Waiting for Alexander

A new addition!

2012-01-26T12:00:00.004-06:00

Em, Evie, and Andy are getting a new little brother! Next month we will travel to China to meet our newest addition, Jack. Join us at http://waitingforbabyjack.blogspot.com/

One Year with Andy!

2011-01-31T08:45:00.002-06:00

We met our sweet little Andy a year ago today in Lanzhou, China. Happy Andy Day! I can't believe that it's been a whole year! We love you, Bubba!

School stuff

2010-12-08T23:00:00.000-06:00

We just had Evie's annual meeting with the school about her IEP. She is having
trouble communicating (due to her cleft palate) although she scores very high in receptive language. She physically cannot make many consonant sounds, which can make understanding her difficult.

The school wants to provide her with an electronic speech aid to use in class - it is about the size and weight of a brick, and has pictures that she can point to with a stylus, and the device will say the word. It is like an electronic PECS device, I guess.

Does anyone have experience with this type of speech aid? We were told that it is often used for older children/teens with autsim. I am just not sure if it is the right thing to do at this point. She is 6, she desperately doesn't want to be different or stand out in any way. I am concerned that this will become a crutch for the teachers who will encourage her to push a button to say a word instead of trying to listen to her.

We have a meeting next week to speak with the surgeons about options to help her as she seems to have hit a plateau with the speech therapy.

Andy's first dentist appointment

2010-11-08T12:59:00.002-06:00

We saw the local pediatric dentist today. Andy had fun playing with the toys in the waiting room, but when we walked in the examination room and he saw the medical equipment, he started to freak out. The hygienist gave him a toothbrush and little zipper bag to carry it in, so she was cool, but then the dentist came in. Andy listened really well and opened his mouth on command, but started yelling "OW! OW! OW!!! HURTS!" before the dentist even touched him. He did his best puppy dog eyes and poor baby impression, and by the time the appointment was over he had charmed everyone in the office, and all of the ladies at the front desk were in love with him.

The good news is that he doesn't have any cavities, and we don't have to go back for six months.

for Papa and Grandpa H

2010-10-27T15:28:00.002-05:00

My small fall garden! Are you jealous?

when we first planted the tomatoes (there are two big boys and a roma if I remember correctly!)

a couple weeks ago

Today - there are lots of blossoms now! I need to put the tomato cages on, they kind of got away from me!

A "pre-existing pepper"! It was planted by the family who lived here before us. They are little peppers that start green and turn purplish-black. I don't know if they are a jalapeno variety or not, but they are nice and spicy and good in a big pot of pinto beans!

the pretty morning glories that Richard bought for me

They are blue with purple around the edges.

The Beebee and Bubba Show

2010-10-26T21:51:00.002-05:00

We call Andy "Bubba", he calls Evie "Beebee"

Evie got to pick a toy from the treasure box at school today. She shared it with Andy when she got home.

Back to school 2010!

2010-08-23T11:30:00.003-05:00

Emily's first day of 8th grade! She is not excited about school or getting up early, but she is looking forward to seeing her friends and starting volleyball.

Evie's first day of kindergarten! She was so excited that she had trouble sleeping last night.

Andy needed his picture taken, too!

Andy is pretty upset that we left Evie at school and came home without her, and then Emily wasn't even home when we got back (she walked to the bus stop after we left!) He kept pointing at Evie's carseat and yelling "Beebee! Beeeee-beeeee!", and when we got inside at home he had to check everywhere for Emily! He is feeling a bit lonely without his sisters today.

Today

2010-08-10T21:06:00.002-05:00

Today is the 4th anniversary of the day we met Evie! Happy Evie Day!

Today we attended the Spina Bifida Clinic at the local children's hospital. Andy saw the neurologist, urologist, orthopedist, orthotist, dietician, physical therapist, social worker, and two RNs. The verdict? Everything looks good, and Andy is "surprisingly normal" for a kid with spina bifida. This is great news! We will go back in six months for a follow up.

Results

2010-07-06T21:16:00.001-05:00

The doctor's office called with the results of all the testing done on Friday. Everything looks good! We are now confirmed to have an appointment with the Spina Bifida clinic on August 10 (all the testing has to be done beforehand).

Home from testing.

2010-07-02T15:34:00.000-05:00

We are home from the children's hospital. Andy had an ultrasound of his bladder and kidneys (the tech wasn't allowed to tell me any results, but I saw him type in "left kidney" and "right kidney", so I am assuming that Bubba has both kidneys! Good news!) The ultrasound tech was great and Andy did well but tried to push buttons on the machine!

He also had an xray to check for scoliosis, this went well but he was wiggly so the xray tech had to call for help, so he could hold him while someone else pushed the buttons.

Then they did the urodynamics. He had a cath inserted, then they filled his bladder with contrast dye and took lots of xrays while his bladder was filling, when it was filled, then more xrays while his bladder was emptying. Bubba was very upset that he had to potty without a diaper or a potty chair. He kept trying to hold his urine, which I think is a good sign, that he has some control there. He cried a lot during this procedure. This tech told me that they weren't allowed to tell me any results (that doctor will call our doctor who will call me...) BUT he did say that he could tell me that Bubba's lungs work VERY WELL! Several other people in the hallways also told me this...

We are glad to be home. We had lots of rain today due to ex-hurricane Alex, and the drive took a lot longer than it should have.

