Our first grocery store outting

Well, there comes a time when you realize that you can't eat take out forever! Yes it is convenient, not that pricey here but you want something familiar when you're so far away from home. Why I thought I would find this in a Chinese grocery store is beyond me.

Well the market is somewhat like Wal-Mart for lack of a better way to explain it. Outside you see a gang of bikes parked. That is the preferred mode of transportation. They ride with hospital masks over their face, I'm guessing from the high incidence of pollution. But anyway. They have a McDonald's just like Wal-Mart. You walk in there are clothing and shoe booths on the bottom level.

There is an escalator to take you to the next level. The only thing that is different is that it is flat so you can take your shopping cart on it. The shopping cart magically sticks to the escalator so that is will not move.

OK, the next level is home goods and electronics. We had to get some towels, a pillow, and some plates. So initally we were looking for some paper plates. We walked around the same isle 4 times thinking that we had overlooked them. There was a woman who worked there who kept looking at us like what in the world are you two doing getting exercise? :-)

So we decided on real plates.

Next I went to look in the shoe section. Their prices are extremely reasonable on a good pair of sneakers. 85 - 109 RMB that is about $15 - $20. Can you get that in the states?. . .

The food is on the third floor so we have to take the cool escalator to the third floor. This I would have to say was one of the most frustrating supermarket trips to date. The prizewinner being when I was pregnant with Solomon and couldn't decide what in the world I wanted to eat. Well that is how i felt in here because there was an abundance of food so of which could be identified by looking at the American similarities. Others I had no clue what in the world they were. I mean they were strange. They carried squid in the meat section, dried minnows, these little miny "crunchy shrimp" an array of seaweed, cooked wierded out chickens (with the head on), ducks, there were probably some dog and cat there too because I couldn't identify a few of the meats. They had everything you could think of if you were Chinese and could actually read what is is the label said.

I had to go for what I knew. I got some ramen noodles, fruit, juice, fried rice --> very good might I add, and a whole cooked chicken --> leave the head thank you.

We came out of the store with towels, washcloths, food, plates, juice, and something else for about $25 US dollars. I'm starting to like this place! It brings out the bargain shopper in me.

On the way home Sheldon and I were both walking and looking around at everything and taking it in. Sometimes you have to sit back and absorb your surroundings. A lot of people so not get the opportunity to be in another state let alone another country on another continent. That is an overwhelming feeling. But a good one nonetheless.

OK I clearly forgot to add the part about my little baby magnet. Solomon was stopping traffic. When we were in the supermarket the workers came behind the meat counter to touch Solomon! I was thoroughly GROSSED OUT!!! EWWWWWWWW!! Hello people you have been playing with meat!!! if I could say it in Chinese I would tell you to go wash your hands because that is just what I did to Solomon before he put his hands in his mouth and caught SARS! "That's just nasty!" :-) --> Sissy that was for you!

Well, until next time. Sheldon has a game today so I am sure that travel will be interesting.

Later gators!

Beyonce for Solomon's first birthday!

So we just go home from the Beyonce concert! Can we say PHENOMENAL!! She is such an awesome performer! We had great unobstructed seats on the first row of the balcony. The Asian people were really feeling "B". They were singing all of the words to her songs and everything. We also saw a whole buncha us's. One of them made the remark that they were going to shut the show down because there were too many of us congregated in one place.

I wasn't quite sure how Solomon was going to do in the concert. We came prepared with earplugs and all. I think he really liked the show a lot. He was clapping and dancing and very engaged like he was really into Beyonce.

Halfway through the concert he went to sleep, but he woke up as soon as he heard his song "Solja Boy" Yoooooooooooo and started doing the dance. Not 3 minutes passed and he was knocked out again.

At the end of the show Beyonce asked was it anyone's birthday and I raised my baby up proudly. Beyonce sang happy birthday to my little man on his first birthday! What a treat! This one is going to go down in the books!

OK, I am going to try to get Solomon to go to sleep with the Chinese people tonight. Wish me luck!

Oh i forgot a funny part! I think that Chinese people are fascinated with little black babies. Everyone that sees Solomon has got to touch on him and play with him like it is their own child!! I stay having baby wipes to disinfect my son. Lord knows where those people's hands have been.

Carry on!

Our first day in China

OK So Solomon did not sleep at all last night! We were up playing with toys and watching movies. He was banging on the floor like it was day time. We have do turn the volume down on a couple of toys so we didn't wake the neighbors.

Sheldon had a game today, but we didn't go because Solomon needed a nap BAD!!! We slept pretty much all day until about 6pm. Then we went on our first outing in Shanghai.

Sheldon took us to this quaint restaurant downtown. The served really good smoothies. I had a Greek salad.

All the Chinese food you can eat and I choose a Greek salad. it was pretty good though. Sheldon had some sort of pork. I tried it and it had a wonderful flavor to it. Solomon had all of the above. he is a food conosioure --> don't know how you spell this.

So we get in the cab to come home and the cab driver takes the scenic route. Needless to say that We don't know where we are and the language barrier doesn't make it any better. Shel knows a few words, like the street we live on, straight, right, stop here, hurry up, drive. That is about it. So trying to tell this man that he is going the wrong way is not an option. After trying to show the cabbie the address to where he initially picked up up from on a business card. He pulls the car over and is trying to tell up something but God only knows what the is saying. We get out, pay the man, and hop in the cab behind him and tell that cabbie to take us to the shopping area where we started.

After we get to the shopping area we started at we get out of that cab and start again. . .

This has turned into a journey. I'll be glad when we get where we're going. I'm trying to learn a few words here and there so i can communicate to some extend or this is going to be a really long trip.

After all of this we still have to catch another cab to the apartment. Sheldon is telling the cabbie where he needs to go and the cabbie is insisting that we go another way. Shel wins and we FINALLY reach our destination.

But the adventure is not over.

Upon arriving at the apartment there was a strange stench in the air. You guessed it! My son has relieved himself once again. This time it is ALL THE WAY UP HIS BACK! He was literally covered in $#!t!!! OMG!! It was one of the worst ones ever. It was Sheldon's turn to change him and boy did he have fun doing it! (that was a joke) Solomon's clothes were ruined along with the towel Sheldon changes him on. You won't be able to get those stains out!

Tomorrow is Solomon's 1st birthday!!! Yay!!! We are taking him to the Beyonce concert! uh oh uh oh uh oh!

This should be interesting!

Until next time!

Pictures are forthcoming!

International Flight

Shanghai are you ready for Solomon?

Solly did very well on the 13 hour flight to Tokyo from Detroit. We played games for about 4 hours. He ate all of my food and it came out the other end. I felt something wet running down my leg. I was like what in the world.

Well, it was Solomon. . . you can fill in all of the blanks yourself. I needn't say more. I had to change his clothes three times on the duration of the trip. Whew I was glad to see some laundry detergent. Then he slept the remainder of the flight. Couldn't ask for anything better!

I was so afraid of being the mom with the screaming child on an international flight. That was far from the case. Solomon was WONDERFUL!! He behaved and was quiet without any outbursts or crying fits. He talked to everyone he saw because my son is such the extrovert. he loves people, and flirting with the ladies. The flight attendants fell in love with him.

Sheldon met us at the airport and we had about an hour to travel to his apartment.

It is about 11pm our time in China.

Till tomorrow!