Today we took advantage of our free morning to get out and enjoy the nice sunny weather and get some shopping done! There are so many little shops here selling the SAME stuff! I think I mentioned this before, but really, how do they stay in business?! We are enjoying the haggling processes with the merchants, it's become a fun game for most of us.
Kristin, this one's for you!! Each morning I look out our window, see this down below and think of you - you'd love it here! ;)
We met Mr. Zhou at 3:00pm to go get the kids photos taken for the visa paperwork and then it was on to the medical examinations. From what I had been told, they were pretty quick and easy. Basically, they did a quick check over- eyes, ears etc., then it was on to the next room where they weighed her and measured her. Unfortunately our little sweetheart was very cooperative - she wanted nothing to do with this exam!! For here weight, the nurse actually had to get on the adult scale holding Caitlin and then give her to us, weigh herself and the determine the difference between the two numbers to get Caitlin's weight! Well, she weighs 22.5 lbs and is 31 inches tall. Growing nicely!! Next we moved to another room where the doctor listened to her heart. (She has a hole in her heart - VSD). This doctor then asked us to follow him in to another room where two other doctors listened and then chatted in Chinese (of course) for what seemed and eternity as we listened and watched their facial expressions trying to figure out what was going on! The female doctor finally turned to us and said "Her heart murmur, we cannot hear it anymore, the hole probably has closed up." What a relief!!! We will still take her to be check out by her pediatric cardiologist in the states, but this was great news!! Unfortunately the last stop we had to make was in the vaccination room!! Once again because we are under the new Hague regulations, we have other guidelines/rules we have to adhere to, one of which is making sure her vaccinations are up to date before we leave the country. (The other families got to leave after the basic check-up! Poor Caitlin!!) They reviewed her medical paperwork and determined that she needed FIVE shots!!! UGH!! Poor little thing!!! Unfortunately they cannot give her all five today so we have to return tomorrow to get the last two! Caitlin has some lungs on her!! It took myself and a nurse to hold her still while a second nurse administered the shots. I teared up watching her go through this whole ordeal, as if she hasn't been through enough already in these few days!!!
Just a little side note... not sure how thorough these doctors/nurses are. For example... one family adopted a little girl who is missing an ear, however when the did the hearing test (which consisted of squeezing a squeaky toy on either side of her head), she passed in both ears! Go figure! Another family's little girl's special need was that she had MS yet on her exam they marked that she was recovered. We're not sure if the initial diagnosis we incorrect or this one was, but we're pretty sure you can't be recovered from MS. (maybe we're wrong!)
Caitlin didn't exactly enjoy the medical examination. :(
Mr. Zhou holding Caitlin while we wait the mandatory 30 minutes after the shots - they're pretty strict about it too!! At one point when I thought the time was up, they told me 2 more minutes!! Come on now, seriously?!
Caitlin and Daddy making a break for it as soon as we were allowed! She's a trooper!
One of the many wedding photo shoots we saw around the Guangzhou Shamian Island. This couple is dressed in typical Chinese silk outfits.
After the medical exam we decided to try a new restaurant on the island - La Dolche Vita da Raffaele. It was owned by an Italian man who opened the restaurant up for business last year. The food was fantastic!!! It was so nice to have fresh tomatoes on my brushetta!! What a special treat to top off the meal with some homemade gelato too!!! Yum! Caitlin passed out in the stroller on the walk back to the hotel, which was only about 4-5 blocks away! :)
Once we were back at the hotel, Noah put Caitlin down and passed out himself while I read one of the Magic Tree House books with Zachary. After he went to bed, I went down the hall and watched Slumdog Millionaire with the grandparents! (Movies are cheap to buy here.) What do you mean it's still in the theaters back home! ;)
See, I totally could have come to China with you to be your photographer!!! They have Starbucks!!!
ReplyDeleteThe waiting after shots reminded me of my Connor and his allergy shots, we have to do the same thing, but I don't have to hold him. Thank God!!
More love and hugs to you....