Medical check day – passed with flying colours

Before I tell you about today, there is an important tidbit that I left out of yesterday’s Great Wall story. If there were an award for “Feat of Great Agility Whilst Holding a Baby in a Baby Carrier” I would definitely win that award, and not just for climbing the Wall with a baby. The real test of a parent is on the ground. Let’s just say that the facilities at the Great Wall left much to be desired. However, I rose to the challenge. Not only did I use a squatter toilet with Charlotte in the Bjorn, I did it while she was sleeping, and she did not wake up. Now that’s some quality parenting!!

OK – enough bathroom humour - on to today’s adventures. Today we had an important appointment @ 9:00. All 19 babies in our group had appointments at the clinic to get their medical check-up for their Canadian VISAs. This is a critical step in the process as Charlotte can’t come home with us until she has her VISA.

We weren’t too stressed, as we already know that she is healthy and only a little bit delayed in her development. As you can imagine, with a group this size and only 2 docs, it was quite a lengthy process. The most difficult part was waiting. Charlotte passed the time in this beanbag chair.

First all the parents filled out 2 forms (because you wouldn’t want ANY part of this process to be paperless!). Next, all the babies were weighed and measured, and then they each had about 15 mins. with the pediatrician.

Charlotte tipped the scales at a whopping 8.1 kg (17.86 lbs), she is 71 cm (28 inches) long and her head circumference is 45 cm (17.7 inches). Translation: she is solidly 50% percentile for weight and about the same for height on the North American growth charts. Check out that belly hanging over her diaper! I can’t remember the stats for her head, but we already know that she has a big noggin (but not freakishly so), as none of the hats we brought fit her.

Her visit with the doc was quick and uneventful. He did the usual stuff one would expect in any well-baby check up. He also asked about her development (is she sitting, crawling, reaching, babbling, etc). She is doing well, but a little behind on some of her gross and fine motor skills, which we already knew. She will catch up quickly, I’m sure.

All the rest of the babies were also in pretty good health. There are a couple eye infections and one baby with an ear/throat and a nasty fever, but all those are pretty minor.


While we were there Steve also took the opportunity to get his hand checked. The wound is healing and there are no signs of infection, so that is good. He is trying to take it easy as much as he can to keep the swelling down and help it heal.

Before we went out after lunch Charlotte passed the time by shredding some tissue. Could she be any cuter?

In the afternoon we went out to the silk market. What a place!! It is an indoor market jammed with stalls – most of them carrying similar items. All the vendors yell at you and even grab at you as you walk by. I found it a little unnerving at first, but then learned to just ignore them. The tough part is with so much selection, it is hard to decide where to go and who will give you the best deal! In most cases, you end up paying 1/3 of the price they start at, but damn it is hard work to get them down to that sometimes. In the end we did well though. I got a new ski jacket for $90 (it would sell for about $400 at home), we got a bunch of clothes for the girls, and some placemats/tablecloths, a new duvet cover for our bed, and Steve got a couple dress shirts.


Tonight for dinner we ordered in again. This time it was Pizza Hut and the party was in our room. It was great fun. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful group of people.
Tomorrow we head for the Temple of Heaven and back to the Pearl Market. I am still hoping to pick up a little bauble for myself….so here’s hoping there is something nice and sparkly out there for me. : )