We're Home

Again apologies for posting so late. After three plane rides, leaving late out of Guangzhou, racing to get on our Hong Kong flight for 13 hours and then again lagging through customs, racing to get on our Chicago flight and finally getting into Manchester airport at 8:15pm on Saturday night, it goes without saying, we are glad to be home!

Of course, mom smuggled in a Chinese apple through customs and I was the one that got caught with it. While she was getting the luggage, I was standing by our carry on's and the cutest little beagle dog came up to us, and start scratching at mom's carry on bag (her new large coach bag of course!). The agricultural officer asked if I had any food in the bag. I said of course, bagels, oreos, skittles, potato chips and continued to rattle off our bag of goodies. She asked if we had any fruit or meats, of course not, why would I have any healthy food! Then, she stuck her hand in and pulled out an apple! Big No No! You can't bring fruit into the US because of bugs and disease. So, they made a big mark on our customs forms.

After getting our luggage, we had to go to immigration, which is now a new process. We had to give our paperwork along with everyone else and then take a seat. TAKE A SEAT, I THOUGHT, we have another flight to make. One by one they did everyone's paperwork and we saw them off, about 45 minutes later they finally called my name and let us through.

We then needed to put our luggage through the customs xray machine and go half way around the airport to the domestic flights, which luckily for us was running late due to weather or we would have missed the flight. It was a short 1 hour and 45 minutes later and we touched down in Manchester.

We were greeted by friends and family and were so happy to be home, until we learned not all of our luggage made it. So, we needed to fill out a form to have it delivered.

We got home about 9:30pm or so and stayed up for a few hours. We all had trouble sleeping that night.

On Sunday, Fawn and Skylar, Barbara, Leslie and Aniah came over to see the baby. The rest of us looked horrible as we didn't have much sleep and our makeup was in our lost luggage.

We had a good night's sleep Sunday night and my clock re-set. We went and visited some friends on Sunday for a few hours and are now getting back to life.

Today is Tuesday, Olivia is at school. I am officially back at work and mom is at work as well.

Boy is it good to be home!

Guangzhou Zoo and Hanging Out At The Pool

Not much going on. Today we ventured out to the Guangzhou Zoo to see the Giant Panda. Although, Lee told us that the panda is pretty lazy and doesn't do much. We also saw lions, tigers, monkeys, elephants and all that you would expect to see at the zoo. It was extremely, extremely hot and humid. The group sweated more than we ever had and were glad to leave when we did. It was hotter than Florida in August.

We have also been playing at the pool, which is pretty funny. The pool closes from 10:30am - 3:00pm each day, which is ridiculous since that is prime swimming time. So, at the 3pm the entire group heads down to the pool. There are many many rules at the pool, no playing in the water for one, you can only swim!

The group is very ready to come home. Tomorrow Thursday 5/24 is Lexi's 1st birthday as well as our consulate appointment for her visa to come home. So, Lee submits all paperwork on Thursday and we need to stay in our rooms to see if they have any questions. If all goes well, we go to the swearing in ceremony on Friday and then the visa is issued and were ready to come home.

We will be leaving for the airport Saturday morning at 7am. I will try to post one more time before then, but I hope to see many of you there.

Lexi is doing great, she can walk a few steps and she is much chunkier than Olivia was. Olivia has her moments of jealousy be we were very lucky she has some friends to play with on the trip. She has also said she doesn't want to leave China. But the rest of us do! Wishing we were home sooner, can't wait to see you all on Saturday night!

Until then.

Dong Fang Hotel

We moved over to the Dong Fang Hotel yesterday afternoon and was also able to enjoy some Double Cheeseburgers and Chicken McNuggets at McDonalds. The shopping isn't as good over here on the mainland and the internet access is much more expensive. So, I will only pay for a day here or there this week. Although, we did find more coach bags and will be visiting the shop today for an exclusive look in the warehouse.

All the parents are ready to go home, two weeks here is a lot. Lexi, Livey and me have the cold now with sore throats, not sure if it is the pollution or a virus going around.

Today we get our Visa paperwork ready for the Consulate appt on Thursday 5/24.

