Sign, sign, everywhere a sign

Seeing as my theme seems to be poop on this trip, I thought it was a good time to share this picture. Apparently the Chinese think we lounge in the toilet. The bottom part of the picture is for a water closet - Chinese style. The top is the "rest room" with a western toilet. We got a big chuckle out of it.

Leila slept until 8:30 today. Keeps on getting better. And of course I missed breakfast again due to diaper duty. Funny how she knows just the right moment.

Today we had a tour of Guangzhou. We went to a temple to have the babies blessed. When we arrived there was a rare ceremony going on in the temple. It was very interesting to see and beautiful to listen to. After the blessing we went to pray to the female buddah to thank her for the gift of our beautiful daughter. She is the one, according to Chinese belief, who decides weather a child born will be a boy or a girl. It is custom for pregnant women to go to her and pray.

We lit insence in front of the temple with the three buddahs to send our wishes up in smoke to the Gods. I asked Olivia what she wished for - she said "I wish for my green house." That's when I knew it was time to go home. She misses her own bed and the Chinese cartoons aren't the same as "Mousie" (as she refers to Noggin.) She has done very well. Its not an easy trip - especially fighting for attention. Everything is more difficult: bathing, brushing teeth, eating. But she has been a real trouper and we are very proud of her. She makes a great Jie Jie (big sister) and is really bonding with Leila much quicker than I expected.

After the temple we went to a porcelain and jade market. Our driver dropped us off at the door and we all piled. When he backed out he drove right down a stairway - leaving the bus teetering. No one was hurt - and it was the talk of the day.

In the afternoon a tailor came to the hotel to measure us for some custom made traditional clothing. We picked what we wanted made and chose fabrics. I had a dress and a long coat made. I'll be all decked out for Chinese New Year.

Tonight we had massages at the hotel. Our guide arranged for three men to come to the hotel and give us deep tissue massage. It was fabulous! Where were they in Beijing after my climb on the wall?

Leila was less craky today. I think the meds are kicking in on her ear infection. She has slowed a bit on eating. I think she is beginning to understand that the food will keep coming.

P.S. I am having trouble uploading pictures to this post. I'll keep trying. I manage to do 4 months of paperwork, get myself and my family to China with all our gear, do more paperwork, bring home a baby... but I can't upload/download a pictures onto a blog!