Journey To MaryAlice

Back again with more photos...

2011-09-25T20:10:00.000-05:00

These photos are months old and its amazing how much older MA looks to me now when I see them. By the time I catch up to current photos, it could be 2013, but I'll forge ahead. I'm even further behind in making photobooks. But for now my goal is to not fall asleep while trying to bid on a Princess Jasmine costume for Halloween on eBay.

2011-08-29T20:44:00.000-05:00

I'm going to post some old photos to try and play catch up. These photos were taken at the beginning of the year. MaryAlice loves her sunglasses and wearing mommy's shoes. She's officially started pre-school since her birthday falls later in the year, so she'll get a solid foundation before kindergarten. She's been taking a tumbling class at school and swimming classes at the YMCA. This fall we're going to try Chinese school again. MaryAlice can count to 10 and name her colors in Chinese. She can also eat her weight in dumplings. I better end this post now before I bore myself to tears with the lack of creativity.

Time to post again....

2011-08-28T15:35:00.001-05:00

Last time I tried to post photos (about 6 months ago), I kept getting an error message. But after receiving a little nudge this afternoon, I thought I'd give it a try again while MA slides down her slide backwards and practices her scooter on the back patio. If this post goes through, I promise to update some photos and stuff later tonight for the 3 people that might still look.

We're Still Here...

2010-12-11T21:09:00.002-05:00

Things are busy here, but I'm hoping to have more time after the holidays to start posting pictures again. Not even sure if anyone still looks at the blog...

Second Anniversary Family Day

2010-09-01T20:43:00.007-05:00

Request for New Post Answered.

2010-07-11T21:52:00.003-05:00

Thanks Aunt L for those cupcakes...no really...thanks alot! The carpet thanks you. The furniture thanks you. I'll be sure to bring blue cupcakes when we visit your house next time. LOL

There's nothing like a little dance party time to work off those cupcake calories.

Thanks to the cappucino I drank at 6pm, I'm able to find the energy to post an update at 11pm (on a work night). As MaryAlice approaches her third birthday, she is amazing me with how much she has changed into a little girl.

Summer is here!

2010-05-15T21:31:00.002-05:00

Okay, Okay...Here are some new photos!

2010-04-05T20:36:00.006-05:00

This photo screams Georgia Tech alumnae at its finest...a very high tech Easter Bunny trap.

Pics

2010-03-01T20:43:00.001-05:00

Happy Year of the Tiger!

2010-02-11T21:45:00.002-05:00

MaryAlice celebrated Chinese New Year at her school today. The kids decorated Chinese lanterns with stickers, colored Year of the Tiger pages and read, "My First Chinese New Year" by Karen Katz. We're getting our hair cut and meeting friends for dinner at a local Chinese restaurant this weekend, as well as cleaning the house and eating noodles. Throw in a Valentine's Day celebration, President's Day, and you've got alot of partying going on in our house.

PottyTraining, Play-Doh and Pics

2010-01-17T12:47:00.003-05:00

A little Bar-B-Que and Play-Doh fun on New Year's Eve...

"You're not spooning it in fast enough Aunt Leslie!"

What a great momma I am...MaryAlice's fingers are probably frostbit and I'm laughing! She made it through 80% of the Gaylord Palms ICE exhibit on New Year's Eve and then lost it! We made the mad dash out of the the 9 degree cold and had PB&J sandwich (which cures 90% of all bad things, BTW) to remedy the situation.

I've been a bad blogger, so I'll post some bullet points to update what's going on in MaryAlice's world:

-Potty-training has started and going fairly well. I worry that I'll still be giving her gummy bears when she's 16 and goes poopy on the potty.

-She loves school and is doing well. She's now old enough to go on the playground everyday and her teachers say she loves it. I know its easier now to go to the park since she can climb and is steadier on her feet.

-Her language has taken off and she repeats everything I say, "Stop it kitty", "No touch mommy's coffee" and "Mommy is the boss".

That's all I can think of right now as I'm enjoying a cup of coffee during naptime. I should be doing laundry, or picking up toys, or studying, or exercising, or organizing papers, or cleaning out a closet. But, I'm not.

2010

2010-01-03T21:13:00.003-05:00

A year later and "the slide" has been conquered
"Here, Pawpaw, let me show you how to open the presents"

"Santa won't mind if I eat one of his cookies"

"I'm only going to wear this hat while Mom's driving on I-95 and can't my picture"...

"Oops, spoke too soon...you're pretty talented Mom"

Holiday Fun

2009-12-06T21:14:00.003-05:00

We attempted a visit with Santa Claus this weekend, but MaryAlice wanted nothing to with sitting on his lap, much less stand next to him. She had the deathgrip on me, so since I had already prepaid for the photo...this is what I get!!
We went on a carriage ride with the "ponies".

The only good that came from the man in the red suit was the lollipop.

