10!

It's hard to believe that my youngest joyfully progressed into double digits last week. Some would call him a "tweenager." I'm just thankful that his favorite things are still building legos, playing swords, and going on Runescape with his buddies. To be honest, the memory is getting a little dim of waking up once again at 3am, knowing it was time. We called a nearby friend who hurried over, even in the middle of the night, to stay with the other two boys. You see, we thought we had a time constraint. It was a week still till my due date, but our last precious bundle had arrived after a record two hours of labor. We made it to the hospital. In fact we had plenty of time, because this one (once started) was in no hurry to get out. Twelve or so hours later, lots of walking the halls, and a dose of potossin; and he arrived. Peter. As with each boy, he has been so different from the others. He had a slight tinge of yellow and so needed some extra sunlight. He wasn't that interested in nursing, but had a good set of lungs. Later we would discover that once he's had his fill of breakfast, he'd mostly rather play than eat the rest of the day. He's an auditory processor. The thought that pops in his head must come out his mouth. He is playful and dramatic and ready to be a friend. He can work hard and concentrated at a task, but just as easily dismiss another. Be affectionate and needy and the next minute wise and insightful. He is a topsy, turvey rollercoaster ride with some smooth intervals that we wouldn't have missed for anything.

Kao Taiyang ("cow tie-yong" - baking in the sun)

This expression evolved from watching our dog photosynthesize day after day. We have had a little bit of sunshine lately - just enough for MeiMei to soak warmth from a sunbeam.

Snow & Hot Pot

It snowed! In the city of four seasons like spring, snow is a rarity. The boys have been hoping for it. So even though there was only a sprinkling, it seemed like a wonderland. My second born, who had already headed out to catch his school van, came back to our downstairs intercom to report the flurries. The skies poured forth all day, and it was pretty.

The cold weather has persisted, making it the best kind of weather for hot pot. Or should I say, that our family thinks hot pot is the best meal for warming your whole body on a freezing day. Normally we go out to one of several hot pot restaurants nearby. They range from open air venues with child-size square tables to fancy restaurants decorated with chinese lattice and red lanterns. What they have in common is a hole in the middle of their tables in which is set a pot of flavorful (spicy or sour) chicken broth. The hole's heating element is connected up to a gas tank which warms things up quite a bit. Once the broth is boiling the patron chooses from a variety of raw meats, vegetables, tofu, etc to toss in the pot, cook, and eat. Our personal favorites are:
curls of shaved goat meat and pork
pea leaves
potatoes
carrots
zuchinni
mushrooms
tofu skin
erkuai (are kwhy) (a rice flour subtance sliced in flat oblong pieces)
and some times rice noodles
As things cook, they are fished out with chopsticks and dunked in a wonderful dipping sauce made from a scoop or two of broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, scallions, and crushed peanuts and sesame seeds (some of the boys also like chili powder and fermented tofu in theirs). It is a fun, active meal. This time we had a special treat as some of our dear friends gave us an electric hot pot. Below are some pictures of hot pot on a cold night at home.