Day 1 Ends And Day 2 Begins

We ended our first day with Kate the same way it started - Kate was asleep on my chest. If the end of day two is any indicator of things to come Kate falling asleep on Kevin's chest may be just something we look back on only - more on all that later. Actually maybe even another day since the subject is a little touchy right about now.









The start of day two was Kate's introduction to new toys for her and old stand-bys for us. She played for a long time with the 'stacking cups' and put them in, put them out, put them in, . . you get the picture. She was having too much fun. Then she discovered it was even more fun to throw the cups on the floor and watch them get picked up and given back to her. Throw the cups on the floor, Daddy picks them up, throw the cups on the floor, Mommy picks them up, ah . . . you get the picture. I wonder what she was thinking. Maybe something like, 'oh, I see what parental types can do, I'm gonna love this!'

We found that playing with the channel changer is definately one of the funnest 'toys' to play with. We also found that the channel changer has international appeal. There just has to be some Mattel or Hasbrow executives scratching their heads about that. No matter though, as far as Kate was concerned, the channel changer was another little thing that brought joy into her life.


Next was our first breakfast. Mom was sure she had something that Kate would love. Warm rice baby cereal with apple apple sauce mixed in. It's been a favorite among babies at our house for years. And after whipping up a batch, guess what happened, Kate thought it was great and finished off a whole bowl. All three of us then went to get breakfast for mom and dad. Kate was quite interested and decided that warm baby rice cereal with apple sauce was not enough. She decided to have some watermelon then eggs and thought they were very good. There were other things she would have loved to try as well but mom and dad decided it would be better to keep the menu to a small number of items in case something eaten didn't quite agree. We believe that this was Kate's first experience to the 'downside' of parents. Not too much disagreement this time since her belly was already full. But there will be other things and other issues we're sure she won't give in so easily on. Things that will give brothers and sisters a common bond, something to laugh, cry, and joke about. Somthing that will make us all a family.

IT'S A GIRL!

WE HAVE KATE! WE HAVE KATE! About 15 minutes after we arrived at the Civil Affairs office this morning, the asst. orphanage director walked in to the upstairs hallway (someone had gone to get the keys to open the office door) and she smiled at us. My confidence immediately flew out the window and, yes, in answer to your question, I started crying, as it registered without anyone saying a word, that this was my baby. The asst. director, Liqing, looked touched and smiled very kindly at me.
The little one she was holding was smaller than I had pictured. She said to Kate, 'Mama, Baba" and some other words in Chinese. Kate turned and looked at me as I touched her back, looked completely disinterested, turned her head and lay it back down. Kevin, however, walked up to her a moment later and said something quietly to her and she turned with arms out and went to him. It was very sweet. She just lay her head on his shoulder, like they'd been buddies forever.
We went in to the office and talked with our coordinator/translator, May, the asst. dir. Liqing, and the young woman filling out the official paperwork. It was very calm, and happy, and I think they truly shared in our joy. It was a nice time. We had to sign a lot of papers that were written in Chinese, and asked why we wish to adopt a Chinese child. I wrote a paper saying that we will raise her as our own, take care of her special-need medical care, educate her, and promise to never abandon her...."Do you promise never to abandon her?"....my eyes fill with tears as I nod, and they all laugh kindly and smile. Kate, at this point, is sound asleep on Kevin's chest. They woke her up (not intentionally) to put her delicate little baby hand in red ink, and press it onto one of many official papers. She kept looking at it later, like, 'why on earth did you paint my hand red?'
Kevin and I both held her, and there were no tears. She just sort of looked like, "well, you both seem okay, and as long as you hold me, I guess I could come with you." This little girl is a cuddler, and very calm. She only cried once for a moment, a very soft, tired little cry. I stood up and walked, "It's O.K. baby girl" and she just stopped.
The day has been a whirlwind since then. We have been to the notary, CROSSED THE STREET!!!! (which took an enormous amount of courage!) went to Walmart for water and a few items, (this is not like Walmart in America) and had passport & certificate pictures taken for Kate and the three of us together. Oh, and I'm pretty sure she had her very first bath in the tub. She started crying for a second, then I lowered her in the really warm water, dad brought a toy, and she relaxed, "well, okay, alright, this might not be so bad...feels kinda good actually." Then I had to go and blow it by washing her hair. I swear I was being really gentle, but she wasn't having any of it...BABA! Daddy came in a scooped her into a towel and she held onto his shoulders. She fit into her little 18 mo. pajamas (they're super cute pink flannel with little flowers :) and only wanted to be held...not on the hip, but chest to chest. That's understandable. She's been through a lot in one day. She's been through more in 20 months than any little person should have to deal with. But she'll be home soon...with her forever family.












