Lucy in 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Bringing Lucy Home: The China Archive from 2005
This is the China Travel Journal from Oct/Nov 2005 when we traveled to pick up Lucy
Lucy in 2009
Lucy in 2009
China-Travel Journal Day 14 November 11, 2005
Update from Home
First of all, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has followed us and encouraged us on our journey. I hope that this journal has helped increase awareness of China adoptions. If you, or anyone you know is interested in more information about China adoptions, please feel free to e-mail me. There are many website available including www.awaa.org, www.shaohannahshope.org and www.worldorphans.org
Some of you have been nice enough to inquire about "day 14." Day 14 consisted of a 13 hour flight from Hong Kong to Chicago with a 1-year-old on our laps. Trust me, no one wants to hear about that! Instead, I will use this last space to give an update on how we've been doing since coming home.
We have had Lucy for 3 weeks as of today. I can barely remember a time when she was not in our lives! She is completely our daughter. We are amazed at how God continues to place the right babies with the right parents. I see this everyday in the e-mails of my fellow travelers. As with all new parents we are grateful, amazed, challenged, entertained and tired!
We spent our first weekend in Chicago so that Lucy could get to know some of her extended family. We were thrilled to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa and Aunts, Uncles and cousins. Lucy brought gifts for everyone. The most fun gifts were "china-man" outfits for Simon and Owen. They looked great in their blue silk china suits and china-man hats. Hopefully there will be a group photo at Christmas time! Being in Chicago also gave us a chance to relax a bit and get over jet-lag with the help of our family. The jet-lag on the way home is so much worse than on the way there!! I was pretty useless all day Saturday. Lucy took quite a while to reset her clock (13 hour difference!) so we spent a bunch of time playing with a baby at 2:30 in the morning.
We were sad to leave our family but really, really, really ready to finally be home!
When we got to the Orlando airport we were very surprised to be greeted by my cousin Amy and her hubby Steve! Steve is a pilot for Southwest and he helped us get flights home. The crew was so good to us. They announced Lucy to everyone on the plane and gave us a certificate for her and a bottle of Champaign for us. Amy and Steve surprised us with a gigantic ladybug balloon. It was truly the scariest balloon I have ever seen but Lucy loves it! She is still playing with it!
Kim and John came to the airport to pick us up, complete with a "Lucy" sign at baggage claim. After getting luggage we immediately headed to Carraba's Italian Restaurant to eat non-Chinese food. Chris and I were very pleased to find out that we could still have a nice dinner with Kim and John (complete with a Peroni and a Cosmopolitan) even with Lucy. She does great in restaurants. Hopefully our friend's were not too bored with our conversation. We now discuss things like nap times, squeaky shoes and poopy on the potty.
Lucy and Ed are doing well together. Chris is very patient to teach Lucy how to be gentle with the kitty. She is fascinated by him and he is not terribly bothered by her. On Wednesday Lucy and I spent the day strolling around Celebration. During the trip I purchased a few items including a turkey sandwich for lunch, which I only ate half of. When I got home I had some challenges getting in the door with Lucy and all of my packages. I set Lucy in the entry way and then made a mad-dash to the front door to pick up my dropped packages. I found myself sitting in the entryway with a hungry toddler, a curious cat, many packages and a half eaten sandwich. I opened up the leftover sandwich, fed turkey and bread to Lucy while Lucy fed turkey to Ed. I think it was the start of a beautiful friendship.
Lucy had her first trip to the pediatrician on Wednesday. Our doctor was very pleased with Lucy's motor skills, communication abilities and general development. It is obvious that she was well cared for. As far as she could tell, Lucy is completely healthy. We still need to have blood work done to rule out any hidden diseases. The doctor said that Lucy needs to gain a few pounds before her body will be big enough to support walking. That is okay with me because I am in no hurry for her to walk! At the rate she is eating, it will not take long! The doctor said that she will probably chow pretty heavy for a few weeks and then back off a bit. Then the nurse came in and gave her 5 shots. Ow!! She screamed pretty good for those, but when the nurse left the room, Lucy waved bye bye! My daughter is amazing.
Lucy and I have made HUGE progress together. We have been in Orlando for a week now and have had 3 good girl-days. She is adjusting very well to a busy schedule. Most often her naps are in the car seat or stroller. (Which is great because she refuses to sleep in her crib.) Today we went to lunch with our friends Alison and her adopted baby Anna. Anna is 9 months older than Lucy and came to America a year prior to Lucy. Alison has been a wonderful support to me. She gave me lots of good tips on things to feed a toddler and she encourages my shopping habit. Afterwards we did a little shopping and then went to visit Esmeralda. Lucy loved Esmeralda!! Lucy let Esmeralda hold her and feed her and even stay with her when I went out to the car. I think I have found a babysitter…
Parenthood has been great for Chris and me. So far we work well together as a team. He is a natural parent and is very generous with his time. They spend a bit more time in front of the TV than I would prefer but I am willing to let that slide! Lucy loves her Daddy so much! We had a very nice family weekend together. I love being with my hubby and my girl. On Saturday night we went to Disney's MGM Studios to see the Christmas lights. Lucy loved it! She got very excited about the lights and the music. She is so expressive. We even took her through "The Great Movie Ride." On Sunday we put her in a fancy dress and took her to church. Chris ducked out with her during the sermon and took her to children's church. Apparently we have adopted a Charismatic because Chris said she had her hands in the air during much of the program!
Thank you again for your prayers and support. We are so grateful to have wonderful friends and family to share this with. I will miss writing this journal. It has been a joy to write about the process of becoming a family. Hopefully I will be writing another journal in a few years when Lucy is ready for a little sister…
Love and blessings to all,
Teresa, Christopher and Lucy
First of all, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has followed us and encouraged us on our journey. I hope that this journal has helped increase awareness of China adoptions. If you, or anyone you know is interested in more information about China adoptions, please feel free to e-mail me. There are many website available including www.awaa.org, www.shaohannahshope.org and www.worldorphans.org
Some of you have been nice enough to inquire about "day 14." Day 14 consisted of a 13 hour flight from Hong Kong to Chicago with a 1-year-old on our laps. Trust me, no one wants to hear about that! Instead, I will use this last space to give an update on how we've been doing since coming home.
We have had Lucy for 3 weeks as of today. I can barely remember a time when she was not in our lives! She is completely our daughter. We are amazed at how God continues to place the right babies with the right parents. I see this everyday in the e-mails of my fellow travelers. As with all new parents we are grateful, amazed, challenged, entertained and tired!
We spent our first weekend in Chicago so that Lucy could get to know some of her extended family. We were thrilled to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa and Aunts, Uncles and cousins. Lucy brought gifts for everyone. The most fun gifts were "china-man" outfits for Simon and Owen. They looked great in their blue silk china suits and china-man hats. Hopefully there will be a group photo at Christmas time! Being in Chicago also gave us a chance to relax a bit and get over jet-lag with the help of our family. The jet-lag on the way home is so much worse than on the way there!! I was pretty useless all day Saturday. Lucy took quite a while to reset her clock (13 hour difference!) so we spent a bunch of time playing with a baby at 2:30 in the morning.
We were sad to leave our family but really, really, really ready to finally be home!
When we got to the Orlando airport we were very surprised to be greeted by my cousin Amy and her hubby Steve! Steve is a pilot for Southwest and he helped us get flights home. The crew was so good to us. They announced Lucy to everyone on the plane and gave us a certificate for her and a bottle of Champaign for us. Amy and Steve surprised us with a gigantic ladybug balloon. It was truly the scariest balloon I have ever seen but Lucy loves it! She is still playing with it!
Kim and John came to the airport to pick us up, complete with a "Lucy" sign at baggage claim. After getting luggage we immediately headed to Carraba's Italian Restaurant to eat non-Chinese food. Chris and I were very pleased to find out that we could still have a nice dinner with Kim and John (complete with a Peroni and a Cosmopolitan) even with Lucy. She does great in restaurants. Hopefully our friend's were not too bored with our conversation. We now discuss things like nap times, squeaky shoes and poopy on the potty.
Lucy and Ed are doing well together. Chris is very patient to teach Lucy how to be gentle with the kitty. She is fascinated by him and he is not terribly bothered by her. On Wednesday Lucy and I spent the day strolling around Celebration. During the trip I purchased a few items including a turkey sandwich for lunch, which I only ate half of. When I got home I had some challenges getting in the door with Lucy and all of my packages. I set Lucy in the entry way and then made a mad-dash to the front door to pick up my dropped packages. I found myself sitting in the entryway with a hungry toddler, a curious cat, many packages and a half eaten sandwich. I opened up the leftover sandwich, fed turkey and bread to Lucy while Lucy fed turkey to Ed. I think it was the start of a beautiful friendship.
Lucy had her first trip to the pediatrician on Wednesday. Our doctor was very pleased with Lucy's motor skills, communication abilities and general development. It is obvious that she was well cared for. As far as she could tell, Lucy is completely healthy. We still need to have blood work done to rule out any hidden diseases. The doctor said that Lucy needs to gain a few pounds before her body will be big enough to support walking. That is okay with me because I am in no hurry for her to walk! At the rate she is eating, it will not take long! The doctor said that she will probably chow pretty heavy for a few weeks and then back off a bit. Then the nurse came in and gave her 5 shots. Ow!! She screamed pretty good for those, but when the nurse left the room, Lucy waved bye bye! My daughter is amazing.
Lucy and I have made HUGE progress together. We have been in Orlando for a week now and have had 3 good girl-days. She is adjusting very well to a busy schedule. Most often her naps are in the car seat or stroller. (Which is great because she refuses to sleep in her crib.) Today we went to lunch with our friends Alison and her adopted baby Anna. Anna is 9 months older than Lucy and came to America a year prior to Lucy. Alison has been a wonderful support to me. She gave me lots of good tips on things to feed a toddler and she encourages my shopping habit. Afterwards we did a little shopping and then went to visit Esmeralda. Lucy loved Esmeralda!! Lucy let Esmeralda hold her and feed her and even stay with her when I went out to the car. I think I have found a babysitter…
Parenthood has been great for Chris and me. So far we work well together as a team. He is a natural parent and is very generous with his time. They spend a bit more time in front of the TV than I would prefer but I am willing to let that slide! Lucy loves her Daddy so much! We had a very nice family weekend together. I love being with my hubby and my girl. On Saturday night we went to Disney's MGM Studios to see the Christmas lights. Lucy loved it! She got very excited about the lights and the music. She is so expressive. We even took her through "The Great Movie Ride." On Sunday we put her in a fancy dress and took her to church. Chris ducked out with her during the sermon and took her to children's church. Apparently we have adopted a Charismatic because Chris said she had her hands in the air during much of the program!
