Gotcha Day

The day we had been waiting 3 1/2 years for is here!   We left our hotel in Beijing at 5:30AM.  We arrived in Lanzhou at 10:30AM.  We took a 90 minute bus ride to our hotel and arrived around 12:30.  We were told we would meet Alex at 2PM.  So, we went to our room and anxiously waited.   Just before two, our guide called and told us that the babies and orphanage director hadn't left until this morning for the 8 hour ride from Alex's orphanage in Qingyang to our hotel in Lanzhou.  Therefore, they weren't here yet and the time had been moved back to 4:30.   Augh!   We decided to get something to eat in the hotel and then our guide took us to a store that is equivalent to a Walmart in the states.  We bought Alex some formula, and a few other things we needed.  We got back to the hotel at 4:30....only to find out they still weren't there!   We finally got the call at 5:24PM.   We met them in a private room in the restaurant.  When we walked in there...there were only 2 babies,.  Ours and another couple that we have been traveling with since Beijing.   They are adopting a little 18 month old with unrepaired cleft lip/palate - so I was able to pick out Alex right away.  He was sitting on the assistant orphanage director's lap checking out the place.,  The first thing Doug & I noticed was his big cheeks!   We found out soon enough that the little boy likes to eat!   He should fit in quite well with our family!  Amazingly, when the orphanage director handed him off to me...he never cried.  In fact, he didn't cry at all the whole time we were in there (which was just over 2 hours filing out all the paperwork).  I think it was partially due to the fact that his nanny didn't come..so I'm sure he wasn't as attached to the directors as he is the actual nanny.   Anyway.... we were thrilled and it was definitely answered prayer.   We didn't get back to our room until around 7:30.  We ate pb&j sandwiches in our room with our traveling buddies and were in awe at how fast Alex drank his bottle!   In fact, he was getting a little agitated that he couldn't drink it fast enough!   The orphanage makes the hole in the top of the bottle nipples a little bigger so they can feed all the babies faster...so when he got our bottle..he was a little impatient!  He can sit up by himself and also crawls, but does not yet walk.   We're sure big brother Sam will change that in no time.  It is 6:23AM here..and Alex is still sleeping.  He slept great last night too.  He woke up several times throughout the night coughing (he has a cold) but was able to fall right back asleep again.  So, we never had to get up with him in the middle of the night (another answered prayer as we were both exhausted last night)!      We have a big day today as we have our appt with the notary at the civil affairs building this morning.  This is the day Alex's adoption is final!  Here are a few pictures...we'll post more later.