If I Step Outside My Life...

I find my new son hilarious.  When I think that it is ME who will be raising this boy, OH MY!  Yesterday, last night, and this morning were very difficult.  I expected as much, still it's hard when the expectations become your reality.  Our new son was not liking us very much, and he is still not a huge fan.  This afternoon I felt more hopeful, though, and hope is always a good thing.

I wrote a friend of mine tonight and told her about some of the funny stuff we've overheard from Dan Dan the last couple of days.  They are pretty good (would be even better if someone else's kid said them, and not mine!), so I thought I'd share.

- When we were on the way back to the hotel after taking him from the orphanage yesterday, we'd known him about 30 minutes. We were trying to get to know him, full of the moment/joy/oohs and aahs/etc, and he shouted at us in Mandarin.   We asked the guide what he said and he said "Enough talking! Be silent!"

- This morning we had to go w/one of the workers from the orphanage to government meetings to file documents for the adoption. The guy is Fu Cho, super sweet, speaks only Mandarin. I heard him talking in the car to Dan Dan and the name "mama" kept coming up.   Couldn't tell what he was saying, but from the look on his face he seemed totally honked off. I asked the guide/translator if he was talking trash about me and he very sheepishly said yes, then added he doesn't really meant it.   Um, yeah.  I think he does.

- Later Dan Dan complained to Fu Cho that I would not give him Coke for breakfast.  He was very angry about this.

-In China, they bundle children up in layers and layers of clothing, so they won't catch cold.  No matter the weather.  Our son had on 3 layers top and bottom, as well as a coat when he came to us yesterday, in 70 degree weather!  If you don't dress your children in the same, you will be scolded by total strangers!  So, we were in the car again today, Dan Dan screamed at me, called me Mama for the first time.  I thought it was a good thing.  I finally got the translator to tell me what he said.   It was "mama, your little girl is cold, put more clothes on her!!"   He was referring to Annie, and SCREAMING.   Annie said she was not cold, by the way!  :)

- When the nannies asked Dan Dan what if he doesn't like the food on the airplane, he said "I will get my OWN airplane and drive it to America and eat what I want."

- Also in the car (we were in the car a LOT today) he said in to me in Mandarin "You need to keep your sunglasses on always.  They look better on your face."

I'm scared. (That is a quote from me!)