Test Results and the zoo!

First: TB results were negative! But of course, a little drama went with it.

We could see that his skin test did have a reaction, but the reaction has to measure 10mm in order to be considered positive. The reaction was close to it, I could tell, either negative or positive. Dan thought negative, I wasn't sure. First a nurse walked by, scratched at it a little, and said, "positive." Ugh...great. This would mean Ty would need a chest x-ray. That didn’t sound like a big deal to me back home, but now that we’re here, another hoop for Ty and another situation to freak him out was not something I wanted to happen. So I looked at the test spot on his arm again, and I told Dan I refused to have an x-ray until I saw it measured 10mm or more. I wanted proof. The guide could see my mama claws coming out, so she assured me this was a process and not over yet. So we went to the next nurse who looked at it and said, "Negative." That was it! So the first nurse just looks to see if there's a reaction, which there was, but the reaction was not large enough to be TB positive. Yay!

So off we went with an extra 200RMB in our pocket (about $30) because there was no x-ray to pay for, and on to the Safari Zoo! A new guide named Becky took us, as she is familiar with the zoo. It was a 40 minute ride from the hotel. Kacie fed a giraffe! They charged 10RMB, which is about $1.75 for a branch to feed. For that experience, money well spent! The guide told Dan to hold on to her because the giraffes can pull pretty hard, and their tongues are very long…ewwwww. We also saw Pandas! Guangzhou has 5 pandas, and then they are housing 5 more pandas from the area struck by the big earthquake last year. Out of 10 pandas, the guide said to expect to see 5 to 8. We saw 9! They hope to have the five pandas back to their home zoo later this year.

We are getting into somewhat of a routine here and figuring Ty out more and more everyday. Tonight he used a spoon on his own to eat mashed potatoes and congee! He was fed by nannies at the orphanage, but I’ve been letting him “help” me feed him over the last few days. In one week, this kid has just blossomed. Here’s what we know so far:

1. He’s incredibly smart for a child who’s been in an orphanage for 2 years. He learns quickly and imitates everything, good and bad! Kacie likes to shake her head and be crazy…guess who shakes his head to be crazy too?
2. He’s very loving and cuddly. Moms and Dad, watch your girls because this kid is a flirt!
3. Food continues to be an issue, but it’s getting better. We have no idea where he is putting this food, but we are certain he’ll have a Buddha belly in no time!
4. We can see the tantrums and melt downs coming, and at times we can prevent them. The only time we can’t is in the middle of the night.
5. He can walk, but he’s pretty unsteady, but consider he didn’t walk on his own until November, and he hasn’t walked in a week! Today he started walking in the room and hallway. Toys and play area just rose to a whole new level, literally!
6. He will need speech therapy no doubt, but he tries his best to say what we say in his own way. Unfortunately, it all sounds the same, but he does try! I think we will know what he’s saying, but others won’t for quite some time.
7. Kacie and Ty are going to be two peas in a pod. He lets her pick him up, swing him around, gives her high-5s, she feeds him…bonding is happening there!
8. This is the biggest: He needs time to warm up to new people and situations. He trusts us, but not others. He’s a big time Ma ma’s boy. That was not the case 3 days ago, but now, it’s “Ma ma!” all the time.

OH, and Dan was right…the word on the street (or at least the River Room where the adoptive parents eat breakfast! LOL) is that the President of Pakistan is at our hotel. There are police boats on the river as well as the heightened security. But I guess the island is easy to keep secure, and our hotel is pretty nice and has a good reputation. Our first night here I wondered…but I can say that this hotel has been fabulous and I’m glad we are here.

Another thing I want to say is that I have felt so safe in all of our China travels. I have felt less safe in my own town than I have ever felt here. Now you might think that I am having that experience because I’m in the “nicer” areas. Partially, you are right. But I can also tell you we walked some streets back to our hotel at dusk in Nanjing, and they looked and smelled awful. But the people smiled and were happy. They swept, talked, stared, but I was never in danger. In Beijing we walked the streets also, and there were street vendors and poverty-stricken alleys. Still, totally safe.

I also had a huge revelation, thanks to Dan. I made the comment that people here could be so rude. They cut in line, don’t wait their turn, drive like maniacs, etc… Dan pointed this out to me: In a country of 1.3 BILLION people, you have to be aggressive to get to your destination, or you’re not going to get there. He is totally right and I see it clearly. No one is being rude, they just need to get where they are going. Consider that Beijing has about 15 million people, Nanjing has 6 million, and Guangzhou has 10 million. Wow! It’s a cultural difference, not a right or wrong, just different, and I understand why now.

I still can’t get over the crazy driving here, but we have seen only 2 accidents. One was a taxi in Beijing, the other was a bike rider was hit here in Guangzhou. Yesterday our driver was insane. The guide told me to just close my eyes! There are no seatbelts in our current vehicle, and Kacie just thinks that is so cool, but we don’t. Even on small side streets, you must cross very carefully. Even a street light that says “walk” doesn’t guarantee your safety. Seriously, traffic lights are only suggestions, and for buses, rules to not apply.

We are much more comfortable here in Guangzhou. Things are getting better, and we’ve seen what our family can do with Tyson. We’ve seen Tyson become happier and more comfortable everyday. Last week he screamed in his stroller. This week, he can't wait to get in! We know he’s still grieving and more rough days are to come, especially the transition home, but we’ve now seen this child open up to us and trust us. God has been our guide this entire time, and He will continue to be.

Here are pics from our day! Most are from the zoo, but one is the view from our hotel room this AM.

Pictures from Sunday

Here are some pictures from Sunday.

