5.10.2008

We've come a long way baby...

For the first five days with Bei in Nanjing, the families would all meet at the hotel restaurant for the buffet breakfast and there the "veteran" mom's would be; their hair coiffed, make-up applied and their child sitting perfectly quiet in a high chair. No screaming, no yelling, no tantrums. Not Team Rookie, I had not been able to do my hair, apply my make-up to my satisfaction and the sacred lipstick had not touched my lips since Beijing. Oh and I forgot to mention the high heels, I brought them, but they haven't left the suitcase. None of you would recognize me. Meal time with Team Rookie is quite a sight, Dan is racing back and forth to and from the table to the buffet. Juggling three plates to five plates. Bei is orchestrating it all, stand on your head mamma and suck noodles through your nose, Daddy, now race back and get me more congee or I'll throw this plate across the room. You get the picture, he was the little Emperor and we are at his beckon call. Dan and I realize that we will have to lower the boom at some point with Bei, because as it stands now, not a one of you would ever have us over for dinner. We decided we have bigger fish to fry at this point and we'll deal with proper etiquette when we get home.

I was ravenous by the time we got to Guangzhou, in Nanjing we would feed Bei, Dan would eat and it would be time to go because Bei was so antsy...notice anything missing?? Yes, I never got to eat, so I would shovel a few spoonfuls of rice in my mouth as we left the table. As I mentioned, I was so famished by the time we got to Guangzhou, so we went out to dinner at a Thai restaurant. I saw my window of opportunity, Bei was distracted and their was a full plate of fried noodles sitting in front of me. I started shoveling it in my mouth like there was no tomorrow and all of sudden Jen (Bei's girlfriend mom) said hey, look at poor Bei Bei. He was holding his arm up like a shield, he had fried noodles all down his face and a big pile of noodles on his head. He reached out for Dan and wanted to get away from me. I figure it was a bonding moment for them. In the beginning Jen who has three kids teased me alot and kept telling Bei, "Bei Bei, don't worry, I'll sew my phone number into your clothes so that you can call me, if these two nuts don't get it together." She meant it all in fun...at least I think, we definitely have had alot of laughs along the way.

One last cute story before Bei wakes up from his nap. At night I would lay Bei in the middle of the King size bed and Dan and I would lay on either side. That worked for about 4 days and then he started getting restless and I couldn't figure out what he wanted. Two nights ago, he finally came and laid right next to me, grabbed my arm and wrapped it around him. It is kind of like he was saying, "Come on woman, get it right, I've been in an orphanage for a year, where is the love??" So now, we fall asleep to me spooning him in my arms. He is like waking up to a real live China doll. He is so beautiful. He woke Dan up the other morning by rubbing his feet on Dan's beard and moustache...hey dad, thanks for exfoliating my feet! He is such a cutie!

The really good news is that we are feeling like we are settling into a routine with Bei and each other. Not only is it a new experience to have a child, it is an experience and journey to figure out how to parent together. We feel like we are communicating well and figuring out our roles and responsibilities to one another...Dan does all the work and I sit around and hold Bei...it works well...just kidding...okay, there is some truth in it, but man is Dan a good worker! He definitely was raised correctly when it comes to work. No whining either...he is a good man.

I better go before Bei wakes up, we think he has separation anxiety and needs to see me right away or he gets out of sorts and is inconsolable for some time.

Love ya all!

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