Crib and the Red Couch

Poor Ellie had to have another doctor's visit today. We took her to the Western Clinic in Guangzhou because Karen found a suspicious-looking lump in her lower abdomen, one that kept going away and coming back. Karen and Jocelyn guessed "hernia" and the American-trained doctor at the clinic agreed. We're told it's not a serious condition. Ellie will have to have outpatient surgery to correct it, which we'll arrange after we get back Stateside. It doesn't give her any trouble. She is still running a low fever from her infection, but it doesn't damp her spirits at all. In fact she was especially playful today just before bedtime.

Karen suggests that Ellie is just trying to one-up Tori (who had to have surgery soon after coming home to remove her epidemial inclusion cyst ... "hernia" is easier to say.)

One of Shamian Island's traditions among adoptive families is Lucy's, an American-menu restaurant with outdoor seating about a block from the White Swan. We have now been to Lucy's twice, not so much for the American menu but because it is convenient; and we have met fellow-travellers each time. Another White Swan tradition is the "Red Couch Photo," taken on one of a set of red couches near the bird cages on the hotel's second floor. Ellie does not approve of the Red Couch Photo. (She is not alone in that.)

The White Swan hotel is heavily occupied by Chinese babies with American parents. In fact there are a few parents of other nationalities, but Americans form a large and conspicous majority -- or seem to do so, anyway. We wander all over Shamian Island, carrying babies or pushing strollers -- the former, in Ellie's case. The island happens to be a "tourist" spot even for the local Chinese, who are also seen carrying cameras and shooting photos of everything. It is a favorite site for wedding pictures, due to the elegant European architecture, the very many beautiful old trees, the life-size and very life-like bronze statues that show Eastern and Western inhabitants through the centuries, the park along the Pearl River and the park in the island's central boulevard. We have run into a few families that we met in Hong Kong, who went to Nanning for their adoptions, and we have made friends with a few other families that we bump into at the hotel, then meet again elsewhere on the island.

One of the pictures in this set shows Tom holding another Eleanor. This older Ellie (four) was adopted from Jiangxi two years ago, and came back with her family for their second adoption, of a three-year-old little sister, Mae, also from Jiangxi. "Big" Ellie shows up in many of the other picture sets, if you care to go through them and hunt for her...

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.