More tests

2010-07-01T22:45:00.002-05:00

Andy and I heading to the hospital tomorrow for more tests. On the schedule: xrays to check for congenital scoliosis, ultrasound of bladder and kidneys, and urodynamics testing to check bladder function. These are more baseline tests needed before we go to the spina bifida clinic next month.

I don't have any instructions other than to make sure he drinks a lot beforehand. Milk isn't allowed, but clear liquids are.

Neurosurgeon Appointment

2010-06-01T14:49:00.002-05:00

Since Andy has spina bifida, our new pediatrician thought it would be a good idea to have a MRI done, and to get him an appointment at the Spina Bifida Clinic at the local children's hospital.

The MRI was last week. He did really well, and Geoff, our nurse, was wonderful. Evie had a good time with Nana and Papa in the waiting room while I got to stay with Andy the whole time. (did you know that MRI machines are LOUD? I had to wear earplugs, and so did Bubba!)

Our doctor got us a referral to the neurosurgeon, who rushed us in for an appointment right away. We were worried that she saw something very wrong and that's why she wanted to see us right away.

Nope! She thinks that Andy is doing really well, and not having any problems with his SB currently. She ordered a couple tests, got us an appointment with the SB Clinic, and basically told us that we just need to wait and watch him for any issues that might come up. She also confirmed that his diagnosis from China was correct, and he has the meningocele form of SB instead of the more severe myelomeningocele form. We are so blessed, this is wonderful news!

Next step: SB Clinic, August 10, 7 am.

Em's first day at her new school

2010-05-03T10:44:00.002-05:00

She is going from a small, private middle school with maybe 100 students to a very large public middle school in our new town.

As tradition, a first day of school photo:

Andy and Evie, digging in the dirt!

2010-05-03T10:39:00.002-05:00

There is a nice shady spot behind our shed. The kids like to dig back there and make castles.

They were a bit dusty after they were done digging, so I popped them in the tub. This is the aftermath!

Three Months with Andy

2010-05-03T10:37:00.001-05:00

We met him Jan 31, 2010. He has been our son "officially" since Feb. 1, 2010.
Andy sitting on a chair, and dancing on the patio at our new house:

WE ARE THE TRUTH

2010-04-15T08:40:00.005-05:00

...for Adoption Blogger Day, in support of Artyem Saviliev, and to encourage the continuation of safe international adoptions from Russia to the USA. To ensure the world knows about every successful adoption, on Thursday, April 15, 2010 blog about your adoption or the adoption of someone you know.

WE ARE THE TRUTH. For every horrible adoption-gone-wrong story that the media loves to play up, for every horrible story that people insist on telling you when they know you are adopting or have adopted... (do you know what happened to my second grade Sunday school teacher's third cousin's neighbor's aunt in Toledo... blah blah blah), for every Madonna and Angelina Jolie, there are THOUSANDS of successful adoptions.

Have you ever wondered why you don't hear about the successful adoptions, just the tragic ones, the unethical ones, or the sexy ones? It's because that, for the vast majority of adoptive families, we are just plain, normal families. The truth is boring, and doesn't make for catchy news titles. We are REAL FAMILIES, who love and laugh together, who argue and cry together, but we DO NOT abandon or abuse (or worse) our children, whether they joined our family by birth or by the miracle of adoption. We take our kids to school, go to the grocery store, walk the dog, are together in sickness and in health, just like your family.

Yes, we adopted our children, but we don't continue to live and breathe adoption for the rest of our lives. I don't refer to "my biological daughter Emily", "my adopted daughter Evie" and "my adopted son Andy", I just refer to my children Emily, Evie and Andy. Of course, that's on a good day. On a bad day, I might refer to "my children, the monsters"! My point is, I don't differentiate between my children based on the way they joined our family. The child who grew in my body is not worth more to me than the child who joined our family in a dingy office building or a faded hotel room in China. I love them all equally, treat them all equally.

In most cases, adoption is a beautiful, wonderful thing. It is important to show the world the good side of adoption, those of us who adopt and then go on to live an average, happy life.

another earthquake in China

2010-04-14T12:35:00.002-05:00

This earthquake struck Qinghai Province, the province just to the west of Gansu Province, where Andy lived in China. I don't know if it was felt in Lanzhou, the city where we met Andy, or in Qingyang, which is Andy's hometown.

At least 400 people have died, and 10,000 more injured, and thousands of buildings have been damaged.

Please pray for the people of China.

Two months with Andy!

2010-04-03T07:46:00.003-05:00

Andy has been with us just over two months now. He is adjusting very well, and it feels like he has been with us much longer.

Andy, Evie and Emily the day before Valentine's Day.

Evie and Andy. Evie's preschool teachers gave her an "I'm a Big Sister" sticker!

It's not easy to have big sisters...

Hanging out at one of Emily's volleyball tournaments

Sitting with Evie

Andy on his little bed with the quilts that Nana made for him

At the little park by our house

Em's new highlights

Playing outside. Andy saw Evie's old tricycle and was very excited. He pointed at it and signed and said "SIT"!!!

Immunization Waiver Petition

2010-02-15T09:14:00.002-06:00

sign it, please. If this bill had been passed before we went to China, Andy would not have had to get 7 shots in 3 days by an unknown doctor - he could have been vaccinated on a slower schedule by our family doctor.

Immunization Waiver Petition

There are over 600 signatures.

YuanYuan has named his sisters

2010-02-14T11:01:00.003-06:00

He calls Evie "JieJie" (juh-juh) - Big Sister in Chinese. He yells this up the stairs whenever she goes up, he doesn't like it when she goes up to her room! He follows her around and mimics her - she sits down on the floor, he sits down on the floor. She climbs on the couch, he climbs on the couch. It is very cute.

