I can’t believe a month has passed since Jamie was born! It has gone so quickly!! Adapting to life with two kids has been harder than I anticipated – Ellie still needs all the attention that she needed before he was born, and Jamie is also calling out for attention!! I read somewhere that you should deal with the toddler first, because the baby won’t remember anyway… I tend to deal with Ellie first because I can understand what she is saying (for example, screaming “Mummy, save me” compels action far more than just general crying even if ‘save’ is a bit of an exaggeration).
We have had a good lot of help in this first month as Mum and Dad have been here from Australia, and have been most helpful in managing some of the mundane things with Ellie – like getting milk, changing nappies, dressing and most importantly entertaining her when I've been occupied with Jamie. However, as it was also their first trip to Shanghai, sightseeing was also part of our days – and as a result, Jamie has been to more tourist destinations in Shanghai in 4 weeks, than we had seen in 6 months.
In his first week after coming home from hospital, he went to Starbucks, Xintiandi (a reconstructed area of Shikumen houses and alleyways, with smart shops and restaurants), Thumb Plaza for a Sichuan lunch at Western Village restaurant (ref photo - both kids in pram), the local flower and fish market, Carrefour (twice) where you can buy anything from chopsticks to a washing machine plus live turtles for lunch, and was in a taxi which grazed the side of another taxi thus involving a changeover in the middle of our trip and almost in the middle of the road - no small incident when you consider moving the two year old, the baby in a carry cocoon, two back packs, one large stroller with detachable infant seat and two grandparents. No one hurt, but two angry taxi drivers.
The next fortnight was also jam packed with various outings:
Jamie visited the Old City (ref photo - Jamie in cocoon), partook in a Chinese Tea Ceremony at the Huxingting Tea House after crossing the Bridge of Nine Turnings and explored the Yuyuan Gardens. He inspected the Shanghai Planning Museum and picked out our apartment building in the scale model of the city. Roamed around Lujiazui looking at the Pearl Tower shrouded in mist and shopped at Super Brand Mall. He explored the French Concession and played in Fuxing Park, very jealous of his sister on the merry-go-ground. He has behaved himself (unlike Ellie) at various eating establishments including Din Tai Fung, the Shangri La, Western Village, Paul and Starbucks (again and again). He even made his first friend when he met Lulu Clark, born exactly 1 week after him.
His 4th week has seen him meet Pete and his Auntie Marnie and have the whole Pearce clan together again for the first time in 15 months, apply for Australian citizenship, lunch at New Heights at 3 on the Bund, cruise the Huangpu River to the mouth of the Yangtze, stroll along the Bund, have Dumplings and street food in Wujiang Lu, visit the Jing’An Sculpture Park and go to his first birthday party, complete with jumping castle, pinata and enormous chocolate cake!!
Thanks Ellie and Jamie for being great kids!!
Thanks Mum/Grandma and Dad/Bob for all your help these first few weeks and good bye for now!!
Thanks Marnie and Pete for keeping Ellie entertained!!
Thank you everyone for your good wishes and thoughts for Jamie!!
