Hello All! I haven't written for a while, but I have a little time right now. Dan is out walking about and shopping with some other adoptive parents. Our over-tired little Le Le is finally taking a late afternoon nap. I have been miserable since the night of the 17th. Dan got sick on the night of the 19th. The days since then have been tough. I finally caved and started Cipro last night. Dan started the day before. I really didn't want to take it, but it's been so tough to function and I need relief! The diarrhea didn't set in until today, but no vomiting all day yesterday. I think Dan's system is a lot tougher than mine. I don't think he is back to normal yet, but he is improving as well. My tip for anyone heading out on an international adoption trip of this kind...DO NOT get sick!! Our first 2 weeks here were great, but this bacteria problem (we think that's what it is) has been rough. We hope that the next couple of days will bring more peaceful stomachs.
Today, after breakfast, we waited for Alexa (Richard's wife) to stop by our room with our documents for today's US Consulate appointment and to confirm that meeting time. I went out to find a stroller to use for the next couple of days and some quick shopping. It really is helpful to visit several shops and see the variation in pricing. As is in the U.S., it's just more fun to purchase from pleasant, helpful people. The bargaining piece isn't my favorite part as the time you are willing to put into it really seems to count. I much prefer to just say here's my bottom line and ask what theirs' is and be prepared to walk away if there's not a deal all parties can be happy with. I guess now that we have Jia Le, the shopping isn't very interesting to me but we do want to buy several items to give to her in years to come. I'm trying to play more by shopkeepers' rules and spend at least a little time taking turns punching amounts into a calculator. It is really nice having close access to most of what we need right now. After Alexa stopped in, we did walk off the island to visit a department store to find the same brand of formula, another bottle, some small food storage containers, and a $2 pair of sandals for Ruby Jia Le. A good time for reminder to people, that it would be helpful if you call her Ruby Jia Le or Le Le (pronounced "low low") when you meet her as "Ruby" isn't yet familiar to her. We still usually call her Jia Le or Le Le. Perhaps I've already told you this. Jia Le uses the bottle system that comes with a straw inside almost exclusively.
We're getting really eager to hurry up and deal with the next big transition - the trip home and, again, adjusting to new surroundings. It will be so helpful to have more space, our kitchen, the toys she needs to start playing with, and an assortment of supplies. It will be great to be able to use tap water and not worry about boiling everything and to get Le Le into a routine. A couple of the other Moms who are adopting daughters from China for the second time have said that after we're home for about 3 weeks and onto a regular schedule things will become a lot easier. Her better health kicking in on about day 4 after Gotcha Day has helped her immensely. It feels like a challenge now to keep her well until we can get home. Then, of course, we know she'll catch all sorts of delightful childhood bugs as kids do:) It's got to be scary to keep waking up in new places and doing so much compared to her previous routine. With better sleep in the same place, I think meltdowns will be kept to a minimum. It's probably no surprise to any of you parents that we're only posting the smiley pictures. I guess it's not so common to try to catch the screaming moments on film. I've managed to cut about 7 of her fingernails so far. I hope to get the remaining 3 before the end of the day. I don't want to physically restrain her more than necessary right now. It's also bath night, so I'm picking battles carefully. I having been intending to find time for her to just splash in about 2 inches of water without the goal of getting her clean but - my same ole familiar song - not enough time or good health right now.
I just took a break to get Ruby Jia Le back to sleep. We frequently comfort her during the night. Sometimes she goes from being sound asleep, to a startling cry, back to sound asleep in the course of a minute. Other times, like now, she fully wakes up but then does get back to sleep. A bottle sure helps. It wasn't too many days ago that she screamed every time she got horizontal (wanted to be rocking on the chest of an upright parent) so this is progress! She's a very restless sleeper.
Before leaving home, I had fully intended to contact some of the people we've met through the adoption process who are in Guangzhou right now as well. I have seen a couple of our May DTC group's distinctive hot pink bandanas, but I haven't had ours on. Unfortunately, there hasn't been time to seek people out even though they're in the same hotel. Lately, "free time" has gone to being sick and doing dishes. Soon that will change - at least a little!
The Consulate appointment at about 2:45 was extremely informal. We showed her Chinese passport photocopy at a window - after showing all of our passports in order to get into the building - and then waited for a man to ask us, as a group, to raise our right hands and swear that all of the data in our documentation is correct. Our group response was "yes", and that was it for that step. We'll get her visa tomorrow afternoon. We're meeting again as a group in about 30 minutes so I better get Le Le's food ready and maybe straighten myself up. My own personal grooming is far below par this trip. We even ran out of under-arm deodorant and haven't been able to find more. Oh my!!
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