Day 16 - Visa Photo & Medical Check

Day 16 – Visa photo, Medical check, 5 shots, Cow & Bridge Restaurant (short version)
~Great breakfast
~Visa photo
~Medical Check
~5 shots, one little baby!
~Very sad Butterfly
~Adverse Reaction to shots
~Dinner, Thai

Day 16 – Visa photo, Medical check, 5 shots, Cow & Bridge Restaurant (long version)
After getting in so late last night, we were hoping that we could get a couple extra minutes of shut-eye, but we had a morning appointment for the Butterfly’s visa photo, so we had to get up nice and early. We did make it down though, for the buffet breakfast the hotel serves. The breakfast is huge, again offering both western and Chinese favorites, with the best French toast every morning.


Following breakfast we and several other families met the Holt representative in the lobby. This is really the first glimpse that we have had of everyone else’s children, and boy are they adorable. Eventually we made our way over to the visa photo place where we were moved through rather quickly. One person takes the photo while another one is on the computer quickly altering the digital images to whiten the background so that they will pass the official inspection from the visa officials.




When everyone was finished with they visa photos, we all headed over to the international medical clinic to have the children checked by doctors for any other medical problems. There are three different stations the children go through, the height, weight, and temperature section, the medical history and all over check section, and the hearing, vision, sensory perception, and ENT section. The Butterfly sailed through each station with flying colors, keeping a smile on her face most of the time throughout the process (she was a bit fussy, but only because she was being poked and prodded here and there).





We waited a while after the medical check was completed because it was determined that the baby Butterfly needed some shots before she would be able to come home with us because she is what is called a “Hague” baby… a baby who is under the I-800 system. When we were here the last time with the Ladybug, she was under the old I-600 system and immigrant children who were adopted internationally were waived of needed shots to enter the United States. Unfortunately, when the powers that be reworked the law which became “Hague,” they accidentally left out that clause and now all of the children are forced to get several shots before they can step on U.S. soil. Many adoptive parents are upset about this and have been contacting their legislators to have that portion of the law changed to the way it was, but change takes time, so we did have to get some shots.


Most children need somewhere around three to eight shots. Unfortunately, the baby Butterfly needed to have five. However, because she is under two years old she didn’t need to get a TB test, which is required for all children over two years of age. Apparently one child in our group missed that cut-off by one day. Poor thing. I was prepared for the extra stress involved with this new “Hague” process and knew what to expect. However, many families did not know about this new law and were very upset about the additional stress and expense that the shots bring.




While we waited, daddy did his best to keep the baby occupied and entertained. She was actually enjoying herself, completely unaware that she was going to be poked by five different needles. When her name was called we walked into the room. I asked for the boxes that the serums came in (a suggestion by another adoptive mother) so that I could take the information back to our pediatrician so that she won’t have to receive a double dose of any vaccines. The nurses prepped the baby’s shoulders and legs with alcohol swabs while daddy held her tight, keeping her laughing throughout the preparation process. Then… it began. The nurses moved at lightening speed from one area to the next, first her left shoulder, then her left leg, then her right leg twice, and finally her right shoulder. The Butterfly had no clue what was happening when the nurses started, but she quickly realized that she was going to be receiving a lot of pain. She screamed with that first shot of pain as tears rolled down her face. She was terrified and her new parents could do very little to comfort her. We don’t know her language and we were holding her down allowing the pain to happen. Definitely not an event which allows for a good bonding experience between child and parents.




As quickly as it started, the shots were competed. Daddy quickly whisked her away out of the room and gave her a bottle which I had sneakily prepared beforehand. Note to all adoptive parents who need to go through this, make sure you have a warm bottle ready, it really helps. The Butterfly took the bottle and calmed down quickly, with tears still in her eyes. It was still a difficult moment for all of us because the trust that we had built over the last few days between us was lessened by these silly shots.


