Happy Hairy Crab Day

Miriam's teacher- Wang Laoshi (her last name is Wang and Laoshi means teacher). You do not say Ms. Wang in Chinese. This teacher has been great to Miram and speaks some English.

These are all the announcement outside her classroom door- I have no idea what they say. I hate this!!!!!

Some of Miriam's classmates and when their Bdays are.

It might be Halloween in the US today but that is far from any one's mind in Shanghai! On Monday morning I walk into Miriam's classroom and see a whole basket full of dead and dried crab heads. Miriam exclaims "Mommy these are my class crabs!" Great I think. I hope they go right into the trash!

I come back to get her in the afternoon and Miraim leads me over to her art project. Which I took a picture of below. I really was speechless....what do you say when your 4.5 year old makes a picture with a crab head...except "Honey I love it!". There they were a whole wall full of different animals and people all with crab heads.

The Hairy Crab is in season here. These little river crabs are in season for only about two months and for those two months is seams everyone MUST have crabs. Joab and I had some...they are okay. I think something you must have to grow up loving.

Miriam talked to me about her crab head project all the way home. We were crossing this huge intersection with hundreds maybe thousands of people. I was straining to hear what Miraim was telling me from her seat on the back of her bike. She was saying "Mommy, wouldn't it be just great if we could buy some crabs and keep the heads and make more art projects at home?" So, is my life here in China. Forget making carmel apples, going to a pumpkin patch- Miriam is content with crabs.

Lion Crab- made by a classmate

Ballet Crab- made by Miriam