Gotcha Day

Once again we were wide awake by 4 a.m. I had stayed awake the night before preparing the paperwork and gifts for the orphanage director and nanny. Surprisingly, I was calm and not really nervous. It has been great having two days in Harbin to settle in and not feel so rushed before meeting Emma Claire.

We had breakfast and met Sophie in the lobby at 8:30 am to go to the Heilongjiang Civil Affairs office. Everyone was very welcoming and they even brought a photographer in to take photos. We arrived at the office before Emma Claire so we started the paperwork. Emma Claire arrived twenty minutes later with the orphanage director and her nanny. 

She was much smaller than I thought and very calm. She is inquisitive, looking all around, interested in everything. She babbled and would imitate noises. She's teething, as we suspected from her photos, and has four teeth and is cutting two more. Her nanny told me that she is very mild-mannered and only gets upset when it is time to eat. We also learned that her nickname is "Ya-Ya".

Emma Claire's orphanage, SuiHua, is only one year old. Emma Claire was the second baby brought to the orphanage. 

We finished the paperwork, got some more information from the director and nanny and said our good-byes. It was obvious Emma Claire's nanny didn't want to say goodbye. 

Emma Claire was given a bottle before we left and promptly fell asleep in my arms as soon as we got in the van to return to the hotel.

Back at the hotel, she napped for a little longer and when she woke up we played. She is very bright, motioning for what she wants. And, she likes to eat! We played the rest of the afternoon until it was time for Emma Claire's afternoon nap. She got fussy when I attempted to give her formula from the wide-neck baby bottles I brought from home. She definitely prefers the bottle used at the orphanage which, luckily, we were given. After TWO bottles, Emma Claire fell fast asleep. 

Later tonight we will go out to eat with Sophie and most definitely shopping for Emma Claire's preferred baby bottles.

I am so happy things went smoothly today. It was laid back and relaxed which made the transition easier for Emma Claire. Tomorrow we return to the Civil Affairs office to make the adoption official. 

Meeting Emma Claire for the first time.

Playing and smiling back at the hotel.

Silly girl.

Nap time.