Sunday in Guangzhou

After a great day with Ty, the night was the worst. He moaned and groaned and cried…I think he had a fever from the shots. Motrin does wonders, but unfortunately I didn’t figure it out until 5:00am. We decided to start our day at 10:30 with our guide rather than 9:30.

Evidently, some big time government official from Pakistan is staying here at our hotel. Cordelia, our guide, warned us when we arrived that security would be heightened. It’s not a big deal, just when ever you enter the hotel, you go through check point a lot like an airport, complete with metal dectectors. Dan thinks it’s the President of Pakistan. I seriously have no idea, but I know it’s a high-ranking official because it’s a pretty good sized entourage.

The Housekeeping staff here is very professional. They come and make up your room, then another lady comes and checks to make sure it’s satisfactory. She also inspects the rooms after they are cleaned. I know this because I sat in the hallway today and typed so that Kacie could move around and sing and play while Ty and Dan napped.

We had another great breakfast, and then Cordelia took us to the Six Banyon Temple in Guangzhou, off the Shamian Island. It is a Buddist Temple, and we could have had a blessing on Tyson, but we chose not to due to our Christian beliefs. However, it was a fantastic visit from an educational and tourist standpoint. We saw a pagoda, and it was magnificent. Kacie was very interested and had many good questions. We saw many different Buddhas, Buddhist monks, people praying, and pretty much everything Buddhist. I always enjoy learning about other cultures, so from that outside standpoint, it was a great experience. It helps me understand more about my own beliefs and how grounded I truly am in my beliefs.

The biggest news of the day is that Tyson called me “Mama!” Of course it was in a stressful situation, but it’s almost like he’s reaching out to me more. We were getting out of the van, and the easiest way to do it is to have one parent get out, one stays in, and Ty walks to the parent outside the vehicle. This is the only reason he will walk. Well, I got out and Dan had him and he yelled, “Ma ma ma ma ma!” He did that twice today, and said it in other instances too. I told one family this, and they were floored! He might be small, but boy is he sharp!

I think Kacie has worn me out much more than Ty has today. She enjoyed the Six Banyon Temple, but she’s wearing out too. During Ty’s nap, I took her out shopping in the area and had a great time. I guess we weren’t gone as long as I thought we were. Ty doesn’t go down for naps quickly. I think he had playtime in his crib in the orphanage, so he thinks it’s playtime in his crib before naps and play time. He’s happy usually and doesn’t fuss too much, but it just takes awhile for him to go to sleep. So I have no idea what time he went to sleep. I had Dan stay with Ty so he could get a nap too—he needs it, as he was up with Ty a lot. I took over after 4:30 am, so I’m doing OK. So Kacie and I bought some t shirts and found Ty some “Squeaky Shoes” hoping that will make him walk more. Personally, I think they will scare him to death, but we shall see. We need to some major shopping when we get home. I have no clue what size his feet are. Maybe a 6, 7, or 8… he’s size 17 here if that means anything at all. So I have Kacie in the hallway, as she just can’t be quiet in the room. She is pretending to make music with her Yu-yo toy and fans. I think tomorrow I’ll opt for napping with Ty! She enjoys pushing the stroller, but we have to watch her because she nips people’s heels. Not good.

It is interesting to talk to other families here, some who have the same issues as us, others quite different. Sleeping is the biggest issue for all of us right now. The shopping is fun, but the shop owners are so aggressive, it does take the fun out of it, and they don’t make deals as much as I thought, but most stuff is already so cheap I don’t mind paying full price. It’s so hot, I can’t wait to get home to 70 degree weather.

We left the hotel room at about 5:15 so that Kacie could get some energy released with a trip to the park. This park is popular for babies to adults, as it has exercise equipment. In the mornings you can see people of all ages using the equipment. Kacie played on everything!

Tonight we met my friend Jackie and her husband Jeff and their son for dinner at Lucy’s. I’m sure Jackie and I will be life-long friends. I also met two other families in person that I had met on the RQ adoption forum, and that was so cool! One is even from WA! And another family that I met today from Idaho was there, as well as a family who adopted the same day as us from the same orphanage. We are all having our own celebrations and frustrations, but the support of these families is amazing. It was amazing to see us all with our children after waiting for so long. Ty did very well during dinner and even performed a little! At the very end he melted down, but it didn’t last too long.

The plan was for Kacie and Dan to go swimming, but on our way back to the hotel, it began raining with lightning and thunder, so that plan was out. But we had another great night with Ty. We played on the bed, and he has opened up to us so much. He vocalizes constantly, and I can actually hear his Chinese accent! It’s not the words that are important, it’s how he says the words. The biggest victory of the night is that he allowed Kacie to hug him and he played a little game where he would fall into her lap. Kacie is just beaming and so happy that we have turned this corner. He STILL won’t walk, but he will walk to us for hugs and to go get toys he throws across the room (watch out, the kid has an arm!).

Ty is in his crib preparing for bed. We are hoping he sleeps through the night! Please pray that his TB test comes out negative. Then we are off to the Safari Zoo to see Pandas, White Tigers, Giraffes, etc… Kacie has been so excited for this!

Thank you for your prayers and emails. In our darkest of times, it’s what has kept us going. Here are some pics from our day.

Medical Exam Day 8/22/09

After a horrible day and night, today ended up being our best day with Tyson yet!