He calls Emily "Emma" - she is his favorite person, I think. She plays with him and carries him around, sometimes gives him a treat, but doesn't do any of that mean stuff like change his pants or give him a bath! If she goes where he can't follow, he growls her name!

I am Mama, and Richard is Baba (Daddy in Chinese). He yells Mama, but whispers Baba!

home at last!

2010-02-13T17:19:00.004-06:00

We are finally home. I didn't think that the flight would ever end... YuanYuan was pretty good on the flight, he slept most of the time. There were a few screaming incidents, but not too many.

Things are going well overall. YuanYuan is grieving for his foster mama pretty hard, especially at night. During the day, Em is his favorite person. She is enjoying having a little brother, but he expects her to hold him whenever he sees her - kind of exhausting for a 13 year old! YuanYuan loves Evie, too, and whenever she goes upstairs to her room, he stands at the bottom of the stairs and yells JieJie (big sister)! Evie is having a bit of trouble adjusting to her new role of big sister and having someone else fill the baby spot. There is jealousy now and then, especially when Em pays a lot of attention to YuanYuan.

He is kind of scared of the cats, but terrified of the dog. The phones and remotes are not safe - he pushes buttons, then throws them when they don't respond to him! He loves to dance to music and play with his sisters. Tortillas are yummy, but refried beans get spit out! Mashed potatoes are a delicious new treat!

Wednesday Feb 10 2010

2010-02-10T01:23:00.001-06:00

Leaving the zoo, notice no carseats in China. YuanYuan will probably be super grumpy the first time we strap him into one after we arrive home!

Wednesday Feb 10 2010

2010-02-10T01:19:00.001-06:00

Em! Do remember this? Daddy went on it for you... I have video, too, but it is too big to put on the blog right now. He got soaked!

Wednesday Feb 10 2010

2010-02-10T01:08:00.001-06:00

More Bear at the Zoo

Wednesday Feb 10 2010

2010-02-10T00:56:00.001-06:00

Look, Evie! Bear at the zoo! Andy YuanYuan likes to throw Bear on the ground.

Wednesday Feb 10 2010

2010-02-10T00:47:00.001-06:00

feeding the goats

giraffes

YuanYuan liked to watch both - when I would start pushing the stroller to leave he would shout Mama! and so we would stay a bit longer...

Wednesday Feb 10 2010

2010-02-10T00:42:00.001-06:00

For Emily :-)
The little dogs, inside for today, and a donkey who is not to be hugged.

Wednesday Feb 10 2010

2010-02-10T00:31:00.001-06:00

The star of the zoo!

Wednesday Feb 10 2010

2010-02-10T00:10:00.001-06:00

A gibbon swinging around the cage.

A monkey that makes a silly call, it kind of sounds like a child. It would make the noise, and the people around us would make the noise back to the monkey. This went on for several minutes. Richard got a video, but it is too large to upload by email.

Wednesday Feb 10 2010

2010-02-10T00:04:00.000-06:00

It is warm and humid today. The humidity is making my hair go nuts!

YuanYuan liked to watch these baboons.

Wednesday Feb 10 2010

2010-02-10T00:00:00.001-06:00

Guangzhou Zoo, decorated for Spring Festival. There were gardeners busy arranging potted flowers, people hanging up red lanterns, people sweeping. It was a busy place!

lunch yesterday

2010-02-09T23:54:00.000-06:00

When we got back to our room, there was a flyer for Papa John's pizza slipped under our door. Free delivery to White Swan hotel, so we ordered a pepperoni pizza and some breadsticks. All that for 88 RMB, not bad!

our consulate visit is done!

2010-02-09T03:13:00.001-06:00

Now Alexander Fuyuan will be an American citizen when we go through immigration in Chicago!

We took a 40 minute bus ride with the other two families from our group who had their CA yesterday. Only families adopting kids under two went today, the other families in our group will go tomorrow.

Then we went up several floors on the escalators, showed our passports, and went up one more escalator. Then "American-style" security - shoes off, even for babies. People go through metal detectors, bags and shoes go through x-ray machine. No electronics allowed in, even baby toys with batteries.

We sat in chairs and waited for "the parents of Qing Fu Yuan" to be called, then we went up to the window. Richard signed a couple of places on YuanYuan's DS-230 form, then we sat some more and waited for all of the families to be done. Then one of the Consulate staff came out and talked to us about China, Spring Festival and its impact on travel, etc. Then we all raised our right hands and took the oath on behalf of our children, went down several floors of escalators, waited for the bus, and rode home.

Tomorrow we will go to the zoo. Sometime late in the afternoon we will receive Andy's passport and visa. The day after tomorrow, we leave for the airport at 6:40 am to catch our 10:00 am flight to Beijing. We get to hang out in Beijing for a few hours before we catch our flight to Chicago. It is an overnight flight, so hopefully YuanYuan will sleep. (please, please, please let him sleep!)

We are so excited to be coming home soon! We miss our girls so much.

YuanYuan and Daddy

2010-02-08T23:46:00.001-06:00

Out for a walk this morning, part 3!

2010-02-08T23:45:00.002-06:00

A man practicing martial arts with a sword in the park near our hotel.

Out for a walk this morning, part 2!

2010-02-08T23:44:00.001-06:00

Trees with crutches - we've seen many of them, all over China. The attitude toward damaged trees seems different here. They aren't just removed when they are damaged, repair is attempted first.

