TOday was our last bit of paperwork before we get to leave Friday. We spent the morning leisurly and went to Jordan's for some shopping. Before we realized it, it was time to meet our group to head over to the US Consulate for our oath for citizenship. THere were 31 families adopting 33 kids today. Liam was introduced because he has a birthday coming up next week and he is one of the double adoptions. The other family was from Utah and were adopting their #7 &8th children.
We were not allowed to bring cameras into the consulate so no pictures. Chuan has yet to sit or stand by me for a picture so I was not hopeful about that anyway! For now, I think he is just going with the group mentality and not really convinced he is part of anything more than that. He often wanders off with the other families, but does not fuss when he has to go home with me and Liam. We are just in the periphery! He was very attatched to his caregivers at the orphanage and being in a larger group seems to have helped him not have to be so "stuck" with me! Roland and I have already talked to the kids about us meeting his needs when we get home, so he (hopefully) will quickly learn that the parents do everthing and cannot be circumvented! He does let me help him with his bath and his wound care and his medicines, etc. He lets me help him in the morning with his ton of lotion he puts in his hair. He did not like the pallate on the floor but did not want to sleep "with" me in the bed so we compromise and he sleeps with his head at the foot and his feet toward me and Liam usually wakes up and comes to get in bed and sleep with me opposite Chuan. We are all 3 in the small twin bed by the morning. He is not pulling away as much if I hold his hand or rub his head or back, so we are taking small steps at this time. He does call me "momma" so I think he'll come around. I told one of the other parents experiencing some similar things that once we get to America he will need me (and dad) more so we're ok with waiting. We knew it would not be easy for him to give up almost 9 years of his life and just go off with some strangers who say they love him and want to be his parents.
We shopped for a while this morning and Chuan did not have any meltdowns at all. So today was a very good day. For sure the best day since we are in Guangzhou. I think leaving SHanghai and going to Guangzhou makes the transition a little more severe and impending permanence so we've had more fits and crying (as have other families) since we've been here. SO a day without a crying/foot stomping "i want, i want, iwant" fit is a GOOD day!
From Guangzhou, Amanda, CHuan, Liam and Paula.
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