I Should Be Sleeping...

...But you know how no matter how tired you are, a good washing of the face and brushing of the teeth always wakes me right up. So, I lay here in bed, listening to the male-folk sleeping, and blogging via iPod. I have to apologize once more for the lack of pictures. I promise I'm not purposely depriving you. We didn't even bother trying today, as it was another non-stop day, but one I have been looking forward to for a long time... But first I will backtrack a little and catch you up on the week thus far. Monday: Gotcha Day, as you know. We left at 9:30 for the registration office, which is where 5 out of the 8 families in our group were to meet their kids.  Since the children were coming from several different cities in the province, we didn't know exactly when they would arrive, but Asher was already there when we pulled up. He was dressed in a typical sad little orphan outfit, looking like a little Chinese marshmallow (they really bundle those kids up!). The orphanage worker asked me "Do you have sugar?" Meaning that I should try bribing him to come to me with food. So, I gave him a piece of Baby Mum Mum (like a giant rice krispie), which were always a hit in our house, and he timidly took a step closer. Once I pulled out the battery-operated, light-up, spinning toy, however, the deal was sealed and we were buddies!  We played and cuddled and smooched, and he called me "Mama," but it will still take some time for him to realize that mama means something more than just a nanny. He also latched on well to Josh. Sometimes the kids will bond with one parent and reject the other for a while, but he is fine wih us both, which I'm thankful for. He responds to the name Asher well, and is very sweet and energetic. He likes to hand us things, and he especially  seems to enjoy bringing me shoes... Even when I don't particularly want or need them. He enjoys looking at himself in the mirror and Skyping with his siblings, though he doesn't understand who they are yet. He was very impressed by his footie pajamas the first night. This is getting a little choppy, I know, but I'm just trying to think of other facts about him to share. He has a sizable noggin, but is pretty skinny. He apparently has super sensitive skin, and is constantly scratching. His nurse said cortisone cream should help that. He loves eating, and always has to have two of whatever he's eating; one for each hand. He is pretty quiet most of the time, though he does go through babbly periods. We can't tell if it is just babble or actual Chinese. He is adorable and wonderful and I'm still just so thrilled that he's here! So, after the registration office on Monday, we brought all the kids back here and had a congee party in the room next door. Congee is rice porridge, and is a staple in these kids' diets. It's pretty bland, but it's what they are used to, and being their first meal, we figured we should keep it authentic. It was fun to watch the kids play, as they clearly recognize each other from Maria's Big House. Asher, Miles (Oliver), Stella (Victoria), and Lily (Susie) were all there together for quite a while, and I think this has made the transition a little easier for them. After the congee party, Asher fell asleep on top of daddy, and they had a good two hour nap while I went upstairs to complete the necessary paperwork. After that, it was dinner at the Italian restaurant here in our Chinese hotel. The food was good. The kids were happy, and we enjoyed the time spent getting to know new friends better. Tuesday: Today the adoption was finalized. We went back to the registration office first to get our adoption certificate, and then over to the notary's office to do something else that made it official. Please forgive me for leaving more details out. Basically, it was paperwork and formalities. But the bottom line is that when we walked out of those offices, we did so as Asher's legal forever family. How did we all celebrate? By getting McDonald's for lunch and then goin shopping at Lotus Mart, of course! Lotus Mart is like a Walmart. We bought diapers and formula and that sort of thing. Josh went on a mission to find Snickers bars, and accomplished his task. I went on a mission to find split pants, and was not as successful. We also happily purchased Asher some new shoes, as the ones he came in on Gotcha Day were gross, falling apart, literally looked like someone had tried to eat them, AND had pink kitty cats on them, which was unacceptable on so many levels! We also needed to find a stroller. We were told not to hassle with bringing one here because they could be bought for so cheap. The cheapest one at Lotus Mart was $60! Not what we were expecting. So, after Lotus Mart, we came back to the hotel and then got in a taxi 15 minutes later with another couple and headed to Walmart. After entertaining the locals with our mere presence for a good while, and entertaining ourselves by giggling at the cultural differences, we managed to purchase a still entirely overpriced but functional stroller. So, now our arms don't have to fall off carrying him everywhere. We ended the day with dinner at Pizza Hut, which is another amusing anecdote on its own, but my eyes won't stay open anymore. So, it will have to be saved for tomorrow when I can also tell you all about what it was like to visit Maria's Big House of Hope!! Good night for now, or good morning, or Ni Hao or Zai Jian... Whichever....