Our First Day Together

 
 
 
 
Well Gotcha Day wasn't at all what I expected and so very different than our last Gotcha Day but just as sweet. We really couldn't have asked for a smoother transition-- at least so far. When we first saw her I busted out the M&Ms which she took and ran back to the nanny then we busted out the bubbles (thanks Michelle, you were right about that one) which she loved and then we busted out the Teddy Bear so right away she played with us and was laughing but she did keep going back to her caregivers. We did a little bit of paperwork and they gave us tons of snacks and drinks that she likes and they all kind of left one by one while she was playing with us so she didn't even notice they were gone and when it was time for us to leave I held out my hand and she grabbed it and we left.

We came back to the room and played alot and our guide Lily helped us sort out some things with the room and helped us communicate with her -- especially about the potty. We decided to venture outside the hotel for dinner. Please remember they don't see many westerners here much less westerners with a Chinese baby so we were quite the focal point when we were out and about. People point and stare and we just keep on moving. The hotel concierge directed us to a "western type restaurant" which at least had a menu in English which is hard to come by in these parts. We walked there and she held my hand most of the way. She did great at the restaurant. She gobbled down some fried rice and noodles like there was no tomorrow and we introduced her to 7up which I am sure she never had before and she loved it. We got back to the room and had a bath. We brought tons of toys but no bath toys so we may have to go get some today. She LOVED her bath. She has some kind of infection on the outside of her ear. She won't let me get a good look at it and I don't want to hold her down so I will wait. It looks like it is healing but I need to look at it more.

Bedtime was a bit more challenging. She wanted to play and play but she was tired. I think maybe she was scared to go to sleep. She sobbed for maybe 20 minutes and when we turned the lights back on she stopped so I don't know if she was afraid of the dark or what but I snuggled with her until she went to sleep and then she slept with me. She woke up once but I got her back to sleep and she is still asleep as I blog this. I didn't get much sleep ( maybe 3 hours) but Todd slept pretty good so 2 out of 3 sleepers isn't bad.

She seems to be bonding with us. I was worried when she didn't cry when we left. She is making good eye contact. She reaches out for us. She seems to want me a little more than Todd. When strangers reach out to her she pulls away. She is starting to mimic us -- more with sound than words. She is calling us Mama and Baba (daddy in Chinese). We have a picture book of us and she will point to us and say mama and baba. She let us feed her. At first when she snuggled with me she just kind of layed in my arms but then after a while she actually snuggled up and was comforted.

Today we do more paper work. We have to stay in the province 5 days (until Friday) so they can finish everything up. I think we will do some shopping and a few tours.

Will post more later.
Love to all.

Faye