What we've ALL been waiting for!

Today was absolutely unreal. I don't even know how to write this. We got up this morning, scarfed down breakfast and braved the Beijing traffic (by bus, of course) and got to the airport in plenty of time. Our flight to Guangzhou was about 2 1/2 hours. David and I sat in the middle row of seats with Cristie and Doug Martine. Cristie and I talked most of the way to Guangzhou and I was so glad because it kept my mind off of things that were coming! The Guangzhou airport is beautiful and very modern. We got the hotel and got into our rooms. The hotel is BEAUTIFUL. Very swanky. Very unlike what we are used to. Be ashamed of us now because guess where we ate lunch? McDonald's! We didn't have much time to eat and that was the quickest and closest place. Only one of our suitcases made it to us--Maggie's--which concerned us slightly. I got the gifts for the orphanage director and nannies together while David went to get lunch. The culprit who took our suitcase brought it to us--one of the other families had taken it by accident--and we were good to go. I did not wear Smoochin Time because it is EXTREMELY hot in Guangzhou. I mean, like an oven. But anyway.
We got down to the lobby at 3 and headed off to the Civil Affairs office. I was getting a little nervous on the ride over there and I about burst into tears when we got on the bus. The Civil Affairs office is not air conditioned and we were in such a rush to get up to the 5th floor, we walked up the stairs. Wow. We had to wait when we got there because another group of families were finishing up with their babies. They came out and we all oohed and ahhed. Then we got to go inside and were ushered into a small room with couches and a few tables. I think that room had air conditioning. They told us that the Lianjiang babies would be brought out first. They brought out the Aarons' baby, Audrey, and the Epps's baby, Chloe. When Holly got Chloe, I started crying. Then they brought out Maggie. She was beautiful! She had on a pink and fuschia velvet/velour dress (fancy for September) and was bare footed. Jeff Weiland videotaped for us and then we returned the favor for them when they received Emma. Maggie didn't cry at all. She just looked at me and I kissed her head. I don't even remember what happened next because baby after baby was brought out and I missed almost all of them. I did have the sense to get up when they placed Emma in Brooke's arms. Emma was sound asleep! The room filled up with crying babies so Maggie decided to join in. She didn't cry very hard but she had gigantic crocodile tears and wow, she can push her bottom lip out. She still pokes her tongue out and it is LONG. Like Gene Simmons of KISS long. She has tasted my arm, all of her toys and her name tag. She doesn't cry very loudly, more like a cross between a moan and a whine. Also, her name is pronounced See Kay in Cantonese. So we've been pronouncing it wrong. Maggie has already appropriated David's handkerchief as her own. We held the babies and took pictures and congratulated everyone on their sweet babies. We got to ask the nannies questions about the babies. The nanny did concur that Maggie is a bit, well, hard headed. I let Maggie's nanny hold her and she put her down on the floor and she can stand up! Then we let them crawl around and play with each other. So fun! Maggie didn't really crawl though, just sat there and looked at the babies stealing her toys. Then Maggie fell asleep on me which is what I've been dreaming about for 2 years! We headed down to the bus and she slept the whole way. I think I was making her sweaty because MAN, was I hot. When we got back, she woke up because of all the noises of cars and horns and stuff. We came up to the room and made her a bottle which she's not very interested in. It is scalding hot so maybe that's why. She's a fan of the Gerber fruit puffs though. Those things do not smell good. I think she has a dimple in her left cheek! I kept seeing flashes of it when I was feeding her the puffs.
I have to go do paperwork tonight. Ugh. Just when you think it's all over. David is currently holding Maggie. They spent a long time looking out the window at the traffic which she seems to find fascinating. She does not really like to look at herself in the mirror and she's not really letting us put her down. Well, I know what you've really been waiting for are the pictures so here you go!





I just took a quick break to put some pj's on her which she did NOT like. Now she's calm again. Man, I'm tired and it's only 6:30. Well, I shall close for today so I can gather my paperwork stuff together. We are a family of 3!