Thank you again for your prayers and support. We are so grateful to have wonderful friends and family to share this with. I will miss writing this journal. It has been a joy to write about the process of becoming a family. Hopefully I will be writing another journal in a few years when Lucy is ready for a little sister…
Love and blessings to all,
Teresa, Christopher and Lucy
China-Travel Journal Day 13, November 10, 2005
Travel Journal - Day 13
Day 13. Today was a day of compromise. Chris thought it would be nice to hang out at the hotel today. Maybe go back to Disney, play at the pool and check out the resort. Teresa thought it would be a good idea to do all 25 things on Frommer's list of "Top 25 things to do in Hong Kong." We compromised.
We got off to a leisurely start after our buffet breakfast where we discovered that Miss Lucy can down an entire container of peach yogurt through a straw. We figured out how to take the rail system from Disney (on Lantau Island) to central Hong Kong. Despite Christopher's protests he was very excited to be in the city. It is beautiful. The weather was hot but not too hot, and mostly sunny. The first thing we did was head to Victoria Peak.
We took a tram ride up to the top. It is very beautiful from up there, as you will see by the photos. On the ride up Lucy made many friends. She has a knack for doing this. She will flirt with anyone! Once at the top I discovered shopping. I imagine that I paid a bit more for things than I would have in Guangzhou but it was my last chance to pick up those last few gifts. Chris and Lucy gave me 45 minutes to select my purchases. Then we met up for a quick lunch at the French Café.
After some time at the top we headed back down and took a cab over to the Star Ferry pier. We rode from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon. I think this is a bit like taking the Staten Island Ferry. We thought it would be a fun and cheap way to see the harbour. It was.
Once we got to Kowloon I was shocked to find more shopping! I managed to control myself. We walked along one of the main streets, just to get a feel for things. We saw Gucci and Prada and Yves St. Laurent and Louis Viton and many other of our good friends. I did not tempt myself by going into any of these shops. We did stop briefly at Starbucks for an iced café mocha. As we were heading back to catch he ferry I stopped to barter on one final piece of luggage and 2 knock-off handbags. At least I think they were knock-offs. Is it possible to get two Burberry bags for $15?
Lucy is a magnificent traveler. During all of this she was either sleeping, watching with excitement or flirting with some stranger on a subway, tram car or ferry boat. We are both amazed at how well she has adapted. She is fine in or out of her stroller. And, for the time being, seems to be okay with either Mommy or Daddy.
I could easily have spent many more hours exploring Hong Kong, but for the sake of my marriage I navigated us back onto Disney property by 6:30. We are hanging out trying to get Lucy to sleep so that we can re-pack for tomorrow's journey. We are so excited to see Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Ann and Uncle Keven and cousin's Simon and Owen and Aunt Mary and Uncle Jeff and cousin Kelsey. And hopefully Aunt Jane and cousin Annie and maybe even a few more relatives. Maybe Uncle Tom and Aunt Maria? Or Uncle Mike and Aunt Deb? We'll see! Fortunately she is very comfortable around large groups of people!
Thank you to everyone who has followed our amazing journey. We have been so blessed by your support, your prayers and your e-mails! Lucy cannot wait to meet all of you. We give much thanks and praise to our Lord Jesus who has guided us on this trip of miracles. To Him we give all of the honor and glory!
See you soon! With love, The De Felice Family
Day 13. Today was a day of compromise. Chris thought it would be nice to hang out at the hotel today. Maybe go back to Disney, play at the pool and check out the resort. Teresa thought it would be a good idea to do all 25 things on Frommer's list of "Top 25 things to do in Hong Kong." We compromised.
We got off to a leisurely start after our buffet breakfast where we discovered that Miss Lucy can down an entire container of peach yogurt through a straw. We figured out how to take the rail system from Disney (on Lantau Island) to central Hong Kong. Despite Christopher's protests he was very excited to be in the city. It is beautiful. The weather was hot but not too hot, and mostly sunny. The first thing we did was head to Victoria Peak.
We took a tram ride up to the top. It is very beautiful from up there, as you will see by the photos. On the ride up Lucy made many friends. She has a knack for doing this. She will flirt with anyone! Once at the top I discovered shopping. I imagine that I paid a bit more for things than I would have in Guangzhou but it was my last chance to pick up those last few gifts. Chris and Lucy gave me 45 minutes to select my purchases. Then we met up for a quick lunch at the French Café.
After some time at the top we headed back down and took a cab over to the Star Ferry pier. We rode from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon. I think this is a bit like taking the Staten Island Ferry. We thought it would be a fun and cheap way to see the harbour. It was.
Once we got to Kowloon I was shocked to find more shopping! I managed to control myself. We walked along one of the main streets, just to get a feel for things. We saw Gucci and Prada and Yves St. Laurent and Louis Viton and many other of our good friends. I did not tempt myself by going into any of these shops. We did stop briefly at Starbucks for an iced café mocha. As we were heading back to catch he ferry I stopped to barter on one final piece of luggage and 2 knock-off handbags. At least I think they were knock-offs. Is it possible to get two Burberry bags for $15?
Lucy is a magnificent traveler. During all of this she was either sleeping, watching with excitement or flirting with some stranger on a subway, tram car or ferry boat. We are both amazed at how well she has adapted. She is fine in or out of her stroller. And, for the time being, seems to be okay with either Mommy or Daddy.
I could easily have spent many more hours exploring Hong Kong, but for the sake of my marriage I navigated us back onto Disney property by 6:30. We are hanging out trying to get Lucy to sleep so that we can re-pack for tomorrow's journey. We are so excited to see Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Ann and Uncle Keven and cousin's Simon and Owen and Aunt Mary and Uncle Jeff and cousin Kelsey. And hopefully Aunt Jane and cousin Annie and maybe even a few more relatives. Maybe Uncle Tom and Aunt Maria? Or Uncle Mike and Aunt Deb? We'll see! Fortunately she is very comfortable around large groups of people!
Thank you to everyone who has followed our amazing journey. We have been so blessed by your support, your prayers and your e-mails! Lucy cannot wait to meet all of you. We give much thanks and praise to our Lord Jesus who has guided us on this trip of miracles. To Him we give all of the honor and glory!
See you soon! With love, The De Felice Family
China-Travel Journal Day 12 November 9, 2005
Travel Journal - Day 12
Day 12. I spent this day covered in sweat, pee, dried congee, puss (yes, I said puss) and baby spit. IT WAS A MAGICAL DAY! What a great day this was for the new little DeFelice family. Neither words nor pictures could describe, but I will try.
As with most great days, it did not start out great. We had to be on the bus at 5:45 this morning to go to the airport. Not only is airplane travel not so fun with a baby (and 7 pieces of luggage) I knew we would have to say good bye to our new friends. On the bus, some of us decided that we should all live together in the same neighborhood with a Starbucks on the corner. We will take turns having a mommy-day-off and we will all continue to use Chinese yuan. Okay. This isn't really going to happen but we sure are going to miss each other.
When we arrived in Hong Kong we were on our own. Both of us agreed that we are crazy to extend our time out of the country but also agreed that we would flip into "vacation mode." So far, so good." When we got to the Disneyland Hollywood Hotel we immediately felt more at home. The weather in Hong Kong is nice and hot. Also, there is a ton of green!! This is something we missed while in China. We saw green and also a bit of welcome sunshine. When we were in Guagzhou I was sad that it was cloudy and over- cast every day. It wasn't until our last day that I discovered that it was not cloudy. It was pollution! No wonder my sinuses have been so irritated.
Anyway, being at the Disney Hotel made us feel at home. I know, not exactly experiencing true Hong Kong but we really need a bit of R & R right now. We got checked into our room and grabbed some quick lunch. I expected that we would take a nap, hang out and eventually head to the park around 4:00. Chris really surprised me when he suggested that we head straight to the park at noon! I thought we would surely conk out before the fireworks.
I was wrong. Neither one of us actually expected Lucy to enjoy Disneyland. We assumed that she was too young and that we were actually going for us, not her. Again, we were wrong. SHE LOVED IT! It was the most amazing experience!
I remember when I saw my sister watch her son experience Disney for the first time. She was so happy at how happy he was that she was moved to tears. Now I understand. Lucy took in so much more than I ever imagined. We rode the Carousel and she loved it. Then we went to Phillharmagic (just to get out of the heat) and she was riveted! She watched every second of this film and she laughed and sang! I don't think I saw any of the movie at all because I could not take my eyes off of her.
Eventually we made it to "Festival of the Lion King." When Chris first suggested this I told him that she was too young to enjoy it. After her response to the movie I was willing to give it a try. OH. MY. GOSH! She went nuts! She was waving her hands and bouncing up and down and laughing! She got so excited that she could not contain herself. She was cracking me up. She is so animated. Her whole little face just lights up. So much fun.
The parade was more of the same. She loved watching the floats. She even waved back when some of the performers waved at her. She is very big into waving these days. If you say "bye bye" she will stick out her hand and give the finger wiggle. There were many, many people waving at her and talking to her today. She was just loving it. She is very happy to be the center of attention.
We are pleased to see that people are responding very positively to two pasty white people walking around with a Chinese baby. Some will ask about her and where she came from. We are happy to share with anyone who is genuinely interested. We knew to expect a variety of comments from people. No one has said anything negative, but we did get two comments today that made us laugh. A man at the bus stop looked at her and said "Your baby looks like a boy." Then the cast member who rang up her Minnie Doll looked at her and said "She almost looks Chinese!" Mostly people will play with her and laugh. Sometimes they will tell us about their families.
After the fireworks (which she loved) we took the bus back to our hotel and Lucy fell asleep. Her Daddy foolishly thought she was down for the count. Ha! Currently she is playing on the bed with Daddy. Twice she has shown us how she can stand up by herself for a moment. There was lots of clapping and congratulating each time she did!
I am still so surprised that we spent 7 hours in Disneyland. I never would have expected that. Chris and I are so familiar with being cast members and making other people's children feel special. It was such a great experience to be on the other side of it. Everyone there went out of their way to be extra sweet to Lucy and giver her lots of stickers. (Which she tried to eat.) Tomorrow we are going to force ourselves to see a bit of real Hong Kong. (Even though it is tempting to just hand out at the pool…)
As much as we really miss our new friends (shout out to any of you if you are reading!) it is nice to be a family on our own. With each step we make away from Nanchang we are feeling more and more a family.
