I really, really intended to post last night, but all three of us crashed just after 8:00pm. Today has been busy with appointments (and a long nap). Bean is asleep, so I have a few quiet minutes to write a quick update (if I can keep my eyes open).
Yesterday morning was about seven years long. As soon as I opened my eyes, I was thinking about meeting Bean. Our appointment wasn't until 2:00pm, and I'm pretty sure all the clocks in Ch*na stopped moving yesterday morning. Jeremy wanted to sneak in a few last minutes of uninterrupted reading. I tried reading with him, but I'm not sure I got through three pages all morning. I was just way. too. excited.
We are staying in the same hotel as two other adoptive families from the States. It has been so much fun sharing meals and having them at our appointments. One of the families is using the same agency, so we share a guide and a driver. At 12:30, all three families headed next door to the bank to exchange money for some of the legal fees. What we thought was going to be a quick five-minute errand turned out to be an adventure/cultural experience.
It started pouring rain just as we headed out. We hadn't grabbed umbrellas, so we looked like a bunch of crazy white people running down the sidewalk to the bank. (Nobody wanted frizzy hair for Gotcha Day pictures.) At the first bank, they wanted our SSNs to exchange money. I have never been asked for my SSN in China, so we decided to try another bank. At the second bank, we told the security guard what we wanted. He called a man over who chatted with our guide for a while in Ch*nese. Then he left.
We were getting a little confused at this point, but the guide assured us that the man worked at the bank and he had gone out to get our money. Hhhhmmmm...it seemed a little odd that the bank manager had to leave the bank to get us money. A few minutes later he came back with a brown satchel full of money. It was the most interesting currency exchange I've ever experienced, but so far everyone has taken our brown-satchel Ch*nese money.
Finally it was time to head to the Civil Affairs Office to meet Bean. The other two families left at the same time. We ended up arriving early, ahead of the kids and the orphanage staff. They ushered us into an office where we sat around a big table. We were all nervously chatting and laughing when we heard voices coming down the hall. It was such a crazy feeling to know that our daughter was about to walk into the room. Here's our eek-we're-about-to-meet-our-daughter selfie.
Nannies started coming into the room holding little ones. Bean was the third baby to come in, and I recognized her right away. She just has these big eyes that are impossible to miss. When the nanny handed her to me, she cried for a few seconds but stopped as soon as I handed her a sippy cup.
We were able to sit with one of Bean's nannies and a translator to ask questions. I may or may not have brought a slightly-OCD list of about 87 questions that the nanny patiently answered. It sounds like Bean's orphanage is doing some things very well. We were told that she was cared for primarily by one nanny who was responsible for four babies. Older children in her orphanage live in foster-type settings with one married couple caring for 4-6 children. The nannies had prepared a very sweet photo book with lots and lots of notes (which are unfortunately all in Ch*nese). They also returned the lovie and mini photo album we sent in February.
I wasn't sure what Bean would think of Jeremy. (Plus, I didn't really want to let her go.) Little ones in orphanages don't see adult men very often (and pretty much never see scruffy white guys who are 6'2"). Surprisingly, once he managed to pry her out of my arms she went to him right away with no tears.
After we got back to the hotel, we had a little family time in our room. Bean has been very quiet. I'm sure she is scared and sad. Yesterday she was pretty shut down, but she was willing to perk up for her cup and food. The nanny said she is not picky, and that is true! Last night we ate dinner in the hotel restaurant. Bean devoured my beef fried rice and then Daddy's uneaten tomatoes and pickles.
After dinner, we were all ready for bed. I gave Bean a quick bath (which she hated) and got her pjs on. Bean is tinier than we expected. When I put my hands around her to pick her up, she feels so dainty and fragile. I brought mostly 24-month and 2T clothes, and they are pretty big on her - especially the bottoms. Here she is in her whale jammies.
This is her mad face when I took her sippy cup away to snap another picture.
Bean slept in our bed. Somehow her tiny body took up more space than Jeremy and me combined! Thankfully, she slept really well. She's a thumb sucker. I was dying to take a picture of her, all curled up and sucking her thumb, but I didn't want to wake her.
I am very thankful that we are seeing Dr. S right after we get home. Bean's heart is definitely working hard. Her fingers and toes are very blue, and she has to put extra effort into breathing. She's also pretty tired. She fell asleep in my arms three times today. (Some of that could be the stress of everything that is happening to her right now, as well.)
All of her symptoms are normal for a little one with unprepared TOF, but seeing her little heart struggle makes me so thankful for the people who worked so hard to get us here fast. I'm also very grateful to know that she'll be seeing Dr. S less than 24 hours after we get home. I emailed him this morning, and he said to go ahead and start her on the beta blocker he prescribed. This should help her some with the blueness.
One of my most poignant memories from yesterday happened on the van ride back to the hotel after meeting Bean. The other family riding with us adopted a sweet 13-year-old girl. (Actually, both of the other families with us adopted 13 year olds.) On the way back to the hotel, their little lady could not stop talking. She was so excited.
Our guide translated for her as she peppered her new mama and baba with questions. She asked things like, "Did you bring me pajamas?" and "What day is Christmas?" She was just bubbling over with happiness.
One of the questions she asked was, "My friend _____ is still at the orphanage. Can you help her find a mom and dad like you helped me?" This little girl knew the joy of finding her family just in time, and she wanted her friend to have that too. (Orphans in Ch*na "age out" at 14 and can no longer be adopted.) Hearing her ask that question was incredibly sweet and heartbreaking at the same time.
Today was filled with meetings, and I'll try to post about those later. I do have to tell you that in one of those meetings, our adoption became official. Li'l Bean is ours forever.
I'll leave you with a picture from this morning (because I know the pictures are why you're here, anyway). This was before the guide very directly informed me that white flowers are only for funerals. Oops.
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