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News of Baby-Kate

Hi! It's about 11:30pm, and I'm SO TIRED, but before I fell asleep, I wanted to let you know that we have an appt. to go the Civil Affairs office tomorrow at 9:30 to get our new little one! The only issue is that our coordinator, May, was unable to confirm the appt. due to Chinese New Year festival this week, so she will call first thing in the morning and make sure that we are still on 'go'. She thinks it will be fine, but wants to confirm it. Now you know as much as I do! :) and my bed is calling me... Sweet dreams my baby-Kate.

Goodbye Beijing, Hello Changchun!

I’m writing this on the plane as we fly into Kate’s province of Jilin. We left Beijing about 45 minutes ago. I was almost sad to leave, there were so many more things I would like to have seen, but Changchun holds even more excitement for us. Oh, I now have the pronunciation down…she lives in the capital city of ‘chong-choon’ in the province of ‘jee-leen’
Right now two little tiny Chinese girls are running up the aisle past us. It’s hard to believe we are this close to getting our little Qiu Lu. We are so excited to be in her city and this close to actually picking her up!
Our last bit of time before we flew out today was spent walking down to Tiananmen Square, and outside of the Forbidden City. (Not enough time to go on the 2 hour tour, which we liked to have done) Again, the “vendors” see Kevin and I coming a mile away as if we have a big target on our chest. I don’t think we have passed any Americans…a handful of Caucasians, but the few we talked to were British, Swiss or German.
It’s pretty amazing standing in such a historical place…surreal. I have seen the picture of Chairman Mao Zedong so many times, and now I’m standing in front of it. (Mao Zedong was a leader from 1966-76, and was the founder of the People’s Republic of China.) You have to cross the street to get from the Forbidden City to Tiananmen Square and it is literally 8 or 10 lanes across the street. So you go underground in this big tunnel to go from one side to the other, and you can also get the subway there. There are guards everywhere here in Beijing, with fur hats and wool trench coats, including in the tunnel. (They all look about 19 or 20 years old. Not sure if they are local police or military.) The square was named for its Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen) and it holds the monument of the heroes of the revolution, the Great Hall of the People, the museum of history and revolution, and the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall…yet another place we liked to have had time to explore (with an English-speaking guide! :)
It’s a short flight and we will be there soon. The stewardess asked to turn off all electronic devices (at least I think that’s what she said!)

The Great Wall!

