It's Official

Today we went back to the Civil Affairs Office to register the adoption. It involves signing lots of papers and placing a thumbprint on each signature- then D added her footprint as her signature. The Chinese official asked us a bunch of questions while Kaige (our guide) translated. I assume that if we had said the wrong thing she would have translated it into the right answer- but the questions were easy- things like what's your job, what do you know about the baby, what are our plans to raise her and educate her. Once the documents were signed and sealed and the questions were answered we were off the another room to have the documents all notarized. This involved more questions but less paperwork. So, as I understand it, at this point we are her legal parents in the eyes of the Chinese government.

After that we came back to the hotel to get everyone else and we went shopping for supplies. I am sure we were quite a sight, 6 clueless Westerners, one Chinese baby and one Chinese quide attempting to help us figure out what formula to buy since the store didn't have the brand D was used to at the orphanage. Of course the boys are throwing things in the cart without having ANY clue what is in the packages (we have tried some interesting foods because of it- some yummy, some not, and of course we still don't know what it all is) The supermarket was like a SuperWalMart on speed. Everyone going everywhere, bright lights, music. I wonder if that is how our store seems to people who don't speak/read English. One big difference is that everyone who worked there bent over backward to help us- that doesn't happen in the US

Later that afternoon D, B. and I went with Kaige to the Police Station to get D's passport photo taken, Our driver made a wrong turn so the journey there took about an hour- although we did get to see alot of Xi'an. The whole process took about 10 minutes and then a quick 10 minute trip back to the hotel.

For dinner, Kaige found us a hot pot restaurant- Yummy, although 3 kids, pots of boiling water and glassware kept me pretty busy throughout the meal. At one point, D was off with some of the wait staff, and the boys were posing for pictures(again) so it was calm for a few minutes. X. is beginning to show signs of being ready to home but so far the kids are all doing pretty good.

That night D got her first bath (as far we know) in a big bath tub. She sat down long enough to wipe her off with a washcloth before she wanted back out. But it works...