Another Milestone...Red Couch Day

Our time at the White Swan is passing quickly! Tomorrow is our last full day, then Thursday is mostly a travel day as we take a train from here to Hong Kong. Friday morning we will walk across the street to the Hong Kong airport and head home. While I've loved this trip and the people with whom I've shared it, it will be so wonderful to be home with my boys. I miss them more than I could've imagined.

However, before we could come home, there was much shopping to do. This morning, mom and I "power shopped" at Jennifers and bought a large suitcase full of items, plus the suitcase to bring them home in. We still have one more more major shop left to do tomorrow. Among the more special items is a baby blanket that we are having made for Katie. At 10am, we headed to the Glasses Market with Mary, the Coggins' and Amy A. It was better than I had imagined. Optical shops lined the street, and we just picked one near where the cab let us off because it was empty of shoppers. We had Mary check the prices for us and we were in awe that the glasses (including lenses and anti-glare coating) were between $5 and $30 US a pair! I'm talking about what you go to Lenscrafters or wherever and buy in the states. I had heard of amazing prices, but I was blown away by the selection and price. The only bummer was that it would take a week for bifocals...sorry Dad! I got 3 pair, one for $7, one for $9 and one for about $30 (but they are really cool frames). I had priced a new pair at Sam's Club for over $300 before I left. Now I am swimming in new glasses. Mom also got a new pair of sunglasses made for about $30 (sunglasses were a bit more).

It took a couple of hours for them to finish our group's order, so I talked everyone into heading to the Toy Market (not hard to do). It was really interesting. Not quite what I expected. Kinda like a US flea market on steroids. There was a lot of stuff that we weren't so interested in, but we made out like bandits on stickers, hair accessories for girls, Barbie doll clothes, puzzles and wooden dragon kits. Amy and I tried to pool our purchases and bargain together, but we weren't the most effective bargainers. We always got things a little cheaper, though, and we were thrilled at the prices. I guess putting those 'made in China' things on a boat to the US adds a lot of expense (or someone is making a TON of money).

At 3pm, we met the group for our pictures. Getting the little girl's photos on the Red Couch at the White Swan is a bit of a rite of passage for adoptive parents. We took a group photo by the beautiful jade boat, then another group shot by the waterfall. The babies got lined up sans parents on the couch and it was fun. Not everyone was happy, but the parents were!

Katie retired for a nap with mom and I headed back to the Pearl Market with the Coggins'. Maria and I both wanted more cheap but awesome jewelry. We hit the same store again and found out that they had a bigger showroom on the 5th floor. We were wined and dined there (well, actually we were given a Coke with a straw, but that felt special) and walked away a little poorer but richer in Pearls and a bit of jade. I had gifts made for family and friends who have played such a special part in our adoption journey. After a couple of hours, we had a mini adventure as we tried to find a cab in the dark with pouring down rain, baby Marabelle in tow. It took all our efforts, but we finally fought off the locals (also trying to get home) and made it back to the hotel. Katie was fast asleep (she has been sleeping 6pm to 6am regularly now), so mom and I spent some time assessing our purchases to date and making our final shopping list. Tomorrow is a busy day with a late-morning trip to a Temple where Monks will bless our babies, then later in the afternoon we go to the American Consulate for our Visa to bring Katie home to the US. This is the last hurdle that we have to clear before coming home. Well, that is if you don't count the train to Hong Kong, the 15 hour flight to Chicago, the 3 hour layover and the 1 hour flight to St Louis!

Maria & Marabelle, Hyong & Sarah, Kay & Joy, Andrea & Madison, Amy & Madelyn, Me & Katie, Christie & Carly, a woman who just joined our group today for the photo from Chicago and Deanna & Shelby.

Stalls at the toy market. There were hundreds of them, and I'm sure we didn't see but a small part.

Amy amidst our Barbie doll clothes purchases at the Toy Market.

The entire group, mommies, daddies, babies & Grandma Bowen. We are the sixth, seventh and eighth from the left.

Hard to get the full effect, but it basically poured buckets of rain all day today. No one told me until today that this was the rainy season here!

Three generations of our family. I think Katie might look more like mom here that I do!

Our group in front of the waterfall.

With our good friends, Deanna & JD, with Shelby.

