It's Official!!!

Robbie woke up 3 times last night and we were finally able to get him to take a bottle at 2am. That was the first time he took one for us. This helped his belly and he was able to sleep till just after 6. He was not a happy camper when he woke up but soon decided that we were ok again and he could play and giggle a bit. They sent these little cakes with him and he wanted one this morning so cake it was for breakfast.
We got ready and went down for breakfast at the hotel buffet. He had all the ladies cooing at him. This boy can eat! He ate quite a bit in the room and then just shoveled it in at breakfast. Rice, noodles, bread and congee.
Then it was time to get our stuff together to meet our guide and head back to the civil affairs office to sign the official paperwork for Robbie's adoption. I also had my first encounter with a "squatty potty" at the civil affairs office. It was interesting to say the least.
Robbie's main nanny was at the office and she cried when she saw him this morning. It brought tears to my eyes to see how much he was loved.
They told us he called her grandma and she kept him happy while we did the paperwork, since once he saw her, he was not happy with us anymore. The orphanage director was there too. We got all the paperwork signed and had to fill out a local application to adopt him. Each time you sign your name to something you have to put a red thumb print over your signature. Robbie had to put his hand print on the paperwork to agree to be adopted. We brought clothes and a blanket for the orphanage to replace the clothing and blanket they sent Robbie to us with. Our guide found out that he was the only child they have!! No wonder he was so loved. We also think that everytime he cried they fed him and yes that is indeed why he weighs 25 pounds. We have a bathroom scale in our room and Derek held him and weighed himself and then weighed himself with out Robbie and it is 25 pounds! No surprise once you see how much this kid eats!! (Laura this is for you: Derek says he is going to nickname him Griffin if he keeps eating like he does! LOL)


So now it's official. He is ours!!!

They want our guide to go back to their office tomorrow afternoon for something. Not sure what that is all about. We can pick up his passport on Friday and then fly to the southern part of China for the visa paperwork.

Once we got back to the room he played for a bit and then settled down for a nap. He slept and hour and a half so that was good. After his nap it was bath time. So Dad hopped in the tub and played with Robbie while I washed him up. He was not too sure about sitting in the water but would stand and let me wash him. He doesn't like the water in his eyes but what kid does.
Most of the afternoon was spent eating and playing, he is opening up more and more. Then tonight we bundled up and headed out to Wal-mart. He likes to be out and about and he did well in the carrier. We stopped at KFC for supper but had issues even with a picture menu. So we got a few things and then went to McDonald's and got more things to round out our meal. Robbie had his first taste of french fries but they were from KFC and really not that great. I shared bits of my hamburger with him and he kept coming aback for more.
We have figured out that Robbie hates the elevator. Not sure why this is but he screams every time we go in one from the time the door closes till it opens again.
We didn't get any of the items back that we sent to him either through our agency or the care package we sent to him. They sent a large blanket with him but it was not the one that came in his care package. I had really hoped we would of gotten to keep those items.
Robbie goes to each of us equally. He has his times when he wants Daddy and times when he wants Mommy. Mostly to Mom for comfort and when it's time to sleep.
It was -17 when we got up this morning and there was a nice haze of smoke in the air. We couldn't even see the buildings across the river early this morning. There are always people out on the frozen river. This morning they had some horses out there. People are ice skating and going on these ice sled things, also a few doing kite ice sledding. You can see the paths across the lake where the people walk from one side to the other. The river is quite wide and there is also a gondola that we can see from our room going back and forth across the river.
The next couple days are free days and there is not really much to do here. Echo said she would take us to walk around the area tomorrow afternoon and then Thursday have the driver take us to see a large church in town. We have driven past it a couple of times I believe it's called St. Sofia's and looks very Russian.