Oh Good Grief!

Our son the celebrity!!! Zane has been the center of attention and has been in photos with several people. Most people just look at us but some are brave enough to ask for a picture with him.

Well, this may be a record. Less than 48 hrs after our Gotcha we had to go to the hospital for stitches. Ty and Zane were really starting to get along and play. Zane was chasing him around with a little plastic dinosaur and Ty was holding two in his hand. He tripped and landed face first and something caused this huge gash in his forehead. It was bleeding pretty good and was really, really deep. So we called our guide and actually just had to walk across the street to the "private" hospital.

We were seen very quickly and Ty did so good getting the stitches. Actually it was only one stitch. Then he had to have a penicillin shot and was put on antibiotics. We were prepared for a lot of crying but he didn't even whimper. The shot on the other hand brought out a few tears. I think I'd have cried too that needle was huge. The whole medical bill including the antibiotics for him to take......... a whopping $25.

The bandage was huge. We were advised to leave it on 3 days but the tape almost immediatley started peeling off. So we switched to a band-aid very quickly. It's a lot less obvious.

After the unexpected hospital visit we had our Civil Affairs appointment. This is the official step in the adoption process on the China side. In this photo he is putting his red hand print on the form.

Apparently the Civil Affairs was taking a little longer than Ty could last. He is really coming out of his shell. He is very funny but also has some typical 3yr old behaviors as well. He's a real thinker too. He talks a lot. Of course we can't understand most of it. I have to say that when HE confused the languages at the Tower of Babel HE did a fabulous job.

After the appointment we went to Pizza Hut for dinner. When we were leaving Ty wanted David to pick him up and David wanted him to walk. So, Zane reached down and Ty let him pick him up. Zane was on cloud nine. (I would be too)

Day 2

My internet connection is extremley slow tonight so I"m just going to leave these 3 pictures. Ty had a good morning and semi-rough afternoon. He loves to eat. He interacted some today with David and played a few little games where you can really see his personality. He is still pretty sad so please keep lifting him up.

Gotcha Day!

After what seemed like an eternity waiting until 3:30 Ty arrived at the hotel. It was a rather chaotic meeting. The ladies who brought him seemed to be in an extreme hurry to leave. So our guide was quickly having us sign everything and then they left out. He really had a hard time for the first two hours. It was a big 3 yr old fit. But, we expected this. But some how expecting it and having it happen are two different things.

After trying all of our toys to get his attention we started walking the halls. David walked and walked and we just followed behind the whole time. He would check every now and then to make sure we were behind him. He eventually fell asleep for about 5 minutes.

We asked the orphanage director to please send him with something so that he could have it as a comfort item. We were hoping for a toy or blanket. Instead we got a bag of food. He hasn't let it out of his sight since. It is filled with crackers, snacks, little yougurt bottles. In fact we tried to distract him with some Graham crackers and he shook his head no and pointed to his snack bag. Funny!

He seems to be very smart. After he finally calmed down we were able to watch him play with a few toys. There are 2 cars that he likes a lot. One plays music when you open the doors. So he likes opening and closing the doors.

And yet again, Dad has won the favorite parent award. Mom has to stand in the wings and wait her turn. At least I got to sit and play a little with him.

We went to the restaurant to get some dinner. We fully expected for David to have to hold him but he wanted to get in the little high chair. He was content there. After our drinks were brought out he opened his snack bag and fished out this little yougurt drink. He really enjoyed it. He has 5 more left in the bag.

He was so funny eating. He kept trying to pick the plate up and David kept trying to make him put it down. Finally we let him pick it up and he was scraping all the rice into his mouth with the spoon. He's very good with a spoon.

He's asleep now in the little crib. I'm sure he's worn out from a really long day. And guess what he's sleeping with? Yes the snack bag.

QianLing park

This will be a double post day. We have a lot of down time this morning and it's raining outside. So before it really started raining we walked down the block to QianLing Park. It is a very nice park with tons of locals. I think there were so many people because today is Sunday. Zane has some insight on the morning so he's going to do the rest of the journaling.

Today we went to the QianLing Park

it is very old with artificial turtles.

These were druming with bamboo sticks and tied
to the end was pieces of ribbon.

This is ladies doing the macarena

it is very different than ours.

This is the coffee club in china.

Here is the tango.

The Massages there are not very private

in america you have seen sausage on a stick but here is watermelon.

we have gotten used to the staring but there was a couple video taping us and taking pictures.

Safe in Guiyang

Today started very early with a severe thunder and lightning storm about 3a.m It woke all of us up and we eventually got up about 5:15. We took the flight from Beijing to Guiyang. This is the capital city of Guizhou. All adoptions must be done here in the Capital city.

When we checked into the Hotel here's what we found waiting in our room. Plus one of those little bitty infant tubs in the bathroom. It is funny to imagine him in that little tub. Maybe he and Zane can play boats in the little tub.

We spent some time this afternoon walking around on the streets. It's so interesting to see all the local people going about their daily routines.

There is such a harsh contrast from the old to the new. the first picture is the apartment building right next to our hotel.

