GOTCHA DAY!!!

We went to the government office this morning to do adoption paperwork and get Natalie.  She was driven here this morning from her orphanage in Ningbo which is about 2 hours away.  Tony and Angie’s daughter was brought in first, so we helped video and take pictures for them.   The driver for Natalie and the orphanage workers who came with her was stuck in traffic so she was a little later.  We were getting anxious!  As we were watching out the window we saw the car arrive and Natalie being carried in.  It was exciting but also nerve wracking.  Mia, the other little girl who arrived first, was asleep when she got there and super calm after she woke up.  I was afraid Natalie would come in and start screaming but when she got there, she let me hold her right away.  We had tears in our eyes watching her come in, and as soon as I held her I felt like I was just in love with my baby already.  I know that some people have to grow in love with their kids, and others feel it right away.  I was hoping to feel it from the start and I totally did.  She is so little and sweet.  We could not have asked for a better first day with her.

We stayed at the office for about an hour, and she didn’t cry at all until her orphanage workers said good-bye to her.  She had been with me and around them at the same time and never acted like she wanted to go to them, so we weren’t sure when they left what had upset her.  She calmed down quickly though and was fine almost all of the day except a few times when she got tears in her eyes and just cried for a few minutes.  We have no idea what she is crying about…..if it is grief, fear, shock, or just typical baby crying.  When we got back to the hotel she laid down on the bed with me and took a nap, and then we had to go out and do a few things and she held up great.  For about the last three hours she has been sitting on the hotel bed just playing with the same few books and toys.  She has had a very serious somber face all day but my mom and I finally got some smiles out of her when we were playing with the computer.  Overall we couldn’t have asked for a better day, we are in love with her and she has let me hold her anytime I want to.  She will lay her head down on me and just relax.  She also let Chad, Luke, and my mom hold her so she is not afraid of us.  We are getting ready to put her to bed and I am so exhausted I think I am going to sleep too.  I was wide awake a lot of the night in anticipation of this morning.  So day 1 with Natalie is done and it was amazing.  She is absolutely beautiful.