

In Other News ...

From Associated Press (November 21, 2006 6:07 PM EST) - LOS ANGELES - There is no Kevin Federline-Britney Spears sex tape, Federline's lawyer said Tuesday. Attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan issued the statement in response to "reports rampant in the press and media regarding rumors of alleged attempts by Kevin Federline" to sell a purported sex video.














What did Britney see in this guy anyway?

And ...

Is it just me, or this there something really strange about this wedding photo?

My Thoughts On Avian Flu

For those concerned about us after reading about the avian flu, I thank you.

But I also want to raise a question for you to ponder, as this one impacts everyone around the world, not at some unknown time in the future, but today.

What happens to people after they eat the meat and eggs from chickens who have been vaccinated against the avian flu? Don't know? Well neither does anyone else.

Now that's scary.

Scary

Sun Nov 19, 2006 4:58 pm (PST)
Avian Influenza
How to Prepare for "Sheltering-In-Place"

Health professionals are concerned that the continued spread of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) virus among animals in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe has the potential to significantly threaten human health. If a virus such as H5N1 mutates and spreads easily from one person to another, avian influenza may break out globally. While there are no reports of sustained human-to-human transmission of avian influenza, the U.S. government and international health agencies are preparing for a possible pandemic.

Depending on the severity of a pandemic, commercial airlines might drastically curtail or even cease operations. Travel restrictions could also impede people from returning to the United States or fleeing to other countries. For these reasons, it may make more sense to "shelter-in-place" (i.e., stay home and practice "social distancing" to avoid contagion) for an appropriate period of time.

United States Residents: The Department of Health and Human Services suggests that US residents prepare two weeks of emergency supplies (food, water, medicines, etc.) in order to shelter-in-place during an influenza pandemic.

American Citizens Abroad: Due to varying conditions overseas,
Americans abroad should evaluate their situation and prepare emergency supplies accordingly (non-perishable food, potable water, medicines, etc.) for the possibility of sheltering-in-place for at least two and up to twelve weeks. Water purification techniques such as boiling, filtering and/or adding chlorine to locally available rainwater, swimming pools, lakes, rivers and wells may replace the need to store large quantities of water.

What can you do on a daily basis? Cover your cough. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to eradicate viruses and bacteria or apply a hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60% alcohol content when soap and water are not available. Stay home if you are sick. Vaccinate yourself against seasonal flu.

Travel: American citizens living in or traveling to countries with human or animal cases of H5N1 virus should consider the potential risks. Keep informed of the latest medical guidance and practical information and plan accordingly. Consult www.travel.state.gov for the latest tips on international travel.

On-Line Resources: Detailed information about suggested preparations, as well as planning checklists, are available on the U.S. government's one-stop web site on pandemic influenza
(www.pandemicflu.gov), also the World Health Organization
(www.who.int/en/) and the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) websites.

American Citizen Services
1038 West Nanjing Road, 8th Floor
Tel: (86-21) 3217-4650
Fax: (86-21) 6217-2071
After Hours Emergencies: (86-21) 6433-3936
Open 8:00am - 11:30am and 1:30pm - 3:30pm Monday to Friday.
*Closed on Tuesday afternoons, weekends and holidays.
http://shanghai.usembassy-china.org.cn/

Rally Scheduled at Delta Counters

Rally Scheduled at Delta Counters to Protest Treatment of Nursing Mother

Nursing mothers and their supporters will be gathering on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 at 10 AM, local time, at Delta airport counters across the country to protest the treatment a nursing mother endured at the hands of a Freedom Airlines flight attendant. Freedom Airlines is owned and operated by Mesa Airlines who is a contractor for Delta in some regional markets.

Emily Gillette was flying with her husband and 22 month-old daughter on October 13, 2006 out of Burlington, Vermont. Their flight had been delayed by several hours and when it appeared they were ready to take off, Ms. Gillette began to nurse her daughter. It was then that a flight attendant approached her and asked her to cover up with a blanket. Ms. Gillette declined and told the flight attendant that she was within her legal rights to nurse where she was without any covering. Ms. Gillette was sitting near the rear of the plane in a window seat with her husband next to her, nearest the aisle when she began nursing.

After Ms. Gillette refused to cover up, the flight attendant then allegedly told Ms. Gillette that Ms. Gillette was offending her. The family was then approached by a Delta gate agent and told that they were being removed by the flight attendant from the flight. Ms. Gillette and her family complied and although a conversation with a co-pilot did take place off the plane and the family requested to be re-boarded, they were not and instead were rescheduled on a different flight the following day.

Ms. Gillette has filed a complaint with the Vermont Human Right Commission regarding the incident. A woman’s right to breastfeed wherever she is legally allowed to be is protected in Vermont under the Public Accommodations Act.

Freedom Airlines has issued several statements, although they give contradictory information. In one statement, Paul Skellon, a spokesperson for Phoenix-based Freedom Airlines, said that they were aware of the incident and that Freedom expects mothers to nurse in a “discreet” manner (which is assumed under a blanket). In a second statement, he recanted and said that Freedom welcomes all nursing mothers and would not expect them to use a blanket in the future.

