TB test and more rain!

Emily playing with her puzzle and of course sucking that thumb!

Working on her puzzle

Emily making the face that Aunt Chimene taught her the other day!

Mommy and Emily making "The Face"!

Dinner at the Cow and Bridge

We had to go to the Medical Examination Clinic this morning after breakfast to get Emily's TB test done. Another family from our Gaungzhou group had to get one too. Natalie went first and was very brave, she barely even shed a tear. Next it was Emily's turn and the nurse cleaned off her arm and she started to whimper. Next came the ouchie, she started to cry poor girl. I think she was more upset by the bubble under her skin than the needle stick. After that Natalie's mom, LeAnn and I walked back to the hotel. So far it looks good. Chimene said that she has a little bump, but thinks it is ok. I really hope it is ok, otherwise that may delay our departure home. Prayers would be greatly appreciated for Emily's TB test to be alright so that we may get to come home to the states on Thursday.

The morning was nice today, the sun was out and it was very warm already at 9am. We had planned to go to the street market this afternoon with our friends Jeremy, Amanda and Ezra, but after nap time it started to thunder and the rain came down again. So no street market again today! This evening we went to our favorite restaurant, The Cow and Bridge for Thai food. We had our usual, chicken fried rice, spicy pork lettuce wraps and tried the spring roll tonight too. Yummy!!!! Emily loved the rice, but not the chicken! She even got to go to the playroom today and had fun with Ezra and some new friends too. My girl loves her bath time and likes to help after her bath to put lotion on...it is so cute, she holds out her hands and waits for you to put lotion on them.

Last night Shiyan took us all out for a traditional Chinese dinner. Yes Dad, it was the Wheel of Fortune, LOL!!!! They have a huge lazy susan in the middle of the table and place the food on it and you spin it around to get your food. Quite interesting, but the food was not undefinable on this adventure. Shiyan said that she orders conservatively, so it was all pretty good. We had sweet and sour pork, another pork dish with red and yellow peppers, garlic broccoli, and pea pods. There were a couple rice dishes too. It was all alright, but Emily was not happy with the cuisine at all. She ate a couple pieces of broccoli and liked the pork in the pepper dish. Otherwise, she was fussy throughout the whole meal, which was so much fun! We were glad that we got to have dinner by ourselves tonight. We ended our night with a little shopping and did some bargaining too. I got some more Christmas presents and a couple more things for Emily as she grows. Tomorrow is picture day with the group and a river cruise in the evening.

Guangzhou Folk Art Museum

Getting ready to go to Museum

Courtyard

Roof architecture

Courtyard

Me and Emily

Silk thread pictures...so beautiful

Aunt Chimene and Emily

The five goat statue

Emily eating her first ice cream bar

Today we went to the Guangzhou Folk Art Museum. It was very beautiful with lots of artists doing their crafts. It had a center courtyard and amazing characters on the roof. Shiyan told us they were Fairy Tales. Emily was content in her stroller and of course eating her way through the museum. We also visited Yuexiu Park. Shiyan told us about the five goats that represent Guangzhou. She told us it was up just a few stairs....yeah right! It was a lot of stairs and of course hotter than all get out and muggy too. So we made it to the top to see a big statue of five goats and that was all that was up there, besides a gift shop of course! So back down we trucked after taking a pic or two. At the bottom we got an ice cream and Emily had her first ice cream bar with mommy! She liked her ice cream just about as much I do. We got back to the White Swan for a quick nap and then off to the Pearl Market. Holy Cow...the market has about 7 floors of all kinds of beads and pearls. A jewelry makers paradise! So Shiyan took us to a store on the 5th floor and the bargaining began. They showed us tons of different pearls in a various colors. I chose some pearls and they string them right there as you wait. Shiyan told us that when we were done we could go out and hail a taxi...lol!!!! Yeah, what an experience in China! There is no rhyme or reason and the Chinese do not take turns it is be aggressive or wait and wait and wait. So after much dismay we went back and waited for Shiyan. She got us two vans to take back to the hotel. Ahhh...safely back at the hotel! It is so nice here you really never have to leave. This morning was especially nice too, my parents called to so hello and see how we were doing and to talk to Emily. Plus, I got a great surprise to talk to Brian as well. He went to dinner at their house and it was so nice to hear his voice. I miss you, Brian and I miss you too, mom and dad! What a pleasant way to start the day to hear from the ones you love!

