Exploring Guangzhou

Well, first we should say, Phoebe had a meltdown last night. When we arrived from the airport to our hotel room she was sound asleep in our arms, so we gently laid her in the crib and turned out the lights. She awoke an hour later and screamed real screams of terror. For an hour. We tried to comfort her and walk her, but it seemed like we were suddenly part of the reason she was terrified. We finally opted to stop touching her-- to just lay her down on the bed between the two of us. At some point she found her fingers and nursed herself to sleep. Poor little one, so much change. I can't wait to have her home, with a schedule and a routine.

Today we did some touring to an old house of the Chan family, full of art-- embroidery so fine that they look like a photograph from afar, carved balls of ivory that somehow have carved ball after carved ball inside them, ornate furniture designs to house the tablets that follow the ancestors after their death.

The White Swan Hotel is just beautiful. It is located on an island on the edge of the city, with quiet streets, big sidewalks, rare cars, and old trees. There are views of the river and rose gardens. Life-size bronze sculptures dot the place, and the Chinese tourists love to insert themselves into the frozen scene and take pictures of themselves: next to a bronze tourist with a video camera, an old man with a bird cage, an obese woman walking a duck, or a Chinese teen in short shorts on a cellphone. There are lots of little shops selling fans and fake silk pajamas, but few other adoptive families these days other than ourselves.

The babies have totally come to life. The ones who were quiet and reserved have mostly woken up into more appropriate smiles and play. The little ones who are underweight clearly look healthier a week later. I can't wait to see after six months of love, food, and stimulation.