This is MaryAlice's John Travolta impression of "Staying Alive, Staying Alive"

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-11-22T20:18:00.003-05:00

I am bound and determined to get a new update posted to Blogger tonight. Finding the time to upload the photos and write a brief text is tough when I have 3 more lectures to listen to and 3 chapters to read over the next three weeks. It would be nice to fit some exercise in too, but that may just have to wait for winter break. I need an extra two hours in the day to keep up with "stuff". MaryAlice has turned into a toddler overnight and is running all the time. She's moved up to the next classroom and is doing well. We're working on numbers, letters, colors, shapes and square roots ;)

I love, love, love The Kitchen Helper and so does MaryAlice. She can climb in and out of it by herself and play with her kitchen tools and pasta to her heart's content. Pretty soon, she'll be packing her lunch herself.

Never leave your face painting crayons in the car while your two year old plays and you unload groceries. They will find them and they're not afraid to use them. She did a pretty good job, I think.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T20:24:00.002-05:00

Pumpkin Patch and Boo at the Zoo

2009-10-28T21:03:00.003-05:00

"Some of these animals are kind of stinky...or is that my diaper?"

More pics...

2009-10-11T20:58:00.003-05:00

MaryAlice=0, Kid flailing book around=1

"I can't believe you've stuffed me into this size 18 month onesie! There ought to be laws..."

"My, what big feet you have little girl"

Another Barney Viewing

2009-10-10T22:45:00.000-05:00

Beach Weekend

2009-09-28T21:38:00.003-05:00

Just Photos for Now...

2009-09-19T11:58:00.001-05:00

No More Monthly Cupcake Photos!!!!

2009-09-07T19:52:00.004-05:00

The is the post-blow-out swim attire. Squeezing MaryAlice's thighs into a size 3 swim diaper is not pretty...

"Hey, where'd everyone go...I'm still eating"

No additional words tonight as I'm working on 3 1/2 hours of sleep after my main power line had a meet-n-greet with a tree limb at 1am. Of course this would be the day that MaryAlice only took a 40 minute nap.

A Year Ago Today....

2009-08-31T20:14:00.005-05:00

Trying to get MaryAlice's picture is sometimes, well..trying. She keeps running towards the camera.

I call this photo, "Sunday Afternoon Jam Session".

My sad little girl. These pictures make me so sad to see how scared she was. A five hour drive that day and carried in on a back papoose by the ayi (nanny), carrying a little jelly cup firmly in her hand. Her hair was about 1/2 inch long. I regret not taking more photos. I fear the memories and details are fading as time moves on. My baby is growing up and I'm going to miss rocking her, giving her a bottle, and carrying her into my bed, just so I can watch her sleep.

We have come so far in the past twelve months. I can honestly say that I feel MaryAlice has securely attached and bonded with me. It has taken twelve months to get here, with a few bumps in the road, and it took doing some things a little differently (co-sleeping, wearing her in a carrier, bottle at bedtime, eye contact games and more). Her teacher recently wrote on the bottom of her Daily Sheet, "MaryAlice brings so much joy and happiness to our classroom". I'm saving that one. She really is a joyful girl and has brought this Momma lots of happiness.

Barney Is The Man!

2009-08-20T20:33:00.003-05:00

I should be asleep, but I'll try to write some semblance of a post. I took a vacation day to take MaryAlice to see Barney Live at Universal Studios. With free admission pass in hand (compliments of AAA magazine insert), we made it through the entrance at 9:15. Only problem is that there is nothing for a two year old to do until 11am at that park. I still may send the complaint letter that I formulated in my head to Universal, if I find the energy. My issue is that there are no times listed on the website for the shows to help people plan their day in the park. I'll get off my soapbox now.

Barney was available for photo ops before the show and the assisting staff was very friendly. They had an indoor (air-conditioned) playground just made for little kids, so we hung out there for about an hour. The show was cute and MaryAlice loved it. She fell asleep as soon as I put her back in her stroller and headed to Islands of Adventure to just check it out. We rode the Cat in the Hat ride, the merry-go-round and played in the water spray park for little kids. We could have stayed there longer, but by 4pm, I was in the words of MaryAlice, "done".

A Day at the Beach

2009-08-09T19:58:00.003-05:00

MaryAlice is so tired at this point....

8 seconds into the ride home...

Happy 23rd Month Birthday!

2009-08-06T20:46:00.003-05:00

Sorry, no text tonight. I can barely keep my eyes open.

Photo Cropping is a Wonderous Thing

2009-07-19T20:14:00.002-05:00

There is a reason I've never taken MaryAlice to a photo-sitting before...she won't sit down unless there is a meal being served or Barney on TV. But, I had a coupon for some free photos, so I thought, why not. In this shot, she is actually holding onto my leg and her blankie behind her head. I like that it is off-center, but mostly because it captures "her" and how I see her.

