Hello - No Worries

Hi Guys:

Sorry I haven't updated before now -we were either way too busy or way too tired! So thought I should send a quick note instead to let all know that we made it here - yesterday actually. We are all very, very tired. We were all up by 3am this morning - neither mom or I slept on the plane (Chlo slept about 2 hours on the plane) - so we've all been going on adrenaline today.

We did Tianneman Square, Forbidden City, lunch at a local's house (this was absolutely fabulous!), rickshaw rides (can not even explain how awesome this was as we were able to see the "real" China! Chlo could not stop smiling through the whole thing!). I asked her what she was thinking about
Chloe: Nothing you need to know

Me: I am your mom - I need to know everything!

Chloe: I am thinnking about a story in my head

Me [a bit amazed at my daughters maturity sometimes] - Are you glad you came or do you wish you would have stayed home?

Chloe: Mommy, I am so glad I came!
That's all I needed!

Then we went to the Silk factory (don't ask what I bought - I about had to regurgitate from buyers remorse and it is only the second day of the trip).

Then we went to the Acrobatic show - which was edge of your seat Circ d Solei kind of thing and Chlo completely melted down right when we got there - she had crashed on the bus around 5:00 and I couldn't wake her - we walked into the theater and she started having her "night terror" behavior - but I think she was too tired to complete even that. Poor kid - she has been such a trooper and just finally hit the wall.
She watched maybe 20 min of the acrobats and fell back a sleep. We then went out to have Peking Duck for dinner and she slept on my lap all the way through it. She is in bed now (after eating some instant noodles that we had left from the plane) and I'm hoping she will sleep through the night.

I have to say - so far (and I know it has only been 2
days) but this trip is far better than the first. For one the food is incredible - seriously - flavorful and my spicy craving has been cured as of tonight.
My gosh - I had totally typed a half a sentence and do not remember what I was going to say!!! This jet lag sucks - no brain left.

Our guide Joe is awesome. You won't believe this - actually, those that know me, will believe this. We woke up this morning and I was trying to make some coffee for mom (using the fancy press that Kel bought) and I couldn't find a spoon to scoop the coffee; I then remembered that I had brought some baby spoons for Gianna which I had put in the black/silver bag that I assigned Chloe too so I looked around in our room and it slowly dawned on me that I had never grabbed that bag at the baggage claim in Beijing!!!!
Nope - just grabbed moms big bag and my big bag and out the door we went - this is what happens when I don't sleep for 48 hours! Ok, I digress - did I mention that our guide Joe is awesome? I told him my little story this morning and he made some phone calls came back to me all nervous stating that since I was the one that didn't pick it up that the airport would not deliver it to the hotel - and I'm like - I don't need it! (it just had baby snacks and official gifts and the orphanage donation in it so nothing I needed
urgently) so they are going to keep it there until we go back there on Sunday to fly to Nanning - so it worked out perfectly - actually better since I now don't have to cart around one extra suitcase!!! I have no idea what I would have done without Joe!

Tomorrow we are doing my utmost favorite things - Summer Palace (Kel this was the place with all the "doorway" Kodak moments), and the Great Wall and at some point the Jade Factory (really I could skip the latter only because I have spent so much already).

Mom has been a complete trooper! Only 3 smokes today believe it or not. I'm sure I will have some stories I can tell later though!

Mom is determined (as am I) to get some 2008 Olympic stuff - we have seen some stuff around and there was quite a bit at that Acrobat theater but that was when Chloe was not herself so mom was responsible for carrying our stuff while I tried to lug dead weight Chloe around (not an easy task even though she is a little pumpkin). I am hoping that we can grab some of these souvenirs tomorrow as it really is the only thing mom wanted and of course I want her to have it!

Need to go to bed - hope all is well in the states!

Love you all - not sure when I will be able to update the blog or upload some pics but will try before we leave Beijing - if not then when we get to nanning.
It is defintiely cold here - but sunny during the day.

Kim