Carol Kramer, this one's for you. Katie Tillock, Joy Calhoun and Shelby Rainey on the red couch. Believe it or not, this was the best photo! All three of us had the pleasure of working with Carol as our Social Worker/Friend/Supporter-During-The-Long-Wait since we all live near each other in Shiloh and Granite City, IL.

The reason we're here: Madison, Carly, Madelyn, Marabelle, Katie, Sarah, Shelby and Joy. Have you ever seen more beautiful babies in your life?

PS: Today I realized that Katie is Chinese. I dressed her in her little silk outfit and mom and I looked at each other and saw the resemblance Katie has to people of Chinese descent. Until today, she just looked like my daughter. :-) (She still does...)

Diamonds (or Pearls) are a Girl's Best Friend

Above is a picture of Katie surrounded by her new jewelry. Brad will be pleased to know that Katie loves to shop and particularly enjoys custom jewelry. We had another good day all around her in rainy Guangzhou! I wrote yesterday's blog early, before Katie fell asleep for the day at 5pm! We had our zoo outing and got back late, so she didn't go down for her afternoon nap until 5, and she was tired. I tried to rouse her at 7 to no avail. We finally decided to just let her sleep. I was scared she'd be up by 3, so I went to be early to be prepared. Katie slept until 5 am, woke up for a bottle and diaper change, then went back to sleep until 7am. We don't ever set an alarm because she is always up by 6. Needless to say we were running late but happy to be so well rested. I just can't believe what a great baby Katie is. She's great fun to be with, enjoys everything you do to her (usually including the saline/bulb syringe routine to her runny nose), and sleeps like an angel. We are truly blessed! Even if this doesn't continue at home, it is much appreciated when we are half the world away from home and in a hotel room.

At 9am we headed out for Katie's US Visa photo and physical. Both were fast and fine. A team of 3 doctors checks each baby for no more than 60 seconds each. I think they are only checking for major diseases that would pose a threat to others if she traveled. She weighs 15.6 lbs, so she's bigger than I thought. (I had guessed 14.) There are 2 other babies from her orphanage, Maddy was just over 16 and Carly was more like 19. All are in good health, thank goodness.

Katie fell asleep after the medical check, then mom and I finally got to get out shopping together. We browsed several shops until the rain got bad, then we made a beeline for the highly recommended Chinese restaurant just across the street from the hotel. It was an excellent choice. We had 3 entrees plus rice and tea for about $24 US. It would've been half that, but I chose a fried grouper with vegetables dish that was "market cost" on the menu. I did check the cost before ordering! As shown in the pics below, there are fish talks where you can select your fish. I picked out a nice looking grouper, but I did feel a bit guilty sending him to the hot wok! We had beef and vegetables for $4 US, sweet and sour pork for $3.50 and the grouper was more like $13. Any one dish would've been plenty for us, but at these prices I am enjoying the culinary adventure of it all. I was surprised that we were the only non-Chinese in the place given the proximity to the hotel. They don't speak English much at all, so everything we did through using calculators (to show price) and pointing. Mom continues to be a trooper through all my adventures, and she enjoyed herself. I think I am helping her do some things that she wouldn't feel comfortable doing on her own. Katie slept through much of lunch in her new stroller. Good purchase!

After lunch, we met our group and took a short ride to the pearl and jade markets. The pearl market was awesome and we made quite a few purchases there. You pick out the pearls that you want on strings, then they make them into necklaces for you, knotting them, adding clasps, etc. I was able to bargain and find prices that we were very happy with. We got several necklaces, earrings and bracelets. I finally talked mom into getting a beautiful pink freshwater pearl double strand necklace. It was only $15 total and they made it to fit her exactly how she wanted. We spent over an hour getting our purchases figured out in one store. The Kinnamon's and Maria Coggins shopped with us, and we all had a great time. I bought a special, better quality necklace and earrings for Katie. I took a picture of her in them and I'll put them away for a special occasion, like a graduation or her wedding. I am trying to buy things for Katie so that she'll have a special gift from China each year until she's 18 or so.

Next, we walked across the street to the jade market. I was very excited to go there, but it was pouring buckets of rain and the jade market is all outside (the pearl market was inside like a 5 story shopping mall). I found a couple of bracelets and a jade rooster (Katie was born in the year of the rooster), then we went back to the bus. Most of our travel mates had already called it quits on the market. Katie was starting to lose her sense of humor, which means the shopping day has ended.

