The Internet in the hotel was giving me problems when I was sending the messages to post to the blog for August 23, 24, 25, and 26 so the messages were posted without photos. I have since posted the photos that should have accompanied these messages.
Also, on August 19, I referred to the crib that Charlotte resided in as being the middle crib; however, there appears to be 4 empty cribs in the photo. Unfortunately, there is a little special needs child laying on its tummy in the fourth crib at the far right. So, Charlotte resided in the second from the left crib. I've posted a few additional images taken at the orphanage by one of our fellow travellers. The situation was really quite sad.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
We're home!
We're finally home with our precious little one; however, she's not feeling very well. The flight home wasn't very good--Charlotte threw up at least 5 times and was very out-of-sorts with the whole experience.
Catherine and Hannah greeted us at the airport. It was so nice to see a familiar face, as Dave had instructed my family not to waste money on parking at the airport, as we were uncertain how long we would be detained at customs and immigration. My sister and Kaitlyn drove around the airport 9 times before we arrived. She was harrassed a few times by the parking official.
Once the initial introductions were made and the luggage loaded, we went to my mom's for a little welcome home gathering for Charlotte. Charlotte received her very first wrapped gifts from my family. Kaitlyn, Gregory, and Kristen were very helpful with the unwrappting. Charlotte received her very own Pricess suitcase that was filled with new outfits. Since Charlotte is a little on the small side, she will have to do some growing before they fit.
We had to put the celebration on hold, as Charlotte threw up. We just got her cleaned up and into another outfit when she threw up again. Kristen lent us one of her T-shirts to put on Charlotte--it looked like a long nightgown on her. We quickly packed up our stuff and got our little one home as quickly as we could. Fortunately, my sister still had a playpen from when her children were younger, so we borrowed it so that Charlotte could sleep in our room. So, Charlotte's first sleep in her own crib in her own room will have to wait for another day when she is feeling better.
Charlotte slept the whole night and awoke Saturday morning on schedule, as usual, around 6 am. She joined Dave and I in our bed and had a little catnap with us. She seemed to be back to herself, so we toddled off to Durham, Ontario for a memorial service. Unfortunately, Charlotte threw up a couple of times. We stopped at Shoppers Drug Mart on the way home--the pharmacist thinks Charlotte is suffering from motion sickness, so she gave us some medication to help.
Charlotte slept through the night again and woke up at her usual time. Charlotte and I enjoyed a slice of toast and diluted apple juice for breakfast. At around 8:30 am, Charlotte wanted to go down for a nap. I sat with her for a while reading my book. I managed to read about 10 pages before I nodded off, intending to get up in a few minutes to continue the laundry and unpacking. I drifted in and out several times, but didn't actually get up until 5:30 pm. Charlotte didn't get up until after 7 pm. Our days and nights are really mixed up these days. Dave seems to have weathered the time change a lot better than we have.
After feeding, playing, and splashing in a sink of water with some water toys, Charlotte finally went down after 2 am. I'm not sure if she's down for a nap or her night's sleep. Daddy is also fast asleep. Now I am sleepless in Ajax. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Tomorrow, I have an appointment at Health Canada to get an OHIP card for Charlotte.
I'm sure each day will be an adventure as we work through the motion sickness and jet lag and try to create a schedule for our little family.
Catherine and Hannah greeted us at the airport. It was so nice to see a familiar face, as Dave had instructed my family not to waste money on parking at the airport, as we were uncertain how long we would be detained at customs and immigration. My sister and Kaitlyn drove around the airport 9 times before we arrived. She was harrassed a few times by the parking official.
Once the initial introductions were made and the luggage loaded, we went to my mom's for a little welcome home gathering for Charlotte. Charlotte received her very first wrapped gifts from my family. Kaitlyn, Gregory, and Kristen were very helpful with the unwrappting. Charlotte received her very own Pricess suitcase that was filled with new outfits. Since Charlotte is a little on the small side, she will have to do some growing before they fit.
We had to put the celebration on hold, as Charlotte threw up. We just got her cleaned up and into another outfit when she threw up again. Kristen lent us one of her T-shirts to put on Charlotte--it looked like a long nightgown on her. We quickly packed up our stuff and got our little one home as quickly as we could. Fortunately, my sister still had a playpen from when her children were younger, so we borrowed it so that Charlotte could sleep in our room. So, Charlotte's first sleep in her own crib in her own room will have to wait for another day when she is feeling better.
