Pearl & Chloe Meet Cousin Faith

We all went out to support our local Kiwanis organization by purchasing pancake breakfasts on September 23, 2006. Pearl and Chloe had a fun time and played with Cousin Faith. After breakfast, we all moved on to the playground for another hour of fun and excitement.

Pearl shops for new toys
Pearl models Elmo costume

Dad buys matching PJs for Halloween

Pearl starts Daycare with Chloe

After a few days home, Chloe returned to her regular daycare on the following Monday. This gave me a few days to spend some extra time with Pearl alone. Since I had so many things to take care of this week (including one day of bed rest), we decided to take Pearl to daycare with Chloe. She loved it instantly and all the kids greeted her with hugs and excitement. When we go to pick them up, they both come running with big smiles and happy faces. The first couple of days, we just took Pearl half time, but she is already happy to spend the day there.

Yesterday, we picked them up a couple of hours early and took them to the Kern County Fair. It was a little hot and Chloe was too short for even the kiddie rides (Pearl was just at the line), so the rides were not too fun. They did enjoy the animals and I think the girls really loved all the bunny rabbits in the barn. We spent a fortune on bad food and silly toys that quickly broke, but it was still a fun adventure.

Every evening is playtime with Mom and Dad. The girls love watching the Wiggles and Pearl is a master at immitation and picking up things. She can repeat the dance moves to perfection while Chloe just bounces around hysterically laughing. Pearl loves learning and she can already count to five in English, ahead of her younger sister, Chloe.

Last night was the first time Pearl and Chloe shared a bath. I think it was the first time both girls truly acted like best buddies and friends. They have had a lot of fun together since meeting, but bath time last night was on a whole new level.
I have to say that two girls really isn't much more work than one (one Chloe, that is). The extra time invested in getting Pearl dressed, fed, bathed and put to bed is balanced by the time saved when the girls play together, occasionally giving Mom and Dad a reprieve. Plus, the additional fun of two laughing, jumping giggling girls is an added bonus. I can hardly wait until Pearl starts talking in English sentences. I noticed that when Chloe hands Pearl something, Pearl says "Xie Xie Mei Mei" which means "Thank you, little sister". So cute!

Pearl and Marty become friends

Pearl on her way home from her first US haircut.

Finally an Update--Home 2 weeks

Well, first of all, I apologize for leaving you hanging. We did receive Pearl's visa and made it home safely from China. She had her first major meltdown at LAX. I think she was a bit airsick from the 13 hour flight and she refused to walk. We had been waiting for Chloe's stroller to appear in the luggage carousel for an hour and a half and we finally decided to ditch it since we had the rest of our luggage. Many of the other passengers were still waiting for their luggage. Now, how to transport our luggage and two toddlers who cannot walk out of the airport and on to the shuttle to our car. I carried Chloe and we stacked Pearl on top of the luggage on one of the airport carts. As we left the secure area, Pearl screamed and kicked hysterically as we made our way out of the airport. Everyone was staring wide eyed. We finally found the shuttle and made our way to our truck, ready with two carseats. Pearl didn't mind the carseat too much, but she did manage to throw up at some point on the way home.

Jetlag, colds and coughs kept us all staying close to home and out of touch with most of the world for the past two weeks. Pearl became a little more moody and pouty for the first 10 or 12 days home. Now she is getting back to the happy smiley girl we met in China. Her first visit to the doctor lasted 4.5 hours and she was tested for everything. Her Chinese American pediatrician thinks she has asthma and she was prescribed several medications. The way health insurance works here is you cannot add your adopted child to the policy until they are here physically. It takes several days to update the records. I added Pearl after 5 days home. Day 8 we went to the doctor's and it wasn't enough time to get her in the system. Well, I managed to get her to her appointment, and to the lab for bloodwork and to the radiologist for her lung x-rays. The only place that wouldn't accept her temporary records was the pharmacist. They said I would have to pay for the medicine now and then be reimbursed later. Well, I thought, no big deal, I can fork out a couple of hundred dollars and then we can go home. Turns out the medicine bill was nearly $500 for Pearl's prescriptions, UGH! So I did what any good mother would do, I carefully explained the situation and then nearly broke down into tears. I wasn't going home without that medicine. I guess the worker took pity on me and made a few phone calls. After another 20 minutes, she got approval to manually enter Pearl's records into the computer.

Jetlag with two toddlers is quite the experience. For 9 or 10 days, both girls woke up every night between midnight and 2 AM and did not go back to bed until 6 AM (for a couple of hours). It was miserable and I thought we would never get back on track. I kept their daytime naps to a minimum and kept them outside during the daylight, but it still took a long time to get back on schedule. Now, both girls are going to bed at an appropriate time and sleeping through the night. We are also just about over the bedtime tears.

I have been sick with cold-like symptoms ever since my second week in China, so now that I have Pearl taken care of, it was my turn to go to the doctor's. I have been so tired, mostly due to a persistent cough that becomes so intense, it causes me to vomit. They checked me for everything from TB to Valley Fever. It is probably allergies, but after 8 colds this past year, I really need them to check me out thoroughly and give me some relief before I go back to work full time in another week. The good news is Pearl is doing better and Chloe and Pete are also doing well.

Day 9 Our Consulate Appointment

Today was another low-key day. We were instructed to sit in our hotel room and stay by the phone while our guide was at the US Consulate with all our paperwork. If there were any questions, they would call us. By 11, we got the call that everything was OK. The girls played in the playroom and we later took them to a playground where they played with the local children.