The excavator on the canal, it was quiet when we took this picture, but this and another one had been busy working the day before.

Out for a walk this morning

2010-02-08T23:41:00.001-06:00

Andy in his new ride.

Look, Evie, Bear by a statue on our walk this morning!

more White Swan Lobby

2010-02-08T23:39:00.000-06:00

The waterfall in the White Swan lobby, and a tree decorated with red envelopes for Spring Festival.

White Swan Lobby

2010-02-08T23:35:00.000-06:00

A ship and a pagoda, maybe both made from jade?

group photo Feb 9 2010

2010-02-08T23:33:00.001-06:00

more red couch photos Tues. Feb 9 2010

2010-02-08T22:53:00.001-06:00

red couch photos Tues. Feb 9 2010

2010-02-08T22:50:00.001-06:00

A tradition for adopting families, taking a photo of the whole group of newly adopted children on the red couch in the lobby of the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou. The US Consulate is in Guangzhou, so all American adoptive families end up in Guangzhou, no matter what province their child is from. As you can see, some of the children don't really want to be involved!

Monday Feb 8 2010

2010-02-08T05:53:00.000-06:00

Today we met our guide Wendy at 7:30 so we could get YuanYuan's last 3 immunizations. We were the first ones to the clinic, and done quickly. He was a bit angry but bounced back quickly. After that was done, we walked back to the hotel to have breakfast, while Wendy or Catherine took our paperwork to the Consulate for our appointment. Tomorrow we will go to the consulate, too, for the group oath.

After breakfast, we walked across the pedestrian bridge to a market area. There are a lot of Westerners on the island, but not many at all when you cross the bridge. It is really an entirely different world.

At first we saw the traditional medicine market, vendors were selling dried mushrooms, seahorses, turtles, snakes, lots of unidentifiable things (to us, anyway). Girls, we saw lots of pet kitties (not ones for food) - even one on a leash that a man was walking around! Cat on leash = not a happy cat!

After the traditional medicine market came other markets - we even saw what had to be a plumbing supply store, Papa! Lots of PVC strung on ropes across the top of the door and the windows! Em, there were lots of stores full of bags, scarves, and clothes. Then came the electronics market - store after store after store of cell phones, cell phone accessories, cell phone parts, and other electronics as well. Em, I looked for a cell phone case for you, but I wasn't sure any of them would fit your phone. You would have had fun looking, though!

We found a Pleasant Goat toy for Andy - he just put it in the trash can. I wonder if that's where some of his stacking cups went? We are missing a few. Note to self: check trash cans for toys before the maid comes to clean our room!

We must have walked several miles today, with YuanYuan in the mama back ride (Evie's name for the baby carrier!) After lunch we came back to the hotel for a nap, but YuanYuan wasn't tired. Mama and Daddy were!

Before supper tonight, we went for a walk and stopped at Mr. Jordon's store. They had a nice, small stroller for sale, so now YuanYuan has a new ride. (He is a big boy, and Mama gets tired!) Mr. Jordon also did a calligraphy of Andy's name for us, and we bought a couple of presents at his store. I would like to go back there tomorrow and get a few more things. We really like shopping at Jordon's - it is the one store on Sha Mian island where you are not constantly hounded from the minute you walk in the door.

We had supper at Lucy's. YuanYuan ate a whole bowl of chicken congee. Richard had Thai green curry chicken, and I had Malaysian fried rice. Yum! We also had iced tea, I hope we don't regret that tomorrow. It tasted really good, though! I was really contemplating getting the chicken enchiladas as I am having a wicked craving for Mexican food, but I just couldn't make myself do it. I was sure that I would have been disappointed. There is a store next to our hotel, a clothing store, and the name of it is Mexican. I think it is teasing me. We will have to stop at Habanero's or Las Agaves when we get home!

We did a bit more shopping after supper, and bought a couple ice cream bars on our way back to the hotel. I think mine was green tea with soybeans, and I'm not sure what Rich's was. Something reddish brown. We only had a few bites each - they were good, but very sweet and just a little too different! Andy still doesn't like ice cream - he wants to taste it, but doesn't like the cold. Evie, you were just the same way when you were little. He always wants to take a bite, then makes a face like he is going to cry afterward!

Right now he is snacking on some raisins and pushing his new stroller around the room. He really likes it!

Tomorrow the group might go to the zoo. I hope it stops raining! Evie, we will try to remember to take the Bear along for some pictures.

The attached photos are: Andy playing peek-a-boo with the raisin box and Andy and Pleasant Goat (the main character in the popular Chinese cartoon Pleasant Goat and Big Bad Wolf)

not a lot going on today

2010-02-07T02:19:00.001-06:00

We went to a government store (selling tea, jade, cloisonne, etc.) and the wholesale market with our group. We bought a couple things at the gov't store (tea and tea cups) and looked at the wholesale market but didn't find anything we liked enough to buy. Em - do you remember the wholesale market? It is the big 5 story market - the one building has all of the jewelry stores, with the pearls, gold, silver, and other stones, and the other building has clothing, dvds, etc. We looked for those necklace kits that you got last time, the ones with the oyster shell in the little can, but we didn't find any. Sorry.

We finally got our laundry back today, so we should have nice clean clothes for tomorrow. I had sent out all of our laundry on Saturday, so I had to wash what we wore yesterday in the sink and hang it all night to dry so we would have clothes for today. (had to help it a little with the blow dryer before we got dressed!)

