United States Consulate appointment, pearls, and general report::

First I wanted to share with you all how well Charlotte is doing, she still has her moments of complete breakdowns and some sadness, but for the most part they are becoming fewer and more far between. Bed times and when she is really tired are very hard for her. We have found that swaddling her much like a newborn does wonders for her. She will fall asleep so much faster, deeper, and stays asleep so SO much longer. I was able to train my bio babies to sleep through the night at only a couple weeks old with this swaddling method and I really believe even at almost two Charlotte is really benefitting from feeling so snuggly and safe at night. She is also letting out her fun little personality a little more each day. She LOVES her baby doll that we have named Tao Tao after her best little friend in her orphanage. She has started to say some words to us and her little English vocabulary is growing each day. She also understands a lot of what we say to her and will follow simple instructions in English. It's amazing to reflect back on her just over a week ago when she became our to now, it really is amazing how brave this baby girl is!

But, it is not all rainbows and butterflies. This little girl is a tough nut with a bit of a "my way or the highway" attitude. She tests us a lot, she scratches and bites....it is about survival in her past, and anger and inability to communicate with us now. She can be down right mean. But, we are working on it and have come incredibly far very fast. Living in a hotel room, keeping a crazy schedule, and having few places to play doesn't help the situation we can't wait to get home and see how that alone transforms our girl. She loves playing with some of the older kids in our group so I know she is going to love her siblings.

In other big news we had our consulate appointment today at the US consulate here in Guangzhou. It was amazing in so many ways. Our group walked right past the thousands of Chinese citizens waiting outside for a chance to get in for a visa to the united states. We United States citizens are ushered right into the consulate. The proceedings inside the consulate are very simple but important. However while our group was waiting something happened. It was just the group of the 9 families we are traveling with inside of a nice room and the government workers are at some windows desks behind glass, think DMV but much nicer, more modern looking. Anyway all of a sudden alarms are blaring. An automated voice is saying "move away from the windows, duck and cover" over and over. Like a bunch of Americans we all look at each other with these "are they for real faces" and don't move a muscle. The siren and voice continue we all look at the workers behind the glass, they are working away paying no attention as if they hear nothing and like we aren't even there in the room. We all look back at each other and pick up our babies and run to cover under the window/desk over hangs of the people who work there. The workers still not paying any attention what so ever seem to be unfazed by the Americans hiding right under their work spaces. After a few seconds longer the alarms and voice stop and we all decide it must have been a drill and crawl back out and our appointments are finished not one word spoken about what just happened. It was hilarious, and I would pay BIG money for a copy of the security footage!!

After all the commotion at the consulate we headed to the pearl market. We were able to buy a few things. I got myself a little Christmas gift as well as some pearls I plan to have made and incorporated into other jewelry for my girls down the road. It was a fun little outing.

We are on our final stretch and our time in China is coming to an end. We are ready to be home but we will miss our youngest daughters birth country. We will be back!!
Tomorrow we are hoping to hit the Zoo and then we will pick up Charlotte's visa. That evening we will head to Hong Kong Disney.