The wifi went out as I was trying to fix the end of the last post! What I meant to say was that grace is still a daddy's girl!! She can be screaming with me and he picks her up and she stops immediately! It is super cute! She gives him all the smiles he asks for...but I have to work for them :).
Ok...that is all for now...sorry about the end do my last post and all the errors in it. I am typing on the iPad, which isn't easy to do, and David has auto correct on so sometimes to changes my words all together. I am trying t type fast so that I can get it all done before the wifi goes out again.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Visa day...yahoo!!
Hi everyone!! Right now it is 11:30 AM on Tuesday morning here in Guangzhou. The Internet is working right now so I thought I would take a minute to post to everyone. The Internet here in the hotel is awful and doesn't work most of the time. It has been super hard not being able to Skype with Ian as much as we wanted, but we did get to Skype with him this morning and he seemed to be in great spirits!! He told me only 3 more days until we see each other and then he wasn't going to let me out of sight for a long time...I whole-heartily agree :). I didn't know my heart could miss someone so much!!!
Ok...back to our trip...so yesterday it is was cold and rainy here. I had to dig back out of winter clothes that we weren't supposed to have to use again since it is supposed to be super warm here in GZ. At this point we are all wearing dirty clothes...but at least we will be home soon!! Anyway, we went to our Visa appt at the US embassy. It went great. There were about 10 other families I there at the same time and we all took a vow saying that all of the paperwork we sent in was true. Then they called us up 1 family at a time to go over the paperwork. Once she looked over everythingn she told us congratulations and then we lft..that was it!! I can tell you after our experience in Vietnam that is was a relief to have a dram-free adoption. Praise the Lord!! Graces visa will be ready at 3:00 today! Woohoo!!
After our appt we met up with some of the other members of our group and went out to do some shopping. We bought souvenirs and other fun things. Then we met back up with the rest of our group and all went out to dinner at a place called Lucy's. They serve western style food...I had fried chicken and French fries...it wasn't exactly the same but it was ok. I think I will just stick to the subway right next door to our hotel. I have had it every single day since we have been here and it is really good. I am it very adventurous with food...ha!
Grace woke up not feeling too well again today. The member of group who is a pediatric nurse said she thought her cough sound like only a chest cough and not an asthmatic cough so we have stopped the albuterol. She said just to keep giving her tylenol and let her cough so that it doesn't settle inner kchest. She said they probably wouldn't give her any medicine for it at home either since she kdidnt have a fever any,ore. That made me feel better. I have you today how much we love the people we are traveling with? Everyone just helps each other and gets along so well!! Anyway, grace and I are in the hotel room right now while she is sleeping and David is at Starbucks reading a book. We are going to go do a little more shopping today and then we are going to with our whole group and guide to have a Dim Dim dinner. I am not sure what that is but you can rest assured I will be eating subway before we leave just I case I decide not to try anything :)
Tomorrow another family in our group and David, grace and I take a train first thing in the morning to Hong Kong. I think it's takes about 2 hours or so to get there from here. Once others we are dropping our bags at our hotel and taking the subway back to an area of town called Kowloon to do some sightseeing. Then we are spending the night in Hong Kong and then fly out the next day (thursday) for home...woohoo!! I think David said the f,ought was 14.5 hours, then we layover for 5 hours, then our final leg home is 2.5 hours!! Please pray for us on the way home!! We did to buy grace a seat so we are praying that the seat between David and I will be open and grace will have her seat!!
One more update on attachment...grace. And I are dng great together. She lets me comfort her, play with her, bathe her, and feed her. However, she has not felt good since we got her so I just dint think we have seen the real grace yet. She has been a bit demanding and it is hard to get her to laugh and play. According to everyone who has come across Grace in the past, that is not at all the impression they have given me of her. So, I am blaming it all on her feeling crummy and am praying she feels better soon. I am ready to enjoy playing and getting to know my daughter. She is still a !
Ok...back to our trip...so yesterday it is was cold and rainy here. I had to dig back out of winter clothes that we weren't supposed to have to use again since it is supposed to be super warm here in GZ. At this point we are all wearing dirty clothes...but at least we will be home soon!! Anyway, we went to our Visa appt at the US embassy. It went great. There were about 10 other families I there at the same time and we all took a vow saying that all of the paperwork we sent in was true. Then they called us up 1 family at a time to go over the paperwork. Once she looked over everythingn she told us congratulations and then we lft..that was it!! I can tell you after our experience in Vietnam that is was a relief to have a dram-free adoption. Praise the Lord!! Graces visa will be ready at 3:00 today! Woohoo!!