She was in bed for the night by 5:30 tonight. All this shopping is wearing her out! I do think it is a little overwhelming for her to be seeing so much when she probably hadn't left the orphanage before last week. She has a great time, though, and we only do what she seems up for. She loves to be carried or ride in her stroller. I can't wait to get home so that Alex, Katie and I can go on adventures together. We're going to have a great time!

Katie napping while we had our late lunch at the Chinese restaurant.

Here is the tank where I picked out my grouper. (Note that the weather is not being kind to my hair, so I look like something that came out of the tank. Tomorrow, we got to the glasses market so that I can get some eye glasses that I like a little better for cheap! I'm wearing these a lot here because the smog is hard on my contacts.)

I can't ever get the pictures to post in order right, but this is the inside of the clinic where Katie had her medical exam this morning.

Hey, Terri, see anything familiar??? These are the silkworms at the restaurant which you can select as an entree. I am going to try these, but probably with a group. I am also going to try the fried pigeon, which our guides recommend. I was trying not to scare mom off the first time we ate there.

These are the beef & mushroom and grouper & veggie entrees we enjoyed as a part of our lunch. The presentation is very nice, particularly for $3-4 US. You can't even eat cheap Chinese in the US for that, and this was as good as the best Chinese I've had in the US.

Grandma showing Katie the pearls she'll get when she's older.

A woman in the pearl shop knotting our strands of pearls. There were thousands of strands with many different types of pearls available.

Katie wearing Grandma's new necklace (pink freshwater pearls) and admiring a couple of jade bracelets. I think she likes jewelry (hint, hint). She's also working hard to add 2 more teeth to the ones you see pictured.

Lions and Tigers and Pandas, Oh My! (And Caucasians)

(Post 2 of 2, see below) What a great day in Guangzhou! The sun was shining and for the first time in over a week, we saw the blue sky! It was almost 70F outside and we were happy to be where it is very safe and easy to get around. We woke up, gave Katie a bath (which she now loves!) and headed to the breakfast buffet with the Rainey's. Babies as far as the eye can see. There were no less than 100 babies at breakfast, and I'm guessing that there were more. The restaurant with the American buffet (with some Chinese thrown in) is on the 1st floor overlooking the river. One side is glass looking out, and on the other side it is open to the waterfall in the center of the hotel. A koi fish pond is under the waterfall. The breakfast buffet was quite yummy and sufficed for both lunch and dinner (well, for mom at least...I had several snacks until dinner).

After breakfast, we called home to Brad & Alex and Dad, then JD and Deanna made some calls home from our computer. We are using Skype which is a free program for your computer that allows you to make phone calls computer to computer for free and computer to land line for 2 cents a minute. We haven't spent $8 yet on phone calls, and we've called quite a bit. JD and I headed downstairs to get laundry done and find a stroller. Small shops who are quite used to the adoptive families are plentiful around the hotel. We shopped a bit and I priced strollers at several before bargaining my way to the right price. I got Katie a great reclining umbrella stroller for under $20. Couldn't find a similar stroller in the US for under $150. I also found a little something for my baby brother. I was really just pricing things and getting a sense for what is available, but Pat's gift was something I wasn't sure I'd see again. In case he's reading this, that description alone would tell you that it isn't 1) a carved Buddha 2) squeaky shoes or 3) Chinese artwork. All of those are plentiful. :-)

