Pavilion and Bath and Pyjamas and Shopping

Tuesday, May 11

A free day today with a slow start …after breakfast we hung out in the room, and Ni Shi had a great time with the play cell phone, pretending to make phone calls, very interactive with this, responsive to Cher and Popo’s verbal play in Chinese. The phone has short recorded messages … one is a very perky “Hi there! Want to come out and play?” which she really enjoys mimicking. Even though it’s just gibberish to her, she’s pretty good at getting the sounds of the English, and the rhythm and tones of voice are perfect. The girl has a good ear. With a bit of coaching, she said hello to her Uncle John on the real phone. 

Shirley, our facilitator, took the group on the bus to the Tong Wong Ge Pavilion. We walked around the gardens and many statues, rang the big gong 10 times for good luck.

After returning to the hotel, Ni Shi had her first bath, not a happy camper taking off the clothes she was wearing when she was brought to Cher … she accepted the bath without too much trouble, though, and let Cher wash her hair. Most of the group went out together for dinner to a Chinese steakhouse (go figure) that was very noisy, and food not so great, but the company was very enjoyable!

Ni Shi ate very well, and more slowly than last night thanks to Cher and Nadine’s controls. It was fun - people are settling in with their babies and each other.






Shortly after we got back to the hotel, Ni Shi actually took off her shoes and socks by herself, and let her grandmother put her pajamas on her and brush her teeth without any concerns.

She really enjoys the toys Cher has brought for her.

Wednesday, May 12

Another slow start morning. Cher isn’t getting much sleep, since Ni Shi thrashes around on Cher’s bed quite a bit (though sleeps really soundly). Ni Shi has a little cold (doctor says it will run it’s course, no problem), so there’s a lot of sniffling and nose blowing.

Today was another rather chaotic day … breakfast at the hotel, and she was cranky. After breakfast we all met to see some local color





… went to a porcelain shop, as that’s the specialty craft of Jiangxi province.

All the families are having their ups and downs, but since Ni Shi has more language and understanding of her situation but not why or what to expect. She was attached to previous caretakers, and gets very upset when she remembers them. And she’s a very high energy and stubborn kid … Cher has her hands full. Dr. Jerry keeps reassuring that it takes time, that there’s no way to establish a routine until she gets home, but it’s difficult.




And she’s smart and funny. Today she made the step of riding in the stroller (which she resisted yesterday), she’s enjoying her meals, her toys, likes playing. The more she’s with us, the more language she seems to have. Cher and Nadine have been talking with her a lot … and she’s a chatterbox. She knows some nursery rhymes. Seems it’s difficult sometimes to understand her dialect.

It’s been very hot, and the hotel’s air conditioning is out. This afternoon they brought up a fan, which feels great.