Games, life, and earmuffs.

Saturday night was Shabu Saturday and we made hot pot at home.  It was a blast and Kiddo helped a LOT with the prep.  She taste tested the carrots and basil.  She put seasoning and water in the pot.  She helped add mushrooms, cabbage, and baby corn.  The real question is how could J and I have had hot pot without Kiddo’s expertise in the kitchen!  HAHA. We all had a great time and when Kiddo was done eating, she got a coloring book and laid on the floor coloring while J and I finished eating and cleaning up.  It was a nice Saturday night.

Shanghai did come up during the day and evening, however.  This was because on Sunday we went to a pool party birthday thing for two kids Kiddo knows.  Both are BASIS Staff kids, so it was a double incentive for us to attend.  Kiddo and J did go out during Saturday in the late morning to shop and get Bday gifts and have a lunch together.  While out and shopping, Kiddo and J came across some cold weather gear.  Kiddo needed to try it all on, of course.  At the end the verdict was that Kiddo can’t wait to get to Shanghai so she can wear fluffy earmuffs.  

J needed to work in the afternoon and get some of her Master’s course work done, so it was a Kiddo and Dada afternoon.  Kiddo has been really into a few things these days.  Uno.  Connect4.  God of War.  Odd mix, I know.

Firstly, Kiddo got Uno a while ago (before BKK move maybe?) and Connect4 for Xmas.  She’s been loving the strategies and learning all that.  We played recently and I needed to get a pic of my starting hand.  This was a quick game.  I think I was out in 8 plays.  The nice part is, Kiddo doesn’t melt down on losing.  Instead, we get - Again, Again.  I’m gonna win this time.  She certainly got the Don’t Quit, Can’t Quit spirit from J and/or me, that’s apparent.  

God of War, however, is an odd one.  I should probably just do a post on just that.  It’s not a kid’s video game, but she knows some of the lore of Kratos because of a game I play called Hades.  I’ll do a post about it one of these days.  Maybe I can get Kiddo to vlog it, because hearing her explain it is too much for words.  

Sunday was the pool party.  We didn’t get many pictures, because it was just a kid riot.  Besides that, the place we went to had another party of two going on (huge place) and the kids all just mingled and did what they do in the pool.  It was near impossible to get pics of Kiddo without getting 100 other kids in the pics as well.  Kiddo is Kiddo because we try to keep her somewhat anonymous and vague and don’t want to just post pics of other kids willy nilly.  We try to be polite, conscious, and as online safe as we can be.  So, we didn’t get much.  We did get her absolutely going to work on a cupcake.  

On the way there, J pulled out a book and her and Kiddo read a little.  Kiddo has really been into Rebel Girls and I’d encourage you all (especially those with kids) to check out the books and podcast.  They do a great job and even J and I learn.  On the ride home, Kiddo was tired and burnt after swimming the afternoon away, so I got a chance to get a small vid of the two of them reading.  Kiddo is just a question machine.  Each page is a new Rebel Girl and each page takes about 5 minutes, because we need to look and comment on the photos, questions about the person, comments on how Kiddo would proceed, etc etc.  These days, it’s a great way kill a Grab ride. 

Tomorrow (Tuesday) Kiddo has an allergist appointment, so I will pack it and her and I can learn about some Rebel Girls on our own.  After that, we have a lunch date together and then just home and chilling until Beer comes.  

Other than that, one down turn on the day.  Yesterday in the early evening, I went to the hospital next to us to get baht.  They have ATM machines, so it’s the closest to us.  For 2.5 years, that has been our go to for cash on hand.  Yesterday, however, fate was against us.  I put in the card, put in the pin, selected withdraw amount, and waited.  The machine was taking a second, but then I got a message that it couldn’t connect and that I should take my card and try a different machine or branch.  Then it ate the card.  So, today, J needed to scramble right after work to get to the bank to get this all sorted.  First, big props to J for that.  Second, FRICK!  Everything was smooth as silk and then it wasn’t.  I gave the universe a big ol’ BUTTHEAD and moved on.  The good news is we got it sorted.  However, it was a small bump in the road.

Let’s go, Kiddo… A new week and tomorrow is a doctor day instead of a school day.  Soon, it will be Chinese New Year and then your 7th Birthday.  After that, it’s all end of year focus and Shanghai and the States and all the rest.  We love you, little Rebel Girl, and we can’t wait to learn more, read more, explore more, and love more with you.