Still Here...

We are still here... STILL... It's been 4... 5... 7... 8... Uh... Well... TOO MANY days to be in a hotel room.

I love my wife.

I love my son.

I love my new daughter.

Just not all in the same room for SO LONG.

Thank goodness Papa John's Delivers!

Clara Grace is getting a LITTLE better at letting us take photos... If we take too much time, she breaks into a wail that alarm sirens cannot duplicate.

I held her for about 30 seconds yesterday without her protest... so last night I decided to give Frances a break from carrying her from the restaurant... that was the LONGEST five minute walk of my life... Clara Grace mad EVERY STEP MISERABLE... for everyone... within a 15 block area... She was setting off car alarms!

 

 

We are accruing toys at an alarming rate...  

We went to the toy market... 5 floors over eight square blocks. 

They have a "more realistic"

 series of G.I. Joe style action figures... Appearently it is called Modern BUTCHERS or something. Notice two Osama Bin Laden's and a Sadam Hussein.

No!  We are NOT collecting these.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The local shopkeepers are starting to emotionally FEAR Frances because she bargains so fiercely.

Today in the park, I was mobbed by a band of two-year-olds and was forced to play "Puff the Magic Dragon" on the guitar SEVEN times before they finally let me go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found Starbucks!

The coffee is STILL overpriced... even in Yuan!

Jian is becoming quite the photographer... He took this picture!

Cabin Fever

OK, Let me explain this post... Every afternoon there are thunderstorms in Guangzhou for it is the rainy season, here, in southern China.

The toys have lost their original appeal... the hotel room is getting smaller and SMALLER... and there is only SO MUCH chinese TV a person can stand... Water-boarding is more humane... SO...

We take pictures...

That's Different...

And then... It all went horribly wrong!

Yet another day...

We were treated to a tour of the largest of several temples in the city. The temples are beautiful with ornate decoration in exquisite detail... each decoration, every design has a meaning or a purpose.

Jian has a new friend, Le Long, or as we call him... Leon.

 Jian and Clara Grace are getting closer... when she allows it. Here Clara Grace is bestowing upon us one of her precious smiles. Jian is a GREAT big brother!

email not working

Hi Everyone,

It is 2:30 am and I am wide awake, so.... Here I am!

Clara seems to be doing well, she was shut down at the beginning, but now, a little personality and alot of tantrums are coming out!  Every little thing seems to set her off.  Typical two year old?  

Bryon is holding up well, he gets a smile from her periodically.  Jian though is the biggest trooper!  He is stepping up and really being a big brother.  He pushes her stroller, holds her hand, hugs and kisses her without encouragement.  

I was concerned about her hearing, but now, I think it is the typical issues of fluid behind the ears because of the cleft and that she really was shut down.  She now responds to her name and turns her head with loud noises.

I wish I could read your comments, but, we for some reason cannot get them off of the blog.

I seem to also be having problems with my email, so... Please send comments to Bryon's email.

artisan-media@usa.net

Thank you for the thoughts and prayers, KEEP THEM COMING!

Love,

Francie

A day in the life...

Nuff Said.

High Maintenance!

Flinty! That's what I'd call her... Flinty... or at the very least maybe high maintenance.

Clara Grace has not been the most cordial to her Baba... er... Daddy. She is most decidedly a Mama's girl. I try not to take it personal. I have, more recently, caught just a glimpse of a smile... but only when she is in mama's arms... and never when I am close.

Her demeanor toward me seems to be "You don't touch... I don't scream"... It's a delicate relationship for I can stumble and fall... she giggles. I come in drenched from one of the frequent rains... she smiles.

That smile, however, makes it all worth it!

But wait... I'm sitting here, blogging, and I look over at her and I give her a big "daddy" grin and... much to my surprise... a smile! without pain or humiliation on my part! Amazing! It made my day! Wait, let me take a picture:

There... Barely caught it!

Now I feel so much bet... Uh oh... there she goes... she just seemed to remember that I am "the enemy"... and fraternization is NOT supposed to happen.

Oh... Did I mention that Jian has earned the full title of outstanding big brother?

From the very start, he was helping and holding her hand. He tries to comfort her during her many... MANY tantrums... 

with little of no thought for his self preservation as he is well within striking distance. He seems to have a knack for knowing just what will calm

 her... he seems to instinctively know when she is hungry, wet or just MAD.

Here, he quietly approaches the clench-fisted-waterspout... er... crying baby and takes her small hand to lead her to the comforting arms of Mama.

I'll blog again soon. It's been a long day... Now... lets see if I can catch her off guard once again and get one of those precious smiles...

Bryon