Highs and Lows and Overload!

Highs and Lows and Overload!

Yesterday I didn’t write because, frankly, I was exhausted and a bit discouraged.  We went to a large shopping mall and in retrospect, it was just too much stimulus for Evan.  He was excited at first since I bought a few items for him.  But when we went to women’s clothing, he realized there was nothing there for him and had a meltdown.  He was quite angry and exhausted himself to the point that he fell asleep once we got back to the hotel.   I should have realized that he would not understand the process and that it just wasn’t a good activity at this point in time.  Bad Mommy.  Live and Learn.

Better times today!  Anita and I took Evan to a McDonalds several blocks from the hotel.  It is really hot here and Evan acted as if he was going to fall out from all that walking.  Pretty funny for a kid that seems to have plenty of energy otherwise. 

McDonalds was very crowded and the menu board was in Chinese.  Thankfully they had a picture menu that we could point at to order.  We got our food and finally scouted 3 empty stools at a counter.   We were hoping against hope that the burgers tasted like home.  On our first night here we ordered a burger at a “Western” restaurant at the hotel and the meat tasted decidedly odd – not spoiled, just different.  A high: We were happy when the food actually tasted like standard  fare.  A low:  When Evan insisted he needed to use the restroom and I realized #1 – they only had Turkish potties (that’s a hole in the floor, folks) that no one ever seemed to flush and the stench was worse that any porta-potty I’ve been in back home…and #2 – there was not a sink to be found. Forget soap. So, what do the employees do when they use the restroom?  Ewwwwwwwwww…..

After McDonalds, we walked back to the park we had visited the last time.  There are several amusement park kiddie rides which he enjoyed.  There are also vending stands sprinkled throughout the park.  Evan pointed that he wanted a toy train that was hanging from a display.  I bought the train for him and we went on some rides.  Later, he saw other toys that he wanted, but I gestured to the train and that he only gets one.  I was very proud of him because he just nodded, “Yes,” and didn’t get upset. 

On the way out of the park we stopped to look at an ice cream case.  Evan pointed at a popsicle unlike anything I have ever seen.  The wrapper had a picture of green peas – just like when you buy frozen peas in the market!  I bought it for him just to see what was in the wrapper.  It was a frozen pureed pea popsicle!  I wonder how that would go over in the States?  There was one in the case that was corn flavored, too, but we did not buy one.

More highs:  Evan finger spelled his name today!  I taught him to say, “My name is
E-V-A-N.”    He is picking up other signs as well.  AND, I got him to SAY, “Ben.”  Alright, it’s not perfect, but the /Be/ is there.  I am excited to get him to an audiologist back home to see what is going on in those little ears. 

Evan is also a funny little guy.  He loves to pull pranks like trying to sneak up on Auntie Anita.   He put on a magic show for me yesterday also.  He had a green plastic cap from a drink bottle and he put it under a small throw/cover.  Then, he gestured for me to cover my eyes.  (Of course, I peeked! He reached under and took the cap out and hid it behind his back.)  Then, Evan tapped me to open my eyes and he whisked the cover away with great flair, using one had as if to say, “Voila!”   I clapped for his magic and he revealed the cap was behind him.   I can see Evan is going to be quite the entertainer, on many levels!  LOL. 

We are now heading into our final day in Zhengzhou.  Anita and I are glad.  This has not been a very kid-friendly location.  It is difficult to even take a walk because there is an endless stream of motor-scooter traffic down the SIDEWALKS.  And I am not talking about one lane.  They come 2, 3, and 4 across. Even when we try to walk very far over on the side, we have to be careful because some of the drivers think that is their “passing lane.”   I know Guangzhou will be better.