One more thing before I sign off. Lucy sat on the bed and played with me tonight while her Daddy worked on the computer. She fed me Cheerios and entertained me with her clever games and charming smile. She only screamed for Daddy twice and I'm not even sure she really meant it. I know that things could be different tomorrow (as they were this morning) but for now I am basking in her attention. I have to go kiss her cheeks now.
China-Travel Journal Day 11 November 8, 2005
Travel Journal - Day 11
Day 11. Every day, more breakthroughs. Even though she would have nothing to do with me last night when she was ready to sleep, she let me bathe her this morning. Chris got the bath started and then snuck out half way through. She barely noticed. We had fun splashing and playing. When she was done she let me put a towel around her and lift her out. This may not sound like much, but I have been trying to do this for the last 3 days. Finally she is starting to trust me.
Today we dressed her in her Chinese outfit. It is adorable and almost makes up for the gigantic tumor just over her lip. We have been putting Neosporin on the mighty zit but it refuses to yield. It looks like it must hurt quite a bit but she does not seem bothered. We wore the special outfit because today is picture day! After breakfast we all met in the lobby to take photos. What a zoo! It was really wonderful to see so many new families. It was kind of surreal as this was a moment many of us have read about and thought about for long, long time. Seeing all those beautiful babies on the couch was awesome. What a bunch of beauties, with personalities to boot!
At breakfast time I had to run back up to the room to get her bib. I am always forgetting the bib. (Also known as "the trough.") On my way back down the elevator an older Chinese business man saw the bib and asked me if I had adopted a baby. He wanted to know if it was hard to do. He said that he had a son in California and that he and his wife were having trouble conceiving. He wondered if I thought his son should consider an adoption from China. Naturally, I highly recommended it! He wanted to know if we got to choose the baby. I assured him that even though the matching is done at the CCAA that everyone got exactly the right baby!
After pictures I went with my new friend Amy (Taya's mom) to do a little shopping at the "mall" next door. It's not as good as the shopping on Shamian Island but it is closer. I bought a few more clothes for Lucy because she only has 1 closetful waiting for her at home! I also bought some adorable yellow patent-leather shoes. Every girl needs at least one pair! I stocked up on a few souvenirs. It really is a blast to negotiate the price. The ironic thing is that we will go back and forth with the sales people over 5 - 10 yuan. Sometimes we will even walk out to get them to come down on the price. Fact is, 10 yuan is equal to about $1.30. It's more about the sport than the money. Sometimes I will just pay the asking price because I am pretty sure these people need the money more than I do.
This afternoon we took the bus to the Consulate in Guangzhou where Lucy received her Visa to travel home to the United States. We had to take an oath that everything on her visa application was correct, then we got her passport back with the Visa attached. As soon as we land in the United States (Chicago) Lucy will be an American citizen. Woohoo!
This evening was challenging. Just when I think we have broken the mommy-barrier we take a step back. We are all tired and hungry and cranky. Yep, all of us. Lucy does not want to have anything to do with me. I have stopped taking it personally, for the most part, but it is very tough when I'm tired and hungry and cranky. One minute she loves me, the next minute she acts like I am evil. I guess this is just preparing me for when she is 13. I expect this will not be my last minor break-down.
I was hoping to get back to the shops on the island this evening for about 30 minutes. I wanted to purchase the items I was going to get yesterday before Christopher's hunger kicked in. Unfortunately I'm not going to make it. I am disappointed because I had my heart set on a couple of items for Lucy, specifically the Jiangxi porcelain doll. I am hoping that maybe there is a waiting Mom our there who might be able to pick up a couple of things at the Ladybug Corner when it is her turn to come to China?? Anyone? Who knows, maybe I can purchase these items on line.
Good news. The Lucy-monster has stopped screaming at me. She is amusing herself in the mirror. Yeah, she knows she's cute.
We leave for Hong Kong at 5:45 in the morning. Yikes. I'm signing off but will continue to journal in Hong Kong. I hear the shopping there is excellent…
Day 11. Every day, more breakthroughs. Even though she would have nothing to do with me last night when she was ready to sleep, she let me bathe her this morning. Chris got the bath started and then snuck out half way through. She barely noticed. We had fun splashing and playing. When she was done she let me put a towel around her and lift her out. This may not sound like much, but I have been trying to do this for the last 3 days. Finally she is starting to trust me.
Today we dressed her in her Chinese outfit. It is adorable and almost makes up for the gigantic tumor just over her lip. We have been putting Neosporin on the mighty zit but it refuses to yield. It looks like it must hurt quite a bit but she does not seem bothered. We wore the special outfit because today is picture day! After breakfast we all met in the lobby to take photos. What a zoo! It was really wonderful to see so many new families. It was kind of surreal as this was a moment many of us have read about and thought about for long, long time. Seeing all those beautiful babies on the couch was awesome. What a bunch of beauties, with personalities to boot!
At breakfast time I had to run back up to the room to get her bib. I am always forgetting the bib. (Also known as "the trough.") On my way back down the elevator an older Chinese business man saw the bib and asked me if I had adopted a baby. He wanted to know if it was hard to do. He said that he had a son in California and that he and his wife were having trouble conceiving. He wondered if I thought his son should consider an adoption from China. Naturally, I highly recommended it! He wanted to know if we got to choose the baby. I assured him that even though the matching is done at the CCAA that everyone got exactly the right baby!
After pictures I went with my new friend Amy (Taya's mom) to do a little shopping at the "mall" next door. It's not as good as the shopping on Shamian Island but it is closer. I bought a few more clothes for Lucy because she only has 1 closetful waiting for her at home! I also bought some adorable yellow patent-leather shoes. Every girl needs at least one pair! I stocked up on a few souvenirs. It really is a blast to negotiate the price. The ironic thing is that we will go back and forth with the sales people over 5 - 10 yuan. Sometimes we will even walk out to get them to come down on the price. Fact is, 10 yuan is equal to about $1.30. It's more about the sport than the money. Sometimes I will just pay the asking price because I am pretty sure these people need the money more than I do.
This afternoon we took the bus to the Consulate in Guangzhou where Lucy received her Visa to travel home to the United States. We had to take an oath that everything on her visa application was correct, then we got her passport back with the Visa attached. As soon as we land in the United States (Chicago) Lucy will be an American citizen. Woohoo!
This evening was challenging. Just when I think we have broken the mommy-barrier we take a step back. We are all tired and hungry and cranky. Yep, all of us. Lucy does not want to have anything to do with me. I have stopped taking it personally, for the most part, but it is very tough when I'm tired and hungry and cranky. One minute she loves me, the next minute she acts like I am evil. I guess this is just preparing me for when she is 13. I expect this will not be my last minor break-down.
I was hoping to get back to the shops on the island this evening for about 30 minutes. I wanted to purchase the items I was going to get yesterday before Christopher's hunger kicked in. Unfortunately I'm not going to make it. I am disappointed because I had my heart set on a couple of items for Lucy, specifically the Jiangxi porcelain doll. I am hoping that maybe there is a waiting Mom our there who might be able to pick up a couple of things at the Ladybug Corner when it is her turn to come to China?? Anyone? Who knows, maybe I can purchase these items on line.
Good news. The Lucy-monster has stopped screaming at me. She is amusing herself in the mirror. Yeah, she knows she's cute.
We leave for Hong Kong at 5:45 in the morning. Yikes. I'm signing off but will continue to journal in Hong Kong. I hear the shopping there is excellent…
China-Travel Journal Day 10 November 7, 2005
Travel Journal - Day 10
Day 10 was pretty chillin'. The only reason we are still in China is that we need to get Lucy's visa. AWAA does a great job of helping us through the paperwork and making the details easy on us. Today was our Consulate appointment but we did not have to go. Our guides, Liniker and Amy, took yesterday's paperwork to the Consulate for us. They filed as representatives for us. Apparently we all go back tomorrow to pick of the visas and swear an oath, but we do not all have to go to separate interviews. This is one of the advantages of using an experienced adoption agency.
We went to a late breakfast. Lucy and Daddy let me sleep a bit because of my cold. I was feeling pretty crummy this morning but have made it through the day without too much trouble. Medication is a good thing. After breakfast we had to hang out in our room in case Liniker or Amy had any trouble with our paperwork. Fortunately we did not get a phone call from the Consulate. We mostly hung out with Lucy and played with her toys. She and Chris spent a good amount of time watching Chinese and Japanese television. They both have a God-given ability to veg in front of the television even when they do not speak the language. My little couch potatoes.
Chris watched Lucy while I snuck downstairs for a caramel macchiato. It was most delicious. I sat in Starbucks and worked on my shopping list. There is so much to buy and the sales people are soooo pushy that you have to have a plan before walking into a store! Fortunately the prices are very cheap.
Lucy wore a dress for the first time today. I bought it during yesterday's shopping trip. She looked very cute (If I do say so myself!) She managed to cover the entire thing with apple juice (clearly juice boxes are not intended for babies) but she still looked darn good. We also tried on her squeaky shoes. Yes, it's true, I had no intention of buying her squeaky shoes (long story) but they are everywhere and they are very cute and cheap. Watching her face when she makes her feet squeak is priceless. It is very funny, Fortunately, we can remove the squeak if it starts to get on our nerves.
This afternoon we joined the group for a second shopping trip. This time I was prepared! Chris, however, does not have the built-in endurance for shopping. Especially this kind of shopping! The minute you enter a store they are on top of you. Someone will follow you around the entire store showing you things. They will show you sizes and colors and varieties of everything. They ask how old your baby is and suddenly have an entire stack of things your baby cannot do without. They are very well schooled in the man-to-man offense. Eventually they broke Chris and he had to get out. I was just about to close this lady on 30 yuan for a jade ship for my Dad when Chris professed starvation. I bought a few things but was not able to hammer out my entire list before we met up with some friend to get a bite at Lucy's Café. We will shop again tomorrow.
