Another Day

Today was a better day here mainly because Nicholas didn't have school.  For the first time in quite a while both boys slept through the night.  Ironically, it was the same night that Tim got a call from work at 2:18am.  They asked him to come in so he called Tian Ye and woke him up then got a shower and prepared to go.  Once he was ready they called again and said they didn't need him.  #$%^$!  Since he was up and Tian Ye had left to come get him, he went in anyway.  He said it was okay since he was able to help out with some other stuff, but what a pain in the ass.  I can say that because I'm pretty sure the ones that called him won't be reading this.  Actually, I wouldn't care if they did.  Be careful who you wake up in the middle of the night!  It might be a Mamma Bear who's finally getting a full night of sleep.

This morning the kids skyped with Nanny again and she read to them and played with their Cars.  We are getting so excited for her visit.  It's been five months since I've seen my Mom (the longest ever) and I miss her!  After some breakfast and straightening up so Ayi could clean we went to Happy City.  It has been a while since we visited and they have a new girl working there.  Nicholas didn't realize until he went over to smack her with a piece of foam and he stopped pretty quickly.  The older lady that's almost always there saw this and had a little laugh.  I hope the other two still work there and just had the day off.  We stayed at Happy City for over two hours and Tim stopped in on his way home.  He was hungry for some lunch so the four of us decided to grab something at the Japanese restaurant that's in the mall.  I know I said that I wouldn't eat there after seeing the guy washing dishes in the bathroom but I think I figured out where he was from.  There is store there that sells cookware and they do demonstrations.  They don't have a kitchen and I'm pretty sure his apron was the same as the ones they wear so I figure (hope) we are pretty safe in the restaurant we picked.  It was busy which I guess is a good sign.  Tim and I had rice with beef and vegetables while the kids had a few fried potatoes.  It was tasty and we all ate for 96yuan (about $15).

Friday is Teacher Appreciation Day here in China and even though Nicholas doesn't yet (appreciate his teachers, that is) we bought some chocolates and cute little notebooks to give as gifts.  He said he didn't want to give any gifts to them in the hopes that they would kick him out of the school.  Tim told him if that happened he would have to go to the International School five days per week instead of three at YuCai.  That shut him up!

We all walked home from Carrefour together and the boys tucked Tim into bed so he could have a nap.  He put on a movie and chilled out in the bedroom while the three of us watched Cars in the living room.  Tim never slept but I did!  I guess I was still tired.  I was having trouble getting going so when Celine called to see if we wanted to join her outside, it was just what I needed.  The boys ran around for a bit then we went to the playground together.  It was nice.

This evening we had a tasty supper of steak and noodles then got the boys to bed early.  I'm hoping that Nicholas will do better tomorrow if he's had a good night's sleep.  He managed to fall asleep before eight so maybe he will be in a good mood tomorrow.

Tonight Tim and I were relaxing with the windows open and the screens down (they are the kind that roll up and down) when one of them began to roll up on its own.  After it did we heard a noise and I knew right a way what had happened.  Nicholas had been playing with his Cars dinkies in the window and must have left one there.  When the screen opened the car fell.  We looked on the ledge but it wasn't there so I got my shoes on, found a flashlight and ventured outside.  I wasn't sure I would find the car in one piece but after some searching I located Doc Hudson Hornet.  Despite falling six stories he was intact and in surprisingly fine shape with just a couple scratches.  I brought him inside and a man who had been out walking got in the elevator with me.  When he pushed '5' on the elevator I knew it was the guy that lived below us.  He had been in the elevator once before when we had the kids with us and when he saw us push '6' he smiled and said "Boom, boom, boom!".  I guess he can hear them running around.  Tonight when he saw me checking out the dinky he made a motion of something falling from a window.  I nodded and said 'Dui' and he threw he head back and chuckled.  Good thing he's got a sense of humor.

I must go eat again.  I am hungry.  Tomorrow will be a busy day so I should get to bed soon.  Have a great day all!