I promise the delay in updates had nothing to do with creating suspense. I feel like we just got on a roller coaster and we made that slow ascent- you reach the apex and then combine every roller coaster you have ever been on an then throw in a crappy internet connection and about 1,000 photos to download/review/optimize, and have the computer is doubling as a dvd player. So, that is my excuse, and I apologize. It is all Shana's fault. 9^)
When we last left you, we had a chance encounter at the elevator. Our guide exclaimed, "There's your baby!", and there she was. I couldn't believe it, I recognized her. she was real! There actually was a baby that we saw a picture of and it was the same one. Never met her, spoke to her, had 4 out of date photos no updates on her and there she was. She looked sickly and malnourished, her clothes did not fit, she was dirty. We wanted to grab her and bolt out the door. (I had to do some quick draw action on the camera so the photo was not the best.)
The lady holding her asked her where Mama was and she pointed at Shana, then she asked where Baba was and she pointed at me and finally asked her where Jie Jie was and she pointed at Trinity. We had sent her a book with pictures of us and they took it our for her and she rattled off the answers, it was nice to see that she had been prepared. The doors to the elevator shut and we said farewell to air conditioning for the next 30 minutes. (Think Houston with no air conditioning for 30 minutes.) We all just stared kind of mesmerized, there was another child screaming at the top of her lungs in the elevator with us and Wren just looked over at her like, "what's the big deal?".
We went down the hallway of a hotel that looked like something from a nightmare. Dark, steamy, depressing, it would be torture to have to touch the floor. Shana said it reminded her of the Coen Brothers movie: Barton Fink. Wren went in one room with some nannies and we went into another "playroom". And then waited. I loaded the bubble blower and then had a malfunction. sticky bubble juice was running down my hands and I began to panic. I can't work the camera with bubble juice on my hand, she could be here any moment, we can't have a bubble malfunction-there is no margin for error-I had to scope the room for the best shot-how can I do this with bubble juice everywhere?!!! Shana handed me a wet wipe and all was good again. Momentary lapse passed. Deep breath in. Deep breath out.
After a few minutes the nannies came in with our guide with Wren. She walked in like she owned the place and headed straight to the green rocking horse. Pointing to it right away and grunting Uhn! (the first of oh so many "Uhn's"-so so many "Uhn's") She speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, and the grunt and point language.
She was obviously comfortable and started rocking away. Methodically taking in taking it all in and assessing the situation. Rock forward-look around and hold-then rock back. I started taking pictures as soon as she came in. Blurry shot.Blurry shot.Blurry Shot.BLURRY Shot.BLURRY SHOT. Come on, babe you are killing me!!!!
I then moved around the room with Trinity and we tried to distract her with pretend play. It worked. We had her, hook line and sinker.
When we got back to the hotel, the first order of business was a bath!!! Afterwards she was singing, we played with Cheerios-"these are delicious!" she exclaimed in Cantonese in the car. Our guide hung out for a little bit and translated our update that we got when we picked her up. The update that we never got...anyways that is another story.
The "American Makeover" in progress.
When we last left you, we had a chance encounter at the elevator. Our guide exclaimed, "There's your baby!", and there she was. I couldn't believe it, I recognized her. she was real! There actually was a baby that we saw a picture of and it was the same one. Never met her, spoke to her, had 4 out of date photos no updates on her and there she was. She looked sickly and malnourished, her clothes did not fit, she was dirty. We wanted to grab her and bolt out the door. (I had to do some quick draw action on the camera so the photo was not the best.)
The lady holding her asked her where Mama was and she pointed at Shana, then she asked where Baba was and she pointed at me and finally asked her where Jie Jie was and she pointed at Trinity. We had sent her a book with pictures of us and they took it our for her and she rattled off the answers, it was nice to see that she had been prepared. The doors to the elevator shut and we said farewell to air conditioning for the next 30 minutes. (Think Houston with no air conditioning for 30 minutes.) We all just stared kind of mesmerized, there was another child screaming at the top of her lungs in the elevator with us and Wren just looked over at her like, "what's the big deal?".
We went down the hallway of a hotel that looked like something from a nightmare. Dark, steamy, depressing, it would be torture to have to touch the floor. Shana said it reminded her of the Coen Brothers movie: Barton Fink. Wren went in one room with some nannies and we went into another "playroom". And then waited. I loaded the bubble blower and then had a malfunction. sticky bubble juice was running down my hands and I began to panic. I can't work the camera with bubble juice on my hand, she could be here any moment, we can't have a bubble malfunction-there is no margin for error-I had to scope the room for the best shot-how can I do this with bubble juice everywhere?!!! Shana handed me a wet wipe and all was good again. Momentary lapse passed. Deep breath in. Deep breath out.
After a few minutes the nannies came in with our guide with Wren. She walked in like she owned the place and headed straight to the green rocking horse. Pointing to it right away and grunting Uhn! (the first of oh so many "Uhn's"-so so many "Uhn's") She speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, and the grunt and point language.
She was obviously comfortable and started rocking away. Methodically taking in taking it all in and assessing the situation. Rock forward-look around and hold-then rock back. I started taking pictures as soon as she came in. Blurry shot.Blurry shot.Blurry Shot.BLURRY Shot.BLURRY SHOT. Come on, babe you are killing me!!!!
I then moved around the room with Trinity and we tried to distract her with pretend play. It worked. We had her, hook line and sinker.
Things went well and the nannies soon left as they were happy with the progress. So, we had her and it was time to go back to the hotel. We had a terrified little girl in our hands and had to wait outside for a cab. Our guide was having problems hailing one, so I stepped in, I figured a 200 lb white man would stick out in a crowd and it did. We crammed in the back. Shana broke out Wren's new backpack and she was quickly multi-tasking. Both hands working, Trinity feeding her Cheerios and Shana helping her out, while I was trying to click away as best I could. Blurry Shot after blurry shot. I forgot that they (2.5 year olds) just won't let you get that prefect shot until they are asleep.
When we got back to the hotel, the first order of business was a bath!!! Afterwards she was singing, we played with Cheerios-"these are delicious!" she exclaimed in Cantonese in the car. Our guide hung out for a little bit and translated our update that we got when we picked her up. The update that we never got...anyways that is another story.
The "American Makeover" in progress.She laughed and played- it was like a sleep over and she fell asleep around 9 pm. Then she woke up at 11pm and began to realize that she did not want the playmate to go on. She cried until 1 am. she cried until every last bit of energy was drained out of her and then fell asleep. We expected this to happen and were exceedingly happy that things went so well as long as they did.
This ride was getting ready to kick into to overdrive.
Our first family photo. (There were two photographers so that is why half the girls are looking one way and us the other)
It's hard to believe the pictures are from the same day! Technology is great when everything aligns:)
ReplyDeleteyour unintended suspense is awesome. it's like waiting for the final harry potter book, getting it, and then not being able to read because you have to go to work. not sure that makes any sense. love from afar.
ReplyDeleteDG and the Ts