Noa is a sweet little guy. He sings and points at things with his tiny fingers. He doesn't seem to be able to say much, but certainly understands us. The other day I was asking him if he wanted pizza, which sounds like the Mandarin word for nose and he pointed to his nose! so cute. He is a serious little guy and he eats until I think he may explode. So far he loves bread, congee, rice, meat, milk, apple juice and sweets.
Gotcha day we walked to the notary office and went into the room where we received him. A family from Spain was there along with a little girl from our group who is eight. She was so excited to meet her family and I don't think she has stopped smiling and holding their hands yet. We watched them do their paperwork and meet their daughter, Eddie's daughter was there as well and we took plenty of pictures of them as he traveled alone while his wife stayed home with their 3 boys. Gil filmed Noa coming down the hall and then he came in the room, I could not tell his size because he had so much clothes on. He had a red jewel on his forhead that I later learned was a beauty mark, one for boys, two for girls. Tomyka was from the same orphanage and we later found out in the same foster home. We knew they knew each other because any time one enters the room the other calls out. We went to have our family photo and passport photo taken and came back to the hotel. Our guides had 3 different groups coming in at 3 different times, so the rest of the day was on our own, thought they did take one member of each family to a local department store for diapers and formula. The next day we walked to that same office again where we got our papers that said he was officially ours. Then we walked to the notary office and filled out more papers and promised to love and care for our new children. These were used to get the Chinese passports. From there we went home and later in the day to the Lotus Center, which is like a Chinese Walmart. Our money was locked in the safe and it would not open, we bought just what we needed, quessing at the total price and came out just right!
Yesterday was the trip to the orphanage. I was nervous about going, it is a long ride and Gil did not want to go, so I had to go alone. A two hour bus trip took us through the countryside to Xinxiang. I did not see any oxen in the street as we did in Gao An, but somehow the city looked less prosperous, though they did have KFC and MCDonald's. Tomyka's family brought 4 huge duffles bags full of blankets, scarves, toys, etc, for the babies left behind. The duffles were shrink wrapped, so they were extremely full. We met the director, a very nice lady and were given tangerines and lychee along with tea and water. We then got to meet the family that has cared for our children for over year. Tomyka and mom stayed in the room while her dad and I went out to meet the family. A mom and husband and his mom cared for the children in their homes. Mom was crying and wanted to see the children that she missed. Dad was obviously sad as well. Grandma had such worn hands, she must have had a difficult life. I felt so sad for them that we were taking the babies they loved. This was a major reason that I chose to adopt from China, since the babies are abandoned by the moms and cannot be reclaimed the child would need a home and the mom would always feel the ache of missing her child, but whether I had the child or not it would not matter to her, mom would not be able to get the child anyway. Somehow that made it easier for me, knowing that I was not causing that ache. This lady crying made me so sad. I was so sorry that she could not see the children, but we felt it was best for the children, which is what matters now. I promised to send pictures so that she will know how much we love him and know that he is well. In a selfish way it is good to know they were loved and cared for so well.
We were allowed to visit the rooms in the orphanage and saw so many children waiting, most all special needs. There are two really nice rooms for the children, one for physical therapy and the other called Gracie's room, which is funded by CCAI. There were older children, about 3-5 eating around a table and we saw the rooms where they sleep in bunk beds. We saw the older baby room where children were so bundled up and just sitting in cribs. Last we saw the baby room, where the very young babies are kept. They were bundled and wrapped in blankets and lying in the cribs. Two were SO tiny! Others let me touch their hands and smiled at the attention. The ladies that work there seem to really care for the children, as soon as one cried she was picked up and held, but there are so many. We would have liked to take more back home with us! Tom told the assistant director that there are so many Americans waiting at home for children and that she should process paperwork for as many as she can because we want them and will care for them and love them. I hope that they get the toys and the blankets that Tomyka's family brought. The assistant director and two other workers then escorted us to have lunch, Tomyka's dad chose McDonald's. When the bus could not take us to the music store the orphanage workers voluteered to drive us there and then helped us barter! I bought an insturment that is like a Chinese violin, a gong, a flute and some bamboo clackers, all for about $55.00. We then went back to the bus and the orhphanage staff van escorted us to the outskirts of the city because we got so lost getting there.
Back at the hotel I found Gil and the kids doing fine without me! We went to a kids party in the hall on the 3rd floor, I am sure the other guests do not appreciate them, but we sure have fun! For dinner we tried the Chinese restuarant in the Holiday Inn Express next door. We had lunch there the day before and it was great. No one speaks English, so we just sort of point and order. One waitress remembered us and was able to point to the chicken dishes and so on. We passed on the one with the heads on the chicken plate! We had a chicken dish, noodles, 3 bowls of rice, 2 dumpling dishes and 2 large beer for about $15.00. We will go back! We also got a free dish with mushrooms and what we think was eel. I ate the mushrooms. I loved the sauce and the mushrooms, but it had a spicy kick that when combined with the cigarette smoke in the room was too much.
Noa has had a fever since yesterday, not over 100, but he obviously does not feel well today. He took a long nap after breakfast and his nose has been runnier. He wants me to hold him all the time. Gil says I am spoiling him, but I want him to know his needs will be met. Makana does pretty well most of the time, she sometimes gets a little whiny about me holding him too much. At lunch today I had to hold both of them on my lap because he refused to go in the high chair and she was pouty about not being in my lap. She sat there to eat her bread and then went back to her chair when the pizza came. We are a little tired of pizza, with Noa's fever I have not wanted to go out of the hotel much in the cold. nNow they are playing and Makana is singing, it sounds like a combination of Mama Mia songs and the song from the Little Mermaid, an interesting combo! Noa is la la laing along with her and making calls on his "cell phone". I think I will give him a bottle and try to get them both to take a nap, usually one of them falls asleep at the dinner table!
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