Red Thread To China 2007

At 2:30pm our guide and driver were at the hotel to pick us up. In the lobby when we came down there was another couple there that had adopted a 6 year old little girl. She seemed very happy and already was attaching to her mom and dad. They were on there way to notarize their adoption papers. Our guide and the driver decided it was better if we walk to the Civil Affairs office because we would have to drive along way out of the way to get there because our hotel is on a one way street. On our way there we got alot of stares from the locals. We only had to wait a few minutes until the nanny's arrived with Levi. He looked so frightened. When they tried to hand him to me he started to cry. I felt so bad for him because I know that he feels something is different. I couldn't help but start to cry also, not because he is rejecting me but because I don't want him to hurt. I know that this is normal and I have prepared for this, but it still hurts to know that he is grieving the loss of his nanny. We brought some toys and snacks with us to try to comfort him, so we got out the goldfish. I started to give them to him, he would take them from me and eat them. He seemed to really like them. He ate a whole bag of them. While we were doing this Jerry and the guide, Michelle did some paperwork and tried to videotape as much as he could. When it was time for the nanny's to leave he again started to cry. I tried to console him and again gave him some of the goldfish crackers. After awhile he let me pick him up and put him on my lap. He has a teddy bear that he got to bring with him, he will not let go of it. They said he has to sleep with it. After a few more minutes we were off to get his passport picture taken. He did well, not crying much but still would not put the bear down. I must say that when he does cry it isn't very loud and is more like a whine than anything else. On the way back to the hotel I tried to let Jerry take him because he is very heavy!! I must say he is alot bigger than I originally thought. He is also very healthy other than his foot issue. He would not let me give him to Jerry and would cry out the name of his nanny. Our guide decided that since he was so big that buying a stroller would be a good idea. We had already planned on it, and it seemed like a good idea to me. The driver took us to a market where Michelle and I bought a lightweight stroller for 170 yuan. After coming back to the hotel we signed some more paperwork and Michelle translated his schedule for us. It says he likes cookies, cakes, and meat but that he would probably eat anything we did. Oh and I forgot to say that on the way back to the hotel Levi had an accident and peed on Jerry's leg. The babies here wear what is called split pants, although he did have a diaper on it was too small and it had shifted to the back. He told me not to tell anyone. I should say that the diapers here are not as absorbent as american diapers. And that was one of the things we forgot to pack along with a sippy cup. I can't believe of all things those were what we forgot. Luckily Michelle said that they should have some at the grocery store we are going to after we sign the final adoption decree tomorrow morning.
We tried to give Levi a bath but he didn't want any part of that, so I held him while Jerry used the wash cloth to wash him off. That seemed to work better for him. He ate some more and drank some water, which he still uses a bottle for. We could tell he was getting tired because he kept rubbing his eyes, so I laid him down on my chest and he resisted at first but finally fell asleep. That is what he is doing right now, sleeping. I am not too far behind him either. I should say that while waiting for Levi to fall asleep Jerry fell asleep too and is snoring very loudly right now. Boy I hope he doesn't wake Levi up. Thats all for now will try to post more later.