Good Times with Grandparents

We're lucky.  We just are.  No matter where we move to, both sets of grandparents are game for visiting -- or in some cases, even moving nearby!  One of the cool things that I see every single day here in Shanghai, and likely all over China, is grandparents taking care of their grandchild (and yes, here in China it is grandchild, not grandchildren).

Grandparents are often the primary source of day care here.  It's not unusual to see a granddad out alone with a teeny baby.  Grandparents together feeding, caring, playing with their grandchild for the bulk of the day.  I love watching it.  Love watching grandparents play such an integral role in the lives of their grandchild.  Then I think to myself, what kind of moron drags their kids 7,000+ miles away from their two amazing sets of grandparents.  Morons like me and Matthew.  Sorry Charles and Gloria and Roger and Joyce.  We love you all very much and will come home soon.

But it sure is fun when they come to visit.  Roger and Joyce were here for 10 days, and we kept them busy.  Here are the highlights.

China's awesome and all, but this is really why they came :).

Or maybe it was for the food...

We spent a beautiful day in Yuyuan Gardens.  Just grownups.  Very relaxing.

So relaxing.

Maybe too relaxing??

That's the new tallest building in the world being built behind these 500 year old gardens.

I dragged them through the subway.

And on a double decker bus.

Eli did the rest of the dragging...

We visited the plant, pet, cricket market.

And Dongtai Antique Street.
 

I think this captures the glamour of international travel.

After a rough week of walking, we all deserved a pedicure (well, me, Naomi, and Joyce)

Others found relaxation in a game of Battleship (and later foot massages).

And some of us got to finally celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary in style.