Good Days, Bad Days and only 5 more Days   

I'll start with 5 days...only 5 more days and we'll be home.  I mean, China is  great and all but.....it's time to go home.  You wanna appreciate your modest house with no basement and 1 bathroom, go live in hotels for 17 days.  We are really ready to move on.  This trip would have been great if it was cut by about 9 days......

So, on to Bad Days.  Friday was our last day in Chongqing. So on Thursday night we took a walk into the city square and brought Chloe to McDonalds.  THe cashier was appalled when we ordered 2 large fries with our meal.  Then she gave us 2 ketchup packets.  

Shei, shei but can I have 5 ketchups?    

FIVE she laughed?  Yes we Americans like to smother our fat with sugar , thank you very much.  Chloe absolutely loved the french fries and the ketchup.  She saw me dipping and pointed to it until I gave her  her own.

So Friday we set out to the Chongqing Zoo with our guide and the NYC family.  We drove there in the van, no problem.  The zoo was quite nice and a wonderful distraction from the hotel rooms and the city.  THe sun surprised us and we saw some greenery.  The pandas were adorable.  They say they have black circles because they don't get enough sleep.  My new nickname.  Then we piled into the van to head back to the hotel and get ready to fly to.  We are in the car for a few minutes and Chloe starts to freak- for no reason.  A full out, arching the back tantrum of sorts with crying and removing of shoes.  Hmmm, not fun.  We saw two  more of these episodes this day, including one on the 1 1/2 hour flight from Chongqing to Guangzhao. Yes, in a plane, screaming. Yea, I know what you're thinking- you are thinking that next Friday we have to fly from Guangzhao to Shanghai (2 1/2 hours), then sit in an airport for 3 hours then fly from Shanghai to Newark for 14 hours.   I know what else you're thinking- Thank God it's not you sitting on that plane.  I can't even think about it, I get sick to my stomach.  

So that was the bad day.  I actually called the woman from our adoption agency.  Seems the honeymoon is over and our little girl is overstimulated.  Very typical for these guys.  They have been living in a a very controlled, calm environment with very little stimulation.  Now they are thrown into the world with 5,000,000 new things to see, touch, smell, taste and do and they go into overload.  So I got some good suggestions and today we turned it down about 10 notches.  She had such a better day- time to play in the hotel room, quiet music, nice long nap.    Oh and BTW, today was Lee's birthday.  Happy Birthday Lee

Guangzhou, The White Swan and Nirvana

We are now in the city of Guangzhou.  We have many appointments here- medical center for a checkup, paperwork for Chloe's visa, etc.  So everyday there is a little something to do, then our own downtime.

Being here is like heaven.  

1.  It is the last leg of the trip and we are that much closer to home...YEAH!       You all know I miss my Anna.

2.Guangzhao is a not a big, crowded city like Chongqing.  The big city was hard with Chloe- too noisy, too crowded and just too overstimulating for her...and me.  Here we can walk to a restaurant or a shop with no problem.  There is a 7-11 and a Starbucks, which I must find soon...for another taste of home.  The weather is nice.  A slight glimpse of sun and warm temperatures.  

1. The White Swan Hotel is beautiful.  All of the other hotels were fine but this one really caters to foreigners.  The breakfast buffet is awesome.  There are shops and waterfalls and room service and ATM machines and a play room for the kids.  All adoptive roads lead to Guangzhou so the place is teeming with adoptive parents from all over but especially America.  You've never seen such friendly Americans.  We all make eye contact and chat because we are dying to talk to someone besides our spouse. (It's like the King of Queens episode when Doug and Carrie got to HomeDepot to meet people) It's also comforting to swap stories and get advice from other BTDT families.  Lat night we were out walking looking for a restaurant.  There is a place called Lucy's with American food.  We met a couple there from Ohio. It was so nice to eat with other people, share a beer and chat.  The kids were great too and then we walked around a town "square".  Nice and quiet and it wiped out our Chloe.  She's a good sleeper. 
2. Poor Lee has hurt his shoulder/neck.  The beds are firm and today I found him sleeping in the chair, then the floor.  We hired a guide to take us for some touristy shopping but maybe she can find some relief for Lee.  Too may suitcases plus Chloe won't stay in the stroller.  Oh, that's another thing- the shops in town will loan you a stroller!  They know you'll come back and buy something, which we did so it's worth it-we use it carry the diaper bag and my pocketbook!
3. One more thing- check out the photo of the Barbie Doll!  How cute is that?  The White Swan gives everyone an Adoption Barbie Doll!  Look at the bottom - it says "This is not a toy"   "For ages 14 and over"