After Katie woke up from nap at 1pm (we were later for everything today), we caught a taxi for the Zoo. Mom's #1 goal in China after getting Katie was to see a panda. To go anywhere in a taxi, you just need a piece of paper that says where you want to go in Chinese (and where you want to return to for the ride home). The concierge at the hotel has cards printed up for all the major attractions. The zoo was about 20 minutes away and that meant a $4 US cab ride. We walked a bit at the zoo, then FINALLY figured out how to catch the sightseeing bus that would allow us to ride around the entire park (it was a big park). The bus (really a 10 passenger golf cart thing) was only $1 US each and we agreed it was a good investment. The park was really well landscapes and quite beautiful in places. The animal enclosures were generally not as nice as the landscaping, very plain like more old-fashioned zoos in the US. The funniest thing for us was that we were really more popular than the exhibits. I'd guess that we were the only Caucasian folks in the place and just about everyone stared at us. It was only if we stopped, or paused really, that we drew a crowd. At one point, I gave Katie a bottle and we had some ice cream (Vienetta...do you remember that ribboned chocolate/ice cream dessert? it's still big here) while sitting on a bench. At one point, we must've had 20 Chinese people around us jabbering at us in Chinese, smiling and pointing at Katie. We just smile. At one point, I finally said to a woman (in English), "I'm sorry but I have no idea what you are saying because I don't speak Chinese." It seemed to get the point across. We were much more comfortable here than that day in Nanchang when we were really getting harassed. Today, everyone was friendly and nice. Smiles and tone of voice convey a lot, as does body language (theirs). I do believe that this must be what it is like to be a celebrity. Some people try to be subtle, others don't. I figure I might be one of the only American's that they ever come across, so I smile and try to be as pleasant as I can. I always compliment their children, and they seem to like that. (Doesn't everyone??)

We caught a cab back and were quite pleased with ourselves for getting what we wanted to do done without help. Katie was tired, so we came to put her down for a nap with the intention of going out for a Chinese dinner. Well, we didn't think this through very well, so she went down for her nap at about 5. I tried to wake her at 7 to no avail. We decided she was down for the night, though I am going to head to bed at a reasonable hour in case she needs to eat or just gets tired of sleeping sometime tonight. It is 8 pm as I type this, and I'm actually tired enough to sleep after I walk down with JD to pick up our laundry.

Mom didn't get to shop, because that was part of the dinner plan, too. We had good Chinese food from room service and we have big shopping plans tomorrow. I'm going to get Katie's US Visa Medical Checkup in the am, then we're all going to the Pearl and Jade markets. I'm glad I worked on my bargaining skills today, I think I'm going to need them tomorrow. Mom is very excited to spend some $$$! (Don't worry dad, I'll keep an eye on her. We can only bring home 3 more suitcases without getting charged extra.)

Katie in her new wheels!

Katie's "Going Home Barbie" (Caucasian Barbie with Chinese baby in her arms) arrived in our room today. We were anxiously anticipating it! On the back it says "The souvenir is presented by Mattel (Hong Kong) Ltd. to adopting parents of Chinese orphan children staying at the White Swan Hotel, Guangshou, China." I think it is one of the better grass-roots marketing ideas I've seen. Mattel also sponsors a huge play room at the hotel. (Same Mattel as we have in the US)

Close up of Going Home Barbie. If only she had red hair...perhaps Whitney (my hair stylist) could help with that!

Happy Grandma and Katie at the Giant Panda exhibit.

Grandma and Katie at the zoo.

Mom and Katie at the pandas.

One of the lakes at the zoo. A beautiful view.

Every day we talk about Daddy and Alex. Katie is practicing her "Da Da" for when we see the real thing! We can't wait to be home with you. I miss you tons, Roo!

Now We Enter the Country Club Portion of Our Trip

This is post 1 of 2 for today. Text is below because I forgot again and typed before adding photos! L

The view of the waterfalls in the lobby as seen from the breakfast area.

A carved jade ship in the lobby of the hotel. Must be 5 feet tall...

Mom, Katie and I in the lobby area of the hotel.

Look, Alex...fish like we see at the (Botanical) Garden!

The White Swan. That's the name of the hotel we're staying in. Among the communities of folks adopting from China, if you 'luck out' and get a baby from this province we're in now, you stay here your entire trip. Folks joke that it is the 'country club tour' of China, and I now VERY CLEARLY understand why. I'm creating 2 separate posts today just so you can see where we're at. In Nanchang, our hotel was a Hilton in the midst of a bad housing project (the only way I can think to describe it). Now, the White Swan is in an area that very much reminds me of Puerto Rico of many slightly urban parts of Mexico. The standard of living is obviously higher here.