Charlotte slept the whole night and awoke Saturday morning on schedule, as usual, around 6 am. She joined Dave and I in our bed and had a little catnap with us. She seemed to be back to herself, so we toddled off to Durham, Ontario for a memorial service. Unfortunately, Charlotte threw up a couple of times. We stopped at Shoppers Drug Mart on the way home--the pharmacist thinks Charlotte is suffering from motion sickness, so she gave us some medication to help.
Charlotte slept through the night again and woke up at her usual time. Charlotte and I enjoyed a slice of toast and diluted apple juice for breakfast. At around 8:30 am, Charlotte wanted to go down for a nap. I sat with her for a while reading my book. I managed to read about 10 pages before I nodded off, intending to get up in a few minutes to continue the laundry and unpacking. I drifted in and out several times, but didn't actually get up until 5:30 pm. Charlotte didn't get up until after 7 pm. Our days and nights are really mixed up these days. Dave seems to have weathered the time change a lot better than we have.
After feeding, playing, and splashing in a sink of water with some water toys, Charlotte finally went down after 2 am. I'm not sure if she's down for a nap or her night's sleep. Daddy is also fast asleep. Now I am sleepless in Ajax. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Tomorrow, I have an appointment at Health Canada to get an OHIP card for Charlotte.
I'm sure each day will be an adventure as we work through the motion sickness and jet lag and try to create a schedule for our little family.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
The Silk Market and Acrobats
Today we had a free day so we headed to The Silk Market. It was very overwhelming. I didn’t like that you can’t stop and look at anything unless you have intentions on purchasing, as the bartering and tugging begins. We purchased some items for Charlotte as she grows up, as well as a few gifts.
We saw the acrobats this evening with a few families in our group. It was a wonderful performance. Charlotte stayed awake for the whole performance and was quite spell bound at times.
This will be my last post before we leave to come home tomorrow afternoon. Both Charlotte and I have a cold, so I’m not looking forward to the long plane trip; however, we are looking forward to getting home. I’ve missed real coffee—the stuff they serve here is really quite strong and unsatisfying—and peanut butter for 16 days. Our flight on Friday arrives at 6:45 pm on Air Canada Flight 32 from Beijing (terminal 1).
We saw the acrobats this evening with a few families in our group. It was a wonderful performance. Charlotte stayed awake for the whole performance and was quite spell bound at times.
This will be my last post before we leave to come home tomorrow afternoon. Both Charlotte and I have a cold, so I’m not looking forward to the long plane trip; however, we are looking forward to getting home. I’ve missed real coffee—the stuff they serve here is really quite strong and unsatisfying—and peanut butter for 16 days. Our flight on Friday arrives at 6:45 pm on Air Canada Flight 32 from Beijing (terminal 1).
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City
It was a lovely warm and sunny day, but the sun was quite hot. We asked our guide for a slightly shorter tour, as there would be little shade at today’s attractions.
Tienanmen Square was quite large and very open with lots of people. We can’t believe the number of people who are at these attractions during the week—weekends must be absolutely crazy busy. We walked through part of the square and then on to The Forbidden City. It is quite large with lots of buildings that we did not venture into—I don’t think you can go into any of the buildings. There were lots of people trying to sell you souvenirs. Once you ask for a price, the vendors are relentless until you settle on a price and purchase the item. This bartering all takes time while you’re cooking in the sun.
We walked through the outer city and then the inner city, observing the beautiful buildings. The cobblestone walkways were a little difficult to traverse with our umbrella stroller that has front wheels with a mind of their own.
We then went on to the Imperial Gardens. They were quite beautiful but very busy with lots of people. It’s difficult to really take in a site of this magnitude while struggling with a stroller, watching that you don’t run into people or they run into you, and watching that Charlotte doesn’t loose a shoe or her hat.
Our guide Thomas told us a lot of history about the buildings and the Dragon Lady. The stories are very fascinating—we’ll need to follow up and fill in the details when we return home. We purchased a couple of books already but we’ve not had a chance to look through them.
Upon leaving the south gate, we had to walk along the side of the gated road to reach our bus. Upon our travels we encountered a lot of very sad situations. There were blind men playing what looked like homemade instruments, begging for money. There were women carrying children, begging for money to feed their children—a couple of these women grabbed onto my arm and backpack. There were vendors selling fruit and other local snack-like foods. We gave to some, but couldn’t give to all.
