Today was a better day. Thank you to everybody who has posted in the comments section during our trip, and to those of you who have e-mailed me. I don't always have time (or a reliable enough internet connection - in Guangzhou in particular) to respond, but I want you all to know that we love you and that seeing your support really, really helps.
Eleanor Zitao had her pre-visa medical appointment today. All children being adopted have to be seen by a doctor before being allowed to enter the U.S. Really, it's a pretty cursory glance; the docs are frankly more interested in making sure that some terrible illness isn't brought into the U.S., rather than a thorough examination of the child. Guangzhou has enough children being seen every year that an entire section of this Shamian Island clinic is designated for adoptees.
We did have one interesting development come out of her visit to the doctor - here Eleanor Zitao is seen holding a paddle used to block one eye during a vision screening, as she talks with one of the clinic docs. She's nearsighted, and has never had glasses. Poor kiddo - that explains some of the furrowed brows we've seen as much as her being worried about anything! The computerized prescription estimator thingamabob says that her vision isn't too bad (it isn't as bad as Dave's, and it's waay better than mine), so she won't need coke-bottles like her mama, but a trip to the eye doctor is now on the list of to-do's when we get home. Anyway, she'll be the first of our daughters to take after her parents when it comes to lousy vision!
And yes, she is small. She's taller than Gennie, but not by much (the doctors commented on what a nice, tall girl she is - for a Chinese girl, that is!), and she actually weighs less than Gennie. We need to get some food into her! The pants we bought her here are okay for the time being, but they're too short in the leg, and too big in the waist. Reminds me of some other daughters of mine, just a bit more extreme in this case! She's still requesting the "xigua" (watermelon), which is wonderfully healthy and full of vitamins, but not particularly fattening!
Eleanor has been getting more and more comfortable with us (yes, even with Mommyzilla) day by day. Today was a more relaxed day, which helped everybody's disposition. Getting out of the hotel room really helps, especially since this girl is into EVERYTHING. She's never been around so much stuff at one time, and everything she's been exposed to has been shared property. She picks everything up, and tries it. It's like having a much smaller child in some ways, except she does respond to redirection a bit better, and I've been trying to let her know what belongs to whom (ni de = yours, wo de = mine, Sarah de = Sarah's). She loves looking at pictures on the computer, and identifying people and things in the photos.
Our family had a chance to wander around Shamian Island in a nice relaxed way today, which I think helped Zitao to relax a bit, as well. We visited a park playground, and went shopping. The island is beautiful, with a huge area for children to play - Sarah and Zitao had a great time together.
I found a doll that made Zitao's eyes light up (a doll of a Chinese girl holding a passport, as it happens - yes, they cater to the adoption community around here!), and she was so pleased when I actually bought it for her; it was the best 5 bucks I've ever spent! It was the first thing she's ever really picked out at a store as something she's wanted (I had to pick her clothes in Hefei, she was just too overwhelmed at first to choose), and it was a delight to buy something for her. We went back to the hotel room, and she proceeded to undress her new baby, and pretend to bathe her, and walk her in a stroller, and pretended to put dolly to sleep under her covers. It was very sweet, and she took my hand and showed me everything she was playing, which was the best part of all for me. (Cue Sally Field - She likes me, she really likes me!)
Later in the afternoon, we visited the White Swan hotel, and said hello to the koi swimming in their pond.
We went to Lucy's restaurant for dinner (we needed a break from the Chinese menu, which has been delicious, but has felt foreign, particularly to the kids); and Sarah and Genevieve shared their french fries with Zitao. And yes, Zitao likes fries; hopefully we can introduce some healthier American favorites soon!
In the evening, we walked near the Pearl River, which was VERY lit up. We had heard about a laser light show that occurs every evening, but after waiting a good hour with nothing happening, we took the tired kiddos back to the hotel instead. Bummer, but the river was pretty nonetheless. A tad wasteful from an environmentally friendly, energy conservation standpoint, but pretty.
Generally, I try to avoid bathtub pictures (although I guess I have fodder for embarrassing my teenaged daughters in front of their dates someday), but I couldn't resist this one. This is why I'm late every morning now - TOO MUCH HAIR TO BRUSH! :) I love every inch of their hair anyway, though - and Zitao's is a pleasure compared to the curly thick masses I've been raking through thus far! My own hair has responded to the humidity (83%, with a temp near 80 degrees F) by turning into a frizzy mass that resembles the triangle-hair lady from the Dilbert cartoon, but we'll leave that one out of the photo journal for now, eh?
I love my girls.
Tomorrow we go to the Herb Medicine market (probably well-timed), and the Pet Market (um, like we need more pets)? It's on the agenda as being a fun tour for the kids, but is somewhat mysterious at this point... but ah, the guides know all, and have not let us down yet.
