Lisa: Next time, won't you sing with me?

When I got home from tour, almost the first thing Nora did was sing the alphabet song. Best welcome back ever.

Ignore that copy of Titanic on the floor next to her.

Lisa: potluck

E sweetly let Nora help make her dessert...

...and then my mom came over and dressed Nora in all of her China souvenirs at once.

Love you guys! It's good to be home.

Lisa: home

I find it's best to greet your relatives after a long separation by shoving as much of their jewelry as you can into your mouth.

Lisa: China, day 14

Tuesday morning before heading to the airport, we stopped in for a quick visit at the Summer Palace. It was gorgeous and huge, but chilly and crowded--and Nora was just about through with being carried. For good.

The play area at the Seoul airport on the way home was much more what she had in mind.

Lisa: China, day 13

On Monday we went to the Great Wall, and Nora wanted to walk every inch of it herself.

Lisa: China, day 12

We wanted to do something that would be fun for Nora, so we spent the morning at the Blue Zoo aquarium. She loved it--especially the BIG, naughty shark.

Later, we walked around the old part of Beijing. This is either in front of the Bell Tower or the Drum Tower (I admit I'm not sure which).

Lisa: China, day 11

Here we are at the Forbidden City...

and the Olympic Plaza...

and of course, engaging in some international race relations.

Lisa: China, day 10

Today we got to Beijing, and met Blake and my dad at the airport. YAY! It's just what we needed to cap off the trip. Here they are with Nora in front of her favorite feature of our hotel--one of the two lion statues flanking the entrance.

Lisa: China, day 9

Nora, giving me her classic photo face in front of the terra cotta warriors in Xian:

And here she is outside the museum, trying to make friends with a very smiley but shy Chinese boy her own age in split pants. She kept kind of sidling up to him, shoulders hunched and belly out. Each time she got too close, he would run back to his mom.

Nora loved the video they showed about the history of the terra cotta warriors. For the next few hours, all she talked about was fighting, fire, running, and flags. Maybe someday Blake won't have to watch all his favorite movies alone.

Lisa: stairs

For the first time, Nora found stairs with a railing low enough that she could go down all by herself. She counts a bit while she's doing it, too.

Urban Planning Exhibition Centre, Shanghai

Lisa: China, day 8

Nora, enjoying a vegetable bun at the best dumpling restaurant in Shanghai.

Lisa: China, day 7

Nora made quite a few conquests in the People's Park. This one was probably the most age-appropriate.

I have a cute video of this little guy singing her the ABCs, but I think YouTube is blocked in China. I'll post it when we get back.

Lisa: ABCs

As promised, here's a little Chinese boy singing an approximate version of the ABCs for Nora.

Lisa: China, day 6

Checking out the view of Shanghai (or as she calls it, "Hai-Hai") from the window of our FIVE STAR hotel room:

Lisa: hello!

Mom and I tried to get Nora to say "Shanghai" on camera, to no avail. She pretended to be very busy talking on the phone instead.

Lisa: China, day 5

I couldn't choose just one picture for today.

Outside the Hong Kong temple, where we went to sacrament meeting:

Completely loving the cable-car ride up to the Po Lin monastery:

And with Grandma, looking up through the fog at the world's largest seated outdoor bronze Buddha:

Lisa: Then what DO you like?

I'm not sure why Nora will only be cute and chat her fool head off when the camera isn't on.

This is in the park across from the Hong Kong temple.

Lisa: China, day 4

Me and Nora, riding a sampan in Aberdeen and having our picture taken in front of the world's largest floating restaurant.

Lisa: China, day 3

The only way we got through Nora's jetlag was by heeding her frequent requests for "simmies" at the incredible rooftop "poo" with the "copters." Her "suit" and "simmy daipo" have played big roles as well.

We are really roughing it.

Lisa: China, day 2

Nora and Grandma (her new favorite person) on the little couch in our beautiful hotel room.

In other news, I'm going to get a job as a Kiddie Kandids photographer.

Lisa: China, day 1

The most good-natured, cutest world-traveler ever was rewarded with a luxurious bubble bath in Hong Kong.

Remind me when Nora is a teenager and we're fighting how awesome she was for twenty hours on the plane today.

Lisa: packing

Nora tried her best to eat the snacks as fast as I could pack them.

Lisa: family business

Nora fell asleep in the Las Vegas airport, on the way home from scouting stuff for our clothing line at the MAGIC show.

She's the best little travel buddy a mom could wish for.