Gotcha day, part 3: The first few hours

Julie and I really got a kick out of some of the answers to our questions:

What comforts her when she is sad? 

something sweet, candy

What is her favorite thing to play with?

Fruit Ninja on the iphone or 'talking friends' (What? Really?!)

Seriously, is there a toy?

she does love dolls (whew, good)

Food?

She likes soft food, not real hard stuff, she does not like sour food.

(and later she said, 'Oh, yes, she really loves french fries, and lots of ketchup, I took her to KFC and she loved the ketchup', I replied that she was already American, and we laughed)

potty trained?

no, she doesn't like to go, but if you take her and wait a minute she can.

Sleeping?

she usually likes someone with her to go to sleep. Interesting. And she sucks her thumb (are you sure she is not a Coker?)

There was a ton more, but by the end Julie said: 'so basically she likes junk food and playing on the ipad', so unexpected.

And so....first moments on the ipad.

 Getting to know her environment...

I mean. Just cuteness.

Go Aunt Lolo, bringing the blocks! This was great bonding time, she got down to play and even started smiling some. This is what we were hoping for, some smiles. And boy were those small grins beautiful. I had relaxed on the picture taking, and didn't capture the best, in-the-moment smiles, but they were there!

 The blocks would fall, and if she couldn't get it on right, she would grab Travis' hand to do it. We were all amazed at what a quick learner she is! They told us that she could mimic words really well. The workers were confident that if we spoke English to her she would be able to repeat the sounds, even though her first language is Cantonese (not Mandarin, bummer).

There's that fun grin!

And of course a toy cell-phone is a must. She started talking on it right away! It said 'hello' and she said 'hello' right back. I didn't catch it, I didn't believe it, I thought it was the phone. But Travis and Julie were amazed, and then she did it again. 

I went out to get milk (they say she loves milk!) and dinner, and Julie went to another 'paper party' (arranging paperwork for tomorrow's events). By the time we both got back, Travis said Shiloh had repeated 'papa', 'mama', and so many other words from a picture book. She is impressing us, and proving those workers right, she will mimic anything. 

She absolutely did not like getting her jacket taken off, or her shoes, or the bath. But she eventually calmed and knew things were still okay!

Shiloh's first dinner as a Williams' kid! Chinese take out. Actually it was 'Muslim food' take out. That is really what the sign said, I am not making it up. Shiloh ate a few noodles and a little bit of the dumplings but not much. She did drink her milk and eat some cracker/cookies we had gotten. 

These first few hours back at the hotel she really did start to warm up. We have no idea what the night will hold, but so far things seem to be going pretty well (I have no idea Travis and Julie's thoughts, I am sure there are many anxieties still weighing and will be for awhile, but those first few fears and 'what ifs' have given way to their God-given gifting as incredible parents, I still stand in awe).

 

 I told Travis at dinner: 'Shiloh has got some personality'. He laughed and said I know! 

She has some cute spunk to her already creeping out of those big shy eyes. She knows what she wants and how to get it, she is such a quick learner, she hates a mess, anytime water or milk was on her face or even on the table she motioned to it, and Travis would clean it up.

 Baby Shiloh. Not a baby, a sweet, precious, little girl. She now has a real home, her own home, her own family, a real mommy and daddy, and genuine sacrificial love infused into her life. The gospel lived out. Adoption.