Gotcha Day!

I got up right before 7 after an early bedtime last night.  (I think tonight will be an early bedtime, too!). We went down to breakfast and the hostess was showing us to a table and Tony noticed a couple who we'd met in Chicago were already eating breakfast.  We asked if we could sit with some friends and went over and greeted them as we sat down.  We got our food and rejoined them.  Other families with CCAI were also eating breakfast.  We introduced ourselves to another family.

We went back to our room to finish getting ready and grab our stuff and gifts.  We had some time yet so we each read a little bit.  We then went down to the lobby to meet Echo.  We had her write on the gift bags in Chinese who they were for and we had also put Butt Paste in the gift for the orphanage and I had her write on that so they know what it's for.  She said she would also explain it to them.

We went out to our van and Mr. Liu drove us to the Civil Affairs Office.  We were actually the first ones there.  Echo had us check over our information.  Good thing because my passport number had one extra digit.  Pretty soon a bus load of families from CCAI arrived.  No orphanage vans had arrived yet.  Soon, though, a van pulled up and Echo said it was from Luoyang.  We offered to take video if anyone needed it.  No one did so I took some video on our camera of people meeting their children.  There was lots of crying from many of the children and lots of tears of joy from the families.  Then another van came--from another orphanage, but not ours.  We watched again.  There was a little girl, 5 years old, who was all smiles when she met her parents.  Soon, though, she was crying--almost screaming--because she was scared.  Her parents were experienced adopters and just let her cry.  They are staying right across the hall from us and her mom said 'time' was the turning point for her and she was all smiles the next time we saw her.  Before the children arrived someone came up to me and asked if I was part of a particular Yahoo Group.  I told her which ones I belong to and she said she was getting her TWO children today.  "Oh!  You're Mery!" I said.  We got caught up a little bit and then continued waiting for our children.

Eventually, the van from Xuchang arrived with 4 children.  Tony saw a lady getting out with Le An and took a picture.  I ran and grabbed Echo so she could take video.  The first child in was Le An!  The lady held him for a while and then soon I was able to take him and hold him.  He didn't cry.  He didn't even fuss!  We even got a sort of smile while we were still at the Civil Affairs Office!  At the time of this writing he still hasn't cried a grieving cry!  He's quite happy and easy-going.

So, anyway, he--as all babies in China are--was all bundled up in many layers.  He's actually quite small and fits quite nicely in 12-month clothes.  We brought 18-month clothes, too, but will probably have to exchange them when we get home if they won't be good for summer weather when he'll probably be in 18-month clothes!  He came with only socks, no shoes.  We guess he may not have ever had shoes on until today.  We oohed and awed over him for a while and took several pictures.  I didn't see the 3 other children come in from this orphanage!

After a while, Echo told us we needed to sign some papers.  It's a 24-hour guardian agreement.  Tomorrow we'll go back and finalize the adoption in province.  We then were called over to have our picture taken for the adoption decree (or whatever they call it).  Then we were able to give our gifts to the orphanage.  Echo explained the Butt Paste.  We gathered our bags and came back to the hotel.  Echo came up to our room with us to show us how to mix the formula that was sent with him.

Before we did that, though, I had to get video of the removing of the layers of clothes.  Oh my gosh!  The first layer was a coat--WAY oversized and really warm.  We had to roll up the sleeves a bit to see his hands.  We had some toy keys for him and he held on to them like he'd lose them!  Next layer was very thick and very warm overalls and the top was a quilted top.  UNDER THAT was a long-sleeved t-shirt and legging-type things.  Oh, and the legging things and the overalls were split pants.  And he had just socks on his feet.

We promptly changed his diaper and I found some 12M pants, a 12M shirt and some socks to change him into.  He looked WAY more comfortable!

Echo decided that the formula that was sent with him was not right for him and that we should just use what we brought.  Then she left and will be back tomorrow at 9:30 to take us 2 places to sign papers.

Now it was time to get to know Le An!  I got out a couple more toys over the next few hours.  He's not scared of stuffed animals.  He played with a teether toy and the keys.  He likes to play the game "I drop the toys and Mom and Dad pick them up." I also got out an O-Ball which he really likes.  We gave him a bottle which he likes to hold himself.  We were playing along and Tony thought Le An tooted.  The smell stayed and I realized that I had seen his face go blank for a bit like he was concentrating on something.  BOY, was he concentrating in something!  OMG!  Tony said he changed Meighan's first two poopy diapers.  It was my turn now.  OMG!  We got everything ready (on the bathroom floor) and I removed the diaper.  OMG!  Have you ever seen chunky Gray Poupon? (that has gone bad and become quite runny?) O - M - G!!!!

So, after I changed the WORST poopy diaper I've ever changed, we continued playing.  Eventually we decided to go down to the Walmart area to find a baby store that Echo had recommended.  We got Le An and me all suited up in the chunei baby carrier and set out.  He's quite content in the chunei!  Because of the extra weight I couldn't walk very fast.  He fell asleep soon after we started walking.  We eventually found the baby store and found some shoes that fit him and they are very cute.  They were kind of expensive but are fairly good quality.  We can get him more in Guangzhou.  I also found a formula dispenser at this store.  I didn't have time to find mine before we left.  Le An slept the whole time we tried shoes on him.  Then we decided to go to Dico's (the Chinese version of KFC).  He woke up when I sat down so he had about a 45 minute nap.  He wants to eat everything we're eating!  He likes French Fries!

After lunch we walked back to the hotel.  We played some more.  Le An thinks we're quite funny sometimes so he chuckles a bit.  He's also ticklish and laughs when he is tickled.  He definitely is NOT as developed in gross and fine motor skills as Meighan was.  His muscle tone is not really much--he's chubbier.  He isn't walking on his own yet but will walk holding on to fingers.  He kind of drags his left foot at the current time but hopefully with encouragement and practice that will get better.

For supper we just went down to the restaurant in the hotel where we eat breakfast.  We shared a club sandwich and had some ice cream.  We got some congee for Le An.  He KNEW what THAT was!  It was so hot, though, that we couldn't feed it to him very fast and he'd start crying while I was blowing on the spoonful and he probably thought I was going to eat it.  Don't worry, we told him.  It's ALL for you. When we got our ice cream, Tony gave him some Cheerios but he pretty much just played with them.  Tony gave him some ice cream.  His face scrunched up real tight but he never spit it out!  He wanted more!

We got back up to the room and got him ready for bed because he was acting tired.  Tony put him to sleep the first night just like he did Meighan.  He said, "There's nothing more beautiful than rocking to sleep a person who you've known for less than 12 hours."


Things we know about Le An after the first day:

1. He does NOT like to have his nose wiped!
2. He likes to hold the bottle by himself.
3. He needs lots of stimulation to walk.
4. He sucks his right thumb when he is tired or needing comfort.
5. He LOVES congee.
6. He likes chocolate chip cookies (yes, I brought some!)
7. He likes to play with balls.
8. He does not like to be laid down to have his clothes or diaper changed.
9. He LOVES to be held and have attention.

I wanted to try to put a couple picture on that I took with the iPad but buttons are not available to select pictures. I'll keep trying, though.