After this morning's shopping trip we went out to get some drinks at 7-11 and pick up lunch. Richard bought us lunch at the deli shoppe while I brought Andy and the laundry back up to our room. We got curry chicken and potatoes, some kind of greens, rice, and some kind of soup. YuanYuan loved the soup with some rice stirred in, but spit the curry and the greens back out. He thinks it's funny when I feed him rice with chopsticks, and he slurps his soup off the spoon like a pro (and says "mmmmmmmmm" afterward!)

Tomorrow morning we are heading back to the doctor at 7:30 am for YuanYuan's last 3 shots. Not looking forward to it! We might skip the tour tomorrow, as we've already done that one (Folk Art Museum/Chen Clan Temple) We might do some exploring on our own if he is feeling better.

Em, I hope you had fun at your party today, and good luck at your volleyball tournament tomorrow. We love you a lot.

Evie, I hope you had fun with Sissy and her friends, and that you had fun swimming. Daddy and I love you a lot, too.

Andy babbling

2010-02-06T07:49:00.001-06:00

I don't know if this video is too big or not. It is kind of tricky to email them in, I hope it works.

YuanYuan "Mama"

2010-02-06T07:25:00.001-06:00

In our room in Lanzhou

Medical Exam day

2010-02-06T00:31:00.001-06:00

The doctor was worried because YuanYuan wouldn't walk, even though we told him that he could. He finally led us down a busy hall, and I went to stand at one end while he held YuanYuan back at the other. Then he acted like he was going to pick him up - and YuanYuan practically ran to me. YuanYuan was fussy when they took his temperature and looked in his ears, and downright mad when the doctor checked his legs for clubfoot, took his diaper off to look at his scar and measure around his head (to check for hydrocephalus? common with spina bifida kiddos)

The worst part of all? When they translated the immunization record, YuanYuan needs 7 shots to get up to date with American kids the same age. Since we are an I800/Hague case, there is no waiver we can sign that would let us get his shots back in the USA, with our family doctor, on a delayed schedule. (that is what we did with Evie, when we were an I600/pre-Hague case) They took us in a room, and I told them he could only get 4 shots today, they would have to do the rest later. Our guide told them that, too. So the nurse got all the shots ready to go, and then tried to argue with me when I wouldn't let her give him all 7. I think they had to throw the other 3 out because she had already stuck the needle in them, so she was mad, but I told her 4 from the beginning. I wasn't going to be bullied about this. He screamed and fought and cried, I felt so bad. The lowest point was when he held my hair and started screaming Mama over and over. I don't know if he was calling me or his foster Mom, but I tried to comfort him. If you were at the clinic in Guangzhou, I was the crying mom holding the crying baby. We had to stay there for 30 minutes to look out for side effects, so we went outside and sat down for a little bit and rocked. Then we put him in the baby carrier and walked and stood by the canal, watching the workers dredging it. There was a backhoe on a raft that was scooping up sediment and filling up some smaller boats. It was a bit smelly, but LOUD, so our little guy was interested. We finally were allowed to leave, so we walked back to the hotel.

On the way, we stopped at 7-11 to pick up some water and drinks, and at Subway to get lunch. By the time we got back here, he was a happy boy again. He likes to eat the turkey off of my sub, and he bummed some of Rich's chocolate chip cookie (he said "oooooh" after he had a bite!) We played for a bit, then I gave him his noon bottle and wrestled him down for a nap.

Poor guy, we get to do this bright and early again on Monday morning. (waaaaah)

some Lanzhou memories

2010-02-06T00:12:00.001-06:00

sorry, no pictures.

When we walked to the grocery store from our hotel, there was a very busy street to cross. Luckily there was an underpass - down some stairs, under the road, back up the other side. On one of the notice boards under there, someone had spray painted "New York City Graffiti" - it made me laugh every time I saw it!

After we went to the Lanzhou museum, Megan took us to Pizza Mira and ordered us some pizza. We ended up getting the Traditional, which had ham, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, and artichokes. The crust was kind of like a cross between cornbread and biscuits, but it was good. YuanYuan loved the sausage and the mushrooms, so I picked my pieces apart to find them for him.

The waiters would come around and fill up your water glass - tiny little juice glasses full of hot water! I was thirsty, though, so I must have had half a dozen little glasses of hot water!

A family came in and sat in the booth next to us. A mom, a dad, an older daughter, and a younger daughter. Megan had told us at the zoo that in some places, if your first child is a daughter, you can have another child in 5-8 years, depending on where you live and what ethnicity you are. So, the daughters were about the same age spread as Em and Evie - the younger was probably in kindergarten, and the older one was probably 10 or 11. They argued and played together, and reminded me so much of my girls that I got kind of teary at the restaurant!

The younger one took one look at us, smiled very big, and kept repeating "THANK YOU VERY MUCH! HAVE A NICE DAY!" I am guessing that she learned it in school? She thought it was funny when I said Ni Hao back to her.

