thursday

Hendrik and Alana and I went for a mall-walk apres dinner tonight (and got Dairy Queen), and on our way back through the parking garage I thought it looked and smelled extra grimy – and it was. At 426 448, the AQI is the highest/worst it’s been since we moved here in November – it’s disgusting. Vancouver’s AQI is currently two; Winnipeg’s is five, and Toronto’s is five (!!). It’s such a drastic difference that I’m still second guessing myself if they even use the same system… but they do. Ugh… I can’t wait to get back home and breathe clean, Canadian air.

Hendrik doing tummy time ;)

And it’s possible that we’re home doing just that in a month or so (which is crazy!). The guys are playing the last match of the second round right now; semi-finals start on Sunday, and we’ll find out where that match will be in a few hours. As in they will definitely not be playing at home on Sunday, and this equals two weeks of road trip! They won’t be home until Sunday late late or Monday… ugh! I thought I would have my hands almost unmanageably full, being home alone with the two kiddies, but it's been fine - I've been blessed with two very easy-going and happy children. Hendrik has been very well-behaved, and is happy colouring and reading and running in the hallway. Alana is happy as long as there’s food and a hand or teether-toy to chew on - those badboylowerteeth are on their way in. We’ve been getting out of the house every day - usually twice - with a morning and afternoon excursion. Sometimes we get off of the 17th floor and sometimes we get out of the building, but sometimes we do not. We went for a late afternoon stroll down Wangfujing last night (touristy shoppy shopping street) and browsed the English bookstore (children’s floor) where we were all in our element (Alana was sleeping). Hendrik was chattering away and when I told him he could pick out a book and he chose Learn English Workbook 4, I had to convince him to browse in another aisle. He thoroughly impressed an English onlooker by saying something like, “Ni hao ma? Mom, look, this book’s in Chinese.” He also picked out a 200 some page YA novel, and when I told him that was for big kids, he said “Mom, I’m big. But Mom, Hendrik’s big!” It took a bit of finagling to get out of that one. We walked out of there with Anatole and the Cat, Choo Choo and The Underwater Alphabet Book (Hendrik’s pick).

In other fabulous news Hendrik is wearing big boy bottoms and is doing soooo so well! Today was the third consecutive day of no diapers, save for nap and night time. There were several spills, but for the most part he’s doing an excellent job communicating and taking the reins and doing it all on his own – yay!! I’m so so proud of him ☺. Okay, as usual, I’m sure there’s more I could write about but I’d better get to the dishes before it gets too late and I get too lazy. Until next time!