Excess Baggage

We met this guy in over-sized bags when we went to check our carseat. And we thought we bought too much stuff in China.

Relaxing

After a long day shopping and site-seeeing, Ella and Andrew need some down time.
And time to practice their iguana impersonations.
Time to be excited about a tiny bite of pizza.
And time to just relax and enjoy the scenery.

Shopping Spree

Andrew and Ella had a good time shopping for rugs together.
Ella's checking the knot-count.
And gave every rug her best sit test.

Massages

Dan took us to his favorite spa for massages.
They provided us with these lovely peasant outfits for the massages. Next time I'm going to get a different massage every day.

Hard to get Used to

Even though we saw it everywhere we went, we never quite got accustomed to the sight of so many diaperless, pantless children. Nor did we ever get completely comfortable with the sound of a child urinating near us in public spaces.

All the King's Horses and All the King's Men...

I thought the most amazing thing about the Terra Cotta warriors was how the team of archaeologists transformed this:

Into this:
Into this:
In this photo you can see how painstakingly the soldiers are pieced together:

I guess that's why 34 years later they're still working on it.

Forbidden City

In front of the entrance to the royal city.
Standing between some of the palaces. Andrew was smart enough to wear yellow, the imperial color, so that he would match the roofs. The walkway in the right corner runs straight through the entire complex and is slightly raised. Only the emperor was allowed to walk on the path.
The love tree in the imperial gardens.
View from a hill behind the forbidden city. All the yellow roofs are part of the forbidden city.

Tian'an Men Square

Qian Men tower.
Monument to the People's Heroes. We felt right at home with all the Soviet architecture.
Mao's mausoleum. Why anyone would preserve a communist dictator's body is a mystery. Why we would stand in line to go see it is perhaps the bigger mystery. I think Lenin looks better.

Bird's Nest

This is the stadium China built for the Olympics. It is designed to look like a bird's nest.

Some of the translation was confusing.
Evidence that China isn't as green as it claims.

Us and our 6,000 closest terra cotta friends

We took a day trip to the city of Xian to see Qin's terra cotta warriors. My favorite part is the workspace where the archaeologists piece the warriors back together.

Ashley was nice enough to watch Ella for us for the day, so we were able to enjoy the sight without worrying about Ella breaking any priceless relics.

Shiny Blue Tummy

The shopping alone was worth the trip.

Best Doll Ever

Ella loved holding Tate. Her favorite was to point out his eyes, ears, mouth and nose to him. Tate was a good sport.

The Personal Touch

Staying with Dan and Ashley was the best part of the trip. When we arrived, there were snacks on our bedroom table. Since they live in a fancy hotel, I wondered if it was some kind of minibar we would be charged for at the end, but it turns out it was our hosts' show of hospitality. Once that fact was discovered, the stash quickly diminished.

When in Rome

Ella really liked the chopsticks.
She ate a lot of rice.

Miss Popular

Ella attracted a lot of attention wherever she went. Strangers constantly asked to take pictures with her.
Ella took all the commotion in stride. She is used to being the center of attention, afterall.
Mom, on the other hand, got a little nervous with all the crowds.

Good Fences

Our first stop in China was one of the world's oldest tourist attractions, the Great Wall.

Andrew had to carry Ella the whole way, no easy task with a combination of slippery steps and squirming child. But we all made it down safely.

China's olympic motto: "One World, One Dream" is prominently displayed near the wall. We wondered what the one dream is that the whole world will share.

Name Three Things...

I think maybe one of the best things about Moscow is how much better it makes every other place seem in comparison. Everywhere has something on Moscow. Better weather, better food, better people, better prices, better sites, better taxis, better shopping, better police, better airport; better service, better tv, the list goes on and on. Beijing has been great so far. It just keeps getting better and better.

Blog Break

We're taking a break from the blog while we go to China for a week. We're visiting my cousin Dan and his wife Ashley in Beijing. It was touch and go getting the visas just a few weeks in advance, but they arrived Monday, so we're on our way. With Andrew working flat out and pulling two all-nighters in a row, some relaxation is in order. Ella is naturally excited to see what kinds of dogs are in China. Personally, I'm looking forward to the shopping.

That New Dress Feeling

Ella really likes trying on clothes

This dress in particular made her want to dance.

But she wasn't so sure about the kisses.

Nap time

Last week I came in to wake Ella from her nap and found her in this position. I wonder if her foot fell asleep while she was asleep.

Smoothie invention

Ella has never been a big eater, so we're always trying to come up with ways to squeeze in a few extra calories. Here is our attempt at a smoothie. Drinking it required punching a hole in a jar lid and sticking a shortened straw into it. It enjoyed moderate success, but now the novelty has waned.

Sports camp

Andrew has big plans for Ella's athletic training. Whenever possible, he runs various drills with her.

Ella's Godfather

Our friend Anthony likes to hone in his parenting techniques by practicing on Ella. So far his techniques involve giving her treats and toys. He came over last night with a shiny new red toy car for her. Ella was so thrilled.

It's a red bmw convertible. Let's hope he comes up with the real thing when she turns sixteen.

Getting Daddy ready for church

Ella always wants to be sure that her dad looks his best for his meetings on Sunday.

The Famous Exploding TV's

Apparently under communism, the Soviets invented a tv that had an uncanny ability to catch fire when left plugged in. Instead of altering the design, the government opted for the propoganda solution, and produced signs like this one, which warn residents against the dangerous consequences of irresponsibly leaving any electronic device plugged in when not in use.

Dinner and Dancing

Sometimes it takes a little music to get Ella in the mood to eat.

Her Father's Shoes

Ella is already really into shoes. She's not too discriminating about size though.

The Squirrel Park

The fluffy poukh that plagues Moscow in the early summer drove us from our usual park and we discovered a much cleaner park a little further away that features a large cage with squirrels. Ella really likes this part of the park. It took awhile to get the hang of feeding them, but now as you can see, she's a pro.


At first she couldn't figure out why the squirrel couldn't reach the food.

Then she developed the drop technique.

This squirrel was really intent on watching her human visitors.


I think Ella and the squirrel are having a serious discussion of their feelings.