Blogs from Henan, China, Asia - page 8

Okay, am starting to see what people mean when they say that when you have one child, the parents can still control. When you have two, it is really more like twelve. We took the boys downstairs to breakfast this morning, which began in a general atmosphere of peace and calm. How quickly it degenerated. Bao insisted on taking his milk in a coffee cup which means that the chair he was sitting in (because he refused the highchair) got most of the milk. Jin decided today to toddle around the breakfast area and show all of the diners the egg in his mouth. Bao ran between a waiter's legs while he was attempting to balance a number of trays. The entire area dissolved into chaos within, what seemed like, mere seconds. And am so embarrassed ... read more

Hi All, Got a little bit lost today but it all worked out ok in the end. We started off the day by meeting an Italian couple from Turin at the bus station. They are here in China on holiday. We couldn't find the bus stop so we took another bus instead. I thought I had seen the Gualin Temple from the bus yesterday so off we went. We got off where I thought the temple was. Unfortunatly it wasn't a temple but some gardens for the peony flowers, which is all well and good but they aren't in flower at the moment. After a little help from a policeman, I must try and learn some chinese if only for directions, we got onto another bus and found the temple. Big hi to the old chinese ... read more

Well, the day started off pretty peaceably, actually, pretty well really. We awoke leisurely and went down to have our first breakfast meal together as a family. Jin did great, he ate watermelon, yogurt, egg and cereal and smiled quite a bit at breakfast. We had to do registration and notary paperwork today, so were just preparing to meet everyone in the lobby when Allen said "Bao split his eye open!" Heart in my mouth, I rushed over and he was bleeding heavily and screaming from a pretty steep cut above his eye (thankfully not in his eye). There is a marble sill that runs along the length of our window and Allen said he slipped on it. We cleaned it and bandaged it and raced down to the lobby to go, but it started really ... read more

Hi All, So we're here in Luoyang for a few days. Not much to see in the city really. We went and had a walk around the old city. We're off to the Longmen Grottoes tomorrow. Enjoy the photos Jah Bless ... read more

We are here in Jin's province, Henan, and in the same city where he is staying, Zhengzhou. Cannot believe the day is finally near. As I sit here looking out the huge picture window at the fish and rock pond below, Bao is fast asleep on the bed in just a diaper. I am hot because although I am enjoying the nice picture window in our room, the air con cannot keep up with the sweltering heat outside. They just brought in the baby cribs and I told them that and now they have left the door open. Wouldn't that make it hotter in here? I am irritated and shouldn't be as they are trying the best they can. I start unpacking but Bao follows behind me like a shadow, reaching into suitcases as far as ... read more

It is 5 a.m. and I am writing in semi-darkness. Bao is still asleep and has been so since 5 yesterday. Today is the day. Am trying not to have too big of an expectation regarding the much anticipated first meeting of Bao and Jin. Yesterday at the airport while waiting for flights/bags/etc., I tried to talk to Bao about getting a brother. I asked him what he will do when he sees him. I said that Jin is waiting for Bao. Bao said "Hit Jin", swatting at the air in front of him. Then I asked him what he will say when he sees him, and he said "Sorry" which means that he is still planning on the hitting. Then someone else asked Bao about getting a brother, and he said "Go away Jin" and ... read more