Photos!

Wenguo posted a bunch of photos yesterday going back to the trip to the Shanghai zoo!

-posted by Dan

Memorial Day Weekend

I can't believe it's taken this long for me to write a few lines! We've been busy, of course. Shuya is adjusting very well - and so are we! She is a wonderful child. Sometimes she's a little crabby - like tonight when I took her for a walk in the stroller and she decided that she wasn't comfortable and just started making a loud fuss! I was hoping that she wasn't attracting too much attention. We stopped at the swing set - she loves the swing!

We took mama and baba to the Garden of the Gods yesterday. They loved it (see the photo!). Today we went to the art show in Denver on the 16th Street mall at the Pavilions. It was ok. Not as good as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival but there were some very nice art there. It runs tomorrow from 11AM to 4PM. Last weekend we brought mama and baba to the Flatirons at Chatauqua Park. It was a beautiful day and mama took a lot of pictures of the incredibly beautiful flowers.

We have introduced them to Wahoo's, Chipotle, and Pho Duy Vietnamese Noodles in Broomfield. They didn't like the first two but they did like the noodle soup!

I installed an IPTV system so that mama and baba can watch Chinese TV and movies on our TV though our internet connection. I was surprised at how well it works! It's great. We have DSL and our connection seems to slow down or stop for no apparent reason but the IPTV works without any glitches. They can choose from a lot of channels, including channels that they usually watch in China, as well as some that were not available to them in China. It's only hooked to the TV in the loft upstairs but that seems to be the best place for it.

Shuya is still adorable. It's hard to spend a lot of time playing with her and still do the things we need to do - like work. I had to go right back to work as soon as I got back home. I had to go into work to write reports for customers and ship equipment to a tradeshow. Talk about waiting to the last minute! Then I had to go to Las Vegas the next week for 4 days for the trade show. It is always stressful setting up the booth and making the equipment run as it should. No different this time, although most things went pretty smoothly, it's always a time-crunch. I had some fun in the evenings and won about $2o (net) playing $10 hands of Pai Gow. I never played it before and it's pretty slow - just my speed! I must have had beginner's luck. I wasn't ready to play an faster games. I had Friday off so I get to spend 4 days with her! So far it's been a lot of fun!

Wenguo has gotten Shuya into a routine and that seems to be helping a lot. Nap time in the morning and after lunch, in bed on time and up in the morning with us. She complains a little (loudly) for a while when we try to put her down for a nap sometimes but it doesn't last very long any more. The first week we had some issues with her crying for a long time when we tried to get her to go to bed.

Shuya and Little Bear are getting along well. They are just starting to get close to each other and Shuya occasionally pets Little Bear or throws one of her toys for her (it usually travels about 1 foot!). I think they are going to be fine but we are still watching them. Little Bear has proven to be very tolerant so far! I'm very proud of her. She is such a sweet dog.

I can't keep up with the photos - I know I need to post some and I promise to try to find some time tomorrow. I found a HP Photo printer/scanner/copier at Target that was marked down from $100 to $25. They still have some left at the store on 144th at I-25 (Westminster SuperTarget, 14451 Orchard Pkwy, Westminster, CO 80020 (303) 209-0163). The installer was the worst I've ever encountered. Of course they loaded up my computer with a lot of their software.

I'll try to post more often with more focus on our life with Shuya, and more pictures soon!

-posted by Dan

Home Sweet Home!

We arrived at the airport at 2:30 yesterday afternoon. Things went pretty smoothly. Going through the airports with 9 check-in bags, carry-in bags, stroller and a baby was difficult but we didn't have any trouble getting through Customs or Immigration. Everything went pretty smoothly.

The first flight was 10 hours and we got very little sleep. Shuya fell asleep before we landed in San Francisco and slept through everything until we got to the gate for our next flight. That was a blessing.

Our friends were at the airport to pick us up and we went home and all of our friends in our adoption support group came over with their kids to meet Shuya. It was a nice time!

We stayed up as late as we could and at 9PM we went to sleep. I was up at 11 briefly and Shuya woke up and cried at12:30. I couldn't get her to go back to sleep so Wenguo had to try. She was able to get her to go back to sleep and we all slept through the rest of the night. We woke her up at around 7 AM and she had a big smile for me!

-posted by Dan

The Panda

Shuya's first encounter with an animal at the zoo was the panda. She was much more excited by the next animal she saw which was a tiger in an outdoor pen. The tiger's were more active and were easy to see. The Shanghai zoo only had one of these pandas. They also had some "lesser" pandas.

