Day 13 - Free day & Group Photos

Caitlin and Zachary both slept in this morning, and Caitlin woke up feeling rough after yesterday's shots and quite possibly coming down with a slight cold.  (Snot everywhere!! - Poor thing!) So we decided not to join the group on the subway trip to the museum and instead just get outside for some "fresh air", that is, as fresh as polluted air can be!  The grandparents however,  went with the rest of the group so they could see more sites during their last few days here.  We went around the corner from or hotel to an exercise area / playground area for about an hour and then walked around area to check some things out. We found lots of cute squeaky shoes for Caitlin and Zachary found a mini Lego man! Amazing!!  If there is a Lego toy to be found, he will find it!!  

Caitlin and Zachary see-sawing with each other!  So Cute!

The intricate detail on some of their sidewalks here in China are absolutely amazing!  Someone painstakingly arranged these tiny rocks into this Yin and Yang pattern as well as many other patterns on the sidewalks all around the park. 

 

Dried Seahorses!!

While Caitlin was napping, Noah and I ventured out to check out the local street vendor cuisine!!  Dried seahorses or snake skins anyone?!  Someone in our group googled recipes for dried seahorses and there were actually several.  However, we believe these both are used in medicines over here.  Surely they are FDA approved medicine concoctions!!  We found some Chinese pancakes and other bread pockets filled with green veggies and egg which were delicious.  As well, we found bakery lane, or so we call it, as there must have been 4-5 bakeries on the same street!  We picked up 7-8 cookies and 1/2 loaf of bread.  Everything together totaled less than $1.00!!  What a deal!

Snake skins!!

We actually had to wake Caitlin up from her nap to take her back to the doctor's for the second round of shots.  When she woke up the nose was just running and she felt very warm! Sure enough, she had a fever and they would not give her her shots until the fever was gone - so we have to try again tomorrow!!  Ugh!  The clinic opens at 8:00 am so we have to meet Mr.Zhou at 7:50 am to get in and out quickly so he can then take our paperwork to the consulate.  Once we got back to the hotel we changed her clothes and met all the families in the hotel lobby to get a group photo taken.  Mr. Zhou led us over to the White Swan Hotel (a couple blocks away) for the photo.  

There are gold fish and coi fish swimming in the indoor pond.

Haddie, Amelia, Molly and Caitlin on the famous red couch.  We hoped to get all the kids together for a photo shoot, but it just didn't happen!  Haddie and Amelia are both three while Molly is 13 months and Caitlin is 14 months. They all looked so cute in their little silk Chinese dresses!  

Molly and Caitlin chatting it up. "You got to see the purses I found.."

"What do you think of this one Molly?!  It would go great with your dress!"

Nana and Granpa with Zachary and Caitlin (note our little snacker not missing a bite - even during the photo shoot!  :)

Grandma and Grandpa with Zachary and Caitlin (snacking some more! :))

The whole gang on the red couch!!  

We're so blessed to have been able to share this amazing experience with both sets of grandparents!  We couldn't have made it through these two weeks with out you guys!!!  We love you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

Day 12 -- Free Day and Medical Exam

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!  ;)

Day 11 - Guangzhou Zoo

Today our whole group (all 11 families) set off to see the Guangzhou Zoo - in the misty/drizzling rain! Our group has gotten so big now that we need a bus and an 11-passenger van to haul everyone around. Our immediate group of eight and one other family of five rode in the van with Mr. Zhou's assistant, Jason. (Children ride on their parents laps here - this ought to make for a fun transition into the car seat when we get back to the states!) Jason was very nice and informative. He told us that the people from Guangzhou are very tough and will eat anything that flies except airplanes and anything with four legs except tables and chairs. He is originally from the Hun an Provence and he told us that he only eats normal things, not crazy stuff! He also told us that many young couples come to Guangzhou to get their bridal photos done here because it's so picturesque. He said that on the day of the wedding, there is a banquet after the ceremony and the bride and groom will get drunk and they don't want any photos of themselves this way, so they wait 1-2 months after the wedding day to take their photos. We've already seen at least 1/2 dozen to a dozen couples in the few short days we've been here!

The zoo was pretty nice, I even found my nephew Aidan hanging around waiting to see Zachy-man! See if you can find him hiding below!!! :) (We love and miss you! Say hi to Finley and Emily for us!) They had everything at this zoo from lions, tigers & bears (oh my!) to coypu (looked like they are from the rat family), zebras, camels (with humps that were drooped over) and of course the ever popular Pomeranian Puppies!? Plus we got to see one tiny panda while we were there as well. I think it would have been even more enjoyable if the weather had cooperated!