We had dinner with our new friends Scott and Kristine and baby Katie, and Jonathan and Emily and baby Margaret-Jane. We have been blessed to spend time with some of the most amazing people. If you have to be stuck in a hotel in a foreign country with a new baby, these are the people that you want to do it with! We are already talking about doing a reunion when the girls are a little older. I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone and watching their babies discover their new mommies and daddies. Watching the changes in the babies (and the parents!) in just 1 week has been pretty cool. Needless to say, it is an emotional and life-changing event. Having other new mommies to talk to is beyond priceless.
After dinner I bought Chris a ball cap that says "Lucy's Guangzhou" from Lucy's Café. It's a pretty cool hat. When we got back the hotel room Lucy had a ton of energy! Chris walked her around the room a bit but she was still ready to go. She let me walk with her up and down the hall. She heard voices in the last room of the hall and was very determined to get there. I'm telling you, this chick is very social! We made it to the room with the people but all of them spoke French. Lucy and I said our bonjours and then headed the other direction. I was hoping that she would let me give her a bottle and put her to bed. Clearly I have gotten over-confident.
Lucy took her bottle from me like she was a starving child. She started to fall asleep and then reminded herself that I am not Daddy. The whaling began. She absolutely insists that she fall asleep on Daddy. And she wants his undivided attention. I tried to explain to her that it is difficult to get Daddy's attention when he has a remote control in his hand but she did not seem comforted. Eventually I removed the remote control and Lucy got the attention she demanded. Once we settled that she was asleep in about 6 seconds.
Lucy has the largest zit I have ever seen! It is huge and right in the middle of her face. It has been the topic of several discussions today. I feel so bad for her because it looks like it really hurts. It is so big that it looks like a tumor! She is still beautiful (even with the tumor) but it is hard to ignore. Chris and I are hopeful that is will go away tomorrow. Otherwise he is threatening to bring out the Oxy 10! Poor little girl - new Mommy, new Daddy, acne. She is having a tough week.
One other fun thing I want to mention. Lucy let's me brush her teeth! I am really surprised by this. She has been fascinated when watching me brush. Last night she was watching me and she stared to imitate me. I got out the baby brush and toothpaste (which I only brought because my pediatrician told me to. Never thought I would use it) and she sat there and let me brush her teeth. I think she even liked it! It must be the moments like this that cause me to get overconfident about her acceptance of Mommy.
Can I tell about one other cute thing she does? She does "bye-bye" with her hand. She does it with her palm up, but it is clearly "bye-bye." She will do this if you wave at her or if you say "zie jen," which is roughly how you say goodbye in Chinese.
We are ready to head home. We look forward to experiencing Hong Kong (as much as you can with a baby) but we are very excited about coming home. Keep sending your e-mails. They keep us from being homesick.
Day 10 was pretty chillin'. The only reason we are still in China is that we need to get Lucy's visa. AWAA does a great job of helping us through the paperwork and making the details easy on us. Today was our Consulate appointment but we did not have to go. Our guides, Liniker and Amy, took yesterday's paperwork to the Consulate for us. They filed as representatives for us. Apparently we all go back tomorrow to pick of the visas and swear an oath, but we do not all have to go to separate interviews. This is one of the advantages of using an experienced adoption agency.
We went to a late breakfast. Lucy and Daddy let me sleep a bit because of my cold. I was feeling pretty crummy this morning but have made it through the day without too much trouble. Medication is a good thing. After breakfast we had to hang out in our room in case Liniker or Amy had any trouble with our paperwork. Fortunately we did not get a phone call from the Consulate. We mostly hung out with Lucy and played with her toys. She and Chris spent a good amount of time watching Chinese and Japanese television. They both have a God-given ability to veg in front of the television even when they do not speak the language. My little couch potatoes.
Chris watched Lucy while I snuck downstairs for a caramel macchiato. It was most delicious. I sat in Starbucks and worked on my shopping list. There is so much to buy and the sales people are soooo pushy that you have to have a plan before walking into a store! Fortunately the prices are very cheap.
Lucy wore a dress for the first time today. I bought it during yesterday's shopping trip. She looked very cute (If I do say so myself!) She managed to cover the entire thing with apple juice (clearly juice boxes are not intended for babies) but she still looked darn good. We also tried on her squeaky shoes. Yes, it's true, I had no intention of buying her squeaky shoes (long story) but they are everywhere and they are very cute and cheap. Watching her face when she makes her feet squeak is priceless. It is very funny, Fortunately, we can remove the squeak if it starts to get on our nerves.
This afternoon we joined the group for a second shopping trip. This time I was prepared! Chris, however, does not have the built-in endurance for shopping. Especially this kind of shopping! The minute you enter a store they are on top of you. Someone will follow you around the entire store showing you things. They will show you sizes and colors and varieties of everything. They ask how old your baby is and suddenly have an entire stack of things your baby cannot do without. They are very well schooled in the man-to-man offense. Eventually they broke Chris and he had to get out. I was just about to close this lady on 30 yuan for a jade ship for my Dad when Chris professed starvation. I bought a few things but was not able to hammer out my entire list before we met up with some friend to get a bite at Lucy's Café. We will shop again tomorrow.
We had dinner with our new friends Scott and Kristine and baby Katie, and Jonathan and Emily and baby Margaret-Jane. We have been blessed to spend time with some of the most amazing people. If you have to be stuck in a hotel in a foreign country with a new baby, these are the people that you want to do it with! We are already talking about doing a reunion when the girls are a little older. I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone and watching their babies discover their new mommies and daddies. Watching the changes in the babies (and the parents!) in just 1 week has been pretty cool. Needless to say, it is an emotional and life-changing event. Having other new mommies to talk to is beyond priceless.
After dinner I bought Chris a ball cap that says "Lucy's Guangzhou" from Lucy's Café. It's a pretty cool hat. When we got back the hotel room Lucy had a ton of energy! Chris walked her around the room a bit but she was still ready to go. She let me walk with her up and down the hall. She heard voices in the last room of the hall and was very determined to get there. I'm telling you, this chick is very social! We made it to the room with the people but all of them spoke French. Lucy and I said our bonjours and then headed the other direction. I was hoping that she would let me give her a bottle and put her to bed. Clearly I have gotten over-confident.
Lucy took her bottle from me like she was a starving child. She started to fall asleep and then reminded herself that I am not Daddy. The whaling began. She absolutely insists that she fall asleep on Daddy. And she wants his undivided attention. I tried to explain to her that it is difficult to get Daddy's attention when he has a remote control in his hand but she did not seem comforted. Eventually I removed the remote control and Lucy got the attention she demanded. Once we settled that she was asleep in about 6 seconds.
Lucy has the largest zit I have ever seen! It is huge and right in the middle of her face. It has been the topic of several discussions today. I feel so bad for her because it looks like it really hurts. It is so big that it looks like a tumor! She is still beautiful (even with the tumor) but it is hard to ignore. Chris and I are hopeful that is will go away tomorrow. Otherwise he is threatening to bring out the Oxy 10! Poor little girl - new Mommy, new Daddy, acne. She is having a tough week.
One other fun thing I want to mention. Lucy let's me brush her teeth! I am really surprised by this. She has been fascinated when watching me brush. Last night she was watching me and she stared to imitate me. I got out the baby brush and toothpaste (which I only brought because my pediatrician told me to. Never thought I would use it) and she sat there and let me brush her teeth. I think she even liked it! It must be the moments like this that cause me to get overconfident about her acceptance of Mommy.
Can I tell about one other cute thing she does? She does "bye-bye" with her hand. She does it with her palm up, but it is clearly "bye-bye." She will do this if you wave at her or if you say "zie jen," which is roughly how you say goodbye in Chinese.
We are ready to head home. We look forward to experiencing Hong Kong (as much as you can with a baby) but we are very excited about coming home. Keep sending your e-mails. They keep us from being homesick.
China-Travel Journal Day 9 November 7, 2005
Travel Journal - Day 9
Day 9 was awesome! When it was time for Chris to take his shower I told him to just go and let her scream while she is left with me. After he walked away she started to scream (as usual) but it did not sound like she really meant it. I was able to distract her by singing along with a Chinese karaoke song on the television. It took her about 1 minute to stop screaming. She sat on my lap and played while Chris showered and dressed.
At breakfast she sat in her high chair the entire time. This girl can eat! We have not given her anything that she refuses to eat. After breakfast we met up with the others to get on the bus. We decided that I should try to carry her in the hip hammock. Miraculously, she let me! I carried her all around the hotel lobby. She was a tiny bit fussy at first, but then she was fine. She sat on my lap for the entire bus ride! It was so amazing.
Our first stop was a museum. I do not remember the name but they showed some beautiful Chinese furniture, some bone carving, wood carvings and some very interesting statues. The word work on the roof of the building was very magnificent and ornate. The museum itself was mostly outdoors or inside areas that are open to the outdoors. It is hard to describe. It was almost like a series of courtyards with a variety of rooms. Anyway….
The museum also had many things to purchase. I bargained my way into a jade bangle bracelet. Many of the women in our group purchased theirs at the jade factory, but I wanted to wait to see if I could get a better deal. It is tradition in China that a woman wears a jade bracelet that she gives to her daughter when the daughter turns 16. The daughter then wears the bracelet until she has a daughter who turns 16. I think it is a great custom. I really like my bracelet.
Amazingly, Lucy sat in her stroller with no complaining the entire time. She is becoming more and more chillin' every day. Even though she can be a crazy climbing monkey, she is a very good traveler. She continued to sit on my lap on the way to our next destination, the Tea House.
At the Tea House we saw many beautiful tea pots and learned about Chinese tea and tradition. Then we all sat around a series of large tables and sampled Chinese tea. I was very happy to have hot tea as I have come down with a sore throat and cold. The hot tea was helpful. After that, we shopped. I purchased a pretty Chinese tea pot for Michelle. I hope she is still collecting tea pots!
When we arrived back at the hotel, Chris agreed to hang out with Lucy while I went on a shopping adventure with 2 other mothers and 1 grandmother. Chris' tummy isn't feeling well so he was very happy to stay back and nap with Lucy.
The shopping was great. We took a taxi to Shamian Island which is just 10 minutes away. This is where the Chinese Consulate and the famous White Swan hotel is located. The White Swan is also known as "Baby Hotel" because it hosts many, many adoptive families. AWAA no longer uses that hotel but all of us want to see it because we have heard so much about it from other adoptive families.
The island is filled with shops that clearly know their client! There were tons and tons of baby clothes. Most outfits could be purchased for 4 or 5 dollars. The also had many t-shirts and hats that had the Chinese symbols for mother, father, big sister etc. They had many children's things with lady bugs on them, as well as many baby dolls and squeaky shoes for the babies. The sales people are so motivated. Once again, I would like to bring home a handful and put them to work as SPC's. I'd be rich.
