Saturday

I was up bright and early and decided to skype the family earlier than expected because I needed to do paperwork with my guide Daniel.  It is all almost complete...I'll be glad to be done with paperwork.

View from our room

So, we saw our family this morning.  Everyone looked great...Mike had just fixed dinner for the crew, and it was snowing.  Jordan had little school this week because of all the snow.  Ivy finally got to see her brothers.  The last time we skyped, the boys were still in the bed.  Ivy does not talk at all when we skype.  She just smiles and smiles.  I know it will take time just like it did with me.  As soon as we were finished with skype, she started talking up a storm.  Whenever we get around my guide, she clams up.  But, she'll talk to people on the street with no problems.  I think she associates Daniel with negative things. 

We went for the TB check this morning after breakfast.  Yes, she needed a chest X-ray, which was negative.  My doctor back home told me that my girls skin TB test will always be positive because they've had the TB vaccination.  It seems kind of redundant, but that is immigration for you.

 

Chinese New Year decorations at the hotel

After the paperwork I told Ivy I needed to take my laundry out and go to the store.  She looked at me and said, "no".  Apparently, she is a homebody.  I then told her, "yes".  So, on we went and she actually enjoyed Carrefour's becuase I bought some chocolate and juice for her.  She also thought the magnetic ramp escalator was a blast.

In the taxi

Outside Carrefour's

Having fun!

I met another lady with our agency who was traveling alone.  She's a single mom with a very mature 3 year old.  She uses chopsticks like a pro.  We had dinner at the Shanghai-style restaurant near the medical exam office.  It was very good.  Tomorrow we are going to White Cloud Mountain after breakfast.

Enjoying her new play-dough

 

Jumping rope

Ivy continues to do well.  She tells me stories in Chinese and rattles on about her friends.  I wish I knew what she says.  She is a very sweet girl.  She doesn't willingly give me affection, but accepts mine and kisses my cheek when I ask.  Things are good.  I can only imagine what is going through that little mind of hers.

*Ivy does not pay much attention to babies.

*Eva now has a mullet.

*Joy asks why Ivy cannot talk.
*Ivy's 5slim pants fit perfectly, but cutting it close in length.

*Did you know that flight attendants can only fly over the north pole path to Asia a few times a year because of the high radiation levels at the pole?  I had no idea!

*I watched a man at my gate at JFK pull out a box-cutter type knife.  He cut his apple in half and gave it to his wife, then proceeded to get on board our flight with that box-cutter.  So much for our security.

*You have to pay for your plastic bags at Carrefour's.  Three yuan!  That is okay because I need bags for car trips in case Ivy gets sick.

*You also have to pay for your napkins here in Guangzhou.  Make sure you bring wipes to dinner.