Day 7 Nanchang Pics

Here are some pics from our Park Day. Enjoy!

 

Day 5 & 6 Nanchang Pics

Enjoy some pics... these are from our Official Paperwork Day and from the Teng Wang Pavilion.

Last Two Days in Nanchang

Yesterday was a cold and rainy day in Nanchang. We started off our day by hitting the Porcelain Street. It is a street in Nanchang that houses many porcelain shops. Jiangxi Province is known for their porcelain and is a must have for our daughter's from this province (in my opinion, anyways..).  After doing our part to stimlulate China's economy, we headed to a local city park.

 

The park was very beautiful but was a little hard to enjoy in the cold and rain. We did not have an umbrella but did spend some time exploring and people watching. The park was unique in that it had areas with exercise equipment. It is popular with the senior population. They come to this area and practice tai chi, play bandminton and even gymnastics. There was an older Chinese man doing cartwheels and after he noticed we were watching, he started doing them one-handed. Laura, one of the mom's from our group started doing cartwheels with him. It was really cool!

 

After that, we headed to a local popular restaurant for a Chinese lunch. The food was delicious and we again enjoyed the local brew. Diet soda's and water cannot be found in restaurants so it is either beer, Coke or Sprite. The beers are local brews and quite tasty.

 

Once back at our hotel, we got together with the other families in our group that have older kids and we hung out in the playroom for movies, dancing, snacking and chatting. We are traveling with a great group of people!

 

Today, we took a 15 minute walk to a nearby department store with two other families. It was the $100 store...everything we looked at was $100... seriously! There was an indoor playarea that the kids played in and ran off some energy. Afterwards, we headed to our favorite Chinese restaurant, located beside the hotel and ordered some of our favorite dishes from the previous day. Michael had written down the names of some of our favorites so we were able to order without too much trouble.

 

We are now back in the hotel, packing up and getting ready to checkout at 5:00pm. From there we will be heading to the airport and catching a flight to Guangzhou... we are looking forward to some warmer weather.

 

This is the point of the trip that is a little bittersweet. I am so ready to begin our journey home; however, this is our first step towards removing Sweet Cheeks from the only place she has ever known. Just feeling a little sentimental about it all.

 

Sweet Cheeks is doing great!  She slept through the night last night which was the first in several days. She still has some diarrhea and so does Cupcake. The change in food has really wrecked havoc on our tummies. I have been taking Pepto pills everyday which helps but it is still not the same. Cupcake commented that Sweet Cheek is now a "happy baby!" The first few days with our new bundle are difficult. It is a big ball of emotions and we, the parents, are so excited but it is the opposite for the babies.

 

Sweet Cheeks is now blowing zirbirts, laughing, playing and slurping noodles. She gets very excited when she eats noodles and she slurps them up like a pro!  We laugh when she does it so now she slurps them and then laughs. It is music to a Momma's ears, let me tell you!

 

So, the bags are packed and we are almost ready to be on our way. I have pink eye in both eyes... so glad I brought my eye medicine. Hope everyone is doing well and the FL folks survived the tornadoes. Miss you all and see you soon!!!

 

News Alert!

Jiangxi Province is out of Diet Coke/Coke Light/Coke Zero... whatever you want to call it! Just keeping you informed beacuse that's my job!

Day 6 Nanchang Tour

Esentially, we are hanging out in Nanchang waiting for the baby's Chinese Passports to be ready. We need those in hand before we leave this city.

 

Last night was on the rough side for us... Sweet Cheeks had diarrhea which resulted in her being a hungry baby the rest of the night. We were having a playdate in the playroom of our hotel when it hit her.... she had to have a bath and by then she was ready for a bottle and bed. She awoke around 2:00am crying so we gave her a bottle. She awoke again at 3:45am so we fed her again. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we are all on top of one another in this tiny room and Cupcake was now awake. Everyone went back to sleep but it was a fitful night sleep. Between the loud talking in the hallway, then my cellphone started ringing (I thought I turned it off a long time ago) then I was really awake. It was a short night but the show must go on!

 

Today, we toured the Teng Wang Pavilion and did a little souvenir shopping. Sweet Cheeks took a nap and woke up just in time for lunch. We went to the Chinese restaurant located right beside our hotel and Michael ordered for us. The food was excellent!!! This was the same place we had eaten at yesterday and navigated the menu on our own. Needless to say, today's selections were much better... although, two of the dishes were repeats from yesterday.

 

Once we were back at the hotel, I played in the room with my two girls while Dad took care of business... banking, laundry, etc. We had a calligrapher come to the hotel and she made scrolls for the girls with their English and Chinese names. It was pretty cool and quite a bargain at 220 RMB. Sweet Cheeks is laughing more and really starting to use her arms. She was on all fours today and was scooting across the floor. She loves playing with her stacking cups... cup on her head is a favorite game that will usually produce a laugh or two. Have I mentioned that Sweet Cheeks is also quite ticklish?

 

We are really having a good time but we are ready to leave here and move on to Guangzhou. The weather is still pretty cool, but not Beijing cool. The pollution is thick in the air. We are trying to experience as much of the city as possible because who knows when we will be back. We have a great travel group. Everyone is very nice and helpful. It definitely makes life a lot easier that there are people to hang out with.