We also met a man on our flight from Lanzhou to Guangzhou - it was after the layover in Xi'an. He asked where we were from, and I said America. He smiled really big and said "USA! New York City?" I told him that we were from near Chicago, and he got excited and said "Chicago Bulls! Basketball!" He wondered if we were going to live in China, or just visiting. We told him visiting. He asked how old Andy was, and laughed when I told him "ar". which is two in Mandarin. (he will be 2 the beginning of April)

At the zoo we met a woman who was of one of the Muslim minorities. Megan said that the woman was from in the mountains, a very rural area. She was very curious as to why we were with a Chinese baby, and kept asking me about him. Finally our guide came over to translate and said that the woman was shocked that people adopted babies from China - that in her ethnic group there is no one child policy, and that babies are never abandoned, and special needs babies are not abandoned, either. I don't think that she was in favor of Americans adopting from China, judging from the tone of the conversation.

last day in Lanzhou

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our guide, Megan, and YuanYuan.

Mother River in Lanzhou

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This is the Mother River sculpture by the Yellow River in Lanzhou. The pattern on the base of the sculpture is inspired by historical pottery designs local to the area. The mother is the Yellow River, and the baby is pictured on its belly - that way you can't tell if it's a boy or a girl. The baby also has features representative of many of the 40 ethnic groups in the area. The artist was trying to say that all the people of Lanzhou are children of the Yellow River, not just the majority Han population.

Megan says that many cities along the Yellow River have their own sculptures along the river, but that this one is the most beautiful of all.

Waterwheel Park in Lanzhou - Friday

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Waterwheel Park in Lanzhou - Friday

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the Waterwheel Park on the Yellow River in Lanzhou. Our guide Megan took us there on our way to the airport.

Feb 4 2010

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Today was our day off, no tours scheduled. Our guide went to the police station to get YuanYuan's passport, but it wasn't ready yet so she will have to go tomorrow morning.

We walked to KFC for lunch today. It was an interesting experience. We walked up many stairs to the restaurant, and they showed us a picture menu. Somehow, we both ended up getting kids meals - Richard got a sandwich, and I got nuggets. We also had a small box of popcorn chicken, we thought that YuanYuan would like them, but they are spicy in China, so we ended up giving him some of my nuggets, and the mashed potatoes instead! He loved the mashed potatoes. They are different in China, the flavoring is just not quite the same. With our meals we had a choice between milk and orange pop. We both chose the orange pop - imagine our surprise when we discovered that the orange pop was served hot (with a straw!). It was good, though. Richard went back up to get a small strawberry sundae - we thought that YuanYuan would like it. Apparently, the cold ice cream does not agree with him - he made horrible faces and almost cried!

After lunch we walked to the grocery store. If you have a bag you have to get a ticket from a machine, then a locker pops open and you put your bag inside. When you are done shopping, you scan the ticket in the machine and it opens your locker for you. We picked up some bottled water, a coke, and some diapers for our boy.

I think there is someone important or something important happening at our hotel. When we walked into the lobby after shopping, we were ushered to the elevator and the bellhop pushed the button for us, and waited until the doors closed before he left! Tonight we went to the Cantonese restaurant on the 4th floor, and after we ate we were again ushered to the elevator and watched until the doors closed. I had the feeling that we weren't supposed to be there, although everyone was very polite about it.

In other news, Andy finally pooped today, the first time since we met him on Sunday. He wasn't feeling well at all, but is doing much better now.

ok, enough for now. We fly to Guangzhou tomorrow, so I probably won't be able to update until Saturday. bye!

our view

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We are on the 18th floor of the Grand Soluxe Hotel Gansu/Sunshine Plaza Hotel in Lanzhou.
Depending on the haze, we can see the mountains in the distance.

You would think that being 18 floors up would lessen the sound of the traffic down below. It does not! We hear honking and beeping and squeaky brakes any time we have the window open - and we have the window open a lot because the hotel is kept extremely hot. We can't figure out the thermostat (everything we tried made it hotter in here!).

I think that in China, your horn automatically goes off whenever someone else steps on their brakes! Traffic lanes and lights seem to be more suggestion and less law, and the traffic cop in the middle of the intersection we go through often has to be the bravest person in all of China!

more YuanYuan

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Gansu Province Museum Feb 3 2010

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Dinosaur bones from Gansu province. This part of the museum actually reminded me quite a bit of Sternberg in Hays.

The bone in the picture is an actual fossil legbone of the big dinosaur in the other picture. Visitors are encouraged to touch it!

Gansu Province Museum Feb 3 2010

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Musical bells, they are very old. Only the bells are original, the stand is a replica.

Very old silk fabric, some is embroidered. We weren't allowed to use flash, so it is hard to see. Oma, you would have loved to see it.

Gansu Province Museum Feb 3 2010

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The small statue of a horse is a famous image in Gansu province. It was found in the tomb of a general and represents what good war horses are like. It is depicted as balancing on one hoof on the back of a bird to show how fast it was. There is a big replica of this statue outside the airport in Lanzhou.

Gansu Province Museum

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Our guide told us that it is one of the top 10 museums in China. It had displays on the Silk Road, pottery, fossils... I would have loved to spend hours there, but YuanYuan was pretty fussy.

Farmer Andy

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YuanYuan likes to get dressed in the morning, because he knows that we will be going somewhere. He likes to go outside. I think he gets a bit bored when we stay in the hotel room too much!

I think that he looks really cute in these overalls we brought for him.

funny signs in our bathroom

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There are not many English speakers here, so sometimes the translations can be a bit off. We still get their point, I guess.

At the Zoo

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the zoo is a pretty sad one. The animals are all in barren cages or enclosures, without any plants or anything to do. It kind of hurts my heart to see animals treated that way, so I will not put up any pictures from the zoo except for these two. The first is of YuanYuan all bundled up in the stroller, looking at an animal.

