Doctors, Papers, Shopping, and Ma-Ma

Today we had our little one's medical exam. She LOVED it (not!) We had a minor fuss over her infection but got through it with Jocelyn's help, interpreting.

Tom spent most of the afternoon completing final paperwork, while Mommie and Ellie went shopping. They did more browsing than actual shopping, but the week is still young...

We had dinner at Lucy's, including the first glass of white wine we've seen this trip. But the real highlight of dinner was Ellie looking at Karen and saying: "Ma-Ma!"

We don't know whether she was speaking English or Chinese. Doesn't matter! She meant it, either way!

Toddler Convalescense

Ellie was much better today. Her fever is down and she is as active as she was before getting sick. To the matter of antibiotics, vitamins, and suchlike, she decided to put her foot down -- but she discovered that when Ellie puts her foot down, Mommie does, too. Once she got past the shock of that she did pretty well.

This was a "non-business" day. We slept in pretty late and were barely in time for breakfast, but we made it OK. Ellie had a little more appetite. After breakfast we visited one of the most popular Buddhist temples in South China, and because today was the first day of the lunar month, it was crowded and very noisy -- quite a contrast to the other temple we visited. People were lighting incense and praying in all directions, unbothered by everyone else moving back and forth. I tossed a coin at an incenses burner for luck (successfully) and Karen took Jocelyn's invitation to light some incense. All the babies were blessed by a Buddhist monk at a short but fairly elaborate ceremony, which we got on video. After the temple, we visited an ancestral art preserve of the Chen family. Ellie blew up a bit there, mostly from fatigue, and Karen had to carry her out; but she calmed down before we got quite outside. We waited in the courtyard for everyone else, playing with leaves and blossoms under a tree, and taking a few more minutes of video. Because our guide, Jocelyn, thought we had gone back to the bus, the whole group walked right past us while we were watching the wrong gate! But we were easy to find when Jocelyn came back for us.

Guangzhou is about six times the population of Nanchang -- fifth largest city in the world, so Jocelyn says; thirteen million people -- but it does not feel nearly as crowded, and is not as bustling, as Nanchang. People saunter here, not rush. Our hotel is in a particularly quiet and pleasant quarter, on a man-made island, Shamian Island, in the Pearl River. The weather is mild and warm, and it's a fine thing to wander the streets by day or night. At a park by the river Karen and I were approached by some schoolchidren, out with their teachers, assigned to find Americans (I suppose) and practice their English. They collected signatures to show how many people they had greeted.

We had a nice dinner at a Thai restaurant followed by ice cream at a little deli, then sat outside talking until the babies' bedtime. Ellie didn't think much of the ice cream.

Tomorrow (ironically) is Ellie's official medical exam. Karen does not expect any problems. Apart from her usual depression upon awakening from sleep or a nap (Ellie, not Karen) and occasional wariness, our little girl is in good spirit.

In Guangzhou

Nanchang is left behind and we've landed safely in Guangzhou, at the White Swan hotel ... Technical trouble with the computer here is preventing upload of any pictures, but we haven't many pictures anyway following a day of travel.

Ellie, I'm sorry to have to report, is not feeling well. She has been struggling with teething all week -- molars -- and now she's developed an infection in her throat. She was running a pretty high fever, and having shivering fits. So we've seen a doctor here, and she is on antibiotics, Tylenol and vitamins. She's still in pretty good spirits, although I think a bit confused at having moved to yet another different place, and of course very tired. Apart from refusing to wear a seatbelt she did well on the flight from Nanchang. She seems to like the new hotel room but doesn't like her "new" crib.

Tomorrow is another "rest" day. There is a tour of Guangzhou scheduled, but depending on how Ellie feels we may simply hang around near the hotel.

Ni Hao!

Toddlers and Teng Wang

Today the two-year-old emerged. Full force, full-fledged, tearing loose from her depression coccoon and tearing loose everything else in reach, too. It started with breakfast, where she made a lavish mess of her meal and Karen's, capped with a broken plate. In our room she tossed her toys in all directions except the ones where Karen or I happened to be sitting. She threw an imperial fit when Karen grew tired of carrying her and I had to take over ... Karen reached her famous "I'm done" point when Cheerios were spilled all over the restaurant floor. That was only at lunch. Of course she hasn't done any of this stuff for the camera, so not much of it shows in the pictures. We get the toddler; all of you get "cute."

