Updates From Nanchang

I’m losing track of the days…I believe it’s Wed morning. Which would be our 3rd full day since Eme~Grace was placed in my arms. Since then she has mastered the snack trap penguin cup sent by Auntie K. She loves her cheerios and gerber puffs. On day 1, she could be barely use her little fingers to pick the cheerio up. Now she’s shoving them in by the hand fulls.

She is getting a little less wobbly, but honestly, the girl has zero butt and I would think that would be hard for sitting. She still falls over a lot, but not nearly as much as the 1st day. She’s babbling more and saying cute little things that we have no audible understanding of, but she’s opening up more. She’s also like my little parrot. I stuck out my tongue once and she found it hilarious and now will stare right at us and hold her mouth wide open and let her tongue hang out. She LOVES to look at herself in the mirror. She finds herself to be quite amusing and she is.

She also has these crazy long legs that she has absolutely no control over when we hold her standing. She has earned the nickname of “Crazy Legs.” Her feet are very long and she can do many tricks with them. She is part contortionist and part acrobat, it doesn’t look as though ballet is in her near future. ;0) Her Mongolian spots pretty much cover her entire tiny bum and we will have them logged at the doctors when we get home for her file. Her bottom certainly looks abused, but instead, they are just part of what makes her up. She also tinkles on whistle command in the potty and had her first official BM in the potty as well last night.

I could be naïve enough to say that she is bonding with me. But I know enough to know that bonding and attachment is a very long process and nothing comes quick from it. She gets very upset and begins this sad whine and you can see the anxiety in her face if I leave the room. I went to the potty once and she was a wreck. I'm trying to not make that mistake again. She has not warmed up to Daddy yet. She likes to play silly games with him if I am right there beside her and even then she will scoot closer or turn her back to him to grab me. She gets very nervous if Daddy holds her and is anxious to be returned to my arms. We are not pushing it, we know it will all come in time. So I wouldn’t call it bonding. I would say she is seeking me out as her comfort and support during this time in her life. She will allow me to kiss her while she holds her mouth wide open, but with Daddy, she turns her little head away. Daddy is okay with all of this because this is what we were prepared for and this is what is best for her at this time. She is not capable of bonding with 2 different people right now. She must secure herself with only one person before her heart can let anyone else in. We are meeting her on her terms.

Because of the separation anxiety she feels, I'd also like to accept the award for Hands Free Squat & Pee with a sleeping baby attached to my body... all while maintaining dry shoes. I have mastered the squatty potty!

I look at her sweet little face and I am in complete awe. I can not believe that this perfect precious child was left for me. She has the most beautiful almond shaped eyes and the biggest dimples on each side of her cheek. I wonder if those came from her birth Mother or Father. She is so perfect and it makes me wonder how we got so lucky to be chosen to be her parents. She is the crown jewel of China and they don’t even know it. They are letting us leave here with her and take her into our home far away.

The people of China are very friendly in one aspect and very rude in another way. They're also very curious about us and like to stare. In Wal-mart yesterday, Emerson was sleeping in the Ergo and I had the head covering up. They physically pulled it away to see if it was a girl or boy. They smile and they mean well, but I feel very protective and want to hide her away so they can’t take her back. She is just so sweet. She has still not cried for us and I’m thinking she just doesn’t feel safe enough to really let us in to all of her emotions. In time she will.

I have never used a baby carrier with my 3 boys and there is no better way here in China for the whole bonding process. She stares up at me, granted I am forcing her to, but she plays with my necklace and every time I reapply the burts bees chapstick, she must partake in the glamour as well. I am creating a chapstick addict. It’s so cute to see her hold her little lips still for me to apply it. Yesterday she began smacking her lips afterwards. She lays her head on my heart and when I hum, she listens carefully. She actually began the humming and when I heard her, I joined in. She got very quiet and just relaxed with her head on my heart and listened. These would all be missed moments of bonding if she were being pushed in a stroller and couldn’t even see me. The Ergo keeps her touching me and my arms constantly massaging her. I am so glad I have it and I thank all my girls for getting it for me. I plan on using it long after we return and thanks to Jennifer for the use of the other one, I now can always have one when the other one is being washed.

Emerson has been asleep for 11 hours. It’s time we wake her up and get our 3rd day going together. We also want to make the early shift breakfast while there is still French toast available and they don’t replace the pancakes with octopus tentacles…even though the tentacles looked as though they were mixed with salsa. Each day is a new adventure.