Day 5 Daming Lake

Andrew had another good night. He woke up around 1am but didn't say a word. I just happened to wake up and notice him sitting up rocking back and forth in bed. He let me rub his back and rub his leg without swatting me, so that was good. That's just his way of self soothing. He has never had anyone to rock him to sleep, or tell him night time stories, or lay with him until he falls asleep. I'm trying to gently work my way in. He fell back asleep and slept until 6am. We got up and threw on some clothes and headed down to breakfast asap. This kid was hungry--he probably ate a can of Pringles before we could get everyone together to go to breakfast. At breakfast, he started out not wanting to get out of his stroller, but very soon hopped up into a chair and began eating!!! I don't mind feeding him, and it's a great bonding technique, but sometimes he is very impatient and I can't tell what he wants. So this was exciting!! He ate watermelon, and some eggs! Laura had a great idea that he might like a boiled egg (she knew that it was a popular food for kids when she was at camp-she said all the kids loved them) So Laura gave him an egg and he LOVED it!!! Breakfast was a success!!!

So we came back up to the room and got ready for the day. This is a testing time. He just has to be watched 100% of the time. So the girls and I switch off watching him while I get a shower. ShuaiShuai is great when he's being entertained, but with any normal child, if he's bored he's into everything. He didn't want to play with his toys this morning. He wanted to bang on my computer (so I had to put it up where he couldn't reach it) Ava was playing with her tablet, and he would grab it away from her. He wouldn't let us show him what to do, he just wanted to push buttons!! If I close the curtains, he opens them! We have an upright air conditioner in our room because it has been so hot in our room, and Andrew pushes all the buttons. He found the remote, and messed up the tv for awhile! He's so curious!! I think that's a good think, because his little mind is churning all the time. It's just a little exhausting!! With Ava, she had been so unstimulated, I don't think she had thoughts for quite awhile. Andrew is a typical, energetic 4 year old boy. He will keep us on our toes! I  will have to adjust my schedule when I get home in order to ever be able to get a shower!!!

This is Laura trying to distract Andrew with Chinese children songs on YouTube so I can get ready for the day!

We got ready and met our guide for another tour day. Today we went to Daming Lake. It was just a beautiful peaceful lake area with pretty lotus flowers, and boats, and ornate buildings. We took a boat ride and Andrew really liked that. He got out of his stroller a little bit more and LOVED the matching Sherwin William sunglasses that I brought for him and Ava. He was very sweet today. He took my hand a couple times and didn't push me away!!! Jinan is known for it's Spring water, and it's one of the wealthiest cities I've ever been in. It's not what I think of when I think of China. Except for the adoption part of things, I don't feel like I've been in China. I know that's getting ready to change in GZ though. And honestly, I'm glad. You can't come to China without the experience of street food, and crazy smells, and little whole in the wall restaurants and stores. It's just not like that here. It's high class. The women here are dressed so classy and elegant, even during the day.  Rodeo Drive, Baby!! (lol---Craig, that was for you!)

It's really hard to get four of them to smile at the same time!!! We take what we can get!

Andrew would get out of his stroller to help me get it down the stairs and then get right back in!! He's strong and has great balance and judgement. No physical delays either!

Hooray for durable, bendable, bright, fun sunglasses!! Just a little big! lol

He went up to this man, called him baba, and showed him his sunglasses!

Boat ride

He loves the water

Everywhere we go there are people selling these plastic flowers that clip on the top of your head and look like antennas!! Crazy :)

I guess this is a popular character here. It's a man, with a gun!! Our guide said Andrew said something about shooting the gun.

He got out of his stroller for this!!!

We saw several people having their wedding photos made today. This is a popular place for people to come. 

After the Lake we went to get Andrew's passport since we leave here tomorrow to go to Guangzhou!!
Christine and Ava stayed in the hotel room while Laura went with me to get the passport. We had to wait for a little while at tables (it was similar to going to a DMV) while they were calling out numbers. Anyway, Andrew once again got out of his stroller to sit in the chair (this is a huge deal---) around the table. Another dad who was with us made him a paper airplane out of newspaper, and Andrew loved it!! He would get down and get it and bring it back and did that for awhile. He would play a little mimic game like Simon Says with us, but he liked to be the one to lead!!! He was adorable! When it was our turn to get our passport, I was afraid he would want in his stroller and want me to push him up to the desk with me, but I snuck away and he and Laura played at the table the whole time!!  Little baby step miracles!!

