Well, it's been a few days since I have been able to write-it's been VERy busy! We flew into Zhengzhou, Henan Province two days ago. Everything with regards to the flight, etc went smoothly and we arrived around lunchtime. We checked into the Crowne Plaza Hotel and had some time to rest in the afternoon. The hotel is comfortable and nice-a good place to relax and bond with a new baby for a few days until we move on to the next stop. That night Mike went to Walmart, down the street to stock up on supplies-diapers, wipes, formula, etc. We were given a little bit of information about Leo including the type of formula he drinks and some likes and dislikes. I actually slept well that night. I was very excited, obviously, about the next day but was so tired and a little emotionally drained from all of the excitement and anticipation that I fell asleep the minute I hit the pillow-highly unusual.
Yesterday morning I was up bright and early at 5:30. I had butterflies in my stomach. We went to breakfast but I could barely eat. I was so excited to meet Leo while at the same time so nervous. You never really know what is going to happen in the end with an adoption. They give you the referral, the very vague medical records, a short blurb about his development but that's all. When it comes down to it I had more information about my dog when I adopted her than I did about Leo as of yesterday morning. They always warn that there could be other issues. So, in the end, it's a massive leap of faith. But, you have to remember, there aren't guarantees in anything in life whether it be an adoption or a pregnancy or the future health of any child. I just knew that Leo belonged to me when I saw him. So, I was feeling anxious as I sipped my coffee. I told myself it will be ok while at the same time I prayed over and over again in my head "Please God, let him be healthy." It was the same thing I said when I was in labor with Charlie.
Our group was giddy with excitement. We met in the lobby and boarded the bus at 9:30 to head a few miles away to the Registration Office which is a government building. As we walked off the bus we could hear babies wailing from inside. The doors were opened and we walked in to total chaos. There was a group there before us who had just received their babies. There were babies crying, mothers crying, fathers crying, babies looking stunned, cameras flashing, kids running, screaming, playing, Chinese officials calling names out in Chinese and broken English. As soon as I walked in I just felt so emotional. Oddly, this was exactly as I had envisioned it all. I really felt lightheaded for a second or two there as I looked around. "Am I really here? After all these years of dreaming is it finally coming true?" Some of the babies from our group were there already and they were quickly handed over to their new parents. Leo had not yet arrived so Mike, Charlie, and I hung out in a little play area that had some balls that Charlie was, of course, drawn to. We waited for five looooong minutes and I just watched Charlie play until I heard people from our group saying "Mo! Mo!" I quickly stood up and there he was! I rushed over to him while turning back calling to Mike. I wanted the whole thing to be on film but in that moment I had no self restraint. I couldn't wait another second to hold him in my arms. I got lucky because some friends from our group were kind enough to tape it for me. His nannie handed him over and just burst into tears. He was PERFECT! I looked at his little face and he looked at mine. He was not crying, not smiling. He just looked blank and scared. Then, he closed his eyes tightly and kept them closed for a little while, trying to block out all that was happening. I just held him tightly, kissing his little cheeks and trying to tell him he was ok. After a few minutes he opened his eyes and looked around. He was very serious at first, just taking it all in. Mike held him for a few minutes too. Then he became interested in Charlie so I put him down and got down on the floor with them as they met. It wasn't long after that that he was smiling. He and Charlie were playing a little and I just sat down with him and held him. He held right onto me and snuggled right in. He never cried throughout any of it but I knew he was scared. He did seem to stick with me for comfort right away though which I took as a great sign. I could tell that he was very well taken care of at his orphanage. He was clean, had beautiful looking skin and nails, and clean clothes on. His schedule said he gets a bath every morning (some other families said their kids schedules said once every two weeks!). He had a few layers of clothes on, as did all of the kids, even though it's not that cold. We had to hang out at the Registration Office for about an hour while all of our paperwork was processed. The chaos continued in there with all the screaming babies. We put Leo down on the floor and sat down next to him. He was very interested in Charlie and the two sat and had some Cheerios together. After a while we walked outside and showed him the little pond and fountain that was there. There were stairs to get out of the building and it became apparent right away that he had never seen stairs before. He had no idea what how to get down them. He seemed to warm up to us a little and seemed less scared, although not fully trusting of us and confused about what was going on.
Finally, it was time to go. All of the parents boarded the bus with their new babies and we all headed back to the hotel. When we got back we went up to our room and Charlie immediately wanted to put Leo in a jersey and basketball shorts (anyone who knows Charlie knows that he is obsessed with sports and loves jerseys). The two just played with the balls and we sat on the floor and played with them. We were all just trying to make Leo laugh and feel comfortable with us. Soon it was time for a bath. We filled the tub with bubbles and brought in some toys and balls. Charlie and Leo hopped in. I could tell that Leo was used to getting baths (and I know some of the other kids definitely were not). He loved it! He had a huge smile across his face and was having a blast splashing with Charlie. He cried for the first time since we had received him when I poured water on his head to wash his hair. But, it was only a short little cry and then he was over it.
After bath time I fed Leo and put him down for a nap. It had been a crazy morning for him and he went right to sleep. After the nap we all went down to the lobby to walk around. There was so much for him to see. He just wanted to look at and touch everything. Later we ordered room service and played in the halls. This hotel is baby central with all of the Chinese adoptees and their siblings and parents roaming around. So, the halls were kind of the fun place to be. The kids ran up and down and kicked balls. We brought out the bubbles and Leo thought that was amazing! He had been all smiles all day long but the bubbles brought out a little giggle. It was the cutest little laugh ever!
After a long day it was time for the kids to go to sleep. I rocked Leo and he was quickly asleep in my arms. He was easily transferred to the crib and slept all night. The only time he woke up was at 3:00am when he looked around, gave a big smile when he saw us, and then laid his head back down and went back to sleep.
The day had gone so much better than I actually expected it to. I was prepared for endless crying and no sleep at all. Instead, I received a very happy (albeit scared) little boy who seemed to be having a great time with his new brother. As I rested my head on my pillow that first night with my new son I stared at his little face next to mine through the bars of the crib. He was perfect. He really seemed to be the prefect addition to our family. Though this process of adoption was not easy and I complained the whole time about the paperwork and timelines-it was suddenly all so worth it. To be laying here next to this little baby who would change our lives forever.
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