Monday,
August 9, 2010
. . . AND
SHE IS OURS!
Today we woke up early to get ready for our first full day of
parenthood. We were suppose to meet tour guide downstairs at
8:20 with the the other adoptive family. Todd and I rushed
around trying to feed Harper, make a bottle, prepare our
backpack and dress her and ourselves. We are learning a ton
about her minute by minute! She is a very happy baby and will
laugh out loud, but most of the time today she just smirked or
gave us her puppy dog eyes! She seems very sad and I am sure she
is grieving for her foster family. She will let me hold her and
grips to my tightly when others walk past. She seemed a bit
apprehensive when we stepped out of the hotel today. In fact,
her nervousness resulted in hives all down her leg. Poor baby!
They seemed to go away after a dose of Benedryl. Later she had
more before bed time so we are guessing it is just a stress
response.
Todd and I had picked out a red ladybug dress for Harper to wear
for the adoption finalization appointment. In China red
symbolizes good luck and in the adoption community so do
ladybugs. It was so fun to dress her and it melted my heart when
I showed her how my skirt twirled and then she tried to do the
same. She is a fast learner and is into everything when she is
relaxed!
At our Civil Affairs appointment we signed our adoption
finalization papers and then we had to pay our fees, take a
family picture and answered some questions. I had come prepared
wit a little fan attached to my backpack because I had heard
none of these places were air conditioned. It was hot! The room
was filled with adoptive parents and their new children, mostly
little baby girls. It was really neat to see the different
nationalities adopting from China. The room was filled with
excitement and every child just was so adorable. We were able to
see the Director of the orphanage again with his wife and
daughter. They all fall over Harper and call her "Xia Xia" which
was her nickname. She seems to be a quite popular little girl.
The only item Harper still likes is my Chinese herb pill bottle
so we brought that along to occupy here during our wait. During
the interview we were asked questions like, "Why do you want to
adopt this baby from China?", "How will you raise her?", "Do you
promise to never harm or abandon her"? We of course said we
would never and then they asked "Are you happy with your baby?"
Uhmm yes we are over the moon! I thought to myself does anyone
ever say no? The Chinese government wants you to have a
wonderful experience so that you recommend adoption to your
friends and family and they also hope you return to adopt again
to spend the American dollar! After that meeting we had to go to
the notary where once again they asked the same questions. We
provided the notary and the civil affairs office with gifts and
they gave gifts to us in return. It is so neat to be here! The
people are so nice and they will come up to you on the streets
and touch the babies and comment. One guy walked past he must
have been in his early 20's, touched our babies face and said
something to us in Chinese. I wasn't sure if it was a nice or
rude comment so I looked to my guide to translate and she said
he said she was "very pretty" I responded "Xie, Xie" which means
thank you!
After our appointments, we were off to Walmart. Harper and all
of us were a sweating mess. It is very humid here but our
adrenaline is so high on the trip with excitement is doesn't
matter that we are barely sleeping or sitting in a car or
walking in 100 degree weather all morning. This Walmart is
nothing like the ones back home. Our guide kept saying I am not
sure why the Chinese people like it so much I guess because it
is an American thing"! Ha! We toured the 5 floors and picked up
some clothes, baby eating utensils and bowls and lots of cookies
and noodles for us and Harper. I can fill up a cart high of
things even in China! Our guide picked out some delicious round
cookies called "snow cookies" and they taste like soy sauce,
sesame and a very sweet cookie. I know it sounds like a weird
combination but it is so good! Harper was on my hip for most of
the time and then the rest of it I had to put her in my front
carrier. My arms were ready to fall off! Luckily, even though
she fought it, she slept some at Walmart and took a very long
3-1/2 nap for us that afternoon! At the end of the Walmart
visit, our guide said to us, "Thank you for stimulating the
local economy!"
The rest of the afternoon we played and hung out in our room.
Harper needed some time to just chill out with the both of us.
We decided to have Todd be the one to feed her so that she would
have to eventually come around to him. It seems to be working
although she still only comes to me when she is scared. She is
so darn cute! I just love looking into her dark eyes! |
The Orphanage Director's daughter playing with Harper at the
Jiangxi Civil Affairs Office
I got a big smile!
Harper and her Chinese pills!
She is ours! The paperwork is final!
Walmart super center!
Pedestrian alleyway |