After our appt we met up with some of the other members of our group and went out to do some shopping. We bought souvenirs and other fun things. Then we met back up with the rest of our group and all went out to dinner at a place called Lucy's. They serve western style food...I had fried chicken and French fries...it wasn't exactly the same but it was ok. I think I will just stick to the subway right next door to our hotel. I have had it every single day since we have been here and it is really good. I am it very adventurous with food...ha!
Grace woke up not feeling too well again today. The member of group who is a pediatric nurse said she thought her cough sound like only a chest cough and not an asthmatic cough so we have stopped the albuterol. She said just to keep giving her tylenol and let her cough so that it doesn't settle inner kchest. She said they probably wouldn't give her any medicine for it at home either since she kdidnt have a fever any,ore. That made me feel better. I have you today how much we love the people we are traveling with? Everyone just helps each other and gets along so well!! Anyway, grace and I are in the hotel room right now while she is sleeping and David is at Starbucks reading a book. We are going to go do a little more shopping today and then we are going to with our whole group and guide to have a Dim Dim dinner. I am not sure what that is but you can rest assured I will be eating subway before we leave just I case I decide not to try anything :)
Tomorrow another family in our group and David, grace and I take a train first thing in the morning to Hong Kong. I think it's takes about 2 hours or so to get there from here. Once others we are dropping our bags at our hotel and taking the subway back to an area of town called Kowloon to do some sightseeing. Then we are spending the night in Hong Kong and then fly out the next day (thursday) for home...woohoo!! I think David said the f,ought was 14.5 hours, then we layover for 5 hours, then our final leg home is 2.5 hours!! Please pray for us on the way home!! We did to buy grace a seat so we are praying that the seat between David and I will be open and grace will have her seat!!
One more update on attachment...grace. And I are dng great together. She lets me comfort her, play with her, bathe her, and feed her. However, she has not felt good since we got her so I just dint think we have seen the real grace yet. She has been a bit demanding and it is hard to get her to laugh and play. According to everyone who has come across Grace in the past, that is not at all the impression they have given me of her. So, I am blaming it all on her feeling crummy and am praying she feels better soon. I am ready to enjoy playing and getting to know my daughter. She is still a !
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Feeling better
Well...this is our 2nd full day in Guangzhou. Let me just tell you that I really like it here a lot. Imagine a Chinese Charleston and that is GZ. It is very charming. We are staying on Shamaen Island and it is super busy but very quaint.
So, today Grace and I are hanging out in our hotel. Little missy has been super sick this past 24 hours. I don't know exactly how high her fever got but we gave her Luke warm baths off and on last night along with Tylenol and Motrin. One of the people we are traveling with in our group happens to be a pediatric nurse, so she looked at Grace and deciphered that she was having trouble breathing so she happened to have some extra albuterol and an air chamber. We gave her breathing treatments through the night and it seemed to help. Our group we are traveling with has been a Godsend on this trip!! Grace woke up this morning nice and coolbut still has a bad cough and isn't back to herself yet. We were supposed to be with the rest of our group sight seeing but she and I stayed here in the hotel today. David was going to stay back too but there was no sense in both of us missing out....plus I am using this time for extra attachment time :).
She got a little room-sick, so I put her in the stroller the hotel let us borrow and she loved it!! We strolled along the streets and down to the local park. We got to hear some older Chinese people singing chineses songs, doing Tai Chi, and dancinge. It is was pretty cool. Everyone was so friendly when they saw us. They all taked to grace and smiled at me. You can totally tell they see Americans with Chinese babies all the time. While we were out strolling, I saw lots of people selling those squeaky shoes that everyone told me to get, so once David gets back we will do a bit of shopping. We haven't rally bought any souvenirs yet, so I think this is the place to get them. I also saw a umbrella stroller of under $20 here so I think we buy one to get us through the rest of our trip since she loves it so much!
Tomorrow we have our Visa interview at the US Embassy at 8:30 AM. If all goes well we should be able to pick up Graces US visa on Tuesday morning...woohoo!! Once we get that Visa in our hands then she is 100% ours!!
