Our Journey to Carson

The Playground, Starbucks, a Red Couch, and a River Cruise...

Last night was a bad night. No, Carson didn't have trouble sleeping...no bedtime issues at all, actually. No, Carson didn't get up way too early this morning...he actually slept until 7AM when the alarm went off. Our bad night was the result of my dear, loving, idiot husband drinking the WATER!!! Our guide, Jason, told us the water purifying system in our hotel produced safe drinking water...I didn't trust it, but Kevin was thirsty and decided not to listen to me. Lemme tell you, it took about two hours and Mao's Revenge set in with a vengeance!! I won't gross you out with details...oh, but I could!!...suffice it to say neither of us got much sleep last night. Maybe he'll listen to me next time...

The list of things in today's blog title pretty much summed up the highlights of our busy day. (By the way, Kevin was fine by morning.) We started the morning with a nearly two hour paperwork session with Jason and Kathy, our guides. Meggie and I went to that super fun appointment of filling out official immigration forms while Kevin took Carson to the playground around the block from our hotel.

A few shots from the boys' trip to the playground...note what Carson's shirt says...The reason I thought you might want to note the logo on Carson's shirt is that he learned another American phrase today..."How you doin'?" is his new saying. Of course, when he says it, everybody cracks up...so he KEEPS saying it ALL DAY LONG!!! It is pretty dang cute, I must say.

After the paperwork was finished, Meggie and I collected the boys to do a little shopping and grab some lunch. The shopping was for Carson's outfit for the official Red Couch Photo scheduled at 4PM today. It is a tradition to gather all the CCAI families in the travel group in the lobby at the White Swan Hotel and take family and group pictures. Most families choose to put their children in traditional Chinese outfits for this shot...we wanted to as well (wait 'til you see him...he was SO stinkin' cute!). We headed into a store and found an outfit we all loved. At the exact moment we needed him to try the outfit on to be sure we were buying the correct size, Carson decided to melt down entirely! We quickly bought the outfit after holding it up to him and hoping it would fit (it did), then decided to forgo picking up lunch...Papa John's delivers to the hotels, so we opted for that.

Let me tell you, there is NOTHING in the world like dragging an obviously NOT biological child through the streets of a foreign town while he screams God knows what at you in Chinese...nothing in the world. We try to smile, ignore it...it is mortifying. Thankfully, a good two hour nap cures what ails him. Why was he screaming?? Because he was one hour past his nap time. That boy is REGIMENTED when it comes to his sleep. Sounds like I'm gonna be housebound in the afternoons during my maternity leave, huh? (Note to friends: visit often, I'll get lonely!)

After Carson napped and we had pizza for lunch, Meggie and I decided to head to Starbucks. Oh my, that was a little slice of heaven!! Got my mocha frappucino with raspberry syrup, no whipped cream...I nearly burst into tears it was so good!! I don't consider myself a picky eater but, honestly, the food restrictions we must adhere to are driving me CRAZY!! Anyway, getting Starbucks (in Sarah C's honor, of course!) was VERY good for me!! (And sorry, Ed and Michael, either they don't sell gift cards at the Guangzhou Starbucks or they just didn't understand what I was asking for...either way, I owe you both your $5 back!)

Before I show you the official family photo and group shots, here are the best shots I could get of Carson in his traditional Chinese outfit. (He was pretty keyed up for the photo shoot...probably because everybody kept staring at him and commenting on how cute he was...so he barely cooperated and wouldn't sit or stand still.)
By the way, our guide, Kathy, told me that the dragon on Carson's outfit signifies power and good luck in Chinese culture.

The family photo (yes, Ultraman is in the pic...he's like family now!) ...just the kids...

...and the whole group.

After the Red Couch Photos were finished, we headed to dinner at the Cow & Bridge, a Thai restaurant a few blocks from our hotel. We were V-E-R-Y cautious with our food choices and basically ate like little birds...so far everyone's GI tracts are behaving!!

Other families with us decided to be more adventurous...ordering things like eel and this...
Yes, folks, those prawns still have their eyes!! I was sorta surprised Meggie didn't run RIGHT out of the restaurant after seeing that plateful! For those who wondered, Meggie FINALLY broke down and ate some Chinese food...with chopsticks, no less! I have the pictures to prove it...
OK, I know that last one wasn't Meggie...but it was such a cute shot of Carson I knew you'd want to see it!

Our guides arranged for our group to go on a cruise on the Pearl River at 8PM tonight. A few pics...

Carson's first taxi ride...no, they don't believe in car seats or seat belts in China

Carson tries to do everything EXACTLY like Daddy does itJust me and my kids

Carson pretending to yawn......and pretending to fall asleep

Our guides were worried about the cruise being so late, thinking it would be hard on the "babies." No, guys, it was hard on the parents! Most of the kids were wired and wound and running around like loons. So, instead of ACTUALLY yawning and sleeping, this is what Carson did for most of the cruise...

...laughed himself silly, asked everybody on the boat "How you doin'?," and had a great time!

For those who don't know Meggie well, let me tell you she was the easiest baby God has ever created! I always said He knew what He was doing giving such an easy baby to me...'cause I couldn't have handled anything else. Well -- and my mother-in-law will smile herself silly on this one -- Carson is giving me a run for my money. The kid is ALL boy and will make anything he touches into a gun or weapon of mass destruction. Last night at Lucy's he made his placemat into a gun (complete with shooting noises). Tonight, he decided a clothes hanger would suffice...

This boy is either gonna make me old before my time or force me to stay young just to keep up with him!!

Meggie has been SUCH a good sport through this trip. I stole her away a few times today (for the paperwork session, our stroll to Starbucks, and a quick shopping trip after the Red Couch Photos) just to give her a break from Carson. He's a sweet and funny kid, but he can definitely take a toll with his relentless energy and his endless stream of commentary on everything...in Chinese, of course. Remember those sweet pictures last week of her hugging Carson, holding him close? Well, now this is her preferred way of carrying her little brother...
A few more pics of the kiddos, then I'm off to bed...