Aidan waiting to pop out and scare us! :)  (or is it Sophie?!! - say hi to Ivy for us too!)

Zachary and Caitlin checking out the lion!

Posing for a photo!!

Mommy and Zachary in front of the beautiful bamboo.

Zachary acting silly with his buddy Thatcher and the elephant!!

Granpa, Nana Zachary and Me on our way out of the zoo.

After we go back from the zoo we headed around the corner to the Cow and Bridge Thai Restaurant with three other families. The food was good, but unfortunately we haven't been able to sit down and enjoy a meal the whole time we've been here! Caitlin doesn't particularly like sitting for more than, oh let's say 2 seconds!!!! I have a feeling she's our "Aidan" :) We keep warning her that she's in for a rude awakening when we get home! It is so hard to set rules and enforce them as there is no consitstency in our days here! I can't wait to get home and establish a routine again as well as eat some fresh fruit and vegetables!

While Cailtin was napping, Nana and I went out shopping for a couple hours. Come to find out, she never actually fell asleep - oops! So, it ended up being playtime for Daddy, Zachary and Caitlin! Once we got back from shopping, we headed back down to the palyroom for some fun!

Caitlin and her new friend Molly from Midland, Michigan (which is the next town over from Noah's Grandpa's cottage!! Unbelievable!!

Dinner was low key (sandwiches and leftovers) and in our rooms tonight, I just couldn't handle another meal in a restaurant today!!

Chowin' down some cold pizza with my big brother in the hall way to no where!!

Zachary is a sleepwear fashion expert and he tells me that it's the new look for fall!

Another great day is over and we have no where to be early in the morning, so Zachary asked if he could "sleep in for the whole day tomorrow"?! I'm with you buddy, that sounds great! The only appointment we have tomorrow is set for 3:00 pm - Caitlin's medical exam, which I hope goes pretty smoothly and is a breeze!

More tomorrow... Only a few more days until we head home!!!!

Day 10 -- Guangzhou, Guangdong - Shopping Day

After grabbing a Subway sandwich last night (not exactly like back in the states!) and getting the kids to bed late last night (they both passed out in Mom and Dad's room as we all ate), it was slow moving this morning!  We had to meet Mr. Zhou down in the lobby at 10:00 AM to get an abbreviated tour of the area and some insight on where to have your laundry done, buy squeaky shoes, and where to get the best deal on freshwater pearls among other things. We all headed off the island (our hotel is on an "island" which is surrounded by a river and canal) through some neighborhoods where there were tons of street vendors selling everything from spices, dried sea horses, fresh fish for eating as well as for pets, puppies, turtles, (some mutant ones with two heads and random feet sticking out the top of it's shell - must mean good luck or longevity if you purchase these! :)) luggage, toys, dried bats, to pearls and various trinkets.  

Walking through the neighborhoods filled with vendors - it's amazing how many people sell the exact same thing - we all keep wondering how they stay in business?! 

Zachary acting silly while checking out the pearls!

Zachary, Caitlin and I in the main walking commercial area.  Notice Fred in the background - apparently he thought it was quite balmy here today!!  Either that or he just wanted to show some leg!!! :)

Dad, Mom and Chloette in the commercial area as well.  Caitlin and I in the background with some other members of our group - notice that she is on the hip - not in the handy stroller!  Zachary is still adjusting (very well I might add) to the idea that there are two children in our family.  Seems like most of the time I pick Caitlin p to carry her, he wants me to pick him up as well, or if I hand her off to Noah, he is immediately asking to be piked up and carried.

For lunch we checked out Papa John's Pizza with two other families.  I was actually pretty good, surprisingly enough!

After lunch we headed back to the hotel and put Caitlin down for a nap - it's incredible how easily she lays down when it's time to sleep, now!  (knock on wood it's that easy in the states!)  I am just so excited as to how things have changed these last two days!  Thank you for your continued prayers!  She is a terrific little girl with a smile that is contagious!!  I just can't imagine life without her!  The interaction between Zachary and Caitlin is precious - you can just see how much they adore each other!  