I purchased a couple of outfits and pairs of shoes for Lucy. I also did some souvenir shopping. I made some progress on purchasing gifts to give Lucy every year on gotcha day. One thing that I am thinking about buying is a porcelain doll that is made in the style of Jinagxi. (The Province where she if from.) They have a different porcelain doll for each Province which depicts a typical costume or activity from that area. I think I might wait and see where I can get the best deal. We head back there tomorrow as a group. Today's trip was just a warm up!
When I got back to the hotel I found that Lucy and Chris had both been napping for over 3 hours. I hope those 2 sleep tonight! I woke them up so that we could join the other families for dinner in the Japanese restaurant. The food was so good!! Chris and I had the best steak I have ever eaten. Even Lucy got in on the steak eating. She sat on my lap for almost the entire meal and let me feed her with chopsticks. She did really well.
One other thing that Lucy does a lot of is talk. She is very verbal. He like to say "yayayayaya," "bababa," "dadadadada" and "ararararara" I'm not sure what she is saying but she says it with a strong sense of purpose. When she is tired she sucks on her bottom lip. She uses her lip like most kids use a pacifier. It seams to calm her. Even though we do have a pacifier, we have not given it to her. She did not have one when we got her so we figure that there is no reason to start.
Right now she is playing with her Daddy on the bed. She still seems to prefer Daddy a bit, but she is giving me lots of Mommy time. I am loving every minute of it.
I am going to call it an early night. I hope to kick this sore throat/cold so that I will be in good shape for more shopping tomorrow. I think I will need to purchase another suitcase.
Please keep the e-mails coming. We are loving them!
China-Travel Journal Day 8 November 6, 2008
Travel Journal - Day 8
Day 8: I am not sure who likes bath time better, Christopher or Lucy. Every time I turn around he has her in the sink splashing around. She LOVES her bath! She likes to play with the bubbles and she likes having water poured over her head. It is a riot watching her and Christopher play together. Last night she got so interested in watching the bubbles in the palm of her hand that she did not notice that Chris had left the room. I got a full 3 minutes of bath play time all to myself. It was awesome!
Today was our first full day in Guangzhou. As promised, the breakfast buffet was awesome. Lucy is such a good eater. She will eat just about anything. She even eats broccoli. She had McDonald's french fries for the first time at lunch. She could not shove them in her mouth fast enough. I used them to bribe her so that I could get a couple minutes of lap time.
At breakfast we were reunited with the other half of the families. We were all together in
Beijing but then split up to get our babies in separate provinces. It was so great to see all the other couples with their new babies. They are all so beautiful. Lucy enjoyed making new friends.
Today's outing was to the medical center. The babies had to go through a series of 3 quick examinations. Lucy did so well! She did not cry at all during the ENT exam. She let the doctors weigh her and measure her without complaining. She is 17 pounds and some ounces. I did not hear the exact number of ounces because we were in a small room with many screaming babies. The sign on the wall said "quiet please." Yeah, right. She did get a little annoyed at the physical exam but at least there was no screaming.
She is getting more and more relaxed around us. She will now sit in her stroller and let us push her around. We have had 3 meals where she sat in her high chair. This is huge progress. For the first 3 days she had to be in Daddy's arms all the time. She sat in her crib today and played with her toys. I think this is a sign that she is feeling more secure and confident.
Watching her laugh and smile is so amazing. She is very quick to smile. She smiles at strangers and has no problem going to other people. At a department store today she let 2 sales ladies hold her while Chris used the bathroom. She would not let me hold her at all. (How embarrassing. I could not explain to the sales clerks why this beautiful baby screamed every time I tried to hold her.) Even though I wish she would come to me more often, it is clear that she knows I am "someone special." Just by the fact that she will go to others but not to me says that she recognizes me as different from everyone else. Eventually she is going to get tired of rejecting me. In the meantime I am pretty happy with the few minutes that she gives me.
She wants to walk so badly! She and daddy have been walking their way around the bed. Lucy puts one hand on the bed and holds Daddy with the others. She is so close to taking off on her own. I bought her a very special pair of "Hello Kitty" shoes today because she does not have any others that fit.
This afternoon I met with all the other Moms (and a couple of Dads ) to do paperwork for our consulate appointment. It is surprising how tiring paperwork can be. It took nearly 2 hours to get through it. Chris stayed in the room and taught Lucy how to drink a juice box.
So far I have managed to not discuss baby bathroom habits. However, I cannot resist sharing one story. Most of the babies did not wear diapers before we got them. In China the babies wear split pants. Eventually they are held over the potty (a "squatty potty," not a toilet like we are used to) and they will do their thing. Some of the other couples have tried a technique where they get behind the baby and put one of their hands underneath each baby thigh. Then they back over the toilet and hold the baby over the opening. Well, we tried it tonight and had success! It was the funniest thing! I was very excited. If we can master this technique we can save hundreds in diapers. (Can you say "college fund?") I don't really anticipate doing this but it may be a sign of early potty training. We will have to wait and see!
China-Travel Journal Day 7 November 5, 2005
Travel Journal - Day 7
Day 7 was passport day and travel day, and of course, filled with little miracles. Other than the trip to the passport office and the flight to Guangzhou, we did not have much on our schedule. We were both thankful for this as we are getting very tired. Fortunately we are starting to sleep a little bit longer. Lucy is a dream sleeper. Once she crashes, she is out for at least 7 hours. Hooray!
If you are a waiting Mom I would just like to say a few words about the beds you will be sleeping in. There are 2 beds in each room and they are just a bit bigger than a twin bed. (somewhere between twin and full size.) The mattresses are the same firmness as a box spring. It is a bit like sleeping on the floor. It is almost funny because the pillows and the comforters are fabulous. I guess you could say it is like camping with really good linens. Even though there are 2 beds and a crib, all three of us are sleeping in one bed. Baby won't sleep without Daddy, and Mommy does not want to be left out. Chris is calling us a "HuiMin sandwich." I would like to tell you that the mattress situation improves in Guangzhou but it does not.
Our first miracle of the day was the diaper change. We had our first diaper change ever that did not involve screaming or crying (from any of us.) I had to sing 4 verses of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" to get the job done but I am willing to do whatever it takes. I may have altered the lyrics a bit but no one seemed to mind.
Our little girl is extremely social. I am already anticipating notes from her kindergarten teacher. "Lucy is very active and likes to be around the other children. Unfortunately, she stole blocks from Emily and bit Katie on the nose." She is definitely not shy! We have really enjoyed watching all the other little girls come out of their shells. Some are taking longer than others but slowly we are staring to see their personalities. Lucy took almost no time at all. At breakfast time she likes to go around and see the other babies, flirt with the waiters, visit the girls in the business center and be held by the other Fathers. She did let me walk her around a bit this morning without Chris. She wasn't exactly happy about it but she let me do it anyway.
What can I say about packing up to go to Guangzhou? How do you describe what it is like trying to fit a massive explosion of baby junk into 2 suit cases? If you are a Mom I am sure you know what I am talking about! These are the times when Lucy's preference for Chris really comes in handy.
Once we got the room in order we headed out with the other families to pick up the baby passports. Lucy was sleeping when it was time to leave and I just hated to wake her up. We put her immediately into the hip hammock and she did not seem to mind too much. The hip hammock is Christopher's best friend. He refers to it as part of his "tactical gear." I know that there are lots of opinions out there about the hip hammock, but for us it is a life saver.
As we were traveling to and from the passport office we were able to spend a bit of informal time speaking with our local guide, Mary. I asked her if she had any children. She responded that she has 2. According to Mary, she is sometimes hesitant to tell people that she has 2 because they want to know why she is able to have 2 when most people only have 1 unless they are a minority. Mary explained that she had to hide during her 2nd pregnancy. She said that there was a day that someone from the government came looking for her but her neighbor warned her and she was able stay away. Mary says that if her pregnancy had been discovered that she would have been forced into an abortion. Once her baby was born she paid a very large fee in order to keep him. Even though I have read quite a bit about the one-child policy and its effects, hearing Mary's story had a strong impact on me.
We picked up Lucy's Chinese passport. The photo was taken on our first day together and she was screaming her guts out. But she still looks cute.
Every day we see little bits of progress. Not only did we get a good diaper change today, Chris got her to sit in the stroller and the high chair. She will not stay in either for very long (total monkey-girl) but every little bit is progress. He wheeled her around the business center while I tried to catch up on e-mails. As long as she has someone to flirt with she seems to be okay. She also let me walk her around for about 15 minutes today. She still whined for her Daddy but it was a little less insistent.
She did great on the plane ride to Guangzhou. It was only a 1 hour flight but the whole process was exhausting. Guangzhou is a whole different city than Nanchang. It is very big and very western. There are lots of neon lights and lots of traffic. We are staying in a Marriott hotel that has a Starbucks in the lobby (Thank You Lord!) and a McDonalds and 7 eleven within walking distance. The rooms are far to fancy for two people with a baby and I feel badly that we are going to trash it. I feel even worse that the beds are just as small and hard and the last ones. Oh well.
We got to our room, ordered room service, created our little HuiMin sandwich and called it an early night!
China-Travel Journal Day 6 November 4, 2005
Travel Journal - Day 6
Day 6 was a good day! After breakfast we had a miracle! We were hanging out in the restaurant having some coffee. Lucy was on her Daddy's lap, as usual. She was laughing and playing. She held her arms out to me. She does this a lot but when I got to pick her up she pulls away. (psych!) But on this day she came right to me!
She laughed and played with me for 20 minutes! It was the best ever! I have been telling Chris the whole time that it is going to have to be her decision to come to me. He has been wanting to "fake her out" into spending mommy-time but she is way too smart for that! After a bit she went back to Daddy.
We had some good mommy-time after dinner as well. She let me hold her hands while she walked around the restaurant visiting with all the other babies. Other than these two times, she is still Daddy's girl. She will go to almost anyone else but always comes back to Daddy. She still screams bloody-murder if I try to pick her up on my own. Chris is getting very good at getting himself showered and dressed in about 2 seconds flat.
I am feeling much more optimistic about things. She loves her Mommy. She just wants to establish who is in control. (Obviously she is!) In the meantime, Chris and I have worked out a pretty good routine. I am thankful to have my hands free to make bottles, clean up and feed Chris. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us. We are feeling your prayers and they are working!
