To: Mrs H's Class From: Kai and Sophie Lu

Dear Mrs. H's class,

We LOVED the picture from you.  

Made us smile BIG!

                                                    Kai wants to thank you with a funny face.

                                                   Sophie and beary Bear  waving to you all.

       
                                                                    Thank you, friends.
                                                                               Hugs~
                                                                      Kai and Sophie Lu

Guangzhou Zoo Day and Shamian Island

Before we headed off to get our TB tests read, we started with a little breakfast... and some tooth pickin'.

Almost all the locals pick their teeth at the table. This is clearly something Sophie has seen before. We hand her a tooth pick, and she takes care of business. 

After TB results, off to the zoo. 

Since we only had one stroller, Sophie got to be our walking guide. A job she took very seriously. 

This way, please.

                                            Over here. Watch your step, and please try to keep up.

                                                                       Next stop, Pandas.

                               Kai loved him some Panda's . Big smooches for Panda.

Mr. Paaaaaandaaaaa. Where are you?

                                                        There he is. Hey... Mr. Panda. over here.
                                                       It's your buddy, Kai.  Waaaas uuuup??

Oh, I just love Mr. Panda. It's like my Pandy Pandy, only bigger. and fluffier.  I wonder if Baba will let me to have one of my very very own. 

                                              Who? Me and Panda?  Yeah, We go way back.

This way please.  

She really does know her way around, doesn't she? 

She can lead us wherever she wants as long as I don't lose my primo stroller spot. 

This. is. the life. 

While we waited for the bus sweet little Sophie Lu shared some treasures she found with Kai. 

                                                           He thought that was pretty cool...

...until he realized they were just leaves. 

And he couldn't eat them. 

He may or may not have given her a little attitude after that. 

                                                    We will take your treasures, Sophie Lu. :)

                                                   The kiddos ended the day with noodle time.
        We also had some dinner. Making good food choices, of course. Setting a good example for the kids.
                                                            (Do as we say, not as we do)


Next day we spent a little bit of time at Shamian Island. We got to shop around a little and then have dinner at the famous Lucy's.  The Island is so much quieter than I remember it from last time we were here.
                                                 

                                               Uuuuuuum, excuse me. What's that you got there?

Seriously? Am I the only one who sees the injustice here?

                                            Over here.  I would like to lodge an official complaint!!

                                                         
                                                    Maybe if I distract him, I can snatch it.
                                                   
                                               Kai, over there.  Isn't that your buddy, Mr. Panda?

     Nice try, Soph. You snooze you lose. Nice lady at the store gave me this lollipop to keep my from throwing a tantrum while you , mama and grandma shopped.  Next time, play the tantrum card... seems to work with these peeps on the Island. Not so much with grandma and mama... but here, we are golden.
   

                                         Hmmmm.. I think I may have underestimated you, brother.

Kai completely stuffed and ready to call it a night. 

Sophie still going strong... entertaining us with more of her tricks. 

Look Ma,  made my noodles disappear.   

and, do you like my Party Hat?

Oath Day Tomorrow. :)

Medical Day and Shopping Day

We started out the morning going for our Visa Medical. It was a NUTHOUSE. So many families. And a lot of non adoptive families, too.   So AWESOME to see so many little ones going home with forever families. 

God is good. 

Kai thought they could have streamlined the process a bit. Or at the very least offered some snackage. Some meat crackers perhaps?

Sophie decided to take matters into her own hands. She knew I had a secret Lolipop stash. 

Hand it over, mama. We are on to you. 

I mean please. And thank you. 

That perked little big guy up.

Me too, please. 

            If you are keeping count of our lollipop consumption, be a friend and keep it to your self, will ya?
                                   A secret, just between us.  No need to tell Dr. Schneider, DDS.
                                                                     Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
                                                                   I thank you in advance.
                                       

  Kai checking out the line to see if it is our turn next. I think he thought he was in line to win a big prize. Uuuuuum, not exactly Big Guy.

                                                         And not even close to your turn yet.