I can babble on indefinitely (obviously I write much as I talk...), so we'll just cut to the chase and I'll post pictures of this place. It is good that we got here when we did. While our entire group was frustrated last night and wishing we had just stayed at the Gloria, we are much happier with the surroundings here outside the hotel. Even I was pretty frustrated last night (as I'm sure you noticed in my post), and I think I'm adjusting to things a little easier than most.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

While my dinner cooled off, Katie had about a 1 hour screaming bloody murder fit. So again, as I type this I'm not operating at full capacity. Katie is fine now and sleeping like a baby. It was a bit of a marathon day for her (and the rest of us!), so a little crying was understandable. Like always, Katie was a trooper!

The day started off with our last breakfast buffet at the Gloria, then finishing the packing and checking out by 11am. That was all fine, though getting everything back in the 3 suitcases (1 large and 2 small) was a project. We made it. Everyone was over the 44kg weight limit, but we checked in as a group and were 50kg over in total. That came out to about $10 per family as we share the cost. All of us agreed it was well worth it to get our stuff to the next destination.

The Nanchang airport was full of babies! Our guides, Mary and Mandy, had us head for the airport early because they knew 2 other groups were headed that way and there is some restriction that says only 13 babies per flight from Nanchang. I'm not sure how that all worked out, because we had 7 and the group right behind us had another 8, plus one group must've had 20. The plane was full of babies, so they must have relaxed the rule. They do only allow 1 baby per row (all of the babies were on laps, no seats for them). There is a picture below of part of the gate area. It doesn't do justice to the number of American families here with babies, and I think it is about to get worse here at our new hotel, the White Swan. It is surreal to always be around these families. We were all at breakfast together at the last hotel. I am told that where we are now, in Guangzhou at the White Swan Hotel, there are over 400 Americans staying here with adopted babies at any one time. It is nicknamed the White Stork Hotel. It used to be near the American Consulate, which is how it got this way. The consulate moved last year, but the hotel remains a baby mecca. Mattel even sponsors a playroom here.

Katie staying pretty much on schedule for the trip and had a little nap on the plane and finished it on the bus. We left the Gloria Hotel before 11am and arrived in our rooms here between 4 and 5. Lunch never happened in between, so we were all anxious to get here. It was a 5 mile walk from the plane to the bus (I'm estimating the distance...) then another 45 min. bus ride (I think) to the hotel. Several bus loads of adoptive parents were on our fight, so of course we all hit check-in at the same time. We've only walked to our room, but the common areas of the White Swan resemble a big-city hotel more than the Gloria. Picture the Hyatt in downtown Chicago or similar. Lots of attractive shops, artwork and antiques everywhere. The rooms are nice, but so far I preferred the Gloria (as have many in our group). The rooms were actually cleaner there and set up a little better for families. This is pretty, but not quite as functional.

I'll also add here that if you only came to Guangzhou for an adoption, I don't think you'd see much of real China. The airport is in the suburbs, so you don't see rural life at all. From what I've seen, Guangzhou is much nicer than Nanchang, which is not surprising. And this hotel is situated on an island that used to be only for foreigners and most of the architecture is Colonial and intact (as in not crumbling, burned or similar). After we're out tomorrow, I'll have a better idea what's here.

We're exhausted tonight, so tomorrow we eat, pick up a stroller and plan to hit the zoo and toy market if time allows. Shopping is high on our list of things to do if the weather allows. It looks like we might get lucky that way.

Katie continues to be a really good baby. Fun to play with and easy to be around. She has her moments, but luckily they are few and far between. She has a good appetite, so she'll fit into our culinary-centered family quite well. I can't wait to have her and Alex together, though I am prepared for a difficult time at first. A 4 year old little boy named Eddie is here with his parents and new baby sister, and he is having a terrible time with jealousy. Bless his heart, this is a very difficult time for him. I'm guessing Alex will have some of the same feelings, but in the end this is the best thing for all of us. We'll all adjust.

Thanks again to everyone who has been posting comments and sending e-mails. I haven't had time to respond lately, but we read them all and it is really fun to know you all are following along with us. It warms my heart to know that Katie will have so many friends and family caring for her. This little girl who was abandoned shortly after birth at the step of a shop in Suichuan will come to America and find family and friends who will care for her more than she ever could imagine. It is an amazing world where we can change the life of a child, and of her parents, so relatively easily.

Love from China! Lori, Carol & Katie

At the airport. Can you count all the tiny black heads? And there were 15 more rows like this, at least!