When we got back from getting the passport we took off for lunch. Since it was late we decided to do a quick trip to McDonald's. Andrew jumped right up in to the chair again, and dug in to his french fries! He didn't want to try a bite of hamburger or chicken nuggets, but he ate the fries. The cold coke was awesome! We probably shouldn't have the ice, but we did on one of our first nights here and didn't get sick, so we took another chance!! Warm coke is just not good!!!

Loving the french fries. Notice what he's holding?!

Right now Andrew is taking a nap, and Laura and Christine are doing homework. Ava is just having some quiet time to draw and read books, etc. It's much needed.

Today has really been so much more relaxing! Andrew has been very happy. Right before nap time, he was going potty, and he did something (I can't even remember--) but I told him no and he hit me and kicked my leg. I told him to stop, (in Chinese, so he could understand) and gave him my mommy glare for a minute or so, and he just stopped and looked at me.....then he gave me a smirk and said mama, and rubbed my face gently! Our guide said his orphanage director said if Andrew would do something they didn't approve of, he would immediately try to do something to make them happy again! So that means he has a sweet heart, and I think that's going to be a very good thing!!

After  naps we went out to one of the first Chinese restaurants that we liked. Dinner was awesome again and Andrew ate a ton of food. This was the restaurant where everyone was so curious. This time I had a book that said "This is my adopted child." They seemed to understand a little bit more. It was hilarious though the way the women catered to Andrew. I was trying to use my chopsticks and get him some noodles on his plate. Well I must have looked like I was struggling because one of the waitresses came and took the chopsticks out of my hands and did it for me. Quickly I might add. Another waitress came up and wiped off Andrew's face. Another poured him some water.  He had his own little entourage!!

After we ate we went to the town square again. There was a laser show at the fountain, and tons of people there--bands playing--lighted whirlyjigs flying around in the sky! Andrew was mesmerized! Ava was terrified. She doesn't like things that she thinks are going to make loud noises. I think she thought the light up things were fireworks. I had never seen them before, but they were lazer things that looked like a birdie from badmitton that you would through up in the air and it would parachute back down. Pretty cool actually! There were tons of kids there taking roller blading lessons--thats how rich this area is. There were people doing beautiful dancing. This is our last night here before we fly to Guangzhou tomorrow. Please pray that Andrew does well on his flight!!

Andrew is thrilled to death with all this excitement, Ava is not so sure!!

Roller blading class!

It's so neat to watch- this man was writing beautiful things with water.

Here is the statue in the square--it means  Spring Water!

Sweet little punkin'! He carried those orange sunglasses around the whole day since he got them!! Note to Craig: if you can find another pair, pick them up--he's bound to break them the way he pulls on them, drops them and sits on them!!

Beautiful Laura. She thought Andrew was going to join her, but her walked right under her legs faster than  I could capture the picture!

We had our best day so far today! He's making improvements each moment and each day. His grieving is hard, and it's sad to watch him go through what he's doing. Craig asked what he was doing and how did I know he was grieving. Andrew's way of grieving is to not really accept us in certain ways and by his actions. By not letting me touch him much, hold him or even hold his hand. He does look at us, which is awesome, and he lets me feed him, bath him, and help him get up on the toilet to go potty. He plays with us during the day, so those are really good things. The hard thing to witness is when it's time to go to sleep. He just wants to be left alone and he rocks very fast back and forth--like what you've seen someone with anxiety, or a panic attack do. That's a very common orphanage self soothing tendency. He rocks and looks like he's crying but there are no tears. That's just sad. It would be better if he could just let it all out. But I don't even think he knows to do that. Four years of neglect of attention (or not getting his needs met) is a long time. Any amount of time for a child to go without that intimate nurturing is too long.  He doesn't bang his head or anything like that, so I'm counting my blessings. I know that compared to a lot of people's stories this is not that bad, but for my life and my experiences, it is because I've just never been faced with anything like this before! But we are getting through this, and I'm just praising God for our best day yet!! Andrew is so smart, he's already saying a few words and mimicking what we say!! He's a little hero! Can you imagine someone taking you away from everything you've ever known and loved (in the capacity that he could) and bringing you to a hotel where everything you did was a "first" and you couldn't even understand these people who took you?! It would scare me to death too!!!  I have been singing one of our favorite children's songs that my Mother in law, Alice, taught me years ago to him....Jesus loves the little ones like me me me, Jesus loves the little ones like me me me, sat upon His knee, little ones like me, Jesus loves the little ones like me me me!!! Andrew likes to hum along- the other night when I stopped he looked at me and said me me me, and wanted me to sing it again. So I did, while I held back my tears and sang with a frog in my throat I sang him that song again. Because Jesus does love little Andrew XiaoShuai!!! And so do we.