The Afternoon

 A quick run to 7-11 (hoping Lilah would fall asleep in the stroller as she has been refusing her nap the past two days) for beverages when Lilah saw this bag of chips and got so excited about them. When I opened them up I could tell they were spicy--she loved them.

She finally gave into sleep mid-coloring at about 4pm (yesterday she fell asleep on my lap when we were done at the passport office). I need to wake her up now so that she'll sleep tonight. I can't tell you how much I NEED sleep. By 2 pm I feel done for the day.

China Day 4

This is a free day today--no paperwork to do. Two families were going to visit the orphanage, but that was cancelled. We may go Sunday (although probably not me and Lilah. She is responding well to the meds for her ear infections and I don't want to push it. For the same reason, we are not doing any of the touring. I did arrange with our guide to go to the jade market tomorrow morning. I want to bring some special gifts home for my girls, my mom and my sis who are holding down the fort. The jade market is closeby and we should be back in time for our lunch routine--we go out and get food and bring it back to the hotel).

We are a small, but strong travel group--just 3 families. Another mom travelled alone to pick up her daughter, who is very sick. We stood united, in the face of some resistance, and now this family is being expedited home. The other family, the father travelled with his m-in-law, to pick up his son. Yesterday, the father came down with a fever. He has meds from home but a condition that we could tell is causing him some real worry. We could definitely use some prayer this way.

So, a few pics, though we've been laying low and resting today:

 At the breakfast buffet this morning. She now likes to feed herself and have me feed her, too:)

 Starbuck's, but to get there we have to cross here:

 It looks innocent enough, doesn't it? But the only way to survive is middle of the pack.

We spent the morning coloring.

This is the best I can do of the 2 of us as I am the sole photographer.

We then had a 20 minute laugh fest on the bed. I changed Lilah's diaper before we left to get lunch and she started a game where she rolled over, hid her face, laughing and not letting me put her shorts on. Eventually, she picked up the shorts, stuffed them under her belly and laughed and laughed while Mama tried to get the shorts. I wish I had my video camera here!

Inside Pizza Hut. We waited about 20 minutes for our order and the whole time Lilah was putting glitter stickers on my face and laughing. It was cute and funny and bonding is in full swing.

The Garden Hotel, Part 2

I showed the room in an earlier post. This post is more highlights of the hotel, things I know my daughters at home, who love hotels, would enjoy seeing:

 Tea or cocktails?

 A much smaller fountain area in the lobby.

 I call this the frog pond.

One of the waterfalls that mesmerizes Lilah.

 My girl loves fountains and waterfalls.

Above, some fancy lighting, the reading room, and the spa (would so love a massage).

 The pool.

 Somewhere up there is our room. I don't much like heights.

Yeah, it's time for bed but I don't have to like it.

China Day 3

In a few hours we go and apply for the kids' passports, then onto Shaiman Island for a little shopping. The days feel like they're passing slowly (because I miss my kids at home so much), but the time Lilah and I have together has been priceless. We are bonding beautifully. So far, we are definitely best case scenario. We spend much of everyday in our room, playing together, and this has helped.

Lilah's Loves:
Food
Fountains/waterfalls
Food
Feeding Mommy french fries
Her photo album of her sisters and Nana who are waiting for her at home
Food
Shorts--the colorful the better
Shoes
Food
Playing with Mommy
Her snack holder (and anything that's inside it)
Her sippy cup
Stickers (which she wears like tattoos)
Stroller
Books

Lilah's List of Less Than Favorites:
The baby carrier (though she will tolerate it)
The lady at 7-11 who thought she was being funny and kept taking Lilah's sippy cup and snack holder away from her (clearly, the lady was not intimidated by my shiner)
Clothes that are too big for her
Body suits

 She surprised me today, holding up just about every hair pretty we have with us and asking me to put them in her hair.

 So I think she's changed her mind about them.

 Our lunch hang out. Madeleine and Ava--Lilah knows what a Happy Meal is. . .

 that they come with prizes. . .

and she knows their value:)

Just Kicking Back

Continued. . .

