Adam sent me and e-mail yesterday..."You get 8 hours of paid vacation"...I had to read it a few times before I understood what he meant.
Lets look back...Zachary has been sick all week...Monday every half hour I cleaned out his nose and mouth, poor little guy was miserable. Tuesday we went all the way to Hong Kong and back, when we got home Z started to realize he felt bad. Wednesday he slept all day...however he would choke on his mucus or cry in his sleep which totally broke my heart. Thursday and Friday he still felt bad but didn't sleep at all during the day. My mom said I was the same way (I still am)...medication always has an odd effect on me. So basically he felt bad all day and didn't understand why or how to feel better. He cried and cried. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I slept in his room...which means I didn't sleep.
After lunch I talked to Adam on the phone...I just needed an adult to talk with. After venting a bit I felt soooooooo much better. I love my life, I wouldn't change it for ANYTHING, but I just needed to recharge my batteries.
I didn't take 8 hours...I didn't need it. I did enjoy a trip to the gym, then I undid anything that happened at the gym by having a starbucks. And I couldn't leave the mall without stoping in the grocery store. It was nice to not have to entertain a baby while on the eliptical (although he does enjoy watching the rowing machine) and it was so much easier to grocery shop without a strolller. I finally got to really look at all the amazing things our new grocery store carries.
As it turns out Zachary slept pretty much all day...so Adam got some alone time to watch a movie.
We both
Friday, July 15, 2011
Something easy to cook without a proper kitchen...
and it just so happens to be one of my favorite meals. THAI GREEN CURRY!
You may remember my obsession with green curry during the month and a half of my pregnancy that I actually enjoyed food...as long as it was green curry.
While in Thailand we took a cooking class.
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| I always add three times the meat and veggies to make it a full meal. |
While in Thailand we took a cooking class.
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| Adam and I with Nom, our teacher |
One of the dishes I chose to make was green curry.
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| Fresh Curry Paste |
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| Curry...with all the proper ingredients |
Funny thing is I can't wait to come back to America so I can go to an oriental market to find the proper ingredients to make it from scratch like we did in Thailand, until then the curry paste I found in our new grocery store will do just fine!
A positive to food offered in China is the vegetables are super fresh and delicious (it's a shame Chinese cooking requires these vegetables to be soaked in oil and sauces...ironic I am writing this as I write about soaking them in curry). I can't find the usual Thai vegetables that go in curry but I have found an amazing alternative: carrots, eggplant (Adam and I have gained an unexpected appreciation to eggplant), and potato chunks.
I make the curry the night before so the vegetables have a chance to soak in the curry...plus I get to anticipate this meal all day!
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| Mine doesn't look quite as "Thai" but I promise it was delicious! |
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Poor Little Boy
Last weekend Zack was coughing a little, we didn't think anything of it because he coughs every once and a while. Monday it sounded pretty bad and he slept almost 3 times as much as his usual 20 min power naps. We called the doctor and because of the cough he wanted to see him in the next day or two. For us this means a day trip to Hong Kong. At 2 am I heard him coughing on the monitor and went to sleep on the bed in his room so I could be close if he just wanted a cuddle. Meanwhile Adam came in to check on him a couple times during the night and didn't realize I was there sleeping.
Tuesday morning Z and I joined Adam on the way to work and continued onto the border crossing. Our doctor started a new practice by himself (which I kind of like because it means a quiet waiting room and a more personal office) and when I called to make an appointment there wasn't one available because he was booked all morning and would be at the hospital all afternoon. I had taken a gable and lost...I figured at worst I would sit in the waiting room until Dr. Chan had a second or until someone canceled. Rather than taking the 2 hour trip back home I called his old practice and made an appointment with Dr. Tan. I know it's cheating but it was that or take the trip again the next day. Dr. Tan was very nice, and was very impressed with how well Z holds his head up...I only point this out because it was a "proud mama moment"...I mean he wasn't even looking at development he was just checking my baby's lungs. :) At this moment I thought I may have to switch to Dr. Tan...then he asked the loaded question I hate to hear...breast or bottle? I gave him the short version and he made some comment about how Zack probably prefers the flow of the bottle...at this moment I knew I needed to stick with Dr. Chan. Yes, I know I am unreasonably overly sensitive about our feeding situation and I am easily offended, but that doesn't change the way I feel. I digress...back to the patient: Zachary was a trooper at the doctor, he flirted with nurses and was perfectly happy...until the tongue depressor. He had post nasal drip, which he would swallow and cough up. We got some medication and headed home. The train ride was interesting because Chinese people are very serious about not going out without a face mask when you have a cold...I hate clearing my throat in public. So not only did we get attention as the only white people, but we got a lot of looks when Z coughed or sneezed.