While waiting under the shade of a tree, a couple of ladies were selling chopsticks and small bags. The bartering began. In a very short period of time, we were swarmed by vendors all wanting us to buy something from them. When the bus arrived, the vendors became more aggressive in their approach. It was very overwhelming.
Once we returned home and had a bite of lunch, I, too, had a short nap while Charlotte napped. My cold really kicked in at this point.
In the early evening, we took a trip to the Yashow Market in a taxi—the roads were incredibly busy; it was like rush hour, but it was 7 pm. The Yashow Market is a 5 floor building with open stalls, very much like the Pickering Flea Market; however, each floor seems to specialize in particular items. In the basement, shoes and luggage and other leather items are sold. Clothing is sold on most of the other floors. On the top floor, electronics, watches, and fabric are sold. The sales people are very pushy and aggressive. They also are very touchy. Perhaps we’ll have better luck at The Silk Market tomorrow.
Tienanmen Square was quite large and very open with lots of people. We can’t believe the number of people who are at these attractions during the week—weekends must be absolutely crazy busy. We walked through part of the square and then on to The Forbidden City. It is quite large with lots of buildings that we did not venture into—I don’t think you can go into any of the buildings. There were lots of people trying to sell you souvenirs. Once you ask for a price, the vendors are relentless until you settle on a price and purchase the item. This bartering all takes time while you’re cooking in the sun.
We walked through the outer city and then the inner city, observing the beautiful buildings. The cobblestone walkways were a little difficult to traverse with our umbrella stroller that has front wheels with a mind of their own.
We then went on to the Imperial Gardens. They were quite beautiful but very busy with lots of people. It’s difficult to really take in a site of this magnitude while struggling with a stroller, watching that you don’t run into people or they run into you, and watching that Charlotte doesn’t loose a shoe or her hat.
Our guide Thomas told us a lot of history about the buildings and the Dragon Lady. The stories are very fascinating—we’ll need to follow up and fill in the details when we return home. We purchased a couple of books already but we’ve not had a chance to look through them.
Upon leaving the south gate, we had to walk along the side of the gated road to reach our bus. Upon our travels we encountered a lot of very sad situations. There were blind men playing what looked like homemade instruments, begging for money. There were women carrying children, begging for money to feed their children—a couple of these women grabbed onto my arm and backpack. There were vendors selling fruit and other local snack-like foods. We gave to some, but couldn’t give to all.
While waiting under the shade of a tree, a couple of ladies were selling chopsticks and small bags. The bartering began. In a very short period of time, we were swarmed by vendors all wanting us to buy something from them. When the bus arrived, the vendors became more aggressive in their approach. It was very overwhelming.
Once we returned home and had a bite of lunch, I, too, had a short nap while Charlotte napped. My cold really kicked in at this point.
In the early evening, we took a trip to the Yashow Market in a taxi—the roads were incredibly busy; it was like rush hour, but it was 7 pm. The Yashow Market is a 5 floor building with open stalls, very much like the Pickering Flea Market; however, each floor seems to specialize in particular items. In the basement, shoes and luggage and other leather items are sold. Clothing is sold on most of the other floors. On the top floor, electronics, watches, and fabric are sold. The sales people are very pushy and aggressive. They also are very touchy. Perhaps we’ll have better luck at The Silk Market tomorrow.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Olympic Stadium and The Summer Palace
Today it is quite hazy, but we’re not expecting any rain. We hope that the sun will eventually come out. My throat is a little sore, but I didn’t think it was anything to really worry about until we were told that one of the other moms was going to the hospital, as she thought she may have strept throat. My throat continued to get sore throughout the day—it’s difficult to swallow. I’ll try to wait this out, hoping that it might just be because of the air conditioning and heavy pollution in Beijing.
The first stop on our tour today was the Olympic village. We weren’t allowed into any of the buildings. We saw the birds’ nest and then ventured over toward the water cube where all Olympic water sports took place. The area is absolutely huge—I can’t imagine how chaotic the place must have been during the Olympic games. Even though it was still hazy, it was really quite warm walking around the pavilion.
