This day could not have gone better!!! We met our guide, Lily, in the lobby of our hotel at 8:30 and left for the CAB office (I think it stands for Chinese Adoption Bureau). We got there early and I paced the floor watching for Amy to arrive. The car pulled in at 9:05 and I spotted her immediately. She looked exactly the same as last year, just taller. I waved at her through the window and she smiled a shy smile!! She came into the lobby and came right to me, again with a shy smile. She was carrying the gray stuffed cat we sent and a back pack. She was obviously well prepared for this day. She recognized us and let me hug her right away. She also hugged Emily and Ken with a bit of encouraging from the head Nanny. Never once was there any sign of tears. We spent about 15 minutes signing the 24 hour guardianship papers and headed upstairs for a family portrait. We will go back tomorrow to finalize the adoption. We have 24 hours to change our minds, but it won't happen. She is beautiful, adorable, funny and full of mischief! We couldn't be happier. She and Emily are bonding very well. The first 30 minutes she was a little shy then started to warm up. By the time we got back to the hotel, she and Emily were running and sliding on the tile floor of the lobby, giggling. It was wonderful!!
We decided to take our chances and go to the big department store in Nanjing with guide. We picked out a couple of dresses for the girls and they tried them on. They were both giggling like crazy doing this. It was so cute. Emily, who said she did not want to dress alike, was the first to say the dresses had to be the same!! Shoes too!!
For lunch we went to McDonalds - there is nothing wrong with Amy's appetite! She ate a hamburger, fries and apple juice and lots of ketchup!!
After lunch we returned to the hotel and decided to give the pool a try. I asked the guide to ask Amy if she could swim and she said no. When I explained we were going to the pool I got a very clear 'ugh' sign on her face. She wasn't too thrilled about this. I brought a floatation vest for her to wear. The first 5 minutes she was a little leery, but that's all it took. Within 15 minutes she was jumping off the side into my arms. Within half an hour, she and Emily were having a blast.
Even though Amy is two years younger than Emily, she is about 1 inch taller. Emily is not too thrilled about this and keeps asking me "how can she be taller, she's younger?" However, Amy is much thinner. Emily has much more muscle tone and weighs more. Shoe size is the same too. She is missing 3 teeth and has 2 new ones on the bottom. I think her age is right on target.
Amy can definitely read and tries to read everything she sees. The Nanny told me she knows some English, but all I have heard is a bit of the ABC song and I think she can count to 10 in English. She picks things up very fast; it only took once for her to figure out what floor we are on, what our room number is and how to put the keycard in. She is funny and likes to tease. She pulled on Emily's pony tailed, and when Emily turned around, she smiled and pointed at me! She also tried to put a cold coke on Ken's leg and laughed. Also, when Ken took off his sandals, she waved her hand in front of her nose and grinned!!
She does NOT like her picture taken and tries to hide whenever she sees the camera. She didn't do this at the CAB office, but has done it almost every time since then. We have to be sneaky with the pictures.
She likes pizza and ate 4 pieces at dinner. I don't think food is going to be a problem. She seems to have pretty good manners.
She understands which things are hers and which are Emily's and has respected that. So far she is sharing well, too.
She took a shower and brushed her teeth with no problem, knows to wash her hands after the toilet and uses a napkin. We told her, her new English name but so far she does not answer to it. However, she knows that the Game Boy that says AMY is hers!! Both girls fell asleep by 7pm. This has been quite a day for all.
Thank you for all your emails and prayers. God has obviously been listening and I truly believe He meant for this child to be in our family. She seems to think so too.
Tomorrow she will legally be ours!! We are going to the orphanage on Wednesday afternoon to let her say good bye to her friends. I hope and pray it goes OK.