Both David and I are falling more and more in love with Grace daily!! I do think she is going to be a daddy's girl though...she has him wrapped around her finger already! I can't wait for Ian to meet her too. She is going to rock his world...but on a good way :). I do think we are going to have to remind him how much he wanted a sibling once she gets home and starts getting into his thing...ha!! I can't wait to celebrate Christmas this year our new addition...so many girls things to get :)
So, today Grace and I are hanging out in our hotel. Little missy has been super sick this past 24 hours. I don't know exactly how high her fever got but we gave her Luke warm baths off and on last night along with Tylenol and Motrin. One of the people we are traveling with in our group happens to be a pediatric nurse, so she looked at Grace and deciphered that she was having trouble breathing so she happened to have some extra albuterol and an air chamber. We gave her breathing treatments through the night and it seemed to help. Our group we are traveling with has been a Godsend on this trip!! Grace woke up this morning nice and coolbut still has a bad cough and isn't back to herself yet. We were supposed to be with the rest of our group sight seeing but she and I stayed here in the hotel today. David was going to stay back too but there was no sense in both of us missing out....plus I am using this time for extra attachment time :).
She got a little room-sick, so I put her in the stroller the hotel let us borrow and she loved it!! We strolled along the streets and down to the local park. We got to hear some older Chinese people singing chineses songs, doing Tai Chi, and dancinge. It is was pretty cool. Everyone was so friendly when they saw us. They all taked to grace and smiled at me. You can totally tell they see Americans with Chinese babies all the time. While we were out strolling, I saw lots of people selling those squeaky shoes that everyone told me to get, so once David gets back we will do a bit of shopping. We haven't rally bought any souvenirs yet, so I think this is the place to get them. I also saw a umbrella stroller of under $20 here so I think we buy one to get us through the rest of our trip since she loves it so much!
Tomorrow we have our Visa interview at the US Embassy at 8:30 AM. If all goes well we should be able to pick up Graces US visa on Tuesday morning...woohoo!! Once we get that Visa in our hands then she is 100% ours!!
Both David and I are falling more and more in love with Grace daily!! I do think she is going to be a daddy's girl though...she has him wrapped around her finger already! I can't wait for Ian to meet her too. She is going to rock his world...but on a good way :). I do think we are going to have to remind him how much he wanted a sibling once she gets home and starts getting into his thing...ha!! I can't wait to celebrate Christmas this year our new addition...so many girls things to get :)
Guangzhou
We are in Guangzhou and we have wifi in our room!!! Woohoo!! So, Grace took her first plane ride yesterday and did very well! We didn't leave for the airport yesterday until 3:30 so we spent the majority of our morning hanging out in our hotel room. Grace laid down for her nap but woke up a few hours later with a bad cough and a temperature. So I broke out the Tylenol I brought from home and gave her a little. I was fraud the plane ride was going to be super bad since she was not feeling herself but she did great! David and I laid her across our legs and gave her a bottle. Grace uses her bottle like a a pacifier so she held it in her mouth the majority of the plane ride. She fell right sleep and didn't make a peep. A couple of people asked me how old my son was since they cut Grace's hair so short :(. This make me event more determined to get a bow in hair...ha!!!
Grace had her medical checkup first thing in the morning. It was a bit crazy! Imagine walking into a clinic with about 100 other families! All were Americans adopting children. This medical checkup is something we have to do for the US gsvt in order to get her visa. She was a very good girl and all the drs were smitten with her. She checked out great and the dr said her cough and fever could be treated with Tylenol.
We stayed in the room the rest of the day in hopes kyhat she would start to feel better soon. I have to go now....I will write more later.
Grace had her medical checkup first thing in the morning. It was a bit crazy! Imagine walking into a clinic with about 100 other families! All were Americans adopting children. This medical checkup is something we have to do for the US gsvt in order to get her visa. She was a very good girl and all the drs were smitten with her. She checked out great and the dr said her cough and fever could be treated with Tylenol.
We stayed in the room the rest of the day in hopes kyhat she would start to feel better soon. I have to go now....I will write more later.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Progress
Today started off the same...Grace woke up while David was in the shower and she just laid in the bed, face down, whimpering...it is pitiful. I tried to comfort her but she wouldn't let me touch her. Once David got out if of the shower and she saw him she was fine. When we went downstairs to eat breakfast she was fine and let me feed her again. Grace is a super good eater!! In fact, I have yet to fill her up...I usually end up cutting her off after the 4 th or 5th trip back to the Buffett..ha!
