sore thumb

Phil and I have absolutely the sweetest child in the whole world. You may be prone to disagree but you'd be wrong. I wish I could keep a constant record of every little amazingly wonderful thing that she does day in and day out but I can't or don't. So, here's just somethings off the top of my head from the last few days here in Beijing. When we were out the other afternoon playing she was running around one section of yard with her arms in the air yelling, "Goal! Goal! Goal". On the way home from that same play time she was singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" at the top of her lungs. We had just gotten downstairs and outside when she suddenly said, "My wallet!". "Did you forget your wallet, Maddie?" I asked. "Yes, give me the key and I go and get it. By myself." She said. We've been letting her take her baby stroller outside on walks with us here. She LOVES it. She also loves pretending that cars are...

We are okay. Phil had left the house and was on his way to a coffee shop with a friend and M, Yali, and myself were in the apartment when the quake started. M was napping still and Yali and I were in the living room chatting. I saw the leaves of the plant on the bookcase start moving and felt the laptop on my lap move. I casually told Yali, "Look at the hanging lamp it's moving." She immediately looked terror stricken. I tried to assure her it was no big deal. I actually first thought it was probably wind but when I looked outside I knew it couldn't be wind. Then the apartment really started moving (we're on the 8th floor) and we heard crashing sounds out in the hallway (tiles falling off the ceiling). We both ran to M's room who was startled by us barging in. Yali wanted to immediately get outside but I knew we couldn't with tiles falling and I didn't know what the state of the stairwell would be like. I really didn't know where to go be...

Our Ming De Men apartment is packed and our new home awaits. Phil and I spent yesterday detail cleaning and mopping the new place. Once we finally sat down last night it was physically painful to stand back up. Madeleine has a fun day ahead. This morning she's playing with Peter and Clinton (and giving lots of kisses to Hudson - she can't get enough of him) and going to Tabitha's house after her nap (our British friends' daughter). It looks like rain. Very Alanis Morissette. The movers will be here around 11am. It's very odd to think we'll be sleeping in a new apartment tonight.