Emily dancing and eating her first pizza!

Last night the internet was really slow and so I am posting this today. We got Papa John's pizza last night and Emily liked it along with bread sticks! It is so cute when she hears music she starts to dance so I had to take a little video!

Jealousy and stealing!

Today was a free day for us and of course it rained all day! So we stayed in today for the most part. We took Emily to the Swan room which is a child's playroom. She absolutely loved it in there. Amanda and Jeremy were there with Ezra too. As we were playing Ezra came over to me and wanted me to pick him up. Well, Emily saw this and had a fit! She came right over ranting and babbling something and my guess it was "Hey, that's my mom, leave her alone and go get your own mister!" It was too cute. She was totally jealous of him with me. And the funny part is later I was on the computer looking at pics of the day and Chimene had taken pictures of the incident and she started ranting again just looking at the pics...LOL!!! Too funny, she definitely knows that I am her mommy and doesn't want any other children to be held by me. We both took a nice long nap today too. We did venture out to get our laundry and get bottle water for the next couple days. On our way we stopped at the Starbucks here to get Frappachino's...YUM! I am not a coffee drinker at all, but these taste so good especially because the food is not very good here. Chinese food is NOT like Chinese food in America that's for sure. While we were at the 7-11 we decided to go into the little shops next door. As I was looking at stuff I noticed that Emily had a little Coke can that was filled with candy. My daughter is a clepto! I cannot believe she would take that...so we took it back and apologized. Oops, gonna have to watch her from now on. Silly girl! For dinner tonight we ordered Papa John's pizza, Emily's first pizza! She liked it and the bread sticks too. It was pretty good and a nice remembrance of home. Shiyan, our guide her came to the room tonight and said that Em was very smart and that she is bonding good with me. I think so too! I was so worried about that, but it has been so easy with her. I thank God that she has bonded so well to me and my sister. She finally gave Chimene a kiss today too! My little peanut is so sweet. The internet is really slow today, so I will post pics later!

Guangzhou Zoo

On our way to the zoo, of course eating Cheerios!

Ezra, Amanda & Jeremy's son

Guangzhou Zoo

Giraffe's

Emily staying dry

Emily and Ezra-friends!

lions

Mr. Bear chilling in the water

a hippo

panda

A cute red panda wanted to come home with us!

A sweet tiny zebra

Today we went to the Guangzhou Zoo! Only two families ended up going. Mike and Andrea's daughter, Autumn has had a fever and it finally broke today, but wanted to keep her in which is understandable. And Kevin and Leann decided to stay back because their little Natalie, she doesn't like the stroller and it was raining. So Jeremy, Amanda and their little boy Ezra and Chimene, Emily and I braved the weather and headed out. We saw a ton of animals like lions, leopards, giraffes and a panda too. And the zoo wouldn't be complete without the most exotic animals we saw...the common house cat and the rat that ran out of a cage. I told my sister that I saw it and she asked where. I told her it was in the shrubs there and she said she would walk over here, so of course I had to scare and say "THERE IT IS NOW" LOL!!!! Too funny! Em let us know when she couldn't see the animals, but mostly she just wanted her Cheerios. That girl can eat and eat and eat, lol! Thankfully the really hard rain waited until we got on the bus and then Em decided she would fall asleep on my shoulder. Oh how precious and she is still sleeping now. She takes a 2 1/2 hour nap the orphanage said and they were right. Plus the girl sleeps 10 hours during the night too! Hopefully that will continue when we get home, I pray it will! We have to go to the Security Bureau today for her passport and then tomorrow is a free day. Chimene and I are planning to go to the market to do some shopping. Emily likes to shop already too. I got her a couple dresses to wear while we are here because the clothes I brought are almost all too big. She is wearing some 12-18 month clothes, little peanut. The 2T clothes I brought swim on her. I am sure with the way she eats, she will put on some weight on her little 22 lb body. Later tonight we are planning to head to Lucy's for dinner a popular restaurant here with adoptive families. I can't wait, gonna try their American cuisine tonight and they have french fries too! Subway left a little to be desired last night. Emily enjoyed my roast chicken sub more than I did. We are all ready to come home and glad that we only have 9 days left. My sister is amazed at different the culture is here and it truly is different here. Makes you appreciate what you you are blessed with at home.

