Monday Sept 6th- Labor Day!

Photo captions.

1- Dad makes a great seat.. and his nose a good handle. 2. White Swan red couch shot. 3. Pearls pearls pearls..talk about some inventory! 4. cool escalator ads as we go up to McDonalds. 5. Micky D's. 6.squat potty.. haven't tried it myself yet...David has. 7. our Hotel...street side. 8. Cute kid brushing up on her Mandarin.

Howdy.. sorry I didn't get to update Monday Eve.. David was on the PC and then I just fell asleep.

Not much went on today. After breakfast we met our guide Grace and the other CCAI family (our agency) for the famous White Swan red couch pictures. We were laughing that we had bought the same color outfit for our girls!
After a quick visit to the room we went to the pearl market. Basically an 8 story mall where they sold jewelry, shoes, clothes all sorts of stuff. Grace our guide took us to the reputable place to buy some pearls. They have fresh water and salt water. I got a few pairs and then we got a nice pair for Robyn for her 16th birthday. Very inexpensive. Then we popped in to a McDonalds to see what it is like.. nifty. We got curly fries which is a new item here.. but not in US yet. They were very tasty.. and a coke. Yum.
Back at the hotel we were able to settle her down to a nap, and then we both napped as well. Afterwards we went walking around the island to the French Restaurant.. called the Orient Express.. it's a train theme sort of thing. This is the first restaurant that had a regular high chair with its own tray.. wood very much like the one we have at home. She LOVED it.. she was soo excited to be in her own chair with table! David had the escargot, duck of some sort and a custard dessert (prefix meal). I had the pork schnitzel. Very good. The meal was excellent. Robyn enjoyed eating some of my mashed potatoes and she loves these puff cracker things that the Chinese have for their kids. They melt in their mouth…if you are not careful she inhales them.. so we have to ration them to her one at a time! She was in SUCH a good mood after dinner, we walked around a bit and visited Jordan's shop. Another souvenier type place.. we got all sorts of fun stuff for us and for gifts. The owner is VERY personable and wrote out Robyn's name in Chinese for us for free. It's really pretty.

Back to the room for some play time.. shot of her reading the Mandarin book… then a bottle and a few laps around the hotel floor and out she went. We did so much better today. We are getting better at reading when she has a dirty diaper… or hungry or just frustrated. We can see her brain really starting to put things together. We think.She has the intelligence of a 18mo old.. . but the skills of a 12month old.. she loves to watch other children. We are going to try some sign language. She learns so quick so it can't be too hard. Oh.. she can clap now.. before it was a tummy slap.. which is sooo cute. But now her hands meet!

It's now Tuesday. Today is our free day. After breakfast we went to the playroom here at the hotel and then met another family from Georgia and chatted with them for a long time. They were awesome, they gave us some swim diapers and these nifty mats that stick to the table for easy meal clean up in a restaurant! Their daughter is 21months and is walking. David held Robyn up next to her and she's almost the same height.. but much more petite. Their little girl's name is Ren and as her mom put it.. baby got back!!! Not like my skinny kid!

Afterwards we went out for lunch at Lucy's.. Robyn had some chicken Congee, which is basically watery rice with little bits of chicken.. then she peed like everywhere. Good thing it was a like an enclosed patio area.. I was able to change her up quick. Then we could tell she was getting tired so we headed back and now she is taking her afternoon nap.

After her nap we are going to go get my blouse and some tea. Then back for a swim.. That should be fun!!!

I will finish up Tuesday (today's) post later on today! Go figure.
ZaiJian,
~Donna