Sunday was a down day where we really just hung out at the hotel and explored around town.
Monday we went to the local zoo. It says it is the third largest zoo in China but we were able to see everything in about 4 hours so... It was super hot and SUPER humid. We all loved seeing the animals, but especially Faith. She ran up to each one and was genuinely awed by them. This is probably my favorite part about adoption - all the "firsts" we get to experience with our new kiddo. We missed their normal firsts like first words, first tooth, first steps, so it's nice to get to experience these other firsts with them. This was clearly the first time Faith had been to the zoo and seen those types of animals up close.
Tuesday was our "Consulate Appointment" (CA). The CA is the final required step in this process. At the CA we have to go to the US Consulate and swear under oath that we will never forsake or abandon the child. We also have to swear that we are adopting the child to raise as our own and not to "sell" them to someone else back home. 😟 This appointment finalizes everything on the American side and most importantly is when her Visa application is finalized. We will be issued the Visa tomorrow (Thurs) afternoon. The Visa will make it so that Faith becomes a U.S. Citizen the moment our plane hits U.S. soil! 😊 According to the Consulate, this particular Visa is the hardest document in the world to obtain...as he said this I was thinking, "No shit, it's taken almost a year to get it, even after you already had the same info on us from the last time!" After the CA, we went to the nearby mall and watched the new Nutcracker movie in 3D - another first for Faith. She did really well with it. Then we had dinner and it was time to meet our diver who was taking us to the River Cruise. As we were getting into the van, Faith grabbed a seat on the outside of the back row. I was getting in behind her and needed her to scoot over to the inside so that Kev and I could sit there too. I asked nicely two or three times and after she refused, I gently picked her up and slid her over to the inside. OH.MY.GOSH! You would have thought I took her favorite toy away from her. She cried and screamed the ENTIRE way to the cruise! We tried giving her toys to play with, candy, anything and it just didn't work. Fortunately when we boarded the boat, she perked up and had a blast looking at all the beautiful scenery. When it was time for bed, Kevin ran an errand to go buy bottled drinks for our day today. While he was out, I tucked Cheyenne in to her bed (in the couch), had Faith give her a good night hug and took Faith into our room to climb into bed. Once she was lying down in bed, she started crying silent tears. This was pretty out of the blue and she wasn't mad about anything. I tried to lay down next to her, rub her back and talk to her. I asked her why she was crying (no answer). Soon after, Kevin returned and I explained everything to him. He asked her again why she was crying and she replied "I don't know". This is grief - mixed with over-stimulation! Poor thing was exhausted. She was back to not wanting me anywhere near her and only wanted her daddy. Once she fell asleep, everything was ok but this broke my heart.
Today we went to Chimelong Paradise. This is a large amusement park with all kinds of rides. We only went for a half day because we didn't want to overstimulate Faith again. The boys and Cheyenne went to ride the "big kid" rides with my mom and Kevin and I stuck to the rides Faith was tall enough to ride.We all had a great time. Faith was such a dare devil. She was pretty happy the whole day except after about every other ride she would see a big kid ride and say (to Kevin in Chinese of course), "I want to ride that one." When he would tell her she was not tall enough she would stomp her foot and cross her arms and pout. EVERY.SINGLE.TIME! 😂 Fortunately, it only lasted until we came up to the next cool ride where she was tall enough. I got the pleasure of riding her very first roller coaster with her and then she gave Kevin her big beautiful brown eyes and asked him to go with her on the water ride...which he agreed! He HATES water rides and I'm pretty sure even his Princess Cheyenne hasn't been able to get him on one, but he willingly agreed to accompany Faith and I on the ride. We came back to the room and gave the girls a nap. While the girls napped, Kevin helped the boys with their homework and my mom and I went down to the bar to have a few drinks and play cards. That was a lot of fun too, mostly because my mom got trashed and was hysterical! Fortunately, she kept her clothes on! 😉 Once the girls were up for a while it was time for dinner. Right before we went to dinner, Faith came up to me and gave me a hug - all by herself! Once we were back in the room, I gave the girls a bath. While the bath water was running we had an all out tickle fight. They LOVE, LOVE, LOVE taking baths together and splash around and have a great time together. While they were in the bath, Faith says, "Mommy?", I looked over at her and said "Yeah baby" and she said "Wo Ai NI" with a big smile on her face! Oh my goodness, I almost cried. When it's time for bed, she'll probably be back to only wanting daddy, but at least we're making progress.
Tomorrow morning we will pack up everything and get ready to go home on Friday! YEY!!!! We will pack in the morning and will go to Shamian Island for some site seeing and dinner tomorrow afternoon.