We then went on to the Silk Factory. We had a tour and a demonstration that was quite fascinating. Of course, this all leads up to the big sales pitch. Well, it worked on me—I purchased a silk cover for our bed and a set of pillows. They vacuum sealed the packages so that they are easier for transportation to Canada. We walked through the different sections of the same facility. They sold some beautiful fabric by the yard and garments and items made of real silk.
We then went for lunch where more Westernized Chinese food was served. It was no longer hazy like it was before.
We then went to The Summer Palace for a tour of some of the buildings. Upon entering through the gate, the babies became the centre of attention for many visitors. We had lined the babies up in their strollers to take a photo of them all sleeping and then crowds of people pushed their way in to take photos. It was like they had celebrity status. Charlotte quite enjoys her stroller, as long as it keeps moving.
It was incredibly warm out in the sun; although, Charlotte didn’t seem to be affected by the heat like her parents were. We looked for shade whenever possible. Five of us got separated from the main group. The Summer Palace was so incredibly busy with so many people and children who just walk in the direction they wish to go without being aware of others around them. I found it challenging to watch where I was going, trying to observe the sites, while watching the ground to ensure that I didn’t run into anyone with the stroller, while keeping an eye that Charlotte didn’t loose her shoes. I’m not sure how often the children wore socks and shoes at the orphanage, as Charlotte is always biting her shoes and trying to take off her shoes and socks. We ended up going to the right at the bottom of a bridge when we should have gone to the left. There were also a lot of passageways that have 3 stairs up and then a large entrance way that needed to be stepped over, only to have to go down another 3 stairs. This tour attraction is definitely not stroller friendly. Fortunately, one of the gals that we got lost with had a cellphone and called her mate to find out where the rest of the group was. She also had a map of the whole area, so she was able to get us to where we needed to be. We stopped for a much needed drink and to feed the babies. We ended our tour with a dragon boat ride, which was quite enjoyable.
On our ride home, Charlotte got really quite fussy and was beside herself, screaming and throwing herself about. At one point she tried to bite me. I didn’t think biting was going to be a problem until today. During lunch after the orphanage visit, Charlotte was nestled into David’s chest. Without any provocation, she then clamped down on his nipple with her teeth and drew blood. She left a mark that is still sensitive. We’ve been watching Charlotte very carefully for further opportunities for her to bite. She hasn’t tried to until today.
After we returned to the room, while I was playing with Charlotte she set her teeth into my forearm and wouldn’t let go. I had to pry my arm out of her mouth. I’m not sure why she is doing this. I wish I had asked the doctor yesterday at our visit, but I didn’t think this was going to be a recurring problem. I guess this is something we’ll have to research upon returning home, as this is not acceptable behavior.
The first stop on our tour today was the Olympic village. We weren’t allowed into any of the buildings. We saw the birds’ nest and then ventured over toward the water cube where all Olympic water sports took place. The area is absolutely huge—I can’t imagine how chaotic the place must have been during the Olympic games. Even though it was still hazy, it was really quite warm walking around the pavilion.
We then went on to the Silk Factory. We had a tour and a demonstration that was quite fascinating. Of course, this all leads up to the big sales pitch. Well, it worked on me—I purchased a silk cover for our bed and a set of pillows. They vacuum sealed the packages so that they are easier for transportation to Canada. We walked through the different sections of the same facility. They sold some beautiful fabric by the yard and garments and items made of real silk.
We then went for lunch where more Westernized Chinese food was served. It was no longer hazy like it was before.
We then went to The Summer Palace for a tour of some of the buildings. Upon entering through the gate, the babies became the centre of attention for many visitors. We had lined the babies up in their strollers to take a photo of them all sleeping and then crowds of people pushed their way in to take photos. It was like they had celebrity status. Charlotte quite enjoys her stroller, as long as it keeps moving.
It was incredibly warm out in the sun; although, Charlotte didn’t seem to be affected by the heat like her parents were. We looked for shade whenever possible. Five of us got separated from the main group. The Summer Palace was so incredibly busy with so many people and children who just walk in the direction they wish to go without being aware of others around them. I found it challenging to watch where I was going, trying to observe the sites, while watching the ground to ensure that I didn’t run into anyone with the stroller, while keeping an eye that Charlotte didn’t loose her shoes. I’m not sure how often the children wore socks and shoes at the orphanage, as Charlotte is always biting her shoes and trying to take off her shoes and socks. We ended up going to the right at the bottom of a bridge when we should have gone to the left. There were also a lot of passageways that have 3 stairs up and then a large entrance way that needed to be stepped over, only to have to go down another 3 stairs. This tour attraction is definitely not stroller friendly. Fortunately, one of the gals that we got lost with had a cellphone and called her mate to find out where the rest of the group was. She also had a map of the whole area, so she was able to get us to where we needed to be. We stopped for a much needed drink and to feed the babies. We ended our tour with a dragon boat ride, which was quite enjoyable.
