Exploding Heart

Yesterday, in a matter of fifteen minutes, I became the proudest mamma in all of China (not that I wasn't already proud of my boys:).  When we arrived home from picking Nicholas up at the bus stop I opened his backpack to find a note saying that he will be receiving an award from his school!  I'm not sure what it is for but it will be presented at the school awards ceremony Friday of next week.  Nick doesn't yet know about it and we're not going to say anything because I know he will just worry.  I'm very excited to attend and see for what he is being recognized.

Following that bit of news the two boys and I went outside to play for a while before supper and at the last second before we got into the elevator, Ryan decided he wanted to bring his bike.  Earlier this week I took his training wheels off and it's been a battle getting him to try riding without them.  I didn't just give him a push and let him go or anything.  At first I held onto the bike or his arms then switched to his sweater since he was doing pretty good.  Yesterday morning when we were getting ready to head outside, he asked for the training wheels and I refused.  He turned his back to the elevator, folded his arms across his chest, furrowed his brow and said, in his sternest voice, "I'm NOT going out without my training wheels".  I got into the elevator with his bike and managed to cajole him into coming along.  When he got in he said, again very seriously, "Fine.  I'll come but I'm NOT riding my bike".  We made it outside the building and I asked him to please get on his bike and give it a try.  After five minutes of negotiations he got on and told me "Fine.  I'll get on but I"m NOT peddling".  Well, he did eventually try but it wasn't his best effort.

Fast forward to after school when the three of us went out to play - Nick with his basketball and Ryan with his bike.  We got outside the building and Ryan jumped on his bike and, with my help, started peddling over to the large circle surrounding the little fountain/pond.  I was trying to run alongside him but there were huge puddles and he wouldn't go around or stop so finally I just let him go.  He rode about ten feet before he realized I wasn't holding on anymore and quickly stopped.  I then got Nick to use my iPhone as a video camera and he started recording while I set Ryan off again.  This time there was no stopping or turning back.  He was off on his own two wheeler!  We were so excited and proud of our little man.  The videos are taking too long to upload so pictures will have to do.

I also went out to lunch yesterday to say goodbye to yet another expat who is leaving Shenyang.  I asked Ayi if she could stay with Ryan while I went and she agreed.  Before I left I made him a bowl of Kraft Dinner (mac 'n cheese to those non-Canadians) and made an "R" out of ketchup on the top.  When I came home two hours later Ayi was trying to tell me something while smiling and making a stirring motion with her hands.  I asked Ryan what had happened and it turned out that she had made a grave mistake.  Ryan is adamant that his ketchup NOT be stirred into his Kraft Dinner and Ayi, not knowing this, did just that.  He told me he was angry with her and she said that he kept saying "Bu hao, Ayi!  Bu hao" ("Not good!).  I asked if he still ate it and he said he did, but that he also sent Ayi to his room.  Say what?  She then proceeded to explain that he took her by the hand and pulled her into his room.  She was a good sport about the whole thing and seems to think it's pretty cute.  In the end they had fun while I was out so that made me happy.

Here are a few pictures from the last week.  Enjoy your weekend!

Mother's Day Breakfast In Bed

Playing Baseball In The Park On Mother's Day

Ryan was fascinated with this guy doing his tile work.  We watched for an hour.

Holy Buddhas!