In the morning we took a field-trip to a local village. It is important to us to understand the environment that Lucy comes from. We also want to know as much as possible about her history so that we can share this with her as she grows up. The village we went to was not far from the city and is considered one of the "nicer" areas. It is all relative. The conditions were so far outstide of anything I could imagine. These people have nothing. They live in small dirty rooms with chickens and pigs and dogs. They farm in the fields nearby to feed their families. It is easy to see how a family could not afford to take care of multiple children.
Despite the living conditions, these people seemed genuinely happy. They were very gracious to us and allowed us to take photos and look inside their homes. I am not sure what they thought of us! Some of our group took photos with their digital cameras and then showed them to the people. It was really fun to watch their reactions! One woman in our group speaks a little Chinese. She spoke with one of the local ladies who said how lucky our babies are. Obviously we think we are the lucky ones. Did we see more split-pants? You bet we did! We saw them on babies, young children and on make-shift clothes lines. If we could figure out the timing on this whole bathroom thing we could save a fortune in Pampers!
Afterwards we went to a small porcelain shop. (Known as a China Shop in America!) The Jiangxi Province is famous for its porcelain. I did a little bit of shopping. In hindsight I wish I had bought a few more things. The porcelain is beautiful and the prices are very good. I am just not sure how much room I will have in my suitcase. Also, I am hoping for some good shopping in Guangzhou. I did buy a handful of gifts and 2 things for Lucy.
When we got back to the hotel we took a nice long family nap! Hooray! Lucy is sleeping through the night but Chris and I are not. Our body clocks are still a mess. After the nap we had a photo session. I cannot stop taking photos of this little monkey. Every time I turn around she is doing something cuter than before. Chris, despite my strong skepticism was able to get Lucy to wear a hat. I was so impressed! Not just one hat, but two different hats. She wore one of them to dinner. I continue to be impressed with his parenting.
As long as I am bragging on my little monkey, let me say that I am surprised at how well she plays by herself. She loves her toys, especially her purse and cell phone that was a gift from her cousins, Lauren and Annie. She will sit and play for an hour. She also loves her stackie cups and books. When she's not playing with her toys she is making faces at Mommy. All of this is done within the comfort and safety of Daddy's lap.
One more thing. THANK YOU to everyone who has sent e-mail. It is so cherished! I am not likely to have time to respond to all of them but please know that Chris and I are reading them all and loving them.
A special note to friends of Taya: Amy and Dana have shared with me that some of you are following Lucy as well. (Some of my friends are also following Taya.) Thank you all for your well-wishes and prayers. I am being blessed by them more than you know!
Day 6 was a good day! After breakfast we had a miracle! We were hanging out in the restaurant having some coffee. Lucy was on her Daddy's lap, as usual. She was laughing and playing. She held her arms out to me. She does this a lot but when I got to pick her up she pulls away. (psych!) But on this day she came right to me!
She laughed and played with me for 20 minutes! It was the best ever! I have been telling Chris the whole time that it is going to have to be her decision to come to me. He has been wanting to "fake her out" into spending mommy-time but she is way too smart for that! After a bit she went back to Daddy.
We had some good mommy-time after dinner as well. She let me hold her hands while she walked around the restaurant visiting with all the other babies. Other than these two times, she is still Daddy's girl. She will go to almost anyone else but always comes back to Daddy. She still screams bloody-murder if I try to pick her up on my own. Chris is getting very good at getting himself showered and dressed in about 2 seconds flat.
I am feeling much more optimistic about things. She loves her Mommy. She just wants to establish who is in control. (Obviously she is!) In the meantime, Chris and I have worked out a pretty good routine. I am thankful to have my hands free to make bottles, clean up and feed Chris. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us. We are feeling your prayers and they are working!
In the morning we took a field-trip to a local village. It is important to us to understand the environment that Lucy comes from. We also want to know as much as possible about her history so that we can share this with her as she grows up. The village we went to was not far from the city and is considered one of the "nicer" areas. It is all relative. The conditions were so far outstide of anything I could imagine. These people have nothing. They live in small dirty rooms with chickens and pigs and dogs. They farm in the fields nearby to feed their families. It is easy to see how a family could not afford to take care of multiple children.
Despite the living conditions, these people seemed genuinely happy. They were very gracious to us and allowed us to take photos and look inside their homes. I am not sure what they thought of us! Some of our group took photos with their digital cameras and then showed them to the people. It was really fun to watch their reactions! One woman in our group speaks a little Chinese. She spoke with one of the local ladies who said how lucky our babies are. Obviously we think we are the lucky ones. Did we see more split-pants? You bet we did! We saw them on babies, young children and on make-shift clothes lines. If we could figure out the timing on this whole bathroom thing we could save a fortune in Pampers!
Afterwards we went to a small porcelain shop. (Known as a China Shop in America!) The Jiangxi Province is famous for its porcelain. I did a little bit of shopping. In hindsight I wish I had bought a few more things. The porcelain is beautiful and the prices are very good. I am just not sure how much room I will have in my suitcase. Also, I am hoping for some good shopping in Guangzhou. I did buy a handful of gifts and 2 things for Lucy.
When we got back to the hotel we took a nice long family nap! Hooray! Lucy is sleeping through the night but Chris and I are not. Our body clocks are still a mess. After the nap we had a photo session. I cannot stop taking photos of this little monkey. Every time I turn around she is doing something cuter than before. Chris, despite my strong skepticism was able to get Lucy to wear a hat. I was so impressed! Not just one hat, but two different hats. She wore one of them to dinner. I continue to be impressed with his parenting.
As long as I am bragging on my little monkey, let me say that I am surprised at how well she plays by herself. She loves her toys, especially her purse and cell phone that was a gift from her cousins, Lauren and Annie. She will sit and play for an hour. She also loves her stackie cups and books. When she's not playing with her toys she is making faces at Mommy. All of this is done within the comfort and safety of Daddy's lap.
One more thing. THANK YOU to everyone who has sent e-mail. It is so cherished! I am not likely to have time to respond to all of them but please know that Chris and I are reading them all and loving them.
A special note to friends of Taya: Amy and Dana have shared with me that some of you are following Lucy as well. (Some of my friends are also following Taya.) Thank you all for your well-wishes and prayers. I am being blessed by them more than you know!
China-Travel Journal Day 5 November 2, 2005
Travel Journal - Day 5
Today is Lucy's birthday! We started the morning much as we ended the evening, with Lucy insisting that she be touching Daddy at all times. I am not sure that Chris got much more than 2 or 3 hours of sleep. Anytime we tried to move Lucy to her crib she would wake up and scream for Daddy. We finally gave in and let her sleep with him.
After breakfast we got on a bus with the other families and went to some historical building with some historical meaning. All I remember is that there is a copy of this building at Summer Palace. Now that we have our babies I am not sure that any of us are able to completely listen to the historical information. We're too busy staring at them.
The building was very pretty and had interesting tile decorations and some beautiful murals. There was also a good amount of souvenir shopping, which is what most of us did. There were lots of inexpensive Chinese trinkets and jewelry. I am hoping to buy several small gifts to give Lucy every year on "Gothcha Day." I was able to find a couple of potential gifts. We also saw a short stage show of Chinese opera and dancing. The music was wonderful and the costumes were bright and beautiful. Lucy really seemed to enjoy the music.
It is interesting to see the reaction of the Chinese people to our little girls. Most of them are very friendly and very interested in adoring our babies. Many of them want to have their pictures taken with them. They are especially interested in having pictures taken with anyone who is blonde. We spoke with one Chinese man outside of the historical building. He asked how old she was (at least I think that is what he asked) and I was able to communicate to him that today is Lucy's birthday. He was very happy and excited for us.
On the way home it was decided that we would all order Pizza Hut pizza for lunch. I am not exaggerating one bit when I say it was the absolute best meal we have eaten in 5 days.
After lunch we were joined in the playroom by some of our new friends for Lucy's 1st birthday party. It was a wonderful event! Lucy was in a very happy mood and was laughing and playing for a whole hour. First, Lucy and her friends Taya and Margaret Jane had fun playing with balloons. Then we all sang happy birthday and clapped for the baby. She loved it. She is a total ham. She was cheesing for the camera the whole time! Then we had birthday cake. The hotel gave us a complimentary birthday cake. It was mostly whipped cream and Lucy loved it! After the cake we let Lucy open her birthday present. It was a little white stuffed cat that Christopher bought for her in August at the Mall of America. She loves her new kitty. She laughed and played with it. Then she and Taya and Margaret Jane all tried out the rocking toys in the playroom. Taya and her Mommy Amy even got in the big box with the plastic balls. Lucy did not think that this was a good idea.
We took so many amazing photos at her party that it will be very difficult to choose 3 or 4 for the website. She had these great faces that she makes. The one she likes the most is sticking her tongue out as far as possible. It isn't very lady-like but it makes us all laugh!
After the big party we went on a little walk around the hotel grounds with Taya, her Mommy and Daddy Amy and Dana, her Grandparents Judy and Conrad, Margaret Jane and her parents Jonathan and Emily. Lucy fell asleep about 2 minutes into it and slept for the next 2.5 hours!
As usual, she had to be touching Daddy they whole time she slept. Normally Daddy is content to lie on the bed and watch TV while baby sleeps. Until he has to go to the bathroom! I am proud to say that we were finally able to pull one over on her. With much effort I was able to sneak into Daddy's place so that he could have a few minutes on his own. To do this, we had to put a blanket over her face so that she would not know who was next to her. While this is not particularly good for my self-esteem, it did get the job done.
Finally we woke her up to go to dinner and she became the center of attention. She is so funny! She was cracking us up all through dinner. She was even making Katie and her Mom and Dad (Scott and Kristine) laugh. She will play and play with me just as long as she is still in Daddy's lap. She even let me kiss all over her cheeks (best moment so far!) but she will not sit on my lap or let me hold her. Later we went to the business center and she was making all the ladies in there laugh.
She is so much fun. She loves to play with her toys and take a bath. She has the cutest laugh. She loves to shake her head and stick out her tongue. I can hardly wait to see what she is going to do tomorrow. She is wearing her Daddy out. She is very, very strong and has a vice grip. He is getting beat up by her but I think he likes it. He is such a good Daddy!
