However, our highlight had to be spending a morning at our own house in Brisbane!  We had a change of tenants and we got to be there for the day!  The boys (Ian included) had a swim at our pool and we got to “day-dream” about what we’d do to our house when we move there!  It was a great day of dreaming!

The  boys had an uneventful flight back from Brisbane to Shanghai.  Michael literally watched 10 hours of TV and turned into a potato (he even admitted it himself) and Benjamin was half reasonable!  No pukes or pee or drama – we called it a great success!

After coming back to Shanghai, we prepared for the colder weather and 2012.  We had our first set of visitors (my great college friend Sam and her daughter Isabelle) and had a great time (definitely ate too much and stayed up too late yabbering!)

Then came today where our little Baby Benjamin went off to school for the first time.  It was about the same age (22 months young) when Michael also went to the same school (same class & teachers too)!  Michael was just ecstatic that he could say “hi” to his brother in the playground!  Ian and I expected the worst (Benjamin can get a little “unpredictable!”) and all we got was “Bye, Mom” while he was playing with new toys at the classroom.  I probably had more tears welling up than imagined!   When I came back in the afternoon to fetch (save) him, he was ever so composed, having his lunch and sitting with such discipline next to his teacher.  It was so cute to see!  We hope this is not some kind of “delayed reaction” and that our baby is truly ready for his next stage (sobbing mother!)…

Photos from our December holiday in Australia:

Our Boys’ Album – December 2011

Until next time, much love from Shanghai, about to get into Chinese New Year.

We travelled to Lijiang with Ian’s parents (their first time to the west of China too!) and stayed at the Banyan Tree there.  It was definitely a treat and we loved every day of our holiday there.  However what we discovered was how we have taken Shanghai for granted!  The variety of choices in LJ was quite limited and while we take for granted that Shanghai has all these imported grocery and Chinese selection, we now become very grateful for these little small things.  LJ is a beautiful city with blue sky and nice people and we couldn’t have been luckier to visit such a gem in China.  Can’t wait to explore more of China again next year (hoping it to be Xian next!)

in the meantime, enjoy our boys and photos.

Our boys’ Album – July 2011

With tiny hands I waved goodbye,

And I saw the tear in the corner of your eye.

Bue you were brave and so was I.

We both tried hard not to cry.

My little feet carried me to school.

I remember you saying, “Now obey every rule.”

My little hands opened the heavy school door.

I went right to the “Panda” class on the ground floor.

There was teacher Jenny to invite me inside.

We made a big family, teacher Jenny the “Mother”.

With a family this big, we had to help each other.

So next year in school, I’ll have nothing to fear.

The muscles in my hands are now much stronger.

And even my feet look a little bit longer.

On the last day of school, as we all wave goodbye,

Do you think teacher Jenny will have a tear in her eye?

It really has been a happy year!

Making friends who will always be dear.

Kindergarten was busy with many things to do,

But it sure was fun the whole year through!

Thank you to all Michael’s teachers, friends, classmates (and their moms & dads) and the school staffs and administrators for a wonderful school year and we cannot wait for the upcoming one in August!

With love from Shanghai,

Ian, Stacey, Michael & Benjamin

Enjoy our photos at the last day of school!

1./  Benjamin doesn’t like “cold” food – things that come out from the fridge is a BIG no

2./  Benjamin loves chewing on bones (look at his genetic Chinese heritage!)

3./  Michael really missed his dad while we were in HK for two weeks

During this month, we are also thankful for my folks’ help (they tried hard not to mis-behave -thank goodness!) but had gotten a lot of grand-children’s time.  After their departure, the boys are still asking about them!

Luckily we have Nanna and Poppa arriving in less than a month and we’re excited to be traveling with them during that time!

Photos Uploading continues to be an issue and here we try to share with you Michael’s talent in art.  He enrolled in an art class early this year and these are his masterpieces!

Enjoy and until next time, love from Shanghai,
Ian, Stacey, Michael (at 3.5 and clingy!!!) and Benjamin (finally walking again!)

Then there was a lot of catching up with friends and family.  Michael was especially stimulated from all the new sights, sounds, and public transport that his imaginary boarding house is  filling up quickly with green car, new kids and new tables / food.  It is amazing to watch a 3-year old boy absorb all these new things and translate / transform them into his imaginary world!