We drug ourselves out of bed and headed down to breakfast. What a treat! A beautiful river view, lots of space, and a fantastic breakfast. Tyson hated the high chairs in Nanjing because he wanted to be held, and the high chairs there had no strap or place for legs, it was literally a “high” chair. He could easily arch his back and slide off. Here at the White Swan, all the tables have a standard high chair waiting at each table, with a place for legs and a strap! So we strapped him in, and he didn’t like it at all at first, but he got used to it. There are many other families here, and everyone is very nice and friendly. Tyson ate scrambled eggs! He loved them! He eats almost anything, but he does find things he dislikes from time to time. He still has his cold, but not as severe.

Then we met our guide, Cordelia (she’s wonderful!) and put Ty in the stroller and strapped him in. This time, he cried a little, but he stopped and it was OK! K loves pushing the stroller. The sidewalks are less crowded here…it’s just a nicer atmosphere overall compared to Nanjing. We went to have Ty’s visa photo taken. He screamed and cried! The picture is so pathetic, but it’s there.

Then…the dreaded medical visit. Tyson needed 4 vaccinations in order to enter the US. One little girl had 6! We also had the TB test and will get results on Monday. Dan is amazing. He took Ty in for his shots and TB test while I sat outside the room and cried. I knew it had to hurt both of them! I was pleased with his head circumference and height measurements, but his weight is so low. Everything looked good, but the doctor told Dan to make sure he gets lots of fluids today and rests. We can’t over-do it these next few days until the TB test is read on Monday morning.

So we walked back to the hotel and made a side stop…where else? STARBUCKS! AHHHHHHHHH…. Felt like home! The prices here are pretty cheap for food, but the drinks at Starbucks are about a dollar more than we’d pay at home. But I would have paid $10 for that drink!

I have to say, we are feeling much better today. It’s almost 4:30 here, and Tyson is having a fantastic day. We have learned so much about him and continue to “figure him out”. One thing is that he cannot be over-stimulated. If we put too many toys out, he starts throwing them. He especially likes this little truck, but I had to take the tailgate off because he could actually use those plastic little tools to take it apart! Oh, and he’s sooooo smart, he watched Dan open his crib, now guess who can do it too? Yes! So we have chairs against it, and it’s safe.

While Ty slept, I found a place to do laundry near the hotel, then Dan and Kacie took a swim in the beautiful pool. We snapped a few pics before being told no pictures—oops, missed that sign. I took Ty for a walk through the hotel and found the White Swan play room, but I decided not to go there today. We went out to the river, and he was very fascinated by all the boats and was pointing at them all.

Food will be an issue for a long time and this is very common in adoptive kids. He doesn’t know when to stop, and when the food is gone, he throws a fit. We had to explain to Kacie not to eat snacks in front of him and not to give him treats. She forgot once, and it proved our theory. I will do more research on this when we get home.

WARNING: Get tissues, this will bring tears to your eyes.
I introduced little goldfish crackers to him today. He was putting one at a time in his mouth. When he got to the last fish, he stopped and looked at it, then only ate half of it, then the other half. Then he ate Cheerios, and at first he was picking up 2-3 at at time. When the Cheerios were almost gone, he picked up one at a time, ate half of it. Then he ate half of the half! Three bites for ONE Cheerio. He was making his food last as long possible. I cry every time I think about it. At two years old, you shouldn’t be worrying about making your food last. Doesn’t that break your heart? He’ll learn soon…food isn’t an issue in the Powell house!

He is a happy little guy today. Thank you to all who have been praying. He still won’t walk (won’t, not can’t because we know he can!), but we have him playing on the floor, and if he throws his toys, he goes to get them. Huge improvements! Also, he played with Kacie’s hair and is letting her into his little world more and more. He understands “No”. I have to tell him no when he bites on his bottle or puts toys in his mouth. He just smiles and takes it down…what a little player. We also caught him in a tantrum…totally faking! Kacie tickled his neck and he started laughing. It was so nice to sit in the hotel and relax and not have a schedule.

We had dinner at an Italian restaurant, and it was good. We figured out Ty for meals now, and we gave ourselves a little credit: Most people eat out with a two year old one or two times a month, if at all. We’re doing it two to three times a day! He’s now going in his stroller with no problem.

Tonight was our best night yet! He has a little book with Elmo, and I can say “Where’s Elmo?” and he points to Elmo. He can also point to “Jie Jie” (big sister), Ba Ba (Dad) and Ma Ma. We also taught him “High Five”.

Ty is now in his crib, the room is dark, and he’s supposed to be going to sleep. Not happening, but he’s content. If I pick him up, he’ll be up til midnight. Dan just took Kacie for another swim, and I guess the pool is great at night, all lit up.

So one more tear jerker, then I’ll go. He drinks water from a sippy cup with the stopper out, and I give him formula from a cleft bottle two or three times a day. The cleft bottle is special because you can squeeze it so the fluids get into the child’s mouth easily. Today I put water in the cleft bottle to get him to drink more, and he played with the bottle more than anything, but he did hold it and I squeezed it for him. Tonight we were playing on the bed, and I had about two inches of water in my water bottle. He kept pointing to it, and I didn’t want to try having him drink from the bottle, but finally I picked up the bottle. He put it my mouth, and as I tipped it up, he squeezed it, helping me get a drink just like I help him with his bottle! Yes, I cried!

What a sweet boy. We know more rough days are ahead, but so are the good ones. He’s in his crib singing again, and I think he's actually getting louder! Lalalala, yayayaya! Praise the Lord!

A little about the pictures. Tyson is playing with his truck, bottle, and tools and just having a great time. And then, you knew it was going to happen...Kacie put Ty in her fuzzy pink socks. Actually, the air conditioning in the room is cold, so she wanted him to be warm, but they looked like bright pink Uggs on his little legs! Also, Tyson loves to have his teeth brushed! There is a picture of our hotel (we're on the 19th floor, city view) and then a picture of the river we are on, where Tyson was watching the boats.