The second picture is just a few blocks away. We went there to eat at Pizza Hut!!! mmmm it was good!

We also took a trip to our local Wal-Mart. It was HUGE and very BUSY! There were 51 check out lanes and a cashier in each of them.

Anyone hungry for spicy pickled Chicken feet?

No? OK how about CANDY?

Zane impressed a lot of people by showing off his Rip-stick skills inside Wal-Mart. He attracted a little audience. Everyone stares at us anyway, so might as well give them something to stare at.

I can tell you from everything we have seen they are ready for the Olympics. There are these little characters everywhere you look. They are called The Friendlies. The five of them are the 5 colors of the Olympic rings. Each one of them have a name and when you say the names all together in Chinese they say Beijing Welcomes You for a Good Time. They are all doing different sporting events. Many of the kids are wearing Olympic T-shirts and there are Olympic flags flying everywhere. In several of the more affluent places we have seen these red clocks that are counting down the time for the start of the Olympics.

Happy Day

It's 6:14 a.m and we are on our way to Ty's Province. Guizhou. You say it Gwee Joe.

Just wanted to wish Nana a Happy Birthday and Happy Gotcha Day to Mia. It was 3 years ago that she was placed in our arms. Our lives have never been the same since. We Love you little Girl!!

What goes Down, Must come back UP

The title of the post today was Zane's idea. As you might have guessed today was our Great Wall Day!!!

This picture is for Kaylee, Trent and Mia. Zane really wanted them to see our Guide, Angela's little dog. Her name is Gwhy Gwhy, which means good dog in China. He is very cute and Zane has had fun playing with him.

We drove about 1 1/2 hours out of the city to a very beautiful part of the wall. David and I had not seen this before. For the first part of the Great Wall we had to take a Ski lift up to the top of the Mountain. I don't knoow if you can tell but the men literally push you out of the seat when you get to the top.

Then once we arrived at the top we spent time going up an down the wall. Angela was very smart in that she took us very far down first. Although with each step going down I knew there would be a coming back up.

It was a truly spectacular view. This section of the wall is so calm and serene. And then the real fun began.

Instead of taking the ski lift back down we rode a toboggan slide down the side of the mountain on little black roller cars. It had one stick in the front that made it either go or stop.

Zane loved it and he and David actually rode it twice.

For lunch we stopped at the Golden Arches. The fries and coke were reallly good. then after lunch we drove back to the market and did a little more shopping and bartering.

For dinner we went to Old Beijing Noodle House. Apparently this style of noodle is only availabe in Beijing. The restaurant is old style. When people walk in the door they yell and each waiter tries to direct you to his particular table. We felt like we were in Ci Ci's pizza there for a while.

Jane McLendon will be so proud of us for all the new things we have tried so far. And we have only been here a few days. I have even eaten Tofu for the last 3 days. It's been hard to get used to the little bitty plates and chopsticks but we are all getting the hang of it. The dish on the left side of the picture is celery and Lotus Flower. It's very good. On the right is Beijing Pork. This is Zane's favorite thing that we have had.

Here is Angela mixing up the noodles for us.

This was the biggest surprise to us all. It's BokChoy with soybean and fish head sauce. It is really good, Really it is.......I promise.

Our first FULL day

And boy do I mean Full. We left about 8:30 after sleeping all night long from 6pm the night before. Zane was waiting on the bed for his turn to shower and he fell asleep in his clothes. (and slept in the same spot for 12 hrs.)


Our first stop was Tiananmen Square. It took a long time to get into the city. There are so many cars now!! And NICE cars at that. So we saw the square and the Forbidden City.

Then we had lunch and went on a Hutong Tour. We rode in the back of bicycle powered rickshaws through the very old parts of Beijing. A Hutong is a very small alley that connects "houses" The house is 4 separate buildings with a courtyard in the middle. We were able to visit with a local man and tour inside his house. His parents had bought the place in 1925 and he grew up there and then raised his children there as well.

Inside the courtyard of each house they have a fish pot. It is used to collect and hold water in case of a fire. I think the goldfish are added for decoration.

Next stop was the Temple of Heaven. This is the place where the emporer went to pray 4 times a year. He was the only person allowed there. Now it is open to the public (with a fee) and many local people go there to sing, play instruments, play cards. It is very shaded and many times is much cooler also.

We left the Temple and went to a shopping market that was 4 stories high. Each floor had many "great deals" I could have bought 1000's of different pajminas, coach purses, ipods or tennis shoes. In fact Zane got a pair of Converse for about $10. The look on his face was priceless when the women started yelling at him - "buy mine, I have your size, look here, good price" They all had the same "stock" and really wanted you to buy from their booth. I really thought he would hate all the yelling but he enjoyed the bartering. He wants to go back there tomorrow.

Then we rushed in to the acrobat show. It is truly amazing to watch the acts these people can perform. The last stop was dinner and then back to the apartment. We are beat and hopefully will get another good night of sleep.

Oh by the way..... Look what else I found today!!! Her grandmother let me hold her. Mmmmmm I could have eaten her up.