48

I really thought I would have time to blog everyday on this "once in a life time trip" but in reality, yesterday I did not even have time to brush my hair and I have yet to wash it since getting the twins on Sunday. So as I sit here on Tuesday evening I want to remember and record all that has transpired since the girls were first placed in our arms but I am sitting in a dark hotel since Abbi and Livi are asleep in their cribs just 10 feet away.  The near darkness make me want to crawl under the covers and fade into dream land. So, the remedy is going to be a bulleted list which I will try to expand on later. "Try" is the operative word here.

• Gotcha Day was traumatic for the girls but they soon calmed down and just eyed us with suspicion for the evening. Prior to getting the girls there was a two hour meeting to discuss feeding and caring for the babies and the itinerary.
• Monday was paperwork day. The first office was where the adoption became official.  We were interviewed by some official looking pregnant woman. Who asked us to promise to never abandon or abuse the girls. Of course, we complied. While at this office we met two of the orphanage workworkers. Abigail and Olivia clearly were familiar with them and were all smiles at first site. I was a bit jealous but also glad to see that they had bonded with someone.  The second office was the notary. Then on to Walmart for supplies, back to the hotel for a nap.  Finally mid afternoon to the Public Safety office for ID pictures of the girls.  At 5 or 6pm we had another something happen and I just can't remember what it was at the moment.
• Monday night there was a huge thunderstorm followed by a 2am funeral complete with fireworks.  As I type this, aparently there is another funeral just outside our hotel window.
• Tuesday, sweet relief, there was only one appointment. It was with the doctor in the hotel.  The girls are perfectly healthy. The only issue they have is a vitamin A and D and calcium definciency.  The doctor determined this by looking at the very square shape of their head. Within a few hours one of guides knocked on our door and handed us a vitamin supplement.  The remainder of the day we hung out in the hotel and visited with the other families in our travel group - all of them, by the way, are amazing people!  We ended the day with an authentic Chinese dinner and a Happy Re-Birth cake for all the babies.
• Wait, that can't be it. Has it really only been 48 hours since we got the girls???? Impossible.

Maybe I have the energy for one more bulleted list, and this is really the more important one.

• Abigail and Olivia are an absolute joy!
• The are complete different in personality.  Despite the apperance of their original pictures. Olivia is actually much more smiley than Abigail. But both girls have their moments of  happy expressions.
• They are both Daddy's girls.  Abigail especially. She would much rather have Baba (daddy) hold her, play with her, change her, feed her, etc. Olivia is more easy going but when Dave returns to the room after being gone for a few minutes she giggles, waves her hands in the air and shakes her legs.  
• We have been trying to use some Chinese (thanks Mom for the useful pharses!) matched with baby signs.  Abigail is already signing the word for daddy!
• Olivia is a bit more delayed is size and developement. But I know she will be catching up very soon.
• Abigail LOVES to eat.  She ate all kinds of Chinese food tonight, most of which I am sure she has never tasted.  Abigail mainly just made a huge mess of her rice and soup.  As Dave said, our apologies to the waitresses.
• Lost my train of thought, it may be time to go to bed. Hmmm...

Ok, so I want to close this post with a couple of pictures and a Face Book message I received from my friend Nicole. Aaron is her son

"So funny--showed Aaron pics of you and fam. He said now you are not just a woman, but a mommy, too. He said the same about Dave not just being a man but a daddy. Thought that was sweet."

PS: I am not responsible for mispleed words, poor grammar and any of the content in the blog post. I plead jet lag.