We will be picked up to go to the airport at 8:00am Friday morning. We will fly home all day on Friday. I may get the opportunity to write again, but I may not. So, if not, please wish us well on our journey home - not only for safe travels but for traveling with a little girl who 1) has never flown before and 2) does not seem like the type to happily sit ans watch movies for 14 hours. :)
Monday we went to the local zoo. It says it is the third largest zoo in China but we were able to see everything in about 4 hours so... It was super hot and SUPER humid. We all loved seeing the animals, but especially Faith. She ran up to each one and was genuinely awed by them. This is probably my favorite part about adoption - all the "firsts" we get to experience with our new kiddo. We missed their normal firsts like first words, first tooth, first steps, so it's nice to get to experience these other firsts with them. This was clearly the first time Faith had been to the zoo and seen those types of animals up close.
Tuesday was our "Consulate Appointment" (CA). The CA is the final required step in this process. At the CA we have to go to the US Consulate and swear under oath that we will never forsake or abandon the child. We also have to swear that we are adopting the child to raise as our own and not to "sell" them to someone else back home. 😟 This appointment finalizes everything on the American side and most importantly is when her Visa application is finalized. We will be issued the Visa tomorrow (Thurs) afternoon. The Visa will make it so that Faith becomes a U.S. Citizen the moment our plane hits U.S. soil! 😊 According to the Consulate, this particular Visa is the hardest document in the world to obtain...as he said this I was thinking, "No shit, it's taken almost a year to get it, even after you already had the same info on us from the last time!" After the CA, we went to the nearby mall and watched the new Nutcracker movie in 3D - another first for Faith. She did really well with it. Then we had dinner and it was time to meet our diver who was taking us to the River Cruise. As we were getting into the van, Faith grabbed a seat on the outside of the back row. I was getting in behind her and needed her to scoot over to the inside so that Kev and I could sit there too. I asked nicely two or three times and after she refused, I gently picked her up and slid her over to the inside. OH.MY.GOSH! You would have thought I took her favorite toy away from her. She cried and screamed the ENTIRE way to the cruise! We tried giving her toys to play with, candy, anything and it just didn't work. Fortunately when we boarded the boat, she perked up and had a blast looking at all the beautiful scenery. When it was time for bed, Kevin ran an errand to go buy bottled drinks for our day today. While he was out, I tucked Cheyenne in to her bed (in the couch), had Faith give her a good night hug and took Faith into our room to climb into bed. Once she was lying down in bed, she started crying silent tears. This was pretty out of the blue and she wasn't mad about anything. I tried to lay down next to her, rub her back and talk to her. I asked her why she was crying (no answer). Soon after, Kevin returned and I explained everything to him. He asked her again why she was crying and she replied "I don't know". This is grief - mixed with over-stimulation! Poor thing was exhausted. She was back to not wanting me anywhere near her and only wanted her daddy. Once she fell asleep, everything was ok but this broke my heart.
Today we went to Chimelong Paradise. This is a large amusement park with all kinds of rides. We only went for a half day because we didn't want to overstimulate Faith again. The boys and Cheyenne went to ride the "big kid" rides with my mom and Kevin and I stuck to the rides Faith was tall enough to ride.We all had a great time. Faith was such a dare devil. She was pretty happy the whole day except after about every other ride she would see a big kid ride and say (to Kevin in Chinese of course), "I want to ride that one." When he would tell her she was not tall enough she would stomp her foot and cross her arms and pout. EVERY.SINGLE.TIME! 😂 Fortunately, it only lasted until we came up to the next cool ride where she was tall enough. I got the pleasure of riding her very first roller coaster with her and then she gave Kevin her big beautiful brown eyes and asked him to go with her on the water ride...which he agreed! He HATES water rides and I'm pretty sure even his Princess Cheyenne hasn't been able to get him on one, but he willingly agreed to accompany Faith and I on the ride. We came back to the room and gave the girls a nap. While the girls napped, Kevin helped the boys with their homework and my mom and I went down to the bar to have a few drinks and play cards. That was a lot of fun too, mostly because my mom got trashed and was hysterical! Fortunately, she kept her clothes on! 😉 Once the girls were up for a while it was time for dinner. Right before we went to dinner, Faith came up to me and gave me a hug - all by herself! Once we were back in the room, I gave the girls a bath. While the bath water was running we had an all out tickle fight. They LOVE, LOVE, LOVE taking baths together and splash around and have a great time together. While they were in the bath, Faith says, "Mommy?", I looked over at her and said "Yeah baby" and she said "Wo Ai NI" with a big smile on her face! Oh my goodness, I almost cried. When it's time for bed, she'll probably be back to only wanting daddy, but at least we're making progress.
Tomorrow morning we will pack up everything and get ready to go home on Friday! YEY!!!! We will pack in the morning and will go to Shamian Island for some site seeing and dinner tomorrow afternoon.
We will be picked up to go to the airport at 8:00am Friday morning. We will fly home all day on Friday. I may get the opportunity to write again, but I may not. So, if not, please wish us well on our journey home - not only for safe travels but for traveling with a little girl who 1) has never flown before and 2) does not seem like the type to happily sit ans watch movies for 14 hours. :)
Safe travels my friend, both on the flight and with Faith!
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