On our ride home, Charlotte got really quite fussy and was beside herself, screaming and throwing herself about. At one point she tried to bite me. I didn’t think biting was going to be a problem until today. During lunch after the orphanage visit, Charlotte was nestled into David’s chest. Without any provocation, she then clamped down on his nipple with her teeth and drew blood. She left a mark that is still sensitive. We’ve been watching Charlotte very carefully for further opportunities for her to bite. She hasn’t tried to until today.
After we returned to the room, while I was playing with Charlotte she set her teeth into my forearm and wouldn’t let go. I had to pry my arm out of her mouth. I’m not sure why she is doing this. I wish I had asked the doctor yesterday at our visit, but I didn’t think this was going to be a recurring problem. I guess this is something we’ll have to research upon returning home, as this is not acceptable behavior.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Children's Medicals
Charlotte is our little alarm clock—she awakes, like us, just before 6 am. Mommy is no longer “sleepless in China.” I’m not sure how this happened, but the last 2 nights I’ve gone to bed around 10 pm and woke up around 5:30 the next morning. I do awake a few times in the night, but that is no different than when we are at home. It’s so nice to finally get a decent sleep.
Since Charlotte did so well in the pool yesterday, we decided to try the bath in the bathroom sink again. Today, the water was warmer with more bubbles, which she seemed quite fascinated with. Charlotte whimpered some, but not as much as yesterday. We’ll try again tomorrow.
Charlotte revisited her reflection in the mirror and really chatted up a storm with herself. She likes to back up and then move forward, slapping her hands on the mirror.
Today we went to the International SOS Clinic for the babies’ examinations. This is mandatory if you are applying for landed immigrant status for your daughter. This examination was not mandatory for us, as we are applying for Canadian Citizenship, but we thought it prudent to see a doctor in Charlotte’s homeland to get any advice on issues particular to her culture. We were advised that she is underweight for her height and age. This is largely because the children are not encouraged to play so do not build body mass (fat is lighter than muscle) and are undernourished. Once she starts to be more active and build muscle, she will gain weight accordingly. We were also informed that her Mongolian spots on her back and leg will likely fade with time. We were also concerned about her bowed legs. The doctor assured us that this condition will likely correct itself. I’ve noticed in the short time that we’ve had Charlotte that she is walking better and doesn’t appear to be as bull-legged as the first time I saw her walk.
Once we had the reports in hand, we were off to the Canadian Embassy, which was only a few minutes away. Thomas had to come back to the bus several times as there were items filled out incorrectly by certain families. Once the preliminary check was completed, we were allowed to return to the hotel. We were instructed to stay in our rooms, or to remain very close to our rooms, just in case the embassy had further questions and Thomas needed to contact a family.
After a bite of lunch and a nap, we ventured up to the pool for another swim. Charlotte didn’t enjoy the swim as much as the previous day. She seemed quite captivated by a Chinese gentleman who was swimming lengths of the pool.
After dinner, we decided to go to Walmart to get more formula. The cab driver delivered us to the Lotto Mart. We explained that this was not where we wanted to go. He proceeded to drive around the area—I guess he thought he would eventually come to it. He passed Dave his cell phone and asked us to call for directions. How ridiculous—who did he think we were going to call. After several minutes of aimlessly driving around, I asked the cab driver to return us to the hotel. We quickly grabbed our things, told the concierge what happened, and left the concierge and the driver arguing in the driveway. Charlotte was fussing, so we returned to the room to put her to bed. Once again, with all the lights turned out, I, too, fell asleep, even though I had wanted to get caught up on my journaling. It would figure that I would just start to get my internal clock on time when we have to leave in a couple of days.
Tomorrow we have another busy tour day.
Since Charlotte did so well in the pool yesterday, we decided to try the bath in the bathroom sink again. Today, the water was warmer with more bubbles, which she seemed quite fascinated with. Charlotte whimpered some, but not as much as yesterday. We’ll try again tomorrow.
