Day 9, Fantastic!

Today was an incredible day. Tessa and I are getting to know eachother very well. She copies everything I do, so I need to be very, very careful. She had to apply lipstick (her chapstick) this morning, she is wearing my jewelry and wants to wear my earrings...but has no holes...yet, insists on cutting her food with fork and knife, has to have her purse with her too, and more!  Sooooo Cute. 

 

I've discovered that she is mimicking my moods. When I show a face of displeasure, like when she is falling or dragging on the floor, this is when she will start to have a minor tantrum. Simple communication with her today has resolved all of this. I have asked Kelley and her niece to translate for me and Tessa has been incredibly compliant. Kelley says that Tessa is a very good girl and listens to what she is told. Actually, both the Bowring family and I have learned this and we are on the search for an English/Chinese Translator device. Another family has one that the Bowring family is using. It does not speak, but Brendlee can read the translation. We tried with Tessa and she did not read it. Brendlee is a year ahead of Tessa. So I am consideirng buying one that speaks either here in China or online so that it can be home when we get home. 

 

Today was incredible!  Today we went to Yun Tai Park, swimming and posed for our famous Red Couch photos!

The park and the pool are very, very nice and it was a very fun day. The pictures really say it all. The drive there was nice, as we got to see the city. It is BIG! The population here is between 9-12 million. There are a lot of highrises and lots of condos, old and new. And lots of construction. I have found the people here very, very nice. I love the hotel we are staying at and would love to come back with Joey, maybe in 10 years for Tessa's 16th Birthday. 

 

I slept until 6 AM today, the longest yet. We are still going to sleep early too, 8:30 or 9:00 last night. We went to dinner at Lucy's. A western style diner with a mixture of western and Chinese/Thai food. Yummy. We discovered that the girls love frenchfries and ketchup. (This morning, Tessa did not even ask for noodles!!...but she did all day the rest of the day.)

 

Tomorrow, in the afternoon, we go to the market where there are all kinds of that strange and bizarre food vendors on the street. That will be interesting. We end that tour at McDonalds. Again, more times at McDonalds (like Walmart) here in China then I spend in the US.

 

I haven't hit the many shops here on the island, so I plan to do that this morning, do more swimming and then go on the tour. by the way, Tessa is learning to swim here. I am trying to teach her and she is copying me. She is so awesome!!!