Thursday February 27, 2003

Come on lucky 7! Baby needs a new pair of shoes!

Today was a day of total relaxation. We were supposed to go sightseeing if the weather cooperated. It didn’t so we stayed in and around the hotel today. Aelex has a little cold, so it was just as well. For the whole time we have been in China we have seen the sun once (the day the children were delivered to us). The rest of the time it has been overcast, hazy, foggy, smoggy, you name it. Anything but sunny. Today was the first day we had rain, hence the cancelled touring plans.

Dorothy and I didn’t get up until almost 6 A.M. this morning. I know that I am going to adjust to the time difference just as we return home. May I suggest keeping away from me for a few days after we get back if that is the case. I will be looking to blame someone for this and I will not be picky about whom it is. The baby has been sleeping for 9 to 10 hours a night nonstop! I know that eventually our luck will run out, but as long as it holds we will embrace it. I am sure that Aelex being under the weather is partly the reason for this blessing. She is still in pretty good spirits most of the time however, and only gets real cranky right before bed. She will also whine when she is hungry (which is pretty much a constant state of being for our daughter) but a bit of cereal or a cookie will usually stem the flow of crocodile tears. She is especially fond of the Cheerios Dorothy brought with us, and we use these to keep her still when dressing her. I will pop them into her mouth like coins in a parking meter, and as long as they keep coming we get a hassle free dressing session. Bribery? Maybe. Worth it? Abso-freakin-lutely!

With nothing else to do today we committed ourselves to getting shoes for our daughter. We were prepared to scour the whole of Nanjing until we found a pair of baby shoes that fit Aelex. So off we went through the light drizzle in search of footwear. I have to say, today we received more smiles, greetings and good wishes out on our walk than we had in the whole previous week. It was a pure pleasure to walk around. Maybe the rain brings out the best in people here. Whatever the reason, we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. After about 20 minutes of walking, we found a children’s clothing store (the first we have seen on our whole trip thus far) and were able to procure the required apparel for Aelex’s feet. This was the highlight of our day.

The rest of the day was spent entertaining Aelex. She is a happy kid and shows genuine affection for us both. I do not operate under any delusions however, and know that she would ditch me in a heartbeat for her Mom as she has already done on many occasions in the past few days. My true utility in her eyes comes when Dorothy needs to wash her face or perform any other ritual that Aelex finds less than pleasant. She seeks me out in the hope that I will protect her from the coming ordeal. Needless to say she has yet to figure out my place in the pecking order around here which is somewhere just below the chambermaid. I don’t mind however since I know that I will look back on these days fondly when Aelex is a teenager and thinking about dating boys. I hope she finds the convent I am going to send her to very comfortable.

Tomorrow we will hopefully get out and do the tourist thing. I wish we had more news to share but everyday can’t be a whirlwind of action and suspense. So on the morrow friends and neighbors, corresponding from the Orient…