Sunday and Monday

Hello friends and family! Sorry that the blog posts aren't as frequent as before! In Nanchang we were in the room so much ... and here we are out and about more and the internet is less reliable. All is well here! We are VERY ready to come home!

But it is sweet to have this special time with Kate. She is super playful and she loves to mimic us -opening our mouth wide, writing with a pen, screwing on a bottle top, etc ... she watches with these big bright curious eyes! She takes it all in! The Chinese people always comment about her big bright eyes. She is very smiley and interactive. We can't wait for you to meet her! She is starting to learn that if she cries, we come running! So while she used to go to bed so easily, we just laid her down... now it's starting to be more difficult! You aren't supposed to "baby wise" these babies (which is the eat/sleep method we used with our other two). And when she cries, all you think of is that she was in an orphanage for 15 months and you just need to pick her up!!! So we've basically been spoiling her completely ; ) But she is so young that I think she has really mostly forgotten about the orphanage (this may be wishful thinking on my part) but now we're into regular toddler behavior... so we are starting to let her cry a bit more now and then. Not in a cruel way, but just in a healthy way - to transition her a little bit to home life with 2 sisters! It's gonna be pretty crazy for awhile I imagine!!! ; )) Ok... here are some pictures and explanations from the last few days!

Ok, so below you see the view from our room during the day and a pic of the walk-in closet/dressing area. So nice! Some of our DEAREST friends, Greg and Ginger, live fairly near where we are so they flew over to spend a few days with us! It has been a huge blessing to have them here. What sweet time together! They brought their two boys, which has been fun for Kate too! There's a picture of Ginger's feet when we laid out by the pool (not in swim suits... it's a little cold for us for swimming, but nice to sit out in the sunshine!!!!)



 

More pictures of our room... even the bottled waters were in little Chinese outfits! TV by bathtub, workout bike and little study room... so cool!

 



There's a picture of Kate on the bus (our agency arranges for a bus to take us from place to place - it's all very organized!). Then there's Ginger and Crosby on the bus... and a couple pics of the view from our room at night. So pretty - fountains, etc.

Though she often pretends that she can't because she wants to be held, Kate can stand! And walk holding onto something. We catch her doing it now and then and she immediately sits down then plops down on her back as if to say "oops! nope, can't do that. you'd better hold me!" haha. and we do of course! The breakfasts are so yummy!!!! It's a gorgeous view - here we are eating with our sweet friends! The big group pic below is our whole travel group from our agency. There are 7 families adopting and they all have such neat stories. So awesome!!!

We went to an international church on Sunday - it was awesome! The Chinese people aren't allowed to come - you have to show your international passport at the door to be sure you aren't Chinese. It was such a neat and diverse church! Very cool. Then some packages of Lays chips with odd flavors...

Ginger, who is amazing, made me homemade gluten free banana bread! How she found the ingredients over here I have no idea. I am LOVING it. SO SWEET! And there's a pic of our food stash... and then one of Chinese premium huggies diapers - just as a reminder to myself and any of the rest of you that you need to bring ALL AMERICAN diapers because even the nicest ones over here don't work! I feel the wetness starting to leak out seconds after Kate goes to the bathroom in one of these! I just brought enough US diapers for the first week. That was a mistake! Also, I didnt' bring enough formula. Reminder to myself and others - if you do this trip. you need to bring 2 cans/containers of formula. The imported formula here was $60 US dollars...so now Kate is just getting weak American formula as I try to make this last till the end of the trip! I think we will make it, but next time (if there is a next time) I'll bring more!

Kate in her Chipoa (spelled wrong I'm sure - traditional Chinese dress). I got the girls a lot of these! It was a lot of decision making (which I'm really bad at) and a stressful shopping trip (thank the Lord for Ginger!) but I got through it. Wish I could bring you all Chipoas for your girls but my sanity can't stand the stress of trying to shop for too many of these things! Just to chaotic and crazy! But they are super cute. And the pants outfit is so cute too! You can see her piggies sticking out of it!

Our hotel has a beautiful garden with huge waterfalls. We walked around it last night and loved it! Fish, flowers, paths, so fun!

More pics in the garden - that's the hotel in the background.

Jude (one of Greg and Ginger's boys) playing the drums with his chop sticks ; ) And a cute little outfit for Kate... and some little bracelts for about $1 US dollar each for the girls. Not a great pic b/c she moved her hand, but I love how Kate holds onto me when she's in the sling! So cute! And I've started packing... we're here for awhile longer, but I'm ready to come home so I thought I'd pack! Haha.

Some pics of shopping finds... a turquise necklace for each of our girls when they turn 16? 13? 10? We'll see! And a pearl necklace for Kate on her wedding day (the girl was knotting each pearl individually and we were late to meet the bus, so I only got one for Kate! Might should get the other girls one today - we'll see!). Ginger got each of us this fun chunky bracelet. Then some Chipoas - I have some for them to play in and some nicer ones too. And I got a few sizes up so they'll hopefully fit for awhile!!! The shopping is crazy. If we go back today, I'll take more pics. It's crazy. Miss you all and can't wait to be home and for you to meet little Kate!!!!