Long Time No Blog

---

I am being told that Darla is getting calls and messages asking if I am okay. Blogging is not a natural thing for me. So it is easy for me to forget to sit down and type an update. Not to mention that I have a few other things going on now that I have Aislinn Kaixin with me. So let's talk about those other things.

First, I want to mention the food. I have been pretty much eating three things: Dim-sum, Raman Noodles, and Egg Noodles. The breakfast buffet has many, many options, but I am trying to stay away from the American fare. That being said, I consider chocolate croissants to be French and thus fair game. Same with French fried potatoes... just kidding. Lots of vegetable buns, meat buns, and my favorite red bean buns. Spicy cauliflower is nice for breakfast, too. I love all things spicy. Lunch is always fast and in my room Raman is king for that. I had a local version yesterday - hot and sour sweet potato noodles, yum and cough. We tried dinner at New Island Coffee shop once.....once. It was an odd service and the food was, um, bad. I had spicy pepper chicken hot pot, which featured what can only be described as fried chicken skin and dried peppers. It was not very good by my standards. I also ordered cold tea, expecting hot tea. Or did I order hot tea, expecting cold. I cannot be sure since the waitress was very confused by everything we said. One of the other families almost ending up with three meals. So we have been sticking with the noodle place in the Holiday Inn. It would be nice if I could remember the name. It is cheap, around $5 US dollars, and very good. I have been sticking with the tomato and egg split noodles. Of course, I pick out the mushrooms. Not a fan of fungus.

It is a challenge to eat my lunch and feed a baby, so there have been six meals a day. Three for her and three for me. I always feed her before I leave to eat so I can eat in peace, yeah right. I end up feeding her with me too, or trying to keep her entertained. But I cannot complain, she is a perfect angel. She lives up to her name, happy. I am truly blessed that she is so well behaved. I only wish I was that well behaved. I think I fuss more than she does.

We completed the registration and got her passport in Zhengzhou and left for Guangzhou yesterday. It was her first flight and see did wonderfully. She tried to sleep on the plane, but there was too much noise (other babies being a bad examples and crying). I kept the Gerber Puffs (made from the best stuff on Earth) flowing and gave her a bit of my dinner, which seemed like a repackaged MRE. I called it chicken "meat" and potatoes, it tasted like chicken, but I swear I saw a beak...

Also, for those thirsty for details, I have been in short supply since I have assumed everyone knows what I know. Aislinn Kaixin was born on November 29, 2009. in Nanyang, Henan, China. She was found at Nanyang City Central Hospital on December 9, 2009. She has a congenital cleft lip and palate. Her lip has been repaired. She is currently 17 lbs and quite healthy. Her nannies said she loves her bath, but she seems to cry every time we get near the tub. She loves congee and oatmeal and can feed herself small snacks - like Gerber Puffs, natures best baby snacks.

---