To get to see the good Dr.’s tomb, you have to put yourself nearly into one by climbing these steps.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen
We’re standing in front of the mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, the founder of the People’s Republic of China. Below was a gorgeous park, filled with Sycamore trees and a ton of giant dragon flies.
Mao... Wow!
The best thing about the pearl factory was the portrait of “the great father” made entirely out of pearls. Enough to warm any commie’s heart.
Pearl Schmearl
We were taken to a pearl factory today and learned that there could be as many as 50 fresh water pearls inside an oyster. Then we were immediately hustled into a store and hawked into buying mediocre freshwater pearls. A saleswoman was literally attached to my shoulder the entire time. Needless to say, we walked out empty handed.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Doozy Girl
Jemma loves her snugli wrap and tends to fall asleep in it whenever we go outing. Her eyes are rolling back into her head, here.
Baby Go Boom Boom!
The adopted girls are historically constipated the first few day with their new parents. This is a source of great anxiety as well as ice breaking conversation with the group. "I diluted apple juice", "We gave her raisins," "She ate prunes", etc. There was a countdown going and out of 10 babies 4 still hadn't had a movement and Jemma was one of them. After two apple juice and water bottles and a container of prunes, Jemma finally decided to do the deed, in the middle of dinner! Only Americans adopting Chinese babies would celebrate this action so effusively, in a public place.
The Crowds Gather
We went shopping today at Confucious Temple, which is a huge outdoor market. In addition to clothes and chochkees there were lots of pets - especially turtles and crickets! Everywhere we go we are celebrities with our Chinese babies. People openly stare but I like to invite them in and I try to communicate as best I can. They really love talking to us and I love being a celebrity. I pretend that John and I are Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Upsy Daisy
Jemma opens up to us more and more each passing hour. She's all giggles and smiles now - a different temperment from the serious, contemplative girl we first met. Now she wants to play, play, play. She's come to the right place.
The Weavers
We visited the Brocade Factory and Museum today. Nanjing is the only place in the world where they create these luxurious brocades. It takes two people all day to complete a 5.6 centimeter strip of fabric – it’s ridiculous. Usually the woman sits on top of the loom and the husband or brother on the bottom. This art can never be reproduced by machine because there are so many colors for each row and because the patterns are passed down by memory. Nanjing Yunjin brocade has a history of over 1500 years with regard to the hand weaving, though silk weaving goes back 4700 years. We were totally blown away and spent lots of Yuan in the gifty shop.
Nanjing Traffic Jam
The roads have separate sections for all the bike riders. They can be pretty intense when you try to cross in front of them - it's reminiscent of childhood with all the bells going off.
Loves Her Bath
Jemma loves her bath time and gets them twice a day. She's so easy going and when she cries, it's usually very quick. Kin-a-hora, poo, poo, poo.
A Toast!
The China team toasted me for my birthday and in addition to the delicious local beer, we toasted with a special sweet, hard liquor made from rice. Hic!
Birthday Celebration!
Tonight at dinner, I was presented with a beautiful cake from the China team – a cheesecake with fruit chocolate on top – I had two pieces.
It's Official
We went to the Bureau of Foreign Adoptions and Foreign Marriages today to finalize our adoption here. First, we had to get a family photo taken – we did it in two takes. Then, we went downstairs and approached an administrator at his desk and answered questions as to why we wanted to adopt a Chinese baby. We wrote that we love the Chinese people and the Chinese take excellent care of their babies (except for the daughters that they abandon – no, we didn’t say that but oh, the irony) and we promised to protect her and nurture her and educate her. Then we dipped our right thumbs in red ink and moved to the other desk where the notary was. A notary in China is very different than in the U.S. Hell, I’m a notary in the U.S., it’s just a test, but in China, it’s equivalent to studying for the bar. She was very serious and didn’t crack a smile when I stood Jemma up on her desk. She made us sign a promise not to maltreat her and that we really wanted her (words to that effect.) Then she signed and said “Congratulations.” And finally smiled and said, “She’s very beautiful.”
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
What a Bug!
At 8pm, Ellen left a wailing Jemma with John and went down to sign the documents. This set shows that we want to raise a Chinese baby, that we love the Chinese people, that we will give her the best education possible and incorporate Chinese culture into it, that we will support her with a loving family and most importantly, that we will never abandon her. This was a very easy document to sign, especially since it means that we become her official parents on September 6, 2005, Ellen’s birthday! What a precious gift.