After breakfast we took a trip to see the terra cotta warriors with our guide. We were able to see the few warriors that came to the exhibit at the high museum a few years back, but seeing the whole army was amazing!! David held Grace in the Ergo the whole time we were there and she was happy as a clam. We arrived back at the hotel around 1:00. Grace sleeping in David's arms, but once we brought her back to the room she woke up...that meant no good nap for 2 days :(. Grace did pretty well though. David left us alone again while he went to get us food for lunch. Grace didn't cry when he left and she was perfectly content playing with me :). She even let me put a bow in her hair...for just a little bit. I was told she likes bows...but so far she hasn't wanted one. Really a bow is not at all important...I just wanted to try :). Once David came back she let me feed her again. Then we went to the hotel lobby to walk around..the room has a tendency to close in around us!! She started getting a bit fussy so we headed back to the room. For the rest of the evening she was loving playing with me!! We had a visit from someone Grace used to know and was very fond of but she hadn't seen her in a while. When Grace saw her she clung to me and wouldn't let me go. When she would touch Grace, Grace would put her head on my shoulder!! I was thrilled with her reaction!! I think I am learning who the real Grace is. She is slowly but surely coming out of her shell :). I have learned that she is super busy, has a mind of her own, and loves to hear her own voice :). She should fit into our family quite well :). Ian better lock up his toys because she is going to be into everything..haha!!
Tomorrow we are checking out of our hotel and going to Guangzhou in the evening. It will be the first plane ride for Grace, it should be a good test for the plane ride back to the US.
After breakfast we took a trip to see the terra cotta warriors with our guide. We were able to see the few warriors that came to the exhibit at the high museum a few years back, but seeing the whole army was amazing!! David held Grace in the Ergo the whole time we were there and she was happy as a clam. We arrived back at the hotel around 1:00. Grace sleeping in David's arms, but once we brought her back to the room she woke up...that meant no good nap for 2 days :(. Grace did pretty well though. David left us alone again while he went to get us food for lunch. Grace didn't cry when he left and she was perfectly content playing with me :). She even let me put a bow in her hair...for just a little bit. I was told she likes bows...but so far she hasn't wanted one. Really a bow is not at all important...I just wanted to try :). Once David came back she let me feed her again. Then we went to the hotel lobby to walk around..the room has a tendency to close in around us!! She started getting a bit fussy so we headed back to the room. For the rest of the evening she was loving playing with me!! We had a visit from someone Grace used to know and was very fond of but she hadn't seen her in a while. When Grace saw her she clung to me and wouldn't let me go. When she would touch Grace, Grace would put her head on my shoulder!! I was thrilled with her reaction!! I think I am learning who the real Grace is. She is slowly but surely coming out of her shell :). I have learned that she is super busy, has a mind of her own, and loves to hear her own voice :). She should fit into our family quite well :). Ian better lock up his toys because she is going to be into everything..haha!!
Tomorrow we are checking out of our hotel and going to Guangzhou in the evening. It will be the first plane ride for Grace, it should be a good test for the plane ride back to the US.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Toleration
Well...things are progressing a little. Last evening David told me he needed a break and was going to leave Grace with me while he walked to the local Pizza Hut to get us dinner. I was super worried about him leaving Grace with me, but I know this has been hard on him too. Grace cried for about 10 minutes but then I was able to distract her with some crayons and play dough. She started playing and then let me play too!! She even gave me a bit of a smile. When David arrived with dinner, Grace sat in my lap and let me feed her...major progress!! After dinner I was in the bathroom still trying to get everything organized and she decided to turn on the bath water...she was so proud of herself! I decided it was the perfect time to try out a bath with her and she LOVED it!! She didn't want to get out once i was finished washing her.
After that I thought we had turned a corner, but this morning when she woke up I told her good morning and she started crying. She sat up and looked for David but he was in the shower. She cried until he was finished. She didn't want me to dress her or have anything to do with getting her ready for breakfast. Once we were at breakfast she did let me feed her. After breakfast we went to Walmart. We were going to get a stroller but everything here is so expensive! An umbrella stroller is almost $60 in US currency! A friend let me borrow an Ergo, so I put grace in it and attached her to me...she wasn't happy but we did it. She only fussed for a few minutes and then went along for the ride. She did pretty well. Once back in the hotel we went to the room to play some more. All in all it was a pretty good day. David and I decided that Grace is only tolerating me at this point. She will play with me if I can entice her and will let me feed her, but that is all. She will only let David comfort her and will only come to me if no one else is around. She usually stands around the corner from me and peeks around to stare at me but if I look at her she moves back....fun times! Hopefully each day will get better.
