Day 5 - July 18 in Dalian

Today is a rainy drizzly day so we have not been outside yet. The boys slept until 7:30 this morning and I was able to take a shower without wondering what they were getting into.

Breakfast went better than yesterday. We went down to the second floor where they have the breakfast buffet and they started to put us clear out in the outer realms of seating and I said no, I wanted no smoking and wanted a table close to the buffet so I could keep an eye on the boys while I got their food. I do not think they are used to someone questioning what they are doing especially a woman. The man in charge kind of hesitated and then said OK and put us at a table real close to the food.

I seated the boys and as I am walking away to get food Max gets his knife out and starts acting like he is going to have a sword fight. The guy got kind of upset with him but calmed down when I took the knifes away from the boys. Then as I am walking away again Mark gets his little ceramic rest for the chopsticks and starts clanking it inside a ceramic picture. I was quick to get that away from him before the guy came back frowning and moved us away!

The rest of breakfast was relatively uneventful, other than one of the items I brought for the boys must have been spicy and Marc does not like spicy, he started to chew it up and then wanted to spit it out. I could not get him to just spit it on the edge of the plate he wanted to put it on the table which I would not let him so then he starts to yell about it. I found a napkin and had him spit in the napkin. I have to be very careful to make sure I cut the food up that I put on Marc's plate as he will stuff the whole thing in his mouth at once and has almost choked a couple times. I do not seem to have this problem with Max.

After breakfast we went back to the room and just hung out. I talked to Dave and the girls on the computer. That has been a life saver for me and the girls. We video conference with Skype and it does not cost anything. They have to have their hugs from Mommy every night! Katy always wants me to brush her hair so I get the brush and pretend over the computer that I am brushing it. Today their big sister came by after work and Katy had to take big sisters boots, sun glasses and purse and pretend for me, she has to show Mom over the video conference. first thing Katy says when she gets on is always "Where is Marc and Max?", not hi mom, I miss you or anything just always wants to know where the boys are!

After we talked and the boys played for awhile we decided to try out the pool! This is our first pool experience. The boys loved it but hung on pretty tight! It is not very warm but we stayed in for awhile. They had their legs wrapped around me and hung on with both hands. They did loosen up a little after we had been in there a bit.

We met Regina and her crew there so we hit the balls around a bit and the kids seem to enjoy it a lot. We went back to our room and had left over pizza and apples.