EIGHT months old

Eight is great!

Sometimes I look at how quickly time is passing, and just want to scream "NOOOOOOOOOOO!". My baby is growing up way too fast. Kenny Chesney's song "Don't Blink" couldn't be truer. I am so afraid that when I wake up tomorrow Sal's going to be graduating High School.

He's doing awesome.

Mmmmm, kitty food. Bet it tastes soooo yummy!

This past month was a huge one in terms of growth and motor development. He has now found that he is not limited to the living room--and this new found mobility means he has found a number of things to get into. He's going to get sick of hearing his mama say " Stay Out". It's "Stay out" this, and "Stay out" that. "Stay out of the shoes", "Stay out of the cat food", "Stay out of the shoes..." Yes--I just said "Stay out of the shoes" twice in this post....that's pretty much his go-to item these days. DIRTY ol flip flops. Sooooo tasty!

Mama, wherez all the DVD's go?

He even got called by his full name ( that's how you KNOW you're in trouble!) this past month for getting into Beaver's litter box. I swear, I turn my back for a split second and the kid has his hand in something I'd rather he not. With the threat of toxicplasmosis, I felt that the stern "SALVATORE NICHOLAS" was warranted.

The "Oh shit What mama?" look on his face was priceless. It was all I could do not to smile and laugh. But playing in litter boxes is a HUGE no-no. I'm currently on the hunt for a baby gate that will fit our doorway to avoid the situation all together.

Sal has also been working on FOUR upper teeth all at once. He's been a trooper, and I hope that he gets a little break from cutting teeth long enough for us to have an easy flight to the states and back in a few weeks. A mom can wish, right?

My favorite thing that he's begun doing more often are the huge belly laughs. They come from deep inside and once he's on a roll, it's hard to stop him ( and who would want to stop such cuteness, anyways?). He is one happy boy.

Our nights ( don't kill me Amy!) have been stellar. Most of the time, he sleeps from 7:00p to 5:00a without waking for a feeding. Most being the key word. We still have our nights, but he spends a greater percentage of nights sleeping through than not. I wish I could say the same for naps. I have contemplated removing one of his morning naps, in hopes of a nice long afternoon nap, but so far, it's backfired on me--all we end up with is a cranky napless son come 5:00p. I'll keep trying until we get it right. So much of parenting is trial and error. And no two moms or babies are the same. That's for sure. I'll keep my nights over naps if I have to choose.

Mama, I think I needs a bigger pool.

Other milestones this month were solo taxi rides with mama ( it's not easy taking a baby anywhere by taxi here..between stroller, car seat and groceries), a trip to Nanchan Temple, lunch dates, coffee dates and play dates at his buddies house. I've also been filling a plastic tub with water and he really gets a thrill out of splashing in it out on our balcony.

Sal is a very social baby, and I hope he continues to have his dad's gregarious spirit over my shyness. The move to China has been good for his social development, that's for sure! So many friends, so much attention, so much love--he's one lucky kid!

Annnnd, some outtakes from our monthly onesie shoot.....

Mama, how much longer does I has to smile? Can I play yet?

What da???? What is dis behind me?

Dat's it..I'm outta here.

I think I'll lift some weights instead

Ahhh, my sippy cup. I love guzzling water and making a spill proof cup, Spill.

Oh no she di'int!

Oh, yes I did.

Fiending for something--ANYthing--creative for the past few months, and not being able to find anything more than colored pencils and busts of Mao Tse Tung that I could paint ( What would one do with a painted bust of Mao??? Pin the nose on the dictator?) I realized I would just have to get resourceful.

And so I did.

NZ and I finally hung some artwork in Sal's room last weekend. I had printed up a few California themed pictures in white IKEA RIBBA frames. I felt like I had a good collection until we finally hung all 8 frames and I realized, whoa--I need to add more!

I started to peruse Pinterest since I have access to that without a VPN, and found the cardboard letters that everyone in the States can get at the local Hobby Lobby or Michael's. I wanted an "S" to add depth and interest to his wall. Finding them here in China? Ha ha. Yeah right. I searched pinterest for DIY cardboard letters and whaddya know..I found a DIY pinata tutorial and was able to adapt it to make my project.

Into the pantry I went, searching for cardboard. Shhhht, I just threw out a Huggies box--Then....ooh ohhh ohh, what do I see? An unopened box of Rice Krispies--Oh, Snap..crackle and POP! I ripped into that bad boy like there was no tomorrow, and chucked the bag back onto the shelves.

Oh, snap! Look who's getting resourceful.

 

My RC box had no idea what it had coming its way. I carefully pried open the seals so that the entire box lay flat as if it jad just come out of production. I went at one side of it with a highlighter pen, marking a big, boxy, letter "S" with my steadiest hand. Once satisfied with my "S", I cut it out, and traced a second "S" onto the other side of what was once the backside.

wrapping the 1/2" spacing strip proved challenging.



3-D "S" for Super Awesome Project gone right
 
 

To make it 3-D, I then cut 1/2" strips from the remaining box, and used them to space the two "S" shapes apart. I used scotch tape to join the two sides together with the 1/2" strip spacing them all the way around.

So, there you have it. MY very own, DIY letter.

The next day, I added an "A" and an "L" to my artillery. Not sure if I will use them or not, but at least now I have options.

I like options.

