Is he a monk?

Guangzhou Wednesday 11-2-11
　
Many honest moms have shared that fear of not recognizing their child. Despite our best efforts some families do not get updated photos for months before traveling and this is a normal worry. Especially for us moms who worry about every little thing. I wasn’t worried about not recognizing Joseph like I was Jewel. His brilliant smile and the fact that our photos were only a few months out of date so this should not have been a problem.
　
We arrived at the civil affairs office at 2pm with our guide, Helen. She told us to make ourselves comfortable and we chose a quiet corner. The room only contained one other family. Guangdong province and Jiangxi province are two of the largest adoptive provinces. But it is not common for families to meet their children on any day other than Monday. Immediately after sitting down Helen said, “Come meet your son Mama.” D and I jumped up and walked a few feet around the corner and there was a boy I had never seen coming through the door. This boy was looking up at the woman holding his hand while walking out of a curtained room. And he was BALD as a cue ball. I was speechless. Then he turned his head and smiled that huge smile of his and I knew it was our Guangbo. Him and his escort came the few feet between us with the Chinese adults all saying “go to your Mama”. I would have chosen a meeting with less pressure on him to join our family on the couches. I gave him a purple stretchy rubber lizard toy that I had brought for him and he was terrified of it. Not a great start. Then I wasn’t even allowed to sit down with him but instead was pulled away to do paperwork right away. When I was allowed to return to the family D and Joseph were playing Angry Birds on his Iphone. Much better liked than the lizard toy. Then we were rushed out to the van and returned to the hotel with a child I had barely met.

　
He is very happy and smiles all the time. He told our guide on the way home he had been with a foster family for the last year and he liked them but they did not like him and he did not want to return to them. So I guess that answers many of my questions about his foster mom. You would have expected some resistance to these strangers at least at bedtime. But he doesn’t seem to be anything but happy to be with us so far. We were given a copy of his schedule and advised to keep him on it. Well that’s a great idea. If we didn’t have appointments scheduled. And if his nap time was anywhere close to Jewel’s. And no I don’t think we are going to be waking him up at 5am. I don’t care what the schedule says, 5am is still bedtime. But we are going to try to keep his mealtimes as regular as possible.

If anyone wonders who took care of Jewel while we were busy I have a funny story for you. Little D was going to use the video camera and E was going to take still photos. But what to do with Jewel? I asked little D if he would wear Jewel in the Boba baby carrier and knowing how important it was he agreed. When we arrived at the Civil Affairs office little D put on the Boba and Jewel before we went inside. (Sometimes your child is waiting as soon as you walk in.) The doorman took one look at little D's hair and baby carrier and asked the guide if he was a girl or boy? He had never seen a boy carry a baby! I thought it was the carrier confusing the doorman, but no it was carriying the baby in any fashion.  Which just shows how grown up little D has become. He just laughed it off, knowing that being a man has nothing to do with who you carry but how you step up when needed.