POST SCRIPT

I forgot to put something REALLY IMPORTANT in my blog, so here is a SHORT post!!!

PROGRESS!!!!!

I can't believe that I forgot to tell what AMAZING thing happened tonight while we were on Shamien Island.  We were getting ready to leave the island.  Roger decided to go into the 7-Eleven store and get some snacks.  I waited outside with the girls.  Molly Kate was out of her stroller, but Callie Beth was sitting in hers, drinking her water.  She emptied her bottle, and apparently was still thirsty.  USUALLY, when this situation occurs, she starts whining quite loudly, and then is crying and almost screaming (without tears) before we get it refilled.  Roger had the bottled water inside his backpack, so I didn't have anything to give her right away.  As soon as she handed her bottle out to me, I took it and asked her is she wanted more, signing when I asked her?  AND, for the very first time, she proceeded to do the sign language for "more" that I have been showing her all week, and actually said, very calmly, "MORE!"   Folks, that may not sound like anything special to you, but for US, that is PROGRESS!!!!  It tells us she has added an ENGLISH word to her vocabulary that makes sense to her!!!   She was actually VERY GOOD from the time we left the hotel tonight.  She LOVED the Thai food, and behaved perfectly during dinner.  She really is a GOOD girl, and behind that introverted, shy personality, she has a lot of SPUNK!!!!  We are SO blessed to have been given the opportunity to add her to our family!!!!  Just like Molly Kate, it's already obvious that she is going to fit in PERFECTLY!!!! 

Vicki :)

SHOPPING

 NO SQUEAKY SHOES PURCHASED :(

This afternoon we headed to Shamien Island for dinner and SQUEAKY SHOE shopping.  We ate at a Thai restaurant called the Cow and Bridge.  We had an EXCELLENT meal, and fun and fellowship with three other families. 

After dinner, we headed to my favorite stores on the island, Jenny's Place, Sherry's Place and China Adoption Charities.  Sadly, they were all three closed.  Needless to say, we will be making another trip to the island probably tomorrow!!!!

I did buy a few things---matching outfits for Molly Kate and Callie Beth, really cute ladybug bracelets for them, a pendant for myself, chopsticks with Callie Beth's name on them, and a chop with her name engraved on it. We are going to have to go back to the island anyway to pick up those last two items.  HOPEFULLY, I will return with lots of SQUEAKY shoes, too, as well as other special items I have on my list!!!

We got back to the hotel a little before 9:00 tonight, and believe it or not, I had BOTH girls in bed by 9:30!!!  Callie Beth fell asleep during our taxi ride home, and didn't even wake up when I put her PJ's on her.  Molly Kate had fallen asleep in the taxi on the way TO the island, so she was wide awake on the way home.  I just left Callie Beth in her stroller until I was ready to dress her for bed.  At one point I looked up, and Molly Kate was poking on her and moving her head backward and forward!!!!  Luckily, she didn't wake her up!!!  It is now 10:05 here, and Roger is fast asleep, too!!!

Tomorrow we will be taking a trip to the Pearl Market.  I am in search of a pearl necklace and bracelet for Callie Beth.  Tomorrow night we will go on the Pearl River Cruise.  The food on the cruise is horrendous, but the lights of the city are absolutely GORGEOUS to see.  I think the girls will LOVE it!!!!


I am adding more pictures from today!!!!

I love yogurt!

Yogurt!

Vicki :)

EXAM DAY!

MEDICAL EXAM DAY!!!

Today was our day to take the bus to get Callie Beth's physical examination.  The clinic where we went was hopping with children waiting for their physicals---mostly, children being adopted. 

Ready for the Dr. visit.

I think Molly Kate knows she doesn't have to go through the Dr. visit, from the smile on her face!

Waiting for the Doctor.

Callie Beth did GREAT in the first station---eyes, ears, and throat exam---EXCEPT, she would NOT open her mouth for the doctor.  She didn't cry, she didn't scream, she didn't fuss at all---she just set there with her teeth clenched together tightly.  I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but her Chinese zodiac sign is the ox, and she is literally STRONG as an ox!!!  It was so funny---the doctor finally gave up, and wrote something down on her chart.  The medical information from today is for immigration, so we won't receive a copy of it.  I'm just assuming that she wrote something like, MOUTH CLAMPED SHUT!!!!!

The next station was weight, height, and temperature.  Callie Beth is 35 inches tall, which is the same height as Molly Kate.  However, she weighed in (with her heavy shoes on and after a BIG breakfast) at 34 lbs, so she outweighs Molly Kate by about 8 lbs., which is what I had estimated.  I'm thinking about becoming a sumo wrestler when I get home, because after having carried her around for a week, and with almost a week yet to go---not that the carrying around will stop when we get home her around this week, I feel like I might be able to lift ANYONE and throw them around!!!!

The final station was the medical examination.  Unfortunately, Callie Beth was in distress when we started that part, because we had run out of rice cookies to munch on.  She went in screaming, and came out screaming.  The doctor asked me if she talks much.  How would I know?  I don't speak Chinese, so I don't know if the things she utters is words or just babbling.  Anyway, they did label her language delayed, but that is typical.  OF COURSE she is going to be language delayed coming to a country where she doesn't speak the language.  

Callie Beth also had to have a TB skin test.  It is required for all children over the age of two who are adopted.  The orphanage did a preliminary test on her a few months back, and it was negative, so we aren't expecting a problem.  Since she was already distressed over the physical examination, she didn't react much worse to the needle in her arm.  HOWEVER, she can't get her arm in water today, so there won't be a tsunami bath for her and Molly Kate tonight!!!  Once we were finished with all the stations, and I put her back in the stroller, she was fine. 

We are back in the room now, just chilling----LITERALLY!!!  We have the air set as cold as it will go.  It feels good after being outside.  We are glad to be where we are, though, instead of in the HEAT WAVE at home.  It is in the 90's today, but partly cloudy.  It feels like normal Kentucky weather.

Roger has to meet with the other dads in the group at 4:00 this afternoon and do paperwork for Callie Beth's visa.  When he is finished, we are going to Shamien Island (where we stayed last year when we were here) for dinner and then SHOPPING!!!!!  WOO HOO!!!

I am attaching a few pictures from today.

Until later....

Vicki :)