Ode to the squat toilet

Although the squat toilet is not something that is new to me here in China, over the last 2 years I have learned two things: supreme bladder control and advance planning knowing my Shanghai toilet territory in attempts to avoid at all cost the dreaded squatter.

Unfortunately, pregnancy has made a mockery of my previous careful planning. Thus this past Friday I did experience a new first while living in China - using a squat toilet while pregnant.

Assumptions:
You will smell the bathroom before you see it.
There will be no toilet paper in the stalls
There will also not be a hook to hang your purse from
No germy support rails to hang on to
More difficult to successfully use than trying to go to the bathroom by yourself in a wedding dress
God must have loved men more so as to give them standing privileges as well as the inability to give birth

I mean it is difficult enough to coordinate things without having an ever growing shift to your center of gravity and so know that this was a last resort. My friend even offered assistance in this quest, but I was feeling the need to conquer this on my own - I figured I'd wait until labor to completely lose my modesty. She wished me luck as I entered the stall. After closing the door, I threw my purse straps over my neck, unzipped my purse and placed several napkins on top within easy reach while I pondered the best strategy on how to balance things with my pants down and me centered over the squatter. I cursed men again and wondered how any of them could possible have problems with aim - do they understand what women have to deal with?

Without all the graphic details, I do have to say LONG LIVE YOGA and the low squat practice I have been getting at my prenatal classes the last couple of months.

Blessed are the pregnant women for they shall inherit - whatever they want!

Happy (belated) Father's Day

Well it has been just over a week since we returned from the US and the jet lag has been a killer for me this time around. I think Finn has finally figured it out as well so as not to wake me up from 1-4pm with his marathon kicking spree.

It was one of my goals to write this super duper Happy Father's Day blog (and you all thought I forgot to pay homage to my wonderful husband) - but the brain power was sorely lacking with the combination of jet lag and the diversion of most of my oxygenated blood supply to my ever growing belly.

Although Will feels his contribution to this pregnancy thing has been small and thus not wanting to take full credit for his first Father's Day, I do have to respectfully disagree since he has done a damn fine job of putting up with, well...whatever... and *still* manages to stay sane - and for that he gets an A++. And even though it wasn't my version of mother's day, I did take him out for breakfast (uh, don't remind me it was because I forgot to get extra eggs to make pancakes) and let him spend the whole day putzing in his man cave. Next year I think he will be more than happy to introduce and share his man cave with baby bear.... much to the grrrr of mama bear...

The kid is spoiled already

I'm not sure I'm fully recovered from jet lag after returning from our quick trip to the US - I'm thinking waking up at 1am and not falling back asleep until 8am is a sure sign that I'm not. That or I could just be pregnant! Finn's kicking is definitely getting stronger and I feel that it is a sure sign he will be a world class soccer player and will then be able to support his parents financially by the age of 18. :)

Anyway - After landing in Chicago on June 4th Will and I went our separate ways to divide and conquer to see as many family and friends as possible. Well, okay, Will did a much better job of sharing the wealth of his time and energy - I on the other hand stayed put at my childhood home base of Grand Haven, Michigan. It was going to be a quick trip with the main purpose of seeing family and collecting baby gear.

As our 8 bags (yes 8 if you include our carry-ons) of luggage proved (with 3 more still coming over from different folks coming to Shanghai), I dare say we succeeded in this undertaking. To all those that helped in this endeavor, Will, Finn and I are truly grateful. I think we have about 100 onesies and/or sleepers, 30 pairs of socks, several blankets, books, puzzles, hats, lotions, potions and a groovy new stroller - not to mention Ma-Ma's donation of about 400 diapers and industrial size box of wipes. I think the kid is set until he is about 9 months old (well except for the diapers anyway). Will and I had to do another round of cleaning out our closets to make room for Finn's stuff and he isn't even here yet. We figured it was the first of many sacrifices!

Only a couple pictures this time around - one from my baby shower in GH! And the other is of my cousin Carie and me with her new beau Steve! He is awesome!