Christmas in Shanghai

Christmas is fast approaching! My chinese friend and neighbor had her Christmas party on the 13th, as planned. The party went off without a hitch...it was a really good time. Something I admire about this particular friend of mine is her ability to "put together" a party or room without hardly an effort...even a western one that she isn't as familiar with planning. She has excellent decorating sense and really does amaze me with her abilities. She amazed me even further when I was complimenting her on her abilities and she turned to me and told me that she had been paying particular attention to detail in attending my own parties and she learned "how to do it." Wow...if that's true, she is a stellar student to detail as well. I envy her that talent!

The party was lots of fun. We all brought lots of different kinds of food and tasty Christmas treats and nobody went home hungry. There were westerners, Singaporeans, chinese, etc. So, the food was quite eclectic and very yummy. Our hostess provided us with lots of chicken and...DUCK! haha It really wouldn't have been a chinese christmas without the duck! I had suggested a cooked ham when I was asked for a food recommendation, but she ended up serving duck. Too funny...

The kids all did a "hat picked" Christmas gift exchange and had a TON of fun opening their gifts. The adults all participated in what my Chinese-American friend calls the "Yankee Swap." You all know the game, although it goes by several different names. Each adult brought one, wrapped and unmarked gift. Once we were all at the party, we picked numbers out of a hat. So, as each number came up, the person holding that number got to either pick a gift from the pile or steal someone else's gift. If a person's gift was stolen, they again got to pick out of the pile for another gift. It was great fun and we all shared many laughs!! Not to mention...each and every person went home with a gift that night...in true Christmas fashion.

After my friend's Christmas party, I've had the freedom to sit and relax a bit before baby #3 comes. The kids were off of school and we had a good time enjoying each other's company at home for several days. The weather turned quite chilly, so it was nice to spend some time indoors together. We played games, watched Christmas movies, enjoyed our Christmas tree, baked Christmas cookies and the boys caught up on some Wii game time. ;-)

However, the fun for me was not to last...I came down with one of the nastiest head colds I can remember having in a very long time. :-( Day after day, I struggled to breathe, sleep, eat or do ANYTHING...much less play with the kids. I was cranky and irritable...to say the least. It was horrible! At my last doctor's appt this week, however, I got to see a general physician and he diagnosed that my head cold had become a sinus infection. He prescribed me some antibiotics and within a night, I feel a little better - finally!!! I'm still not 100%, but I can at least breathe out of one nostril at a time, instead of NEITHER!

This is Christmas week and Christmas Day is in TWO days!! We still don't know when baby #3 is going to make his appearance. His due date is officially Christmas Day, so we'll have to see. The doctor, of course, does not want me to go too long after my due date because of the GD thing. She is scheduled to be on call on Dec. 25th and then again on Dec. 29th. I want to have this baby without the process of induction, if possible...and she knows that. But, I have a feeling she won't let me go until the 29th. The GD thing really freaks doctors out, regarding getting the baby out as soon as possible. At least, that's been the pattern with all three of my OB's during pregnancy.

At my last appointment, the baby was still kicking, head down, but not even remotely effaced. I was told that with the third and as each pregnancy is different anyway, the process could still happen very quickly and suddenly. So, I'm still trying my best to "pay attention" to every detail regarding my body's cues.

So, I guess all I can say...is I guess "we'll see!"