One small step for Gabriella....one giant leap for the Beattie family!

"Humble yourselves therefore under God's mighty hand, that He may lift
you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him for her cares for
you." (2 Peter 5: 6-7)



Well today marks the one week anniversary of getting our daughter and
what a week it has been. A week of blessing, transitions and sore gums!
We keep pinching ourselves that we are in China with Gabriella and
after getting her visa application processed today at the British
Consulate, we are nearly complete with all of the necessary papers that
will permit us to leave the country next Saturday for arrival home in
Northern Ireland on Sunday (15th) morning. Yippee!



We continue to take steps into our new family life slowly, and are
trying to establish a simple routine that allows Gabriella to cope with
the massive change in her life. Today consisted of a walk along the
lush pathways of Shamian Island (where we are staying), lunch at
Starbucks, Gabriella's daily afternoon nap and then out of our tea in
Lucy's diner. However today also marked significant milestones for
Gabriella. Today she did not cry when she had her bath. In fact she
loved the water so much most of it ended up on the floor and over us
lol and we were deafened by her shrieks of laughter as she splish
splashed all around her. But the biggest step of all today was hers!!
During evening playtime she just decided it was time to get up on her
feet and walk from one side of our hotel room to the other. This has
been a relief for us. We are amazed at her change over the past 7 days
- the sad face is replaced with a wonderful smile, albeit that she
still turns on the waterworks if she does not get her own way; her
stress has slowly reduced allowing her to observe the world around her
and become an active part of it; her lack of verbal speech is now being
replaced with constant babble and we also notice that when she hears
music she sways in response to it. Her mummy may have had something to
do with this!



Tomorrow we are off to the Guangzhou panda reserve, which apparently is
one of the best in China. We are really looking forward to that
experience so we promise to take plenty of photos and share with you
tomorrow dv



Lots of love

Caroline, Stephen & Gabriella

 

A lushious Shamian Island, Guangzhou

 

I hope those hands are clean??

 

Oscar here I come

 

"Beep Beep" My daddy taught me this!
 

 

"Ni Hao"

 

Chillaxing with daddy at our regular - Starbucks
 

Fancy meeting you here!