Some pictures from today

Today was another big day. We had breakfast in the Dolton Hotel restaurant to start the day. Andy and I were really hungry since the previous night we only had Lays potato chips and oreos! Room service didn't even cross our minds after our long day. I think I filled my plate at the buffet about 4 times! Then Natalie and I went back to the room to take a 2 hour nap - much needed by both of us - while Andy went to the fitness center to work out. After naptime Natalie showed us how she is beginning to crawl. She has really made great strides developmentally this week. She is smiling often, laughing, rocking, and seems to be just plain happier. It has been such an amazing transformation to watch. She is feeling so much better now that the fever is gone. Her cold is hanging on, but otherwise she's great!

Natalie loves to peek at you through the bars of her crib

Happily waving one of her cups and smiling at Mommy

We spent a little time in the play room to pass some of the time until we met Amy and Aina for our trip to the museum and Walmart! John, Tod, Sheila, Linden, Andy, Natalie, and I boarded a small bus. The Hunan Provincial Museum is in Changsha and was a quick ride . We toured with Amy while Aina stayed back on the bus to watch our bags - I think she just needed a nap too. :) The museum housed the contents of a family tomb that was excavated in Hunan in 1972. It was dated back to 186 BC! There was a mummy of the mother/wife that was amazing. A lot of interesting information to take in. All the while Natalie was enjoying it so much she was like a Mexican Jumping bean in the baby carrier. Her personality is really coming out.

After our tour was done it was back on the bus for our trip to Walmart - yes, we traveled all the way to China and shopped at Walmart - go figure. We picked up some necessities and then took a look around. In the food area there were tanks filled with live fish to purchase. There was also a tank with eels, and bull frogs! It didn't seem very appetizing to us...

Then it was back to the hotel where we had dinner at the Chinese restaurant on the second floor of the hotel. We shared several dishes - steamed pork dumplings, pan fried dumplings, fried rice, fish, white rice, noodles and vegetables, and a spicy Hunan favorite of pork and spicy peppers. It was all very good!

Andy, Amy, Alicia, Natalie, and Aina at the Dolton Hotel Chinese Restaurant

Aina handed us Natalie's passport as we left the restaurant with specific instructions to review and confirm all of the information. Natalie's passport shows the name Luo Yi Ya - her Chinese given name, with a picture we've never seen on it. It's important that we have this in hand before leaving Changsha tomorrow.

Natalie actually seems to ask to go to her crib when she's tired. She fell asleep shortly after we took this picture. Of course she did some calisthenics first...

Well, after another long day it's time to turn in early. Keep the comments coming - we love to hear from all of you! Alicia