Here it is Sunday night, and it's hard to believe that we've had Bethany for a week. She is definitely not the child handed to us last Sunday. We've seen so much progress over this past week - still a long way to go - but we're so happy that she's doing so well. She still goes to strangers a little too easily, but the longer she's with us, the more she'll attach. She's so much fun - truly a joy. Don't know how much Todd has written about stroller rides the past couple of days, but she LOVES riding in her stroller. She is definitely a daredevil - the faster Todd goes and the more he slings her around, the more she laughs and giggles. You can hear her laughing from way off - it's hilarious. We'll say VROOM VROOM and she starts grinning from ear to ear b/c she knows what's coming. I got a great picture today of her big ole smile when Todd was bringing her in for a landing. I'll get him to attach it. She most certainly belongs to us, because the faster and crazier the ride, the more she loves it. :) We'll have her on roller coasters in no time flat. :)
A note to our parents: Can someone please make congee for when we get home? She's discovering and loving new foods - today it was mashed potatoes - but she's still a regular congee eater. It's rice cooked slam to death with some chicken broth and little bits of chicken. She really can't eat but just little strings of chicken so the chicken has to be cooked to death too. Congee is kind of a comfort food for her, so it would be good to have some when we get home in case she's already worked up. Thanks. Also, before we come over to your houses, please make sure you put up all pictures of Bethany from the orphanage. She doesn't need to see anything associated with that time. Some of the other parents have shown their kids different pictures from when they were in the orphanage, the workers, etc, and it's set the kids back. So we want to make sure she doesn't see any of those pics for a while. In fact, if you go in my house, please take the pics of Bethany off of my fridge and the big pic out of the living room on the table. Oh, and the pic of her in her room needs to come down too. Just set them somewhere so they're turned over and she can't see them. Thanks.
We bought squeaky shoes last night - 17 pairs. :) I'm starting this girl out right. :) They're cheap and I got sizes up through 9 - Todd just hands over the cash - he's got 2 girls ganging up on him now. We thought Bethany was in a size 5 - so said the orphange - but when we measured her foot last night for shoes, she wears a 3. I don't think she'll be in a 3 long, so we just bought one pair of 3's. We weighed her again last night, and she has gained a little weight, so we were glad to see that. She eats pretty good, but it's kind of hard to always find things for her. She loved the congee at the other hotel, so it wasn't a problem so much there - it was pork congee. But, the congee at this hotel is plain - just cooked to death rice - and she won't touch it. There's a great place to eat here in Guangzhou called Lucy's - everyone who's been to China to adopt knows and loves Lucy's - it's American food, and by the time you've been in China for a week and 1/2, you are dying to get to Guangzhou so you can eat at Lucy's. Anyway, I chased a rabbit, but my point was that Lucy's has chicken congee and she loves theirs. We just have to get down the street to get the congee. Tonight, we did mashed potatoes from Lucy's instead of congee and she loved it. Knocked out almost the whole container. We've been getting our comfort food from Lucy's too. :) We also had Chips Ahoy tonight, and they were awesome, I must say.
Today, we went to a museum the Chen Clan Museum, I think it's called. Just alot of Chinese artwork, history, etc. - it was interesting. Today was rainy and really cold - we were blowing smoke - so we are ready for some more of the warm Guangzhou weather - not this from today. Bethany had a great morning - she was so good at the museum, but after she woke up from her nap, it was on. Todd had gone with all of the dads and our guide to an electronics store, and they were gone for a really long time. As soon as she woke up and realized Todd wasn't here, she was whiny, and it got progressively worse. She had a terrible afternoon and early evening - so unhappy and making sure we knew it. When Todd got back, she instantly got much better. She was already on a roll by that time, but she still got happier. She gets very unsettled when she can't see/hear both of us for more than a few minutes. It would be very sweet, but knowing the source of her discontent is her abandonment issues, it's sad. Anyway, we were supposed to go to dinner tonight with our group - our guide arranged for a nice dinner and a mini massage for the adults. After this afternoon, we opted not to go. We weren't sure how the childcare thing was going to be, and we weren't about to leave her for a minute. I really don't think we had to leave her, but we probably wouldn't have been able to hold her to her liking, so it was easier to stay in and play with her. We did go to Lucy's for takeout......a steak and fried chicken.....Yum. :) So all in all, it was an okay day. She's been having such good days that this afternoon was kind of tough when she regressed so much, but she was perky and playful before bedtime. Just in time to have a screaming fit when it was time for her to go to sleep. :) Her sleep is getting better; she still has night terrors, but we can see an improvement in them, so that is reassuring. Those first few nights were so awful and scared us to death.
