~~~~~QUESTIONS~~~~~
~~~ I plan on celebrating each year my Metcha/Gotcha/Family Day. What are some of the ideas people have to buy when in China???? I plan on getting pearls for when she is older, but what are some ideas for when she is two, three, etc......
~~~ What are people planning on bring to the Nannies for gifts???
~~~ What are people planning on sending in the gift to the baby??? What has worked for those who have traveled already? What do you wish you would have send? What would you have not send????
~~~ What question do you plan on asking for the nannies and the director???
Suddenly I feel like I need to start organizing and get the things I can do before referral done like the pictures book to the baby and the questions to the orphanage. I feel a real spurt to take the steps to get the nursery done and organize my house. Anyone else feeling the same way???
11 comments:
I have been collecting articles, handy hints, lists since we started this process. I have to sit down and organize the interesting tidbits into one list for each point you referenced. I guess I am collecting and need to move onto the next stage which is organizing the items into lists for use.
I am interested to see what others (esp BTDT people) have done.
So, no you are not the only one wondering!
Keep smilin!
Oh yeah, this is a great post. We can't wait to read what others have done and what others are thinking of doing. Too good!
fm
I've been reading a thousand stories for 2 years now, trying to gather info!
I'm sending Bella - a "lovie" (thanks to M3! I'm sending the one she gave me when I met her in Sydney!), a disposable camera.. hopefully I'll get it back!, a bag of candy for the nannies, and a "Who Loves Baby" album with pics of us in it. I've seen people have made labels for each item with a photo of their child and name (written in Chinese) on each item, so the nannies know exactly who its for.
Gifts for Nannies - Cosmetics/skin creams in little toiletrie bags. Only Made in Australia stuff though.
~~~ Ideas people have to buy when in China????
We hardly bought anything while we were there (so dang busy) but our folks got the greatest stuff for us: stone etching of our referral photos, jade necklaces for the girls, squeaky shoes, chops with the girls names...
~~~ What are people planning on bring to the Nannies for gifts???
We brought California-made Jelly Bellies, and some California-made body lotion.
~~~ Gift to the baby???
Loveys (we got them back and the girls still use them), disposable camera, soft blanket, soft fabric photo album (got it back and the girls sleep with it), candy for nannies.
~~~ What question do you plan on asking for the nannies and the director???
Didn't ask anything. Were too overwhelmed. :-)
This is a good post. I have lists and lists saved on the computer. It will be good to cross-reference with what you learn from this post.
You are right it is time to get organized.
We bought porcilin in Nanchang because that was what her Jiangxi province was noted for.... Save most of your shopping for Guangzho(squeeky shoes, etc) You can buy things for Tate like a beautiful parasol with flowers painted on it. Little bracelets or flutes. Painted pictures. Hannah loves her little drum with panda bears on it.. Buy chinese dvds in Walmart in China if you get a chance. Super cheap. Children's books in chinese with beautiful pictures... For those who said they couldn't spend all the money they took.... I say.... "HA!" I didn't get so many things I wanted and still ran out. I love to shop and don't get to very often. So I guess I went crazy. Also chopsticks, tea set (careful Hannah's is loaded with lead, so will be for decoration only)
If we could have afforded it I would have bought a jade bangle and worn it until her 16th birthday and then given it to her...
One of the gifts that we took was See's chocolates and Toblerone Candy bars... they loved the chocolate gifts and everyone says take gifts with logos from you city like t-shirts, ash trays etc.
I am so excited for you
Woohooooo
Hold on baby Tate your Mama's comin' soon.
God's Speed
Oh...I guess I need to start thinking of this stuff. Well - I will do the norm for stuff to send for Hannah (Lovey, maybe stuffed animal, disp. camera, and a who loves baby album).
Torn on the gifts for Nannies. I am afraid chocolates will melt since we will travel in June...I have the gift bags and tissue tho!
OK...let's see if I can remember what we did for Sarah. For Gotcha day gifts, we bought SOO much in China...we probably have enough til she's been with us 20 years+! We got board puzzle of China, silk covered journal, silk dresses in every size and color, pearl earrings, porcelain tea set, a beautiful painting, chop with her name, a glass bottle painted on inside, cloisinne (sp?) barrettes, to just name a few. You'll be shopping and just think of what she'd like at any age. We're set for a while in that dept.
For the nannies, we bought smelly lotions and soaps. When in China we were told by our guides that lipstick is a really good idea because clinique and those brands cost minimum of $40 U.S. in China. We bought pages of collector's stamps at the post office, our guide's father ended up collecting them so we gave them to her. We got a t-shirt with Utah on it, probably a Jazz one would be great for the director. Also, Hershey's chocolate we gave to everyone we met practically.
We didn't know you could send packages when we adopted Sarah but some in our group sent photo books with their photos, the disposable cameras, stuffed animals, and little lovey blankets.
Hope this helps a little bit! Feel free to ask anything, I'm happy to help!
Robin
When you get answers to these questions...let me in on em'. Thanks
Questions!
We celebrate, but don't do a gift...
Nanny/Orphanage gifts - we were given a pretty comprehensive idea list and I stuck to it - make-up kits, t-shirts and sweatshirts that read, "Laguna Beach" (our hometown) lighters and pens that also had "Laguna Beach" on them... and I got as much in red as possible! The funny stuff was the what NOT to get -like umbrellas or green hats...
We brought a stack of red gift bags and gold tissue to wrap everything in once we got there...
Our agency did not "allow" us to send anything ahead for Eva or her nanny, but we did bring a small photo album for Eva and it had photos of us and the house and the dogs etc... just so maybe she could be a teeny bit familiar with her new home before she arrived.
We were given an incredibly detailed information update the day before we met the girls, so I didn't have any specific questions... if I had been able to meet her foster mother I know I would have asked, "Do you love her?" and "Will you miss her?". It sounds cruel, but I wish I could have heard it from her.
Yep, I've started going nuts shopping specifically for the trip. (red gift bags, tissue etc. are on clearance at T@rget right now-FYI) I've looked over tons of packing lists and like M3's the best thus far so we have adapted it for our needs and it has become my shopping list. The thought crossed my mind last week that if we end up waiting for 2 years, I am going to feel like an idiot if referral time comes and I feel like I need MORE time to get everything done. Now, if I can only get Matt to have the same sense of urgency...
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