More Winter Break Adventures

I took the kids to my friend Apple's New Year party yesterday. She invited several families and then served us a delicious home-cooked meal.  She was so hospitable and yet so completely down to earth so we all felt much at home. Her home is on a top floor of a beautiful apartment building with some lovely views of the city. It is an ultra modern pad with each design element an absolute work of art. It's the type of place you don't need to decorate much because the design and materials exude style and elegance. Needless to say, I would love to live in that bright, sunlit modern place with a window seat overlooking the park!

The kids and I visited Moses' school in the afternoon, chatted with his teachers (who had to work), and bought french fries and green beans from our favourite fry shop right before dinner. (Woops.)

Today was also fun. Moses is learning to write his letters  while we played bank teller and postal worker.  We bought another overpriced sippy straw (these things are expensive here) and walked to Orange Factory. They usually do not let us have an extra cup there so sharing the drinks with S and M are always a little tricky. Luckily the kind woman who has a sister who lives in Long Beach broke the rules for me and gave me an extra cup. I think she is the owner, actually, so it was okay. She also told one of the cashiers to wait until we left to set off the fireworks. He was going to do it right in front of Seraphine!
We were able to watch from the sidelines and Moses saw his first Chinese firecrackers.

 By the way, Seraphine was bullied by two boys in the baby store while I was trying to insist on ordering those sippy straw cups with the very frustrating staff at this baby store. (The staff seems to not understand what a mom with a toddler needs when she goes into a baby store. For example, they don't seem to understand that it's hard to go up stairs with a toddler and carry two bags of diapers down the stairs while also carrying the toddler, that running out of supplies is very difficult and can be "life or death", that concentration is compromised when a toddler is pulling all the items off the shelf is difficult, etc., etc.)But back to Seraphine, while I was trying to insist that the shopkeeper get me those refills because that's the only cup I have and I don't want to spend another $5 on a malfunctioning sippy cup, two boys aged 3 and 1 started literally beating up on Seraphine! They were hitting her! I used a very LOUD and stern Mommy Bear voice and said in my very American Accent while shaking my finger, "NO-NO" "NO-NO" And then in Chinese, "This is WRONG!" Then I tried to smile at the children when their mommy pulled them away, but I could not do so. How dare they bully her.  She was okay, just stunned. I gave her a piece of chewy milk candy right in front of the little 1 year old boy.  He stared at me longingly.  I wouldn't have given him one even if I had another piece. Meanwhile Moses is sitting on the slide outside oblivious. Of course I had a talk with him afterwards about protecting his little sister and what he should do if this should ever happen again. If this were to happen again, I would have said even more to those little boys and make it a lesson for all the little children around.

After Orange Factory (Try 3C if you ever get a chance) and the caffeine lift, we walked over to get Moses' haircut and then to the teacher's college. At the college, we explored the buildings and we role played "college student". We pretended we were taking classes and studying.  My persona had great study habits and took her coursework seriously. It's never too early to model the importance of doing well in school! Moses' persona was also a very good student with a heavy workload and boundless work ethic. He is learning so much here in Taichung, you see!

Well, that's all for now. More fun tomorrow. I don't know what has gotten into me. I had a bit of a spiritual awakening a couple weeks ago at church and I have become so POSITIVE. I think it's this incessant sunshine.....

---PTW