With the notary.

After we finished with business, Lilah and I went out to lunch with another mom and her daughter, then onto a drug store for some supplies. Right now, my daughter is napping and I'm going to join her.

Day 2: It's Official!

Two very important developments today: Lilah is officially my daughter and she measured a 90 oxygen saturation rate!!! I believe, with all the changes in her life yesterday, and her cold congestion, it impacted her breathing and made her measurement so low. When I saw 90 flash up on the screen I almost wept. This means a lot of great things--the flight home should pose no problem and maybe her heart isn't as bad as her file indicates. Maybe she is strong enough to have her repair ASAP. Don't know, but we will face whatever standing on faith.

Look how good she looks today--not even a hint of cyanosis! (And that's prune juice she's drinking. My girl will eat and drink anything without complaint.)

We began our adoption registration with our photo.

Then had a little down time while we waited for our turn before the officials.

Explaining my reasons for adopting again and promising to always love my girl. (This woman was very nice and funny!)

2:30 am Here. . .

And after only 4 hours of sleep I am up prowling the hotel room. I skyped with my girls and my mom, too.

This is probably a good time to give some particulars for my adoptive community, many of whom will be here soon:)

Bonding--she accepts me. She really fought leaving the Civil Affairs office and the orphanage staff (all she knew) and Mama got a shiner! (I'll be sporting this for our official adoption registration photo tomorrow:)) She hit me with her lollipop--not intentially, but in her struggle to get back to the only familiar faces that were fast fading away. It was a sad moment, but it was good, too, to see her fiestiness--it's what kept her alive so far and, I think, it'll get her through any future challenges the world has to offer. Later, the families met in my hotel room for paperwork and when we were done and they were packing up, Lilah collected her things--her snack holder, sippy cup with a straw and a single crayon she chose with care, and thought she was leaving, too--no backward glance at that strange white lady. We went grocery shopping after that and she was fine--but when we returned to the room she cried a little again. And I do mean a very little. The guide thinks the first night is easier on the kids than the second, so we'll see. We're co-sleeping and she did reach for me a few times in her sleep. When I put out my hand she reached for it and held my hand as we walked around the room, collecting pjs and getting dinner ready--veggie noodles in the room tonight.

I tried her in the baby carrier and she was fine with it. She doesn't look to others for her needs--food, drink or fairness (the nanny at the orphanage tried to take the photo album I gave her with pictures of her sisters, etc. and she snatched it away and held it to her chest and looked to me for help with her ownership. Later, when another babe took her snack holder, she looked to me again for help).

She has not grieved yet for her foster family (she was brought back to the orphange a week ago). She had two foster siblings, one in 4th grade and one in 1st grade, so she knows how to be a little sister:)

Health--she is the size of a 15 month old. Small but sturdy. She is SUPER smart. I noticed IV marks in her hand and asked the doctor from the orphanage about it. Lilah was in the hospital last week for fever and a cold. She is congested now, with a wet cough, but doesn't cough often. Her oxygen saturation is 73--so definitely a worry. I'm hoping, as the cold continues to clear, her saturation will go up. She will color by herself for several moments (while I was doing paperwork), but when I sat down with her and picked up a crayon and did some coloring, she kept handing me new colors so I could help her with her picture. While she does have a strong sense of "mine," she does share--so far stickers and puffs with the other kids in our travel group. She was potty trained, during the day, when she was in foster care, but the orphange reverted back last week. This is not something we will worry about until we get home, and then some. She is a great eater. Loves to drink water. And was kicking back in the stroller last night at the grocery store, kicking her feet and singing--she has the sweetest voice.

She has a beautiful personality and I am so amazed by her and by God, who has blessed me yet again with another perfect daughter. Please pray that Lilah will do well on the flight home--that 73 oxygen saturation weighs heavy on this Mama's heart.

Got Her!

 my first glimpse--i'll let the rest speak for themselves---