Thank you everyone for your prayers. We were in despair last night, but once again, just when I think I can't go anymore, God shows me the way.

We made it to Guangzhou

We are here. It was a rough night, so sorry no post, but the computer didn't even come out of the bag. Tyson is having a really hard time. Please be praying for him, specifically that he will begin to understand that we are his parents and we won't let him go. Also, he is very strong willed and has attached to Dan totally--will not let Dan put him down. Last night he refused to come to me.

Our plane was late and the hotel is 40 min away. Ty had no late nap, and it was already 7:30. He did OK on the plane, and he did sit with Kacie and I part of teh time. Oh, he is letting Kacie tickle him more and more, so that is getting better. After check in, we switched rooms for a better bed set up, but I had to wait for a crib to put him to sleep. Dan and Kacie went to get dinner (subway!) and I stayed with Ty. He screamed and cried and groaned. It was so sad, and I was tired and had choice words with the housekeeping staff, who said 5 more minutes, sorry! An hour later, we got our crib. Dan walked in, Ty went to him, and he was totally calm. Dan is exhausted and running out of steam, so please pray for strength for Dan and a renewal in his spirit. Exhaustion has set in on all of us, but especially Dan.

So we were about to go to bed, adn I tried to call for a wake up call--the phone was dead! Sandwich in hand (I was starving--not caring at this point how it looked to walk through a beautiful hotel eating) and we got the phone fixed quickly.

Ty woke up a few times, and I couldn't console him, only Dan. Again, Dan is just beyond weary. It's now time to get going, yet I'm the only one up.

Today: We meet our guide at 8:40. It's Ty's medical check and TB test. It's going to be a hard day, so please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Ty cannot go swimming or have a bath or do anything stressful for the next two days, so at least we know we'll be relaxing when this is all done.

The plan is to go to dinner tonight with an adoptive family I met through an adoption forum. I am so excited! Hopefully Ty will get through it.

Jolene

The pictures are from Nanjing...

Thurs. PM - Nanjing Thunderstorm!

Well, we know where the humidity was coming from. Tyson slept for almost three hours, then after just hanging out in the hotel (then Kacie was napping) we decided to go out to go shopping and see a branch of the Yangtzee River just behind our hotel. As we were out, we could tell a thunderstorm was on the way. We just about made it back when suddenly, there was rain like I have never seen in my life. I grew up in a temperate rainforest and have seen some major storms, but nothing like this. We were totally soaked walking the 50 yards back to the hotel. Dan put his Cougars hat on Ty, so Ty stayed dry—glad that hat was finally good for something! (Sorry Coug fans…had to say it!) So as Kacie says, this was an experience! I actually had a really good laugh about the whole thing and was glad to experience it too.

We knew there was a restaurant somewhere in the hotel, and there was no way we were leaving, so we’d just have to suck it up and pay what we thought would be a high price. As we walked back to the restaurant, I could have fainted. There was an indoor connection to Burger King from our hotel! All week long I’ve went outside and around the front, and I could have just stayed inside. I guess there is something to be said for exploring your surroundings!

So we were the only table in the restaurant, and we had 4 servers totally doting over us. Ty threw his usual fit as we tried to put him in a high chair, and then one of the ladies came and held him and said something to him in Chinese, and he sat down and was very very good. Clearly, we have a huge language barrier. And dinner was amazing AND the same price if not cheaper than other dinners we had all week. We kept it basic with sweet and sour pork, rice and vegetables, noodles for K, and meat congee for Ty. Not sure where Ty put all that food, but he loved it.

Ty is skinny. His legs and face look good, but his belly…there isn’t one. He’s long enough for 2T, but 18 month shorts barely stay on. I think his cold is getting better, but he’s still got it.

We are sitting in the dark watching this magnificent lightning show from our 10th floor room. Right now he is lying in his crib and making noises we’ve never heard before. He’s babbling! We haven’t heard this from him yet! He is certainly trained that when he goes down in his crib, it’s bedtime and he doesn’t cry at night. He’s saying “La la la da la la la” So cute! We haven’t heard this! We are just trying to be quiet and listen. It’s adorable. “Oh ah!” he sings…and it’s music to my ears. I just told Dan that he doesn’t babble or vocalize, and I was worried. Not anymore! This is great! He’s singing! He’s really singing! I’m almost positive he’s speaking Chinese! Wow! He can make many sounds, consonants and vowels.

So the scoop on Ty is this: He is capable of more than he lets on. He is very smart, but also delayed due to obvious orphanage issues. I do believe he was well taken care of, I really do. He is so frustrated with the language issue, and so are we. But we know for sure, God has given us Ty for a reason. We are his parents, no matter what! Times have been tough this week, that’s for sure, but we hope better times are to come.

When we get home, we need people to understand he is in transition and not to come at him when we get home. We need to take this slow. He still screams when we change his diaper, but I did put his PJs on with no crying for the first time tonight! He shows more of his personality everyday, good and bad.

Tomorrow, we are outta here! Praise the Lord! We are headed to Guangzhou, home of the US Consulate that takes care of adoptions. We have a late check out, and we fly out around 4 and get to Nanjing around 6. I can’t wait to see all the adoptive families from the US. I am about out of battery, so I’ll post picts tomorrow. We have to turn on lights to use the power outlets, and since Ty is calm and in bed, I’m going to just keep it to words. Thanks for the prayers. They mean so much, and listening to Ty tonight was a huge answer to prayer for us. I’m glad I got to share it with you all as it was happening—and he kept talking and singing, and Kacie got out the flip camera, so we have some of it recorded! Yay Kacie! She has been amazing by the way. When you see her, tell you heard she was awesome in China, because it's true.

