HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIZABETH!!!!!

We want to wish our daughter a very happy first birthday today!!! It is now 4 pm here and she has been celebrating all day and will have a cake party at the conclusion of dinner with our travelmates tonite.

We started the day with her having to go to her medical appointment as part of the adoption process. We knew before we came over here that she was going to require some immunizations as part of this visit and were prepared for it. We were the first family to go to the medical appointment since we required shots and a checkup. Elizabeth was given a very brief exam and was considered "normal", just small. Our girl weighs a whoping 13.7 lbs and is 27 inches long. The doctor found no problems at all with her, so the big homestudy addendum we had to do before we left on this trip was for nothing. However, Patrick and I knew that if we decided to do the addendum then we were not going to need it, and it we did not do the addendum then we would need it and it would delay our trip home. She did the usual screaming that any kid would do if you have to get shots, but our guide XiXi was there and gave her a Chinese cookie and the crying stopped almost immediately. Mom didn't break down like I thought I would but I did ask to see the syringes to make sure they were new and clean. Our guide explained to them that I was a nurse and a good mom and wanted to make sure the baby was well taken care of. The clinic also gave me the boxes of all the meds that were given to her so I could review the literature that is printed in English inside.

After the medical appointment, we came back to the hotel and backed up the diaper bag and baby for the day and headed off to the electronics market and jewelry market. I won't tell you everything we bought because there are gifts in there for family members and also gifts for Elizabeth as she gets older. These markets were just unbelievable. I have seen them on other people's blogs but you just can not understand the magnitude of their size until you see it in person. The electronics market was about 5 stories tall and just packed with small stores selling all kinds of good. Big screen TV's, appliance, MP3 players, Wii, Playstation, DVD's, CD's, GPS systems, you name it, they had it. We all met back up at McDonald's and had our first Western lunch since being in China. It looked like McDonald's at home and everyone said it tasted like McDonald's from home too. I didn't eat it since I don't eat McDonald's at home anyway and was still full from breakfast. Patrick and Elizabeth had french fries and the Elizabeth also had jarred apples and chicken and rice.

After McDonald's, we all headed down the street to the pearl/jade market. Loved that part and definitely spent some money there too. Again, many stories tall, this market was probably 7 stories tall just packed with stores selling pearls and jade. The one thing I don't understand about the Chinese people is they have these big malls and you can feel light a/c blowing but nothing too special and the inside of these malls is HOT!!! I am talking 90+ degrees with almost 85% humidity and it is HOT!. We are all drenched but no point in taking a shower yet because when we walk to a restaurant for dinner we just start pouring sweat all over again.

As we were leaving the markets, headed for our bus to go back to the hotel, we passed some street vendors and Patrick and all the other guys in the group today had squid on a stick. It looked kind of like calamari and had special seasoning on it. Patrick said it was very good actually and could have had a second if the bus had not arrived to pick us up. I found Vanilla Coke at the 7-11 while we were waiting-pure heaven! I haven't been able to find Vanilla Coke at home for some time now!

We came back to the hotel and then went and picked up our laundry. It is almost 100 yuan cheaper here than in Changsha. That is a difference of about $14-$15 american dollars and we had ALOT of laundry. Baby girls make big messes on themselves and mama and daddy.

We are now waiting to go to dinner as a group and our guide, XiXi, was kind enough to get us a birthday cake for Elizabeth for us to enjoy tonite after dinner. XiXi says we are a bit of an unusual group as we like to go to dinner as a group and we like to get out and about and see the sights. She says many times the travel groups get to the hotel and just want to stay there and all she really has to do is help with paperwork. I have thoroughly enjoyed China and seeing the sights. Who knows if we will get a chance to come back but I am trying to soak it all up and enjoy every minute. This is my daughter's country and I need to understand and appreciate the culture in order to understand and appreciate her fully.

Tomorrow we are going to Six Banyan Temple where the babies can receive a blessing. Apparently, this is a very pretty sight in the city and I am looking forward to seeing it.

It has also been one week since we first received Elizabeth and it is just amazing to see how far she has come and how far we have come. We, as parents, finally have a clue and are doing a better job of meeting her needs. She has also come out of her shell and is very comfortable with us now and acting like a one year old. The appetite has increased, she is now interested in eating and she is sleeping fairly well too. I don't think the 15 hour flight will be any fun at all but we have to do it to get home.

Well that is all for today, stay tuned for more!!!

Until next time............................