WOW!  2 toddlers are BUSY!!!!!  I thought for sure I'd be able to update this blog daily!  Ha, that was wishful thinking!  So, here's a run down of the last several days....

May 8th: (Anna's 13th birthday at home)  We were able to connect with the kids and wish Anna a happy birthday.  This day we left for Levi's orphanage: Zhengzhou Social Welfare Institute around 9 am.  It was in another part of the city it maybe took 30 minutes to drive there.  I left my phone back at the hotel so I don't have any pictures to upload right now.  We have some on the camera but don't have a card reader.  We tried to take some pictures of kids in the rooms for any waiting families, so they might get a glimpse of their children.  The Director who had brought Levi to us on Monday was the one to walk us around.  The staff there did not know we were coming back with Levi.  The Nanny that cared for him the most was SO HAPPY to see us.  She said she has been cry for the last two days missing him.  She wrote him the most special letter that I know he will treasure one day.  We were able to meet the children in his room and all the caregivers.  He would only go to the Nanny that cared for him the most (he was back and forth between me and her while we were there).  This was in Half the Sky area. They were sure to tell me how smart Levi is and how quickly he learns things.  They said they knew from our pictures he would be having a good home but to see him with us, they knew he was happy!  After we spent precious time there we went to New Hope Foundation area where Levi spent the first year of his life.  They also had requested we come to see them with him.  The guide told us "he is very popular"  everyone wants him to come back and see them.  It is very evident he was loved and cared for during his time here.  Then the last place we went was the therapy rooms.  We got to meet the ladies who did his daily therapy with him.  He didn't seem to want to go to any of them.... I think they may have made him work hard :)  We came away having some closure for us as to what life was like for Levi before coming to us. And we know that one day he will treasure these pictures and stories as well.

May 9th: Drew and many of the other families went to the Shaolin Temple this day.  Mom, the kids and I all stayed back and tried to have a simple day of rest.  We went for several walks outside and up and down the stairs several times, napped and played in the room.  In the afternoon we walked to a close restaurant for dinner.  There were some pictures on the menu that helped us decide what to get.  It was pretty tasty and we were glad we tried it.  I successfully changed Levi's poopy diaper, standing him up, over a squatty potty, in a very small closed in space.  I came away feeling triumphant!

May 10th  We left Zhengzhou for Guangzhou.  We had our luggage outside our room at 6 am, had a quick breakfast and then loaded up at 6:30 for the airport.  This was the first flight with the kids.  They did great!  Elizabeth argued with Drew about wearing the seat belt, but he finally won!  And Levi stayed on my lap the whole time and napped the last part of the flight.  I had taken "less drowsy" Dramamine, but was so tired the rest of the day, I couldn't snap out of it.  We got to our hotel room and just plopped everything down.  We sent a big pile of clothes to the laundry.  We had McDonald's for dinner, which was a welcomed smell!  The kids didn't love the hamburgers, but did love the french fries.  Elizabeth enjoyed trying to point with the fries and ketchup.   The kids have grown to love bath time together, the more splashing the better.  Elizabeth has very little Chinese or American vocabulary but  says' huh-huh" as she points to everything.  And if Levi touches anything that is hers, she is SURE to point that out in a very dissatisfied way :)  She does call him Deedee "little brother" and says "Baba" (Daddy) and Mama.  She is starting to say potty and I think"shoes", which she is obsessed with.  Levi had a very fussy day today, I think he's just exhausted with the travel.  It si much warmer and MUCH MORE HUMID in Guangzhou.

Elizabeth in the airport, sitting on the luggage carrier:)

She lost the seat belt fight but was happy with a snack!  She eats NON-STOP!

As long as this boy has his Mamma (and a  snack, he's happy!)

May 11th:  Explore Guangzhou:  We went by bus to the Buddhist Temple, Old Chen House (Provincial Folk Art Museum) and Shopping.  We let Levi nap in the afternoon, Elizabeth has not been napping but is making the whole day in fairly good humor and sleeping really well at night.  We ran to the 7-11 for some necessities and grabbed some dumplings and noodles there for dinner.

Buddhist Temple, people will leave flowers and fruits as an offering as well as burn incense to the Buddhas.

Female Buddha

I asked them to hold hands and Elizabeth wouldn't let go of Levi.  I think his hand was turning blue :)

May 12th:  Medical Appointments in the morning and playground at the hotel and naps in the afternoon.   We did an evening tour on the Pearl River Cruise.  The medical appointments  consisted of first getting their pictures taken for their Visas.  then we headed to an area that was just for adoptive families.  There were three stations: ENT, weight/height/temp and General physical.  The doctors looked them over and asked a few questions.  And any child over two (there were three kids including Elizabeth) has to have a blood draw for TB test.  We will get results back tomorrow.  If they are positive she will then have to go back and have a chest X-ray.  They both did really well during the appointments, it was so hot in there.  Levi went first on everything, which gave Elizabeth the chance to watch what was happening, which I am sure helped her experience.  For the blood test, they did have to take her back alone behind a closed door and brought her out crying, but it was fairly quick and she was over it pretty quickly.

Our first attempt at brushing teeth was a success.  I sat them in front of me and showed them what to do and they grabbed their brushes and went to town.

waiting for medical appointment

she wanted to see if he could walk

I am amazed on one hand how quickly our time here is going.  We are trying to take so many pictures for them.  On the other hand, I can't wait until we are home and reunited with our other three babies :)  The kids are daily showing more and more personality.  Elizabeth still shuts down pretty quickly when we leave the hotel room and are around other people  Today on the playground he ran around playing and we heard many giggles.  She love, love loved the swing!!!!!!  She and her big sister Rebecca will have hours of binding time together swinging I am sure!  And Levi is ALL BOY.  He is rough and silly and loves to snuggle his Mamma!  Elizabeth is giving me kisses and hugs, but still prefers Drew and always has her eye on him.  Levi is harder to warm to Drew and he demands me most all the time.  Elizabeth and Levi seem to play together now some.  And they are starting to fight over who is on my lap.... we are so in love with these guys!!!!!