Thurs. AM, Nanjing

Thurs AM: I did wake up at my usual 3:00am, but I did manage to go back to sleep for a bit. I am typing this at noon as Ty is napping and D and K are swimming in the pool. We wake up at 5:30 in the morning. One exciting thing this morning was that our hotel safe broke. Thank goodness it was open! So we were late for our tour because we weren’t leaving until our passports were safely locked. I asked for a new safe—ask and ye shall receive!

We toured the Nanjing Wall today. Amazing! We went in these caves in the wall where 3,000 soldiers could fit as they hid while waiting to go to battle. Kacie enjoyed yelling and listening to the echo effect. The emperor was pretty smart: families had to give quality bricks to the project, and they had to put their family name on the brick. If it wasn’t a quality brick, he went and found them—I think he killed them. If it wasn’t 100 degrees with like 90% humidity, we’d have stayed longer, but we were all pretty miserable.

Bathrooms are crazy. Yesterday when we went into a bathroom in the mall, Kacie found the one stall with a regular toilet and said, “Western style toilet! YES!” Hilarious! She did have to use a “squatty potty” at the museum yesterday (I’m sure she’ll love that I’m saying this publicly!) and she said it was fine, but I think that’s why she had a little celebration cheer at the mall! Public bathrooms generally do not have TP. You bring your own. Sometimes there is a roll outside and you take in what you need.

Tyson still refuses to walk. We know he can, he walked the first two days, and we’ve seen him go from a laying position to a standing position, so we know he can do it. However, he refuses. I’m sure there are multiple reasons: security, safety, control, wants mom and dad to do it, likes to be held, etc… But it is killing our backs and arms. So after the Nanjing Wall, we went to this crazy store and found a cheap stoller. Well, he despises it. He screamed and cried, on and on, and judge me if you want, but we are tired and can’t carry him everywhere. The Chinese people just came and stared and pointed, very disapproving. But he will adjust.

To describe the store: Picture Ross, the store. Then picture the ceilings only 8 feet high, and there are long hallways of clothes, the kind that would drive an ADHD person to the brink of insanity. It was individual little stores only about 8 feet long and five feet deep, then a partition and another store of the same type. I compare it to Ross because it was not a store where the clothes are easily seen like the big mall near our hotel—that is more like a Western mall, except the 9 circular indoor/outdoor floors. I wanted to find Ty some clothes, but if I can be honest? The clothes were hideous. Now that is my taste and not meant to offend anyone, but really, the little creatures on the clothes creep me out. I did find him a vest and a jacket for the plane. The vest is cute, but the jacket? I’d never buy it in the states, but it zipped and had a hood…it will work.

To my mom: The ride home from Sea Tac could be a nightmare with him strapped in the car seat. Sorry in advance! I really don’t know how this plane ride will go…only 4 plane rides, one of them 12 hours. Hmmmmm….. not going there right now.

This is gross and might be too much info: Food does come through his nose. Not a lot, but it does happen. He sneezed, and chunks came out! Ewwww! Better get used to that I guess. It’s actually not a big deal, but if you plan to still continue to be our friends, please accept that this is going to happen. We’ve actually been impressed with how clean he really is! He doesn’t drool like I’ve heard some cleft kids do. I expected to go through many bibs, but so far, so good! His cold is getting better, praise the Lord. I’m so glad I brought all those medicines. We’ve used a lot of it!

Laundry is another huge issue. We are almost out of clothes, and laundry at the hotel is super expensive. I was out of clothes, so I had to send a few out. We hope to do laundry at Guangzhou. Well, we have to! We have nothing left! There is a place nearby, but yesterday the language barrier was way too much to deal with. It’s not a laundry mat like the US. You leave your laundry and they do it. If yesterday hadn’t been so hard, I might have been able to figure it out, but I was out of patience.

Well, I guess I wrote enough for this to be a post. I’ll write again tonight when Ty goes to bed. Nothing major planned for today, just staying cool.

Wednesday in Nanjing

Tyson had a more difficult day today, and so did we. I could actually see the shift last night, but today was even more so. It’s almost as if he thought he was just with us for a visit and would go back, but he is realizing he’s with us for the long haul, and he’s missing his nannies. We’ve nicknamed our children the Princess and the Emperor. I’m sure that needs no explanation.

He woke up crying and fussy. He does not like his diaper changed or his clothes changed. He’s been walking holding our hands, but today he refused to walk and wanted carried everywhere. Our backs and arms are aching—he’s tiny yes, but carrying a small toddler all day will still do a number on your back. However, we put him down in the lobby, and when he saw the breakfast eating area, he smiled and walked right to it. But for the rest of the day, he was carried. I had him in my carrier, but today was the hottest day so far, so I was dying. Dan is so sore, as he carried Ty most of the day. Tomorrow, we are buying a stroller.

Food. It’s an issue. We have had a difficult time staying with his orphanage schedule, and I think that attributes to his crying also. We have realized the following. 1. He wants his own plate or bowl. 2. He feels the need to finish everything, full or not. 3. He will flip out if there is still food on the plate and eating is done. 4. We must put a small amount on his plate at a time and refill it so he knows he can have more and feels finished when it’s gone. I was doing paperwork when Dan learned his orphanage schedule. Evidently before and after his naps (2 a day) he ate. So he didn’t have a “lunch”. So we’ve tried to fill the gaps with little snacks. So far we’ve only been able to give him one nap, just because of how our schedule has been. We try for early bed times, but that’s even difficult.