New Places, New Stuff

2009-07-13T19:57:00.004-05:00

I call this photo, "Momma's Time Out"...ahh, naptime! That one hour in the day, on the weekend, that I can either go into chore overdrive or take a nap myself...heaven.
She finally made it into the water at our local splash park and I'm lovin' it.

I bought this slightly used bike trailer since MaryAlice is still warming up to the helmet idea and I thought I would feel more comfortable with her in that rather than the bikeseat. She's a sturdy girl and I was worried about balancing her on the bike. She loves it so far and I get a bit of exercise.

"Your Referral Is Here"

2009-07-06T20:32:00.004-05:00

One year ago today, 7-7-08 at about 10am I got this subject line in an email from my agency coordinator. I knew referrals were coming in after checking Rumor Queen every 15 seconds. We had arranged that she would email me first, so I could have my video camera ready to film "The Call". She then sent me the first pictures I saw of Nan Qi Guo taken when she was 7 months old. From that point until about 1 month after being home, I felt like the whole journey was surreal. My almost three year planning skills went into overdrive as I prepared for the trip. It's fun to look back on videos of the trip and see the tranformation. I feel like I've crossed a threshold and so far, I think we're doing just dandy. MaryAlice is doing very well. She's healthy, happy, affecionate, silly and is eating me out of house and home. She's on her way to becoming a very active two year old soon and knock on wood, no signs of "terrible" yet.

22 Months old!

2009-07-06T20:21:00.003-05:00

This will be a short post seeing as it is already 9:30pm and I have a list of chores to get done. MaryAlice has discovered Barney and could probably watch the one DVD I own 24/7 if I let her. I think I sang the "I love you, you love me" song 30 times this past weekend while driving down to my sister's house. It's actually a pretty catchy tune. She also learned some new words this past weekend. Eyeball and freckle...both very useful words that will serve her well in the future.

I will be posting something tomorrow morning, as it marks a special anniversary.

I Love's Me The Slip-n-Slide!!!

2009-06-28T20:14:00.002-05:00

Amelia Island Reunion 2009

2009-06-19T19:55:00.003-05:00

During the wait for MaryAlice, I "met" via the internet a group of families that were on about the same timeline as me. We made weekend trips to Savannah, Lakeland, and Boston; and followed and supported each others trip to China. Now that we're all home with our little ones, ten of the families gathered for the first official reunion in Amelia Island this past weekend. We all had a great time meeting the girls, watching them play and sharing some adult beverages in the hotel hallway while the girls slept. We're all looking forward to our next reunion where everyone can join us and we can watch our little ones grow up. I feel confident that this will be an annual event since we all enjoy each other's company and have shared so much of our lives with each other. For anyone still waiting, I highly recommend making the effort to network with others still in line and form those friendships. I feel like not only have I gained a daughter, but I have widened my circle of family.

21 Months

2009-06-06T20:57:00.004-05:00

Our big news today is that MaryAlice tinkled on the potty. And that's the truth...it was on the pottie, not in the potty. That's Mom's fault for not getting her situated appropriately. I was just tickled that she went and is not scared to sit on the little potty seat that fits on the big toilet. If I can escape not having to clean out a bucket, I will consider it a blessing. We practice every night before her bath and I've been working on the "language" of potty training.

We've been traveling a fair amount on the weekends, so are hanging low this weekend in town. Mommy needs a little break from sitting in a car and I know its no fun for MaryAlice. I don't know how traveling sales people do it!!

Just Photos

2009-05-17T19:53:00.003-05:00

I've Been a Bad Blogger...

2009-05-01T20:51:00.003-05:00

Checking for loose change, just like I taught her.

Here are some photos and factoids about recent events in MaryAlice's life....

*MA has transitioned up to the next classroom at school (18-24 months) and seems to be doing well. She's giving me the tears in the morning when I drop her off, but I'm secretly happy about that.

*Her language is really starting to explode. She has said a couple of two word phrases (Up Mama and Thank you Mama)...okay, that's three words...I better contact Mensa.

*The funniest thing and a reminder to me to be careful of what I say, is if I tell her "No, no...No touch", the next time she walks by the item, she'll wave her finger and say, "No, no".

*She kepted saying, "Bawpa" at church one day as I was holding her in the back alcove. Bawpa is what she says for Grandpa. I didn't know why she kept saying it and looked over my shoulder and there's a big ol' picture of the Pope!

First Easter

2009-04-12T19:16:00.004-05:00

She wanted nothing to do with the Easter Bunny, or finding eggs, for that matter.
This is the extent of the eggs we got...3. And those are the ones I put in her basket. Oh well, there's always next year!

Sophia is giving her advice on spotting the eggs.

