Day 2 with Chloe-Update 2

Day 2's big event was having to go back to the office for adoption affairs and officially adopt Chloe now that the 24 hour "Harmonious" period was over-the period of time we had to make sure there were no mix-ups or problems with Chloe. There have been a handful of adoptions over the years that have not been what the adopting family was expecting, and have not gone through, so 2-3 years ago they instituted the 24 hour period. As we went back to the builkding were Chloe's life was thrown upsdie down, she began to get upset again, and fought back tears for most of the time we were there. We had transferred money to the orphanage earlier in the day, but had to bring money to the office for the legal portion. We also were able to purchase a photo/scrapbook of the day's events which included a swearing in ceremony (Kendall and I promised not to beat or abandon Chloe no matter what...seems like a  reasonable request). We also sent hung pao (red envelopes) back with the foster representatives for the foster family and the foster employees. So after that difficult period, we once again walked across the square and went to McDonald's (and Starbuck's for the adults-really roughing it here in China).

 

After tackling a bath this morning, we went to the Chonqing Zoo which had no less than 6 Pandas and several Red Pandas (known here as lesser pandas-that would give anyone a complex)-even though it rained we had a great time, and overheard quite a few funny things from Chloe:

 

When looking at a Siberian tiger she called him a giant panda

 

When looking at a south China Tiger she called him a little mouse

 

She told us to take a picture of a panda, and then when she saw the results said we needed to take another one

 

When she saw some hippos sitting up to their eyes in a pond she said they are already cooked (and they look like soup)

 

She also told our guide  that mommy said she had to take a bath or mommy would beat her (I'm pretty sure we signed something earlier saying we wouldn't do that)-quite a sense of humor on that one.

 

We also went to Wal-Mart to find some shoes for Chloe that don't look like they have been around since WW II, and picked out a few items including a backpack and purse for her (she can now hoard everything in that), some paper to color on, some dvds to help learn english and matching shirts for her and her jei jei.

We also found some shoes at a vendor outside wal-mart, and asked Chloe which shoes she wanted-when we found out they were only a few dollars, we said she could pick two pair-to which Chloe replied "why not three?"

We lunched at KFC and retired for naps-Avery had a tough time waking from that nap, but rallied nicely at dinner-the nicest Pizza Hut I have ever been to. However there are a few differences besides the menu items at Pizza Hut that are different than back home-when we ordered a cheese pizza (well half cheese and half pepperoni) the cheese part came out fine, but the pepperoni side was supreme. We also ordered a Toddy special (for those of you not in the know on that one, it is sausage, pepperoni, and extra cheese and is a staple at both home and on Friday's at Cornerstone) which also came out looking decidely like supreme-yet neither our guide nor our waiter could quite grasp where our issue was...oh well, Chloe loved the sausage (gaga) and went to town-pizza must just be the world's most perfect food because Chloe had never had it befor ebut is a huge fan now.

 

After dinner we walked around the courtyard/shopping area which was absolutely beautiful-christmas type lights were up everywhere, music was playing and hundreds of people were dancing (line dancing) and singing (older people mostly, according to our 28 year old guide). Then it was off to home and bed where the girls passed out fairly quickly, and Chloe for the first time fell asleep without her jacket on (the shoes were non-negotiable however, but at least they were a new pair we bought her for just around the house). Gotta go-bed is calling my name and there is no telling what time this party starts again tomorrow morning!