Today is Lucy's birthday! We started the morning much as we ended the evening, with Lucy insisting that she be touching Daddy at all times. I am not sure that Chris got much more than 2 or 3 hours of sleep. Anytime we tried to move Lucy to her crib she would wake up and scream for Daddy. We finally gave in and let her sleep with him.
After breakfast we got on a bus with the other families and went to some historical building with some historical meaning. All I remember is that there is a copy of this building at Summer Palace. Now that we have our babies I am not sure that any of us are able to completely listen to the historical information. We're too busy staring at them.
The building was very pretty and had interesting tile decorations and some beautiful murals. There was also a good amount of souvenir shopping, which is what most of us did. There were lots of inexpensive Chinese trinkets and jewelry. I am hoping to buy several small gifts to give Lucy every year on "Gothcha Day." I was able to find a couple of potential gifts. We also saw a short stage show of Chinese opera and dancing. The music was wonderful and the costumes were bright and beautiful. Lucy really seemed to enjoy the music.
It is interesting to see the reaction of the Chinese people to our little girls. Most of them are very friendly and very interested in adoring our babies. Many of them want to have their pictures taken with them. They are especially interested in having pictures taken with anyone who is blonde. We spoke with one Chinese man outside of the historical building. He asked how old she was (at least I think that is what he asked) and I was able to communicate to him that today is Lucy's birthday. He was very happy and excited for us.
On the way home it was decided that we would all order Pizza Hut pizza for lunch. I am not exaggerating one bit when I say it was the absolute best meal we have eaten in 5 days.
After lunch we were joined in the playroom by some of our new friends for Lucy's 1st birthday party. It was a wonderful event! Lucy was in a very happy mood and was laughing and playing for a whole hour. First, Lucy and her friends Taya and Margaret Jane had fun playing with balloons. Then we all sang happy birthday and clapped for the baby. She loved it. She is a total ham. She was cheesing for the camera the whole time! Then we had birthday cake. The hotel gave us a complimentary birthday cake. It was mostly whipped cream and Lucy loved it! After the cake we let Lucy open her birthday present. It was a little white stuffed cat that Christopher bought for her in August at the Mall of America. She loves her new kitty. She laughed and played with it. Then she and Taya and Margaret Jane all tried out the rocking toys in the playroom. Taya and her Mommy Amy even got in the big box with the plastic balls. Lucy did not think that this was a good idea.
We took so many amazing photos at her party that it will be very difficult to choose 3 or 4 for the website. She had these great faces that she makes. The one she likes the most is sticking her tongue out as far as possible. It isn't very lady-like but it makes us all laugh!
After the big party we went on a little walk around the hotel grounds with Taya, her Mommy and Daddy Amy and Dana, her Grandparents Judy and Conrad, Margaret Jane and her parents Jonathan and Emily. Lucy fell asleep about 2 minutes into it and slept for the next 2.5 hours!
As usual, she had to be touching Daddy they whole time she slept. Normally Daddy is content to lie on the bed and watch TV while baby sleeps. Until he has to go to the bathroom! I am proud to say that we were finally able to pull one over on her. With much effort I was able to sneak into Daddy's place so that he could have a few minutes on his own. To do this, we had to put a blanket over her face so that she would not know who was next to her. While this is not particularly good for my self-esteem, it did get the job done.
Finally we woke her up to go to dinner and she became the center of attention. She is so funny! She was cracking us up all through dinner. She was even making Katie and her Mom and Dad (Scott and Kristine) laugh. She will play and play with me just as long as she is still in Daddy's lap. She even let me kiss all over her cheeks (best moment so far!) but she will not sit on my lap or let me hold her. Later we went to the business center and she was making all the ladies in there laugh.
She is so much fun. She loves to play with her toys and take a bath. She has the cutest laugh. She loves to shake her head and stick out her tongue. I can hardly wait to see what she is going to do tomorrow. She is wearing her Daddy out. She is very, very strong and has a vice grip. He is getting beat up by her but I think he likes it. He is such a good Daddy!
China-Travel Journal Day 4 November 1, 2005
Travel Journal - Day 4
Day 4 was Daddy Day. All Daddy. All the time. Daddy good. Mommy bad. Lucy continues to bond with Christopher. He is her best buddy. When she woke up this morning she lay down with him and fell asleep on his chest. They are a very cute pair. Unfortunately Daddy doesn't get to do other things like shower or shave. She is not yet a fan of Mommy.
Chris is doing great with her. She took a whole bottle from him this morning and ate some fruit and banana bread at breakfast. Chris put her in her high chair for a bit but she is not a interested in sitting still. She much prefers to stand in the chair and then try to stand on the tray. Perhaps we have a gymnast on our hands.
After breakfast she went into hysterics when Mommy tried to hold her. Chris finally got her calmed down by running the water in the sink. After a while she put her toes in. And then her hands. And then her whole body, clothes, diapers and all. We finally got her clothes off and she had a great time in the bath. She loves splashing the water and playing with Daddy. But not Mommy. Mommy had a minor breakdown but managed to pull it together before lunch.
We joined the rest of the families for lunch. (More Chinese food.) Lucy spent some time with some of the other Daddies in the group so that Chris could have a break. She seems to be fine with any of the men. I'm not sure why. The caretaker that brought her to us was a male. Maybe she just prefers men.
After lunch we had a notary appointment and then shopping at Walmart. Christopher looks so handsome with a hip hammock on! He carried Lucy while I attempted to navigate a huge, over-crowded Chinese Walmart. Yikes! It is very hard to find the baby isle when you don't know the Chinese symbol for "baby isle." We managed to walk out with a stroller, a few ugly baby clothes (all the cute ones had split pants) and a fresh box of Cheerios. We also grabbed a few chocolate bars and some Pringles just in case we have trouble choking down another meal of Chinese food. By the time we finished shopping Lucy had fallen asleep. Chris had to use the bathroom so we had to transfer her to me while she was still asleep. We made sure she didn't see Daddy leave. She slept for about a half hour so I got to hold her longer than I have so far. As soon as she woke up she started screaming for Daddy. NOTE: If you are an adoptive Mom packing for a trip to Jiangxi, bring enough baby clothes to get you to Guangzhou. The clothes at the Nanchang Wallmart are not cute and not worth buying. I don't know about the clothes at Guangzhou. I'll get back to you on that!
After Daddy got Lucy calmed down we had some fun sticking out our tongues. She cracks herself up. She still won't leave Daddy but she will make some cute faces at Mommy. She is very coy and seems to have a great sense of humor. Unfortunately the face making only lasted until diaper change time. She HATES getting a diaper changed or changing her clothes. This is probably because she is used to split pants.
The rest of the evening was more of the same. We went to dinner and Lucy had fun with Daddy. We invited another couple to join us for coffee and dessert. They, two are dealing with the "Daddy good, Mommy bad" syndrome. It was good to have someone to talk with.
After several more crying fits and one final Mommy break down, Lucy has fallen asleep on Daddy chest and refuses to be moved to her crib. Oh well, maybe she will like me better in the morning. In the meantime I am concentrating on making bottles, keeping track of paperwork, finding a way to get food to Christopher and trying to keep our hotel room from looking like a small explosion.
Sorry about the delay in posts. We can't get the internet in our room and Chris cannot get a break from Miss Luciana long enough to go to the business center.
Day 4 was Daddy Day. All Daddy. All the time. Daddy good. Mommy bad. Lucy continues to bond with Christopher. He is her best buddy. When she woke up this morning she lay down with him and fell asleep on his chest. They are a very cute pair. Unfortunately Daddy doesn't get to do other things like shower or shave. She is not yet a fan of Mommy.
Chris is doing great with her. She took a whole bottle from him this morning and ate some fruit and banana bread at breakfast. Chris put her in her high chair for a bit but she is not a interested in sitting still. She much prefers to stand in the chair and then try to stand on the tray. Perhaps we have a gymnast on our hands.
After breakfast she went into hysterics when Mommy tried to hold her. Chris finally got her calmed down by running the water in the sink. After a while she put her toes in. And then her hands. And then her whole body, clothes, diapers and all. We finally got her clothes off and she had a great time in the bath. She loves splashing the water and playing with Daddy. But not Mommy. Mommy had a minor breakdown but managed to pull it together before lunch.
We joined the rest of the families for lunch. (More Chinese food.) Lucy spent some time with some of the other Daddies in the group so that Chris could have a break. She seems to be fine with any of the men. I'm not sure why. The caretaker that brought her to us was a male. Maybe she just prefers men.
After lunch we had a notary appointment and then shopping at Walmart. Christopher looks so handsome with a hip hammock on! He carried Lucy while I attempted to navigate a huge, over-crowded Chinese Walmart. Yikes! It is very hard to find the baby isle when you don't know the Chinese symbol for "baby isle." We managed to walk out with a stroller, a few ugly baby clothes (all the cute ones had split pants) and a fresh box of Cheerios. We also grabbed a few chocolate bars and some Pringles just in case we have trouble choking down another meal of Chinese food. By the time we finished shopping Lucy had fallen asleep. Chris had to use the bathroom so we had to transfer her to me while she was still asleep. We made sure she didn't see Daddy leave. She slept for about a half hour so I got to hold her longer than I have so far. As soon as she woke up she started screaming for Daddy. NOTE: If you are an adoptive Mom packing for a trip to Jiangxi, bring enough baby clothes to get you to Guangzhou. The clothes at the Nanchang Wallmart are not cute and not worth buying. I don't know about the clothes at Guangzhou. I'll get back to you on that!
After Daddy got Lucy calmed down we had some fun sticking out our tongues. She cracks herself up. She still won't leave Daddy but she will make some cute faces at Mommy. She is very coy and seems to have a great sense of humor. Unfortunately the face making only lasted until diaper change time. She HATES getting a diaper changed or changing her clothes. This is probably because she is used to split pants.
The rest of the evening was more of the same. We went to dinner and Lucy had fun with Daddy. We invited another couple to join us for coffee and dessert. They, two are dealing with the "Daddy good, Mommy bad" syndrome. It was good to have someone to talk with.
After several more crying fits and one final Mommy break down, Lucy has fallen asleep on Daddy chest and refuses to be moved to her crib. Oh well, maybe she will like me better in the morning. In the meantime I am concentrating on making bottles, keeping track of paperwork, finding a way to get food to Christopher and trying to keep our hotel room from looking like a small explosion.
Sorry about the delay in posts. We can't get the internet in our room and Chris cannot get a break from Miss Luciana long enough to go to the business center.
