| View Show | Create Your OwnI've added captions to today's slideshow pix, so mouse over an image if you want to read it. To make the pix larger, you can click on "view show" right beneath the pictures and it'll open a new window with an identical, but larger slideshow.
I've posted some pix from our little field trip to Green Mountain which overlooks the city of Nanning. I believe this city has about 6 million people, so it's no little town though we'd never heard of it before this trip!
Olivia (Tan Tan) continues to be an extremely easy child! We never dreamed she'd be the easy one of our girls so early on. She is such a happy little girl, but she is making her preference for Mama known and now resists letting Baba (Daddy) do things for her. This is pretty normal so we're not too concerned, but I imagine it must hurt Daddy's feelings a bit though he's taking it all in stride.
All of the adoption attachment/bonding advice says not to let others hold or care for our child as we try to teach her that we are the parents and the go-to people...and to ask friends and family NOT to pick her up or feed her even if she asks, but to refer her to the parents to meet her needs until she learns that WE are her family and her source for getting needs met (vs. what she grew up with having various staff members meet her needs). ...so, I'm not appreciating our Chinese driver's affection for Olivia as he tries to pick her up every chance he can. Whenever he is around I make sure I'm holding her, but the minute I set her down to rest my arms, he materializes and swoops her up :( Yesterday, she nestled into his lap and was so content she almost fell asleep until I insisted that he give her to Mama. Though she is attaching to me, it's obvious she would be just as happy to be with him. We've only had her a few days so her reaction is perfectly normal, I just wish he'd get my not-so-subtle hints and gestures to cut it out. I really shouldn't be complaining though because that's pretty minor (and we don't see him every day) and if it's that's my biggest gripe, it shows that things are going extremely well :)
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3 comments:
That driver's persistence makes me wonder if at some time he has had to give up a baby girl of his own. Isn't Mandy around to explain the importance of this to him? I'm glad you are all doing so well. Andy - my heart goes out to you even tho I know what a patient man you are;-) Love, Diane
Karyn, Kole is bonding just fine after Mary held him for most of the time while we were in China. Probably be casue he kept running off and she was able to catch him. Olivia sees the man as familiar, looks like her etc. I wouldn't worry about her bonding with the cab driver. At least you know she can like men. So Andy has a chance. Our first daughter woudl not let my husband touch for for 3 weeks. Now she is daddy's little girl. When you get home it will change again and she may go to Andy instead of you. IF the cab driver bothers you overly much, have Mandy explain to him.
Shannon B
Good to hear how well things are going. Seeing the pics of Nanning brings back so many wonderful memories of our time there. We went to many of the same places with Echo. Olivia's bonding sounds much like ours with Anna. She would go to both of us just fine, but I always felt like she wouldn't know if we were gone and she was with someone else. She was always happy and seemed fine. Once we got home, things progressed well and she did indeed learn that we were the "top dog". Bonding happened quickly. Keep at it. Love is amazing!
Jennifer S
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