Day Eight in China

4/11/2013

Little Giggler!

So I have to start today's blog with last night. As you know, our first night with Leah was filled with crying and screaming before sleep. The next night we laid her on the bed and allowed her to rock herself to sleep while laying between us. Last night she actually snuggled up against Aaron while he was watching TV, and after a few twists and turns, fell asleep laying beside him. No rocking! We both know that she will still have nights where she will need to rock herself, but it brought me to tears to have it happen for the first time so soon! God is so good! (To keep us grounded, though, she was awake for about 3 hours in the middle of the night! ....that was maybe the first time I WANTED her to rock herself to sleep! Lol!)

 
Today we had her visa picture taken and then her medical exam. I know why they do the pics first! She did well for the first few stages of the check ups, but because she is over 2 she had to have her blood drawn for a TB test...that was where things went south for a bit. They wouldn't let us come in with her for the blood draw, so we had to sit outside the room and listen to her cry while they did it. Marshmallows and Mama's arms helped afterward, but just when we got her calmed down it was time for the ENT check and the tears and cries started all over! I even held her for this checkup, but she was still too scared from the blood draw to care. Baba took over next, and she calmed down again for him (with the help of more marshmallows), and her last check went just fine. Now we just have to wait until tomorrow to make sure her TB test is negative.

After the med checks we went to Yuntai Park. It is a beautiful park that is a combination of Asian and Western gardens. It was decorated for this "season" which is apparently Dutch! Becky told us this park has decorations and plants from many sister cities across the world. We had the whole place basically to ourselves because it was pouring down rain! Yuck! Even in the rain, though, it was really a beautiful place. Aaron did make a friend in a little old lady who ran after us when we left the greenhouse (read gorgeous indoor garden). She was very concerned that his backpack was getting rained on, and wanted him to turn it around and wear it in front of him so it could stay dry! :-) She caught up with us again later and Becky said she was telling us to go into the tea room to sit and relax out of the rain. We have moms everywhere! Lol!

 We did get to spend our morning with another Bethany couple who flew in last night. This couple was not with us in Beijing as they had done that tour when they were here to adopt their son who is now 8. It was nice to get to know another family, and found out that they are from Crown Point! Their daughter is 16 months old, and she has a repaired lip and cleft palate just like Leah. After a nap for Leah, we walked a little more and got some supper to bring to our room. We are officially Americanizing our little sweetie - she had her first McDonalds tonight and loved it! :-) Let's celebrate with chicken nuggets and french fries all around! Of course her favorite thing about the whole meal?? The box the nuggets came in! (...and you thought I was going to say the toy, didn't you?!)