Charlotte revisited her reflection in the mirror and really chatted up a storm with herself. She likes to back up and then move forward, slapping her hands on the mirror.
Today we went to the International SOS Clinic for the babies’ examinations. This is mandatory if you are applying for landed immigrant status for your daughter. This examination was not mandatory for us, as we are applying for Canadian Citizenship, but we thought it prudent to see a doctor in Charlotte’s homeland to get any advice on issues particular to her culture. We were advised that she is underweight for her height and age. This is largely because the children are not encouraged to play so do not build body mass (fat is lighter than muscle) and are undernourished. Once she starts to be more active and build muscle, she will gain weight accordingly. We were also informed that her Mongolian spots on her back and leg will likely fade with time. We were also concerned about her bowed legs. The doctor assured us that this condition will likely correct itself. I’ve noticed in the short time that we’ve had Charlotte that she is walking better and doesn’t appear to be as bull-legged as the first time I saw her walk.
Once we had the reports in hand, we were off to the Canadian Embassy, which was only a few minutes away. Thomas had to come back to the bus several times as there were items filled out incorrectly by certain families. Once the preliminary check was completed, we were allowed to return to the hotel. We were instructed to stay in our rooms, or to remain very close to our rooms, just in case the embassy had further questions and Thomas needed to contact a family.
After a bite of lunch and a nap, we ventured up to the pool for another swim. Charlotte didn’t enjoy the swim as much as the previous day. She seemed quite captivated by a Chinese gentleman who was swimming lengths of the pool.
After dinner, we decided to go to Walmart to get more formula. The cab driver delivered us to the Lotto Mart. We explained that this was not where we wanted to go. He proceeded to drive around the area—I guess he thought he would eventually come to it. He passed Dave his cell phone and asked us to call for directions. How ridiculous—who did he think we were going to call. After several minutes of aimlessly driving around, I asked the cab driver to return us to the hotel. We quickly grabbed our things, told the concierge what happened, and left the concierge and the driver arguing in the driveway. Charlotte was fussing, so we returned to the room to put her to bed. Once again, with all the lights turned out, I, too, fell asleep, even though I had wanted to get caught up on my journaling. It would figure that I would just start to get my internal clock on time when we have to leave in a couple of days.
Tomorrow we have another busy tour day.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Tour to Pearl Factory and Great Wall of China
Up until today we’ve been sponge bathing Charlotte. Today I decided to try to place her in a sink of water to have a bath. Charlotte really didn’t care for this. Charlotte didn’t care for the shower I gave her the other day either, so I’m really not sure how the orphanage bathed the children. We’ll keep trying. Perhaps the water wasn’t cold enough or maybe it was too cold. At this point, we’re really not sure.
Each day we introduce another toy she hasn’t played with. Today we introduced a beach ball. She had quite a bit of fun with it but really prefers her rings. Daddy and Charlotte spend quite a bit of time playing with the ring of rings. Charlotte is learning where the spot is on the ring that is easiest to pull the others off from.
We met in the lobby at 9 am to go to The Great Wall; however, first we stopped at the Pearl Factory. We enjoyed a short information video followed by a demonstration—we each received a pearl from the split oyster. We purchased a necklace for Charlotte to wear on her wedding day. We also purchased a necklace for mommy and a few other gifts.
The Great Wall is quite a magnificent site. The stairs are really quite steep. We were advised that we should have both hands free to be able to hold the handrails. Dave and I didn’t really discuss it beforehand, but knew that my knees are in no shape to climb such steep stairs. I didn’t want to return home saying that I hadn’t at least tried. So, off we started, but didn’t get very far. The stairs are quite busy with lots of tourists—apparently, there are children running on the stairs and people pushing, as each one goes at their own pace, likely considerably faster than me. We didn’t want to take a chance with our precious little one, so we didn’t venture too far with her. We let her walk a little on the lead up to the stairs just so that we could say that we walked on the Great Wall. Our videographer went much further and took lots of footage of the journey, so we will have to be satisfied with living vicariously through the video and others who ventured on. A couple of people in our group went 3 and 7 towers across the wall.
