Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Day Nine - Pearl River Dinner Cruise

Day nine had no adoption related business. We took it easy most of the day. We did go to a department store where we were able to find shoes for Emma (and for Cade). Can't say I am going to miss the Gangmam style sandals (but I will be keeping them).




She really likes these shoes. She wouldn't have anything to do with the other shoes we attempted to buy her. They don't have different sizes of different styles in the kid's department. You find a shoe that fits from the shoes on display, then they give you the other shoe. We brought McDonald's to the room for lunch. I don't like McDonald's to begin with, but the McDonald's here tastes even worse, except for the fries. We were trying to be frugal, but I don't think we will be doing that again. I am so happy to see that Emma is quickly learning some signs. She has mastered "more" and is doing "please" and "thank you" some of the time. She also blows kisses. She seems to be understanding more of what we are saying to her. How hard it must be to all of a sudden be with people who are constantly babbling to you. It is impossible to know if she has any speech delays, but I am so happy to see that her receptive language (understanding) seems to be good. Receptive delays are much more difficult to overcome.

We bought a cheap umbrella stroller, and she is enjoying that. Her brothers will give her fast rides up and down the hallway. She also enjoys pushing her stuffed animal around.










She found a few crumbs in the Pringles can, the girl has a chip problem.




I am loving watching her with her brothers. She loves them, and they all adore her. She cries when they leave for their room at night. She laughs at them, bosses them around, wrestles them, loves on them, and gets mad at them. The strangest thing is that she loves Chase but will refuse to take his hand. I have no idea why.




Cade was rubbing her hair. Notice the chips bag. The girl has a serious problem. Eating habits are going to change when we get home.

Emma would not take a nap. Instead, she kept giving me zerberts which of course made me laugh and then made her laugh so hard that she could not give another zerbert. She then went over to Mark and jumped on him. We were all laughing so hard. This girl knows that we think she is cute. Nap time did not happen. One worry I had was that Emma would not have a lot of personality. She was always so serious, sad, and stoic in her pictures and videos. God must be laughing. Guides and others have described her as spicy, feisty, active, busy, happy, strong, sassy, and acting like a princess. This girl has some serious personality.

That evening we took a dinner cruise on the pearl river. Emma fell asleep in my arms right as we arrived at the boat. I don't think I will ever get tired of that.




Since she was sleeping, I asked Mark to get me a plate of food. He is so, so funny. I did NOT eat that. I put it on Cade's plate. That deeply disturbed him.





Our guide really likes to eat chicken feet. He said that China imports a lot of chicken feet from America because we don't recognize the value of chicken feet. He said that if we knew how much the Chinese like chicken feet, then we would raise the price. I will pass on trying those. Our guide in Guangzhou is excellent and very funny. We have really enjoyed having him as a guide.




We had a really nice time and especially enjoyed spending more time with other adoptive families.















Emma decided to join her brothers.





The lights outside were really pretty.
















Then there was a clown performance.




This ball is actually spinning.





After the show, Emma was busy, busy, busy. I don't think she has ever had this much stimulation in her entire life. She seems to be having a harder time going to sleep. I don't know if this is her personality, or if this is a reaction to too much stimulation. She does like to get out and do things. We will definitely be trying to keep it low key when we first get home. She will be trying to adjust to a new life, culture, country, and time zone. It should be interesting :-).












I was videoing her here. We have discovered that she loves to watch videos of herself. We are trying to take a lot for her to watch on the flights.





She went up to another white momma and was interacting with her and wanting to play with her. Her attachment to us is going so well, but that was a reminder to me that it is a process and that we need to guard that attachment until it is strongly developed. Please don't be offended if we limit her interaction with others when we first get home. I promise that we want to share Emma with all of you, but we need to build a strong relationship with her and make sure that she understands who her family is. Her life has changed so dramatically in the last couple of weeks and is about to change even more.








An adoptive family had a converter we could borrow. Nate is doing much better.





Emma was fascinated by the nebulizer. Here she is putting her ear up to it.





It took Emma about an hour and some tears before she finally fell asleep. It was another great day. One day closer to HOME.


- Jenna

1 comment:

  1. Loving your blog and getting to know Emma through it. She is just precious!!! All of this brings back such memories for us...Makes me want to do it all over again. ;o)
    I know your ready to start your new life with her back home, but trust me when I say soak every minute up while in China. As hard as it was, we now realize just how special that time was too. Oh, and get a rock, little bag of dirt, leaf, or something of her Chinese land to keep...I wish I had. :(
    Blessings from our family to yours,
    ~Denise Campbell

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