It has been raining the last few days, so we haven't been able to do much out of the hotels. We are hoping to go to the zoo this week to see the Giant Panda.

Next report will probably be in a few days, so don't get nervous if you don't hear from us.

Birthday Party and Red Couch Photos

Today we move over to the other hotel, so I hope I have the same internet access when we get over there. We will meet back up with the group that travelled to Chongqing to get their babies.

Last night, we celebrated a Birthday Party for the four girls who either turned one already or our about to turn one. Aleisa purchased a chinese birthday cake and we had some balloons and small gifts for the girls. Special thank you to Aleisa, Christine and Tanya for the birthday gifts.

Also, it is tradition to take pictures of the babies on the red couch at the White Swan Hotel. Here is pic of all the girls.

Lexi is crawling and can stand up by herself. She has even taken one step!

Not much else going on today.

Park Play

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. Olivia didn't feel well in the morning and Nana didn't feel well all day. I think it is motion sickness. The buiding sways ever so slightly and we are over looking the Pearl River, which gives you the feeling of motion. I borrowed some Dramamine from our friends and are now taking some just to keep from feeling like we are swaying.

This morning we did some more shopping as we only have one more day on Shamian Island and then we go over to the mainland. Today we picked up Coach pocketbooks for $20, some clothes for Lexi and Olivia and some trinkets, as well as a $10 suitcase to get everything home in.

Tonight at 7pm we are holding a birthday party for all the babies. I will have pics of that next time.

Here are a few pics from the park this morning.

Big Sister Little Sister

Since I couldn't upload the gotcha moment, I thought this quick video would bring a smile to your face.

Click Here To View:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3xNFvFZS3g

Medical Exam and Chinese Passport Day

Thursday was the day for Lexi's medical exam. The group walked as a group to the medical center. Olivia stayed back at the hotel with Nana just so she didn't catch any weird disease. As we walked to the center, we saw kindergarten children walking in a line with their teacher, each holding a loop of the rope which was tied around their wastes. After passing by the park, we came across military trainees practicing in the park. It was quite odd, walking passed them, stepping over their machine guns and knifes. I can only hope they weren't real. Everything went good, she weighs 19.8 pounds and is chunkier than Olivia was. She also has larger wider feet than Olivia. On the walk home, I stopped to take a picture of the military group, but I guess I was a little to close with the camera. As 20-30 of them at the same time, yelled NO PHOTO!!!, I gestured like "OOPS, am I bad". It was pretty funny, we all started laughing as I was saying I was probably going to Chinese jail. Just after that happened the lucky bird pooped on Olivia's friend Meredith's mom (Shana). We also saw this couple dressed for a wedding, we think it was a photo shoot, but it could have been a bride and groom as they traditionally take their photos a day or two earlier than the wedding.

We played at the pool again for a few hours, and then Lexi and I had to go apply for her chinese passport. We really don't have any other official business until 5/24 which is the American Consulate appointment to get her visa to immigrate into the US.

At night we did a lot of shopping. We purchased some porcelain dolls that represent the provinces that Olivia and Lexi are from. We also purchased one for another Chinese girl we know that has a birthday in May (Guess Who)! We bought some clothes and shoes. We also got Olivia a purple jade necklace that says in chinese characters Big Sister Little Sister. Lexi got a happiness circle necklace for when she is older. We also purchased a pink puppy dog (Dragon Like) puppet for the girls to hang in their bedroom and Olivia can bring it to school to show her friends. We purchased paper lanterns for Olivia's classmates. Some gifts for when the girls are older and the Beijing Friendlies pins (which are the olympic mascots).

Olivia wanted me to mention that she is so very proud of Lexi, as yesterday Lexi did her poop and pee on the toilet when I held her over it and said "Cluck Cluck". I guess this is something that the orphanage does and it worked for us.

Today, some of the group is going sightseeing, but we chose to stay behind at the hotel as it is so hot out and we have already done the city sightseeing last time.

The picture of the waterfall is from inside the hotel. Isn't it beautiful!

Here are a few pics to enjoy!