Guangzhou Day 2

Today was the dreaded medical appointment for L and the other adoptive parents on a similar schedule to ours.  This took place in an unbelievably crowded medical clinic, and consisted of four different parts: height/weight, ear/nose/throat, surgical, and a TB test.  Older kids also have to have vaccinations, but we can complete these in the US.  We also had his picture taken for his visa. 

The first three stations went flawlessly.  The doctors were fast, and as this was a Chinese clinic, he understood what they were saying.  They used squeaky dog toys to get the kids' attention, and it worked like a charm.  In the surgical station, they measured his limbs and head, checked his skin for problems (he has some "Mongolian spots" on his back, which should fade in time), and looked in his mouth.  L was born without his right hand, so the doctor spent some time looking at the area.  L was happy to oblige, lifting his shirt, taking off his shoes, showing the doctors his new Magnadoodle. 

The TB test was far, far easier than I had anticipated as well.  Those doctors were so incredibly fast, the entire thing was over in about 3 seconds flat.  I'm not kidding--it was amazing.  He started to cry, but it was over and he spent the next 10 minutes inspecting the little bump that comes with the injection, which has since gone away (yay!).  Some of the older kiddos had to have up to 5 vaccinations and had a pretty tough time, so we were grateful that we got off so easy with L.

We got back to the hotel in time for lunch and a nap, then went to the pool for a swim.  This was also a hit, as the hotel has a wading pool with about 2 inches of water in it.  L was scared of the big pool, even when Baba got in, so we'll work on that later.

In the afternoon, the group met to complete the paperwork needed for the visa.  This was quite a process, as everyone's is slightly different depending on their child's individual needs, the province they are from, and their age.  But our guide was patient and thorough, so that information is now out of our hands. 

After a pizza dinner, it was time for the new favorite activity of teeth brushing, then bed.

Tomorrow we have nothing on the schedule as we cannot proceed until the TB test results are ready.  This is very exciting, as it's difficult to continually find things to entertain a busy toddler in government offices, day in and day out.  Our plan is a relaxing day in and around our hotel.  More pool time, naptime on schedule, etc.  We have been counting down to tomorrow since we landed in China, so looking forward to it!