It’s Wednesday morning here and we’re gearing up for a once-in-a-century solar eclipse. China should offer a great view, but I’m guessing albinism and solar eclipses might be kind of like drinking & driving [except the combo is too rare to generate much activism]. I read a CNN article and it mentioned a guy from Atlanta who flew to China to witness it: he styled himself an ‘eclipse chaser.’ I guess I was wrong when I thought all the US families I see here came to meet their new child!

Kate is slowly adjusting to her new environment. She hasn’t cried much at all since we left the adoption office, but she does whimper on occasion. We tried to lay her down in her crib last night but she wasn’t down with that. On Monday night, we gave her a sponge bath and she did fine. Last night we progressed to a bath with dawn in the tub. She hasn’t said a word yet, but on monday night she talked in her sleep a few times – it was the first time we heard her voice. In the hotel room, she’s very chill. If we sit her on the bed while we do something, she just sits there, looking around. That’s kind of a new concept for us. Sam is neither a snuggler nor spectator.

Yesterday we returned to the adoption office for some paperwork, and she seemed pretty nervous, but also seemed interested in playing ball [cho] with a few other kids. We had to vow that we would love her, never abandon or abuse her in 2 different interviews at the adoption office. One guy didn’t seem too convinced with our answers and asked us several times to elaborate. [after I provided a succinct answer that I deemed satisfactory, the man politely turned to dawn with an outstretched hand, and said “more?”]. I don’t think he was being a jerk or intimidating, just thorough, which is fine with me.

Our guide, nicknamed Elvin, is fantastic. He’s 31 and very good with the kids, even though he doesn’t have children of his own yet. He earned bonus points last night when he drove to the airport to retrieve my lost luggage. [my jeans were not super fresh after 4 airports and hiking around Tiananmen square and the Great wall. And in case you think I’m the “over the top guy who wears the Coke shirt to meet his daughter”, I may be over the top but that was the only other shirt I packed in my carry on. Thankfully haute couture returned last night.]

Kate has a mild fever, cough & runny nose, to add to the emotional stress she’s under. She has not eaten much since we got her – but we hope and believe that will change soon enough.

She won’t let me hold her yet, but she wants dawn to carry her and hold her. She likes it when dawn carries her on her back, which is a mutually agreeable position since she weighs > 30 lbs.