In Guangzhou

The flight from Nanchang to Guangzhou couldn't have gone better for little Miss Lily.  We were worried that she would have a "poop incident" on the plane, and that would be really really bad.  Really bad.

But, amazingly, she took a bottle as we were taking off, fell asleep within 5 minutes without a peep, and woke up only as we landed.   I had Rose sitting with me (we were all split up again on the flight), and was worried about her too as she is having stomach/bowel issues.  But she fared well on the flight too, thank goodness.

We got to the hotel, and as I was letting the porter in with our luggage, Miss Lily let loose.  And I mean let loose.  Had it happened on the airplane, I'm sure they would have diverted our flight to the nearest airport...or the oxygen masks would have deployed...or the air marshall would have been alerted...or we'd be asked to leave China.

Sorry for the graphic nature of this post, but it's our reality right now.  I've got three with the trots and one with a cold.  I'm knocking on wood that I stay healthy.  Please?  Pretty please?

If anyone has suggestions on how to stop diarrhea in an 11 month old, who's only food so far has been congee, porridge and formula with rice cereal, please let me know.  Our guide gave us a chinese medicine for upset stomach which seems to have helped the vomiting, but not the diarrhea.  We also have Chinese ammoxycilin that the director from the orphanage gave us, but we stopped using it thinking it was making her vomit or have diarrhea.  A travel mate has some acidopholis that might help, anyone have experience using that?   We've got Pedialite but she isn't a fan of it.  We've been putting it in water and then feeding her with a bottle.  Any ideas what to do?

On a fun note, Lily laughed for the first time today, when I tickled her under the chin.  She's smiled a little up until now, but today is the first I've seen a true happy smile and heard a laugh. It is SO sweet!  She really is a happy baby, and I'm a lucky Momma.  She smiles when I come into the room, and when I  hold her and kiss her, she pushes her forehead into my forehead.  She's hardly been crying at all, only pretty much when she's hungry and we aren't fast enough, or she's tired or wet.  Otherwise she's happy to go wandering around in our arms or the stroller, or sitting on the bed with toys.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we have her photo taken for her visa, and then an appointment at the health clinic which is required.   I'm glad to be on Shamian Island, where things are familiar to me.  The island has changed somewhat from what little I got to see coming in.  There seem to be a few high rises visible that I hadn't remembered from before.  Lot's of bright neon lighted tour boats on the Pearl River, with flashing electronic billboards on the sides, which is kind of disappointing.  But all the lights at night on the river from our hotel room are pretty.  And once again, we get to watch the evening storms roll in, lightning show and all.  Our hotel room faces the Pearl river.

Miss Rose is anxious to go to the outdoor pool, but she will have plenty of time to do that tomorrow with Auntie Marion, providing her stomach issues settle down.  It is real tropical here year round, so there are palm trees and lot's of greenery.  They've really spruced up the city because the Asian Games are coming to Guangzhou in October I think.

Sorry for no photos again - it's just takes too long to load and post them.  I'll try to do a post tomorrow with just photos.