The second is for Papa - wild birds at the zoo. I think they are probably sparrows It was really nice to hear birds. Our hotel here and in Beijing are in downtown areas. We hear a lot of traffic and people, but no wildlife at all.

We did see the bear that our guide Megan said was a "rock star" when she was a little girl. Her grandparents would bring her to the zoo, and this bear was trained and would dance and pray in the Buddhist way, etc. It was a popular attraction. Now it just curls up in the corner and doesn't do anything at all.

at the Buddhist temple in 5 Springs Park

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Our guide told us that most people in Lanzhou are Taoist, but there are also many Buddhists, and also many Muslim people, even some Christians. She said that many times younger people under 35 don't practice any religion, but when they get older they can choose whatever religion they want. She said that there are 40 ethnic and religious groups in the Lanzhou area, and they usually all get along very well. While we were out today, we heard the Muslim call to prayer several times.

The picture is of the Buddha of the temple. Our guide told us that different temples have different Buddhas. While we were there, a man (maybe a monk, I don't know - our guide said that he was a professional pray-er!) took Richard to the center of the courtyard and taught him how to light the incense (always 3 sticks), how to hold it, and to bow 3 times to each of the 4 directions. Then you put the incense into the altar in the middle and say your prayer or make a wish. I didn't take any pictures because I didn't want to be disrespectful to their religion. There are small incense sticks available for free, but you can also buy huge ones that look like fireworks! The incense smelled good.

Yoyo

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This man is practicing with his Chinese Yoyo. It is like a big top, and a string with handles. If you go fast enough, the yoyo sings. He gave Richard a lesson. He said that Richard is a very fast learner and could probably be good at it. We looked for a yoyo to buy, but they didn't have any for sale. Our guide says that in the summer, many vendors sell the yoyos, but it is too cold now so the vendors aren't at the park.

the weather is nice, probably mid 30s, everyone we see is bundled up, but we are not really feeling the cold as much! We make sure to bundle YuanYuan up, though.

More decorations at 5 Springs Park

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A large mask - when we saw the acrobat show in Beijing, there was a performer who wore masks like these and somehow changed them very quickly - it was amazing.

Paper cuttings for the New Year. The red paper is very symbolic.

5 Springs Park

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A famous General in Western China. He fought the Huns in 130 BC?

They are decorating the park for Spring Festival, it is very colorful and beautiful.

sleeping Andy

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He sucks on the tip of his finger when he sleeps. It is very cute. Look, Em and Evie - the monkey jammies you picked out!

Orphanage staff

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from left to right: Vice Director (in red), Caregiver, and Director (Mr. Fen?). They all seemed to truly care about Andy and were a little sad to leave him with us, though they seemed happy for him and for us.

DSC03396

bottle time

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Andy YuanYuan

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He only answers to YuanYuan right now, and only if we manage to say it correctly.

Adoption Day Feb 1 2010

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After we signed and thumbprinted the paperwork, they put YuanYuan's footprint on the documents as well. He didn't like that very much. He is very ticklish, so he fussed a little when I used a baby wipe to clean his foot off.

Today was Adoption Day

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YuanYuan is officially our son. We went to the Civil Affairs office to sign the documents and take pictures with the orphanage Director, Vice-Director, and YuanYuan's nanny.

After we signed the paperwork, we put our thumbprints over the signature with red ink.

The entire reason for this blog...

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is in the crib behind me right now. I thought he was asleep when I put him in, but I just peeked and he is lying there petting the soft stuffed monkey that we brought for him.

We met Andy this afternoon, about half an hour after we checked into our hotel room. Our guide, Megan, brought the orphanage director, the assistant director, the nanny, and Andy to our room. He knew something was up and immediately started fussing. He was not happy, and cried several times while we were filling out the temporary guardianship papers.

We had to change him out of his outfit so we could get his picture taken for the passport - the guide would not let him wear his current clothes. Not quite sure why... He was wearing a t-shirt and diaper, long underwear (Chinese split-pants variety), with a heavy wool sweater and thick quilted red overalls over that (also split pants). The top layer was a cute yellow cord tunic that tied in the back, and he had socks and little shoes with a popular Chinese cartoon character on them. He got happier the more clothes I took off him, he was a sweaty little one!

As time went on, he got used to us and we got to see some smiles and even some giggles. He had his evening bottle, half a peanut butter sandwich, some of Richard's noodle bowl, and some sweet potato puffs. The boy likes to eat!

His given name is Fu Yuan, and his nickname is YuanYuan. (kind of sounds like "you-wen you-wen")
He has a wonderful smile and loves to play with his toy cell phone, stacking cups, and photo album with pictures of his sisters. He pets Emily's face and stares at Evie's! He is more interested in the yellow binding of the album, though.

We have an early morning tomorrow, so I am heading to bed now. I hope you all have a wonderful day! I love and miss you, Emily and Evie! I know you will be great big sisters to Andy.

Sat. Jan 30 2010 Dinner

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It was right by the Summer Palace, and we were all starving by that point. Plus, there were two little kids in our group who love fries and chicken nuggets!

On our way back to the hotel, we saw vendors on bicycles selling roasted hot potatoes - they smelled so good. They had converted barrels into cookers, with a grate on top and these had wheels on them so they could be pulled by bicycle. The men would line the potatoes up in a ring around the top and flip them occasionally. There were also people doing brisk business selling corn on the cob and various fruits.

Sat. Jan 30 2010 Dinner

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can you guess what we had?
If you get your meal to go, they give you these little bags so your drink doesn't spill!

