Foods to stock up on when we get home...

There are a few foods we need to try to match in The States:

Drinkable yogurt is a big hit with Anna Lin. You buy these either in individual containers or in packs of 6 or so. Some are in little bottles that look like mini old fashion milk bottles. Some are in boxes. Some are even in yogurt containers and you just poke the straw in them. We have drinkable yogurt in the States so we should be OK once we are home.

Little jello containers type snacks. I don't know the Chinese name. Now this looks very much like our jello packs but there is a creamy part to it and it is kinda juicy. It's hard to explain. But they are individually packed. The kids do not use a spoon. They just peel back the lid and slurp. Yep, slurp. If you get the really small ones they will slurp the whole thing in their mouth, suck on it, then plop it back in the cup. This happens over and over until it is gone. Interesting... :-) We have jello, but I don't remember seeing the creamy part. We'll see how we do with that back home.

There are also these rice crackers. AL was very happy with these. Although they sure do stink! Almost like garlic. Maybe she'll be happy with Goldfish.

Then there are these things that look like little bread balls. We first saw these at the zoo. Our guide said to buy the bag to feed the deer. (Yes, deer are a big hit at the zoo in China. My youngest son informed me that he was watching a deer as we spoke. He was at my mother's house in the woods.) So, these little bread ball thingies... AL started to eat them and we at first said no, thinking they were for the deer only. However, the guide informed us that they were really for kids. Sure enough I taste one of them and it was similar to a vanilla wafer. Yes! Another one we can get at home.

Finally, last but not least are the noodles in a bucket. This is basically Ramen noodles, or Lipton noodle soup in a cup. (I just love this kid. She eats cheap food!!!) For anyone adopting an older child like AL or even older, I suggest breaking up the noodles before cooking them. It sure makes it easier for her to eat.

AL also likes rice, but is very picky about it. One day fried rice is fine, the next it isn't. Tonight we ate at Cow & Bridge for Thai food. I had them bring a bowl of plain white rice, because she can spend an hour picking out anything other than the rice itself. Well, she wouldn't touch it on her own. I tried to share my food. (Shrimp and coconut rice, fried pumpkin (Very good. Think sweet potatoes.) and spring rolls with shrimp.). Well, she wasn't biting. Luckily I fed her some of her noodles about an hour before we left, so she was OK about it. We have a special area where I keep her food and our snacks. She'll go to it and bring it to me if she wants it.

Watermellon seems to be a big hit, along with bananas. However, AL is very picky. If there is anything brown on the bananas then we're going to have issues. :-) (Have I told you that I think God had a plan for this kid. He says to His people, "Hua Lin needs to be with Ric and his family because he is also very picky and a clean freak, along with a couple of his boys. She will fit in 'real' good with this family." AL wipes her hands off everytime she gets something on them practically! I'm a wait until I'm all done hand wiping kind of person. But I'll gladly go through a travel pack of wipes a day if it keeps her happy. Of course, it totally pleases Dad!

There is so much more I want to write about. I'll do my best to get it down sometime. I've really been trying not to get on the computer while she is up so we can spend time together and bond. Today was our best day, and one week since we met our Anna Lin. She has been lovey and snuggly today more than ever. And her English! Wow! It is now several words a day that she is repeating, and a few that she is using in normal context. Today's new words were wait, foot, toes, wash hands, along with a couple of others. Also, when she goes to knock on the door when Ric is already inside she has started saying, "I'm coming." :-) This is because Ric always says this when we knock. I just thought that was so cute that she is anticipating what he will say.

Angi
*Ric will add a picture later. He says we can't post without a picture each time. So, I leave that up to him. But it may be a while. He currently has a virus of some sort and stayed in the hotel while we went to dinner. I think he has what I had last Saturday. Or he has a cold. Who knows!