You're Still Here? Okay....

First, I just want to thank everyone for their comments on the blog and e-mails. It brings home and friends/family much closer to have that connection with you while we're here.

Photo before words today. Isn't she a doll? Amy and I were talking today about how it just doesn't seem real that after so much waiting, the wait is over. To me, it feels like Katie has always been a part of our family. To Katie, well, lets just say that almost every time she looks at me, she grimaces as if to say "you're still here..." turns her head sharply to the left and thrusts her thumb in her mouth. It's not exactly heartwarming to have your child respond to your face so negatively, but I completely understand where it is coming from. We've just passed the 48 hour mark since we've met, and Katie is slowly coming around. Every baby in our group has their own issues...daddy-focused mommy-shunning love, constipation (oh, the conversations...), sleep, teething or Katie's situation where she's just not sure she wants to keep me. I haven't broken it to her yet that she has no choice; I'll save that for later.

Despite my complaining, I'm not the least bit disappointed in my baby Katie. She is the most beautiful little girl I've ever laid eyes on and it brings tears to my eyes to think that I get to bring her home to daddy soon (not soon enough!). What a wonderful gift she is to our family. Each day and almost each hour we make a little progress, and the experienced mommy in me knows that soon enough she'll be all mine emotionally. This afternoon, Grandma got her first smile. I got a bit of another, as captured in a photo below. At breakfast, I took her in her stroller so that she could see others and she preferred to be turned away from me, watching strangers. By early afternoon, she was tolerating me playing with her face to face. We had a non-screaming diaper change and actually had some real mommy/baby fun. I can't wait!

The highlight of today was getting back the photos from the camera we sent to her orphanage. We got about 15 photos of Katie and a few friends. One even caught her with a giant smile across her face. It is a beautiful smile and I cannot wait to see it for myself! One photo was of her and the nurse that we met who gave Katie to me on Sunday. She was obviously a special part of Katie's life. These photos are truly a gift. A glimpse of the place where Katie spent her first 9 months and 4 days. It tugs at my heart when I think of how I'll explain all of this to her some day, and each piece of the puzzle that I can find will help her understand and feel a connection with her early life in China.

Today was a no-paperwork day, so we did a few tourist things. Katie and I walked to Teng Wang pavilion while mom watched Olympic Ice Skating (almost as important to her as Illini Basketball!), then we enjoyed a simple cup-a-soup and Pringle lunch before I did a little shopping while Katie napped and Mom did bottle cleaning duty. Mom has been such a huge help and Katie adores her! I explored a Chinese bakery and had our guide, Mandy, help me pick out a few traditional items to try. Yum! Mom and I joined a few travel mates at a local, authentic Chinese restaurant for dinner. I could barely peel myself from the table when the time was up. I'll have to post a separate 'food only' area in the next few days because the authentic food has been really great. We came home, gave Katie another bath and both mom and Katie are asleep now. I figure I'll be up early anyway (4am today), so why go to bed too soon??


Mom's first smile from Katie. Precious.

Katie loves to be propped up on mom's bed and just hang out with us.

Katie and mom at the top of Teng Wang pavilion. Our hotel is the center building of the three to the right of the photo.

A dragon statue at the pavilion.

Grounds around the pavilion.

The Teng Wang pavilion. Note that today was a 'beautiful' day in Nanchang, probably 50F and the sun was out somewhere. You can't ever see it, though. I don't think you ever see the sun due to the smog/pollution. Sad.
One of the views from the top of the pavilion. It is hard to see here, but the 'blob' in the center of the photo in the water, just off the coast, is a woman washing clothes. That's what it is like here. While walking in the nice pedestrian mall (no cars) doing window shopping, we saw a toddler stop to go to the bathroom right on the street. Young children wear 'split pants' that are pants with an open crotch basically from ankle to ankle. Even in the cold weather, their tushies are hanging out. It is socially acceptable here for these children to just squat and go to the bathroom almost anywhere in public. And the parents are picking up after them. Sanitation has a different standard over here.