We stayed at the clinic for about thirty minutes where the baby was monitored for any adverse reactions. She did have a slight reaction at the sight of her first shot, a little swelling and redness. The nurses looked at it, pushed at the site to disperse the vaccine more throughout the leg. Unfortunately, with the tenderness of the area, the baby started crying again. Eventually a doctor saw the baby and determined that she would be just fine, but informed us to watch the site for any further swelling or redness. Fortunately there was none, and within a few hours the redness was gone all together.

Daddy, the Ladybug, the Butterfly and I wandered around a bit after the medical check. We looked at the architecture of the island, very French colonial and beautiful. We passed by several ladies and married couples who were being photographed. It seems that Shaiman Island (where the White Swan Hotel is located) is a frequented place by locals for photography, especially glamour and wedding. It does seem the perfect place since the architecture is so vastly different from the rest of China.


After wandering and then resting a little bit, we decided to go to dinner with some other families. The place of choice… The Cow and Bridge Restaurant, which specialized in Thai cuisine. We all ordered a few different dishes and shared with each other. The food was wonderful. My favorite is always the Pad Thai. The Butterfly loved the rice and some noodles. She even started making some silly faces, something similar to what we call the Ladybug’s Klingon face. It seemed that despite the trauma of the shots from earlier in the day, she was still bonding and enjoying her time with her new family.



We eventually came back to the room and enjoyed the view of the river from the 25th floor. Wow, the lights around the river are spectacular at night with buildings surrounding the river lighting up with various colors, as well as boats that travel the river doing the same. Even the bridge is in of the fun providing a laser light show throughout the evening. Lots of fun to see, especially after a rather stressful day for all of us.



Shopping for jade and pearls tomorrow!

~~Aloha!

Day 15 - Packing, Thoughts on Guizhou, Flight to Guangzhou

Day 15 – Packing, Thoughts on Guizhou, Flight to Guangzhou (short version)
~Restful morning
~Packed
~Bear attacked by plastic
~Beautiful Guizhou
~Walmart from above
~Flight to Guangzhou
~At the White Swan

Day 15 – Packing, Thoughts on Guizhou, Flight to Guangzhou (long version)
Our flight today didn’t leave until around 6:30 p.m., so that left us with all morning and a part of the afternoon to eat a nice casual breakfast, relax a bit, and pack. This is so much better than waking up before the “butt-crack” of dawn to get to the next place… especially with a four and one year old in tow.

A good portion of the late morning and early afternoon was spent packing. What posed a huge challenge for us was the gigantic bear that the Ladybug received from her foster mother. Because of the importance of the bear and the person who gave it to her we really didn’t want to part with it. But, because of its cumbersome size, packing it really did pose a problem. So, we pondered and pondered what to do. Fortunately, our friends Mindy and Allen said that they had an extra SpaceBag plastic bag that they would be willing to give us. We jumped at the chance to possibly get the bear home and took them up on their offer (thanks!).


My husband was the first to try packing the bear in the bag. He gave up pretty quickly, commenting that the only thing that fit in the bag was the bear’s head. Hmmm, what to do now? I was a bit more determined, after all, the bear was not very heavy and would probably “squoosh” down easily. So, I stuffed and stuffed and stuffed that bear until I actually got the whole bear into the bag. However, the next obstacle was getting and keeping the bag sealed. Fortunately, I brought duct tape (duct tape was suggested by other adoptive families to bring and I am so glad that I listened). We pressed all of the air out that we could, then taped the top and bottom shut. Amazingly enough, we were able to get the entire bear in the bag and keep it there. We now just hope that TSA doesn’t get curious because opening that bag will be like opening one of those cans with the snakes in it… they just burst out everywhere. I would hate to see the TSA’s reaction to that one!




I do have some last thoughts on where we stayed in the wonderful province of Guizhou, the province where both of my daughters were born. Guizhou is absolutely beautifully, the people are amazing, and the food is delicious… and nice and spicy. We stayed at the best hotel that I have ever stayed at in my life, The Sheraton Guiyang. The hotel staff is wonderful and caring, and are eager to take care of our every need. Even the hotel general manager, Kamal, talked with us every day to find out if there was anything else he could do, or asked how our day went, or to just chat a bit. He was very nice and seemed to truly care about what we thought of his hotel. Please, if you get the chance to go to Guiyang, Guizhou, stay at the Sheraton… you will not be disappointed. He truly made our stay that much better (by the way, we were only staying in a standard room, not one of the upscale rooms, so if he treats us “normal” people this way you can see why I was very impressed). The staff also put us in adjoining rooms that, rather smartly, do not sit next to any other rooms (we were in 2717 & 2718). With the Butterfly crying as much as she did those first couple days, not having anyone on either side of us was a blessing. Someone was really thinking ahead with that set-up.



