Ellie gives her opinions.

Yesterday we hired a guide to go shopping wholesale (Anna with Red Thread- she was great!). She gave us more interpretations of what Ellie is saying. We were waiting to get on a subway and the interpretor asked if Ellie had been on one before; she replied: Aw, I been ridin' these for ten years! (She is six years old). I mentioned that Ellie is not speaking much English, so Anna asked her about it and she said: I'm not learnin' English; its not useful! (She also noted that mommies and daddies kiss on the Lips.) She has very strong opinions on everything, and shares them with any nearby stranger.

We had an episode in the pool today. The other families have arrived (they adopted in other provinces) and we were very excited to see them. We seemed to all end up at the pool at the same time. One couple is Chinese-American and fluent in anything Ellie says. The husband Owen is really nice, and he told me he did not let Ellie know that he understood her, but could let me know what she was saying (I have so been waiting for this!). It turns out about how we expected it; she is extremely bossy to her friend Faith. Also, she told Faith she doesn't have to do what I say because I am not her HUSBAND (sic). He made sure I knew it was actually "Husband".

Well, in the pool everyone everyone is required to wear a swimming cap (and boy are they funky, too). Ellie kept removing hers, so we had to take her out. Later, she would not stop throwing things, so we had to take her out. Tomorrow she will require a lecture about how we can't go to pools, stores, or parks if she behaves badly. Also, she will need to know she will be friendless in America if these behaviors persist.