When Ellen returned to the hotel room, Jemma was fast asleep in John’s arms – good going Daddy! She’s been sleeping in her crib for 2 hours so far, we’ll see how long she lasts… until tomorrow, sweet dreamzzzzzzzz…
When Ellen returned to the hotel room, Jemma was fast asleep in John’s arms – good going Daddy! She’s been sleeping in her crib for 2 hours so far, we’ll see how long she lasts… until tomorrow, sweet dreamzzzzzzzz…
She Eats, She Sleeps
Jemma enjoyed her dinner as well, and after sucking on a second bottle and gnawing on a gluten-free, arrowroot, barley cookie, she crashed out in Ellen’s arms. What a snug! We accidentally woke her up when we needed to change her into her pj’s. Oh boy. She cried and cried! We are the worst parents!
Monday, September 05, 2005
Food, Glorious Food!
Dinner at the hotel was wonderful. We gave Jemma her first bottle, a mix of rice cereal, formula, boiling water and we snuck in some baby acidophilus (she’s already on a health kick.) These babies like their bottles very hot – it’s kind of weird, but she sucked it down in no time. We, on the other hand, we were given a beautiful spread of roast duck, smoked sable, garlic sea cucumber, marinated shitake mushrooms, pickled pig’s feet, a rich mushroom soup, sweet and sour pork, braised asparagus with shallots, sirloin and oyster sauce in a bird’s nest of fried noodles, whole steamed ginger fish crab soup with egg and tofu, noodles in broth, steamed buns with plum sauce and watermelon for dessert. It was a sumptuous meal, one of the best we’ve had in China.
A Million Questions
We sat down with the social welfare director, the man who runs the orphanage, and we were able to ask a lot of questions. Jemma had an attachment to one particular nanny. She is very quiet, very curious, loves music and then the director said, “maybe she will be a poet one day, or an artist.” We liked hearing this. She must nap between 11:30 am and 2 pm, dinner 6:30 and bed at 7:30 pm. She loves taking baths and has been getting two everyday in the summertime. A clean baby – we’re so relieved!
Prickly Face, Not Prickly Heat
Then she discovered her daddy and was fascinated with his prickly goatee and his nibbling on her fingers. She was calm and sweet and curious. She cried when John’s flash went off in her eyes, and again when John leaned on a wall, which in fact was not a wall, but panel! We thought Jemma would appreciate a good pratfall, but it just scared her. Give her time . .
Family At Last!
What a bug! She didn't even cry - in fact she was so comfy in our arms. Jemma looks just like her referral photos, only a little bigger and a little less cheeky. She’s so cute! And no sign of the measles anywhere! In fact, she has gorgeous skin – very soft and clean. She loved Ellen’s necklace right away, a fish made from gemstone, and was fixated on Ellen’s face. Yay!
The Moment Before We Got Her
We witnessed the handing over of the 7 other babies at 3pm and helped their families out by taking video and stills for them. It was overwhelmingly emotional; tears were everywhere. This only made our wait even more painful, but back to our rooms we 3 measle families went, to wait for our 4:30 call. At exactly 4:30 the phone rang and we ran down to the 9th floor (business center) with a packed diaper bag, ready to meet the person who will change our lives forever.
Norman, Our Fearless Leader
Norman gave us a big lecture on the bus about keeping the babies warm and keeping the AC very low in our rooms. We only packed sleeveless dresses for Jemma as we understood it to be 100 degrees and 100 percent humidity as Nanjing is considered one of the "furnace cities." But in fact, the weather was gorgeous, very much like Los Angeles, almost no humidity and very comfortable. In fact, now it's actually getting cool.
A Subliminal Message?
The Chinese have a fun way of translating their philosophies into English - like on this plastic baby diaper mat.
The Flight to Nanjing
We arrived with several hours to spare to go get lunch on our own and do any shopping if we wanted to. Seeing the crib in our room made us both cry. We madly set up our room for the baby - pushing the two full-sized beds to make one giant one, setting up a kitchen area, a changing area, blowing up the ducky bath tub, preparing the bottle sterilizing station and of course, setting up the computer. Then, like true Americans, we rushed to the Wal-Mart to shop and purchased a cheap umbrella stroller, warmer clothes for Jemma and a few very special Chinese items.
Holy Cow! It's Baby Day!
Today is the day we get our babies. Nobody could sleep last night - we woke at 1 am, then 3 am, then 3:40 am, then 4:30 am, at which point we decided to get up and prepare for the biggest day of our lives. We flew to Nanjing on a brand new puddle jumper and at the airport we were met by another member of the China team, Michael (in a Yankees cap and tee) who will be our local tour guide as well as another "baby elf". During the bus ride to our hotel, Michael gave us a quick history lesson and then Norman went over the logistics of the afternoon - babies received at 3pm, except for the 3 babies from Gaoyou who were part of the measles outbreak, so we wouldn’t be getting Jemma till 4:30 pm. Originally, we were supposed to receive our babies at the Civil Ministry Affairs building, but Norman and Michael arranged it so the orphanage directors would bring the babies directly to us. The Chinese people definitely do delivery better and faster than anyone!
