My parents visit China (definitely was NOT on their bucket list ;)- before Beijing trip #2

On Sunday, May 5, my parents left the comforts of home and the US to fly out here and stay with us for a few weeks. We had been planning this trip for months- really since before we even came out here. My parents weren't overly thrilled to have their middle child off living in China, so it was important for me that they come out here and see where I live and meet my friends and realize that I live a safe and normal life here. Well, kinda normal. ;)
After delayed flights out of Chicago (no shocker there), they just barely made their connection in Toronto before heading on the 13 hour journey here. But they made it on time, landed Monday afternoon, and Ben was at the airport to greet them and bring them here.
The next morning we put the kids on their various buses and then headed around our development and little town. I showed them the various sites of my every day life- the gym, the pool, café du village, as well as many other places. We stopped for a coffee and then headed to Sophie's school for her class assembly. For the past several weeks her class had been working on a production to present to their parents and other classes. Sophie was a witch!

The best part was at the end when the whole class sings Jack Johnson's "I can tell that we are gonna be friends" from Curious George. SO CUTE!!!

 

That night we made the cupcakes that we were going to take to Cooper and Sophia's classes the next day to celebrate their birthdays. Mom had brought these adorable shark decorations for Coop's cupcakes- they were so cute! Soph got pink and purple sparkles- just what she wanted!

 



So, the next day was Sophie's 6th birthday! I made her French breakfast puffs, her favorite, for her birthday breakfast, she got to open a few presents and then it was off to school like normal. :)

Barbie in her pink shoes!!! I wish they would stop coming out with new Barbies every 2 seconds. ;)

We brought Cooper's cupcakes to his school first. We celebrated his birthday early as we were going to be traveling to Beijing on his actual birthday and wanted to make sure we got a little party in! We held a Dora-themed party for him there. I think we'll be having Dora-themed parties for a while. He still loves her like crazy!

Mom is taking pictures while Emma helps Coop with his cupcake. Sebastian and Sara, 2 of Coop's classmates, are also here.

Cooper absolutely loved being sung "Happy Birthday" to him! Femke, his main teacher, said they had been practicing for a week. He just watched Emma the whole time while she sung. He just loves her!! She has been such a gift to us. I pray God puts another amazing soul like her in his life next year! She will be very, very hard to replace.

Emma's present to Cooper- Dora filled with candy! His 2 favorite things. :)

The shark cupcakes went over very well. Just grab and shove it in. Mmmm :)

 

 

After Coop's school, we had a quick hour that we ran to the textile market. My parents were contemplating having some silk sheets made but we never found any silk! In the end, mom and I both bought quilts for super cheap (king size for $38!) and we ran home to grab some quick lunch and head to Sophie's school. Whew!

 

Sophie's class was in the middle of their music lesson when we arrived.

They all sang her 'Happy Birthday' in English and then in Mandarin. It was so cute! And the only time THAT will ever happen. ;)

 

The class had made her a birthday card with pictures from throughout the year and everyone had signed it. It was such a nice gesture. This school has just been so amazing. We're going to miss it!



The cupcakes went over well (again) and then I showed Mom and Dad around her school for a bit. Then it was back home to get ready for Sophie's soccer practice!

Soccer went well and then Sophie had chosen to eat at the clubhouse for her birthday meal (um, ok). She was playing well with other kids at the indoor play area and then we called her to the restaurant when her meal arrived. She sat down and just changed. She said she was really tired all of a sudden, really hot, sore throat, didn't want to eat. She opened her presents without really even seeing them. In the hour we were there she got progressively hotter and hotter and more tired. By the time we got home she had a fever of 103! Poor thing. Sick on her birthday. :(
Ben was kind enough to stay home from work the next day to take her in to the doctor as I had a day packed full of things to do downtown with my parents! Augh :/ Momma guilt... Anyway, turns out she had scarlet fever! It really does sound worse than it is. It's really just strep throat with a rash. If left unchecked it can be serious, but we had caught it very early and she was on antibiotics right away. The doc had told us not to go to Beijing the next day but I thought, nah, she'll be fine. :)

While Soph and Ben were hanging out at home together, Mom, Dad and I headed out to paint the town red. It was totally pouring out so we had a quick peak of the Bund and across the river and then we decided to do something I never thought I would do. We headed into the Bund sight-seeing tunnel. It's ridiculously over-priced, especially once you actually do it and realize you just paid how much for THAT?? :) It is literally a little gondola-type car on a track that brings you under the river from Puxi to Pudong. On the way there is music and lights and all sorts of weirdness!!!
Examples...

Yup. SO worth every Jiao (not). :) But, now I can say I've done it. I've always wanted to and now I have. And now I never have to do it again. ;)

After the tunnel we headed to the South Bund Fabric Market. Dad wanted to get a suit tailor-made and mom was looking for some fabric and maybe a dress. I'd never had anything made, either, and was hoping to find a few things. We were so successful! Dad had a suit made and then also had 3 or 4 dress shirts made. Mom had a dress made and found a gorgeous scarf. I had 2 dresses and a top made. Whew! We were all pretty stoked with our success.
We then headed to Xintiandi and I introduced them to traditional Shanghainese dumplings- xiolongbon. You've heard about these before- they're the soup-and-tiny-meatball-filled dumplings that you poke a hole into, suck out the soup, then dip the rest into some fresh ginger, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar and munch away. I am only so-so on them but it's such an experience to have them because they are unlike anything else in the world. Of course they loved them and all the other weird things we ate with them (weird ramen-noodle thingy, egg fried rice and a veg).
Once their tummies were filled we walked through Xintiandi a bit and I happily got my traditional Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Vanilla Ceylon tea latte. Yummmm!!! Dare I say that is one of the few food things I'll miss when we move back home? A really good tea latte. They just don't know how to do it right in MI yet. Here's hoping times have changed.
I digress. :)
Anywho, after my latte (did I mention it was yummy scrummy??), we went into a little Chinese museum that replicated old traditional Chinese housing from way back when. They're called Shakumen Houses. It was so funny, however, bc there were many items set in the rooms that my parents had as children! A fan, a fold-up bedside clock, and more. It was a hoot. :)
After all that it was time to head home to get ready for dinner.
Are you wondering why there are no pictures of all our adventures that day? I know you are. :) That would be because, besides the tunnel, NONE OF US TOOK A SINGLE PICTURE THAT DAY! Seriously. There was so much we saw and did and you'd never know cause we were too busy yapping and not busy picture-taking.  Ugh! So disappointed in myself.
Well, don't worry. We really really made up for it in the next 3 days that we were in Beijing. ;)
That's next so hold tight!