Day 11: Shoots and Shopping

This morning we had breakfast with the Guarino's as we have most days in Guangzhou. MeiMei was happy to see her friend Lily and even flashed a tiny smirk at her a few times. We know those smiles are in there because we saw them yesterday at lunch. I'm not sure if you can read her shirt in these pics but it is sooooo appropriate. If only I had known how true this statement would be when I found it I might have bought several in different colors. :-) Her Daddy is wound tightly around her tiny little finger (and Mommy is still waving from across the room).

We returned to the Medial Clinic to complete MeiMei's immunizations this morning. Since she had to have five injections we talked them into splitting them up on two different days. We were so glad we had the exam completed earlier in the week because it was packed out and CRAZY! We waited outside until our guide came to get us because there was no where to stand inside.

Many adoptive families fly in on Friday night so they can squeeze in the medical exam on Saturday morning. We moved through fairly quickly since we only needed a few more "shoots" as our guide calls them. :-) While we waited to see if the girls reacted, Lily gave MeiMei her first DumDum sucker to distract her from the booboo's and she knew exactly what to do with it. If you read our blog you know how many times I have found hidden DumDum wrappers and sticks all over our house. She'll fit right in with her brother and sister.

Funny story: Baby Madison (Denise and Dale's baby--another travel mate from another agency) was chowing on biscuits while we waited after the medical. Do you remember in MeiMei's referral it said she liked biscuits? Now before you start thinking about Cracker Barrel breakfast let me stop you. These biscuits are not our kind of biscuits--think small thin Ritz crackers. We'll have to teach her the true definition of a biscuit but when she gets home. Anyway, MeiMei wanted Madison's biscuits and she let us know she wanted them NOW! Madison shared a few and then it was time to leave. Afterward we ran in the 7-11 by the hotel to pick up a few necessities (AKA chocolate) and looked around for a sleeve of biscuits like Madison's. We didn't find any but MeiMei was going nuts over this big bag of sugar cookie looking things with sesame seeds on top. We had no idea what she wanted--we still don't--but guess who came home with that bag?

The cashiers at the 7-11 thought I was a looney snapping pics but I couldn't resist. Seaweed or Shrimp Pringles anyone? Vacuum sealed chicken? Eggs? Slugs in a bag (that's what Lori and I decided it was)? Wild Man and Little Miss...look what we found all the way in China...

Can you believe they have your favorite Oreo Straws all the way in China? We shopped a little more around the island and then came back to the room for a nap.

At 4 pm, Gracy took us to the Pearl Market located within a HUGE shopping plaza. Store after store after store of anything you could ever want or need. The Pearl market was an entire floor within a 7 story mall type building in the middle of the plaza. We were amazed--they don't have 7 story malls in our neck of the woods. At the pearl market, we selected two beautiful pearl necklaces, bracelets and earrings for MeiMei and Little Miss. They were hand knotted right in front of us while we waited.

We plan to give the pearls to them on their wedding day. That makes me want to cry just typing it.

Unfortunately we took a step backward tonight with MeiMei. The Chief made the mistake of allowing Gracy to hold MeiMei while we were buying pearls. She started talking and singing to her in Cantonese which I think reminded her of her foster family. When it was time to come back to her Daddy she lost it. She wanted to stay with Gracy and kept screaming for "sister". It is so heartbreaking to see her mourn them in such a deep way. They loved her so much and she loved them so much in return. Poor Gracy ate dinner with her face covered to keep MeiMei from crying for her.

After dinner, we waded through an enormous sea of people to get to the taxi street. There were people EVERYWHERE! We discovered the population of the city of Guangzhou (12 million) is double the size of the population of our home state in the US (6 million). One CITY is double the size of our entire STATE in number? Crazy! Apparently all 12 million Guangzhouians had somewhere to be tonight because it took us FOREVER to nab an empty taxi. Gracy tried for a while and then MeiMei gave it a whirl

but her cute factor did not prevail. Gracy finally chased one down and hacked off two girls in the process to get us back to the hotel. By that point I had lost my Southern generosity and there was no way we were giving up that cab to those girls. Ya snooze ya lose.

When we returned to the hotel MeiMei came over to me while she was crying and put her arms up. She let me snuggle her and after her bath she let me feed her a bottle. Baby steps...baby steps...baby steps... I hate to say it for fear I might jinx myself but maybe, just maybe, she's coming around?