Travels with a Toddler

Ivy woke up in a sweet mood this morning and we headed down to breakfast. Then we went back to  our room to quickly finish packing.  Ivy was not very happy about us packing up our room and had a mini melt down.  We then took a 30 minute van ride to the airport.  Well let me tell you girlfriend did not like the airport.  Security just plain stunk and it was a traumatic experience.  She completely came apart when they frisked us.  Then I could not get her to calm down for about 15 minutes.  Everyone was just staring at us.  I felt like yelling at them to help me out people - talk to her and tell her it's okay. I eventually got her calmed down and she was a complete doll baby on the flight.  I can't imagine what is going on in my scared little girl's head. 

We made it the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou.  It is AMAZING! I will take some pictures with my camera tomorrow.  Tonight we ventured out by ourselves and ate at a little hole in the wall Chinese place.  We ordered three different things.  Two dishes were delicious, one we could have done without.  Then we walked to the seven eleven and bought ice cream for dessert.  We have been given strict instructions by the Chinese people to not give our child cold things!  They even heat up the children's water.  We have been scolded once or maybe twice for giving her cold water.  Guess we are just rule breakers.  She loves cold water from my bottle and she sure did love her first ice cream!

Tomorrow is Ivy's medical appointment at the clinic.  She has to get clearance saying she is healthy enough to travel home.  I fully expect a melt down tomorrow because they will need to draw blood for her TB test.  All children over 2 have to get this done and they will take her in another room from me to get her blood.  Um yeah, that should go over great.

Tonight she took an extra long bath.  She loves playing in the bathtub.  She had never taken a bath before this week.  At her orphanage they got rinsed off.  We are really glad to be on the last leg of our trip and closer to being home with the boys.  We miss them so much.  I couldn't help but feel sad to be leaving Hohhot behind.  I wish so much I could thank Ivy's birth mother for giving her a chance at life.