Gotcha Day! Celebration - December 13, 2005

On December 13th, one year ago, Kaeli and I looked into each other's eyes in person for the very first time. She was a tiny, wide-eyed toddler who was unsteady on her feet but very eager to stay in the arms of this strange person who was feeding her these little round delicious things called Cheerios. And I was an ecstatically happy, proud new MaMa who was thrilled and terrified about all the days and years stretching out before us that we would be spending together. One year later, I am still as enraptured, entranced and enthralled by this growing, blossoming, funny, active, smart little bundle of energy that is becoming her own person as I was when I first held her in my arms.

Laurie and her partner Dave were able to come down from Seattle to help celebrate our first year anniversary of Gotcha Day! We went to "school" early so that we could watch Kaeli in her ballet class. Kaeli saw Dave and Laurie and spent most of dance class standing in one place, pulling her tutu up and down on her stomach and smiling at us, while the rest of the dance students followed the lead of the teacher.

After school ended and Kaeli had her nap, Laurie, Dave, Kaeli and I got on the MAX light rail and rode the "choo choo train" into town. It was Kaeli's first light rail ride, and she enjoyed it.

We met Kaeli's Kunming sister Madison and her MaMa Amy at the Portland Chinese Garden, where we strolled around and visited and enjoyed the sights for the afternoon. It was almost like being in China again! The girls enjoyed chasing each other and screaming and giggling in one of the buildings - thankfully there were very few other people in the garden on such a cold day! We visited the gift shop, and then met Madison's BaBa David and went to the House of Louie for dinner.

The waitress there was wonderful! I explained that we were celebrating the first year anniversary of Gotcha! Day for the girls, and that they had been born in Kunming, China. I told her about the steamed egg custard dish that Dr. Susan and our guide ordered at every meal for the girls in China, and asked if there was something similar on their menu. The waitress said that it was "home cooking" for children and that she would ask the cook about it. Later she delivered a large bowl of steamed egg custard to our table, which the girls devoured! Kaeli kept asking for more "yello"! I think she was calling it jello, or she could have been referring to the color - I'm not sure, but whichever it was, she wanted more! As we were leaving, I learned that the waitress had fixed it for us herself, which was so nice of her!

The girls danced and ran around together, and had a great time, as did we all. It would have been perfect, however, if Kaeli and Madison's Kunming sister Alex and her MaMa Diane and BaBa Todd had been able to be with us!

Madison and her parents gave Kaeli tickets to the Portland Children's Museum, which we are looking forward to using soon! Kaeli and I gave Madison and Alex each a copy of Pi-Shu, a picture book about a panda baby in China, which Kaeli has and loves. Kaeli and I gave Laurie a wonderful hand-crafted book called "Good Morning China" which has lovely watercolors of the various activities people do in the parks in China in the mornings, which made both MaMa and Laurie tear up with fond memories - fan dancing, tai chi, ballroom dancing, games, painting, exercising and so on. There wasn't a picture of basketball bowling, though, which Laurie was disappointed about! (Laurie played a rousing game of basketball bowling in the Green Lake Park in Kunming with several Chinese men, who all cheered and clapped for her but still insisted that she had lost and owed them money - it was wonderful to watch!)

It seems like just yesterday AND a hundred years ago that we were traveling in China and meeting our daughters for the first time. Laurie and I both remember saying back then that some day we would look back on this trip with fondness and longing, and we were certainly right!!!

Here's to many more happy Gotcha Days, and every day in between, to come!!!

Love to everyone -
Kaeli and her proud MaMa