While she was sleeping, Zach and Noah went down stairs to check out the children's playroom.  Since there was no one in there, they were able to get a fun game of contact basketball in before they had to be back to the room so I could go take care of adoption paper work with Mr. Zhou and the other families. (One of the American Embassies is located in Guangzhou and therefore many families who are adopting stay here and use the playroom. It's nothing fancy, but it's such a great feature!!)  All 11 couples are adopting special needs children which makes this extra special for all of us.  The paperwork session took about 1 1/2 hours during which tons of forms were being filled out to be sent to the Embassy for our children's visas.  Since our I-171H paperwork had expired last year and we were forced to resubmit under the new Hague Treaty regulations (I-800) which requires most of the paperwork to be completed stateside, I sat and watched everyone filling out form after form for at least 75% of the time.  It was definitely a hassle getting it all done before we could leave the US, but it was nice not to have to worry about it!

When I got back up stairs to our floor, I saw Zachary and Caitlin running up and down the hall, and when they saw me they both came running towards me with big smiles - what a great feeling!  I'm a mommy to TWO very special kids!!  I couldn't be any luckier!

We decided to try out an American restaurant called Lucy's for dinner.  It was okay, but I don't need to eat there again this week!  Caitlin was getting antsy so I decided to start walking back to the hotel and Mom joined me.  At one point on our walk, Caitlin was squirming and I thought we'd see if she would go to Nana and she did!!!  

Okay so I didn't have the camera out quick enough to get the shot but it's exciting that she is getting more comfortable with the grandparents!!  (She has started to let the grandparents get near her and touch/hold her briefly which is great! They are enjoying just watching her grow and change before their eyes as well!)

Here's Zachary showing Caitlin how to go down the slide backwards!

After dinner we stopped by the play room to show Caitlin the digs!  It was definitely a hit!! Zachary and Caitlin were the only two in there so it was perfect for them to run around and burn off that last bit of energy before going to bed!

Caitlin riding on the horsey!

Caitlin playing around!

Finally it was off to bed!!  Caitlin liked watching Zachary brush his teeth so we gave her a toothbrush of her own to use, only she used it to brush everything from her belly to her legs to her hair and she thought this was quite funny, as did we all!  So darn cute!  We put her in the crib and she was out within a matter of minutes!  After Caitlin went to bed we spent some quality time with Zachary reading his Magic Tree House book.

Tomorrow we head as a group to the zoo!  Yeah!

Day 9 - Traveling to Guangzhou - Our last stop before heading home!!!

Well, it's our last day in Nanning and we will be heading to Guangzhou for our final stop on this trip.  Today we took our time packing and playing because we didn't have have to leave until 3:30pm.   Caitlin has really turned a corner today, smiling and giggling so much more now- I just can't get enough of her beautiful smile!!  She even has a dimple like her Mommy!!! :) Speaking of similarities... Mom and Noah think it's quite funny that Mom's little "wish" for me to have a daughter just like myself is coming true.  They seem to think she is stubborn like me (I'm not stubborn!) and runs around like a bull in a china shop (okay so they used to call me Gracie Traci). 

Love that big beautiful smile!!!

After we were picked up at 3:30pm we had to stop by the passport office to see if Caitlin's passport was ready to pick up.  Our instructions from Belinda were:  I am going to find out if the passport is ready, you stay in the van for 45 minutes with the driver (who speaks no English), if it is ready at that time, I will call the driver and he will pick me back up and we will go to the airport; if not, I'll wait for it and the driver will take you to the airport to catch your flight.  Okay, so the driver pulls down this side street and parks the van.  Caitlin, who does not like small spaces, was not content sitting there waiting, so we got out and wandered around. There were a few vendors on the street selling veggies, eggs, candy and oh yeah freshly plucked whole chickens.  (When we first drove by we could see the vendor actually wringing the chicken's neck and pulling it in boiling water to remove the feathers easier!  Talk about fresh to the table!!)  The driver gets a call and we get back in the van, and were ready to go.  We ask if Belinda got the passport and we would be picking her up? He just turns around gives us a huge smile and says "Okay."  I crack up and begin laughing hysterically as I think about the situation we are in... in a van with a man who speaks no English, we have no idea if we will be meeting our guide again and we need to be to the airport in about 1 hour and we are trusting this man with our lives!  Granted he's been our driver all week (and laundry man!) and he is really sweet, but the timing just struck me as hilarious!  We drive down the street a couple blocks and there she is - passport in hand!! Yeah!

Caitlin's first trip on a plane!!!  Zachary loved sitting next to his little sister!  She did pretty well until we hit some turbulence and her ears were popping!  Can't wait for the L--O--N--G trip home!  Ugh!  Hopefully by then she will has warmed up to the grandparents and we can take turns entertaining/walking with her.  I seriously think the airline companies should consider a playroom area for children on long flights - for every one's sanity!

