Guangzhou update...

 Annie Choo Choo is happier everyday. She is funny, smart, curious, silly, sweet, and a little sassy. She is trusting us more and more and looking for our hands to hold (both of us at the same time) whenever she is not in her stroller. When she is feeling really brave she runs wildly all alone-  I call it the noodle run b/c her limbs and joints are so loose! She LOVES to be outside. We're pretty sure she walked on grass today for the first time (we were breaking the rules...most "lawns" are only to be seen, not touched). She had this crazy excited and surprised look on her face.

We went to the Chen Clan Temple yesterday- built by a family clan in the late 1800s to educate their family to take the national examination to earn high positions in the govt. Now it's an arts and crafts museum with different sections to explain making fans, embroidery, writing, pottery, painting etc...We then ventured to the pearl and jade markets- never seen anything like it. Imagine an entire mall, 5 floors high, where almost every store sells pearls. Are they all real? SURE! The jade was much more expensive but beautiful. Last night we ate at a tasty Malaysian restaurant...still trying new foods...still surprised at how much we like most of what we eat.

We went back for the TB test reading- a little swollen so we were concerned but they gave her the clear. We then went to a beautiful garden and rode a gondola to the top of a small mountain to see the view of the city. We didn't even take a picture. It was the New York skyline times 20, full of smog. It's weird because when we are walking around in the city we don't notice how truly awful the air quality is. Anyway- the ride up and down was enjoyable - had some ice cream with rum at the top!

Swam in the pool this afternoon- this is her 3rd time in- and the first time she really wanted to be IN the water (as opposed to watching us swim from the side with legs dangling). We are all doing great. Annie is talking more each day- she is mostly babbling in Mandarin- but says a few words like hello, bye bye, apple, banana, Charlie and Edie. She saw a little blond white boy at the pool today and shouted "Charlie!"(it sounds like jahjee)  Close enough. Everybody misses Charlie and Edie!

Overall we really can't complain about anything....except we are tired of eating out, and ready for home!

 lotus dumpling- need to learn how to make these

 Chen temple

 Writing "Charlie" in Mandarin

 check out the pearls....

 best cure for nausea- she gets carsick a lot

 NOODLE RUN!

 2012. What a great year for Choo Choo

 Hi Cory and Amanda! So close, yet....

Yes, it was HOT!


Thanks again for keeping up with us on this journey....j, e, and acc

Now in Guanghou.......

So our flight was easy- Annie did great until we had to wake her to get off the plane, where I was the crazy white lady who appeared to have kidnapped this sweet little girl who was kicking, screaming, arching her back trying to get out of my arms while Everette wrestled the luggage. She calmed down after we got in the car to go to the hotel and went back to sleep. 

Not too much to report except that we are getting to know so much about our new friend each day. While we were waiting for our flight Sarah, our guide, started translating the book that the orphanage gave us- all about Choo Choo. It is so sweet and mainly made me laugh as I was writing. So here's what we learned: 

1. words to describe her: calm, lovely, sociable

2. red is her favorite color

3. favorite activities: dressing up like Snow White (they showed me a picture of this where she was wearing a Disney princess shirt w/ Cinderella, Ariel, and Belle- Snow White was on vacation)- but while she is snow white her little friends are the 7 dwarves

favorite activity #2- playing pull the radish; she likes to be the radish (I can't wait for Halloween- how can I resist a radish?!) Sarah told me 3 times how they play and I still don't understand so I won't even try to explain! still in stitches over that one

4. they call her the princess b/c she was in a room FULL of boys; ie...I think she got to call the shots, AND she know how to play rough    

5. she loves music and trying to sing songs; the xylophone is her favorite instrument (there is a photo of her playing the little plastic toy) 

6. she doesn't like rain because it means she can't play outside

7. she likes listening to the nannies tell stories

8. she likes barbie dolls and putting their clothes on and off (didn't see these in her room at the orphanage but Sarah says they are very cheap and common now for orphanages) 

9. She can make a noodle out of wet mud (their version of play dough) 

10. she is good with her hands to fold things, and tear paper (we can attest to this!) 

