Tuesday, March 24, 2009

She's Really and Truly Ours







What another exciting day! We have just come back from the Registration Office and made the promises to care for and educate Talia, and to never abandon her and she has been officially approved as our daughter, and we as her mama and baba and jie jie. Last night, Lydia summed it up--"I love mei mei, thank you for getting her for me." :)

We are all so happy and content. She is a very happy, sweet and easy baby. She eats everything! As soon as she woke up this morning she had a container of yogurt, at breakfast she ate a big bowl of steamed egg custard and little tastes of what we were eating, at lunch noodles, bits of chicken, greens sauteed with garlic, and she's taken all day, but finished a bottle of 1/3 apple juice and 2/3 water. No formula for this girl, said her orphanage staff.

She missed her afternoon nap because of the adoption finalization, but had a brief nap in the carrier in the park with mama and Lydia this morning while baba went to the bank and wire transferred the orphanage "donation." (As if this wasn't required!)

Mama and the girls created quite the scene in the park this morning by themselves. We were literally mobbed several times by dozens of people swarming us. I can now understand and answer simple questions--the 2 girls are both my daughters, Lydia is four years old and Talia is one. No, baba is not Chinese, they are adopted. People are very curious, but very friendly and approving. I did get "fussed at" this morning because Talia's pant legs pulled up in the carrier and exposed bare skin--and it was only 71 degrees. I promptly came back to the hotel room and put tights on under her pants like a good Chinese mama would. Tonight we'll get her a little cotton cap to wear on her head--I really wish they would quit asking if she's a didi (little boy) or mei mei (little girl)! I understand and can answer those questions, too, and pink doesn't seem to tip them off. Today we put her in one of Lydia's dresses, 12 months, from Children's Place. I had to roll up the long sleeves two times, the dress was well below her knees, and the little diaper cover pants would barely stay up--she's a little peanut.

Lydia and baba went off to have ice cream and playground time while Talia had a late nap this afternoon before the celebration dinner with our guide, Anita. I think tonight it's hotpot--cook your meat and vegetables at the table, like fondue. We've eaten so well, and all in all, Talia has made a seamless transition to the family.

Five minutes of bottle and some Chinese songs (thank you Penny!) and she's out like a light. Today we saw happy, laugh-out-loud Talia. Her nanny said she is always happy and laughing, what a wonderful thing for the new mama and baba to hear. Jie jie and mei mei have had bonding play time with the colorful cups.

It's hard to believe that we left for China 10 days ago, and that we still get to be here another week. As much as I love China and all that we are experiencing, we will be happy to be home, too, and back in our routine. On the house front, our realtor says our house has been shown twice now, and one man is interested and needs to bring his wife this week to see the house as well--I'm not sure if I'm sad, excited, or what--we'll wait and see what happens. For now, we're enjoying this time with Lydia Grace and our new daughter, Talia An.

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