Sunday, August 5, 2012. Great Day for Us!

Well, today is one of my favorites, so far! Luke and I had the morning off, so we woke up slow and prepared for the day after breakfast! That was a treat! Downstairs we had a lovely meal, and met a lady who is adopting her sixth child. God Bless Her! She is here alone, as well, and we agreed to try and meet up for a play date tomorrow. She is here with a two year old girl with Cerebral Palsy and an older girl who doesn't speak any English. We took a little nap after breakfast, and Luke woke up quite content. In fact, I started noticing he was really showing me more and more of his smile.... Just simple moments, I change his diaper, pick him up, look down at his face... Big silly smile! Today was the first time I saw Luke a bit silly... He is subtle, though. He saves meaningful emotions... Doesn't hand them out frivolously! I respect that in a baby!

We went shopping and sightseeing at the Folk Art Museum with Lucia and the family from Michigan. It was so fun, and Luke was just the greatest of sports for the long, hot afternoon. He didn't fuss, he was observant, and took in every site! He was friendly, but reserved with admirers, and, as always, very loyal to Mommy... Good boy, sweetheart! Lucia held the baby for a while, so that I could use the restroom, and she really fell in love with him while I was gone. She went on about him, and told me that he smelled so good. She said, "Not all babies smell good, you know!". I agreed. Lucia is such a great shopping partner! She points me in the right direction, let's me know what she would do, and always ensures that what I'm bringing home for the baby is something she would purchase for a family member. She has told me several times, "No, not there. I will take you to a better store... Not a store for tourists.". I really appreciate the honesty, and trust that what piece of Luke's culture I bring home is meaningful and authentic.

While we were visiting the Folk Art Museum today, everyone was so welcoming and friendly. There were a group of young ladies pining over Luke, sometimes trying to communicate with me, but mostly speaking with Lucia. They noticed Luke's little feet, and looked at me. I just said, "Doctor...Fix.". I shrugged by shoulders, as if saying, 'not a big deal.'. They double-checked my response with Lucia, and she repeated my response, in Chinese. The ladies were so happy, and seemed pleasantly surprised. Later that afternoon, Lucia told me that those ladies told her that Luke looks like me. A lot of people in China have told us the same. What a kind thing to say!The best for last, I suppose... Today, Luke was the most expressive of any other day. He was very content and peaceful. He and I are doing very well! I've introduced raisins and apple juice... Keeping my eye on the diaper a bit these days. Lucia and I also purchased a children's tea at the grocery market to help with internal balance and digestion. His body has been through a significant amount of change in the last week. I'm really happy to have the tea, and Luke already loves it. My hope is that Luke and I are able to visit the swimming pool tomorrow!