When we arrived in Guangzhou,, Caitlin had a blast helping Zachary wheel his suitcase all around as we waited for our luggage to arrive.

While waiting, another little Chinese girl about 3 1/2 came up to take a picture of Zachary instead they each took pictures of each other taking photos of each other.  So cute!

Mr. Zhou met us at the airport and we headed to the Victory Hotel in Guangzhou.  It's good to be back with with our group and see other familiar faces and knowing they are going through the same stuff we are!

When we go up to check out our rooms - we find them quite spacious but the actual layout of our room is perplexing!!  I definitely will have to chat with Danielle to see how on earth one would furnish this space!!  Basically we have a curved bedroom within a  larger room - I know you're thinking  - duh - it's called a suite, but I question the hall to nowhere behind the room! I can't even do it justice by describing it!  I wonder if at one time this funky space was an open wrap around veranda.  (Noah calls it the in-law's suite!) I don't think they use energy efficient windows in this building - as we could see our blinds swinging in the breeze!  We play around with the thermostats - setting them up to 30 degrees Celsius - but no luck!  So after we bundle the kids up and put them to bed, I head head down to the front desk to get someone to fix the heater, instead I find an employee in our hallway and he brings us a space heater! Apparently this is not a new problem for this room! 

Day 8 - Family Day (Photos as promised)

Zachary is loving his special time with Nana and Grandma!!!

The gang at our usual dining place - Shen Zhou Food Street!  Who could ask for more - it's on the 1st floor of the hotel, food's pretty good, sweet english speaking waitress, and dinner for 7 averaging under $20!!!

This is our local guide Belinda and her 5 month old daughter Mu En (pronounced Moon).

Belinda, her husband and daughter all joined us for dinner on our last night in local.

I thought I would have more to post, but looking back, our day was more about bonding as a family than taking photos.  I know that sounds crazy that I wasn't clicking away to capture every moment, but it's true and I wouldn't change a thing!

Day 8 - Family Day

We decided that after yesterday, we just needed some down time as a family to do our own thing.  So the grandparents went to the market and a museum with Belinda today while we stayed back at the hotel.  It was nice not to have any schedule to follow!  We took our time eating breakfast - once again she was chowing down the food!  She loved her watermelon,banana, green beans and toast with fried eggs on it!!

Getting ready for our family day!!

After breakfast we did some more laps around the lower level and main lobbies.  So much fun, but we needed a change in scenery!!

 

Ge Ge and Mei Mei

So we decided to press our luck with putting her in the stroller and going for a walk in the Nanhu (South Lake) Park next to our hotel.  We had been advised not to use a stroller the first few days, instead use a Snuggly or simply carry her facing us to help in forming a bond/connection with her.  We bundled her up and headed out - SUCCESS!  She loved going in the stroller!!  (She will definitely be training for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk with me!!!) She actually passed out on the ride and continued napping for over an hour once we returned to our room. 

After her nap we struggled and tried everything to calm her down, but to no avail!  Finally we tried racing with Zachary up and down the hallway - we actually got smiles and squeals!!! She loved it!  She loves watching and chasing him!!  What an amazing bond they are forming, it's wonderful to watch!

Belinda stopped by in the afternoon for us to verify all of the final documents from the Notary for her visa.  As well, the photographer for the registrar's office who took our family photo for the documents stopped by to deliver our photos from the disposable cameras we sent in Caitlin's care package.  We were able to see where she lived and with whom.  Such a different way of living - but she was smiling and seemed to be happy in the photos!  We also found out that she favored the "ba ba" (father) in her foster family as well.  

At some point during the afternoon, she finally started to look for me and reach out for my hand to play.  Yeah!

We invited Belinda and her husband and 5 month old daughter Mu En to have dinner with us at our usual restaurant on the lower level.  They came by motorcycle (scooter) - Belinda rides on the back holding on to Mu En.  Oh yeah I forgot to mention that there are no car seats over here!    

Belinda made some suggestions for new dishes to try.  Once again Caitlin chowed down everything from fried rice to spicy bbq pork and noodles!!  After dinner was through Caitlin actually reached her arms out for me to pick her up and said "mama".  :)   

I took hallway walking duty tonight and she passed out really easily... too easily!  But as I placed her in bed - she woke up screaming!!  For the next 45 minutes there was no consoling her.  We finally placed her in her crib, got in our beds and turned out the lights.  Low and behold... she laid down and went to sleep!!! 

I have a few more photos from today that I will have to post tomorrow because I am writing in the dark hoping she won't wake up!