This has been one of the nicest weeks since we moved to Qingdao. The sky has been clear and blue almost every day. It has been a little too hot, but the mornings have been perfect.

Artemis and I have not been taking advantage of the good weather. We have been leading almost cloistered lives. Our days at home consist of breast feeding, napping and cleaning. No one ever warned me that babies can shoot poop a distance twice their lengths with deadly accuracy.

We are trying to understand each other the best we can, despite the language barrier. Living in China has been good preparation for having a baby because I have become so good at communicating non-verbally. I can tell the difference between a hungry cry and a wet cry, not because the sound is different but because she makes different expressions. It’s pretty much the same way I communicate with my tailor.

I have also learned a lot about her from our brief history together. For example, last night I learned that she turns into a holy terror at night if she misses her naps during the day. I’ll try not to make that mistake again.