Registration, Notary and Medical Exam Day

Today was a full day of fun! We headed back to the adoption center and did the notary and registration of her adoption. She is doing well today. She slept 10 1/2 hrs last night too! I was the one up listening and checking on her at all hours! She is definitely a good sleeper and didn't want to get up this morning. My girl likes to sleep in, lol! She is doing really well going potty on the big potty too. She had her first bath last night with us and loved it! She got me all wet splashing around and after I had washed her all up I gave her the wash cloth and she began to wash herself. Amazing what they do at such a young age in an orphanage. She doesn't like the hair bows, but we are working on that one. I found out today at the Medical Examination that Emily has Bronchitis. My poor girl, no wonder I can feel a rattle in her chest when she breathes. She has antibiotics and a natural herb that I have been giving her three times a day. So I just have to watch her. We have to go back to the medical clinic on Saturday for her T.B. test. We couldn't do it today because Wed-Friday is a holiday, it is the Autumn Moon Cake Festival here in China and we will have to have it checked to make sure we can go home. Emily is becoming more comfortable and I had to put her in a time out in her crib today for not listening to me when I told her No several times. She had a little fit and cried and so I put her in her crib until she calmed down. Gotta start now so she learns who's the boss! ME, not her!!! Little stinker! We got her giggling and laughing really good today and also got her some squeaky shoes. China is famous for the squeaky shoes, every time the child takes a step the shoes squeak, very cute...but getting annoying too! Thankfully we can take the squeaker out when we really get tired of it. Emily is definitely a sweetie and a stinker all rolled into one!

Gotcha Day!!!!

Waiting for office to open so we can get our little ones

Meeting Emily for the first time, yes I cried!

Mommy and Emily

Thanking God for this beautiful child

The social workers from Pan Yu Social Welfare Institute

She loves her Cheerios!

A little upset, thought I was gone and then she came over to me and grabbed my hand

Her first laugh with us, playing with mommies sunglasses

Quite fashionable, don't you think!!!

She is so smart, putting Cheerios on sucker stick

The stickers Aunt Chimene gave her, lol!

I have my daughter, Emily! She is so beautiful and smart too. They brought her to me and she came right to me. She is very curious and immediately started looking through the bag I brought. I gave her some Cheerios and she went to town! She loves her food, so she is going to fit right in. Chimene said she has her Polish side too. A little temper and loves to eat! My little Chinese-Polish girl, lol! She is very inquisitive as well. I gave her a sucker and she began to put the Cheerios on the end of the stick...WOW! So amazing! She has a little cold right now, but has medicine to take and takes it like a trooper. I walked away to throw some stuff in the garbage and she looked for me and started to whimper and then came over to me and reached for my hand, she already is bonding with me. Back at the hotel Auntie Chimene gave Emily stickers and helped her put them all over her face! Thanks Aunt Chimene! On our way to dinner at Cow and Bridge, a Thai restaurant she held my hand and walked with us and then reached for Auntie Chimene's hand too..awwww! Our first dinner experience was fun to say the least. She threw the chopsticks on the floor and the holder across the room and broke it. Not to mention the water that went everywhere, lol!!!! It was fun, Chimene has been a big help too. Thanks Sis! Emily is doing awesome! She definitely is her own person and is quite a sass-a-fras at times, but I love her so much already! She is going to have to learn no about some things, but the poor thing doesn't know what we are saying, but doing great. Her lip will need some future repair, but I can't believe how sweet she is. It has been a good day. She had a bath and is now asleep, my precious little angel. Thank you God for choosing Emily to be my daughter.