Finally, ALL DONE!  Everyone passed their medical.  Here is a picture of Kai after he figured out there would be NO prize.  He is giving me the "Dude. You couldn't have given me a heads up" look.
                                                                      Sorry, buddy.

   We ended our time at the medical center with this little funny. God does have a sense of humor.  Zoom in on the girl in the gray sweatshirt, and read what it says. I am taking this as we have been given the "all clear" in regards to unlimited lollipop consumption.   I read ya loud and clear. And I thank you.

 We headed back to the hotel for some down time. Sophie thought she would entertain us with more funny faces. In this photo she has chosen to go with her "puffy cheek, I just drank water and I'm going to pretend I am going to spit it out on you" face. We laugh every time. She has only spit out at us one time. We probably should stop laughing. I'm thinkin' we are pushing it.
(As I am typing this, Sophie came up to the computer to kiss her picture... then she did the face again. I laughed. Obviously, I need to work on my will power with her. But it's SO STINKIN' cute!!!)

 Sophie made a new friend here in Guangzhou, Pandy Bear. She would also like me to share with you that this is her Pandy Bear. Not yours. HERS.  I promised her I would tell you. So now you have been told.

She loves Pandy. 

The end. 

                                            

Sophie took some time to check her stocks on the world wide web. She was very intent, but smiling, so we can only assume she is pleased with her investments. 

 
We ended the night with a little fried rice in the room.SO long that this mama's heart has waited to see these two side by side.
                                                                My heart is smiling SO BIG!
                                                                          PRAISE GOD!!!

The next day we had plans after breakfast to head to a local mall to do some shopping. I think Sophie tried a few cute poses out on us before we left, to butter us up and charm us into buying her a few things later. Looking back on it, I am certain that's what was going on. 

 Kai wasn't sure what she was doing, but he knew she was getting a lot of attention, so he thought he would give it a go.

At the mall Sophie Lu found many many pieces of Jewelry she thought would be PEEEERFEEEECT for her.  Like this one. And that one. And those. And these. And that one. And this one.

What'chu mean, No? Do you not remember the poses back at the hotel. The pretty pink rose? The sweet little face? Nothing...?

                         Kai thinks Sophie is crazy funny. Doesn't that smile just melt your heart?

Let me take a different approach here. Hey, BABA!  Don't you think your sweet little princess Sophie Lu would look just Divine in some of these jewels??  Pretty Please?

What's that you say, Baba? You are whispering very softly so no one but me can hear? You want me to tell Mama to get anything my heart desires. I will tell her. Thank you, Baba. I love you. Goodbye. 

"Mama... Baba says we are good to go. Anything I want. You don't need to call him or text.We already spoke . Trust me." 

Listen Kai, we have GOT to stick together on this. If you don't out me on the fake BABA call, I will give you 15% of the lollipops that come my way. 

20%? 

You drive a hard bargain.

 Deal. 

Hmmm. Think she was on to me about the fake Baba call. Gonna have to get a bit more crafty. This lady is goooood. 

I know. 

Hey,  Mrs. H's class?  You think my big brother Matthew, and all of you could write an email to my mom, telling her just how beautiful I would look in all those jewels? And that you think I should have as many as I want. 

Because I don't have plans to make it back to China in the near future. So it only makes sense to load up now. Really. Don't you agree? I thought so. 

                                                   

ps. I will be your best friend. :)

Xie Xie. 

(That's thank you in Chinese, pronounced shey shey)

After the mall we came home and took a snack break.  Kai found a very "special" snack in my backpack that I had overlooked. Needless to say, he was thrilled. Me, not so much. I will give you a hint, rhymes with Neat Prackers. That is all I care to say about that. Thank you for understanding.

He wanted to give me a big HIGH FIVE. Somehow I got credit for the "find." 

If only he knew. 

                                                

After his snack, Kai thought it might be a good time for a little DVD action. 

      

Sophie didn't have time for DVD's as she had to make a few calls. Does anyone know if Baby Phone gets service in China? I am afraid she may have been on the phone with Amazon.com/china. 

You think I need to be concerned?

On that note, I think I need to hop off and see what they are up to. 

Dynamic Duo. 

Lots of hugs to you!