Trip to China
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Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Wednesday was a banner day for Miss Eva Grace. We had no appointments so we could spend the whole day focused on her and tracking out a good schedule for her that ensured adequate nutrition, sleep and play. She significantly upped her intake of formula and rice cereal in a bottle downing 5 good sized bottles over the course of the day. We found that eliminating any visual or aural distraction during feedings, cuddling her close and using eye contact kept her focused on eating and she seemed more relaxed after each feed. With food comes poop and that started as well today, to our great joy (?). We worked on her comfort too by applying to her skin rash the three ointments given to us by the Chinese doctor we saw the day before. And in-between all this eating and care, there were three good naps where she looked so peaceful and rested. The most fun though was bonding and playtime!! Eva is craving every kind of movement and touch you can imagine and spends a lot of time with her body pressed to us but she also wants to play baby bouncing games, to fly like an airplane in the air and to dance. All brain food, of course, and it will be good to get her home to our swing set and rocking chair so she can get all she needs. Two highlights of the day; we took a late morning walk along the lake with Eva in her front carrier and got a taste of Nanning. We saw Chinese musicians practicing in pagodas in a beautifully manicured park with high rises in the background. An amusement park with roller skaters, small roller coasters and car rides, games for winning big stuffed animals, and, of course, a carousel. We also saw Betel nut trees, and replicas of the bronze drums for which the Guangxi province is famous. The mid day heat and humidity got to us after awhile but the walk was a treat. And a further highlight - Eva scored her own gold medal with learning how to stand herself up from a crouch and sit position without holding on to anything. So proud of this was she that she squealed with glee and pride to show us her new accomplishment. Just think what 5 bottles of formula might do tomorrow! Much love to all - we love China but we miss Louis and Nathaniel so much and keep dreaming of seeing them soon. P.S. The chicken feet were...delicious, although they didn't really taste like chicken (or doughnuts). Daniel did his due diligence by nibbling two of them, and was relieved when our CCAI guide Hannah came by our table and exclaimed: "are those chicken feet?! Can I have one!?" as if it was a plate of delicious french fries. Daniel generously offered her the rest of the plate and was not-at-all sorry when she accepted. We later received an email from the mother of a CCAI family that had travelled to Nanning that Michael had convinced her sons to try frogs legs! So we'll see what adventure Michael has in mind for us today. Also yesterday morning Daniel ran around the lake that is just outside our hotel in Nanning. It is a very nice run, with many people out on the path (though very few runners). There were many groups of people doing Tai Chi, and musicians in a few spots, including a small group that included several Chinese string and percussion instruments, a cello, a banjo, a small-looking acoustic guitar, an accordian-type instrument, and a woman singing with light amplification. Later during our walk with Eva we came across some of the same musicians in another spot (I think they moved to stay out of the very hot sun). The woman singer was off to the side doing her own thing, including singing what Colette and Daniel both recognized as a gospel melody we have heard sung by the Louvin Brothers and Woody Guthrie among others, although we have not been able to place it yet. The run was Daniel's second in China, he made it 2/3 of the way around the same lake on Monday before the humidity zapped his strength. During that first run, one older woman had cheerfully called out in English "Hello!" Not thinking fast enough to say hello in Chinese ("Ni Hao!"), Daniel just said "Hello!" back. Yesterday he passed the same woman and she again called out "Hello!" Daniel was ready this time and responded "Ni Hao!" As Daniel ran past she said "Goodbye!" Again leaving Daniel stumped. He will be working on his Mandarin for "Goodbye," and "Have a Nice Day" before he runs again on Friday.

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