Wednesday Zachary slept most of the day. I could tell he really didn't feel well (which validated my trip to the doctor) and the medication made him sleep all day...I counted and he was only awake for 6 hours the whole day. I alternated between giving him mouth fulls of water to help clean out his mouth after coughing up mucus, cleaning out his nose (with breast milk...doctor ordered). I have never had a baby that napped so I got a lot of our premove chores done, and a nap, and a shower, and laundry, and I got in a nice little workout.
Looks like my nursing skills are pretty good because this morning I woke up to...
...a happy, playful little boy who is still a little stuffed but is ready for a fun day. I am guessing I won't get so much done today.
Tuesday morning Z and I joined Adam on the way to work and continued onto the border crossing. Our doctor started a new practice by himself (which I kind of like because it means a quiet waiting room and a more personal office) and when I called to make an appointment there wasn't one available because he was booked all morning and would be at the hospital all afternoon. I had taken a gable and lost...I figured at worst I would sit in the waiting room until Dr. Chan had a second or until someone canceled. Rather than taking the 2 hour trip back home I called his old practice and made an appointment with Dr. Tan. I know it's cheating but it was that or take the trip again the next day. Dr. Tan was very nice, and was very impressed with how well Z holds his head up...I only point this out because it was a "proud mama moment"...I mean he wasn't even looking at development he was just checking my baby's lungs. :) At this moment I thought I may have to switch to Dr. Tan...then he asked the loaded question I hate to hear...breast or bottle? I gave him the short version and he made some comment about how Zack probably prefers the flow of the bottle...at this moment I knew I needed to stick with Dr. Chan. Yes, I know I am unreasonably overly sensitive about our feeding situation and I am easily offended, but that doesn't change the way I feel. I digress...back to the patient: Zachary was a trooper at the doctor, he flirted with nurses and was perfectly happy...until the tongue depressor. He had post nasal drip, which he would swallow and cough up. We got some medication and headed home. The train ride was interesting because Chinese people are very serious about not going out without a face mask when you have a cold...I hate clearing my throat in public. So not only did we get attention as the only white people, but we got a lot of looks when Z coughed or sneezed.
Wednesday Zachary slept most of the day. I could tell he really didn't feel well (which validated my trip to the doctor) and the medication made him sleep all day...I counted and he was only awake for 6 hours the whole day. I alternated between giving him mouth fulls of water to help clean out his mouth after coughing up mucus, cleaning out his nose (with breast milk...doctor ordered). I have never had a baby that napped so I got a lot of our premove chores done, and a nap, and a shower, and laundry, and I got in a nice little workout.
Looks like my nursing skills are pretty good because this morning I woke up to...
Monday, July 11, 2011
Z's First Swim
Saturday we had our usual lazy weekend day out. We went to the gym at a really nice hotel in town, Z slept in his stroller while Adam and I worked out...you may think this sounds bad, but no one else uses the gym. Anyway onto the cuteness. I could tell the story myself, however the pictures are freakin' adorable!
Does it make me a bad mother to say that I love his sad face?
YAY New Blog
I have been keeping a blog the whole time we have been in China. I am very thankful for my Shutterfly picture share site, however photos can't be included in a post...and in China sometimes words just can't explain. Plus when we moved the only internet we were able to get cuts off a lot and when it takes hours to upload pictures that can be annoying. Basically I have been trying to be able to get around the blocked blog sites so I could "blog properly".
So less than 2 months to go here in the land of censorship and I figured it out!
This is the beginning of what I hope to be a fun read with cute pictures (and honestly...how can they not be cute when I have this little guy?).