The hotel sits on the river that runs through the city with gorgeous views on all sides. There is a WalMart that sits across the street, just perfect for new parents who realize too late that they need more diapers or formula. The WalMart though, sits completely underground with a park, gathering area on top. Each night the area above WalMart is abuzz with people enjoying the cooler temperatures, mingling with each other. Honestly, WalMart did a great thing for the environment by building their store where they did… underground. People are still able to use the space for pleasure and the grass, trees, and bushes create some much needed oxygen in a bustling city. Way to go!




We eventually made it to the airport and had to say goodbye to our wonderful guide and driver. They were both so wonderful with all of us and I cannot imagine our trip without them. The Ladybug became very fond of both of them, eventually calling the guide, “Uncle Jonathon.” They will dearly be missed.



Our flight to Guangzhou was fairly uneventful. But, this time we had the Butterfly with us… her first flight. She did fairly well throughout the flight, but was a bit whiney at times (I am not complaining, just explaining her state throughout the flight). She moved back and forth between my husband and I the entire time which helped to alleviate her frustration. We are hoping that she sleeps nicely on the flight home. Fortunately that one leaves around 9:30 p.m., so we plan to tire her out just hoping to make her sleep.




Once on the ground, a Holt representative picked us up and transferred us and a few other families, some familiar faces included, to the White Swan Hotel. We checked into our room, an adjoining suite with a sitting room (same type of room we had last time we were here), and are now off to bed.



Tomorrow is the day that I am really not looking forward to. The Butterfly has her medical check and possibly (likely) will be getting some shots. Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes well.

~~Aloha!

Day 14 – Waterfall and a Han Village

Day 14 – Waterfall and Han village (short version)
~Hopped in a van for 2 hour drive to waterfall
~Drove past the Butterfly's village
~Hiked to waterfall
~Bought the Bug a rain poncho
~Got DRENCHED!
~Hiked behind the waterfall
~Longest escalator ever!
~Visited a Han village
~Drank ginger tea
~Ladies gathered around my husband
~Watched a mask opera

Day 14 – Waterfall and Han village (long version)
When we found out that we would be returning to Guizhou for our second adoption, I wanted to see if there were other places that we could visit that we didn’t get the opportunity to see the first time we were here. The famous Huangguoshu Waterfall is just one of those places. I had heard so many wonderful things about the waterfall from other adoptive families, so I just knew that it would be a special place to visit that would leave a lasting memory.

The two days prior to our tour of the waterfall our guide Jonathon kept asking us if we really wanted to go. Apparently it takes 2 – 2.5 hours to drive to there from Guiyang. But, I had my heart set on the trip so we decided to go (with a little coaxing from me!). Even on our drive there my mother asked, “Is there anything else besides the waterfall that we will see? After all, it really is a long drive, especially with a new baby.” Well, I am so glad that we made the journey. The waterfall happens to be the largest waterfall in China and the 4th largest waterfall in the world. It is a place where many Chinese people visit each year because of how spectacular it is.


To get to the waterfall we have to drive through Guiyang and make it to the highway, which by all accounts is totally different from the city streets. Hardly anyone drives on the highway, so we just sailed our way there. However, on our drive there we passed a very important sign, the exit sign to the Butterfly’s small town, Liuzhi. I realize that it is just a sign, but it is another link to our daughter’s past that we would not have had if we didn’t make this journey to the waterfall. I did take some photos of it for prosperity as we were traveling by in the van.


