We're Lovin' It!

I don't really have much to report from today, just lots of cuddling, eating, and sleeping. I guess we're too busy during the first two activities to take photos or video, because I noticed that in almost all the previously posted shots, and in the ones I took today, Katie is getting ready to sleep or is asleep. Except this one.

She really is an extraordinarily peaceful baby. She slept the night last night, only waking in the early morning for a feeding, and then slept for another 2 hours. That may be chalked up to fatigue, since she traveled 2 hours yesterday morning by train, then met her new parents, then spent the day getting to know them. It was exhausting for the parents, it must have been so for Katie.

She woke up cheerful and bright this morning, and endured 3 hours of appointments with Chinese officials with the result that we are now officially a family. We had to attest that we are happy with this baby, that we promise never to abandon, neglect, or abuse her, that we really do want to adopt her, etc. All this was solemnly taken down in Chinese characters by the officials, and after signing many forms that either sealed the adoption or bequeathed my entire estate to the People's Republic of China, it was done.

David our guide has taken us to lunch the past 2 days at Pizza Hut of all places. Soulmate never frequents the American version, so she was less than enthused until she realized what a variety of different choices are on the menu. Myself, I have hit the mother lode of Chinese food here in Cantonese country, so I'm not in favor of pizza, soup, or any other of PH's offerings. Still, with a number of children traveling in our group, and some parents who aren't fond of sauteed eel with fried duck beaks, it was a safe choice.

Soulmate, Katie and I ate supper at the Chinese restaurant next to our hotel. We ate there as a group last night, but tonight we enjoyed it more in a smaller group. There are a great many items I'd love to try but I get the look from Soulmate, so I don't. I'm afraid she'll lock me out of the hotel room if I order fried pig's feet or tripe or deep fried duck heads. We settled for a spicy pork and bamboo shoots dish, fried rice, pot stickers, peanut butter pancakes (wow, they're tasty--seriously!), and a custard tart.

Katie has been eating heroically today after not doing so well yesterday due to stress and travel. We've been mixing Similac with rice cereal and cutting the bottle nipple open a little to make it easier for her to drink it. She knocked off every bottle in record time, and tonight after polishing off 6 oz, had an extra 2 because she was still hungry.

I'm a little worried though: she has had a number of wet diapers in our first 24 hours together, but no dirty ones. I suspect Mount Vesuvius is about to blow. We'll have fun cleaning up that one I'm sure, probably tomorrow morning.

We laid Katie down about 45 minutes ago, and she went right to sleep. Soulmate just crawled into bed, probably setting a personal record for early bedtime. I guess I'll upload the pics and vids for this post and turn in myself. I picked up a cold on Sunday, and it's at the nasty sore throat stage right now. Hopefully the rest of the family won't pick it up. We already have one sick baby in our group, though she is getting better quickly.

For you thrill-seeking adrenaline junkies out there, I have to tell you the next few days' posts are not likely to satisfy. On the other hand, if you love sappy photos of babies and new parents, you're in luck.