Lori, Katie, Carol, Deanna and Shelby collecting their mounds of luggage at the airport. Are we there yet???

Lori and Katie waiting at the airport in Nanchang. Katie enjoyed the trip and got lots of attention from the locals. Good attention today, no poking!

I'm still bad at keeping these photo in order, but this was how Katie started her day. She is sitting up by herself better each day. Here she is looking at big brother Alex's (and Daddy's) pictures in her photo album.

View from our new hotel room. Though we haven't ventured out, this looks more like Puerto Rico to me than China...

The street below our window. The round things in the top right are cafe tables outside. Hope it is nice enough to eat there!

Big city Guangzhou. Shopping, here we come...

No Autographs, Please

It's almost 10 pm (past my bedtime) Friday night and I'm falling over tired, so please excuse any mistakes in my typing. Today was a busy day, and I've just finished cramming our belongings back into the suitcases. What took me weeks to pack at home had to be re-packed tonight and somewhat organized so that the next unpack isn't so painful. It's not pretty, but it is done!

Our last piece of business in Nanchang was completed today. Katie has her Chinese passport, so we can travel to Guangzhou tomorrow! We are all thrilled, particularly mom. I have forbidden her from shopping in Nanchange for 2 reasons 1) EVERYONE says EVERYTHING is cheaper there (and it seems cheap here...) 2) We are buying 1-2 new suitcases in Guangzhou to get the shopping home, so we have no where to put new things yet. I did have a baptism outfit made at Tiffanie's here in Nanchang (across from hotel) because they had a beautiful white silk with dragons on it. Katie's Chinese name, Long, means dragon, so I couldn't pass that up. It will be a keepsake.

We are all going a bit stir-crazy being here, particularly since the rain kept us captive in the hotel for days. It is also a bit like being in a Hilton in the middle of Caprini Green (sp?), the famous Chicago housing project which I have driven through before. It isn't quite that unsafe, but that is what the surroundings look like. Also, our ISS guides prefer we not stray too far away if we're not all together.

After we got the passports rather quickly, we took a trip to Elephant Lake. A beautiful park with a temple out a bit from the inner city of Nanchang. It was beautiful there and there were many very nice, European-style (quite popular here) apartment complexes that gave us some hope for the future of China. We walked to the temple via a 15 min. path while mom & Deanna took a shortcut by bus to limit their walking. Deanna was interviewed by a TV station, which makes her our resident celebrity. Speaking of celebrities, we all know how the celebrities feel after our experience at the park. It was packed with locals because it was some special day and the park was free (instead of the customary $8 US per person entry fee, which is not inexpensive in China). Literally mobs of people swarmed us as we were a walking, taking, baby-carrying attraction. We each had our moments of the spotlight, and I was even rattled a bit by the experience (and I consider myself a fairly savvy world traveler...). If we even slowed our pace a bit, many people would surround us (probably the most at any one time was 50) , chatter away at us in Chinese in either a friendly OR scolding tone, poke at our babies, etc. I had Katie in a hip carrier (thanks, Sue!) and ended up zipping her up partially inside my coat to protect her a bit more. Her hands were not covered (it wasn't that cold), but every Chinese person in a 5 mile radius had to feel them to make sure I was a fit mother. I realize that they do not see foreigners often and we were something to gawk at, but it really was a bit much. Mandy and Mary said we got it way worse than prior groups. I think JD Rainey was about ready to fly right home, as Deanna was away with mom and his daughter Shelby's pants wouldn't stay covering her ankles. He really got it bad. Unfortunately, our 'celebrity' made visiting the temple not a very enjoyable experience for the group. It was impossible to stop and enjoy the view because you'd instantly be surrounded. Word to the wise: if you are coming to China, bring a 1-piece outfit that covers head to fingers to toes for such outings. You will need it!

After recovering from the trip, we spent the afternoon playing with the babies, with a group gathering in our room as happens on occasion. We continue to really enjoy the friendships that have formed between the families in our travel group.

Katie's passport. The picture was talked on Monday morning, when she still didn't like me, so she looks mad.

Mommy, Katie and the passport at the civil affairs bureau office in Nanchang.

A view across Elephant Lake. We have yet to actually see the sun, though we hear it is still in the sky. Can anyone back in the US verify this for us??

