Taxi!!!

So the novelty of the taxi ride has worn off slightly.  We do have a system down, though.  Dad flags the taxi, the big boys pile in the back first, followed by Mommy and Rowan, while Dad gets in the front.  Next, we go through multiple variations of “Jin Shui Wan” which is how you say our neighborhood in Chinese.  Apparently our Chinese isn’t great (surprise, surprise), and with the different tones for each Chinese word, how you say it is important.  Once we get the location secured, most of my time is spent repeating a litany of the following phrases…”no you can’t sit up front with Daddy”, “stop pushing on your brother”, “turn around”, “sit on your bottom”,  “get your feet off the seat”, “STOP TOUCHING EVERYTHING”!  I really should just get a recording.  Occasionally we get a really crazy taxi driver who is clearly more concerned with speed than safety.  For those times, I’m happy to be in the back with the boys, rather than up front where the action is up close and personal.  Given these weekly forays into city living, it should come as no surprise that the boys have invented a new game around it…enter Rowan’s new plasma car.  Granted, it’s red, not yellow or blue like the taxis here, but it has become our in-house taxi.  One of the boys will get on and drive around the living room until he is flagged down by one of his brothers.  The brother gets on the back and tells the driver where he wants to go.  According to Reid, you get extra points if you can say it in Chinese.  I have to say, hearing Rowan say “Jin Shui Wan” is absolutely hysterical!  They can also go to Wal-Mart, church, or Times Square (which is another shopping area).  Once they reach their destination, the driver and passenger switch, and the fun starts all over again.  As in real life, at times the plasma taxi has a crazy driver.  Fortunately no one’s life is in danger, though, just your ankles.