That's all we got translated so far- we feel so lucky to have this book to share with her one day and to 

know some of her likes and dislikes. 

We went to the doctor today for her "check up"- uneventful EXCEPT when they gave her the TB test - a needle injected into her arm- they did one shot and then picked up another  - and we were like WAIT you just did one why are you doing a 2nd- and she said well that one was empty- (meanwhile she had already stuck in the 2nd one while little annie was crying)...what? Sarah went back afterwards and was assured by the doctors 100% that it was a clean needle and it was just a mistake that it was empty. I can't even go there....what else can we do but say, ok? ok. 

Our hotel is FULL of adopting families from the states- I counted 10 families just at breakfast. It's really nice to hear English again and share stories with these strangers who now share a very important time and place with us. I admire so many of these families as many of them have adopted children with significant needs, and/or multiple children at the same time...just a reminder of what wonderful and strong people exist in this world. We met our friends from Birmingham for dinner and ate Mexican at Tequila- it was great! Better than several local restaurants in the ham. More than comforting to see a familiar face and look at each other and say- now I get it. Adoption is complicated. It's hard to explain unless you've done it...no book could have prepared me for all the feelings, stress and anxiety that accompany it. 

We are all growing stronger together everyday, but we also start over several times a day- mainly when waking up from sleep. We have to rebuild the bridge of trust and comfort. Each day is brighter. Each day we see a new little smirk, hear a new phrase, see a swing in her arms as she explores headphones, zippers, flowers.

A few pics and I'm off to bed....Ev and Annie are sound asleep. 

Much love to our family and friends...

Julie, Ev, and Choo Choo 

 getting a little better about baths but still not a fan

 LOVES flowers. 

  walking from our hotel in hangzhou to the natural history museum

 the lip look - she makes this face a lot

 killing time at the Disney store at the airport 

 getting settled on the plane

 waiting to see the doctor

jumps up and down like a chicken when we pull out the stroller- its like a disney ride! 

So a lot has happened in the last 2 days - 3 hours each day is about the amount of time we leave with our guide and "do" something. Yesterday began with a much anticipated journey to a Buddhist temple and the National Silk Museum...and then Annie got carsick....threw up ALL her breakfast while sitting in Everette's lap- luckily he was unscathed- but we had to stop and change clothes and regroup while she was screaming. She did rebound though, and we enjoyed a short visit walking round the temple that was built in 326 AD. Our guide said, isn't your country only about 300 years old? Crazy! They "touched" it up in the 1950s....all the Chinese come here and light incense and pray on kneeling mats in front of the different Buddha statues. We also got to see about 50 monks chanting in one of the temples. We were not allowed to take photos inside the buildings- only outside. The silk museum was small but fascinating- lots of examples of different patterns, the history, and beautiful photographs of Mulberry trees - that the silk worms eat the leaves from- and how they spin the silk from the cocoon-like balls that the worms create before dying.

I will post a few pics also of the night before when we went to dinner WITH our guide who ordered for us. We actually loved everything she picked out- congee, river shrimp (that you bite head, shell, and all and then spit out the head and shell- we were not so good at this)- and I tried not to think of the quality of water these sweet little shrimp lived in- some type of chinese green bean, and sweet and sour pork. And cold beer. Important. Annie lights up every night at dinner when we are at a crowded restaurant. She had a blast. The picture above is what she is like a lot of the day - she goes to "the dark side" and it takes hours to see her smile again. But we have seen a lot of smiles from her....dinner and back in the hotel room are her happiest moments. When we are skyping with Charlie and Edie she has been the funniest- already vying for our attention while talking to them- climbing on top of us and shoving toys in our face. She loves to see herself too- so she enjoys looking at the camera. And she is ticklish so we heard her belly laugh for the first time last night.

