Gotcha Day (Monday, April 14, 2014)

This morning we had breakfast in the fantastic dining room at Le Meridien where we finally met the Porters (Lifeline's other adopting family in ChongQing this week).  We returned to the room to prepare for our 2pm Gotcha appointment and to collect paperwork to meet Michael and complete prior to leaving for our appointment.

It really was a surreal morning. We sat in the lobby of this amazingly modern hotel right in the middle of the unofficial largest city in the world, and we signed documents that would serve as the final pieces to making Emma officially our daughter.

When we completed the papers, we walked to Walmart with Michael - what a culture shock. It was so similar and so very different to any Walmart I've ever seen.

Then we returned to our hotel room to finish preparing to meet Emma - paperwork, passports, gifts for orphanage officials, a bag of special items for Emma.  Then we met the Porters and our guide in the lobby.  And we were off to the adoption offices to meet Emma.

We drove across town to arrive at a very beautiful business park area.  

We rode elevators to the 14th floor and exited into a dimly lit reception/waiting area. In just a moment, the orphanage officials entered with the children.  And there she was - our tiny little girl dressed in yellow with a sweet face and the cutest piggy tails I've ever seen.

There was nothing all that official that went on - they just handed her to us.  She was not too sure, but she came to me.  She never really cried and never tried to go back to the nannies.  She was sweet and calm and finally in my arms.

We stayed in the reception area for a while so our guide could translate between the nannies and each family. They reported that she's a good sleeper (8pm-7am nightly and a 2 hour nap from 11:30am-1:30pm).  They also said she has a calm personality.

Now we're McGinnis Party of Five!

We left as quickly as we'd arrived. And just like that - Emma was with us!  

We drove back to the hotel, brought Emma to our room, played, gave her a bath and changed her clothes. 

We went to dinner at the neighboring mall, and she enjoyed Papa John's pizza, breadsticks and seasoned waffle fries along with some apple juice.  Baby girl can eat!!

We returned to the room, changed into pjs for bed and Emma was quite upset.  We shuffled sleeping arrangements and she slept with me (and when I say with me, I mean on me).  She went to sleep a little after 9pm and slept well until about 2 or 3am when she needed her milk since she'd refused milk prior to bed.  She slept well until about 6:30am. I think she was fairly hungry and we have no idea what her typical routine really is - so she was not too happy us!

Adoption Day is tomorrow!