The Great Wall

We have had great success with Evan over the last 2 days! What a relief! Chris and I got up on Saturday morning (the day after the big "meltdown" episode) and made a plan. It's nothing earth shattering but we decided we would somehow communicate with Evan each and every time he ran away, cried in temper, etc...It takes a lot of patience and consistency to do this but it has paid off! We will get down at eye level and say "No" using our english word and sign. If he's being naughty we will say "Boo How" but we always make sure we are at his level looking in his eyes. When he throws a temper - for example, he wants us to carry him everywhere...when we can't, he throws a fit and falls to the floor. When he does this we just stand there beside him ignoring him and after a few minutes he would get up and walk beside us. Now, it is only taking a few seconds of him lying on the floor and then he will get up, take our hand and walk with us. And, we do carry him sometimes as well, but sometimes we simply can't. If he wants a toy or anything else that he can't have he has learned if we say "No" and use the sign, he can't have it. Now he will ask for something and then look at us and say and sign "No" and keep walking. He understands "good boy" so we use this all the time with him, over and over. So, we are really happy we have found some way to communicate with him even though it's only with very few, basic words.

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We went to the Great Wall today and it was SO HOT! Like sweat dripping down our backs kind of hot. Chris and Caleb made it up 4 levels but after 3.5 I took Evan back down. He wanted to be carried a lot up the Wall (who could blame him - so did I!) so by the time I made it as far as I did, I was huffing and puffing and sweating. My legs were like jelly coming back down the Wall!

It was a beautiful day, that's for sure...but it was too hot to be climbing the Wall. For those of you going in the summer...make sure you drink lots of water even if you don't feel thirsty!

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We found out why Evan threw such a major temper tantrum at the People's Park the other day....our guide, Hannah talked with him after the episode and he told her he really wanted the Olympic Lucky Babies. I didn't even know what those were but when she showed me them, I realized it was the same toy we told him he couldn't have at the Park. He told our guide that it is his favorite cartoon and his foster mother had told him his new mommy and daddy would buy him some when he went to Beijing on the big plane. Well, of course, we didn't know any of this when he was throwing the fit but he kept telling our guide over and over that he was "very anxious" because we wouldn't buy the Lucky Babies for him!

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So, today at the Great Wall we bought him the whole set of 5 Lucky Babies - and he really loves them. He was so excited to get them - we even bought him a T-shirt with lucky babies on it and he changed into it right away.

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All in all, we've had a great day. We are still very nervous and cautious when we go into a store because we know the potential is there but I have to say things are going much, much better.

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Caleb is still having a great time and he really enjoyed the Wall. I think he'll be ready to go home, though. He has been so fantastic with Evan...he plays with him all the time and is such a good sport about sharing his gameboys and stuff with him. As a little brother, Evan wants to do everything Caleb does and we all know that can get tiring but Caleb is extremely patient!

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So, we're off to find a children's store and get some snacks for the room! Hope you are all having a nice summer day!!!!

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Tammy, Chris, Caleb and Evan

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Enjoy the pictures....

Evan and Sam (Tracy J's little guy) watching our plane as we head to Beijing

Evan with his "Olympic Lucky Babies" T-shirt

Dad and Caleb at the Great Wall

Evan climbing the Great Wall

This is only 1 section of 4 that we climbed in about 30 degree heat

Caleb loving the challenge of the Wall

Mom and the boys