Food is also an issue for us…we are so tired of eating out. The prices are fine, it’s finding quality food that doesn’t have eyeballs that is the problem! Or mystery meat. Menus that have pictures are very helpful. But I’m so tired of Chinese food and fast food. I can’t wait to get to Guangzhou. Kacie is a picky eater at home…imagine her here. I swear, I will learn to cook when we get home. Especially vegetables. I miss bland vegetables!

We visited the Ming Dynasty Tomb Museum. Pretty cool if you like Ancient Chinese History. Nanjing is very proud of being the home of the first emperor of the Ming dynasty. Again, wishing I was teaching sixth grade again because I’d have some cool info to go along with some of the reading curriculum stories on Ancient China.

Tyson went for his first dip in a pool today. He just clung to me and never let go, but he did enjoy it! We were in for about ½ hour. We were in with another American adoptive family, and we hope to get the kiddos together tomorrow for a playdate. They have a DVD with Chinese cartoons, so we hope Ty will like that.

We’ve been calling him “Ty Ty” or “Di Di” (dee dee) which means little brother. He’s responding more and more, but even the orphanage director told us that he makes up his own mind how things are going to go and likes to make his own decisions. We clearly are seeing that.

I think you can tell by my tone, I’m tired. This was the hardest day so far. I’m tired of being stared at and I want to get to Guangzhou and meet up with more American families. Beijing was wonderful, but in province is difficult. I now see why. Two more days and we’re outta here, and I can’t wait!

Adoption Day

So many things I could talk about for today: Adoption is official, Tyson is showing more of himself—good and bad, Kacie continues to be a trooper, and Dan and I are exhausted. 3:00 am wake ups are my thing now…
Tyson slept all night. It’s sort of sad really. The last two nights I have held him til he’s almost asleep. I put him in his crib (which would never be used by anyone in the US—very sub-standard), and he cries and wails for about 10 seconds. Then it’s done, and he lays there. I lay beside him in my double bed, hard as a rock and 18 inches off the ground, and we lock eyes for about 5 seconds, then he looks around, then we lock eyes. I hold his hand through the crib, and he grabs my arm. I wonder what is going through his mind… I wanted to so badly to reach back into the crib and pick him up, but I know we all need our sleep, and this is best for now. He does take naps on the bed, but I am there to monitor it.
When I looked in Ty’s crib this morning, there he was, opposite of the way I laid him down, head up, looking around. That was about 5am. So we all got up, and my goodness, I forgot how long it takes to get ready with a two year old! All the things to remember! YIKES! We had our breakfast then quickly cleaned the room. Living out of suitcases is getting old—I can never find anything because every zip lock bag is looking the same.
Then it was off to the CAB office for the adoption. It was very easy. Our interview consisted of a few simple questions, we signed papers, gave gifts, and it was done. There were four families there. I was hoping to meet some of the nannies, but they did not come. One came yesterday, and we did get a picture with her and Ty. The director and an administrator were there, and I got to ask some questions. They were both very nice and kind and seemed to appreciate our gifts, and we explained what happened with our gift, and the director was very understanding. The director asked WHEN we would be brining Tyson back to visit. Not IF, WHEN. That caught me off guard, but we do have every intention of bringing him back, and the director said we are always welcome. In the picture, the administrator is on the left and the director is on the right.
Then we told the guide we had to go to Wal Mart. Kacie continues to be famous and have fans wherever she goes. As we were walking on the street, a little boy about age 4 came up to Kacie and slapped her in the stomach. The dad was so embarrassed and apologized over and over. We were just in shock, and of course it didn’t hurt K, but it was funny at the same time. So now I can say I’ve been to a Chinese Wal Mart, and it is nothing like ours at all. Very disconnected, and finding socks turned into a huge chore. Oh, and forget about finding a measuring cup or spoon of any kinds. Evidently, I brought over a can of formula that does not have a scoop! Doesn’t formula come with scoops? It did when K was a baby…ugh!
The rest of the day was nothing special, mostly in our room. After Ty’s nap, that’s when we really started seeing his personality. He smiles a lot, and it is beautiful. He is also quite the little Emperor! He has a temper, and he likes to throw toys—at people—so we’ll work on that. I am floating this fine line between promoting bonding and that I’m a safe person and the fact that he can’t throw toys and hurt people, so I have to take things away or say no. The last time he threw his toys, I took them away. He flung himself back and hit his head on the crib. He cried, but not too much because he knew he shouldn’t have done it—I could tell he knew. He does fling himself down when he’s mad. He will still play by Kacie, but he doesn’t like her yet. She is taking it well, thank goodness. She is still a wonderful help. He will let her put his bib on and take it off, and she can give him treats. But he won’t hold her hand or let her touch him at all. That will change, we told her to give him time. Oh, and he loves to have his teeth brushed! That was our first big smile this morning. That was a shock. Another shock was his weight. I was given VERY wrong measurements the last two times. Put it this way, in April I was told he was about 23 lbs, yet he's only 22lbs now. Hmmmmmm..... Even though he is certainly behind developmentally, Dan and I see all the potential in the world in this little guy. He is smart, there is no doubt, and he eats so much. As soon as his palate is fixed, the sky is the limit for this little guy. Right now, one step at a time.
We started Tyson on antibiotics, per doctor’s orders, so hopefully that will help him feel better. Tomorrow we are touring Nanjing in the morning, and our goal is to get Tyson back into a schedule. I’m tired, for sure! Thanks for following along, and thanks for the emails! I can’t wait for you all to meet Tyson. He’s going to melt your hearts. We love him so much already, it’s unbelievable.
Jolene

End of the Gotcha Day

You are all probably waking up to these two blog posts. I sent Lori a post with pictures as soon as Ty went down for his nap. We are now at the end of our day and getting ready for bed. We have to back to the adoption office at 8:30am for the official paperwork, and I think we are interviewed.

