We have Lauren!

The day started in the morning with all four families going with our guide Kelly to the bank to exchange our US dollars to the Chinese RMB for the orphanage donation.  When we got to the bank, the teller counted the money three times by hand, then examined each bill, then counted the money four times in the counter machine!  It was very thorough.  Kelly then told us that our appointment had been pushed back because one of the orphanages in our group was running late.  So we met downstairs at 2:30 pm, got on a big chartered bus and drove to the Civil Affairs Office.  This is the office that handles the adoptions and all families meet their babies in this office.

I was very nervous because Kelly, our guide, had called the orphanage in the morning to ask them to bring extra formula for Lauren.  When she called, her nanny told Kelly that Lauren liked to cry.  So we were very worried about her transition.

When we got to the office there were already many other families there from different agencies with their babies.  Within 5 minutes of being there, Kelly was already calling me as the nanny came out with Wang Dan.  She was smiling in her nannies arms but that did not last long.  The nanny placed her in my arms and walked away.  She started to whimper and started to push herself away.  She looked really scared.  We walked around the room and then I just let her go down and walk around the room.  Finally her nanny came back to sit down and tell me her daily schedule. 

Here is what she told us.  Lauren is still on formula at least 2-3 times a day.  She does eat soft solids.  So far they have given her eggs, congee (rice porridge), and noodles.  When I asked about her favorite toys, it was heartbreaking to hear them say that there really was not alot of toys from her to play with, but that there was a small car toy and a ball that she played with.  She is in a room with about 10 other babies her age.  Her nighttime routine consists of her getting a bottle.  The orphanage was so sweet, that when that when they heard we wanted some of her formula, they actually brought the whole canister for us to have.  (Of course we will replace it when we visit them later this week)  Once she has her bottle, she will stick her fingers in her mouth and suck them to soothe herself to sleep.  Because there is not enough nannies, the babies are not rocked to sleep. 

When she was handed back to me, she was still whimpering but this time she did not try to escape or push herself away.  She seemed tired and hungry.  So we took out our arsenal of tricks to try to console her.  The baby doll and toys did not seem to interest her.  Sadly, she did not seem to know what to do with them.  We gave her water in a bottle which she was interested in, but didn't seem to know how to drink it.  Kelly said it was because she was probably not used to the style of bottle we brought.  So we opened up a regular water bottle and gave her sips from it and when her mouth was open, I stuck to bottle in.  That seemed to do the trick.  Cheerios was next and that was the magic food!  She was like a baby bird that kept opening her mouth wanting me to put cheerios in it.  Dad took out a banana from the bag and she grabbed it.  So of course we gave it to her and she ate about half.  She probably would have eaten the whole thing, but I did not want her to get car sick on the way back to the hotel.

Back to the hotel we decided that it was enough of a day for Lauren and decided to just eat in one of the hotel's restaurant.  We ordered congee for her and some other dishes for us.  She was an easy baby to feed.  She seemed really hungry and ate about half the congee bowl.  We also tried giving her tofu, which she also ate.  It was there that we began to hear a bit of a noises from her.  She would grunt lean forward toward the food when she wanted more.  

After dinner we headed back straight to the room.  We were advised not to bathe the babies for the first couple of days.  So I gave her a sponge bath.  We changed into her pajamas and Engkong made her a bottle.  She drank about 4 ozs (Orphanage told us she would drink 8ozs) stuck her finger in her mouth and went to sleep. 

Sweet dreams Lauren!  She has been asleep since 8 am at night.  It is now 5 pm and she is still sound asleep.  Let's hope that this sleeping pattern continues in California.