Tomorrow, the other families have to go back for medical results, b/c their kids had to have TB tests (all kids over 2, so Bethany just missed it, thank goodness). We get to skip that appt. and not sure what we do tomorrow afternoon with the group. The shopping is good here, so we're planning to take the little princess and buy her more stuff. :) I'm glad to have the morning off so we can get out and shop some. Hoping the weather will clear up and warm up. Anyway, it's late - way past my bedtime, so I'm signing off. I gave Todd the night off from blogging. Love to all - Todd, Stacey, and Bethany
A note to our parents: Can someone please make congee for when we get home? She's discovering and loving new foods - today it was mashed potatoes - but she's still a regular congee eater. It's rice cooked slam to death with some chicken broth and little bits of chicken. She really can't eat but just little strings of chicken so the chicken has to be cooked to death too. Congee is kind of a comfort food for her, so it would be good to have some when we get home in case she's already worked up. Thanks. Also, before we come over to your houses, please make sure you put up all pictures of Bethany from the orphanage. She doesn't need to see anything associated with that time. Some of the other parents have shown their kids different pictures from when they were in the orphanage, the workers, etc, and it's set the kids back. So we want to make sure she doesn't see any of those pics for a while. In fact, if you go in my house, please take the pics of Bethany off of my fridge and the big pic out of the living room on the table. Oh, and the pic of her in her room needs to come down too. Just set them somewhere so they're turned over and she can't see them. Thanks.
We bought squeaky shoes last night - 17 pairs. :) I'm starting this girl out right. :) They're cheap and I got sizes up through 9 - Todd just hands over the cash - he's got 2 girls ganging up on him now. We thought Bethany was in a size 5 - so said the orphange - but when we measured her foot last night for shoes, she wears a 3. I don't think she'll be in a 3 long, so we just bought one pair of 3's. We weighed her again last night, and she has gained a little weight, so we were glad to see that. She eats pretty good, but it's kind of hard to always find things for her. She loved the congee at the other hotel, so it wasn't a problem so much there - it was pork congee. But, the congee at this hotel is plain - just cooked to death rice - and she won't touch it. There's a great place to eat here in Guangzhou called Lucy's - everyone who's been to China to adopt knows and loves Lucy's - it's American food, and by the time you've been in China for a week and 1/2, you are dying to get to Guangzhou so you can eat at Lucy's. Anyway, I chased a rabbit, but my point was that Lucy's has chicken congee and she loves theirs. We just have to get down the street to get the congee. Tonight, we did mashed potatoes from Lucy's instead of congee and she loved it. Knocked out almost the whole container. We've been getting our comfort food from Lucy's too. :) We also had Chips Ahoy tonight, and they were awesome, I must say.
Today, we went to a museum the Chen Clan Museum, I think it's called. Just alot of Chinese artwork, history, etc. - it was interesting. Today was rainy and really cold - we were blowing smoke - so we are ready for some more of the warm Guangzhou weather - not this from today. Bethany had a great morning - she was so good at the museum, but after she woke up from her nap, it was on. Todd had gone with all of the dads and our guide to an electronics store, and they were gone for a really long time. As soon as she woke up and realized Todd wasn't here, she was whiny, and it got progressively worse. She had a terrible afternoon and early evening - so unhappy and making sure we knew it. When Todd got back, she instantly got much better. She was already on a roll by that time, but she still got happier. She gets very unsettled when she can't see/hear both of us for more than a few minutes. It would be very sweet, but knowing the source of her discontent is her abandonment issues, it's sad. Anyway, we were supposed to go to dinner tonight with our group - our guide arranged for a nice dinner and a mini massage for the adults. After this afternoon, we opted not to go. We weren't sure how the childcare thing was going to be, and we weren't about to leave her for a minute. I really don't think we had to leave her, but we probably wouldn't have been able to hold her to her liking, so it was easier to stay in and play with her. We did go to Lucy's for takeout......a steak and fried chicken.....Yum. :) So all in all, it was an okay day. She's been having such good days that this afternoon was kind of tough when she regressed so much, but she was perky and playful before bedtime. Just in time to have a screaming fit when it was time for her to go to sleep. :) Her sleep is getting better; she still has night terrors, but we can see an improvement in them, so that is reassuring. Those first few nights were so awful and scared us to death.
Tomorrow, the other families have to go back for medical results, b/c their kids had to have TB tests (all kids over 2, so Bethany just missed it, thank goodness). We get to skip that appt. and not sure what we do tomorrow afternoon with the group. The shopping is good here, so we're planning to take the little princess and buy her more stuff. :) I'm glad to have the morning off so we can get out and shop some. Hoping the weather will clear up and warm up. Anyway, it's late - way past my bedtime, so I'm signing off. I gave Todd the night off from blogging. Love to all - Todd, Stacey, and Bethany
What a beautiful smile!
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