Greetings from China,

Thanks you for your encouraging thoughts and supportive messages. It means the world to us. Sorry we still cannot upload pics, but eventually they will come.

After dreaming and imagining about Gotcha Day since before Lili Eloise (Lilu) was even concieved, we experienced it first hand yesterday. It was the most emotional day of our lives. It was an emotional rush surge and crash that words cannot describe.

Lilu is beautiful and cuddly...and getting more comfortable with us every minute. She is tall... none of the clothes for 12 mo year olds we brought fits. She came to us straight away, quietly and tenatively. She wanted to be held all afternoon and all night, but would not make eye contact and arches her back to pull away when pushed to. We think she must have spent a lot of time on her back and in walkers, even when eating. We were most startled when she could not seem to suck from a bottle (she is used to a large hole in the nipple for milk and cereal to pour out into her throat) or eat from a spoon and swallow without tilting her head back. Today she is drinking from a bottle and eating from a spoon like a champ. She is not walking yet, but she can stand assisted and sits up independently unsupported. Our first day with her was quite a shock for all of us. Lilu was almost completely unresponsive and we felt quite scared and insecure as new parents.

Today was a great day for all of us and Lilu had some milestones: she held eye contact for more than 30 seconds with me (quite a bit longer playing with rene), she laughed! She ate noodles and drank from a sippy cup too. She says "pa pa pa pa" and apparently prefers to be out in the chaos of the city than in the small confines of our hotel room. She smiled and waved at strangers today (making me wish i looked more chinese) and sat on the bed exploring and playing independently.

We hope that tomorrow might be a better day still. It is going to take us all some time to get used to each other. We cannot wait to bring our baby girl home. We will visit the orphanage tomorrow.

xoxo,

erika