Update on Gemma

Today was a paperwork day - photos for the babies' passports and filling out the many complicated forms for the U.S. consulate. It was another 80+ degree day (which I love!!) and we just took some short walks from the hotel and did some shopping.

So, I thought tonight's post would be about Gemma. She is currently asleep on our bed, breathing just inches away from Edie's face. Those two are adorable sprawled out on their pink blankets in their PJs. When Chris and I go to bed, we will move Gemma to her crib since she really sleeps better there. Gemma is a super alert girl - she is really interactive and loves to babble to us and make us laugh. We think she is attaching well to us. Today, in the hotel playroom, I was pleased that in the middle of many kids, parents and lots of activity, she would scoot across the room to bring things back specifically to me. She made a pile of toys in my lap! She loves her daddy and her jie jie (big sister). She is learning simple things, like waving bye bye and making the sound, clapping her hands when we say "clap, clap, clap" and playing peek-a-boo. She loves music and sways and bounces whenever she hears a good beat.

For some reason, I thought Gemma would be petite, but she is quite the little chunk. We all think she has gained at least a couple of pounds since last Monday. She loves the enormous breakfast buffet here at the hotel - eating eggs, congee, bread and rolls, breakfast meat, dumplings, and all kinds of fruit every morning. She will be mightily disappointed to see what I serve her each morning in Newton. We brought a huge bag of cheerios to China for Gemma, but after just a few days she was turning up her nose at them, knowing that "real" food was available. Although she will take a bottle for comfort, she is also letting me know that formula is sort of boring to her. She is already good at feigning interest in the bottle in order to give it a good, solid throw to the ground once I hand it to her.

We are beginning to learn her schedule - she likes a morning nap and a short late afternoon nap. She falls asleep pretty easily if we lay her on her back and rub her tummy. She has not had any night terrors or any real problems at night so far, and when she wakes up in the morning she is all smiles. How lucky we are to have two girls who wake up in such a good mood!

Morning bath


Drying off


Eating breakfast


Post-breakfast playtime