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Thursday, August 23, 2012

July 22

Lyric was MUCH happier this morning.

Her cut catheter was MUCH easier, (we were able to quickly change her diaper while out of the hotel this day, something we'd never really been able to do before)  - her belly gauze was not soaked for the FIRST time ever, after a night time of sleep.




She was a SUPERSTAR in her sunglasses. 




We were in love with our GIRLY-GIRL.
When we left this morning, she had to take her purse
and when I put on my chap stick
she wanted to put it on too.

With her teeth.
She now has her own stick. 

:)

Today, we'd bum around the hotel, go find medical supplies and catch a cab to Shamian Island. Shamian Island is the home of The White Swan which is the traditional "adoption hotel" for adopting families. It is also the location of the infamous “red couch,” where years of  adoptees have had their pictures taken. The White Swan is closed for renovation and while I did feel a sort of ping of remorse that we were in China during a time when we would not get to experience The White Swan and the red couch, it wasn't much of a ping.  THIS was our adoption story and our story was so much more than a hotel.

The White Swan, if you look hard enough
you can see a tiny K-Man in the foreground.

We ate lunch (actually our hotel had our taxi drop us off there so they must have known we were ready for it) at Lucy’s.  Lucy's served surprisingly good American food and they had ICED TEA! It wasn't as good as "home" but it was close enough.




Guess what Baby Girl had for lunch!

We DID feed her other stuff too, or tried to.  


The island was very beautiful and we saw lots of brides ...






... and a fashion/Tv character(?) photo shoot ...


Anybody recognize these characters, at all?
Me neither.

Where's Oldest Child when I need to ask him these questions?


























... and some folks practicing Tai Chi, down by the riverwalk.











This was the best day, by far, with Lyric. She was finally settling down.  As awful as the day before was, it probably helped bonding.  For her to see that, not matter what happened, K-Man and I didn't leave and that we did come to the rescue, was a good thing for her little heart. When she wasn't throwing fits, she was very sweet and very cute and (always :) ) perfect for us and yes, even by this day her fits were drastically fewer.


I loved this goofy walk of hers.

The "Cover Your Mouth" game.
We also still played the "Op" game and the "Cheerio" game
and the "Hello" game with my sunglasses.

On this day, she repeated back to me for the first time, “heh-o.”  



Hanging out with Daddy.
She enjoyed him more every day,
 as long as he didn't try to hold her.

I love the fact that she squatted. (She still does.)
Yes, this is cultural
(pg 198, 101 Stories for Foreigners to Understand Chinese People by Yi S. Ellis )
and yes, she'll lose it. I hate that.




Later we shopped in a store for a LONG time for souvenirs and she was mostly VERY GOOD.  AND, she slid down the slide twice on this day with me on the little kids' playground. Up until this point she'd been afraid of most playground stuff.







 So far, in our entire stay in China, we’d seen two gas stations and that day we saw our 6th pregnant woman (I didn't mean to be counting but it was a little odd.)  A guy on the island took a picture of me and Lyric and he wasn’t the only one to do it so, apparently, we were still celebrities. hahahahahaha  People seemed to speak English more readily ( our agency contact later told me that people knew that adoptive parents stayed on Shamian Island and that since adoptive parents had a reputation for usually being very nice, people came there to practice their English.)

In fact, we did run into a very nice woman on Shamian Island who spoke English and translated for the group of women that she was with.  They were very interested in Lyric. When we said, “Ling Yong”  they all smiled and repeated it back to one another. The lady knew Hepu, her eyes narrowed and she said, “Very poor."  She looked down, studied Lyric for a second, and then nodded her head, “She has a chance now, she has a chance."   I'll never forget her words or the emotion behind them.




A bottle on the way back to the hotel.

   And, a head-hug. (She initiated these from the very first day) . 


And, yes. Guess what she had for dinner.








Meanwhile, back in Alabama:








Dear Mom and Dad,
I love you and I miss you really much. I remember when we were leaving you at the airport.  I echoed a lot of stuff by the elevator.  I forgot what I said, but it was fun.  I love you really much.  I played my Monster Jam game this morning for a really long time. It was really fun.  But always first, I go to the show room, and I watch my show that I unlocked.
Today I went to Double-lin Park.  I had fun! (Papa T) was the bad guy “Camera Head” and I was pretending that I was the good guy “Jengo-Fet” and (Wild Child) was the good guy “Storm Trouper”.
I ate bow-noodles and garlic and butter tonight for dinner.  I liked it…I think that I had five helpings!
I love you – the end of my sentence.
Love,
(Middle Child)


(Middle Child) -

I am SO GLAD to get your note. I miss you so much and I miss (Wild Child) so much.  We are almost done and we will be coming home very soon but not soon enough. Daddy and I talk all the time about how much we miss you two.  And how much we love you. Lyric is going to think that you two are the BEST two big brothers ever! You have been so brave to be without us for so long and we are so proud of you.  But you've had lots of people to love you while we've been gone.  That makes me very happy. Daddy says to tell you that he can not wait to take you and (Wild Child) to Moe's Burritoes when we get home.  I can not wait for you to show me all the trucks that you've unlocked on Monster Trucks.

You are my favorite six year old EVER!

Tell (Wild Child) he is my favorite  4 year old EVER!

-Mommy






Dear Mom and Dad,
Yesterday I goed to the playground with Grandma and I really had a good time.  Papa (T) went too. I played on the playground. And then I went to Taco Bell and I played on the playground at Dublin Park.
Today I had blueberry muffin for breakfast.  It was already make-ded. (store bought RA) I’m going to make more together with (Nana Bea) the next day. (we have a mix ready for him to bake)
I am done with my sentence.
Love,
(Wild Child)


Dear (Wild Child) -

I am so GLAD to read your sentence. I MISS YOU!!  Today is Sunday morning for you, but it is Sunday night for me and it's begining to feel like very soon I will see you.  I can NOT wait!  Oh, how I have missed you and (Middle Child.)  It hurts my tummy to think about it because I miss you so much.  I can't wait for you and (Middle Child) to meet Lyric, she is so wonderful and you will make such a good big brother. She might get on your nerves sometimes, but that's okay, that will just mean that you are REAL brothers and sister.  I can not wait to hug your neck and hug your neck and give you kisses and give you some more kisses.  Seeing you will make me so happy. Daddy said that he can't wait to take you and (Middle Child) to Moe's Burritoes.  Very soon, we will see you at the airport and give you BIG hugs!

-Mommy







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