Our guide took us sightseeing around the city this day. We didn’t have any official appointments, so we got to lounge around a little in the morning and take our time. They picked us up at 9am.
I needed to concentrate on watching the road and had keep from getting too hot because I was desperate to not get car sick again! I handed Khloe off to Daddy and was really hoping that she would let him hold her. She did great—she always seemed a little scared/confused/distracted when we were riding in the van so I think that helped her to not fully realize that Daddy was holding her instead of Mamma.
Within the first 10 minutes of our drive, I took this:
Poor baby was worn out early in the day again! And if you know her Daddy, you can see in his eyes that he’d give about anything to join her in nap-land! As you’ve probably guessed, we were still not sleeping much at night at this point. He was definitely soaking up the sweet, sweet baby snuggles though!
First, we went to the Oriental Pearl TV tower.
I really like this picture of us! She was letting her Daddy hold her and both Mamma and Daddy look so happy :)
We just missed Chinese New Year by around a month and many places we went were still beautifully decorated. These lanterns were gorgeous. They were hung from way up high in the tall ceiling and came down quite far. I love the perspective of this picture.
Being up in the tower’s observation area reminded me a lot of the Stratosphere in Vegas. Only the view was much different! There is so much smog and air pollution in China that the visibility is very low. I know there was bustling city as far as the eye could see, but we couldn’t see it all because it looked so foggy. When we were there, I called it smoggy.
Looking down on The Bund
Look who’s still hanging out with her Daddy!!
I’m not gonna lie… walking out on that glass floor that high up was a little scary!
Then Jason decided he’d walk on the glass floor while looking down and said it was much worse…. So I tried it. He was right! Yikes!
The girls. We had a great experience with Ming Ming. She is such a nice person and took really good care of us.
Very pretty landscaping and cool circular walkway. Although that traffic roundabout looks scary to drive on to me!
Greenhouses and plants growing on a roof top.
Gorgeous country club.
Next, she took us to a market area. This market used to be a temple.
There were SO many people everywhere! We were told to watch our belongings and stay close…
This bridge overlooked a koi pond and we were told if we saw a turtle it was good luck. What do ya know?!
Family picture on the bridge.
When I say so many people, I mean it! SO. Many. People. Everywhere.
Back in the van headed back to the hotel. Two words. Tuckered out.
She was so tired that she stayed asleep even after I took her out of the Ergo. I took this picture to let the record show that we dressed her PLENTY warm on this day! There was 2 layers under what you can see, and we had a blanket to cover her also.
The previous day, I was told several times that I needed to dress her warmer… Even though she was in 2-3 layers plus a jacket and a blanket. And a warm hat. But I really did want to be respectful so that the locals wouldn’t look at us with a Chinese baby and be upset by thinking that we aren’t taking care of her. Although if they could’ve seen the poor baby’s heat rash, maybe they would’ve agreed that she didn’t need that many clothes on… :)
Another part of this day’s cultural experience that I don’t want to forget:
When we were shopping at the market, we were standing in the checkout line at one store, and Khloe started screaming. I knew she was getting hungry but I thought she could wait until we were finished shopping for her bottle. When I realized she wouldn't be able to wait, I decided to make her a bottle while we were standing in line. She was in the Ergo, so I got in the backpack and pulled out a bottle of water and her formula dispenser. I made her a bottle and she was very happy to see it! I started feeding it to her and all of a sudden, all the locals who had been intently staring at us and watching what I was doing, started speaking in very loud voices and pointing, etc. I felt really uncomfortable but I didn’t know what they were saying, so we just went about our business. We checked out, got our purchase and headed back out of the store. When we got outside, I asked Ming Ming what they were talking about and she told us that they were upset that I was making the baby a bottle with cold water. She said that she’d told them that the water was warm so they would leave us alone. They make bottles for babies with water that is almost boiling and they don’t believe you should give them a bottle unless it is very hot. Everyone was staring at us already because we were the white couple with a Chinese baby. And there weren’t a lot of us—we already knew we were the only adoption in the whole city that week.
Since we’d been there, many people would stare very obviously and some would come right up to us and holler and point and say, “Chinese Baby! Chinese Baby!” By this point in the trip, we were becoming used to the stares, the lack of personal space, etc.
As much as I loved it and considered it all part of the experience, etc, this was also the point where I was beginning to really, really want to just be HOME with my baby girl. No pressure. No feeling like we were on display. Just HOME. Where we could relax and do what we want to whenever we want. Where we are loved and supported and have a house full of kids at call us Mamma and Daddy. Oh, was I missing my other 3 kids something fierce by this point in the trip!
1 comment:
Amazing pictures!
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