We Made it to The White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou! God is Good! And so are my amazing praying friends & family!
Ken mentioned that it was a lot like Miami...ok...more like DEEP Central America. When we walked out of the airport, I thought the smog was worse here than anywhere. Um...that wasn't smog. It is STEAM!!! Oh my.
And we pretty much drove on a bridge from the airport to the White Swan. The roads are built up here.
ok...pics.
Here is Addie Grace and daddy in front of the waterfall at this ridiculously amazing hotel!
Addie Grace Update: She's coming alive more and more everyday. She is grabbing things a little better and loves to "pick". She loves when we turn her to face us and loves to fall asleep on our chests. She laughs out loud when Kenny blows on her neck, and she talks a little bit, more like hums. She still doesn't do "dadadada" anything like that, but it's only a matter of time.
We have come to the conclusion that she has been held for her entire life. She has had everything done for her. She doesn't go to sleep without being rocked, and she doesn't like to be put down for any reason. This will be a hard habit to break...but in due time. We are here to bond for a while, not necessarily train. She has the sweetest disposition, and the Chinese people are smitten with her. She notices EVERYTHING...so it looks like she is a deep thinker. She loves kisses and smiles. When she wakes up in the morning, or from a nap, I try to get her attention with smiles before she cries...Her demeanor changes instantly.
In Nanchang, we found out that she was abandoned at a Bus Station. it breaks my heart to have to tell her that one day. I can't imagine this precious baby being left on a dirty floor of a bus station. I have cried every day since I heard.
I am thankful she is with us. She is a gift and has captured all of our hearts.
ok...more pics!
Addie Grace having fun with Alec on the walk from the Hotel to the Medical Examinations!
To be entrusted with this little precious life, is something we don't take lightly. We love being her family, and she loves us!
On our way for all the babies' medical examinations! No...this is not a bad picture..It is "steamy" here!!!
Addie Loves the Nurses!
ok...and at referral they said that in January she weighed 16 lbs. and 26 inches long...well, it's Saturday, June 13 and she weighs: 16.2 lbs. and is 26" Long! She is a Peanut!!! So you parents adopting from China..It's true! Most referral info. is not 100% correct.
She, however did NOT like the doctor!!!
She loves kisses from her mommy...and I love her kisses...full of drool from her teething and all!
She loves her ladybug toy!
On the walk back from the Exam...this is a beautiful part of Guangzhou, all the trees look like this and the buildings are all Colonial Style. We passed what we thought was a children's park until we saw all the adults working out.... We looked down a street and there were several older aged people playing badminton. I feel very safe and almost normal here. We even let Alec walk around on his own to wheel and deal...but reminded him not to buy anymore really cool lighters that can be confiscated at the airport...learned that the hard way in Nanchang...
She still does not like her bath, even though I've been getting in there with her (no pictures of that!), and that has helped somewhat...So, we thought we'd try out the pool. Ken eased her in very slowly until she started splashing her hands in the water. Which is good, because she still does not move or use her arms and legs much.
A Game of Uno...
Some snacks from the 7-Eleven. Decisions...Decisions...
Nanchang from the past couple of days:
There is no way to describe the elated feeling I had when our plane landed in Guangzhou. So happy to be on the final leg of our journey to Bring Addie Home. Nanchang was a surreal experience. No city in America comes even close to comparing to what we saw there. Even though this is the place where we met our precious daughter for the very first time, I was so ready to check out of that hotel. I was very glad to have had the experience to have been in the Province of Addie Grace's birthplace. As we were getting on the plane and ascending to our next journey, I couldn't help but feel a tad bit sorrowful that Addie Grace was leaving the place of her heritage probably to never return. My wonderful husband captured many amazing moments on film that she will have forever.
The view our room at the JinFeng Hotel in Nanchang. Harsh. Real. Expansive.
Here is Alec with Addie at The People's Park in Nanchang
She loves sticking out her tongue!
Stare Down!
Did I mention that she loves this toy???
Ken and Alec rolling in a plastic bubble at The People's park in Nanchang
First Ice Cream
Some Random dude at the People's Park...He was engrossed
Sweet Kids on a swing
I spy an old guy fishing...this was a great "China" Shot:
