Today we all went to the health clinic to have the children's physicals. Here on Shamian Island in Guangzhou, there are almost nothing BUT adoptive parents and their Chinese kids. Every table at breakfast came with a high chair! It looked like about 1/2 of these families showed up for physicals today. About 7000 Chinese children are adopted each year in the US. Every one of these children needs to come to this island in China and get their Visa. It takes as least 3 days to complete the process so I guess I should have expected this many families here.

The physical was the most stressful and uncomfortable procedural task we've done so far. We met in the lobby at 10 am and took at 15 minute stroll to the clinic and photo shop. Luckily last night our guide told us that if we go to a shop in the morning with laundry or look around, they will rent you a free stroller so Noelle has a workable, well used umbrella stroller to ride in. This will really help Mom & Dad's backs! She likes her stroller!

So after our little stroll and Noelle is sound asleep it's time to wake her up for a photo! Apparently this photo will be used at the US Consulate for issuing Noelle a Visa to enter the US on her Chinese passport (we got that yesterday). Then it is off to the clinic. We filled in some easy paperwork and had to wait in 3 lines for each station of the exam. First was ENT (ear, nose, throat) which was simple. A rattle and electronic keyboard to see if she turns her head, a peak in the ears and in the throat. Next was weight, height and temperature. Her temperature was normal, weight was 7.1 Kg (15.6 lbs) and I didn't see the height. Finally we went to the exam room to see the doctor. She listened to her lungs, measured her head, looked at her fingers and toes and filled in the paperwork. Luckily, we got to skip line #4 - shots. Some of the other children in our travel group could have gotten up to 7 injections, some oral inoculations and a TB skin test. We aren't sure since we took our guides advice and walked back to the hotel for a long nap. Noelle and I slept at least 2 hours and Jim is sleeping now.

Just as we were leaving the clinic, one Mom told me her son was going to be given 7 injections, an oral polio and a TB skin test. Poor kids! We may not see all the families tonight for our Thai food trip.

Back when we were completing our paperwork to adopt Noelle in 2006-2007, there were meetings between many countries called the Hague Convention. This led to a ratification of standardized rules for many countries with regards to international adoption to protect the adopted children and the citizens of the countries involved. So we are traveling with a mixed group of families, some subject to the Hague rules and some not like us. One such rule is that the adopted children must be up to date on their shots. That's why some of our cuties have gotten the pin cushion treatment : (

Luckily for us, we could bring a notarized paper saying the we agree to immunize Noelle in the US upon our return. One ironic thing is that these children will likely need bloodwork to prove their immunity to their doctors back home or the doctor may chose to re immunize them despite these shots they got today. So this fun time cost us 500 RMB (about $75) and our friends had to pay up to $350 for the shots and TB tests. Yikes! I think this was the worst of it, hopefully the rest is smooth sailing. Noelle was a good girl despite the crowded, hot lines.

This morning Noelle seemed to loosen up about eating baby food. She was on strike for this I guess. She slurped up some congee (rice porridge) and loved my coconut yogurt.

Tonight we will be going to the Cow and Bridge Restaurant for some Thai food. Neither Jim or I have had Thai food so this should be fun! Tomorrow we have some touring to do: a Buddhist temple, art museum and shopping.

Brittany