Today we were given all the things we ever mailed him for care packages. I don't think he ever saw any of it except the photo album. The positive of that is that I was worried I didn't have enough toys, now he has a truck with tools and some toy cars, two stuffed pandas, and his traditional Chinese outfit, so I don't have to buy another one! That worked out pretty well.

Our guide is strictly business, which makes this part really hard. She said she'd take us to Wal Mart today, and instead we ended up at some super market, and my brain was mush from getting Tyson. I'm so mad because I forgot to buy diapers. I only have enough for another day. Tyson came to us in these very bizarre socks, and of course, his socks are at home. How I forgot to pack them, I don't know. So I'm in this Chinese supermarket with a very scared and confused little boy, and I was so frustrated!

Tyson was very clingy for the first part of the day. He would only be held. If we put him down, he cried. Of course, we held him as much as he wanted. He didn't want toys, he wanted nothing to do with Kacie, only me or Dan. I laid him down slowly, and he went down for his nap. His eyes were moving non-stop. He really takes everything in, almost like he's studying it or trying to figure it out. He hates being laid down, especially for a diaper change. While he was laying down, I saw his cleft palate. I think it's pretty wide. But it doesn't stop him from eating anything and everything. I'm a little worried he's not drinking enough. I'm going to try a formula bottle tonight.

After his nap, the clinginess was even worse, and he has a pretty nasty cold and cough. He doesn't cough much, maybe only 4 or 5 times all day, but you can hear it, it's deep. We tried to hand him toys, nope, didn't want them. So we just continued to love on him and give him snacks and treats. Finally I gradually set him on the floor with Kacie and I, and Kacie and I played with the cars. Soon, he grabbed a car and started studying it. Then he had a car in each hand. Then we went for a walk, and Dan put him down, and he walked holding Dan's hand! We went to dinner, and he got soooooo excited when he saw the noodles we ordered. He had a car in his hand and he threw it down and his eyes got really big! He is a clean eater, just slow.

After dinner we walked around the shopping area--it's huge. Back in the room, Kacie and Tyson put on their Sponge Bob PJs, and they are now playing on the bed, parallel play of course (side by side), but at least he's sitting by her. One of the toys is a truck with tools, and I'm not kidding you, he is figuring out how to use the tools on the truck! I can tell just by watching him, he's a problem solver. The city is lit up at night, and Dan took him to the window and he pointed and said, "Oooh Ooooh!"

Basically, the day has gone better than I ever imagined. He is still nervous, no doubt, and it could be a rough night, but right now, I'm just basking in the happiness, watching Kacie and Tyson playing on the bed as he looks back at me to see what I'm doing. He's a very sweet little boy. As Dan says, "He's so awesome!" God sent us halfway around the world to love this little boy, and that's what we're doing. OK, I need to go play with my son!

We have Tyson!!!

We Have Tyson!

And he’s wonderful. He’s a scared little boy, but he is doing well overall, however, he seems to have a cold and I think it’s in his chest. Please be praying for that. I’m contacting doctors in the US to see what meds should be the course of action. I was given traditional Chinese Medicine from the orphanage, not sure how far to go with that.

We went to the adoption office this morning, and we were a little early. When they pulled up, we saw him coming from the window. When they came in, the nanny handed him right over to Dan first. Then I held him. Wow! Amazing is all I can say. We told him Mama and Baba, and the nanny got him to say Ma once! Here’s what we know so far: He likes Dan better. It’s normal for children to attach to one parent over the other. Fortunately, he does like me too. But after we came back to the hotel, I had to go exchange a zillion dollars (it felt like it!) into Yuan, which probably is a zillion dollars, and that took about 1/2 hour. We went to the store and Dan tried to put him down to walk, and Tyson put his arms out and stepped to Dan and let out a little cry. If Dan give him to me, he cries, but he stops pretty quickly. He has the cutest cry! I won’t be saying that at 2am I’m sure, but he is just very cute. He makes good eye contact, lets us feed him, and feeds himself with his fingers. He is napping now, but he cried when we tried to lay him down. However, it was way past nap time, so I just cuddled him and he relaxed, and now he's asleep. Dan and Kacie went shopping.

Kacie has been amazing. She took many pictures and is filling the roll of big sister well. She loves to carry the bag (remember the silk purse I bought? It’s now a diaper bag!) and helps me stock it up.

He’s down for a nap, so I need to be too. Here are some pictures! Thank you for all of your prayers. Please continue to pray that the TB test will be negative. We are so blessed, so in love, and so amazed by the goodness of God. Your prayers have meant so much. Our Gotcha Day was/is wonderful. He haven't seen his personality yet, but I'm sure we will soon. God bless everyone back home, and thank you so much for the emails. It helps so much!

Beijing to Nanjing

From Beijing to Nanjing

Today was not what I’d call great, but it ended well. I woke up at 3 am, and then woke everyone else up. We left our hotel at 11:30, and I got very teary eyed. I really love Beijing, and I know for a fact, we will come back someday. We really connected with our guide, especially Kacie.

