We have our little girl!! What a day it has been! We've been on the go since our feet hit the floor and I'm barely finding time today to throw together this blog. Early this morning we flew from Hong Kong to Nanchang, went to our hotel, had a few minutes to gather together some things for Grace, and then headed back downstairs for a meeting. All of us were basically basket cases and with all of the info about schedules and bottles and I felt like a total novice as a parent. Scared --and excited all rolled into one! Just 30 minutes later we gathered again this time to receive our daughters. Pat and I were 2nd on the list and as the first people got their baby I just started to cry. I thought, "Pull it together Sharon or Grace is going to be so afraid!" So I somehow managed to quickly manage those tears and there came Grace through the door. She was absolutely the cutest little baby girl I have ever laid eyes on! They immediately handed her to me and she just looked a me quizically. She didn't seem upset at all. Meanwhile Pat was videotaping and snapping pictures as were some other couples for us. Then Pat came over and said, "Hello Lu Biao!" and she took one look at my dear fair-haired blue eyed totally non-Asian looking husband and started to cry. She got quite worked up into a wail and so after just a few minutes of trying to find a quiet corner, we managed to say a few words of congratulations to the other parents, and then we headed upstairs.
Once upstairs she calmed down.She especially seemed to calm down when I pulled out a little photograph book of all of the kids (and us) that we had made and sent to her. I didn't think they would be showing it to her but I had hopes. From her reaction to it, it seemed like it was quite familiar and calming to her. She liked looking in the mirror at herself and me, she enjoyed playing with the toys I brought, and she nearly gave us a smile. But when I said, "Oh Pat, she's almost ready to smile!", and Pat came over, she took one look at him and started to cry again.
Pat did manage to get some holding time with Grace where she calmed down, and then I held her and walked around with her until she started back up with a crying fit that ended with her falling fast asleep on my chest for a good 45 minutes with a very deep sleep. I gazed at her face and just thanked God over and over for her while Pat went back down to finish up some paperwork. I thought she'd wake up and take one look at me and cry again, but she just seemed quite content after her little snooze. I took this happy moment to go downstairs with her to sign the papers with Pat and then we headed to the buffet to snag some dinner for all of us. She ate some congee and then started fussing again, so it was back to the room for us.
We Skyped my family while poor Grace was crying and then it was a bottle and a MAJOR blowout. A quick bath later and she's feeling better. As you recall,she was in Foster care and she keeps saying Mama and Ba-ba the words for Mommy and Daddy. Those are not intended for us but for the Foster parents she is grieving over tonight. But right now, Grace is happily looking in the mirror at herself and her new Daddy and all seems right again. What a traumatic day it has been for her, but we can see the little light inside our little girl of the wonderful days ahead. She gets a little smirk on her face when we kiss her cheeks - and yes they are chubby! She leans in and can't seem to get enough of that kind of affection She's got chunky little legs and although she's wearing 6-9 month clothes, she's about to pop all of the snaps near her diaper!
It's off to bed for her -- we hope -- who, by the way, likes to sleep with a light on from the info we got! So we'll have to let you know how Day 2 goes. We think Day 1 went fine because all of her grieving shows she has been attached to someone and will attach again. Grace is going to be fine and we are more than fine with our most precious little gift from God. Thank you all for your prayers and for your comments to us. We were reading them last night at 4:30 AM while we were awake and having trouble sleeping, and they brought smiles to our faces and encouragement to our hearts.
It's been a wonderful magical day. We have an early start tomorrow, so enjoy these photos and come back tomorrow for Day 2!
Once upstairs she calmed down.She especially seemed to calm down when I pulled out a little photograph book of all of the kids (and us) that we had made and sent to her. I didn't think they would be showing it to her but I had hopes. From her reaction to it, it seemed like it was quite familiar and calming to her. She liked looking in the mirror at herself and me, she enjoyed playing with the toys I brought, and she nearly gave us a smile. But when I said, "Oh Pat, she's almost ready to smile!", and Pat came over, she took one look at him and started to cry again.
Pat did manage to get some holding time with Grace where she calmed down, and then I held her and walked around with her until she started back up with a crying fit that ended with her falling fast asleep on my chest for a good 45 minutes with a very deep sleep. I gazed at her face and just thanked God over and over for her while Pat went back down to finish up some paperwork. I thought she'd wake up and take one look at me and cry again, but she just seemed quite content after her little snooze. I took this happy moment to go downstairs with her to sign the papers with Pat and then we headed to the buffet to snag some dinner for all of us. She ate some congee and then started fussing again, so it was back to the room for us.
We Skyped my family while poor Grace was crying and then it was a bottle and a MAJOR blowout. A quick bath later and she's feeling better. As you recall,she was in Foster care and she keeps saying Mama and Ba-ba the words for Mommy and Daddy. Those are not intended for us but for the Foster parents she is grieving over tonight. But right now, Grace is happily looking in the mirror at herself and her new Daddy and all seems right again. What a traumatic day it has been for her, but we can see the little light inside our little girl of the wonderful days ahead. She gets a little smirk on her face when we kiss her cheeks - and yes they are chubby! She leans in and can't seem to get enough of that kind of affection She's got chunky little legs and although she's wearing 6-9 month clothes, she's about to pop all of the snaps near her diaper!
It's off to bed for her -- we hope -- who, by the way, likes to sleep with a light on from the info we got! So we'll have to let you know how Day 2 goes. We think Day 1 went fine because all of her grieving shows she has been attached to someone and will attach again. Grace is going to be fine and we are more than fine with our most precious little gift from God. Thank you all for your prayers and for your comments to us. We were reading them last night at 4:30 AM while we were awake and having trouble sleeping, and they brought smiles to our faces and encouragement to our hearts.
It's been a wonderful magical day. We have an early start tomorrow, so enjoy these photos and come back tomorrow for Day 2!