It's very important to color coordinate your diapie-blankets with your Sunday clothes. Easter morning mass was a marathon. I didn't bother to get there early, since I knew we'd be at the back of the church eventually anyway. And adding an extra twenty minutes to my already hour long arm work-out, was not about to happen.

She may not be a lady, but she certainly is flexible.

And generous with her snacks...

I don't think MaryAlice fully appreciates the scope of my talents...

I call this photo, "Natural Consequences"

Happy 19th Month Birthday

2009-04-09T20:32:00.004-05:00

First Haircut and Other Odds and Ends

2009-04-05T19:56:00.004-05:00

I took MaryAlice to The Magic Kingdom for her first professional haircut. We battled the elements on the way as it was raining when we got there and I'm sure I said to myself repeatedly, "I must be out of my mind!". But I persevered and carried the 26 lbs. dumpling from the car to the entrance (no sissy tram for us!), in the rain and through the park. Okay, so the barber shop is practically right at the entrance, but it does make for a good story. No tears or shreaks from MaryAlice, as she was enthralled with the Mickey stickers. She even wore her new set of ears for more than 3 seconds. More pictures to come this week, so stay tuned.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-03-26T20:05:00.005-05:00

18 Months Old

2009-03-06T21:34:00.002-05:00

I call this next photo, "Sensory Integration Therapy".

If you look close enough, you can see the duct tape holding together the highchair!! Sorry, Mom. I know this will mortify you. I am my Father's daughter and am not ashamed to use a little duct tape and WD-40 when the occasion arises. Being the frugal, minimalist; I've been using this hand-me-down highchair and for the most part, it works fine. I'm not sure why I'm explaining this except for the fact that I know my Mom will ask. And Dad...the Gorilla glue didn't hold.

6 Months Ago...

2009-03-01T21:07:00.004-05:00

I can't believe six months have passed since I was handed this beautiful, bright, charming, silly little girl. She was so sad and scared that she just fell asleep on the bus back to the hotel that day. I think it is more upsetting now to look at those photos, than it was at the time because I was so caught up in finally meeting my baby, instead of focusing on what was going on in her mind. How brave she was. I remember stressing over whether to wake her up for a bottle or letting her sleep in that crib. And also, waking every hour just to make sure she was breathing and pinching myself that this had really happened...finally. I was so fortunate that she awoke the next morning a happier baby and ready to start the process of learning her new Mama. She has gone through so many changes in the past six months and is doing so well. I am blessed, not lucky, but blessed.

Just Photos for Now..

2009-02-23T21:07:00.003-05:00

I've been a little busy, so this is all I can do for now. If someone wants to come do my laundry, clean the dishes, prepare some meals, and run some general errands around town, I'd be happy to post more.

She won't keep her bike helmet on, but no problems with the Tupperware hat!

Here she is petting my sister's favorite kind of dog...stuffed!! I crack myself up sometimes!!

Bubbles!!

2009-02-10T20:45:00.002-05:00

You can't beat the weather we're having in Florida this week. Perfect for playing outside, opening the windows, and learning to blow bubbles.

Happy 17 Months Birthday!!!

2009-02-07T20:26:00.003-05:00

If they lock me up before we make it to the Month 24 cupcake...will someone buy my daughter her cupcake??? I opted for the tamer, "pink" cupcake this month. I really could just give her some icing, 'cause that's all she's interested in.

We've had a busy week! Not sure what we've done...but we've been busy. MaryAlice is staying awake a little later at night, so we've been able to have some playtime when we get home from school/work before dinner. I've been working with her on her balance and stability, so that mini-trampoline that I bought myself to get some exercise has actually gotten more use by her! We're doing lots of swinging, twirling, hanging upside down and dancing. She's been saying more words this week (bubble, good girl, ball, toot-toot [when she passes gas...sorry, TMI!] and car). I took her to storytime at the library today. I miss out on watching her interact with the other kids at school since I drop off and pick her up in a matter of 5 minutes. It was fun...we'll be back.

We had our six month post-placement visit by my social worker. I can't believe we've been home for almost six months. Things are going very well. She's growing up too fast, though.

Dumplings Anyone???

2009-01-25T21:12:00.005-05:00

Check back later, as I'll and more to this post...I'm pooped!
I stopped after 40...had enough pork filling for another 40...couldn't do it. There's a reason these are New Year's Dumplings. It takes a year to eat one batch.

MaryAlice loved them though...of course there's not much she doesn't love as far as food is concerned. Except for my tuna noodle casserole...didn't love that.

Do they make girdles in size 18 month??

She thinks its cool to drive with one arm on the steering wheel. I think so too, but I'm a geek and am a two handed driver. I'm going to try and not geek her up.

This is her Michael Jackson "Thriller" imitation.

Oh No....

2009-01-19T21:24:00.004-05:00

She's learned that word that every parent dreads....No! But it sounds so darn cute that's hard not to laugh when she says it. I'm just happy to start hearing her talk more. I guess I'll need to find something else to worry about now.

