Adoption Day!

Daddy and baby are both taking a nap so I'm grabbing this opportunity to do a rare mid-day blog entry. Maybe I'll be able to get to bed a little earlier that way.

Wow - what a difference a day makes! Maddie woke up at 3 AM and wanted to play. So, we played!! Then she had a bottle and went back to sleep around 4. Around 6:30 she woke up just happy as a lark and has been so ever since.

This morning was a very busy morning. We had to meet at 8:30 and then go to three different offices in the city to finalize the Chinese side of the adoption. Maddie was so good all day - didn't fuss at all. She is such a happy baby and quite the little wiggle worm. She is very curious and has to always be able to see what is going on.

Everywhere we go Madeline turns on her charm and people stop to talk to her, touch her cheeks, or just smile at her. We went to Wal-Mart at the end of our morning and for a little while, Doug couldn't move two feet with the stroller without someone stopping him, bending down and talking to her.

Greg & Jen - do you guys recognize these toys? This is the second trip to China and the Jiangxi Province. They were here 5 years ago when you came here for Maya. Maddie loves these toys. So far, one of her favorite pastimes is to sit propped up by pillows with her legs all covered up in toys. She then kicks until every single toy is out of reach. Then we pile them all in her lap again and she does it all over again.

During this game, we noticed that Maddie's right arm appears to be somewhat weaker than her left side. She also has very poor manual dexterity - she cannot hold a cheerio in her hand. One of the things that we got to do today was to ask questions of the orphanage director. She confirmed what we suspected - that Maddie has not been in foster care this entire time as was originally reported to us. She, along with the other girls from her city were all in foster care for the first three months, then was put back in the orphanage. We suspect that the weakness on her right side comes from laying on that side while at the orphanage. We are already working with her trying to get her to use that hand and arm more - to develop muscle tone. We are also working on the dexterity by holding Cheerios in her fingers and helping her move her hands to her mouth - something that was impossible before with the many layers of clothes she wore.

We learned the reason for the many layers of clothes today. There is no heat in the orphanages. So, they bundle the babies to make sure they are warm enough. Every one of the offices we were at today were also very cold - around 65 degrees farenheit or cooler.

The orphanage director told us that Maddie, Kya, and Gracie all had cribs very close to each other. Gracie will be living in Buffalo, NY. I guess her parents will have to make some trips to IN and we'll have to visit them in NY from time to time. There is a fourth member of this exclusive club - little Lucy is from Bloomington. She was also in the same orphanage.

We asked the orphanage director about Maddie's disposition at the orphanage. Her response was, "She was the naughty one!" She then went on to explain that she was very curious and that she knows how to demand attention. Sounds like we've got a winner!!! We are thrilled with her personality - she will fit right in! Mom, who is sitting here with me as I blog says, "Right now you're thrilled. Just wait!" LOL

Introducing Madeline Li Snow! Today it became official. After promising officials in three different civil offices that we would love Madeline, give her a good education, and to never harm nor abandon her, the Chinese side of the adoption is now complete.

We are so in love with our daughter. With every passing minute, she feels more and more comfortable with us. Words just cannot describe how delighted we are with our daughter. She truly is a gift from God and we know without any doubt that we were always meant to be her parents.

Maddie just loves her daddy. She babbles endlessly with him when he holds her.

This was taken at the Civil Affairs Office in front of the US flag and the China flag. Both of these flags will forever have great meaning in our family. We are finding China to be a wonderful country - a place where people are so kind, they bend over backwards to help you, and are very respectful of guests in their country. We want to be sure that Maddie grows up understanding and respecting her heritage.

"When I'm with Daddy, I ham it up for the camera every single time!"

Maddie's original referral paperwork stated that she can be "obstinate sometimes." Hmmm... apple, meet tree!

Sweet Kya, Kris & Shawn's baby, is so opposite of Maddie. She has the quietest little cry and softest voice. She is feeling a little better today but is still sick. She is still very lethargic. It will be interesting to see her personality emerge as she starts to feel better. It sounds like Kya's illness is just a common cold and congestion. Fortunately for us, one of the other dads is a pediatrician. He has been so wonderful about giving us advice or checking out the babies that are sick. (Thanks Lesa, Anna, and Lucy for sharing John's time with us!!)

When we first unwrapped Maddie from the many layers of clothing, she had what looked like a huge greenish colored bruise on her left hip. It also looked like she had light bruising all over back. Doug and I freaked out! John confirmed for us that it is just a Mongolian Spot - oddly colored skin pigmentation - and nothing to worry about.

Thanks to all of you for the many emails, comments here and on FaceBook, and for the continued prayers. You have no idea how much your comments brighten each day! It makes it easier being so far away from home. We look forward to sharing our sweet daughter with each of you when we get back.

Until later... Much Love, Doug, Beth, Madeline, and Grandma Joanna