If you recall from other parts of this site or the introductory e-mail the description of Ellie provided by her orphanage, you may remember "obstinate." We have seen "obstinate." We've also seen "active," "playful," -- I believe I can add "cunning" -- and we've seen the famous smile. She is talking more -- only babbling, but doubtless it is "talking" to her. She is breaking away from Karen from time to time to look about herself. She is still screaming when I pick her up in public, and fussing when I pick her up in private, but she mugs with me freely the rest of the time, playing and giggling and sharing food. Thanks for your concern, everybody, but it's not a problem -- Tori was the same way at first.

A double shot of pictures this time, to satiate the complainers. In fact I have gone back and added more 'tourist' pictures to three other posts -- I won't tell you which ones; you have to hunt for them. Today we played 'tourist' again, visiting the famous Teng Wang Pavilion: a palace, I suppose is the closest equivalent, built by a semi-exiled emperor's offspring who was unsatisfactory as a warlord but a great patron of the arts. The building is a symbol of Nanchang City and an architectural treasure (although it has been rebuilt several times, our guide tells us.) Carol will remember much about it, I'm sure. The "laughing Buddha" laughs no more, Carol; the statue remains but there is no more tossing coins to it. Ellie was fascinated by the gift shop. We saw performances of Chinese song and dance, including a stirring rendition of "Oh Susannah" produced for our benefit on ancient instruments. On the way out, we encountered a rarity, for Nanchang: an elderly Chinese gentleman and his lady, who spoke very good English. They congratulated us on Ellie and thanked us for adopting her.

Good news: Ellie's passport arrived, a whole day early! So that minor worry is set aside. Tomorrow is our last day in Nanchang; we will shop for porcelain, and probably go out to the countryside. Then we will need to pack and prepare for early departure, for Guangzhou, on Saturday. So there may be no post tomorrow!

My cold is fine, thanks to those who asked. A couple days of treatment took care of it.

People's Park

Nanchang is not a tourist city, so we're told. (No more is Cleveland.) But we pretended to be tourists today. We visited People's Park: a collection of gardens, pathways, play and exercise areas, etc. decorated with pagodas and some fascinating rock formations. Ellie didn't show any interest in the play equipment. As a matter of fact most of it was being used by elderly people to exercise. Kind of an odd thing - in a park like People's Park back home there would be ducks.

This afternoon while taking a walk we visited a grocery. We bought a bottle of wine, cookies, some hard candy, lemon Tang, a couple of oranges, and one or two other things that we thought we needed. We didn't buy a corkscrew. Tom went back for one. Then he spent a goodly time wrestling with the cork, but got it out finally, and we toasted Ellie in Chinese wolfbery wine. The wine was vile.

Ellie continues to fuss volubly if I try to hold her, and she's still clinging to Karen. Karen and I are beginning to wonder whether some of this behavior is manipulative. But if it is, we figure it's better to err on the side of spoiling her for now.

She is becoming more playful. Today she played throw-the-ball with Karen in the hotel room, and played another game with both of us
that involved picking up random items and handing them around. She's also "talking" a bit more.

Third Day

Click on the image to the left to view the (rather lengthy) slideshow...

Apart from a brief medical exam in the afternoon, today was a "rest" day, while we wait for passports to be processed. We and another family went after breakfast to visit a Buddhist temple, Shengjin, just behind the hotel. On a little market alley between the hotel and the temple we found ourselves surrounded by a few dozen curious and very happy Chinese, who would not let us pass because they wanted to see the children and talk about them. After a while Karen asked for directions to the temple gate; then they let us go through. Everywhere, people smile when they see us; we get quite a few "thumbs up" signals.

Today was a cling-to-Mommy day for Ellie. She barely tolerated me. At the end of the day she relented a bit and we had a tickle fest just before her bedtime. At breakfast, we tried to make her sit in a high chair -- and found out that she can really scream. To visit the temple, we did make her sit in a stroller. Karen had to walk beside the stroller, holding Ellie's hand. When we went shopping in the afternoon we left the stroller home and Ellie walked along very well with Karen and (sometimes) with me. When the families had dinner together, she did sit in a high chair without fuss, but it was a non-seat-belted high chair. You may notice in a couple of pictures that she's starting to smile here and there.

Thanks for the comments some of you have left -- it's great to have some idea who has been visiting! -- and for your good wishes and prayers. We are all doing very well. Mark and Tori, if you are reading this, Mom misses you and sends her love! And that goes for me, too. We are telling Ellie all about both of you. Tori, you should know that your little sister does not like to be held upside down!