Here she is doing one of her favorite things. And for some reason, my appetite is now back, so it's one of my favorite things to do as well.

We went to the local Chinese American Association Chinese New Year celebration this past weekend. I've put up some decorations around the house and will attempt to make dumplings this weekend. I'd like to become proficient enough at 3-4 dishes so that next year, I can host a small Chinese Year Celebration. There are some other traditions that I want to incorporate into our celebration such as:
-sweeping the house on the eve of the New Year (sweep the bad luck out)
-Get a haircut (starting the New Year with a fresh start)
-having a bowl full of tangerines, oranges (prosperity and good luck)
-give a red envelope to MaryAlice with money (hongbao=good luck)
Along the way, I'm sure I'll learn more, but a little bit at a time.

I'm sure there was some more stuff I wanted to blog about, but I keep falling asleep, so better call it a night.

New Photos

2009-01-11T20:51:00.003-05:00

What is it about Tupperware that she finds so fascinating?? I mean, sure it's fun and pretty, but this is the "go to" drawer in the kitchen that she can always find some treasure.
It kills me to watch her play in her new kitchen and that she knows what to do with all the tools. My co-worker gave this to her for Christmas, and while I gave him a hard time for giving her something that had 50+ pieces to assemble, it actually went together fairly easy and I only had 2 leftover screws.

There's a little part of me that wants her to wear this for the next 18 years...

And I thought I had bad bedhead!!

I call this photo Tupperware surfing.

I Must Be Out of My Ever Lovin' Mind...

2009-01-06T21:24:00.004-05:00

...to give a toddler a cupcake with blue icing. I may need to warn her teachers tomorrow that she's not hypoxic, with her blue lips and fingers. I bought the orange and blue cupcakes in honor of the Florida Gators Title game in Miami on Thursday. Go Gators!!

I'm actually surprised that she wore the sunglasses, since she hates anything on her head...bows, hats, bike helmets!! I've been trying to size her bike helmet for 2 weeks and she won't keep it on long enough for me fix it. I guess I shouldn't worry about it since she hates it that much, it doesn't look like we'll be using it anytime soon.

We're in the midst of some serious teething. And along with that goes some serious drooling, finger biting, crankiness (okay, not too bad) and restless sleep. I think the worst is over for the time being thanks to our friends, Mr. Tylenol and Ms. Motrin.

For those of you itching to follow along on some new adoption journeys, 3 of my friends are leaving tomorrow for China. If you click on the links at the sidebar for "Lauren Elizabeth", "Kaelie" and "Giorgia's Spot", you can follow along. Lauren Elizabeth is from the same social welfare institute as MaryAlice, in Guangdong.

It is hard to believe that we've been home almost four months. MaryAlice is doing so well and is just a smart little spitfire. She loves her little piano and kitchen utencils. She does this belly laugh when I shake her bottom after putting a new diaper on. And she's learning new words everyday...mama, cookie, more, night-night, and book. It is just an amazing age to witness her discovery of so much. That's about all I can pulled together at 10pm.

She's Got Moxie...

2008-12-28T19:49:00.006-05:00

Blogger has decided to post these photos backwards, so I'll work backwards...

Here is the toddler tune car Santa brought MaryAlice. She's already attempted to stand inside the car and has slid underneath the front-end and given me just a mild heart attack. I think this is just the start of a life raising a daredevil
She was so happy my sister's cat (aka my sister's family's cat) obliged her desire to pet and hug a real life kitty since my cat is too old and grouchy. Santa gave her a couple of stuffed kittys which she loves; even the one that sounds like a hyena that's been hit by a car. the batteries on that one may have to give out real soon.

Here are a few of her first visit to the beach. It took her a couple of minutes to move her feet in the sand, but she loved it. She is a water baby and has no fear...great (said with much sarcasm).

Here's her first trip down a slide with my nephew. I suspect it's his last by the look of fear on his face. I took her down the slide once and ended up leaving the top layer of skin from my thigh on the slide. I was all too happy to make it to the bottom though without toppling over the side. We're looking into a liability issue with the Home Owners Association, so I can't comment too much, but these photos should help our case. LOL! The fact that my sister is on the HOA board may be problematic, however!!

Here are the cute baby, scary mommy photos. Those Sarah Palin glasses have got to go, but ya' gotta love the panda slippers. What one will do to amuse their child!!

I just love this photo! She's like a mini-linebacker just looking for trouble.

MaryAlice is so excited for Santa's arrival, she can hardly stand it!!

Edward Scissorhand meet Eddie Munster

2008-12-21T21:28:00.003-05:00

I guess I got a little zealous with the scissors and trying to even out MaryAlice's bangs. She's going to insist I leave it to the professionals next time, I'm sure...can't blame her!
She apparently does not like the way I have organized her drawers, so set out to fix it. Surprisingly, when I told her she needed to put the clothes back in the drawers, she actually picked some up and threw them back in! Smart girl!!