They're sitting on our bookshelf, buck nekkid right now, awaiting the purchase of a map that I plan to tear up and paper mache over it to look like this inspiration piece below. 

Photo from little white dog on etsy

If I don't find a map of my liking in the next few days, I will probably paint a CA State flag on them, drawing inspiration from the British flag covered letters below.

 

 

Week in Pictures

With NZ gone last week, Sal and I filled our calendar with outings and playdates. I can't remember what we did on each day, so here's our week in pictures...

Such a big boy holding his bottle on the way to his friend Jan's house

He.gets.into.EVERYTHING. But just look at that face. How can you get mad?



 

Monkey bridge at the Park by Lake Taihu

Sal & his bud test out chairs at B&Q
"Hey mama, I think I neeeeed one of these. Aren't I cute?"

Where'd all the fishies go? Our complex drained all of the ponds this week.

My favorite find this week. 11 RMB for 24 fresh eggs. That's like $1.50

We caught wind that NZ was going to be returning with a case of the flu...
so Sal & I found a pharmacy and some US made cold & flu medicine.

We shopped at the baby stores by the Hospital and got picked up on by the ladies.

And by far my favorite thing...morning walks with the boy.

Oh, and before I forget....Sal has added two more chompers to his grin. He cut his top two teeth this week!

No Cytomel in Sight

I find myself repeating the following phrase many times over the course of a week:

" Everything in China just takes longer, and is a bit more challenging"

Even the simple stuff.

Like, getting a prescription refilled.

Here's the story, even though you probably don't want to know...

In June, NZ and I made our first appointment at the expat clinic in town. We saw the English speaking physician, and I felt really confident that the level of care she would provide for us would not leave me wishing I was back home. We both take prescription medications, and discussed with her our need for refills on a monthly basis.

She agreed.

Fast forward a month. Nick went to the clinic to get a refill on his Rx.

And this was one of my first experiences in which I realized that everything in China really is more challenging. They don't carry his medication in China. So, the physician combined two separate drugs to meet his needs. She had to bring them in to Wuxi from the main hospital in Shanghai...which means that in the future,  we will need to notify her by email about a week before, so that she can bring them to Wuxi for us.


Same day service here?

In your dreams.

We muddled through the paperwork ( we have to submit claims to insurance ourselves) and receipts and hope to see some reimbursement back from insurance at the end of all this. I have faith we'll get reimbursed, but really, what a fiasco just to get a refill on what is known to be a very common Rx in the States.

And this week, it was my turn.

I emailed our Doc last week to remind her that I would be seeing her at Wuxi Clinic this week, and gave her the names of my two prescriptions. She emailed me back stating that one of the prescriptions I take is not available in China. She searched high and low, and can not locate the brand name or generic. She suggested that I contact my endocrinologist back in the states and request he fill the Rx stateside and then maybe I could get it shipped here...or, maybe I "could go without it"...

..and this is where I silently flipped the eff out.

Our Worldwide insurance excludes North America. This means that any medical care received in the states is our responsibility..so while it all sounds well and good to get my favorite Doctor ever ( love my endocrinologist--he's the BEST!) to write an Rx and have it shipped, it's going to cost me out of pocket. I can not submit a claim for reimbursement for it if I get it from the states.

...not to mention, I am now completely out of one of the two thyroid medications I take to regulate my Graves' disease, and will be for the next month til we go home for a visit. I was doing so well  managing my thyroid throughout my pregnancy and post-partum period and now I am scared that I will have a few months of feeling crappy until I can get back on it and let it take effect. Thankfully it's not too expensive, so I will definitely have it filled back home and bring back enough to get me through til my next visit home.

Tis life in China---never expect things to be easy. Always expect a catch. And learn to just roll with it, cause that's just the way it goes.

Needless to say, this experience has made me thankful for the healthcare system in America, and it just reminds me that we as Americans really do tend to take things for granted.

..even things as simple as getting a prescription filled.

Goosebumps all over

With NZ in Spain and Switzerland for business this past week, I had very little, if any facebook and blogger access. Go figure, the ONE week I don't have daily access, I miss the news that one of my best blogging friends is HAVING A BABY!

I am beyond words thrilled for a fellow baby loss mom and her husband that I've never met in real life, but if our blog entries, pinterest pins and email exchanges are any indication---we'd surely be admitting ourselves to DIYer's anonomous and getting into all sorts of crafting trouble together if we lived close to one another.

I "met" Kerry through the baby loss community about a year after I lost Denise. When I first began reading her blog, she had just lost her daughter and almost her own life due to HELLP and Pre-Eclampsia ( scary stuff). I liked her writing style, her outlook, and could really identify with her.

From there, we became blogging friends, and although many of us have had our so-called "rainbow" babies ( babies after loss), she has been patiently waiting for hers.

And her time has come...

... I am beyond words, legitimately happy for her...she and her husband have been matched with their baby girl, who shall arrive in December!

Congratulations, Murphy Family!

Kids Play

I am guessing that before our time is over here, Sal will have talked his dad one of us into letting him try these things out at the local mall. Bumper boats in a blow up pool and bumper boat cars that can be driven around the courtyard with no boundaries. I hope they come with horns-- I have a feeling some people are going to get taken out at the knees with him behind the wheel!

I'm so hungry..

I'm so hungry I could.....eat my foot!

Good bye hands, hello toes!

Sal's newest infatuation.