Benjamin has been quite the darling, although permanently attached to his mom.  He’d cry everytime I am out of sight.  It is fascinating to watch esp for me as I am a working mom (which means he leaves me every day for a good number of hours) but secretly thrilled that my boys are so attached to me!

We got Ian here for the weekend which was fantastic… we tried to do the least but managed to get away for a date-night as well.  It was nice to be back to Hong Kong, a place where we met, got married and had Michael.

Enjoy our photos and until the next blog,

Our trip to HK – April 2011

Ian, Stacey, Michael & Benjamin.

enjoy our photos (will upload more as we have them)!

Our trip to HK – April 2011

Love from HK

Stacey, Michael and Benjamin (Ian is joining us for the weekend – yipee!)

Benjamin finally took has first crawl in Australia (in front of Nana – again!).  Unfortunately the weather wasn’t the best (re. rain, later flood and cyclone in Queensland) but it was nice to see Michael and Benjamin hang out with the Aussie Cousins.  All of the cousins have grown a lot in 12 months and Michael just adored being around every one of them.  Charlie is his favourite (seeing that she is the only girl cousin on the Lacy family side and she is FIVE years old).  All the boys show Michael how to be more Australian (catching spiders, climbing on cubby house and jumping the waves).  Every day (if it didn’t rain), we were out swimming and playing.  Michael also took his first boat ride in his Poppa’s boat and thought it was so “cool”.  Of course Christmas day was just too great with all the great presents from all the uncles, aunties and Nanna & Poppa.  Both Michael and Benjamin were well spoiled.

Once settled back in Shanghai, we had to face the once-again too-cold winter.  This is the coldest winter in our 2+ years in Shanghai and there were days that poor Benjamin would not be able to step out of the house for a stroll (too windy / cold).  Michael was especially delighted to be back to school (he didn’t forget his mandarin this time, as we tried to speak to him as much as possible in Oz).  With the many new books he got from Santa, Michael has also improved on his reading / listening / memorizing capability.  He is now able to read stories to Benjamin by memory holding up a book and it’s so sweet to watch.  Benjamin continues to want to meddle into Michael’s latest lego tower, train track and drawing.  And we’d suppose that’s what sibling relationship is all about.

During Chinese New Year, we stayed in Shanghai for a break from all the travels (and SH is actually half decent from a “crowd” perspective as half the population has left for travels / home-town visits).  We finally became the tourists and did lots of “touristy” activities; riding on the tourist tunnel from Pudong to the Bund, riding on the ferry and going to the aquarium (there was only ONE diverman, so you can imagine Michael’s disappointment!).  The weather was absolutely glorious 10-15 degrees Celsius and sunny every day.  Our best 7-days in Shanghai to-date.

Benjamin is turning one soon (March 18 – how did the time go!?) and Michael is well established in his “older brother” status (i.e. bossing Benjamin around).  We are looking forward to warmer weather and until next time, much love from Shanghai,

Ian, Stacey, Michael (who loves to read “ali baba &the thieves) and Benjamin (who now can wobbly “walk” with his walker)

Our Boys’ Album – Special Edition – December 2010

Once the little hand said to the big hand: You big hand, I need you because I am safe with you. I feel your hand and am happy when I wake up, and and you are with me. when I am hungry, and you feed me, when you help me to reach out and build something; when I’m trying my first steps, you support me; I can come to you when I’m afraid. I ask you: stay close to me and hold me.   And the big hand said to the little hand: You little hand, I need you Because I am taken by you. I feel your hand and am happy I am allowed to do many things for you; I can play with you, laugh and hold. I experience small, wonderful things with you; I feel your warmth and love you so much. Because I am thankful, I ask you: stay close to me and hold me.

Enjoy our photos from Oz, 

Our Boys’ Album – December 2010

Until next time, love from freezing Shanghai,

Ian, Stacey, Michael (who didn’t forget his chinese at school after 4 weeks of non-chinese) and Benjamin (who is crawling faster than how michael likes it!)

Dear friends and family, we (i.e. Stacey) couldn’t help but make our boys take   photo with Santa in Shanghai this year.  Michael had a ball (hence the cheeky look!) and Benjamin was apprehensive about this white-beard man.  We hope to save the environment by sending you our e-wishes again this year.

May this card finds you and your family happy, healthy and joyous in this Christmas!

With much love,

Ian, Stacey, Michael (at 3 and about to jump on a plane to meet diverman in oz) and Benjamin (who would be most pleased to get out of the cold!)

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