Day 2 with Anna

Today we are starting day two with Anna!  She still is very withdrawn, but has made some improvements.  We first noticed at lunch yesterday, she would turn her head and look at things at the restaurant.  She was fascinated by the tv.  I don't know if Maria's Big House of Hope has a tv, so this may have been her first experience, among many.  She ate the noodles really well, so I was happy that she was eating.  We had been told how wonderful the noodles at the Holiday Inn Express were....and they did NOT disappoint!  While they finished lunch, I walked back to our hotel with our friend Jennifer to complete paperwork to get ready for our registration appointment today.  Today our adoption will be official! 

When we got done with the paperwork, I found Anna asleep in Mark's arms out in the hallway.  Our room is so hot it is so uncomfortable.  Mark had to go sign his part of the paperwork, so we successfully handed off Anna and she slept for quite awhile longer.  When she woke up, we had to take her to Yisha's room to have Anna's handprint put on the paperwork.  I thought this would not go well, but Yisha & Rita talked with her & made it playful, so it went well.  Rita immediately noticed Anna rasping and bites all over her arms & legs.  Thankfully we have a husband & wife on our team that are both doctors, so Yisha sent us down to have them examine Anna.  She has bronchitis and was running a low grade temp of 100.   They had some antibiotics with them and gave it to us and told us to also give her tylenol.  Hopefully we can get her feeling better soon. 

The next big step of bringing her out of shell was getting her to stand on her own.  Before she would not put any weight on her legs, just wanted to stay frozen in one spot.  We went for supper and it was quite the experience.  We were told the food was good, but the communication was difficult.  This was definitely true.  We got put in a room with a door.  Again, no airconditioning.  So hot.  They handed us a menu and we basically pointed.  Bob, Jennifer's husband was trying to ask for bottled water.  While I enjoyed his miming, it was not successful in getting them bottled water.  Every time the staff came in, they would knock on the door.  It made us chuckle.  They brough in place mats and various silverware.  It was interesting, because Bob started to slide his over to Jennifer & the waitress said no and pointed to Bob.  We noticed that each of us received different silverware based on what we ordered.  It was interesting.  We ordered a small bowl of congee for Anna & Allie to share.  Congee appears to be a bit like cream of wheat, but with rice and more liquidy.  The staff ended up bringing us two HUGE bowls, one which we sent back.  Anastyn took two bites and wouldn't take anymore.  Allie wouldn't even take a bite.  Both girls ate up the spaghetti noodles and the rice & eggs Jennifer had. 

Anastyn prefers being held by me, but goes to Bethany fairly easily.  She is hit and miss with Mark.  This morning she went to him ok and right now is letting him read a book to her.  When we got back to the hotel last night, Anna finally walked.  She held onto Bethany's hand and I had to be on the other side of her and we walked up and down the hall.  There are lots of floor length mirrors in the hallway.  She doesn't appear to like looking at herself in the mirror.  We tried to go past our room, into a more open area, but she wouldn't move.  She also wouldn't move if I wasn't on the other side of her. 

Yisha wanted us to give Anastyn a bath to check and see if the bug bites were all over her body and not just on her arms & legs.  She really didn't do too bad.  She whimpered a little at first, but then was quiet.  I think she actually likes a bath, but didn't want to show us that.  However, she took her little right hand was slowly tapping the water. I brought a pink duck and pink boat from home.  She liked them.  She held onto the duck while we combed her hair and put on her pajamas. 

Anna is little.....so little.  She weighs at best 20 pounds.  She is much shorter than Blayten.  It will be interesting when we get the two of them together and compare sizes.  I brought 24 month clothes and I think some will work and some will be too big.   We left her in the clothes & shoes they brough her in yesterday.  They were too small and we discovered after we took her shoes off that they had rubbed her skin raw.  We felt so bad.  It had to hurt. 

We put in a veggie tales video into our laptop and layed on the bed.  As Bethany said this morning "I went into the bathroom for like 5 minutes and when I came out all 3 of you were asleep on the bed!"  Anna slept all night long with no problems.  She woke up around 6:30.  She is still hestitant, but seems more relaxed.   

Here are some pics I know you are waiting for!