Sat. Jan 30 2010 The Summer Palace

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Look! Bear at the Summer Palace!

Sat. Jan 30 2010 The Summer Palace

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The Emperor had this covered walkway built for his mother so she could walk around outside but not get wet when it rained. According to our guide, it is covered with 14000 paintings, each one different.

The marble boat. This is the second one, and is only made of ordinary stone. The first one was destroyed in the 1800s. The Empress would sit on it and listen to musicians.

Sat. Jan 30 2010 The Summer Palace

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for Emily - a replica of the first modern telephone in China, the Dowager Empress Cixi (? See-see) had it installed.

also, a pretty view of a pagoda across the lake

Sat. Jan 30 2010 The Summer Palace

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The throne room at the Summer Palace, and the hill with the Buddhist Temple and the Taoist Temple

Sat. Jan 30 2010 The Summer Palace

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After the Great Wall, we went to see the Summer Palace. This is where the Emperor would spend his summers, and it was the favorite residence of the emperor's mother.

Sat. Jan 30 2010 The Great Wall

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Look, Evie! Bear at the Great Wall of China!

Sat. Jan 30 2010 The Great Wall

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A tradition at this section of the Great Wall. Our guide told us that young lovers will bring a padlock (sometimes engraved with their names, often with a red ribbon tied on it) to the wall, lock it on the chain on the wall, then throw the key over the side. This symbolizes that they will be in love forever. (Rich thinks that's a bit too much of a commitment... ha ha!)

Sat. Jan 30 2010 The Great Wall

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Sat. Jan 30 2010 The Great Wall

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Inside one of the watch towers

Sat. Jan 30 2010 The Great Wall

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We didn't make it clear to the top of the Great Wall. We made it to a landing about 2/3 of the way between the second and third towers. I would have loved to go to the top, but I would have had to stay up there forever, I think. It is a hard climb. Many of the stairs are just an inch or two tall, then some regular sized stairs, and also some stairs that were a foot high. It was clumsy going, at least for me! It was a lovely day for the climb, though.

The warning signs just made me laugh, so I had to include them.

Sat. Jan 30 2010 The Great Wall

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We went to see the Ju Yong Guan section of the Great Wall today. In one picture you can see our guide, Catherine, after she bought the tickets. The other picture tells about the Wall.

Fri. Jan 29 2010 The Acrobat Show

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The acrobat show was amazing. I think that our guide said that these were in the Shanghai style, but I could be, and probably am, wrong!

We were assured that we could take pictures, but I only snapped a few before I was told to stop.

The acrobats were simply amazing, there is no other word for it. I had a great time, and I would love to take my girls to see a show like this someday.

Fri. Jan 29 2010 The Olympic Village

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The Water Cube and the Bird's Nest

Fri. Jan 29 2010 The Forbidden City

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Fri. Jan 29 2010 The Forbidden City

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Fri. Jan 29 2010 The Forbidden City

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Fri. Jan 29 2010 The Forbidden City

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The forbidden city is huge - it just kept going and going. It was beautiful, and so awe-inspiring to be in this ancient place that I had read so much about.

Fri. Jan 29 2010 Tiananmen Square

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Fri. Jan 29 2010 Tiananmen Square

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History museum to east of Tiananmen Square

Fri. Jan 29 2010 Tiananmen Square

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Chairman Mao's mausoleum to the south of Tiananmen Square

Fri. Jan 29 2010 Tiananmen Square

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Government building for official meetings to the west of Tiananmen Square

Fri. Jan 29 2010 Tiananmen Square

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Entrance to Forbidden City, to the north side of Tiananmen Square

the big panda outside of a club in Beijing

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We're in China!

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My girls and my parents dropped us off at the airport in our hometown at around 7:30 a.m. on the 27th. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but it is now 9:17 p.m. on the 28th, and I've only had a catnap or two on the plane! We are exhausted, but we don't have any plans until tomorrow at 1 p.m. so I think we will just sleep until we wake up!

Beijing is very big and crowded. The pollution is not nearly as bad as it was in Guangzhou in 2006, but the roads and the drivers are just as scary! We were in a huge bus, and the driver would just change lanes and expect smaller cars to get out of his way, turn left in front of oncoming traffic, etc. There is lots of honking and beeping and yelling going on. Our road was blocked by a police car at one point, and our driver got out to yell at the cops several times! The police ended up moving the barricade in the middle of the road so we could go by! It was amazing. (we were kind of wondering if the two other families and us would end up spending the night in jail with the driver! Richard thought it would make a great story...)

3 days until Andy day!

I can't get to blogger in China, so I hope these posts are coming through! Let me know if they look ok, please. Pictures to follow.

love you all
Monie and Richard

We leave for China tomorrow!

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We are so excited to finally be going to China to meet Andy, but it is a little bittersweet since we will be leaving our girls at home. I know that they will be in good hands, though!

Our schedule:
Jan 27 - leave for China
Jan 28 - arrive in Beijing
Jan 31 - fly from Beijing to Lanzhou, MEET ANDY!!!
Feb 01 - officially adopt Andy
Feb 05 - fly from Lanzhou to Guangzhou
Feb 06 - medical exam
Feb 08 - Consulate appointment
Feb 09 - group oath at the Consulate
Feb 10 - get Andy's passport
Feb 11 - fly from Guangzhou to Beijing, COME HOME!!!

I hope to be able to post pictures and updates from China, but if it doesn't work, I will post once we return home.

Zai jian! (goodbye!)