Katie, Mommy and the curious Chinese people poking at us and trying to communicate something that I have no idea about. I really wanted to do something crazy, like hop in a circle and do a rain dance. The ever present military officers keeps me behaving myself.


Deanna, Lori, Katie and 2 Chinese people. I tried to cover this girls hands with her coat as my own little way of 'getting back at them' for all the poking we endured. I'm not sure that they 'got it.'

JD was starting to lose his sense of humor when the mob was relentless...

Our comic relief for the day was watching this toddler potty train on the sidewalk, which is what happens here. He had split pants on, so his bootie was wide open to the world via the open crotch of the pants. The pink things on his legs are plastic covers, basically our version of plastic training pants. They protect his clothing when he squats and pees/poops. Right in this courtyard of the temple, he squatted and peed. It is right in front of him in the photo, though you can't see it. There are some hygiene differences between our cultures!

Yes, Sir, That's My Baby

Thursday. I think. Days in a hotel full of babies, rain and not leaving the hotel much contributes to brain mush. That or having baby #2 has just driven what active brain cells I had left out to pasture. Oh, well. Luckily, China does not quiz you on the days of the week when you away are adoption. At each office, I get the same questions: when is your birthday, how old are you (trick question after #1??), why do you want to adopt from China (love the country, it is cheap and easy, well, not cheap but relatively easy comparatively, etc. and not I don't say the cheap and easy part, just checking to see if you really read this or just look at the pretty pics of Katie each day).

We didn't leave the hotel today except I ran across the street to Tiffanie's shop to get laundry and pick up Katie's christening outfit...which wasn't done yet. It was a worthwhile trip because I was able to get an original finding ad of Katie's for FREE. Yep. These people are smart at business. Their English is broken, but they know that if they give you a tiny piece of newspaper that means a lot to you, you'll buy from them.

The finding ad or tracing ad is a very tiny newspaper ad that is published after a baby is found in an attempt to locate the biological parents. Here is the English translation of Katie's ad:
Long Mei Xiu, Female, Born on 2005-5-14. Found on 2005-5-15 at the gate of a store in Dong ru Avenue. Thin, dark hair.

There is also a tiny photo of Katie as a newborn, which is the most valuable part. Her orphanage supplied a bad copy of this this ad, but the original is priceless to me. This tiny black and white newspaper photo, only 1/2-inch square, is the only photo of her as a tiny baby. The youngest photos we have otherwise are at 16 weeks from her referral. I feel a strong need to find out as much information as I can for Katie about her past, so that when she is older I can answer as many questions as possible. I will never be able to answer what could be the biggest question, why did her mother have to give her up, but we will figure that out together somehow. There is a photo of me with the ad below.

Otherwise, Katie was a playful baby all day. She is really attached to us now and she takes great joy in having us around to care and play with her. She woke up at 6am, ate then played until we went down for breakfast. She eats about every 3-3-1/2 hours and takes a couple of 2-3 hour naps a day, then goes to bed by 8. Would be earlier, but we keep ending up stuck at dinner too long. Tomorrow, we'll do something different about that. When she is tired, all we have to do is lay her down and she plays a bit then drifts off while sucking her thumb. Just like her big brother. They seem to have similar personalities, though Katie might be a little more introverted like Daddy.

She has a little runny nose and cough tonight, and it made me realize just how much she's attached herself to my heart. Every mother knows that when your baby is sick, you worry that much more. I think she is just fine, maybe a cold. We'll see in the morning...

Tomorrow, we go out to pick up Katie's passport and do a little sightseeing if the passport office isn't too crowded. I would LOVE to get out. On Saturday, we travel to the last city before heading home. I miss my boys and can't wait to introduce them to our newest family member. Brad is doing great at home, but I know it must be hard on him to miss these first days with Katie. She did talk about "da da da" today and even talked to him a bit this afternoon.

She loves me...
She loves me...hmmm...maybe!

Happy Katie playing with Grandma and our guide, Mandy.

Playing with Grandma!


Katie and mom have something in common, they're not morning people.

Katie sleeping...the thumb slipped out.
She'll do partial, but not full frontal nudity.

Katie already loves her big brother Alex who talks to her every day.

Mom holding Katie's finding ad. That is the tiny picture on the left side of the ad (in a plastic bag).