Tuesday in Nanchang, Jiangxi

Yesterday was a great day, my first full one with Miss E! It is 3 AM now and jet-lag still appears to be winning and I was up for the day at 1:30 AM.

Here she is in all her morning crazy-hair glory!

Each morning we go down and eat breakfast at our hotel's very expansive breakfast buffet.  They serve everything from noodles to pancakes to dumplings.  Ellie ate well and we had a great breakfast, Heather and I even got to enjoy TWO cups of coffee......we needed it! Ellie is SUCH a neat girl, she doesn't get a drop on her when she eats and if she gets something on her hand she immediately gives me her hand to wipe off.  This is something I have not experienced with  my boys:)

After breakfast we came back up to hang out in the room as our guide and driver wouldn't be here until 10:30.  Ellie really came alive after  breakfast and her personality is so flippin adorable, she is so spirited and sweet. 

http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u17/cpagano1/?action=view&current=MVI_0181.mp4

We were told we could not use a stroller when we toured the Pagoda so I decided to try Ellie in the ergo carrier and as soon as she was in, she nestled in........awwww!!

We met the Kim family (another AAC family) in the lobby and left with Maggie (our guide) and driver (I don't know his name, he is yet to utter a word to us on the 3 instances we have seen him) and set off to tour one of the oldest Pagodas in China, the Teng Wang Pavilion in Nanchang, Jiangxi.  The pavilion was first built in 653 after poet Tang Bo. 

Right after this picture we started up the steps to enter the pagoda and I felt a bit like Po from Kung Fu Panda with my little love strapped to me the whole way trying to make it to the top! lol

This is the famous poem for which this pagoda was built.  Maggie told us that children in Nanchang hate this poem because they have to memorize it in school and it is very long.

This is the Chinese version of Romeo and Juliet.

Ancient piano

This piece was called 100 Butterflies and Flowers and was made with real butterflies

It was amazing to see how their industrialized city grew around this ancient structure.

I am attaching this picture because I had just given her highness her snack and she was directing me to put her doll under the strap of the carrier so she wouldn't have to hold it.  We can't communicate but this little girl still lets me know what she wants! A few minutes before this I had taken our tickets out of her hand and she put on a show like no other, lip out, sharp intake of breath and immediately covered her face in her hands before burying her head on my shoulder.  Two seconds later she picked her head up and peered at me as Heather and I just stared at her in shock, laughing.  Ellie is going through a lot but is still just a little girl who is capable of being a drama queen.  Here is a video of her sweetness, I can't get enough of her. 

http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u17/cpagano1/?action=view&current=Tuesday062.mp4



This was a mural of the important people of Jaingxi. 

Sorry for all the history pictures but my third-grader, Nic is studying China this week and I wanted to be sure to share lots of pictures for him so he can show his class. 

After a wonderful time at the pagoda we walked  to a restaurant called The One that Maggie told us was the fanciest restaurant in Nanchang.........the meal for Heather, Ellie and I was $45 USD.  We had our own private room and several waitstaff helping us.  Our table was filled with several plates, glasses, chopsticks, fancy spoons and bowls, it was a bit overwhelming not knowing what utensil or dish to use and when.  We were served course after course of the local cuisine including noodles, chicken feet and a fruit called dragoneye which tasted a bit like a plum.  It was a very elegant meal and when we were done we went to a porcelain shop as that is what Jiangxi is known for, it was beautiful. 

That was the end of our touring day and we spent the rest of the day in our hotel room with a short break for Heather in the workout room and one for Ellie and I walking around the hotel lobby with her purse. 

Who doesn't like relaxing with a little Ni Hao Kai-lan after dinner?

She did remarkably well yesterday with only a few periods of intense crying and grieving.  She let me comfort her so that is a good sign.  She is also showing signs of anxious attachment and coming to me for safety so I hold onto these things as my hope that she will be just fine.  My little girl is amazingly strong and I am amazed by her. 

Tomorrow, which is actually today for us as we have been up most of the night (not Ellie she sleeps just fine) we will be touring People's Park and a Buddhist Temple.