Daddy's Going to China?

All year long, Steve has been telling us he's going to have to go to China on a business trip.  It was originally slated for May, but then got delayed until end of summer, and then it got delayed until fall.  Finally a date was set, tickets were purchased, and Visa was approved for trip in the middle of October.

The trip was going to fall right over Bean's real birthday.  So we had to delay her birthday party to the end of the month.  I had set up plans to go visit friends, stay with my parents for a few days, and even set up to host  a baby shower (with Steve gone, he wouldn't have to figure out where to go all afternoon).

With less than 2 weeks away from departure day, Steve got notified from his boss of a change in the project he was working on and to cancel the trip because what he was going for is no longer needed. Steve was frustrated that what he had been working on all year was sort of pointless and sad he wouldn't get to go experience China; however, he is thankful to not have to leave his family. Boy are we thankful too! Although, now I've had to cancel my plans (which I was really looking forward to some visits).  I'll just have to sneak away for a few days!

Before knowing that his trip was cancelled, we went out to eat at a Chinese restaurant to educate Steve on how to use chopsticks and get ready for the cuisine (because American Chinese and real Chinese are totally the same, right?). So now we are all chopstick masters (even Bean helped us!).

(What good technique daddy!  Bean loved eating the rice from the chopsticks.  And for the record, she ate ravioli that I brought from home with her hands, haha.)