This is her latest acrobatic trick. She also pretends she's waterskiing in the tub and holds onto the soap holder, leans back and hikes one leg up the bathtub wall... Don't worry Dad, I've got my hand ready to catch her.

MaryAlice loves her stuff kitty. It was a spur of the moment purchase at Disney, and man does she love it.
I've got her on a regular weight training program to prepare for the aforementioned athletic endeavors. I forgot to mention, I did catch her standing on the front of the Fisher Price ride-on toy pictured in the previous post. Of course,that's all she wants to do now since I've told her "No standing on the car"

She's a Little Stinker!!

2008-12-14T20:45:00.003-05:00

Disney, Santa and Another Cupcake!!

2008-12-07T15:38:00.003-05:00

We had our first visit to The Magic Kingdom on Sunday. It was a perfect day, if not a bit chilly in the morning. We did a couple of rides and The Country Bear Jamboree. The waits are a nice arm work-out for me! Four hours was just enough for both of us, and she slept all the way back to the car.

This is the first Christmas tree I looked at in Home Depot. The salesgirl held it up for me and I said, "Looks good enough". Who does that???

She ate a little bit more of her cupcake this month. The last photo demonstrates her lastest trick of sweeping all her food on the floor when she's done. I've been limiting the amount of food I put on the tray at one time, but I'm open to any suggestions. She always gives me a warning about 2 seconds after she's done it by saying, "Ut oh". Her latest word is "duh-tee"...dirty. Nice!!!

This is the best we could get. The first one she was looking at Santa, but I want to be able to see her eyes. The last one she was in the midst of a meltdown, which isn't necessarily at bad look for your first Santa photo. I think this one captures the moment she's thinking, "Holy crap! Why does this man have fur on his face and I don't recall saying that I wanted to sit in his lap?"

Okay, Okay...I'll post some pictures!!

2008-12-03T20:53:00.003-05:00

I should be folding laundry and writing my Christmas cards, but instead, I'm enjoying a TsingTao beer and updating the blog. My goal next year is to get to the point that I can put MaryAlice to bed at night and say to myself, "Now what should I do???? The house is clean, the laundry is done, I don't have any paperwork to do...maybe I'll read a book or watch some mindless TV show, or heaven forbid, maybe even exercise!! The horror of that possibility!!

As you can see, MaryAlice has been baptized. My uncle did a fabulous job and spoke about the three adoptions MaryAlice has been through...in my heart before she was born, the legal adoption in China and then the US, and finally the adoption into the Catholic community. It was so nice to be surrounded by family and friends who have been so supportive.

There are also pictures of MA's first Thanksgiving. She loves her food. That's what her teachers at school say, as well. Except for the tuna noodle casserole I made this week. She's didn't like that. Oh well, live and learn!

You can also see she took the girls out for a spin in a Pontiac Soltice. She loved playing in the car. The toy filled pack-n-play doesn't hold a candle to inside of a car!!! She also had her first McDonald's Happy Meal this weekend, thanks to Grandpa's Pick-up Picnic.

Well, that's all I can muster this evening. Stay tuned for her visit to Santa photos.

My Daughter has Discovered Her Right Nostril

2008-11-24T20:55:00.003-05:00

Where did I go wrong?? I thought my parenting would be enough to overcome these etiquette challenges! What's next? Belching her A,B,C's?

What is it about sphaghetti sauce that screams, "Spread me all over your face"?

I will say these fauz pas are completely forgivable since my little girl, unequivocally, without a doubt, called me "Mama" today, as she was running to greet me at daycare. It was a good day.

A Busy Week...

2008-11-22T20:24:00.002-05:00

My creativity has done left me tonight, so I'll just state the facts. We had the hearing for Recognition of Foreign Adoption on Thursday and while it's a big deal to me, the day did not turn out quite as I thought it would. The judge decided to take all the other cases before the adoption cases, so a 45 minute wait just about sent MaryAlice over the edge. She spit up on the both of us, banged on the table, kicked her shoe off in the middle of the proceeding and stuck her hand in a closing elevator door, giving everyone on the elevator a heart attack. Other than that, the day went smoothly and I can now get her Florida Foreign Birth Certificate.

I was a bit premature in my last post, stating that the teething was going well. The 1st year molars are a bit more painful coming in and MA's sleeping has been interrupted because of the pain. I don't mind. I drag her in bed with me and she settles right down (that and a little Tylenol). There's nothing better than a snuggling with your baby and watching her sleep. I need that extra cup of coffee in the afternoon, but I don't care. It's so worth it.

How Sweet Is This???