Thanks to everyone for you encouraging emails and posts..they really mean so much to me. We were able to Skype with Ian and that has helped me a lot. Time seems to be ticking slowly here. I have been down this road before with Ian's adoption, but the stares from all the locals are quite uncomfortable. I am more than ready to get home! Tomorrow we go to visit the terra cotta warriors.. We are excited about seeing them...I hope
After that I thought we had turned a corner, but this morning when she woke up I told her good morning and she started crying. She sat up and looked for David but he was in the shower. She cried until he was finished. She didn't want me to dress her or have anything to do with getting her ready for breakfast. Once we were at breakfast she did let me feed her. After breakfast we went to Walmart. We were going to get a stroller but everything here is so expensive! An umbrella stroller is almost $60 in US currency! A friend let me borrow an Ergo, so I put grace in it and attached her to me...she wasn't happy but we did it. She only fussed for a few minutes and then went along for the ride. She did pretty well. Once back in the hotel we went to the room to play some more. All in all it was a pretty good day. David and I decided that Grace is only tolerating me at this point. She will play with me if I can entice her and will let me feed her, but that is all. She will only let David comfort her and will only come to me if no one else is around. She usually stands around the corner from me and peeks around to stare at me but if I look at her she moves back....fun times! Hopefully each day will get better.
Thanks to everyone for you encouraging emails and posts..they really mean so much to me. We were able to Skype with Ian and that has helped me a lot. Time seems to be ticking slowly here. I have been down this road before with Ian's adoption, but the stares from all the locals are quite uncomfortable. I am more than ready to get home! Tomorrow we go to visit the terra cotta warriors.. We are excited about seeing them...I hope
Monday, November 19, 2012
Xi'an
We are here in Grace's province, Xian. We arrived here late Sunday night (China time). We checked into our hotel and went to sleep. The next day we were supposed to meet Grace at 2:30, so we had all morning to explore. The hotel didn't have any wifi and was being renovated so we asked to move hotels and now we are in a great hotel with wifi in the lobby area but not in the rooms. It is making istanbul super tough to skype with Ian and we are missing him soooooo much!!
Anyway, after we changed hotels it was time to go get Grace. We ended up waiting over an hour and a half for her to arrive (traffic here is horrible). When she came in she was escorted by the director of Starfish and her nanny. I was praying her nanny wouldn't bring her since Grace is so attached to her but I am aslso glad the nanny got to see us so she could feel better about letting Grace go. Grace was not happy at all!!!!!!! She eventually let David hold her but she doesn't like me at all!!! Needless to say we didn't get any pictures of her at all! After the exchange we headed to get Graces passport picture. Then once we got back to the hotel I left David with Grace and walked Pizza Hut to get our dinner. Grace fell asleep soon after and slept all night long.
Today we took Grace back to the civil affairs office to finalize the adoption. David had to give her to me while he did paperwork and Grace was NOT happy about it at all. By the time I gave her back to David I was trying to hold back my tears!! It is not fun at all when your child recoils at your touch!!! Poor David is having to do everything for Grace, if I try to touch her she moves my hand. She did let me feed her some watermelon this morning but that is all the interaction we have had. I know it will get better, but let me tell you, my heart is breaking a bit!!
We are headed tonWalmart once Grace gets up from her nap...that should be fun. With the Internet the way it is here in this hotel, I might not be able to post pics until we get to Guangzhou on friday night. I will update when I can...please pray for Grace....I can only imagine how scared she still is.
Anyway, after we changed hotels it was time to go get Grace. We ended up waiting over an hour and a half for her to arrive (traffic here is horrible). When she came in she was escorted by the director of Starfish and her nanny. I was praying her nanny wouldn't bring her since Grace is so attached to her but I am aslso glad the nanny got to see us so she could feel better about letting Grace go. Grace was not happy at all!!!!!!! She eventually let David hold her but she doesn't like me at all!!! Needless to say we didn't get any pictures of her at all! After the exchange we headed to get Graces passport picture. Then once we got back to the hotel I left David with Grace and walked Pizza Hut to get our dinner. Grace fell asleep soon after and slept all night long.
Today we took Grace back to the civil affairs office to finalize the adoption. David had to give her to me while he did paperwork and Grace was NOT happy about it at all. By the time I gave her back to David I was trying to hold back my tears!! It is not fun at all when your child recoils at your touch!!! Poor David is having to do everything for Grace, if I try to touch her she moves my hand. She did let me feed her some watermelon this morning but that is all the interaction we have had. I know it will get better, but let me tell you, my heart is breaking a bit!!
We are headed tonWalmart once Grace gets up from her nap...that should be fun. With the Internet the way it is here in this hotel, I might not be able to post pics until we get to Guangzhou on friday night. I will update when I can...please pray for Grace....I can only imagine how scared she still is.
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