Saturday

We are feeling a bit more human today though the time difference is catching up to us as I write. It is crazy how sleep deprivation can affect a person. Let's just say we ran a little low in the 'patience department' yesterday. We did a lot of apologizing to Madi for being so grumpy. Neither Jimmy nor I are big sleeping pill people, but seriously--they are a 'must-have' for us to adjust in China. We brought along a melatonin supplement for Madi that was recommended by a pharmacist. I believe that helped her wind down last night, and she managed to sleep in until 6:00 this morning despite the flip-flopped time schedule.

Madi had her first taste of Shanghai noodles for breakfast, which she loved and insisted on eating with chopsticks. After breakfast, Madi desperately wanted to check out the indoor swimming pool. We neglected to see the shallow "disinfection pond" before the staircase to the pool entry, and Madi plodded right into the water! She loved it, of course. Thank goodness Daddy was so adamant that we each needed to bring two pair of shoes in case of rain.

Our hotel is located on Nanjing Road, which is a popular pedestrian street with tons of shopping. We walked around and explored a bit near the hotel today. That was about the extent of our adventure seeking. Madi and Daddy went to the indoor pool to blow off some steam. He suggested that I treat myself to a pedicure at the spa when I told him the price was a mere 40RMB (a little over $6). I was surprised (and disappointed) to find out they only offer pedicures to men!

The Majesty Plaza, where we are staying, is quite nice. I have not such great memories of Ramada properties from our childhood travels, but this is definitely not the same chain I remember. My only complaint is that there is zero drawer space--and I mean zero, nada, nothing. Our suitcases lie all over the floor with clothes strewn everywhere. This makes it tricky to be organized, but we plan to have this rectified before Charlie comes on Monday. Not sure how, but we will. If that's the worst thing we face on this trip, then I think we'll be okay! This afternoon, we ran into a small plumbing snafu. We were informed by housekeeping that we are not supposed to be flushing toilet paper down the toilet. Yes, you heard me correctly. Thank goodness they have trash can liners. I just feel bad that we didn't realize this the last two times we traveled to China. Oops, we've been breaking the rules all this time!

Madi has been extremely clingy so far. Go figure--there's a million people rushing here and there, and they'll run you over if you're not careful!. We're always pleased that she's such a cautious kid. She hasn't been using her Chinese language skills as we thought (yet) and seems to be shy around most everyone. It's obvious she still feels out of her element.

We were told by our airport transfer guide yesterday that Holt is sending a representative from Beijing for us. We are hoping to hear from her this weekend for some tips on where to go and what to see; although, we also have the concierge to lean on. Our guide will be arranging our Gotcha Day on Monday. We are keeping our fingers crossed that we get a chance to visit Charlie's orphanage. This is something we've never done before, and it would be a good opportunity for all of us to see where Charlie is coming from.

Our eyes were drawn to every Chinese baby we passed by today. The time is drawing near, and the three of us are getting excited for our new reality!

It's 6:00 p.m. now, and Madi's out cold. We're not far behind her...