Well, I rolled out of bed at 2:45am…boy, you don’t say that everyday! Tried to go back to sleep, but it was a no-go. So I just got up and “did stuff”. By 6:30am I had done everything I could think of including reading the book on hotel services and restaurants! You’ll notice I said I. Kevin, on the other hand was having very little trouble sleeping. After emerging from his slumber, we had the best breakfast ever, and made plans to go see the Great Wall of China! (Yet another sentence you don’t say everyday!)
Turns out there are 3 different entrance points to the Great Wall when you are in Beijing…all are at least an hour away. We went to the “middle” one, an hour and 15 min. away, called Bandaling. We took a cab from the hotel and drove through Beijing, staring out the windows, like kids, at everything passing by. Beijing is a really BIG city! The downtown area has HUGE, TALL buildings and apartment complexes, but when you get into the smaller communities here, it has the same feel as a cross between Tijuana, and a beach community, with many people walking or on bikes.(photo below)
The Great Wall was amazing, and much steeper to walk than I would have thought…and we weren’t even on the really steep part! I just kept saying, “Oh my gosh Kevin, we are standing on the Great Wall of China!” We were surprised by the incredible number of people who also were walking the wall, (99.9% Chinese) and also by the number of (very assertive) vendors, I guess you would call them who try to sell you things…even on the actual wall itself. Kevin referred to it as “walking the gauntlet” on some parts. The steps are small half-steps, which I did not appreciate the wisdom of, until my way back down. Aaahhh. That’s why. You bet I was holding onto that railing on the way down! Then as we are heading up, this man says, “You get in picture, yes? O.K?” “Uh, O.K.” and so Kevin and I are in this picture, with I think, his parents, and I’m cracking up, saying, “Kevin, we’re props…we’re American props” THEN I hand the guy our camera so we can have a picture too, which just made me laugh even more. His parents (I’m assuming) just smiled and nodded. (The picture is below) There is also a picture of a Mongolian camel (smirking) that you could sit on and have your picture taken. He was much bigger standing next to him than I would have ever thought, as were his feet! They were huge! He looked like a gigantic stuffed animal! I put my hand on his haunches and his fur went up to my knuckles and was so thick, I literally could not feel his skin underneath…like a sheep’s wool, only softer.
We learned a lot of things today…carry small bills, and keep them separate from your larger bills (in another pocket), and other than a few ones, have Kevin carry the money (I’m an easier vendor target :), do not walk in front of a taxi…they’ll just honk and keep-a-comin’, and lastly, if you try and speak Chinese to say ‘thank you’ or some other phrase, they will be very gracious and try to hide their amusement at your pronunciation, appreciative of your effort. Oh, and people don’t lock up their bikes here. Really! Hundreds of bikes being ridden and parked, not a lock in sight.

We're in Beijing!

Ni Hao from Beijing! Hello! What time is it?! I think San Diego time it is almost noon. Here in China it is 3:45 am. I keep waking up, thinking, Good grief, when is that sun coming up?! Well, the sun followed us here…we left at 8:30 in the morning, and 16 hrs. later it was still a bright sunshiny day…middle of the afternoon here when we arrived. Nowhere near as cold as I had feared. It looked like San Diego, only chillier.
It was kind of funny on the plane (well, now I can say that)…I was quietly stressing about flying, and getting airsick, and numerous other things including getting teary eyed about leaving the boys for 2 weeks, and Kevin, trying to be funny, groans “Oooohhhh, pooor mmeeeee! (Not mocking me, but talking about himself!...Well, not exactly mocking me.) I started laughing and said, “No kidding…look who you’ve got for a travel buddy!…someone who is nervous about flying, is afraid of heights, gets motion sickness, and is already missing her boys terribly and the plane hasn’t left the ground yet!” We both sat there laughing as I looked out window and saw the San Diego airport ground!
The plane ride turned out to be easier than I thought, and time passed somewhat quickly, except that you cannot lean those silly seats back more than 2 inches, so you try to get comfy (and I use the term loosely) while sitting up. Lucky for me I had big, warm Kevin to lean on,…Kevin had a “pillow” and the wall. Unfortunately, turbulence on the last half hour of the trip finished me off, and left me reaching for those lovely little paper bags in the pocket in front,
(O.K. Kevin said this is getting too long…hint, hint, wind it up)
We were picked up at the airport by a very charming young college student, in suit and tie, (at least 6’ tall, basketball player) who got us through customs quickly and had a car waiting for us. The hotel driver takes us on a half hour drive to the hotel…very, very nice. Note to self…ever in Beijing again, stay at Grand Hyatt Beijing. Three guys were waiting in front of the hotel to open the doors, welcome us to Beijing and wisk away our luggage. Sweeeet. So far, someone in a suit and tie has led us from one place to the next. This place is HUGE and beautiful. (And the room does have a western toilet!) If all goes well, we will go see the Great Wall of China today…you know, when the sun comes up!
P.S. I wish you could have seen the ocean off the coast of Siberia…it was frozen. All of it! Not a lake or a pond, but the whole ocean! As far as you could see. It looked like Ice Age 2 with the end of the ice age. Absolutely amazing.
(Photos below are the view from our hotel window, and Kevin and I being silly just outside our room near the elevators)

Our guys back home...

Here's a picture of 3 of Kate's 4 brothers waiting back in San Diego, for their new little sister to come home...(from left to right) Brendan, Ryan and Colton...my angels.