Cycling in Shanghai

As most of you know, we like to cycle. While I enjoy it, Jason takes it much further and is an avid cyclist. This has been the most challenging part of being in Shanghai for him...very limited cycling. So you can imagine how happy he was when the Shanghai cycling season began recently.

He enjoyed his first 96km ride this weekend. He rode out to San Shen in the countryside outside of Shanghai. Apparently there is countryside relatively nearby (he assures me) and it was a nice ride. Unfortunately it requires him to be out the door by 5:30am...something he's trying to get used to.

They are definitely early starts but Abigail is enjoying the slow mornings after he gets home. Here they are sitting in the sun on our balcony. Loving that sunny Shanghai weekend.

Swimming and Laughs

The Ambroses all went swimming yesterday in the pool at our complex. Abi loved the wading pool and the two adult Ambroses took turns swimming laps. A good time was had by all, but I think the pre-swimming fashion shoot amused Abi the most.

As you can see, Abi is enjoying her 'boppy' pillow which lets her sit up and play with her toys. To answer the obvious question...no, she isn't usually so coordinated. In fact, this morning she was dressed like a crazy person.

A Sunny April Weekend in Shanghai

We finally had great weather this weekend so we made the most of it. We had lunch with friends on the Pudong side of the river (Huangpu River) looking across at the top of the Bund and the beginning of Suzhou Creek. The Pearl Tower (in photo) was just behind us...i think she's too young to appreciate the view though.

Hanging out with Daddy and the Wilsons (below) Abi loved sitting in the sun. She loves her 'Aunt Amy' who was happy to swing her around and generally entertain her for the afternoon.

She was ready with her sunhat but Mom forgot her sunglasses so she wasn't able to completely hit her 'style'. Unfortunately we didn't get a photo of Daddy and Adam putting her tights onto her...they made a fairly simple task look like it required three men...and it almost did!

Apart from the afternoon out, we enjoyed a lazy afternoon at home. There was lots of playing and quite a bit of laughing. As you can see below, Abigail is easily amused.

Spoiled Rotten

In stereotypical fashion, Abigail's grandparents have managed to spoil her rotten in the short time that they had her. They have turned our relatively self-entertaining baby into a high-maintenance child. She rarely had a moment to spare the entire time we were in Florida. And our friends in London followed closely behind on the cuddling and playing....

I reckon it will take years to wean this out of her. Unfortunately her ayi, Lisa, is playing right along with it so I suspect it will only get worse.

Baby Jet-Lag

If you've ever wondered if babies get jetlag too...let me be the first to confirm that it is definitely true. After not sleeping on the flight home, Abigail has somehow managed to not only be off-schedule, but to be off-schedule in the wrong direction!

She was going into deep sleep at about 4pm that we absolutely cannot get her out of...and by 4:00am she's ready to play again. It's certainly allowed her parents to truly embrace the mornings...coffee, bagels, eggs...the works. We've decided that it's the only way to survive.

She also started waking every few hours at night. After complaining to our friends, not only were they unsympathetic but laughingly explained that we are finally having the 'up all night' baby experience that most everyone else has....great.

True to form, Abigail has finally come back around. After 9 days back here, she has finally got back to her usual ten hours of beauty sleep. hooray!!

My First Easter

Abigail spent her first Easter with her Wright/Kersey family in Auburndale, enjoying the first of many overwhelming family get-togethers. We were eighteen in total with Aunts, Uncles, cousins and their girlfriends, and even Great-Grandad. Only a few family members were missing this year, and we all enjoyed the usual fare of ham and veggies and generally too much food.

Abigail was sporting the latest in babywear with a 'Liberty of London' dress from Target. Her mother was pleased, but she just wanted to eat the dress, so we spent most of the day trying to keep her dress down.

Meet the Ambroses

Abigail got to meet and spend some tie with her Ambrose family in South Florida this March. She loved playing with her Nana. I barely had to (or got to!) touch little Abigail the entire time we were there. Other than the milk source, I was definitely not required and everyone loved it.

Abigail's 'baby whisperer' Aunt Tracey certainly taught us all a thing or two. Abigail was happy falling asleep on her shoulder and learned that she loves facing outwards and checking out everything.

She went for long walks along the Intercoastal and over the Causeway with her cousin Nicole and mom, and was very amused by cousins Mark and Gaby. All three cousins tried to instill in her a love of basketball...but we're hoping that part didn't stick.

She turned on the full force of her charm for Grandpa and Grandma Val. And she even got along okay with the dogs and cats, although she was outweighed by every one of them!

Around the World in 38 Days

The Ambrose clan have arrived back in Shanghai after our first world tour. Abigail has been a great traveller, at least until the last flight. She slept from Shanghai to Chicago, Chicago to Orlando, and Orlando to London. Unfortunately, she failed to sleep a single wink from London to Shanghai!

Luckily, it was also the only flight that both of us were on together, so at least we took turns playing and rocking. Jason is now looking forward to meeting "the little girl who is the perfect traveller" that he's heard about for weeks.

There are loads of pictures that we will eventually get together and online for you all, but suffice it to say that Abigail is a completely different baby than the one that left Shanghai in March. She has found her hands and actually has 'favourite' toys. She has learned that she loves to swim (although like her mother, the water has to feel like bathwater), has been to the beach, and has enjoyed a lot of long morning walks with her mom and grammy.

After swimming and basking in the Florida sunshine, Abigail spent Easter in Florida then headed to the next destination on her whistle-stop tour...London.

In London, she met her half-sister Sophia and got to meet lots of Mommy and Daddy's friends. She even enjoyed an afternoon at the 'pub' for Sunday lunch. How very cosmopolitan of her!!

Abigail and Sophia on Charlotte Street

watching the Grand National at the Perseverance

Abigail and 'Aunt Alice'

and a traditional Sunday lunch at the pub...

Abigail and Ella

Abigail trying out Jason (Mary)'s summer hat

And Abigail with Sam. Who would have thought he'd be such a natural with babies? Personally, I never thought I'd let him near my daughter....