Thursday,
June 2
Last night was a relaxed night of KFC and hangin' in the
room. We
did not
end up watching a movie because by the time I got back to the
room from
emailing the update it was pitch black in the room.
Isabelle had
fallen asleep
and so had Stefanie and Tori. So, it was time to go to
sleep at 9:00
p.m.
Good thing too because at 9:34 p.m. Isabelle awoke us with a cry
that
meant
she wasn't going back to sleep until something changed.
Stefanie
rocketed
out of the bed, grabbed her from the crib, and tried rocking her
and
patting
her back -- both failed. Being the "super dad" that I am,
I jumped up
insisting that I had the cure and began rocking her and patting
her
back.
What's different in my approach and Stefanie's you ask?
Why mine is
mine
and hers is hers. I was shocked to discover that my
technique also
failed...
how could it be? Mom instinct kicked in and Dr. Mom,
doctorate from
renowned
"Been There, Done That" University, proclaimed with great
aplomb, "It
must
be gas. Hold her while I get the medicine." And with
a dash to the
bathroom
for the cure all she was gone. Isabelle was still crabby
and no amount
of Dad
love was going to sooth her. Our heroine returned and
administered the
correct dosage of this miracle medicine and ten seconds later
our pip
squeak
was back in bed and lights out until a little before 5:00 a.m.
While Stefanie rocked her I fixed her bottle of formula
and then
brought it
to her hoping that the joy of the rescue would be repeated from
the
night
before but alas the dad was not the hero because Isabelle was
fed by
the
heroine from the night before. Stefanie continues to grow
in stature
in the
eyes of our youngest daughter. It is a joy to watch them
interact.
Isabelle
watches and knows where Stefanie is at all times. After
eating and
playing on
the bed a bit, Isabelle was tired again and laid down for a nap.
I
stayed in the
room and Stefanie and Tori went to the breakfast buffet.
They came
back and
it was my turn. When I got back to the room Isabelle was
up and
playing with
the girls. She has such a great smile and laugh. She
does get cranky
when
she is hungry or tired but otherwise she is very jovial.
In the room
she
laughs, giggles, smiles, and is quite animated but she gets very quiet
and unresponsive in crowds. While we are out with her we have
been getting
a lot
of stares and advice, at least we think it is because they are
speaking
Chinese
to us when the advice is given, by the Chinese people who pass
or
gather
around us. It is a good thing we were warned about the
stares and,
what we
would consider, forward behavior of the Chinese. We have
wondered if
the
stares are because fewer adoptees come from the Jiangsu province
than
from
other provinces. Sophie told us that last year there were
400
adoptions from
this province but 6,000 from 3 other provinces (2,000/ea).
We went on a tour today of a mausoleum of a Dr. that
brought China
together (can't remember his name right now but he is the George
Washington of China). He brought the provinces together
and
established
their constitution, or governing principles as the Chinese call
them.
It was
392 steps up to his tomb and his crypt is in a rotunda that has
a
ceiling with
one white star in a sea of blue that represents the sky.
To get to his
marble,
carved casket you must go through the room of silence that has
the
governing principles etched into the wall. Very impressive
site and
the most
famous tourist spot in Nanjing. It was hot and humid
already so
climbing the
stairs only added to the amount of sweat pouring from our
bodies. The
weather here reminds me a lot of the weather in Houston or
College
Station
during the summer -- hot and humid. After touring the tomb
we did some
quick shopping and the lady at the store got me to pay more than
I
wanted
for a silk outfit, but it was still an awesome deal.
After coming back to the hotel, we tried the pool but
it was too
cold for
Isabelle. Though she would have had the entire Paris haute
couture
crowd
clamoring after her with the cute flowered bikini she was
sporting. It
just has
to be all the rage this summer. I stayed at the pool as
the ladies
returned to
the room. After another bottle, Isabelle was down for the
count so Tori and
Stefanie ran out and got some groceries for the room.
Tonight we went to dinner with Sophie, the Byce family, and
another couple that has adopted. It was the best meal we have
eaten since we
arrived in China. Had cashew chicken, mongolian beef,
fried rice,
steamed
rice, and it was a ton of food. Afterwards we went with
the Byces and
had
McDonalds soft serve ice cream. After a few quick stops in
some stores
it
was back to the room for some downtime, Isabelle's bath, and
then we
will all
go to sleep.
Tomorrow Sophie gets the childrens' passports so that
we can leave
on
Saturday for Guangzhou.
Good night from China!
|
Tori and Isabelle in the latest swimwear
fashion for this summer
Pausing for a picture in the shade
Stefanie, Tori and Isabelle in full repose
Pausing before attacking 392 steps at the tomb
What a scene prior to the climb
Isabelle poses in the first dress Stefanie
bought for her in July 2004. |
