Day 3

Raleigh has been waking up super early, as usual. But Aili has been the last to wake. We actually have to wake her. Heaven. So far, every time she wakes it’s with a smile. Can it really be this easy? She slept really well again. There was still head banging, but less.

After breakfast, we met Michael in the lobby to go sightseeing to Baiyun Mountain (White Cloud Mountain). We took an enclosed ski lift up and it was beautiful.

At the top we could see all of Guangzhou, which is the third largest city in China. There was a group of people singing and many people milling around. Even though there a couple hundred people that looked like her and spoke her language, she would not let go of me. She didn’t go up to anyone else. She didn’t even think about about it. I would say she’s bonding beautifully!

I truly can’t imagine what is going through her mind. In two and a half days she has had SO MANY firsts. Here’s her first ice cream cone 🙂

After the mountain, we went back to the room and took a nap. We went to the police station this afternoon to apply for Aili’s passport and got our official adoption certificate. It’s official! We couldn’t be happier.

You could tell while we were there she was nervous. Again, no telling what she was thinking. The government building probably reminded her of civil affairs and she thought we were giving her back. Every time I tried to put her down she’d beg for me to pick her up. She was holding onto me for dear life. It truly felt that way. She’s been bonding to me and Sam pretty equally, but when we were there I was all she wanted.

We went to an Irish Pub for dinner. As much as we’ve been enjoying the authentic Chinese food, it was nice to have some familiar food. Again, Aili ate like a champ. She ate some spaghetti, quesadilla with veggies, french fries, and tried her first banana split.

She’s very tiny for almost five, but weighs way more than she looks. The 3T clothes I brought are too big. I have a feeling she’s going to have quite a growth spurt here soon!

She’s easy going. No matter what we ask of her so does with a smile.

She’s smart. She comes up with solutions that surprise us. Raleigh was drawing and she was holding a small flashlight on the paper, so R could see. She got tired of holding it, so she pulled over a note pad that was on the desk to set the flashlight on it. She readjusted it until it was at just the right angle for the light on the paper. Then later she set the light up on the other side of the desk to play with Baba (Daddy). It rolled off onto the floor. She picked it up, put it back on the desk, then put a magazine on top so it wouldn’t roll off again. She’s one smart cookie! Her dexterity appears pretty fine tuned. She delicately puts tops on bottles, pours water from bottle to cup and vice versus without spilling a drop, stacks items and likes to have everything lined up and straight.

We’re off to bed. Baba is going to sleep with her tonight. He wasn’t sure she’d go for it. But she climbed right in with him. Good night.