Nanjing is a beautiful city - much greener, smaller (only six million people!) and seemingly wealthier than Guangzhou. We are staying at the Jinling Hotel, the best in Nanjing, and according to Norman, the place where presidents and dignitaries stay. It's super upscale and classy - a huge improvement from the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou. We wish we could stay here for the rest of the time but we've only got 5 nights here.
Nanjing is a beautiful city - much greener, smaller (only six million people!) and seemingly wealthier than Guangzhou. We are staying at the Jinling Hotel, the best in Nanjing, and according to Norman, the place where presidents and dignitaries stay. It's super upscale and classy - a huge improvement from the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou. We wish we could stay here for the rest of the time but we've only got 5 nights here.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Measles!
It's been quite a ride for the last 22 hours. Last night we found out that there was a measles outbreak in the orphanage Jemma is in and that two of the four babies from there are okay and the other two have complications. You can imagine our worry at that point and let me tell you - nightmares ensued throughout a virtually sleepless night. This morning the entire group gathered with Norman Niu, the head of the adoption agency, and we were whisked away on 3 buses (we are 38 families) and taken to one of China's best Dim Sum restaurants for a Sunday breakfast. There, Norman went over the logistics of everything, particularly the 5 different provinces we would be splitting off to, and which members of the China team would be flying with us. Norman and Grace will be traveling to Nanjing in the Jiangsu province with us and 10 other families. Norman has facilitated over 200 adoption trips to China over the past 10 years and he said, "in 10 years we have had only 2 outbreaks of chicken pox - one was this past July and one was many years ago. Now, we have a measles outbreak, which is extremely rare, and 4 families are affected." Our hearts were pounding out of our chests. He then said he would talk to the four families separately, and that one family would have to wait at least 20 days before getting their baby. Finally, after many announcements from various members of the China team and 7 courses of Dim Sum later, we sat down with Norman. It turns out that one baby contracted measles two days ago, and therefore the parents must go home and come back next month. Luckily that family lives in Hong Kong, so although they were heartbroken, they haven't made the same excursion that most of us have so it was less of a blow. Then we found out that Jemma and another baby contracted the measles mid-August, and that they were clear, meaning they were in the recovery stage, and we would be able to get them at the scheduled time on Monday, September 5. Also, that we would be free to socialize with everyone as we they were no longer contagious. Thank God! The last family's baby had her vaccination early August, and is currently fine, however, she needs to be carefully supervised and they have to remain separate from the group for about 5 days. We are quite sympathetic to their situation and we are here to help in any way we can. What a way for us to start parenting, huh? Jeez. I guess the upside is, that Jemma won't need the measles vaccination so that's one less shot for her to get, and she'll never get measles again. Also, it's already given us a taste of "the worries" that parents have and boy, even though we haven't met this little girl yet, we are so attached and want everything to be okay for her. Tomorrow is our official "Gotcha Day", yup, that's what they call it when you "get" your baby. We have breakfast at 5:30 a.m. in order to leave by 6 a.m. We will go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs Office at 4:30 p.m. to finally get Jemma. We'll post pictures of our cutie pie and her little red spots. Now we're going to get massages, as the knots in our backs are epic.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Thunderbolt & Lightening (very, very frightening!)
We arrived in Guangzhou last night and were met at the train station by Jackie, a member of "the China team". Jackie assured us that it would not rain in Guangzhou and we woke up this morning to torrential downpours. Jackie also assured us that our room at the Garden Hotel had a king size bed and it was really two full size beds. Jackie is very sweet, but we now know that with everything she says, the opposite is true. John is not happy about having to wear his rain poncho - it was only packed as a last resort. He feels he has compromised his sense of fashion just to get some Starbucks coffee across the street. Ah, the poor, American... dignity is the first thing to go in a third-world country...
Meet Nathan!
Here's the newest addition to our family - Nathan the panda, named after Nathan Rd., the main shopping thoroughfare in Hong Kong, where we got him. Nathan is a real comfort and a joy - we already love him. But there's one problem - he's afraid to go home because he knows Rua and Ollie will want to tear him apart. Jemma will just have to protect him!
Friday, September 02, 2005
Goodbye Hong Kong!
