Oops! Here's The Rest of My Blig Post!

First stop was the Buddhist temple tour. I can't really tell you much about it, other than it was neat to see, and incense was burning everywhere, but because there were so many people and it was raining, we couldnt hear very well, all huddled under our umbrellas. We went into one of the buildings where they were did a ceremony to bless the babies, and we participated in that part. It was kind of neat. After that, we walked back outside to see the rest, and one of the families we met, the Stanleys from Kentucky, took a family photo for us, and Peyton put her arm around me. It was so cute! The other day in the airport, she noticed my hair was in my face and moved it out of the way. She reminds us a little of Ashley with how thoughtful she is, and she plays with my fingernail like Ashley too. Both of them are so sweet and SO determined!

We finished up with our tour and got back on the bus to go to the Old Chen House, which is a museumish kind of place, where embroidered art, furniture, and crafts are displayed. It was partially outdoors, and the building was art itself. It was neat, but we didn't pay a lot of attention to it because we were talking to the Stanleys, getting to know them. They are really nice people!

Final stop was shopping! We wanted to buy Peyton a piece of jade. Jade in China is as precious as diamonds are tobus in the US. The shopping center we visited had class A jade, which is the best quality. We ended up buying a piece for each of us to wear. Peyton will get hers later, but Darren and I will wear ours. It's so pretty! We bought a few other miscellaneous things and got back on the bus.

When we got back, Darren dropped our laundry off to be done and found us some lunch while Peyton and I filed our nails. She loves to copy everything I do. Good thing I brought more than 1 file! I brought it out because I chipped a nail, and she wanted to file hers too. She didn't really do much, but it was cute. Darren bought us stuffed sausage buns and hoped they were good. They ended up being these gigantic sweet braided buns with a skinny hot dog inside. Peyton ate half of my bun but wouldn't try the hot dog. He also found a box of honey nut cheerios and a box of ritz sandwich bits. We are running low on snacks!

I knew she was tired and debated nap or no nap because we needed to meet for "red couch" photos and then a group dinner at a Thai restaurant. I chose to let her play because I wasn't sure how she'd be if I woke her up. She and I played "chase" in the hallway after breakfast, so Darren played that with her and then went running up and down the halls. She looks so cute when she runs because she tries to copy Darren with her arms. I've got to get it on tape, but our memory card is full, and we don't have the right adapter to charge the laptop. Ours doesn't have a 3-prong. Oh well...we have gotcha day on tape and will have to record more when we get home.

It came time for red couch photos. The red couch is famous because all the children in a travel group have had their photos taken on it. Peyton wanted nothing to do with it. She threw a fit, which now consists of throwing off her shoes and socks and throwing herself in the floor.Darren was holding her, so no flailing on the floor, but she threw a nice little temper tantrum in front of everyone and would not smile for our family photo. We looked awful, Darren and I, because we were out of clothes and had very few options. I was also embarrassed because I had no idea everyone would be dressing their children in traditional Chinese outfits and was wishing we'd brought one that her Grandma Pam gave her. I was really mad at myself, and it was too late to go buy one. Oh well, right?

All of the family photos took place first, then it would be all of the children, and then our entire group. Just as they were finishing family photos, I was holding Peyton, and her little head bobbed as she was sitting up, and she put her forehead down on my shoulder and fell asleep. A little tear rolled out of her eye. So cute. I wasn't quite sure what to do with her when it was time for the photo of just the babies. I decided to sit her down in front of the couch with a couple other children, and she stayed asleep. I tried to hold her head up, and I could hear a group" Awwwwwwww......" as her head went limp, and cameras started flashing. I was trying to stay out of the picture, but I didn't want to let her head go, so one of the moms brought over a cushion to lean her head on, and she had her group photo taken as she was fast asleep! I picked her up, and she slept through the big group picture as well. Should've given her a nap, but it made for a cute story to tell!

We came back to the room for a few minutes before dinner to let her sleep. She woke up when Darren thought it would be a good idea to mess with her lip to check out a little bump. Way to go, daddy! She fussed, and I'd made a bottle to take to dinner in case she wanted it when she woke up. She took it and wanted me to hold her, but she didn't really drink it. She laid her head on my shoulder and dangled her arm, holding her milk cup, until we got to the elevator. She still LOVES the elevator and gives us a big smile when we get into one. She smiles at everyone who happens to be in the elevator too.

We walked to the restaurant, and the little cat nap she took seemed to have bern what she needed because she was perfect through dinner. There were some really icky-sounding things on the menu like boiled fish heads, intestines, etc. I found a Thai pasta dish with chicken for Darren, red curry with chicken for me, and chicken congee for Peyton. It wad really good! Darren ate his entire meal, and it was a lot of food! I ate all of my curry with the exception of some of the chicken and veggies. They put a ton of eggplant in it, and I don't like it enough to eat all of it, but I ate a good portion, the curry itself was delicious! Peyton fed herself a whole bowl if congee again. She just loves it! Before we ordered, Peyton was playing with my place-setting, pretending to eat and drink, and she dropped and broke a glass. The staff was there immediately to clean it up. When she finished eating, I gave her to Darren so I could eat because she likes to sit on my lap, so I eat very little with her on my lap so I can keep her from spilling her congee. Oh....almost forgot....Raymond ordered a pigeon for dinner, and it was served with the head on the plate. Yikes!!! You won't catch me being that adventurous!

After dinner, we walked back to the hotel with the Stanleys and got to talking about how Peyton likes to walk but usually asks me or Darren,usually me, to pick her up and how we thought it was a combination of being tired and her foot hurting because her shoes have given her a blister. They are also a little big. We have been looking for shoes wherever we go, but we hadn't seen any yet. They told us about a little store right next to the hotel that had some really cute squeaky shoes, socwe stopped there before going into the hotel. We found an adorable pair, and she loved them! She walked around the store so happy, squeaking as she walked! The squeaker can be removed, which was good! We paid for them, 30 yen, about 5 US dollars. They are adorable!

When we got back to our room, we changed her diaper and took her clothes off to put pajamas on, and she wouldn't let us take her new shoes off OR put her pajamas on, so she walked around in her diaper and her new squeaky shoes! When Darren put her other shoes down on the floor, she picked them up and put them into her suitcase. She must've been telling us she was happy with her new ones and done with the others!

We played on the bed until it was time tovturn the lights out and go to bed. She lives to sit on my lap and play. She grabs a few toys and plops her bum in my lap. Sometimes that's the only way I can get something done. It's sweet, and I am glad she's bonding with me. She refused to put on pajamas when it was bedtime, and she has been itchy ever since the day we visited the clinic for her medical exam, so I let her sleep naked. She woke up happy and snuggly again!