A day we'll never forget...

Tuesday, February 21st, 2006

Wow, what can be said about a day that changes your life forever?

We left for the Government building around 2:20, one of the people in our group had forgotten their gifts so we were running late. The energy on the bus was crazy!! Everyone was buzzing with excitement!!

We found out that the babies had arrived around 1pm, and that a couple of them had been sick on the ride.

When we got to the government office we were told to go to the fifth floor, most walked up, but a few of us (with bad knees) took the elevator. We got off the elevator and were ushered into a small room, just enough for all 11 families, really. We no sooner had turned around and they were saying “It is now time to present the babies, Mason family here is your baby!” Tears started flowing from me, and Mark was video taping like crazy! I have to tell you, that the experience in that room is almost indescribable, most babies did not cry, but just looked around. When it was our turn, which was literally 5 minutes (and we were the 8th family) after the whole thing started, they called our name, and we stepped forward and through the door came our little Ryleigh. She was smaller then I pictured, and has all of her hair, and is just adorable. She didn’t cry at all, and we took her and sat down on one of the couches to get to know eachother. We gave her her dolly right away and she clung to it. Mark videotaped the rest of the families, and then we had some family time. Ryleigh cried just a little bit, a quiet little cry. She was very wide eyed and scared. She fell asleep after about 20 minutes and we were told we could ask questions of the nannies and director. We went in and sat with a nanny, who ended up not being in Ryleigh’s “room”, but knew about her and said she was a good baby, a good sleeper, and eats a few things, she said she is very healthy, and when she’s angry, she can be easily calmed by picking her up. Oh, and she was one of he babies that threw up on the ride to the office. I’m pretty sure they say that to everyone! We presented the Director with the knit hats that my mom made and he was VERY thankful. We also gave them a photo album from a family that adopted a little girl in 1999 from Xinyi. The nanny was over the moon looking at the pictures!

Later, we were given little photo albums with pictures of Ryleigh, the orphanage, and the soccer stadium in Xinyi. It was very nice! We also received all of the things we sent (except the chocolates) and the disposable camera which was completely used up!

When we finally got back on the bus, Ryleigh just stared out the window, and was very quiet. I was worried she was going to puke all over me so I had a blanket handy. When we got back to the room, we changed her diaper and then sat with her and let her down and she played a little bit. She is just a little thing, with the tiniest little butt!! She has Mongolian spots all over her shoulders, and down her back. She has an adorable little belly button (innie). She also has a LOT of teeth, I counted 6 or 7 in the front and molars popping in in the back (we saw this when she was crying). Her teeth are so sweet and little!

Mark gave her a bottle and she ate about half and a few cheerios. She’s a very dainty eater and took 4 bites to eat 1 cheerio!! We let her play and walk around, and she stayed close. If I called her she would come to me and put her arms up. I even got a tiny smile when we were playing with the stacking cups. She stayed up until around 8 and put her in her pajamas and put her in bed, she immediately started sucking on the first two fingers of her right hand and went RIGHT to sleep with her dolly.

She is just sweet and we are so in love!!!!