We will be leaving in just a few hours and we are anxious to get home. We can't wait to show Shuya her new home and let her settle down.

-posted by Dan

The Zoo!

Shuya loved the zoo! One of her favorite parts was the ride in the zebra! She loved the monkeys that were jumping around in their cages and was tickled pink by the zebra!

She was afraid of the statue of the panda and the tiger but I eventually got her to pet the statue of the tiger! We have pictures but I can't upload any pictures to flickr.

-posted by Dan

Shanghai Zoo

We went to the zoo this morning - she loved it! She was pretty well behaved and took a short nap in the cab on the way to the zoo.

We'll have lunch now and then take a nap. This afternoon we will have to make sure we are packed as much as possible and that the weight of each bag is less than 50 lbs - if we can!

-posted by Dan

Internet

This internet connection is pathetic. I can't upload the pictures of the hotel room to flickr. That means I probably won't be able to post any more photos of Shuya until we get home.

-posted by Dan

In Shanghai

We made it to Shanghai in 2 vans. We are in an incredible room thanks to friends of Wenguo's parents. They own a nice hotel in Shanghai. It's a large, elegant suite. We will pay 2o0 Yuan per night. I'll post pictures. It has internet access (slow high-speed) but I still can't see this blog, or Nate and Diana's blog - although I did get a peek at both just before we left Shaoxing. It seems odd that access is intermittent. I have always been able to access Kim's blog on youbelong.net. It's never blocked.

We had a wonderful lunch at an excellent restaurant in the hotel. Mama made sure I drank as much pijiou as I wanted. Qing Tao beer.

We are trying to get Shuya to take a nap and then we will go visit some of Wenguo's family this afternoon.

-posted by Dan

Shanghai

We are on our way to Shanghai now. I do not know if we will have internet access there so this may be our last entry for about 3 days. We return to the states on the 14th.

-posted by Dan

Count down to our return

I wasn't able to open our blog this morning. It's been blocked. I haven't been able to read Nate and Diana's blog either.

She is so cute! (Usually;-) she got a couple of bug bits next to one eye and her eye is a little swollen.

We are going to start packing for the next leg of our journey. 2 nights in Shanghai. We will do a little more shopping today. Wenguo bought another suitcase for all the baby clothes she bought!

It was very hot and sunny yesterday and now it's raining and cool.

-posted by Dan

Relaxing

We are doing the family thing - spending time with Wenguo's family. I've taken some walks around the neighborhood. There is a park close by, Ji Shan park, it's nice there and Mama and I took Shuya there for pictures. She was tired so the pictures were just ok - not enough smiles!

We have had some really good meals here in Shaoxing. I am sure I am gaining more weight no matter how much walking I do. I know it's not keeping up with the calories I'm ingesting. Each lunch or dinner includes lots of the local brown rice wine. It is an excellent companion to the food.

-posted by Dan

Shaoxing

We made it back to Shaoxing without incident. Wenguo's brother-in-law picked us up at the Huangzhou airport and drove us to the hotel. The hotel room looks pretty clean and is large enough. But there is no crib and no tub. I'm not sure how we're going to wash her. She just started to love the tub! I couldn't get her out last night...

Our hotel room has internet access so we can continue to post pictures!

Shuya is pretty good natured except she has a temper and has learned some bad manners at the orphanage. I am sure some of her behavior is just survival instincts. We've started telling her when she's doing something wrong. Sometime's she has a fit if we tell her that she should not be doing something. She throws a little temper tantrum. We can usually calm her down by distracting her with food! I'm not sure that's a good long term solution but for now we just want to gain her trust.

She took to Wenguo's family right away! Lots of smiles for grandma and grampa!

-posted by Dan

我們沒有出事做了它回到紹興。Wenguo 的內弟/姊夫/姐夫/舅子帶走了我們在Huangzhou 機場和駕駛我們到旅館。旅館客房看相當乾淨和是足夠大的。但沒有小兒床和沒有木盆。我不是肯定的怎麼我們洗滌她。她開始愛木盆! 我不能昨晚得到她... 我們的旅館客房得以進入網際網路因此我們能繼續張貼圖片! Shuya 是相當好的natured 除了她有一種脾氣和學會了一些壞方式在孤兒院。我是肯定的一些她的行為是正義生存天性。我們開始告訴她她做□某事錯誤。她某時有適合如果我們告訴她她不應該做□某事。她投擲一點脾氣勃然大怒。我們能通常鎮定她下來由分散她用食物! 我不是肯定的, 是一種好長期解答但我們暫時想要獲取她的信任。 她立即採取了對Wenguo 的家庭! 許多微笑為祖母和grampa! - 由丹張貼

Huangzhou

We are on our way to Shaoxing via Huangzhou. We'll check in when we get there!

