Friday morning in Nanchang

OOOH I was able to post after all.

Ok, here is the cut. It's SUPER short in the back, then tapers longer in the front. I was very sweaty when this pic was taken, so you cannot really see how the front really works. If you are outside in Nanchang in the summer, you are drenched. I had just come in from outside. My nose looks huge in this pic. and I look thinner in this pic, so that is why this pic won. HAH! I'm almost as vain as the beautiful Chinese women of Nanchang. Today the humidity has already gotten to my hair and it is curling. But still cute. I love it.

I was also able to check Yahoo. We were smart enough to finally go through Yahoo China! Duh! thanks for the emails and for checking in on Margeinator. Thank you thank you!!

I am shattered again today. Another night of going to bed at 10 and waking up at 4am. This time, my stomach woke me up. It was bound to happen! After all, I ate CHICKEN FEET last night. Can you believe me? I know, it's so much fun. The food here is VERY spicy. Lots of red pepper which just gets me in the US. SO yeah, my stomach was waving a white flag and saying, "Enough!!"

Luckily the bathroom stay was short. I am taking 2 Pepto tabs per day. I learned it on a travel site. It really works! But the bathroom stay was enough that I was side awake. Once I finally drifted off again, Baby Girl woke up.

She has a snotty cold that she got from me. She hates having her nose wiped. Goes into a fit of rage when we do. Matt is now getting sick as well. I really needed my sleep last night! You guys think I'm such a great traveler but the one area where I lack is in being able to pass out at night. I hesitated taking a sleeping pill last night because of June being sick. When I don't take a sleeping pill, I cannot sleep under exciting conditions. Being here is so exciting.

I do wish I had a Katie in this travel group. I really need a friend to go out on the town with when Juna is sleeping. We are free this morning and I want to hit the pedestrian mall again. Matt suggested I ask a lady in our travel group but I have not bonded with anyone and would feel awkward doing so. Plus, most of the people in our group have HAD IT with Nanchang. Those who can tolerate China have sick babies. Staying away from the group has helped in one respect. The babies that play together have shared a raging stomach bug. There are many tired parents at breakfast this morning. So I am not sure if I will go the mall or not. Going alone is not an option. While I feel safe enough here, I am still the only American in a huge sea of people who find me very amusing. It's not comfortable to be that person. With Matt by my side, no one bugs me. When I was with my Chinese friends, it was a different story. Some hassling, but nothing too upsetting.

I cannot imagine being a first time mom under these conditions. I admire the other parents in our group so much. The reason Matt and I can just grab the baby and head off into Nanchang is because we know babies so well. Plus, in China, your baby is everyone's baby. Everyone pitches in to help. Last night at dinner, Rose's husband fed Juna some steamed egg. Here is a man who traditionally would not take on that role and he was just thrilled to do so.

I was hesitant about this. With what I have learned about bonding and attachment, I really wanted to grab Juna back from our new friends. However, it would have been rude. In the Chinese culture, as I said, a baby is for everyone to love. I had to just take a deep breath and trust the situation. If Matt and I had stepped back from the table to watch, we would have assumed she was part of the family at that table. It is hard to describe, but she just adapts so well to every situation.

Matt and I know we are so lucky. We see the other families and what they are going through and we know, we KNOW, we are truly the luckiest parents. How did we deserve this? Sometimes I wonder if the other shoe is going to drop. How did we become the ones to get such a healthy, on target, amazing baby? What did we do to deserve this?

The reason I am getting out so much in Nanchang is because I felt it was my duty to experience Juna's province. She is not from this city, granted, but one day I can tell her about a city close to hear home. I can tell her that I had dinner with a wonderful family. I experienced "daily life" in Nanchang. I did not sit in a hotel room and watch a re-run of Friends. That isn't why I came here. I came here to get my daughter and experience her culture.

Speaking of which, she is now awake. She is on the bed, looking at me,a nd going, "Buh buh buh." She has attached to us so well in just a very short time. The difference between Gotcha Day Baby and today's baby is... unreal. Two different babies. This baby is all smiles and loving and so playful. Time to go play.

Talk to you in GZ!