Dave, Charlotte, and I sat at a picnic table and talked with fellow travelers from another adoption group from Montreal. We met an elderly Chinese woman who was quite taken with Charlotte. We gave her our little message on a card and she clapped her approval. It is really quite humbling to receive such acceptance and gratitude from the local people. We are so in love with our daughter that I really can’t imagine our lives any other way. We are very grateful to the Chinese government for allowing us to adopt such a beautiful little gem.
Our next stop was for lunch at the Cloinnese Factory—you had to walk through the store to get to the elevator to take you to the restaurant. Here we enjoyed what is the closest meal we’ve had to North American Chinese food. It was very comforting. After lunch we had some time to shop in the store. Again, I purchased a few gifts and items for Charlotte for when she gets older.
Each day we introduce another toy she hasn’t played with. Today we introduced a beach ball. She had quite a bit of fun with it but really prefers her rings. Daddy and Charlotte spend quite a bit of time playing with the ring of rings. Charlotte is learning where the spot is on the ring that is easiest to pull the others off from.
We met in the lobby at 9 am to go to The Great Wall; however, first we stopped at the Pearl Factory. We enjoyed a short information video followed by a demonstration—we each received a pearl from the split oyster. We purchased a necklace for Charlotte to wear on her wedding day. We also purchased a necklace for mommy and a few other gifts.
The Great Wall is quite a magnificent site. The stairs are really quite steep. We were advised that we should have both hands free to be able to hold the handrails. Dave and I didn’t really discuss it beforehand, but knew that my knees are in no shape to climb such steep stairs. I didn’t want to return home saying that I hadn’t at least tried. So, off we started, but didn’t get very far. The stairs are quite busy with lots of tourists—apparently, there are children running on the stairs and people pushing, as each one goes at their own pace, likely considerably faster than me. We didn’t want to take a chance with our precious little one, so we didn’t venture too far with her. We let her walk a little on the lead up to the stairs just so that we could say that we walked on the Great Wall. Our videographer went much further and took lots of footage of the journey, so we will have to be satisfied with living vicariously through the video and others who ventured on. A couple of people in our group went 3 and 7 towers across the wall.
Dave, Charlotte, and I sat at a picnic table and talked with fellow travelers from another adoption group from Montreal. We met an elderly Chinese woman who was quite taken with Charlotte. We gave her our little message on a card and she clapped her approval. It is really quite humbling to receive such acceptance and gratitude from the local people. We are so in love with our daughter that I really can’t imagine our lives any other way. We are very grateful to the Chinese government for allowing us to adopt such a beautiful little gem.
Our next stop was for lunch at the Cloinnese Factory—you had to walk through the store to get to the elevator to take you to the restaurant. Here we enjoyed what is the closest meal we’ve had to North American Chinese food. It was very comforting. After lunch we had some time to shop in the store. Again, I purchased a few gifts and items for Charlotte for when she gets older.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Return to Beijing
We met in the lobby at 8 am with bags packed to head to the airport to return to Beijing. We had a journey to the airport that was about 40 minutes. It was extremely hot and humid in the airport. By the time we checked our luggage Charlotte was soaked. I did a quick diaper change on my computer in the luggage cart. Dave took Charlotte for a little walk while we waited for the others. Quite a few Chinese travellers were quite interested in Charlotte and smiled and waved to her.
We then proceeded to our gate. Our girls got quite a bit of attention from local travellers. Our flight was to take off at 11:45 am but was delayed at least one hour. We were then instructed to proceed to another gate. While we waited to board the tram to take us to our airplane, Dave allowed Charlotte to run around with a few children. She had a great time and did quite well keeping up with the other children who were much older than she is.
Once we were all seated, we were then informed that the flight would be further delayed due to poor weather in Beijing. The girls started to get restless, as the temperature continued to rise in the already hot airplane. Approximately 30 minutes later, we were ready for take-off. Charlotte was beside herself, but eventually went down with a bottle. Fortunately, she was asleep during take-off so the building pressure didn’t seem to bother her. She stayed asleep for most of the flight of 2 hours 10 minutes. She started to wake during the descent. We gave her a bottle to suck to help with the air pressure. By the time the plane had landed, Charlotte’s diaper couldn’t absorb any more so it ran out of her outfit and down my leg. Once we disembarked the plane, we were both soaked. We were uncertain whether there would be a bathroom on the way to the luggage carousel, so we decided to change Charlotte on top of my computer again in the luggage cart. This was done in no time flat—diaper changed and fresh change of clothes. All in all, the flight was a relatively good experience and a little warm-up for our 12-hour flight on Friday—I’m not looking forward to that.
