FINALLY! PICTURES and MORE PICTURES!

Make sure you read the last several posts, which might not appear on this page but are listed at right in the archives. They are recent and have cute photos but have probably already been bumped into archives due to the size of the pics I am posting. Thanks for visiting! Leave a message if you like, as we'll save them for Grace.

Eating and Drinking in China

Our culinary adventures ran from chicken and cooked cucumber in Beijing to a Mongolian dish of eggplant and mushrooms spiked with the seed of the Chinese Prickly Ash tree (effect is a cross between a clove, a mild pepper, and novocaine), duck wraps, buttery radish soup in poultry broth, a fried maggot (or was it cicada larvae?), cinnamon-BBQ ribs and some incredibly good spicy Hunan dishes (re: 90 percent red peppers, 10 percent pork, or beef, or eggplant).

Less interesting was the bland dim sum in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, although the seafood was nice and the Thai food (sweet and spicy shrimp and shredded green mango salad) at the Cow & Bridge was a welcome respite from buns. We also did some damage at the fusion buffets, enjoying shrimp dumplings; eggs scrambled by chopstick; green tea ice cream; glutinous rice packages, bean curd and vinegar, enough bacon each morning to make me cringe when I watch "Babe" and fresh fruits like star fruit, mango, lychee, and papaya.

Grace partook of some of these, starting slow with congree and fried rice and working her way toward roasted poultry and pork dumplings. She has a special talent for sucking a noodle in record speed (think retraction of a tape measure or canister-style vacuum cleaner cord...) Here we have catalogued her enjoying the four foodgroups, from the top: Juice, Goose, Fries, Formula.

More Grace in China

Modeling a variety of outfits and moods, here's Grace:

More thanks

I wrote a long post thanking everyone for the clothes, the toys, the post-trip food to sustain the parents, the decorations (BIG 7' stork in yard!), the surprise housecleaning, and more. I described a few of her favorite toys and activities (all, basically). I promised to finish writing thank you notes. I updated you on her growth (size 9 month sleepers now, and 6 to 9 month outfits). I was witty.

And then I tried to post when Blogspot was down. Without saving. And lost it all. So, given the late hour, I'll just post a few cute pictures and try again another day to tell you all how much we appreciate your help and support.

Thank you.

Some pics from China

Grinning, moving, sleeping. Her favorite activities!

We're Home!

Cut the trip short to bring our wiggly noodle girl back home. Will post thoughts on trip later -- overall, we had a great time. But here's what you are really waiting for: the pictures! She's cute, she's happy all the time, she's very healthy, she sleeps and eats well and most of all, she's home!

(Do not adjust your computer; I posted this poorly framed, out of focus shot because that's what it's like trying to take a still picture of a constantly moving baby!)

"More better" pictures to come....