Day 13: 4 years to the Hour. The Wait is OVER!

We were not able to take pics inside the consulate - this was in the lobby of the building.  We had to check our electronics with our guide or at security upstairs, just to be sure we wouldn't take any photos.  That is a bummer, because there was a huge sign with "ADOPTIONS" and the US flag near it.  Would have been the perfect lead in to this day's update. 

I think I have worked out some of the issues with my computer-I try to update this blog every day because my kiddos at home look forward to reading it every day.  Before it shuts down again, here it goes...

I realized this on the bus this morning:  our consulate appointment was at 9:15 a.m. Guangzhou time on April 3rd-which means we took the oath for Zoey on April 2nd at 9:15 p.m., Ohio time.  This is four years exactly TO THE DAY from the time we sent in our application to adopt.  It is also significant because April 2nd is the anniversary of my grandmother's birthday.  I did not request a date for our CA, it is the one the agency received for us.  Coincidence?   I don't think so.  Just another sign that this sweetie is meant to be with us.

The consulate appointment was fast.  We were there with about 10 other families.  We had to stand up and all take an oath, we were called up by family whereby all of us went to the window, they did a face check for Zoey-to make sure she matches the picture in her passport, then I stayed at the window and finalized the paperwork.  She is not an official US citizen until we touch down and go to the immigration window at our first US stop.  She flies in on a Chinese visa with a single entry citizenship visa.  If we take her out and decide to go to China on her Chinese passport-she'll be a Chinese citizen again and we'll have to reapply for a US visa, which is a royal PITA.  So-we will apply for a US passport asap, knowing our inability to schedule vacations ahead of time and our propensity to grab the "last minute deals" on cruises and Mexican vacations.  Although after this China trip, not sure we'll be going anywhere distant for a while.

One funny thing about the appointment-Lisa and I were watching the other families and noticed a group of women with flat, sleek, shiny hair-we talked about them enough, so she asked one of the women what was their secret (it has been 85+ degrees here in Guangzhou and pretty humid).  They apparently bought a flat iron while IN China.  Cheaters.  Oh well-we decided we weren't going to lose sleep over this now.  We have only 2 days left with frizzy hair-I think we'll be just fine.  We enjoy "roughing it." 

After the consulate appointments, we met in the lobby with our group and the other CCAI group for pictures.  We did not have an easy time getting Little Miss Zoey into her dress.  Jenna had to put hers on to coax Zoey into hers.  Zoey did finally wear her crocs.   

Family photos first. 

Zoey-going for the Elvis look with the collar...

Our travel group.  We had the older kids, the other group had the kids under 2.  All of us in our small group have at least 4 children-which made for a great support system.  None of us got too worked up about the little stuff, having been through this before (if not the adoption part, at least we all have kids who have survived through the toddler/preschool age range despite ourselves).

Yes.  That is my child pulling at her collar, unbuttoning her dress, sitting with her legs open so you can see her underwear... ah.  Another one of "those" type of kids... lol.

Up the escalator.  Down the escalator.  Up the escalator.  Down the escalator.  The stairs are in the center, which lead to the lobby area.  This is the kids' favorite past time. 

So I decided-might as well try taking pics of her while she is where she LIKES to be... that is close to a smile, right?

"You put me in this dress and now you want me to SMILE?"

Little stinkers.

I think that Sam will have to work with her to perfect the pouty lip.  This is so amateur. 

Our lobby-I played with the camera-this light/chandelier thing is amazing.

EVERY time she is on this and sees me, she shouts, "HULLO!"

We came back and actually took a nap.  And it was wonderful.  In the reports that Love Without Boundaries provided to us, we were told that she was on a super strict schedule for sleeping and napping.  We were told she only liked certain foods, and those foods had to be a certain temperature.  So far, she sleeps fine and likes to sleep in, and she is a pretty adventurous eater.  Hope this continues. 

We headed to the pool with Chloe and her family after our naps.  She still didn't want to get into the water, but we did make progress.  We got the suit ON her.  Baby steps...

Now modeling the newest Lands' End toddler/preschool summer swim collection is Miss Zoey...  

The t-shirt did not come off at the pool, nor did she venture far from the chair.  But this was progress.  Maybe by summer we'll get her in the water. 

We had the big debate-is the dotted line a result of spitting, or is it nose cleaning??

Before dinner Jenna worked on math with Tutor Tim, and the girls, Lisa and I hung out and colored.  So far, Chloe has definitely been the stronger personality.  We noticed, however, that on our "home" turf, Zoey was a little bossy, much more vocal, and enjoyed telling Chloe what to do-and Chloe actually listened to her.  We should have videotaped them-they were very chatty.

For dinner we ate at the hotel's buffet. 

Things Zoey likes: edamame, broccoli, steak, shrimp, dumplings, fried rice, tea, bacon, slurpees, most fruits, granola bars, dried fruits, noodles of all kinds and any kind of gummy candy.  She did well with the pizza and spaghetti that we’ve had as well. 

Things she does not like: pancakes (but the hotel ones are a bit well-done), potatoes of any kind except McD's french fries (although when we get back to Ohio and they don't serve them with sweet & sour sauce, we'll see how much she likes them...) and ?? that might be it.

Overall I noticed she’ll try anything I give her, but she doesn’t like everything.  Which is fine.  We have the policy in our house (with everyone except Bryan) that you don’t have to like it, but you have to try it once.  And, since I am not an adventurous cook, I am glad I have something here to work with-she is not as picky as the reports indicated.

She is really starting to repeat so many words we use.  Jenna is still trying to teach her to say “buttface”—good instincts on Zoey’s part as this is the one phrase she consistently will not repeat. Because we often say "Say xxxxx," she'll repeat the word with "Say" before it.  "Say Hullo," "say cute," or "say bye-bye."  Makes it even cuter to hear.

As I sit here writing this and trying to upload and organize my photos, she is checking in on me.  Periodically I get a "Hulloo" from her and a giant smile.  She came and sat on my lap and we were looking at the photos-there were a few of her, and I asked who that was.  She replied, "Zoey."  I wasn't expecting that.  We kinda blindly made the transition from her Chinese name to her American name on Day 3, mostly because it was easier for us to say.  It is amazing how much she really "gets" as to what is going on with the adoption and who we are, and what we are doing.  The real test will come when we arrive home.  I hope she doesn't change much.  As I keep repeating-she is a doll.  She was totally worth the wait.