Shopping on Shamian- day 7

Today was a new day and Charlotte was wonderful! She was full of smiles very quickly after she got up. We had a very busy day because we went to Shamian Island. Shamian Island is very European and a favorite for adoptive families to visit and shop at. We had to take the subway because of being a family of 6, it is hard to get a cab that will accept us. It was a fun experience though, especially since I wasn't the one trying to navigate it! When we got there, we realized how intensely humid it was. You could actually see it in the air! So although the temperature only probably got to 80 degrees, it felt super hot and we were sweating. We walked around and took the obligatory pictures with statues and caused a ruckus as we became celebrities again with cameras pointed at us from every direction.  We went to the park that Ella remembers dancing at last time as a man took pictures of her. Now, in the U.S. that would be creepy but here, it's just normal if you're blond, especially if you're a kid. So the kids played, Ella danced, and even Charlotte had fun! It was really cool around the park because there were people playing instruments and singing, couples dancing, and there were men (not young men!) playing hacky sack, or whatever it's called here.  I love how you can just come upon a group of people doing Thai Chi or dancing or singing, it's just happening everywhere and not for money, just for fun!

After the park, we went shopping! There are amazing little shops all over Shamian that sell Chinese silk outfits, fans, tea sets, anything you could want so we bought all of the kids Chinese outfits, and a bunch of Gotcha Day gifts for Charlotte for all of her Gotchaversaries, including a chop, which is a stamp with your name carved on it, that they carved for us while we waited! After that, we drug our tired selves back on the subway to get back to the hotel.

Later, we went swimming and then dinner and now here we are hanging out in our room again. Charlotte is happy and smiling tonight, which is wonderful after last night! We just have to take it day by day, knowing that just because she's rejecting you one day, doesn't mean she will be the next day and just because you're her favorite today, doesn't mean you won't just make her tear up every time you come near her tomorrow. She does seem to be more and more comfortable with us each day so I really hope that she's beginning to open up her heart to us! She is a very lovable little girl!

Crazy paparazzi!

Basically every adoptive family attempts to take a picture of their child with these statues. It's rarely successful ;-)

Liana did better this time than she did 4 1/2 years ago! lol

This is about as close as Charlotte was willing to get. Look how cuddly she is! She's a little koala!

Too much cuteness!

So pretty

They have so much fun together!

Fishing with a net. We saw him catch a big one!

Ella being Ella <3

She cuddles me so tightly

Silly Daddy!

My handsome son