Porcelain!

Hi again, all. Okay, first I must confess, I made a mistake in my blog of yesterday. The internet access costs me 1 yuan per minute (not 70 per minute as I said). So, no need to take up a collection just yet.

And before I forget, I want to direct you all over the C & M's website where they are recounting this trip. It's a great site, with lots more interesting information than I have here. Check it out at http://realtravel.com/china-trips-i1683288.html

So today we visited a porcelain store. As you know, China is known for its porcelain (why do you think we call it china?) -- and Jiangxi is the province is most famous for its porcelain. So, we went to pick up a couple of momentos for the girls. (Even though we were given a gift of a small vase for each girl by the Jiangxi province officials when we adopted them.) Well, we purchased a couple of necklaces (for about Cdn$2 each) for the girls, but I couldn't stop there. I also purchased a tea set and a beautiful vase. Hopefully these things will make it to Canada in one piece. I think I'll be bringing them as carry-on baggage.

After the visit to the porcelain store, we also visited the People's Park in Nanchang. It was beautiful. Full of big trees, beautiful architecture, and lots of things to look at. Here are a couple of pics. I have at least 70 or 80 more.


We also visited a temple that is located close to our hotel. It was nice to get out with the girls, but it was really hot. I don't usually find it too bad when we're out, but the heat really does not agree with me. I can't take too much of it. Luckily this temple is only about a block from our hotel and we were there and back in about an hour. It was nice to see some greenery.

Now, on to discussions of the girls...

DoT and I have two theories when it comes to E. First, we now believe that she may have been sleeping in a family bed in her foster home. Last night, as with all the other nights, we managed to get E down in her crib by about 8:00 p.m. And once again, as with every other night, she woke up after a few hours. When this happens one of us picks her up, walks her around until she is asleep again (or very close to it) and then tries to put her back in her crib. And which point she starts a little meltdown. Well, last night at about 3 a.m., after several unsuccessful attempts at getting her into her crib, I finally just gave up and laid her down next to me on the bed -- between me and a wall. Well, she was quite happy to lay on the bed with me, and went to sleep relatively quickly. And any time after that that she started to fuss I just had to stroke her and she went right back to sleep. And we had to wake her up this morning to avoid being late for the trip to the porcelain factory! So this is now our new approach. To get her to sleep, we lay down on the bed with her. Here's a picture of her going to sleep tonight next to DoT..


DoT had his arm around her (but I made him move it so I could get this pic), and she was stroking his hair. She seems to like his hair. I guess 'cause it stands straight up like hers does. :-) Anyhow, she fell asleep with her arm around his head. How cute is that.

Our second theory is that she has never worn a diaper before this week. Although, we're less sure about this one. The theory is based on the fact that every time we've changed her diaper it is a pretty traumatic event for her. She screams, arches her back, clenches her legs together, etc. Once the diaper is on and we pick her up she is okay again. So, we're thinking that she used to be in split pants. (For those who aren't familiar with split pants, in China lots of babies wear split pants and no diaper. When it's time to go, they are just held over a toilet, or wherever they are meant to go, and let her fly.) The reason we're less convinced of this theory though, is that today I changed her and she was actually okay. So, I don't know what to think. I'd like to think she is just getting used to a diaper now, but I've changed her again since that time, with the same hysterics.


Yesterday, I think I promised a picture of A smiling. Anyhow, I didn't think at the time that I had a shot of her laughing, but DoT informed me that he had taken some pictures. I just wasn't looking in the right place for them. So, here's one of A, in a typical happy moment.








Also, some of you have asked for a picture of the whole family. Unfortunately, up until now, it's always been either DoT or I holding the camera. But tomorrow I'll try to get C or M to take a picture of us all. Until then, here's a couple of shots of E and A interacting. (They're not always this good with each other.)
















Finally, responses to comments to yesterdays blog...

• Wendy -- Yes. The stores are generally air conditioned, as is the bus we use to get everywhere we go. Makes it a lot more enjoyable.
• Auntie Em -- Their ears look a bit different to me, but I can't really tell. They just won't hold still side by side so I can really compare. :-)
• SP -- A has 4 teeth, E has 3 (but we think the 4th may pop out soon). Family pic to come soon (hopefully)
• meg -- Glad to hear from you too. Will pass on the "hi" to DoT. (P.S. We haven't called home because our phone card doesn't work from this hotel. Will call when we get back to Beijing.)
• Cool Cat - ES -- we actually figured out who you were shortly after I ended my session last night. And yes, we have air conditioning in the hotel, bus, etc. It's only the government offices (where we're doing lots of paperwork) and outside that it's so stinking hot.
• PF -- heh. Yeah, time when we're back home. I doubt it.
• Q (T's mom) -- no problem on the Yuan. I've mentioned it to DoT, so hopefully one of us will remember.
• UncleJ -- I don't know.... they can fill a diaper pretty fast. :-) Oh, and I can't check out that link yet. I get a pop-up box when I try and since it's in Chinese I can't see what it's saying. May be able to check it out when we get back to Beijing.

Okay, so that's it for tonight. Tomorrow we pick up the babies' passports, and then later in the day fly back to Beijing. So, there may not be a blog update tomorrow. It depends on what time we get into the hotel and how tired we all are.

Have a great day, all. Blog ya soon. K