We're off to Guangzhou now - a quick 1:45 minute train ride from Hong Kong. We're really going to miss this place - the great subway system, the super cheap taxis, the beautiful people-so friendly and helpful, plus most speak English, and of course, the shopping. We have to switch gears now and really watch what we eat, not to mention start brushing our teeth with bottled water. We will especially miss our hotel which was a real indulgence for us. http://www.langhamhotels.com/langhamplace/hongkong/ The hotel features modern art by local artists-the photo here is of a sarcastic sculpture in the lower lobby representing the blind worshipping of Maoism during the Cultural Revolution and now, the blind worshipping of capitalism - it's titled, "Red Guard - Going forward! Making money!
Setting The Bar Very High
Daisy Yorke is one of the sweetest, funniest, kindest, and as you can see, most photogenic little girls ever. She shares everything with everyone, doesn't get cranky on long walks, lets the adults carry on their adult conversations, and has a great sense of humor as well, for example, in the fancy Penninsula Hotel, she joked with the crowd waiting outside of the elevator, "Wanna buy a watch?" She sets the standards very high for our Jemma. Only 3 more days till we meet Jemma! Our jet lag has helped us prepare for the lack of sleep we will be getting as new parents. 4am is our waking time, and midnight is our bedtime... uh oh...
Peeing at the Penninsula
We were told by our friends, Adam & Tina, to visit the world famous Penninsula Hotel. Not for the high tea, but for the high pee. The best views of the harbor are to be had while relieving yourself from the men's room. Wayne and John took so many pictures of each other in the rest room that the flashes created a light show in the adjoining hallway and attracted the attention of the hotel staff. What classy travelers we are!
Friends in Hong Kong
Here we are with our terrific friends, the Yorkes, Wayne, Bebe and Daisy, along with Amanda who's helping them take care of Daisy while they adopt their second daughter, Rosie. We ate a great meal at the Spring Deer and then shopped the night away on the famous Nathan Road. We have not found a single block that is not wall to wall shops - gold, jade, sunglasses, clothes, electronics, suits, watches, repeat. Merchants on the street hawk you with, "Wanna Buy a Watch?" and "You need suit?" A tailored suit is the way to go, but we're not going that way - this time.
Yum Sum
On Julie’s recommendation we ate at a fabulous Dim Sum place inside City Hall, called Maxim’s Place. It was by far the best Dim Sum we’ve ever had. And one of the more intimate places, too, seating a mere 800 or so guests. John is getting better at using chop sticks - he's graduated to a Chinese soup spoon here.
The Wet Market
Julie took us to Wan Chai where the “wet market” is. It’s a huge outdoor market where the locals shop and can buy everything - not just wet stuff. Most prominent, though, is the display of every organ in every animal, and the famous "100 year old eggs". These are aged duck eggs and are usually just a few days old. They are soaked in a solution of tea leaves, lime, soda and rock salt and are eaten with ginger. Apparently they taste as though you've taken an egg, squeezed some juice on them and buried them in the dirt.
Relatives in Hong Kong!
We met up with Ellen’s cousin’s wife’s sister, Julie - that’s a relative, right? Julie, who has been living in Hong Kong for 2 years with her family, gave us a lay of the land, showed us some of the sights and guided us for the rest of our trip here. Yay, Julie!
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Hello Hong Kong!
We finally made it after a 13-hour flight from San Francisco. Our hotel in Hong Kong is beautiful with views across the city. Even though we’re in the minority we actually feel quite at home here. It’s got a New York City vibe – people out all night, stores and restaurants open late, lots and lots of energy. We’ll get a fresh perspective tomorrow when we see the city by day. We're happy to be touring a bit before the baby, but then again, all we can think about is holding her.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Some Finding Sites of other Abandon Babies
Here's just a sample of some of the places these babies were found in Gaoyou. This is only in one small city and just an example - so you can imagine how many little babies, mostly girls, are just left all over China.
Jemma Was Found at the Gaoyou Orphanage
Jemma was found right outside of the orphanage gate when she was only two days old. She was wrapped in a wool cloth and covered with a cotton blanket. Poor thing, it must've been freezing in Gaoyou in December!
Lucky 3rd Call!
We FINALLY received our third call with our travel dates and itinerary. We will be departing on August 31st, a few days ahead of the group, in order to spend some time in Hong Kong in order to get over our jet lag and take in an exciting city at the same time. On Sunday, September 4, we will meet the whole group in Guangzhou, then on Monday we fly up to Nanjing, the capital of the Jiangsu province, and get our little girl. We'll spend 5 nights in and around Nanjing, touring and bonding with our baby. While there, we hope to go up to Gaoyou to visit the town Jemma was born in and the orphanage she was raised in from the time she was 2 days old. Then, we'll return to Guangzhou for 7 nights, where we will be touring with the whole group, as well as completing all of the official steps in order to complete Jemma's adoption.
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