-posted by Dan

Passport with Visa

We took the oath and got her Passport with the US Visa!

We just got back. She's napping. We will go out to dinner with friends of Wenguo's.

We dropped off 3 families at the train station. They are bound for Hong Kong and then home. We said goodbye to everyone.

-posted by Dan

Photos

I posted a lot of pictures.

We are just waiting for our trip to the Consulate and then all the paperwork in China will have been completed.

-posted by Dan.

Visa application

We were told that all our papers are in order for our Visa so we just wait until tomorrow for Shuya's visa. We are napping now and will probably go to the pool when we get up. It's a sunny day and that means it's hot here in Guangzhou.

Tomorrow we will take the oath at the US Consulate and on the 9th we will fly to Huangzhou.

I couldn't help but post some more pictures of this angel smiling! Maybe too many? Notice that the bruises on her forehead are all gone. She walks a lot and does very well except at transitions between rug and hard flooring. We still try to stay within arms length as often as we can but it's getting harder to keep up with her!

-posted by Dan

Physical

Shuya passed her physical without any trouble. She weighs less than 9kg. The process didn't take long and it was a nice morning to walk over to the medical building. It's starting to warm up so I think it will be a good day to go to the pool again.

We are going to run out for some dim sum brunch but need to be in our room from 11:30 to 12:30 in case there are any questions on our paperwork.

-posted by Dan

The Pool!

Today we finally got a chance to go to the pool. The water was a little cold but after awhile Shuya seemed to really enjoy it. She stayed in for a long time. She didn't like to get her face wet and after she slipped walking around in the pool and got her face in the water she stayed real close to me. We had fun playing with her new friend Eden and the rubber ducks! Lying in the lounge chair next to the pool it finally felt like I was on vacation for a few minutes, instead of on a different trip. Now we are back to the hotel room for a nap.


Tonight we will have a big group dinner at 5 because we need to get up early for the physicals tomorrow (7:45 AM appointments). We need these for the Visa applications which will be submitted tomorrow. In the afternoon we will take our oaths to care for these children. We should get the Visas the following day. We will go to Shaoxing for 4 nights and then spend the last 2 nights in Shanghai before flying back to the states.

-posted by Dan

Bonding

Today was a relaxing day and a good day for bonding with Shuya. We got a pretty good night's sleep. Shuya got up a couple of times in the night but as soon as she was reassured that we were nearby she went back to sleep quickly.

This morning we had breakfast in our room. I dripped my own coffee (Starbucks) and we had sweet breads from the little bakery shop at Beatrice's grocery store. We went shopping with Todd and Kim. We brought them to the same shop we went the other day and Wenguo found some more things cheap 10 Yuan per top or bottom, and a nice sweater for 20 Yuan. Todd and Kim went back to the hotel and Wenguo and I went to the restaurant that her friends brought us to the other night and we had some really good dim sum. We came back to the hotel after lunch and took a 2 hour nap! Wenguo and Shuya were still sleeping when I went out to Starbucks for a cup of coffee, and stopped at Beatrice's grocery for a couple of bananas for Shuya. We went to dinner at the Chinese Restaurant in the Victory hotel. We got a room and enjoyed the company of Anthony, Yvonne, Sophia, and Isabella. We ate light. It was very good. Just a little more expensive than some in Guangzhou, but not really expensive.

We agreed to meet Anthony and Yvonne and the kids in the Swan room after dinner. they were going to Beatrice's so we went back by Starbucks. I bought a half-pound of coffee (95yuan) and had them grind it for my drip filter. We shared a Mocha and stopped at Andy's on the way back where Wenguo got a doll with mei mei to remember this trip by. I asked for the one with the bright red silk dress. There's just something about the Chinese red silk that I really like.

Anthony found us browsing in another shop and said that they had already been to the Swan room and that he was just running back to Beatrice's for another item. We made a beeline to the Swan room where we eventually wound up with a most of the families and spent a couple hours playing with the kids. I got some video and will try to pick some to post.