 

We have not pulled the pics off the camera yet so no new pics... more later... I promise! Love to all. Thanks for all of the love and emails from home. We love reading them all!!!!!!

Queen Sweet Cheeks!

And she reigns... and laughs! Who knew? Today, Sweet Cheeks has opened up and is starting to look a little happier. We have had a few tears, especially when I try to put her down which means she is attaching to me... and that is good! She is letting Cupcake hold her a little more and she even fell asleep on her big sister for a few minutes. Big Sissy was ecstatic about that, too!

 

Today, we went to Nanchang Walmart. What an experience that was! Glad that I went, but no desire to go back. The Hubs and Nana are having Diet Coke withdrawal, none to be found in this town. We got some almonds, bread, a three pack of music CD's and a case of water. We left all of the interesting foods and such to the locals. While we shopped, one of dad's traveling in our group, took his two sons and Cupcake to the park across the street to burn off some excess energy. It is hard hanging out in hotels with no areas for the kids to let loose. 

 

While we were in Walmart, the overhead music came on and Sweet Cheeks started bouncing to the music and patting on my hand and chest. It was so cute!  We also got plenty of stares but in an interested way, not an uncomfortable way.

 

Once we were back in the hotel, Cupcake and Sweet Cheeks were playing on the bed with stacking cups and that was when we got our first LOL! We would put a cup on her head and it would fall off and then Sweet Cheeks would just laugh! It was music to our ears... Nana said it was worth the trip to China and I think she is right. She is also mimicking us by making noises with her mouth and tongue.

 

Next, Cupcake had an idea to make a crown headband for Sweet Cheeks. It was quite innovative seeing as she had no scissors or tape. She used sketch paper and princess stickers... pretty fitting, don't you think? On the crown, she wrote Queen Bella! She then made a little sign and stuck to Sweet Cheeks that said, Bow to Queen Bella. Too cute! They were so sweet playing together.

 

As I type this, Cupcake is having a playdate with the older girls of another family that is traveling with us. They are watching Wizard of Oz and snacking on Chips Ahoy and Starburst. Yummmmm! 

 

It is so nice that there are older children in our group that are here adopting siblings. There are five families, counting us, here in Jiangxi. All of the babies are from the same orphanage. All of the families have adopted before either from China, Taiwan, other countries or domestically. There are no first time parents in our group.

 

Some more info on Sweet Cheeks... she is not walking, she has 8 teeth total. She is taking a bottle with formula. She loves to eat bananas, veggie puffs, cheerios, rice, eggs, crackers and bread.

 

It seems one of our biggest expenses is laundry here in China. Our guide had it sent out vs doing it here in the hotel and it was still over $40. Of course, that is for a family of four;-)

 

Here are a few pics from today. Enjoy! 

 

Love and hugs to all!

 

PS. Today was the first day we slept until 6:30am!!

It's Official!

The paperwork has been completed and Isabella Jiuzhi is officially ours, today and forever....yeahhhhhhh!!!  WOOHOOOOOO!

 

Today was spent completing the official Chinese government Adoption paperwork.  It took about four hours to complete. It was during that time, I figured out how ticklish Sweet Cheeks is.... oh my! And, I got my first toothy grin. I had waited such a long time to see that happen. 

 

The province official presented us with a piece of porcelain for us to keep and we were able to take a photo. We were asked and we promised to love, raise and educate Sweet Cheeks. She is ours!

 

We also got to meet with the orphanage director. Not a lot of information was received. We did ask if there was anything he would like for us to know about her and he said she was very cute!

 

Afterwards, we navigated a local Chinese restaurant with two other families we have been traveling with, and without our guide... We ordered from pictures on the menu. Some of the things I am not sure we will ever really know what they were but they were pretty tasty except for one of fried animal fat. It looked like chicken with vegetables in the picture, seriously!  We left with food in our bellies and an enjoyment of the local brew. Eight adults ate for 125 RMB which is about $20. 

 

A little about Sweet Cheeks.... she is very sweet and loves to cuddle. She appears to be fairly easy going and gets fussy when she is hungry, but don't we all. I LOVE HER! She is so stinking cute!  I know she is mine and all that but she really is cute. She is always watching what is going on and is more on the quiet side.

 

Cupcake has enjoyed feeding her and playing with her. She really wants to hold and carry Sweet Cheeks but Sweet Cheeks is just not ready for that and gets a little fussy. We continue to remind Cupcake that this is all new to her little sister and we have to take it slow. She has about five years of ideas in her head that she is ready to teach Sweet Cheeks about in one day.

 

It has been interesting seeing the hustle and bustle of everyone as they continue to prepare for Chinese New Year. The traffic here is insane!  Not sure if it is always like this or on the rise with a large holiday. Fireworks have been going off every night and last night was no exception. Horns are constantly blaring. It is always loud here. Even when at 3:30am or so when we are awake there are horns blaring.

 

Enjoy a few pics from the day.... everyone is happy and healthy..... Thanks again to everyone for the emails. Love to you all... Signed: Bowen Party of Four