Once we made it to the park, we started hiking down the mountain. What was funny though was that at every turn people kept trying to offer us raincoats and umbrellas. Fortunately we did bring our own umbrellas, just in case it rained, but why in the world would we need plastic raincoats? Little did I know.





The path we followed meandered through some lush, green trees which reminded me a lot of tropical Hawaii. The area was gorgeous, and the trees offered us a slight breeze and shade from the hot sun. Eventually we made it far enough through the trees to finally see the waterfall. It was absolutely beautiful, spectacular. But, we were so far away I could not get a good perspective of how large it was. Eventually we made our way to a ledge where, again, we were offered plastic raincoats. Jonathon suggested that we get one for the Ladybug, which we did. Probably should have bought one for all of us!




It was right at that last point where the mist from the waterfall and the winds from the valley below started picking up and we started getting drenched. We used our umbrellas to shield us from a lot of the “rain,” but we still got drenched in the process. When I say drenched, I mean it. My pants were completely soaked. Honestly, almost every part of my clothing was soaked right through. We were laughing so hard by this time, and enjoying every minute of us “taking a second shower” of the day.




We continued to follow the path which eventually took us to the side of the waterfall, and then behind the waterfall. We meandered through some caves where water dripped from above, and the waterfall spilled down beside us. It was so amazing to see such beauty, and from a vantage point that is so unique when viewing a waterfall. By the time that we made our way through the back of the falls, we were completely drenched (yup, even more so than before), but all of us were laughing, the baby Butterfly included. I looked at my mother at this point and asked, “Is this much more than you were expecting?” She replied, “This is amazing, and so much more than I expected! I am so glad we came.”



We followed the path further, across a bridge and back toward the base of the mountain. There we took an escalator back to the top. Now, this was no ordinary escalator. It seemed like the longest escalator in the world. It must have ascended over 30 stories. I sure was nice to relax on it though, because hiking back up to the top would have been exhausting. Once at the top we drove to a nice hotel and enjoyed lunch, and again, some amazing food.





Following lunch we visited an authentic Han village. It was like stepping back in time as we wandered the streets of this village. The people were so sincere and loved having us visit them. There were quite a few people sitting outside their houses, hand-making shoes to sell, and embroidering fabric. We walked by one person who was making a huge vat of tea to share with her friends and passersby. We were offered some to drink and it was delicious. It was a type of ginger tea that was so good and soothing.


At one point we passed a group of girls playing in the town stream. They were so innocent and playful. In the heat, splashing in the trickling water of the stream seemed to be the best way to cool off. Even further along the path we were traveling, my husband came upon some young ladies who took a fancy to our little girls. Even though they could not communicate verbally, everyone enjoyed “talking” with one another. At one point my mother pulled out some gummy candy for one of the girls in the group (throughout this trip she has carried lots of treats to give to little ones, just to break the ice… it totally works!). Everyone huddled around and enjoyed the candy with smiles from ear to ear.




Further into the village we were treated to a special “Han Face Mask Opera.” They performed a beautiful dance that told a story, with elaborate masks. For the Ladybug the masks were very scary so she latched onto daddy and buried her head into his chest. The Butterfly on the other hand seemed quite intrigued and watched the entire performance with great interest. After the performance we made our way out of the village and back to Guiyang.






Eventually we stopped at a wonderful store that specializes in province-specific items. I was able to purchase some beautiful keepsakes for the girls that will always remind them of their birthplace, Guizhou. It was bittersweet walking through the store because I knew that we would soon be leaving Guizhou. I have thoroughly loved my stay here and will miss it dearly.



On our way back to the hotel we came across a common site on China’s roads… large, ancient looking, hand-pulled wagons that carry various items. Today, in the middle of rush hour traffic, while waiting at a stop light, a wagon carrying what looked like tree trunks, made its way through the crazy traffic. Now, in America we would never see 21st century vehicles on the same roads with wagons that look like they are a few hundred years old, but in China we have seen that every single day. It really is a site, and one that I will miss when we leave.


Tomorrow we will be leaving Guizhou, heading off to Guangzhou and the White Swan Hotel. Still have a lot of packing to do. Until then…

~~Aloha!