Gracie and the McCammon Gang: Consulate Oath Day

Today we completed the final step in the adoption process. We went with several other families to the US Consulate and took the oath, which was basically confirming that everything we have stated in the adoption papers is true. We took a bus to the consulate and waited to hear Gracie's Chinese name; they checked our passports and then we stood w/ about 40 some other families and took the oath. I only half paid attention because keeping her semi-quiet was a full-time job. Although, the little girl in front of us was pitching a fit that was quite impressive so I wasn't as concerned. We raised our right hands and Gracie copied by raising her left. We see families like ours constantly at the hotel and on the streets nearby. A lump rises in my throat as I see the wave of loving parents with wiggling, crying, laughing, babies, toddlers, & small children. One girl being adopted in the group was 1 month shy of her 14th birthday. Apparently, if she reached 14 she would not have been able to be adopted. Another mother was there adopting for the 4th time. Her little boy was 4, almost blind, and just learning to get around because his foster mother here in China had basically carried him his whole life.

Gracie is doing better every day. She is exhibiting less and less of the tantrum-like behaviour. These have been a minor part of what we've experienced with her; with her general demeanor being very playful, inquisitive, and giggly. She has a gut laugh and squeal that is just intoxicating for lack of a better word. Even though we have felt quite clueless about how to deal w/ the "no's", tantrums, and sleeping issues, by God's "grace" we seem to be doing something right. We decided yesterday that we would try to have her sleep in her own bed but prepare for her to sleep w/ us. Sleeping w/ us is probably best for her but means less sleep for me. We put her down earlier, having also decided she isn't getting enough sleep & tried giving her the big bottle earlier in the evening so she didn't wake up soaked & then fed her a small amount right as she was going to sleep. (Of course, the fact that the last bottle of the night was only a couple ounces ticked her off and she tossed it & kicked her feet- even though she'd had a substantial amount just an hour earlier.) She stirred a couple times but didn't wake until 4 am and was coughing so I let her sleep on/beside me until she woke completely at about 7 am. We also decided to try to "help" her stop or curb the fit action & that seems to be much more effective than just ignoring them. The last couple days have been much, much better w/ very little of this behavior. Also figured out she is pretty darn good w/ a spoon so we give her a bowl and add to it rather than her eating w/ her hands & begging from us. Most of these children eat and eat so you have to watch it. If food is around, it's the focus of their being & is very much a control issue as they have in many cases, not had enough or it has been very regulated. We've also seen the other end of the spectrum in the foster children (as opposed to orphanage) who have been allowed to eat all they want and any way they want. It is hard to feed Gracie enough w/o over-feeding which causes constipation and stomach trouble. Now that she eats one her own, the battle w/ each meal is all but gone & it has really been fairly pleasant to sit down and eat again.
We are going to take a train to Hong Kong Friday afternoon instead of flying out of Guangzhou, which would have been at almost 11pm Friday night. We leave Hong Kong for home at almost noon Saturday and taking the train from here to Hong Kong on Friday allows us to get to our hotel in HK early in the evening (instead of midnight) & also we will get about $300 back as a refund on our airline ticket and the train ticket is only around $100 so we net $200. Changing money here at the hotel is easy but has sometimes been a bit of a pain at the bank next door. The clerks ignore you & even if you take one of the tickets, it has a different type of number and they never call it. Dan went in the other day and was being ignored and this guy from Poland comes in and apparently spoke great Mandarin because he got right in there and told the clerk what to do and to get with it & then they changed our money like they're supposed to.
We have bought quite a few things & the prices are cheap for the most part. I hate shopping though because they follow you around and try to sell everything you look at to you. Their favorite phrase is "this special price just for you" and "all this on sale, 20% off for you today". I get so annoyed, I have to leave. They didn't have my size in a traditional Chinese blouse that I liked today & the clerk kept trying to sell me a different one. I told her I did not want it and if she left me alone, I might pick out something else. She said ok but then immediately tried to sell me that blouse again!! ARgg. I want them to make a profit but you can't tell if you're being ripped off.
Tomorrow is our last full day in Guangzhou since we leave for HK Friday. Well, I gotta put Lil missy to bed. She is throwing everything she finds in the garbage & runs away and laughs. Dan keeps quoting one of the Pink Panther movies, "Attila the Hun? Boyscout!" She really isn't even close to that bad - just two & extremely busy & smart. She loves to be hugged and kissed & falls to pieces when one of us leaves for a short time. The blessed time of sleep approaches! Love to all!