Hockey and Hairbows: Mia's Gotcha Day

Showing posts with label Mia's Gotcha Day. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Lost Gotcha Day Video

I was looking through some things and found a couple of videos from when we first saw Mia. I did not post them initially because we could not hold her and because there was so much other video to post, but now I thought it would be cute to post these two videos of the first time we ever saw Mia.

I may have told this story before, but when we got to Changsha we found out we were getting Mia in the afternoon at 3pm. We were a bit saddened by this as we wanted her in the morning but we got over it quickly. As Gotcha day progressed we kept seeing families with babies that they received in the morning and we thought there would be a group of us in the afternoon also. Well, come to find out, we were the only family in the afternoon. In fact, there were other babies from Yueyang County but they had Gotcha in the morning. So, we were the ONLY family there in the afternoon. In fact, the official that oversees the "hand off" of baby to parents had left for the day because she didn't realize there was a family in the afternoon. In hindsight, I am sooooooooo thankful that we were the only family because it provided a calm and easy environment to get to know Mia.

Anyway, we thought there would be other families when we got off the elevator but as you will see in the video, we were it. The second we got off the elevator we day a nanny holding a baby and I immediately knew it was Mia. The video shows how it progressed but this video is the exact first moments we saw Mia and our interaction. I was stuck by how standoffish the nanny seemed to be. I don't remember her being like that in my mind. I remember her being really nice and friendly as we saw her a few times while in Changsha. AS the video progresses and into the video that was initially posted for Gotcha, she seems to open up a lot. The rule is that we cannot take Mia until the official is there to do the hand off. So, maybe she was worried we would try to take Mia or maybe it was something else. Whatever the case, I remember her being a sweet woman who was easy to smile. She obviously loved Mia as she said so when we saw her when we visited Yueyang COunty. I am also struck by how interested Mia was with us. She just stared at us and watched our every move. She is like that now- very inquisitive and attentive. She also loved my voice from the moment we got her. When I spoke, she always looked at me and studied me. THe reason I point that out is because many of the babies did not like my voice. In fact, we figured it out that there were a few babies who would cry every time I was around speaking. I have an unusual voice and it tends to be a bit louder than the average, so I can understand it scaring babies. But with Mia, she loved it. It really is amazing how perfectly matched she is for our family.

I just really am so thankful for being that one and only family in the afternoon. It made for a calm, relaxed and amazing experience. If we had been in the morning I am sure one baby would have started crying and then it is always a chain reaction. Mia may not have taken to us as well as she did and I 100% credit our afternoon situation for that wonderful bonding experience we had.

Enjoy the videos!

Christy :)

OUR FIRST LOOK AT MIA!!!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Share Photos - Free Video Hosting

MORE MIA

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Share Photos - Free Video Hosting

Monday, May 21, 2007

Mia's Gotcha Day!!!

MIA GOTCHA!!!!!

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

Here is the new text.

We finally got Mia to sleep. It wasn’t too hard but the problem is she will not drink her bottle. The lady at the baby store forgot to give us a scoop so we think we are making it wrong. I spoke with a few people downstairs and they said it should be really thick so we made it that way and she still won’t drink it. We were able to get some rice congee down her a bit ago, but that is all she has had and she is still not fussy. She fussed a little a bit ago but we put her down and she went to sleep. I think she will probably wake up and want to eat and at that point I hope she will eat the formula or we will be in trouble. Oh well—we will make it.

So, today was wonderful!!! It was all it could have been and more. Mia is perfect in everyway and we feel so blessed to have this little one be our daughter. All the other families we saw at the hotel all got their babies this morning and I assumed there would be a few that got them at 3pm with us but when we got to the Civil Affairs office there was no one there. We got off the elevator and all of a sudden we looked over and there was Mia with her nanny. I knew her face immediately plus there were no other babies or nannies around so it had to have been Mia. I lost it for a second and then realized I needed to compose myself so Mia could get to know us. The nanny cannot hand Mia to us until the official person checks everything and says it is OK. So, we were given about a 20 minute “get to know you” session before we ever even got to hold Mia and it was the best thing that could have happened. For 20 minutes we were able to smile at her and touch her (without holding) and talk to her. She was just enthralled by us. She studied our faces for long periods and was very intent on starting at us. We were the only family there at 3pm (which was another perfect situation because there we no other crying babies to scare her) so the person who officially hands Mia over was already gone so they had to call her back. She finally arrived and they handed us Mia. She first went to Kev and she was just as happy as can be (see video—the last one is the first time we held her—they are backwards for some reason). She had no issues at all and went to me fine as well. She is just the happiest baby I have ever seen. AMAZING!!! Even the ladies in the room as well as our guide who does this everyday and is with families at gotcha said that Mia is the happiest baby they have ever seen. She really is!!! She is happy and active and cute and does not really cry (at least not yet—we know it is the honeymoon).

Once we were done with the paperwork we all left and we went to get baby supplies. We got her formula (which were not sure is the right stuff because she won’t drink it) and diapers (we got the wrong ones). We then came back to our room and played with her for a few and made some phone calls. The whole time Mia was happy and never even fussed. She ended up falling asleep right before dinner but then woke up again so we were able to get some congee down her but not a ton. I know she must be hungry. At dinner a Chinese lady (who was staying at the hotel) came up to us and commented on her tiny features which a few others have commented on also. I asked her why people have been saying that to us (in a nice way) and she said because it is a sign of beauty with Chinese girls and that Mia is a very pretty little baby. I felt so good hearing that. So, it is proven, she is the most adorable baby in the world!!!

WE left dinner and she was tired—us too. She got a little fussy but was just real tired but even her fussiness was very minimal she never even all out cried. She is just such a perfect little one!!

Anyway, enjoy the video and the pictures. I will post a ton more tomorrow. I am exhausted and need to go to bed so until tomorrow—ENJOY!!!

This is the old text.

Words cannot express how we are feeling right now. Mia is the most wonderful little angel I have ever met. She is perfect in every way. We are just beside ourselves with joy.

We need to go to dinner and get Mia fed so I am going to write more in a few but I wanted to get these videos posted so all of you east coast people can see. I will write more when we get back from dinner and get Mia to bed- probably about 2 hours.

She is by the way the perfect baby!!!!