Medical Exam completed

After our long day yesterday, today is a relaxing day, as should be both days this weekend.  We enjoyed the buffet breakfast and walked to Shamian this morning.  (For those of you soon to travel, the walk from Shifu to Shamian is EASY.  It took us 5-8 minutes before our son, and about 12-15 with him in a stroller.  We just take him out of the stroller, have him walk the stairs on the overpass, and the other person carries the stroller.  No big deal.  And also, contrary to what others have said YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WALK THROUGH THE WET MARKET.  We walk through the pet market and then a dry goods market, and to the overpass.  Furthermore, the walk is a lot easier than navigating around Shamian with the tremendous construction there.)   Once on Shamian, we went back to the medical examination center to have Aaron's TB test read.  It was fine, which we already knew, as there was no reaction on his skin whatsoever from the tb test.  They also translated his immunizations, not that it makes much of a difference for us, as our pediatrician will run titers once Aaron is home.    We went to the White Swan and walked around.  It is so fancy and exquisite inside.  We will go back one more time with our camera to get some photos of Aaron near the fish pond and spectacular water fall (when we go to drop off/pick up laundry at A Gift From China).  Then we spent the next hour shopping.  Rupert says we ARE DONE SHOPPING NOW.  We will see! We bought seven traditional Chinese silk outfits for Aaron and Donovan today, in sizes 6-12, for the future.  GORGEOUS outfits - for between 40 and 80 yuan, so less than 30 USD - incredible prices that we just can't pass up.  We went into a store (Andy's Shop, right next to Victory Hotel) and as soon as we walked in I thought it would be so expensive...nope, some of the BEST prices we've encounterd so far.  We bought a LOT - two silk outfits for Aaron and Donovan, silk scarves, a silk purse, etc. etc.  Then we came back near Shifu to buy snacks for Aaron, and to drop off the two disposable cameras the orphanage had given us, which have photos of Aaron on them.  It did take some time to find the shop that develops film, but finally did and they will be back tomorrow.   We met a lovely family from Michigan who was here with their four children on a Homeland Tour.  They have one biological son, two daughters adopted from China, and one son adopted from China.  They children born in China looked to be about 14, 12, and 8.  All three were from different provinces.  The family had toured Beijing, then spent several days in each child's province and was able to go visit each child's SWI.  They said it was incredible - such a warm welcome with firecrackers, etc.  I am sure the SWI staff members were so thrilled to see these children come back for a visit and to see how well they are doing and how loved they are.  Then, the family was in Guangzhou for a few days and last stop would be Hong Kong, which would include a trip to Disney.  We had a lovely talk with them.  Like us, they have one biological child and then went on to a child, and then another child, and then another child.  We talked about what a wonderful experience adopting from China is, and the trip, etc.    Aaron is sleeping now for his nap.  He takes about a 2 hour nap, though the SWI said only one hour.  Either it is the increased activity and new surroundings, or perhaps they specifically woke the children up after an hour.   We have no appointments this weekend.  Monday our guide goes to the American Consulate with all our paperwork, for us.  Tuesday we go to the American Consulate at 3:30 to take our Oath. Then Wednesday our guide picks up Aaron's passport and visa at 4 pm adn on Thursday morning we fly to Hong Kong, where we will stay overnight before our big Cathay Pacific flight. We are enjoying Aaron so much! Love, Nicole