Day 6 Monday, April 16th "Gotcha Day"

The day we've highly anticipated is here~~~

We met our local guide, Cordelia at 2 pm in the lobby (Cordelia already has been wonderful....very sweet, her English and her concern for us is fantastic....oh, and her Cantonese isn't bad either!) We all hopped in the van and drove through a very old (and I should say 'crowded' would be an understatement) part of Guangzhou to the Civil Affairs office. We took the elevator, and walked into a small room, already filled with three or four couples with their newly adopted daughters.

Wow, then it really hit us. Cordelia was great to ask if we could use the conference room nearby to have some privacy, and no sooner did we get our camera ready, did two nannies/aunties walk in the room with Allie in their arms. I (Blair) don't remember who they first handed her to--I'm sure Tami will remember and explain more later-- but I was feeling just a rush of emotion, something that I had never felt before.

She obviously looked a little different from the pictures that we had (those were taken in Sept '06), but you could tell it was the right girl.....the sweet face, the round cheeks, the big smile! She didn't cry at all, if you can believe it....she let us hold her very easily, and after spending a few hours with her today, we figured out she will go to just about anyone really easily!! Very trusting girl, this one.

She had on a cute green jumper, with cute pink shoes. When I was holding her, she wanted to play with my mustache, and was fascinated with my glasses. We had time to just hold her and play with her on a nearby couch, while Cordelia met with the two aunties and asked them some questions we had about our girls (the Gonsoulins got their daughter, Arabelle, at the same time, in the same pink and green outfit!!).

Tami and I each switched off taking care of Allie, while the other one filled out some paperwork that needs to be finalized tomorrow. (We'll also get to unload this cash we've been carrying around all week, and give the aunties and the orphanage director the gifts we've brought).

Here are some of the things that we were told, either by the nannies or the reports filled out in Chinese (and translated by Cordelia). Keep in mind, I had guessed most of them by just observing her for an hour at the offices:

1) Yes, she can walk! And boy, is she a walker!! She can crawl, stand up by herself, and walk a good 10 feet without any help. It was right there and then that I said a little prayer for more energy and patience. :)
2) She is very sociable! (Takes after her Mom and Dad). Like I mentioned, she will go to just about anyone, reaching her hands and arms up in the air to be picked up. And with the cutest little face you've ever seen (ok, I'm a little biased, forgive me), I don't see how you wouldn't want to hold her.
3) She's fascinated by toys (another common trait with her Dad). But after grabbing them, she has a tendency to drop/throw them on the floor, and then want YOU to go and fetch them. Once again, I said a little prayer...
4) She loves to play, and to go outside and play on the slide that they have at the orphanage. Guess we'll be taking a few trips to the park this summer.
5) She loves TV (don't you get the feeling she's going to fit in really well?). :)

She's been eating a mixture of congee (sp), which is like a rice cereal, with some high protein Chinese formula. We will keep her on her schedule (feedings at 6 am, 10 am, nap at 11 am, feeding at 2 pm, 6 pm and bed at 7) until we get back to Puyallup, where we will slowly wean her off the formula. She also gets some apple juice, and some sugar water during the day.

I have to say I'm not really concerned about her cross-eyed condition. It is very minimal, if at all. I honestly cannot tell, but then again, I'm new at this! :)

Ok, enough of the particulars, on to the story....so we leave the offices around 4:30, get back to the hotel, and then Ralph and I walk up to the only real grocery store on the island to get formula and other things. Tami and Hope feed the two girls around 6, and then the six of us all trample down to the hotel restaurant.

And then, a epiphany hits me......now I know why parents of small babies or toddlers never eat out! We just get through our order, when Tami and Hope have to take the girls back up to the room, because they were fussing so bad (very tired from a long day of traveling from Maoming city to Guangzhou in the morning). So Ralph, Christian and I send each individual meal up to the room as they come out of the kitchen, and we get to eat our last peaceful meal of our lives~ :)

Allie went right off to sleep, so I'm trying to post some before our bedtime. I got some GREAT pictures of the baby throughout the day, and so want to have you all see them. It's frustrating to both families here that we can't upload pictures, either in a semi-timely fashion, or any fashion at all, but we are trying to be flexible and adaptable like any other part of the trip. Please know that we really want to share our precious Alison with all our friends and family.