We are back in the room getting ready for bed.

-posted by Dan

Red Couch Photos

Today we took our Red Couch photos. We dressed Shuya in the Chinese dress that I picked out for her and she did not dissappoint us! She was an absolute angel with lots of smiles. I couldn't help but to post a lot of pictures.

We all took a nap today because it is a rainy day and there is nothing better to do. We are getting ready to go to dinner. We will go to the same restraunt we went to the other day for dim sum.

-posted by Dan

Wednesday

This morning we had breakfast in our room. We bought a few different types of breads and red bean buns and I made my own coffee. Then we took a tour with the group. We went to a temple and an old mansion. The mansion was different than what you would expect - it had many open areas and was designed for indoor/outdoor living. It was actually pretty cool except that I didn't see a barbeque grill or pool anywhere!

We also went to a shopping center that was right next door to Lamborghini and Rolls Royce dealerships. Wenguo looked at the prices and said it was too expensive and because our guide told us there was no bargaining here we didn't buy anything.

At lunchtime we went to the Cantonese restaurant Xinglizhi Wan which is right next to JM Chef (which wasn't a good experience - too expensive, poor ambiance, and poor service). We had some great Dim Sum. Excellent service, and it was very reasonably priced. We sat in the foyer near the front doors - it might be smoky in the regular eating area.

This afternoon Wenguo took a nap and I took Shuya out for a stroll to the pool area, took photos of the lobby, pool, and indoor waterfalls. Then I took her to the Swan room. It's a room full of toys for kids to play with. She had it all to herself! She was in heaven!

This evening we went out with some of Wenguo's friends to the best restaurant in Guangzhou, Tao Tao Ju. It was great! After dinner we went shopping right outside the restaurant. There were lots of shops and lots of people out. It was great. Wenguo got tons of clothes cheap. She showed my several sets of shirts and pants all 10 Yaun each. She had a couple of really nice fancy dresses for only 30 Yuan.

We came back to the hotel and went to the little shop on the corner - A home of Love or something like that - and she bought 2 Chinese silk embroidered dresses for 65 yuan (32.5 yuan each).

-posted by Dan

Thursday morning

Wenguo got her some rubber duckies and we put them in the tub and she finally played in the bath! She even sat down in the water and splashed a bit.

She had a fit again last night before bed and I am sure it is because she is teething.

I broke down and paid the internet access fee so that I could upload a bunch of photos...

-posted by Dan

Guangzhou and the White Swan

It's hotter here and very humid. The White Swan is cool - it's so big on this little island with all of it's small quaint European style buildings that it seems immense. Guangzhou has 7 or 8 million regular inhabitants and 3 million additional residents. It's the 3rd or 4th largest city in China.

When we arrived yesterday it was pretty clear and not to hot but early this morning it was very hot and very humid. It was pleasant this evening when we walked to the Victory to visit our friends Todd and Kim. We are borrowing their free internet access and letting the girls play in their large suite (all for about the same as what we paid for the small room at the White Swan and it includes breakfast!) I think we should have gotten a room at the Victory!

I had a small "emergency" because the company I work for is being acquired by a larger company and I needed help to make the transaction required to secure my stock options which will convert to shares in a larger company that is acquiring us. A million thanks to David.

We went out to dinner with the group last night but nobody really liked the restaurant and it was expensive compared the excellent restaurants we went to in Wuhan. I was disappointed because I was looking forward to Cantonese food. The food was ok. I had snails. They were good - but not as good as escargot. They were cooked in spicy (pepper) broth. I am so glad that there are so many people of Chinese decent in our group because they really know what to order.

Our friend Dr. Liang took us out to Carrefour off Shamian island to do some shopping today and helped us get some documents that I needed to purchase the stock options printed. Then he took us to a real authentic Cantonese restaurant for lunch. It was pretty good - I showed Dong Dong all the fish, snakes, and other creatures in the tank. She was mesmerized by most but I think the snakes in the cage scared her!

This evening we got all our papers together for the Visa application and took our kids to get their visa photos. One of the repeat families knew enough to get the digital images on a flash drive!

Tomorrow we go on a sightseeing tour in the morning and will take it easy in the afternoon and evening. We might take her to the pool because she did real well with her bath this morning. She still won't sit in the water but I think she'll do better if we get more toys in the tub!

I'm going to try to upload some pictures of Dong Dong - we have a few now with her smiling!

-posted by Dan