China Day 12 - Autumn Update and Zoo

I've been writing about our trip so much, that I've failed to update on Autumn, so here's an update:

- We mostly call her Yuying. She doesn't understand what Autumn means yet. We use the name Autumn about 5% of the time, at this point.
- By the time we got to Guangzhou, she allowed us to remove her coat, but she still loves her red, fur-lined boots she came in. She's getting used to her crocs that are much more suitable to 75F and humid.
- She is active.
- She is mischievous and a jokester and loves to have fun like Josiah, and thinks most things are a joke, even when you're serious.
- She likes to mimic her brothers.
- She loves to run...away from us in the lobby when everyone is watching me chase after her, and I feel like a dodo and can't control my laughter.
- She likes fruits and vegetables and ice cream and french fries.
- She's dramatic when trying to get something she wants - acting as if she will die without it.
- She's a good sleeper and napper (praise the Lord!!!)
- She has become pretty good at using a fork and can now drink out of a sippy cup, after only one week.

Steve's favorite thing to say to Autumn, in Chinese, is "do you have to poop?" Her response is always the same, in a whisper, "do you have to poop?"

She is VERY good about going potty and changing diaper time, as well as washing hands and brushing teeth, though she is to a big fan of toothpaste (she spits out mid-brushing).

Interaction with Josiah: He has been good at showing her how to do things. He refers to her as "Girl". "Hey Girl, come here," or "that girl is touching my things." He's pointing out the things she's doing wrong - like when she breaks something. He will say, "Girl will need to pay for that if she breaks it." Oh, the irony.

Interaction with Sheehan: Sheehan is the family police officer. He believes she "needs to learn a lesson." She just laughs at him - which means more lessons to learn. He is struggling with her touching his things and touching him. But he also likes to tickle her and play with her when she's in her high chair. He likes to lift her up too...because he can.

Day 12:
In the morning, we went to the Guangzhou zoo (different than Safari Park). Josiah was renamed Sir Whine-a-lot. He didn't want to be there, mostly because we couldn't see the animals he chose, but what the group wanted to see as a whole.

The highlight was the Giant Pandas. Steve had never seen them before. Growing up outside of DC, I saw them often at the National Zoo, but there's still something cool about seeing pandas in China. The other cool thing was when the lions started roaring. It was so loud. Eerie loud. I was a little scared, I'll admit. I was picturing those lions tearing through the cage and unleashing a bloody massacre on a group of loud westerners and their newly adopted children.

After the zoo, we had lunch at an Italian restaurant across the street. It was really good. I had lasagna. Then we had mochas at Starbucks - like I needed that.

You know you're running out of material and are getting bored with your stay in China, when you write things like this:
Favorite items on the breakfast buffet:
Autumn: hands-down, watermelon
Josiah: waffles w/ strawberry jam
Sheehan: bacon
Steve: it's a tie between fried eggs and pot stickers
Kate: middle eastern mutton

Tomorrow, we have our consulate appointment at 8:30 am and then are bored, I mean free, the rest of the day.

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