D-Town News:

I'm a putz.

Fussy Frankie FuLan

Yeah, she may look cute in that picture but it was "Fussy Frankie Day" today in the Guange. I'm going to estimate that she had about 30 meltdowns total today and I plucked about 12 grey hairs tonight (NOT COOL).

After another "stuff-your-face-while-taking-turns-holding-Frankie-big-buffet- breakfast," all three families ventured out to the Jade Market area. Prices are high and the vendors didn't really want to bargain. My "allowance" was burning a hole in my wallet and I really wanted to get FJ something for when she is older. I found nothing that I loved (so frustrating). We finally decided on buying a jade stone and having something made at a later date for Frankie at home. Brilliant! Custom... I do loooooove custom. :)

The meltdowns started this morning and continued sporadically throughout the day. Why, you ask? WE HAVE NO FREAKIN' IDEA. Kid has eaten, butt has been wiped, she's definitely not sick, diapers are changed every minute... 

Is she becoming high maintenance? Yes. 

It is from hanging with me too much? Probably.  

Do we feel bad for Cody? Definitely.

We had a brief reprieve from the "Eye Yie Yies" and wailing while walking around the Jade Market (probably because she knew I was looking for her) until we got to the restaurant for lunch. I was in the bathroom squatting away China style (still can't get used to that) and when I came out, there was FJ, wailing away on Daddy. We calmed her down enough to stuff our faces with more dim sum (insert weight gain here) and after lunch Cathy and I took off for a little unsupervised shopping. (The guys gave us 45 minutes and we used up every minute of it). I found some really cute stuff for FJ and I was very excited to get back to her, but when I got there--it was wail session number I-don't-know-what. 

Cody was DONE (and you guys know what he's like when he's done--eye yie yie!). It was definitely time to go back to the hotel. We finally got a cab and of course she was wailing like we were beating her for the whole ride back. I seriously thought the cab driver was going to throw us out of his cab. (We tipped very generously, and you know I made sure it didn't come out of my budget). 

We lived through a couple more inexplicable and inconsolable meltdowns back in the room until finally I threw down the "Listen, we haven't signed all the papers yet, Sister Sledge...quit pushing us..." and that seemed to quiet her down for the moment. Unfortunately, I can really only use that line until our Consulate Appt on Wed. After that, the Codens will be sucking it up.

It was still beautiful out tonight so we walked over to an outdoor restaurant about 5 minutes from the hotel for dinner.  John, Wendy and Catherine the Beautiful showed up and hung out with us, we suffered through another Cranky Frankie meltdown or five and that was that. Cody carried her back to the room and I followed them until I found myself in one of the shops on the way back to the hotel (seriously, how does that happen??)

Back in the room it was bath, bottle, taps and bedtime. I still haven't mastered the towel off after the bath. How do you do it? Do you lie her on the bed? Do you prop her up? Do you put the towel down and just roll her like a canolli? What's the deal? I keep thinking she's going to pee on me if I don't do it fast and get a diaper on her. I gotta tell you, I've been peed on by the Frankster and I'm not so into it. 

Ok, hope you all have a good Monday. It's bedtime here and Cody is out cold on the couch. I don't want to bug him. Can one of you come here and wake him up? 

XO

Frankie, Frankie, you're so fine...

...you're so fine, you blow my mind, hey Frankie!

So, Cody put me on a budget. 

A LOW BUDGET.

I'm not happy. Frankie isn't happy either.

We don't like budgets, especially low ones.

Thankfully there isn't a Bendel here cuz if there was mama would be throwing a Frankie Jade meltdown.

I have noticed that if I say that something is "for Frankie," that seems to be OK. 

Go figure. :)