April 1

Couldn't sleep from 1-3 the night we got sanna (jet lag) so I got up and called Micki, the ladies bible study and various friends and family. It was so good to talk to them. Went back to sleep until 5:30. Finally at 6, Jimmy couldn't stand it anymore and he woke the baby up so he could play with her. We went to breakfast and met some people that I'd met on one of my yahoo groups. Warren and Yi-ching's daughter came from Susanna's orphanage and they were on their way to visit it. After breakfast we headed back upstairs to get our cameras, passports, diaper bags and 2 gifts. We headed back to the civil affairs office by bus, this time, the atmosphere was so much lighter. The traffic here is amazing. Imagine taking 5 lanes of traffic fit on a two lane road. Lanes here are really more like guidelines.....well, maybe not even that. At the civil affairs office they put us in the same room that we'd been in the day before. First we went to get a family picture taken. That's when we found out our daughter is a ham. She has been so happy and outgoing and everytime I try to get a picture of that, she is at the end of a smile by the time the camera clicks and it looks like she is grimacing. So we sat down and the minute they snapt the picture, she gives them this big ole grin. It's our first happy picture. Then we waited one by one as we were called in by family and asked to present our passports. They asked us our name, age and when we got married, whether we had biological children and if we had adopted before. Then they asked us why we wanted to adopt from China and if we were satisfied with the baby we were given. We said yes, of course. Then we gave the lady one of our gifts and went to another room and repeated the process all over again. The lady commented about how curious Susanna is and she is right, everyone has noticed that. They said congratulations, she is yours. So as far as China is concerned, the adoption is final. While we were waiting for them to process our paperwork, we took the babies to a playroom. Sanna was getting pretty wound up by this point (we've found out that the more tired she is, the faster she goes). We put her in a walker and it was like watching bumper cars with these girls. Sanna is good with a walker, she was the only one to make it off the vinyl and out the door. Then they took us back into the first offices and had us pay our fees. People in this country take their money seriously. (Ask the guys who stand outside the bank while the money truck unloads with guns almost bigger than they are). They counted the money at least three times, then carefully examined both back and front, feeling each one to make sure it wasn't counterfeit. Luckily none of ours was rejected. Next we were off to the police station where we applied for Sanna's passport. We all took seats, while Wendy took a number and waited in line (another thing that happens a lot here). When it was our turn, she called us up one by one and a lady took our paperwork, entered it into the computer, took a picture of Sanna and that was it. It should be ready in a few days. Then back to the hotel. We decided to meet the Hemry's at Lucy's for lunch after going to the bank to exchange money. But when I got back to our room, Susanna was having a melt down. I think she's teething and is also tugging at her ears. She also wouldn't take a bottle, only one first thing this morning. I think she's entering the grieving process a bit. So we stayed in the hotel and cuddled and held her, handing her back and forth. Finally I gave her some fishy crackers. Susanna will not eat solid food. She gags if it gets in her mouth, but good luck getting it that close. But she did want to hold them. She would pick them up with her thumb and forefinger, and then when she had one in each hand, she'd want another one but couldn't figure out how to get it without dropping the other ones. She was thinking hard on it but never got it accomplished. At 3:00, I left her with Jimmy and went with Wendy and others in our group to a wholesale clothing market. The place was crowded and stifling hot. Our guide is amazing at bargaining though. I got her 2 toys for 60 cents a piece, a few outfits for $2.50 (yes, I know, I know, the girl does not need clothes but this was for $2.50!) Got some great socks a hat and finally we got squeaky shoes. (I got 10 pair. :-D) The bad news is when I got home, she doesn't weigh enough to make them squeak when she walks. (Joe will be relieved, since he gave me orders NOT to buy them LOL) We closed the market down and then went back to the hotel.When I got back 3 hours later, Jimmy was snoring away and Sanna was leaned against him clutching his shirt, just looking at me. I think she'd been asleep but when I opened the door had just woken up. When she falls asleep, she does it with a death grip on your shirt, and has to be laying on your chest. She was still having a bit of a hard time, very clingy. She did like her new toys though. We ordered Pizza from Danny's Bagels because it delivered to the hotel. It was pretty good to. Afterwards we gave her a bath. She wanted nothing to do with it at first, but by the end she was splashing and having a good time (Jimmy gave her her first bath too, John. We've got a daddy's girl on our hands.) So far, she's only taking one bottle a day, in the morning, which has me worried a bit, but she still does have one each day, so I'm hoping its just because of the big changes in her life and that it will get better soon. More soon.

Catherine