China-Travel Journal Day 3 October 31, 2005
Travel Journal - Day 3
Yesterday was Gotcha day. What a day! I was not able to write last night because by the time we got Lucy to sleep we were exhausted and too scared to make any noise! Here's the story of our day.
Once we got to the airport we still had a good bit of time before take off. Amy, one of the other mothers. (see "Taya" in ladybug journals!) had brought along the copy of her daughter's finding add. This is an add that is placed by the orphanage in an attempt to find the birth parents. The paper she had carried hundreds of baby adds. Each had a small photo of the baby taken the day that they were found, along with their finding date and approximate birth date. It did not take the rest of us long to figure out that all of our daughters were found within a couple of weeks of each other. Suddenly we were all scouring this paper for signs of our babies. Eventually we found all of them. We caused such a commotion that people were coming over to us wanting to know what all the excitement was about!
Just before we touched down in Nanchang I started to get very nervous and anxious. It was that same feeling of dread that you get before giving a big speech or (for me) going to a doctor appointment. I expected to feel excited and emotional but I was mostly just scared! I talked to a couple of the other first-time mothers and they agreed that they also felt the same way. When we finally got to the hotel we were given instructions to go to our rooms, gather certain documents, money and orphanage gifts and then bring them to our guide. It was very good for me to have tasks to accomplish because, by this time, I was a spinning bundle of nerves! I sent Chris down to the lobby to change out some money. When he came back he said that he saw the babies coming in and that he waved at one of them. I am so glad that he was the one who went downstairs and not me. I would have accosted those poor babies!
Finally it was 4:00. Time to meet the babies. We headed down to the 3rd floor where we were to meet the babies in a conference room. When we got there the babies and their caretakers were in the room and the door was open. There were a few babies out strolling the hall as well. All the other mommies were peeking in the room trying to spot their babies. The babies all had tags on their backs with their names and their referral photo. I looked into the room but could not find Lucy. Then one of the other mothers called from the hall and said "Teresa, come here, I think this one is Lucy!" Sure enough, it was Lucy!
She was standing in the hall with the help of her caretaker. I cautiously went over to see her. I think I was much more scared than she was! Chris was videoing and taking photos while working a tiger puppet. He gets extra points for multi-tasking! She did not cry at all but was definitely tentative. Her caretaker (a man) was very wonderful with her. He was helping me to get to know her and talk to her. I got to hold her for just a little bit but then I had to give her back and go into the conference room. I couldn't have her "officially" until the orphanage director got there to hand over the babies.
As I was sitting in the conference room getting instructions I could look out into the hallway. Our little Lucy was hanging onto the railing looking down into the atrium. She was wearing a pair of split pants and her little bottom was hanging out! It was so cute that I could not stop taking pictures even though I was supposed to be listening to instructions.
Yesterday was Gotcha day. What a day! I was not able to write last night because by the time we got Lucy to sleep we were exhausted and too scared to make any noise! Here's the story of our day.
Those of you that know me will be very surprised that I did NOT blubber my way through the entire day. I woke up on Monday feeling very detached. For the sake of my mascara I decided to ride that wave for as long as I could! Our plane to Nanchang, Jiangxi did not leave until 11:00 so we had a bit of a lazy morning. We spent the morning getting organized, having breakfast (the only meal that we look forward to!) and chatting with the other parents.
Once we got to the airport we still had a good bit of time before take off. Amy, one of the other mothers. (see "Taya" in ladybug journals!) had brought along the copy of her daughter's finding add. This is an add that is placed by the orphanage in an attempt to find the birth parents. The paper she had carried hundreds of baby adds. Each had a small photo of the baby taken the day that they were found, along with their finding date and approximate birth date. It did not take the rest of us long to figure out that all of our daughters were found within a couple of weeks of each other. Suddenly we were all scouring this paper for signs of our babies. Eventually we found all of them. We caused such a commotion that people were coming over to us wanting to know what all the excitement was about!
Just before we touched down in Nanchang I started to get very nervous and anxious. It was that same feeling of dread that you get before giving a big speech or (for me) going to a doctor appointment. I expected to feel excited and emotional but I was mostly just scared! I talked to a couple of the other first-time mothers and they agreed that they also felt the same way. When we finally got to the hotel we were given instructions to go to our rooms, gather certain documents, money and orphanage gifts and then bring them to our guide. It was very good for me to have tasks to accomplish because, by this time, I was a spinning bundle of nerves! I sent Chris down to the lobby to change out some money. When he came back he said that he saw the babies coming in and that he waved at one of them. I am so glad that he was the one who went downstairs and not me. I would have accosted those poor babies!
Finally it was 4:00. Time to meet the babies. We headed down to the 3rd floor where we were to meet the babies in a conference room. When we got there the babies and their caretakers were in the room and the door was open. There were a few babies out strolling the hall as well. All the other mommies were peeking in the room trying to spot their babies. The babies all had tags on their backs with their names and their referral photo. I looked into the room but could not find Lucy. Then one of the other mothers called from the hall and said "Teresa, come here, I think this one is Lucy!" Sure enough, it was Lucy!
She was standing in the hall with the help of her caretaker. I cautiously went over to see her. I think I was much more scared than she was! Chris was videoing and taking photos while working a tiger puppet. He gets extra points for multi-tasking! She did not cry at all but was definitely tentative. Her caretaker (a man) was very wonderful with her. He was helping me to get to know her and talk to her. I got to hold her for just a little bit but then I had to give her back and go into the conference room. I couldn't have her "officially" until the orphanage director got there to hand over the babies.
As I was sitting in the conference room getting instructions I could look out into the hallway. Our little Lucy was hanging onto the railing looking down into the atrium. She was wearing a pair of split pants and her little bottom was hanging out! It was so cute that I could not stop taking pictures even though I was supposed to be listening to instructions.
China-Travel Journal Day 2 October 30, 2005
Travel Journal - Day 2
The Great Wall!! Other than meeting Lucy, this was the day that I was most excited about. I was not disappointed. The Great Wall is really amazing. After seeing it so many times on "The Travel Channel" it was really exciting to see it for real. Chris and I were ready to tackle as many steps up as we could. We spent the last 3 days sitting on a plane and sitting on a bus so we were happy to have a little exercise.
It is a challenging hike! The stairs are many and they are all different heights. It reminded me a bit of hiking up Camelback Mountain. People heading up were encouraging each other while the people heading down gave assurances that it is easier on the way down! There is something very unifying about a bunch of people all trying to achieve the same goal.
Chris and I made it to the 4th guard post. There were 2 or 3 people who made it all the way to the 6th guard post. I decided that it would be a good idea to be able to walk tomorrow so we headed back down while we still had control of our legs. It was absolutely beautiful up there. At the last guardpost we met two girls from Hong Kong. They told me the name of the best jewelry store in Hong Kong. They assured me I could get "good quality, best prices."
Before going to the Great Wall we all attended a church service at the Beijing International Christian Fellowship. Due to local government regulations, BCIF is open only to foreign passport holders. We were asked to bring our passports to prove foreign citizenship. I was very amazed to find out that not only do they hold Worship Services; they are an entire Christian community with small groups, child care, bible study opportunities and various other ministries. Apparently they have been together as a church for 25 years! It was so wonderful to walk into a service in China and be able to praise the Lord with people from so many countries. It was an added treat to experience worship with many of the same songs that we sing at home. We have so much to be thankful for and so much that we need God's guidance for now that we are becoming parents. I did not think it was a coincidence that even though the lesson was from the book of Isaiah, the speaker referenced one of my favorite passages from Jeremiah "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.' I hold fast to this verse as I venture into parenthood. And I rest in the knowledge that the Lord has had a plan for Lucy since before she was even born. I trust that he will guide us and teach us how to raise her as a child of God.
After service we visited the Jade Factory where I purchased a small jade pendant for me and another for Lucy. They had many beautiful things and the sales people are very well trained! I was lucky to get out of there with only two things!
Then we ate yet another meal of Chinese food (somebody get me a pizza!) and then off to the Great Wall.
Once again, the best part of the day was getting to know the other families. The bus rides are getting to be more fun as we are all getting to know each other and enjoy each other's company. One family brought their 24-month-old Chinese daughter with them. She is so adorable. She has become quite popular with all of us waiting parents!
Tomorrow is the big day and we are all so excited! Our plane leaves tomorrow at 11:00 am. According to our guide, we should have our babies around 4:30. It is going to be a very long day until 4:30! Tomorrow is the day that changes our lives forever. Bring it on!
China-Travel Journal Day 1 October 29, 2005
Travel Journal-Day 1
We just completed our first full day in China. We arrived yesterday afternoon and had the rest of the day to get settled in our hotel and adjust to the time difference. Our hotel is wonderful. We have a great view of Beijing from our window. Chris has enjoyed looking at the various unique vehicles. We are also right next to a store called Carrefour. They call it the "Chinese Walmart." We went there last night to look around. We purchased some water and some chocolate but decided to pass on the live carp (which they will kill and clean for you right there) the chicken feet (yum) and the pork livers.
Today was a very busy day. We started with a tour around Tiananmen Square and then on to the Forbidden City. It was all very interesting but it definitely feels like "filler time" until we get to meet Lucy. The best part has been getting to know the other families, hearing about their daughters and how they came to adopt from China. We've met some really amazing people and look forward to getting to know them more. Our group is over 90 people so we aren't likely to get bored anytime soon!
After lunch (Chinese food!) we went to a pearl factory where I got suckered into spending too much money on a pair of pink pearl earrings. The salespeople here are very good. I wish I could bring a few home with me, as they would make excellent SPC's! We also went to a silk factory where I managed to hang onto a bit more of my money. It wasn't easy because they had many beautiful things. We ended up purchasing a pair of pajamas, a pants outfit and a beautiful pink dress for Lucy. I hope I bought the right size!
We visited the Summer Palace after lunch. Again, it was interesting but most of us just want to get to our babies! Fortunately our weather is perfect and our guide, Sherry, is very good. She has a great sense of humor and is very well versed on Chinese history and culture.
A couple of interesting notes about our flight. We flew from Chicago, up through Canada and then over the North Pole. It was very cool to look down and see a vast land of snow and glaciers! I looked out the window quite a bit but did not spot Santa Claus. I also met a very nice man from Beijing who let me test out my Mandarin. Either I did a pretty good job with my proununciation or he is a very nice man who pretended to understand me!
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