As well, the second statement issued by Mr. Skellon is full of inaccuracies, including the statement that the family refused to re-board, when they were in fact asking to re-board and were denied that request. Ms. Gillette and her supporters are very upset that Mr. Skellon and Freedom Airlines are both trying to minimize a very grave situation where a woman’s basic civil rights were violated and are attempting to shift the blame from themselves to Ms. Gillette, who did nothing wrong and was perfectly within her rights.

It is well known that nursing infants need to eat at very frequent intervals and traveling with them can provide many challenges for mothers, especially in the current fear-filled travel atmosphere where any passenger fears being removed from a flight for any reason. As well, toddlers and babies are especially susceptible to the cabin pressure changes during take-off and landing and nursing them is a natural and convenient way to help them continually equalize that pressure in their ears.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that “pediatricians and parents should be aware that exclusive breastfeeding is sufficient to support optimal growth and development for approximately the first 6 months of life and provides continuing protection against diarrhea and respiratory tract infection. 30,34,128,178–184 Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child.185“ The World Health Organization recommends nursing for at least the first two years of a child’s life.

The Nurse-Ins have been coordinated completely by volunteers.

Passport Please ...

For nearly 8 years, I have lived with an amended passport; my married name typed neatly inside the back cover.

This has caused countless headaches whenever and wherever we travel. Even though the US government made the amendment, it looks like I did it myself.

Supervisors have to be called over. Extra time is spent verifying it - I'm the one that tries to check in for her flight and suddenly stops the line from moving for the next half hour. Sometimes people say they understand, but it turns out they don't, and then they tell me with grave certainty that they can't find any reservation under Downing (my maiden name). And then the process begins again.

So today marks the day that all the confusion and uncertainty all comes to an end. Today I have a new passport. The picture is hilarious. I was wearing a tube top on the day it was taken, so it looks like I'm wearing, well, nothing (a little eye candy for passport control).

But I also find myself a little sad. My old passport now has holes punched through it, making the UK resident permit and Swiss resident permit inside no longer valid (it's not like I'm going back to either place anytime soon, but it was sure nice to have them in there - you know, just in case). My old passport will now sit and collect dust, while the new, shiny passport awaits a Chinese resident stamp. I won't forget the times we had, old passport.

(Whoa, I need some sleep, I just realized I'm talking to my passports)

Schedule? What Schedule?

With all the moving about, scheduling Chase's naps, meal times, bottles, etc. has been literally impossible. I've been forced to trade in my highlighters and Franklin Covey for what I like to call, a relaxed parenting style (I can hear all those who know me laughing - because my relaxed style of parenting is anything but relaxed).

Today, I dug out Ruth Yaron's "Super Baby Food" book - one might call it a little tradition. At the beginning of each new month, I open it up and read a couple pages to get a sense of where I'm succeeding and where I'm failing miserably.

Okay, so what am I, the relaxed parent, focusing on this month?

1) Food: I can introduce tofu, watermelon, apricot, okra, tahini, bewer's yeast, powdered kelp, natural cheeses, dessicated liver (yuck!). It is also recommended to start introducing meat, but Ruth doesn't believe in that, so she poo-poos it and gives vegetarian options to create complete proteins (given we're moving to China, I'm thinking that's not such a bad idea). Ruth also tells me it's time to print out the food worksheet (oh great, something else to become obsessive about). I'm also supposed to start offering dairy (yogurt or cottage cheese). And I'm supposed to start weaning Chase to a cup. Okay, I reassure myself, all of that is totally doable.

2) A schedule: It would be great to put Chase on a schedule (so she naps, eats and plays at the same time each day). All the books tell you to do this from the start. But the books also tell you that each child is different, and Chase never really liked the whole schedule-thing, and unfortunately our lifestyle hasn't really allowed for her to ever get into schedule. Which brings me to have a "my daughter is going to need therapy when she is older" moment.

3) Brushing teeth: I went out and bought a baby tooth brush and baby tooth paste. Should be a piece of cake, right?

4) Teething: This is so hard. It is way harder than people make it out to be. Chase wakes up all the time, in the middle of the night. She used to be able to fall back to sleep, but now she needs to be cradled and rocked and loved. And she's getting heavier. She needs to be able to put herself to sleep by herself, but I can't leave her there screaming in pain. I'm at a loss. I'm going to keep rocking her to bed. I'll probably pay for it dearly - but I'll worry about that later.

5) Crawling: She's almost there. She is SO close.

6) Walking: She loves it. She is also getting good at kicking an tiny, soccer ball I bought her.

7) Talking: I predict she will start talking in sentences this month :)

8) Swimming: She loves this too. Gotta keep it up.

9) Socializing: I've got to find some kids for her to play with!

I'm pretty close to stopping moms on the streets of Singapore ... "you don't know me, but..."