By the time we got to our hotel, it was approximately 5:30—the whole day had been spent travelling between provinces, which was unfortunate. It had rained most of the day, so the temperature had cooled off. It was considerably cooler in Beijing than in Changsha, and less humid.
In the hotel room, Charlotte discovered the baby in the full length mirror of the hallway of our room. It was so sweet to hear to chatter away and give such a big belly laugh to her reflection.
Most of our group met for dinner at 6:30—we went to the restaurant we had visited last week where we had the hot pot. We enjoyed a lovely meal and discussion with a few of the families.
We had a hard time putting Charlotte to sleep—she stayed up until 10 pm. The cribs in this hotel are playpens, so I don’t think we’ll have to worry about her falling or climbing out.
We then proceeded to our gate. Our girls got quite a bit of attention from local travellers. Our flight was to take off at 11:45 am but was delayed at least one hour. We were then instructed to proceed to another gate. While we waited to board the tram to take us to our airplane, Dave allowed Charlotte to run around with a few children. She had a great time and did quite well keeping up with the other children who were much older than she is.
Once we were all seated, we were then informed that the flight would be further delayed due to poor weather in Beijing. The girls started to get restless, as the temperature continued to rise in the already hot airplane. Approximately 30 minutes later, we were ready for take-off. Charlotte was beside herself, but eventually went down with a bottle. Fortunately, she was asleep during take-off so the building pressure didn’t seem to bother her. She stayed asleep for most of the flight of 2 hours 10 minutes. She started to wake during the descent. We gave her a bottle to suck to help with the air pressure. By the time the plane had landed, Charlotte’s diaper couldn’t absorb any more so it ran out of her outfit and down my leg. Once we disembarked the plane, we were both soaked. We were uncertain whether there would be a bathroom on the way to the luggage carousel, so we decided to change Charlotte on top of my computer again in the luggage cart. This was done in no time flat—diaper changed and fresh change of clothes. All in all, the flight was a relatively good experience and a little warm-up for our 12-hour flight on Friday—I’m not looking forward to that.
By the time we got to our hotel, it was approximately 5:30—the whole day had been spent travelling between provinces, which was unfortunate. It had rained most of the day, so the temperature had cooled off. It was considerably cooler in Beijing than in Changsha, and less humid.
In the hotel room, Charlotte discovered the baby in the full length mirror of the hallway of our room. It was so sweet to hear to chatter away and give such a big belly laugh to her reflection.
Most of our group met for dinner at 6:30—we went to the restaurant we had visited last week where we had the hot pot. We enjoyed a lovely meal and discussion with a few of the families.
We had a hard time putting Charlotte to sleep—she stayed up until 10 pm. The cribs in this hotel are playpens, so I don’t think we’ll have to worry about her falling or climbing out.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Tour of Embroidery Institute
Today’s tour was to be a full day; however, it was cut short because of the rain. We decided to go to the embroidery museum first in the hopes that the rain would stop. We enjoyed a tour of the Embroidery Institute where we saw skilled embroiderers at work. Most pieces are embroidered by one person—it can take 10 months working 8 hours per day five days a week to finish a piece. Some larger items can take a team of 20 people 8 hours a day five days a week for 6 months to complete. Their specialty is lions and tigers. We likely spent more time there than our guide had anticipated; however, I think the staff were really glad we did, as our group purchased a number of items. We purchased hand-embroidered handkerchiefs as mementos of the province that Charlotte was born.
Food in Changsha is known to be spicy, as are their girls, so we’re told.
We then travelled to the university. At this point, it was raining quite heavily, so we decided to return to the hotel.
Once we were settled back at the hotel, we met with Thomas to complete part 2 of the Canadian Citizenship application. I can hardly wait for all the paperwork to be completed. At this point, I’m just doing what I am told. Thomas is a great guide and well-experienced in these processes. I feel totally comfortable knowing that he is looking after all the small details. For so long, that was my job and it was a little overwhelming at times.
Tonight we must pack and prepare for our return trip to Beijing tomorrow. We’re not looking forward to taking the babies on the plane, as they’ve never been on one. Since the babies have become part of our families, they have certainly experienced a lot of firsts. I’m sure they are overwhelmed as well. We’re enjoying our travels but are very anxious to return home with our beautiful daughter.
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