I am super excited to continue sharing stories and recording milestones without having the problem of messing up the handwriting in a baby book or losing my "journal pen" or (God forbid) have a bend in the page. These are the reasons I have never been a journaler. Blogging, however works for me. Don't expect perfect grammar...I am not going for an A in English, I just want to write my stories the way I would tell them...which means run on sentences and lots of side notes.
So less than 2 months to go here in the land of censorship and I figured it out!
This is the beginning of what I hope to be a fun read with cute pictures (and honestly...how can they not be cute when I have this little guy?).
Monday, July 4, 2011
A lot can happen in a year!
This Saturday we went to Guangzhou (yes after being up until 3 am) to meet a family from our old lifegroup back in NC. They were here to pick up their newest family member, a little boy they adopted from China. Last February we met them as they picked up number 3…and had no idea we would get to meet in China again with two new additions.
Their oldest is going to make a great babysitter for little Z someday. The middle two were as fun and cute as ever and the newest is a hoot. Kristi and Ian are amazing parents and their kids are awesome! I really missed listening to kids conversations. This was just the dose of America that I needed.
To be honest I was excited and nervous about this trip. I planned for a week the cute outfit Z would wear because Kristi’s kids always look so cute and I wanted Z to hold his own in pictures. I waited until 10 min before we left to dress him just in case, but 5 min before we left he spit up all over himself. Anyone that knows K and I know that they are the least judgmental people EVER, but for me this was a trial for going home and seeing everyone and having them meet Z. They will have to get to know Adam and I as parents and Z is going to have to suck it up and smile, talk, laugh and do his tricks for everyone. Right now the only thing people know about Z is what I write in facebook or the blog. I don’t doubt that everyone is going to love him…but I hope he does all the cute things he does for us.
Their oldest is going to make a great babysitter for little Z someday. The middle two were as fun and cute as ever and the newest is a hoot. Kristi and Ian are amazing parents and their kids are awesome! I really missed listening to kids conversations. This was just the dose of America that I needed.
To be honest I was excited and nervous about this trip. I planned for a week the cute outfit Z would wear because Kristi’s kids always look so cute and I wanted Z to hold his own in pictures. I waited until 10 min before we left to dress him just in case, but 5 min before we left he spit up all over himself. Anyone that knows K and I know that they are the least judgmental people EVER, but for me this was a trial for going home and seeing everyone and having them meet Z. They will have to get to know Adam and I as parents and Z is going to have to suck it up and smile, talk, laugh and do his tricks for everyone. Right now the only thing people know about Z is what I write in facebook or the blog. I don’t doubt that everyone is going to love him…but I hope he does all the cute things he does for us.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
The Most Diverse 4th of July Party EVER!
It’s fitting that a 4th of July party that included people from Italy, Canada, China, Japan and Venezuela would take place on July 1st. I love entertaining! I feel so proud of myself when people have a good time. This party has to be one of my proudest moments. My cleaner is out of town for an undefined amount of time so I cleaned the house, unpacked and did laundry from a vacation, cooked and baked all while taking care of a baby who has gone back to 20 min. naps. Z was a good sport. I put him in the bouncy seat a few times and would come talk to him between chopping vegetables or doing dishes. I made oatmeal raisin chocolate chip cookies, brownies, hummus, chicken tenders, meatballs (well Ikea made the meatballs), and pizza bread. I also served chips and salsa that I didn’t have to smuggle from Hong Kong…I just picked them up at the new grocery store.
Everyone brought snacks and we had a wonderful time…the last people left at 3 am. I really needed the adult conversations and I liked having some fun couple time with Adam and the other couples that came. Z didn’t let the party keep him from his routine (sounds like my Grandpa Dalland). He fell asleep and didn’t let the noise keep him from getting a good night sleep.
Everyone brought snacks and we had a wonderful time…the last people left at 3 am. I really needed the adult conversations and I liked having some fun couple time with Adam and the other couples that came. Z didn’t let the party keep him from his routine (sounds like my Grandpa Dalland). He fell asleep and didn’t let the noise keep him from getting a good night sleep.
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