My bad too...

Well, yes, we have been really bad at the posting thing, and I am sorry. We have had an interesting time of this city. What with the hernia thing, and the not really sleeping thing, and the sorta getting sick thing.

We did go to the Teng Wang Pavilion (I know a silly name, but it's named after a prince.

And thought it was pretty cool, it is said that the building has been destroyed many times, and when it is rebuilt it is rebuilt in the style of the current ruling party.

There were many cool things there, but one of the best was some of the woodwork on the top floor where we saw a traditional dance routine being performed by locals.

Click for larger pic, just figured that out.

After that, we came back to the hotel and kinda stayed home the rest of the day. We were exhausted. It was one of the most trying days that we have had. I was at the height of my cold, Acer was at the height of his stubbornness, and heather was at the height of her back pain. Through nothing else but the strength that we have asked God for, we made it through.

The next day, yesterday, was a bit better. Acer has decided that watermelon is his favorite food, and will ask for it as soon as he wakes up. The word for watermelon in Chinese is she gua, which can also be translated, depending on the tone used as just fruit. It is fairly cute when he wakes up all sleepy and says "she gua?" first thing in the morning. Unfortunately that day, there was no she gua on the buffet. He was devastated. But we pushed on. That was also the day of the hernia, read Heathers' post about that. That evening, we had a birthday party for 2 of the dads and all of the kids at a local restaurant right behind the hotel. The staff was excellent, the facility beautiful, and the food was great! I wish I had taken pictures. I think I will have to get a site put up when we all get home to have all the group post their pictures, and we will be able to share what we all saw. I know that I haven't been taking all that many, but there are others that have taken tons. Also, the videos that are available are really good. I will get all of that condensed, and there will be a more consistent timeline of photos put up.

Anyway, after the dinner, we decided to come straight back, as Acer was getting a bit grumpy, having had a hernia worked on earlier in the day, and we got back, he went right to sleep, and as Heather said, only got up a couple times in the night. This then brings us to today.

Today, Acer decided that tea was an excellent drink. I asked if that was fine of the guides, and Mary said it's tea, it's good. So the correct chinese word for tea is cha, but I somehow got him asking for it by the word for water which is shue (shway) tea is now "baba shue"(daddy's water). We also have a game, as we learn his words for things, the phrase hai yao means more, and bu hai yao means no more. I have gotten him to actually laugh, I have no idea why, when he whispers hai yao, and I will whisper back bu hai yao. Aparently this game amuses him greatly because he actually laughed openly while doing this.

He is still in the baba bao and mama bao (daddy/mommy pick me up and carry me) stage, but it's something we will have to work on. We were told by the doctor yesterday to not make him cry, as it might re-open the hernia. Boy, is that a tall order. This evening we have another trip with the families to a park and dinner, with a fountain concert at 8ish. I was told that it wasn't just lights, but music as well, so we will go, and hopefully, as Acer hasn't had a nap, except when I carried him to the video arcade down the road, he will fall asleep well tonight.

Oh yeah, I forgot, when he has to use the bathroom, he give a code phrase "wo men niao" and then we dutifully take him to the potty, and he does his business. Well, I was told that phrase today, and turned around to go back to the room in the elevator, and lo and behold! peed on. I am not talking just a slight tinkle, I am talking Niagra Falls here. I was so wet that I dripped on the floor of the elevator! Had to go up and change into a different set of dirty clothes, because our laundry had not yet been returned. Now, I am a father! It makes this:

The best of times.

Anyway, laundry is back, I have to get changed for the next outdoor trip. Will post more as it is available.
B