Pearl is starting to act more like a 3 year old. She shows distress when she doesn't get her way and she has had a few melt-downs. She is still generally happy and eager to learn. She is very smart and often reminds us when we forget things, like leaving her sippy cup on the dining table. Chloe is having nasty diaper problems today. I hope it clears up before we go home tomorrow evening.

Tomorrow, we check out of our hotel at 2, go to the US Consulate and wait for Pearl's visa. After we get it, we go straight to the airport and thankfully, head home. We will arrive at LAX the same evening 2 hours before we left Guangzhou.

Day 9 -- Pictures

Day 8 --photos

Day 8--Medical Examination

Today, we met up with the other 4 families from our agency and proceeded onto the medical clinic, where the newly adopted children must undergo a medical exam before they can be issued visas to enter the US.

It was utter mayhem in the clinic with families piled on top of each other and people frantically being escorted from station to station. They kept sending us back to the first station. I don't think there was any sense of an orderly process with everyone dashing from room to room haphazardly. The exam was pretty superficial and Pearl weighed in at 12 kilos and 91 centimeters long. Not sure what that means in US units. It was hot and crazy and way too crowded to be safe.

Afterward, we headed to our hotel for group photos, but Pete had left early with Chloe and the camera, so we missed out. Then we headed back to the playroom to let the girls have a chance to unwind. This afternoon we said goodbye to Daisy as she was escorted to the airport in the hotel shuttle.

Tonight Pearl and I played a new game. She would ask me to draw her a picture on her magnadoodle and then I would tell her the word in English, like "flower", and she would repeat it back. I think this will be a great technique in teaching her English. She is getting very comfortable with us.

Day 7-Relaxing in Guangzhou

Today we took it easy and didn't do any tours. We had our first breakfast at the famous White Swan buffet and it did live up to all the hype. Pearl will try almost everything, but her favorite food appears to be watermelon. For those who know me, you are probably laughing because you know this food is on my top 5 list of food dislikes. I guess I will have to start buying them now.

Pearl is still a sweet and easygoing girl. She can get wound up, but not too bad. She is a ham for the camera and will easily flash a smile on command (as you can tell by most of the photos). The only difficult time for Pearl is naps and bedtime. I am not sure if she is just crying because she doesn't want to go to bed or if she is letting out deeper feelings from all the changes. She seems very attached to Pete and I and shows no interest in going to anyone else. She isn't clingy, and doesn't mind walking everywhere while Chloe rides in the stroller (or gets carried). Of course, she really likes Daisy too, so it may be a little tough when Daisy leaves us tomorrow to head off to college in England.

We had dinner with 3 other families who are adopting special needs children. It was at the local Thai restaurant and the food was very good. Both girls ate well and were in good spirits. You can see Chloe playing with a basket and Pearl kicking it up in Daddy's lap in the photos below.

Chloe is also doing well and hamming it up as usual. Tomorrow is the medical exam for Pearl. It should be short and simple.

Day 7--Dinner at Cow and Bridge Thai restaurant

Day 7--White Swan play room

Day 6 -- We made it to Guangzhou!

I appologize for the very limited number of pictures we have posted. Partly, it is because I am having a terrible time getting them to upload, and partly, we haven't taken nearly enough. Chloe is doing a little better today and Pete went out to get her some more medicine. This time she agreed to take it, and then, an hour later, I found the medicine that I had packed, but couldn't find before. Now we are well-stocked.

Tonight we are going to take it easy and order American-style food delivered to our room. Tomorrow is paperwork and shopping.

Day 6 -- Settling in at the White Swan Hotel

Day 5 picture

Day 5--Touring

Today was our last full day here in Chengdu. This is a very large and modern city. Our first stop was the site where Pearl was abandoned. It was downtown in front of a hostel only a few steps from the site of the old Chengdu orphanage. Amazingly, only a few days later, a brand new orphanage was opened on the outskirts of the city and Pearl was transferred there. The new orphanage had preschool and nurture programs established by an American non-profit agency, Half The Sky. We believe that their efforts have resulted in Pearl's eagerness to accept us as her parents and in her good development skills. By another amazing coincidence, while we were looking around the old orphanage, the director of the new orphanage appeared and spent a few more moments with us and Pearl. She just happened to be attending a meeting there that day. She seemed to like Pearl very much and described her further as independent and helpful with the smaller children.

Afterwards, we toured a buddhist temple with only women monks. Their heads were shaved and there were a lot of women from the city who came in to recite verses. It was very beautiful and in stark contrast to all the modern concrete framed buildings surrounding it. From there we headed to an embroidery and brocade factory. The works were stunning and very pricey too. The Sichuan province is famous for this type of artistry and it was wonderful to see them producing these beautiful fabrics and designs.

We were tired after that and returned to the room for the evening, until we boldly ventured out to Pizza Hut. During dinner, we realized that Chloe was sick, very sick. I don't think she has ever had a fever the entire time she has been with us. She kept us up most of the night. I couldn't find the medicine that I thought I had packed, so we purchased some Chinese medicine, but Chloe absolutely refused to take it. I was really worried and we just hoped things would be better the next morning. By about 5:00 AM, she popped out of bed and enthusiastically asked for a bath. We were so relieved to see her feeling better. We knew that we were heading for Guangzhou the next morning and that we could probably find some familiar medicine once we got there.

More pictures from day 4