Guangzhou

We made it to Guangzhou, and I am feeling much, much happier here.  This is the China that I saw when I came here with my mom in 2009.  Southern China is different than northern, I think.  It’s more humid, with more trees and mountains, and it just feels more comfortable to me.  It doesn’t hurt that our hotel here is top notch, 5-star, made-for-movie-stars quality and located in a very westernized neighborhood with several Starbucks stores, a McDonalds, a Subway, a Pizza Hut, and lots of other names I recognize.  I’m kind of a hypocrite, because normally my belief is that if you travel somewhere you should eat what is unique to the area and not what you can get at home.  But normally when I travel, I’m not pregnant, and also, after, Shanghai where finding normal food was difficult, I just feel a lot more comfortable here where I recognize some things.

Yesterday was pretty uneventful and filled with travel, which is why I didn’t post.  We spent the morning in the hotel packing and having breakfast and then met Sophie at 11:30 to go to the airport.  She was very helpful there and made sure we got through the right lines and the security checkpoints.  I thought she was a good guide (other than her punctuality, which was abysmal) and it was kind of sad to say goodbye.  She told Leo, in Chinese, that he would be travelling in the belly of a big bird to Guangzhou where he would spend a few days playing before going home with mommy and daddy.  It was funny to watch him while she told him this – he looked very confused.  I’m not sure how much he understood, but if I were a 2-year-old, I don’t know that I would feel very stoked to go fly around in the belly of a bird. 

Leo did very well with the travelling.  He was still not feeling all that well, so he clung to Caolon all day, but he didn’t cry very much, despite the fact that I know he was nervous.  We did discover a little problem at the airport:  they had a Disney store there, and in true style with our timid little guy, he was pretty much terrified of Mickey Mouse.  This is going to be something we will have to work on him with.  Starting as soon as we get home, we will have to do some Disney therapy to make sure our guy is ready for life in our family!  A fear of Disney is just not going to work out for long!  J (The store was a really good one, by the way – Dani would have gone nuts shopping there as mostly what they carried was boutique style apparel and handbags – I wish I would have bought some things, but we didn’t really have time). 

The flight was short and Leo slept through most of it.  His Grammie is a smart one and suggested we bring a bottle for him to help him pop his ears during take-off and landing.  This seemed to help a lot, so we will do it again for our coming home flights next week.

We have two guides helping us in Guangzhou, Sara and Elsie.  They both seem very nice and helpful.  We have also been joined by a group of about six other families who are also adopting through our same adoption agency.  A few weeks ago, when I found out that we’d be joining these other families, I was not looking forward to it.  I’m not a big social butterfly, and I didn’t really think it sounded fun to be on a tour group where the only thing I had in common with people was adoption.  Now that I’m here in reality, I am grateful for them.  It has been nice to sit and compare stories with people who are feeling the same things I am.  One family in particular has been really nice and we have clicked with them a little.  Their little guy is about Leo’s age and last night he showed Leo that the stroller is not so bad.  I’m so thankful about that, as it’s nice to be able to push him in his stroller instead of toting him around everywhere!

This morning, we had a huge, delicious, amazing, most wonderful breakfast.  Did I emphasize the beauty of this enough?  They had waffles and donuts!  And crispy bacon!  And delicious southern China style noodles.  I was so happy.  This was the first meal I have truly enjoyed since being here.  Leo didn’t eat very well, though we did find that he’s partial to donuts, like I am.  He’s got a sweet tooth.  That will make it easy for his Buddy and Poppa to win over – they always have sweets!

After breakfast, we joined the other families in our group to take our babies for medical examinations so they can get their visas to come home to America.  I had been nervous about this appointment as I thought it would be scary for Leo.  I think it was a little, but I think I was more worried than he was.  He didn’t like getting his picture taken for his visa photo – once again, the photographer tried to use a toy with a face, which of course made our boy cry.  His picture is pretty hilarious actually.  I should have taken a picture of it to post here for everyone to see – a big pouty lip and crocodile tears rolling down his cheeks.  I’m a mean mama because sometimes his sad little face cracks me up. 

The doctors at the medical exam were very nice and efficient.  They did a routine physical, checked his ears, nose, and throat, weighed and measured him, and reviewed his previous medical history reports.  Since he is under two, he didn’t have to have the TB check.  I’m thankful for that as I didn’t particularly enjoy the TB check when we had to do it last year around this time.  We also waived the option to have him get his vaccination shots here.  I would rather wait and do it at home at the Children’s Clinic as I’ve read that it is a better experience for kids to get these at home than getting all the shots here in China.  Leo was very brave throughout all the exams, though, and we found out that he no longer has a temperature and his ears look good (we were worried he might have an ear infection, so this was nice to find out). 

This afternoon has been low key and dull.  Leo was tired, so we came back to the room for a little nap.  I think later we might go explore our hotel (which is huge and has a mall and several gardens) and take some pictures.  Some of the other families are going out for a group dinner tonight, but I’m not sure yet if we will join them or not.