Two Bottom Teeth Coming In At The Same Time

Now hold still, Chase...

Eight Months

Eight months old.
You've been outside almost as long as inside.
Oh my darling, you are growing up so fast!
You are so close to crawling. To walking. To talking.
It will be interesting to see what this next month brings.
Hang on tight, my dear - you will soon see Thailand, Hong Kong and China.

Confession: I Have A Little, Brown Problem

So I have a problem.
A little, brown, chocolate craving problem.
I really miss it.
I might actually need it to live.
I bought Oreos thinking that would do the trick.
Nope.
I bought non-fat chocolate milk, thinking surely that will do it.
Nope.
I've got to go find some Swiss chocolate.
Today.
Now.

Swim Baby, Swim!

"I have a crazy travel schedule," my husband announced when he returned home. He then listed his trips (Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Phuket, Hong Kong, Dalian); I took note in my calendar. Hmmm, okay, so he'll basically be in Singapore for about three days over the next three weeks (maybe I should make more of an effort to make friends here).

As for Chase and I, we will meet him for a few days in Phuket, then most likely move to Hong Kong until our visas clear. (Pinch: Is this really my life?) The move to Hong Kong makes a lot of sense. It's closer to Dalian. There's no reason to be in Singapore. The lease here will be finished. Then, when our visas clear, we will move to Dalian, and our lives should settle down a bit more after Christmas.

As we discussed more moves, I had an "our poor, darling baby, she's going to need a lot of therapy when she gets older" moment and then I realized that this is what she knows. This is normal. The more I get to know her, the more I see that she really does prefer to be out and about to sitting and quietly playing in the apartment.

So hubs and I had a day together before his crazy travel started.

We went to an oh-so-sketchy baby store, as we heard it was a good place to find deals. It looked more like a collection of goods that fell off the back of the baby truck. Next door, however, there was a better store, where we found a great car seat for Chase (for our car in China).

As it was super hot, we decided to go swimming. It was Chase's first time in a pool. She loved it. She kicked and splashed about. She got a couple huge gulps of pool water (poor darling). My plan is to take her swimming at least 3x a week. When we get to Dalian we can enroll her in a proper swim class.

Loving it ...















Then.... not so happy here, as she had inhaled a little too much water ...

Let's Get Physical ...

We spent yesterday morning at Singapore General Hospital, where we were poked and prodded for two hours (apparently, potential employees have to take the same health screen before they are hired). We had a chest xray (to look for heart, chest and lung abnormalities). We were hooked up to computers (to monitor our heart). We didn't have to do any cardio tests (thank goodness as I would have failed miserably). We had blood taken, which I always hate because the nurse can never seem to "find the vein." They always giggle about it, "don't worry," they repeat over and over. But I do worry. The inside of my arm is now black and blue. Brian's arm is also black and blue, but for another reason. The Band-Aid.

There must be a different kind of adhesive used on Band-Aids here, something with extra stickiness, designed to withstand the high humidity. The Band-Aids literally fused with our skin. Brian still has welts and tenderness - he pulled his off last night.

Famished (because we were supposed to arrive for our physical with an empty stomach), we decided to hit the hospital cafeteria. I wasn't sure about this, as I still have nightmares about the food NHS tried to serve me while I was in the hospital. But the food at Singapore General was actually pretty good! I wouldn't take a first date there, but .... there were noodles (thin and wide), fish (some made into cakes, some fried, some in a light soy sauce), chicken (with breading and without), rice (fried, plain, with veggies) - YUM.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, although I did see President Bush's motorcade. It drove right past our apartment. Pretty cool, actually. It made me feel like singing the National Anthem. I didn't actually sing it, but for a moment I must admit, I wanted to.

What Do The Chinese Say?

"You know what the Chinese say?" The security guard at the US Embassy asked me. He had been watching me help Chase walk from one end of the waiting room to the other.

"No. What do the Chinese say?" I asked. It seemed a strange coincidence that we were applying for a Chinese visa (and no, the security guard didn't know).

"The Chinese say, little ones that walk fast are slow to talk, and little ones that are slow to walk talk fast."

He then proceeded to play peek-a-boo with Chase, and make faces at her - making Chase burst out in laughter. Eventually, he decided to go back to guard the embassy. But before he left, he told me that my daughter had a sharp tongue.

I was afraid to ask what the Chinese say about little ones with sharp tongues.

Seriously

Today I went to a temple (I'm always game to visit a great temple), an art gallery (a piece in the window caught my attention), the grocery store (to buy groceries for huevos rancheros - nothing says lovin' like cookin' up a good Mexican dish in Asia), the US embassy (to renew my passport - I'll have it by 5 December) and two hospitals (the first one was the wrong hospital and the second one wouldn't accept any new appointments so we have to get back tomorrow) to get a 3-hour full medical exam in order to get our resident visas for China.

Can you believe we have to go through a 3-hour intensive medical exam (including x-rays, blood tests and probably cardiovascular excercize) to get a resident permit for China? Seriously.