In China
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Tuesday, February 26, 2013 Sorry for the late post, it's been a whirlwind here! Today started out good. She slept like a rock last night and never woke up once. She woke up this morning, looked at me, then tried to close her eyes as if to say...ugh, they are still here! We had to wake her early so she was still nodding off as we were dressing her. She ate good at breakfast. Tried pancakes, banana, and congee (like a watery rice/oatmeal but it has pork, celery, and some very jelly in it). She doesn't quite know what to do with food. She will suck on it but no chewing yet. She has the most scared look on her face at all times. Today was our adoption registration and notarization. We went back to the same building as yesterday, Adoption Registration Center of Guangdong Province. I have to say that it is weird being at all these places we've been to. I've seen them so many times in the adoption blogs so it feels like I've been here before! The process went smoothly but everything around here seems to chaotic and rushed when you are going through it. The Chinese don't mess around. You are in, out, and moving on to other things! We had to fill out more paperwork (don't they have enough already?!), then off to our first interview. Don't ask me what it was for, but she asked us our age and where Lillian was from, etc. We were in there for less than a minute. Then we had to go into another room with a man who was a little more in depth. He was quite funny. He asked Tim how to pronounce his last name. Tim did and then he looks at Tim with a serious expression and asks "Is that German?". Umm...is it supposed to be German? The thing about the Chinese officials around here is that they are all scary. They all have that same expression and are always talking fast and angry (at least that is what it sounds like to us). He asked us why we want to adopt, why we would want more children, are we happy with our choice in their baby, how to you plan to provide. It was nerve racking. But...she is officially ours!!!! After our appointment we went to the Carrefour, which is a shopping mall with a French Wal-Mart in the bottom. The Wal-Mart consists of 2-3 floors. Your carts sit on the escalator on magnets in the wheels so you are able to go up and down. The neatest thing about it...the carts move not only forward and backward but also side to side! Why have we not caught onto that? Wouldn't that be easier when getting out of someone's way instead of picking up your heavy cart? Someone please ask Kroger to order those! The worse part about it was the smell and the meat department. Cantonese use a lot of dried fish and such for their soup...interesting to say the least. Lillian was pretty fussy for most of the day. She laid down for a small nap. After her nap she woke up very upset. She's been having bathroom issues since we've gotten her. I came expecting constipation since that is pretty usual in adoptive kiddos but nope, not her. She started running a fever and has absolutely screamed at the site of the bottle since this morning. We couldn't get to eat or drink since breakfast. I called our guide and she said we should take her to the doctor since she is probably already dehydrated (from before we got her). We tried to get into the western doctor but needed an appointment. We took a taxi to the Women and Children's Hospital. The worst part about the whole thing is that I had to keep her bundled in a fleece jacket and heavy blanket the whole time. Everyone bundles babies and frown heavily for not doing so. I was already getting lots of stares and whispers for how I had her dressed since she wasn't in their typical cotton snowsuit. It was awful. She had a fever and was sweating. I was sweating because there was no A.C. and just windows open. In China, you can't get any medicine, not even Tylenol without going to the hospital so there was lots of people there. Everyone pushes in a group with their tickets held up just trying to get in the doctor, looked just like Wall Street. Every baby in there had a fever...hmmm, I'm no doctor but could it be the snowsuit in 75 degree weather? The "doctor" put a stethoscope to her lungs and back and declared her to have a sour stomach from our milk (ok makes sense) and congestion in her lungs due to the climate change (?). She ordered 6 different medicines. To make a long story short we only tried one. This strange ball of menthalatum that you adhere to her belly button. Thought we'd try it. Think I'm just going to try forcing the pedialyte I brought. It was overall very stressful and she is really in pain still. I'm sure the diet has a lot to do with it, but we are very limited on choices now. Can't wait to get back home! On a positive note, not one smile yet but we think the bonding/attachment is going well! She walked to Tim today when he held his arms out...so precious! She makes great eye contact with us and by the end of the day we could touch her head. Slowly, but surely, she is being to trust. She is such a delight and we just love her to pieces! Thanks to everyone for the encouraging words in our guestbook. I've cried over them many times. They are a lifeline! Declan, Grady, and Hayden: we love you so much! And miss you every minute of the day.

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