We arrived at the airport, and we checked our luggage. I then had to go back to open one of my suitcases. Our gift to the orphanage director was a very nice zippo lighter with a Seattle Mariner’s emblem. I had seen that other parents had used this idea, and when I found one with a Mariner’s logo, I thought it was perfect. You know where this is going….lighters are not allowed on domestic flights in China. I had to leave the lighter with our guide. I then had no main gift for the director, only candy and post cards that went with the lighter as just side gifts. I was mortified. But, we were supposed to leave at 2:10 and land in Nanjing at 3:50—plenty of time to get something somewhere. We had lunch at the airport. I’m already tired of Chinese food. Would you believe that’s about all they have here? Seriously….I don’t mind Chinese food, but for every meal everyday? Not my thing.

We walked to the gate and saw that our flight was delayed. It was to leave at 2:50. No big deal, we sort of expected it. We boarded at 3:00. We sat and sat, then it was announced we had to wait another 40 minutes. An HOUR later, we were still sitting on the plane. Then another announcement, this time no English translation, but from the reaction of the people on board, we knew it was bad. A flight attendant explained there would still be a delay and no departure time. A man in a pink shirt was very angry and tried to get off the plane. Lots of drama. Long story short, we left Beijing at 5:40pm. We sat on the plan for 2 hrs 40 min, and the flight was only 1 hr 30 min.

We finally made it to Nanjing at 7:10pm, 3.5 hours late. Our guide was here waiting, as well as a driver. It was a 30 min ride to our hotel, The Mandarin Garden. Nanjing is very lively. Oh, and it’s HOTTER and MORE HUMID than Beijing! So at night everyone is out. There are lots of lights and lots of stores near our hotel. We were hungry and tired. And then the heavens parted….There is a Burger King right by our hotel! Praise the Lord! Kacie and I high-fived—American Food! And there’s KFC and Haggen Daas right next door. YES!

We walked into our hotel room, and guess what was set up? A crib! I have no pictures really to post from today, and I’m too tired to go through them anyway. It’s almost 9:30, and it’s been a long day. We don’t need our gifts until Tuesday, and the new guide said she will work it out. Praise God, again!

So here’s what you want to know: We get Tyson tomorrow (Monday) at 10:30 am! That will be 7:30pm Sunday night for you. After we get him, we will go to a store to get supplies for Tyson, like diapers, bottled water, etc… It will be a busy day. Please be praying for us. We are nervous, excited, exhausted, you name it.

Pictures tomorrow, promise!!!
Jolene

Random Thoughts

So I slept til 3am, better than 1am! I know my posts have been pretty much on what we've done. Since I'm up, I thought I'd share a few China stories.

First, you never pay full price here. You need to bargain. I am going to invest in a small calculator in Nanjing, as it will help with negotiating when you can't speak the language. We know we'll do more of that in Guangzhou.

Language: Well, sometimes it's an issue, sometimes it's not. I'm sure I've been a "dumb foreigner" more than once. I went to my locker to go swimming, and when I opened it, there was a pair of sandals. I took them to the desk, thinking someone left them. I got out to the pool and realized I was supposed to be wearing them! My ELL background is helping, as working with students who don't speak English, we try whatever we can to communicate: body language, pointing at objects, acting out, drawing, etc... Most people here speak some English, but many don't. We had a waiter one night, and we asked if Sprite came in a can (you don't drink fountain drinks) . He knew what sprite was, but couldn't understand our question, so he went and got a new waiter, and he understood our question. The Chinese have been more than willing to help us. The money is called Yuan (yu-on is the pronunciation). One night I kept saying "yu-yon" and they looked at me funny, and I was getting so frustrated, then one said, "Yu=on" and then I realized I had mispronounced it! I laughed, and so did they.

On our way to the acrobat show, our driver, who could win NASCAR, was frustrated with a back up, but knew a parking lot short cut. We flew through there and came out on the other corner of the block, by passing 2 stoplights. She's so awesome! We were laughing, and Kacie asked what was so funny. We told her that the driver saved us 20 minutes by cutting through teh bank parking lot. Quickly and without missing a beat Kacie says from the back of the van, "xie xie" (sheh shyeh) which is "thank you!" The driver thought that was pretty cute. The driver does not speak English.

We get a lot of stares here with Kacie. She was a rockstar again on the Great Wall with people asking for pictures. Some people try to stare usually nonchalantly, while others walk by and turn their heads and look. We hear it will be worse in Nanjing.

We have yet to meet any Americans. At breakfast, no Americans, but they play American music! Slow songs of course, but it's the Dixie Chicks, Mariah Carey, etc... that cracks me up for some reason. Then before the Acrobat Show, more American music!

People use umbrellas here to keep their skin light. Even through the smog, you can get a sun burn. When we went to Tiananmen Square, there were these ridiculous long lines and umbrella after umbrella. As it turns out, they were lined up to see Mao's body in a crystalized coffin. I was totally OK skipping that part.

Kacie was getting very tired and antsy last night, and she was asleep by 7:30. She has been a little trooper! We still have to remind her, "Don't run in the hotel," but she's doing well. However, we are worried for next week with Tyson. It will be exciting, yet hard on all of us. Plus, it's raining all week in Nanjing==lots of indoor time.

Here are a few more pics, one of Kacie and I on the plane on the way over while, another in our hotel room. Our hotel is the Wangfujing Grand. The traffic picture is from a freeway overpass near the Olympic Games Park.

And I couldn't resist adding a picture of the Yao Ming statue.

OK, my family is now awake, Dan tormenting Kacie as usual. She's a daddy's girl, no doubt! Thanks for reading and emailing. It's so nice!

Jolene