Shopped Til We Dropped!!

Monday, November 9th:

Today was a day with no official plans for our group for the families that chose not to have a medical done. Since Hannah will be coming home as a Canadian citizen and we're using the 'new' citizenship route I decided to skip the medical. She has an appt. booked with our family doctor early next week so figured I didn't have to put her through the trauma twice.

Hannah and I were up early so after a morning bottle and snuggle we headed downstairs to the lobby so that Auntie Norma could sleep a little later. We enjoyed people watching and seeing the families from our group who were going for the medical. I was sitting on a ledge of the fountain when I sat back a little too far or, a rogue wave came up and voila....wet seat. Oops!!

Hannah had a good night's sleep but her congested cough had me worried so I got her up a few times to settle her cough. We got a humidifier from the hotel and it has worked wonders but there are still times she just needs to be held upright so that the cough can subside and once it does it's gone for a long time. I love these middle of the night cuddles even though they're not for the best reason. She's sound asleep when I get her up and my stirring her can sometimes cause her to wake. Our room is quite dark but I can see her little eyes looking into mine and most precious is that her little hands come up and explore my face....just to make sure it's me\mommy. Precious!!! Normally I'm able to put her down within 5-10 mins and the cough subsides for a long time. She sleeps soundly....I wake to check her often.

Before I had her, I wondered what it would be like to wake with her in the night? Would I moan and groan? Would I long for the nights when I could sleep for hours without stirring? NO!!!!!!!!! I love, love, love waking to care for her, check on her....or, just listen to her breathe. I cannot tell you how she has changed my life and how amazing it is to be a mom to my precious XiaoFen!!!

Dad was fighting a cold today so decided to lay low at the hotel. Mom, Norma, XiaoFen and I were ready to do some serious shopping and oh how we shopped!!! Like old pros the 4 of us boarded a taxi at the hotel, took it to the subway and then the subway to the silk market. We entered via a new spot today and were in the shoe area. Before we knew it Mom was wearing new shoes and Hannah was the proud owner of some adorable pink 'Uggs'. I'm sure they're not authentic but then again, I didn't pay authentic prices either. :o)

What you should know is that the silk market is one tall building with about 6 levels of shopping. On each level is a variety of stalls, each about 8' across by maybe 8 feet deep, all selling the same/similar items. There is a shoe area, jewelry area, silk area, electronics, shoes....you name it. The sales girls/guys stand outside their stalls and offer you 'good deal' and invite you to come in and see what they have to offer. Like Norma said, it's weird but we can walk by a number of stalls all selling the same thing and then suddenly you're drawn into one and make your purchases there. If they don't have a size that you want they say, '1 minute' and literally run down the crowded area.

From the shoe area we went back to the silk dresses. We quickly realized that the wonderful people who run each stall have amazing memories!! Norma went to a stall where she had made a purchase 9 days ago and the lady said, 'Hi! I remember you! You were here and bought these pajamas and 3 scarves and you paid this'....and punched a number in the calculator that was exactly right! Wow!!! We faced this over and over again as we went back to booths that had been so helpful last time and we purchased more this time.

One of my goals for the day was to purchase little silk/poly dresses for Ro and Ree as well as a friend's little girl and of course, Hannah!!! We bartered (Bartered = sales girl punches a price into the calculator, then I counter normally at around 10%. She looks at me shocked and tells me I must be crazy then she punches in another number. I shake my head no, hit the clear button and come up in price a little.....back and forth, back and forth until we agree. I find it a lot of fun!!) Anyway, we eventually came up with a price of 54 yuan (around $8) a dress and then I went to town. Purchased dresses for the girls above and then 8 for Hannah! She has dresses for a long time to either wear for special occasions like Chinese New Year or, if she prefers, they can be for dress-up too. Here's a pic of Hannah and I with the girls who helped us purchase our beautiful dresses.

From the dress area we hit the toy area and a bit more before calling it a day for today. We headed across the street for McDonald's for lunch. (I must admit I've not been very adventurous when it comes to food and that is quite by choice and done purposely. Firstly, I'm not too sure what some of the food is and secondly, I want to do all I can to stay healthy for my baby girl.)

At 3:00 we were back in the subway and I looked at Mom and said, 'Exactly one week ago now Hannah was placed in my arms.' WOW!!!! I love her SOOOO much and cannot imagine a moment without her in it!! When we got back to the hotel Norma snapped a couple of pics of us together. I think Hannah is pretty happy with her mommy too based on all the smiles she gives me!!

We arrived back at the hotel in time to feed XiaoFen a little rice cereal and then Dad, Norma, XiaoFen and I headed downstairs to meet the group to go to the Chinese Acrobats show! Wow!!! It was an hour of fun and excitement and really neat to see! Hannah sat really well and between the lights, music, movement on the stage, Cheerios (which I learned each Cheerio can be broken into 4 pieces for a baby without teeth....who knew!!) a bottle and oh yeah, filling her diaper, she did really, really well!!

There are not baby changing areas in any of the restrooms so I decided to change Hannah once we were back to the room. Well!! I tell you, her diapers can be used for poisonous gas somewhere and the l-o-n-g....L-O-N-G bus ride back to the hotel (have I mentioned I'll never complain about TO traffic again?) was rough on the 3 of us as she was packing some extra baggage! (Her diapers are so bad that when I take them off her I take them outside the hotel to a garbage can in front of the hotel....honestly! Not sure what her mother is feeding her but truly she should stop! :o)

Back at the hotel for the night I fed Hannah her final bottle and she gave me a huge scare when she introduced mommy to 'projectile vomiting' (sorry....yes, this is our journal so you get all the good stuff...plus the poop and vomit!). I fed her a bottle and then as I sat her up to burp her the entire bottle came up in one foul swoop through her nose and mouth. It about scared me to death and after the 5 or so seconds it took her to do it, she looked at me and gooed and gahhed like nothing had happened! Wow! It was a pj change for both of us since we'd already had our bath and then off to bed for the night.

Before I headed to bed the temp dropped drastically so I pulled her crib closer to me as at this hotel it's quite close to the window normally. I loved having her so close so since then she gets pulled up next to mommy's bed every night. Ahhhh....loving being a mommy!!!









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