2008-11-16T19:25:00.004-05:00

I love these "You'll shoot your eye out Ralphie" pajamas!! And if you don't know what I'm talking about, turn on TBS on Christmas Day and the mystery will be solved. I can't wait until MaryAlice is old enough to watch all the Christmas shows. Its not going to happen this year since she's asleep by 6:30pm most nights.

Sorry, no more photos. I carry my camera with me at all times, but somehow (I don't know what's occupying my mind!!) I get busy and forget to pull it out. I am proud to say that I do have my Christmas cards ready to be be addressed and sent out...impressive, I know.

I will have my camera with me this coming week for our date with the judge. Our hearing for the Recognition of Foreign Adoption proceeding is scheduled and we're ready to cross this step off the list. MaryAlice became a US Citizen as soon as the wheels hit the tarmack in Detroit. This hearing is a formality to enable me to obtain a State of Florida Birth Certificate for her in the future. The final step will be to apply for a US passport for her. But enough of this boring stuff...

MaryAlice's first year molars are making their presense known and other than gnawing on her index finger, she's actually doing okay. She's starting to say "Mama" and I think she knows what she's saying...unlike "dada" which I, uhh, can't right now, so we'll chaulk that up to nonsensical baby babble! We're having a battle with her wanting to play with her food. She does this little finger flicking action, that sends it flying. This too shall pass.

I promise more photos later this week.

2008-11-09T19:04:00.002-05:00

My how time flies!! We've been home 2 months and my girl is 14 months old. She wasn't too into the cupcake, so perhaps for her 15th month birthday, we'll celebrate with green beans and sweet potatoes...she loves those.

All is well in our household and she is just blossoming; sprouting two more teeth on the bottom, almost ready to have her bangs trimmed and putting some miles on her shoes. We're pretty set in a routine during the week and it goes something like this:

5:30am Mom wakes up to shower, eat breakfast, make lunch, hair, make-up, dress.
6:45am Mom wakes MaryAlice up for bath (don't ask), bottle, breakfast, dress.
7:45am Goal time to leave for daycare
8:15am Mom arrives at work
2:30pm Mom starts watching the clock to see how much longer to see MA.
5:00pm Mom picks up MaryAlice at daycare and we sing on the ride home.
5:20pm Dinner
6:00pm Second bath (don't ask).
6:30pm Bottle and bed for MA, as she is worn out from daycare.
7:00pm Mom cleans kitchen, house, and prepares for next day.

So, needless to say, the weekends are family time. I really try to limit the number of errands I have to do and social engagements (ha!) just so I can spend as much fun time as possible with her. My favorite time is right after her afternoon nap and I just lie on the floor in her room while she plays. She loves carrying her board books to me and when I say, "Come sit on mommy's lap so I can read to you"...she gets this huge smile on her face and claps her hands. She'll sit for about 2 pages and is off to pick up another book.

I know there are other things I wanted to post, but for the life of me, I can't remember what they are! I'm slowly getting through my current "To Do" list which consists of organizing all the paperwork from China in a special file box and finishing unpacking. Yes, you heard that right...I'm still unpacking. I have a suitcase of stuff that I bought for MaryAlice to celebrate Family Day over the years and it's still sitting in a corner of my bedroom. Is that bad?

There's Been a Ladybug Sighting!!

2008-10-31T19:33:00.004-05:00

And a Glow Worm Sighting...

And, my first piece of refrigerator art...

Pretty much a full week, if you ask me!! I'm going to do a bullet post since that is about all the creativity I can muster tonight.

>It only took a week, but MaryAlice has had the snotty, runny nose that I knew would come soon enough with daycare...but geesh, only a week??

>Why is it I can't seem to get out the door in the mornings without having to change two poopy diapers?

>Daycare is going well. For the past two mornings, she's waved good-bye and blown a kiss. By 3pm, I'm watching the clock until I can go pick her up. She's tired and hungry, so I get to feed her dinner, bathe her, give the coveted bottle and maybe a little playtime/book read, but she's usually asleep by 7pm, so weekends are going to be all about family time.

>I was so excited to receive my first piece of refrigerator art, my eyes actually welled up...and I'm not a crier. I think MaryAlice's color selection and the flow of the lines demonstrate some real talent...almost Picasso-ish!

>Not too many Trick-or-Treaters this year, so it looks like I'll be eating candy for awhile. I'm okay with that. I may even go turn my porch light off.

That's all for now. I'm off to write more thank-you notes. I mailed about a dozen thank-you notes from China at the end of August...a friend of mine just received hers yesterday..seriously???

Amazing to See the Changes

2008-10-23T19:33:00.007-05:00

I've been meaning to upload some videos to the blog, but at 8pm every night and a list of "Things To Do" staring at me...blogging is not a priority. It amazes me to watch the video of MaryAlice in China and see how much she has changed over the past 2 months. It reminds me to videotape more often. She just so happens to be wearing the same dress in the videos, which is kinda funny.

