Squishy baby

I think the most interesting thing I did yesterday was visit one of my great-aunts (I have what, like at least about 11 of them?) and her family. Went there in the early afternoon with my great aunt (another one) and stayed until dinner, so great aunt number 1 bought me Mcdonald's again (Big Mac this time). I'll have to get her to stop, I've had it for lunch like twice in a row. Mcdonald's is considered semi-expensive in China and it's not exactly seen as unhealthy either so I guess she doesn't know any better. She then left for a dentist appointment so I walked to the bus stop and rode the bus with her a bit later. Great aunt number 2 (the one who's house we were visiting) lives pretty far away so it was 11 stops. Wonder why I know how many stops? Well everytime I go somewhere via bus I count the stops so I know where to get off (they do have English on the actual buses, just not at the stops, but I like to feel secure about not getting lost). It's just a pain because I always lose track of how many stops its been and I get paranoid.

The main entertainment that kept me from getting too bored at my great aunt's place was a little 9-month-old baby boy, the son of my mum's cousin which makes the baby my second cousin. Everyone dotes on him like crazy, because there hasn't been a baby in the family for ages and it's unlikely there'll be another one anytime soon because of the one-child policy (which is confusing because it becomes a two-child policy if both parents don't have siblings). Now, I am definitely not the type that goes all goo-goo-ga-ga over babies (e.g. those supposedly 'cute' babies on the bus that stare at people...no I don't feel all gooey inside and I don't smile at them. Does that make me a cold, heartless soul?). But this baby is THE exception. He is absolutely adorable, and most definitely not in an annoying, aw-watch-how-peacefully-he-sleeps type of way. I can just tell he's a genius, an absolute budding genius. My baby cousin is like, the most precious, gorgeous thing I've seen in awhile. And during the day he stays with great aunt number 2 because his parents work. 

My top favourite things about my new cousin:

-He smiles at you like crazy every single time anyone says his name.

-He points at places that he wants you to carry him to.

-I have never, ever, ever seen him cry. I've spent at least like 10 hours with him too.

-He makes the funniest face when he eats sour orange but keeps on eating it anyway.

-As soon as I carry him he makes a grab for my glasses

-He laughs so much it's insane.

-He knows how to wink! And blow raspberries. And shake his head like crazy.

-He calls me 'baba' (daddy) all the time and he calls his favourite toy 'mama'. Sure he might be suffering from a bit of...identity confusion but it's still cute.

I've got a video of him where he's laughing like crazy. And he does this all the time, for the strangest reasons.  I'm sorry about the freaky woman next to him, that's great aunt number 1 and she is definitely the freakiest out of all my family members. So I apologise for the cringe-inducing tone of voice she's talking in and the amount of times she repeats his name. Over and over. But I guess its a way to make him laugh even harder because he smiles each time anyone says his name.

Not doing much today, going to take the subway to my great-aunt's university and then I might go somewhere I suppose. Maybe Huaihai Rd but window shopping's getting a bit old. I'll think of something though.

Authentic home-made dinner in Shanghai

He's just so cute! Even if he looks like a girl in this jacket.