Sorry this post is long! But we went today to her finding spot and orphanage. It was sad to be where she was left- but our guide Sara explained that the government does not pay for all of your medical care- and the her family probably was not wealthy and after finding out how expensive the surgery would be, and the risks involved in the surgery (she might have died), they decided to abandon her. We learned details today at the orphanage of how she was found- she had a note with her birth date- this is important to me because if they are not left a note they will just make up a date- and a few sentences about their hopes and prayers for those who might one day adopt her. Priceless. Our hearts were heavy as we explored this little area- just a neighborhood in the middle of the city of high rise apartments, near a kindergarten and a parking garage.

Then we went to the orphanage....it was ridiculously amazing. We sat down with the woman in charge of adoptions who gave us all these gifts....a book about Hangzhou, a photo book of Annie, a framed glass photo of her, etc....It was so nice. There is a book with her growth charts, her immunizations, likes and dislikes, a note from her nannies and the director. We got to see where she slept, her buddies in the room where she played most of the day, the playground, the bathrooms, and the "movie room" where she said they watched a short video before going to bed each night. I'm not sure we can compete!! She was doing fine until we walked into her room with all her friends who starting saying her name in excitement- choo choo is what they called her. She was crying and one of the nannies said, Achoo choo- you are going home now. You have a mommy and a daddy just like me, right? You should be happy and smiling because now you are going home. And she quit crying, just like that. Wow. We are so amazed at how well they prepared her for us. She is so brave and we are in awe of her. A few pictures of the orphanage and that's all for now...

We get Annie's passport and fly to Guangzhou tomorrow night- arriving around 10pm and then go for her medical examination Saturday morning at 9. Will probably be 2 days before I can post again. Happy Labor Day weekend at home!! I cannot say enough thanks for all of the emails our friends have sent us. They mean so much!!

Official adoption day and tea plantation and a few firsts

Hello friends....

Annie was sad and Teary last night Before going to bed but slept all night and was happy and playful this morning. We went back to the Civil Affairs office where our adoption was made official- a "swearing in " of sorts.


Playtime this morning




It's official! Then they made us take another picture because Ev's head was blocking the official China crest/seal

Annie fell asleep on the way to the tea plantation, and again on the way home, but enjoyed exploring with us (briefly as our guide hurried us through- she is hurrying us through almost all things which we are trying not to be bothered by). Annie even tried the 4 types of tea with us during the demonstration!

















Tea fields

She took a nap when we got home but had the roughest time yet when she awoke. Sobbing crying. She has quietly cried b4 but this was the saddest we have seen her. When she finally calmed down we had our first bath, which she hated. We saw a picture of her in a wooden tub so we know she's had them before, just still scared of all that's going on.

She has 2 personalities at this point- the happy, silly, and playful little girl that laughs out loud and crinkles her nose. Tonight at dinner when she was taking her straw and dripping her juice all over the table with a happy smile was the 2 year old shining through. Then, she retreats into herself with a very serious and sad demeanor- its hard to know from hour to hour who will show up. We know that being here in Hangzhou- while a beautiful city as far as China goes- is pretty disorienting to us- and we have each other to lean on. I cannot imagine the grieving that she is feeling and the confusion from these strangers who speak, look, smell and act differently than anyone she has ever known. When she smiles, it warms our hearts- when a big tear falls out, our hearts break. All in all I would say things are going very well, but we will be SO happy to get home to Charlie and Edie and the familiarity and ease of life at home all together.

We are headed out to eat"local" with our guide tonight. Our experience last night at a local place was funny- Annie has been sad all afternoon and then turned into a clown at dinner- playing her chopstick drums and banging her porcelain bowl on the table while throwing back her head and laughing...no one spoke one word of English to us- thankful for the pictures on the menu - we got about half of what we thought we ordered - along with Hot Heinekin beers. We pretended we were at the lake on a hot summer day and got the last 2 beers out of the cooler. (and then stopped at the market on the way home and got Cold buds:)

Lastly- she is exactly the size they told us she was- 2T clothes fit her well. She is "solid" for a Chinese girl, according to our guide- which just made us smile, as the other little loved lady in our home is described in the same way.

We love getting emails if you have the time....we have more Dan time in our hotel than we expected and it gets a little lonely!