Water Fun!

2008-10-21T19:55:00.002-05:00

You may look at these photos and see a baby in a Blow-up pool, but I like to think of it as an At-Home Pulmonary Function Test. No COPD here. For my next trick, I will inflate a bounce house without mechanical assistance. I decided I needed to get on the stick and get her in it before it starts to cool down here. I haven't taken her to the beach yet and hope to be able to do that, as well.

We've started the transition to daycare, or "school" as I like to call it. So far, so good. I think the transition is more for my benefit than hers. I'm having her stay a little longer each day and will work up to full time. I get a schedule each week of what they are doing in about 9 different categories (gross motor, fine motor, language, music, socialization, outside activity, circle time, etc). I cheat and sing the songs to her the day before and on the way to school, so she recognizes them and can clap at the right time. LOL! I love watching her interact with the other kids...as much as 1 year olds interact with each other!! Usually it's, "Hey, gimme that toy". I can't wait to start getting crafts to decorate my refrigerator.

Other than that, its pretty routine around here and that's okay. Routine is our friend.

Read This Post At Your Own Risk

2008-10-14T20:41:00.010-05:00

You've been warned. Some of these photos are not for those with weak bellies. I suspect that they will become the classic, "Pull them out to show the new boyfriend" photos. I may start a separate photo album just for those type pictures.

This first one was taken at my sister's house last week where we enjoyed some great food. MaryAlice REALLY enjoyed it!!

I had to show off her lastest trick. She loves it when I blow in her face. She tilts her head back, opens her mouth and closes her eyes. It's like she's breathing in the breathe of gods...or has been smoking something funny!!

You can see that she's sportin' a shiner. Oh, the trials and tribulations of learning to walk. It's almost gone now, but I was afraid to take her out in public for fear that someone would call DCF. She's taking 8-9 steps on her own which is great, but she gives me a heart attack everytime she does it.

MaryAlice loves cats!! Not sure how cats feel about her, but she doesn't care. She squeals when the kitty puppets come on her Einstein video. She looks for my cat every morning and makes a sound that I think is her version of "meow, meow". Here she is meeting my sister's cat...or rather, my sister's family's cat. My sister claims no responsibility or ownership of the cat.

We received MaryAlice's Certificate of Citizenship in the mail last week, so we ventured down to our local Social Security Office to apply for her SS card. OMG!! We waited 2 1/2 hours for what ended up taking 9 minutes to process! 9 minutes! MaryAlice overdosed on Cheerios and fell asleep on the way home completely messing up her schedule. Let me tell you, its all about "The Schedule". Anywho, I treated her to some Chef Boyardee Ravioli (Bad Mommy!) and I'm not sure if I'll ever get that orange tint off her skin. She loved it!

Here is a picture of her little blow up pool I bought her. I can't find my adapter to blow up the pool with a bike pump, so I've been doing it "manually". It should be ready by next summer.

I'm back now to finish this post...So, we also visited my parents last weekend as well. My Dad probably took 600 photos in 48 hours. I know he gave me a CD with the photos. Heck, I think he gave me 3 CD's with the photos (he's a firm believer in extra copies)!! For the life of me, I can't find them. If you saw my car for the trip, you'd understand why. I'm trying to be a minimalist and I always laughed at new parents and all their baby equipment! HA! That won't be me! HA! Who knew??

Anyway, MaryAlice visited with "all the people". She performed her tricks on cue, like we practiced and was generally a good sport. She was even the topic of the homily at Mass on Sunday and after about 7 minutes, let Monsignor know it was time to wind it up!!

Once again, we had some great food. I mention this because I really did enjoy having some home cooked food. Why is it food always taste better when someone else cooks it? I've lost about 10 lbs since coming home from China, which is stange since I'm craving junk food!! I tend to focus on feeding MA and forget to eat while she's eating. I'm sure that will fix itself soon enough. Gotta run...she's awake!

Pumpkin Patch With MA

2008-10-05T21:35:00.002-05:00

Some Pro Photos

2008-10-02T19:55:00.003-05:00

Here's a sample of some photos I had taken today. We're still doing some editing (removing my double chin!) and I'll add those later. Trying to get a one-year old to cooperate for a photos session is like herding cats. And I need to make sure I DON'T use that same hair color next time do my hair!! Too red!!

All's Well...

2008-09-28T20:33:00.003-05:00

Would that be weird if instead of a pacifier, my daughter uses a Playtex nipple???

Things have been a little quiet around here(except for diaper changes). MaryAlice was a little under the weather last week, but all is well now. It is certainly scary for mom, but that just goes with the territory, I guess.

I don't have much to blog tonight, so will let you enjoy the photos.

It's Mayhem Around Here!

2008-09-23T15:44:00.005-05:00

This is my kitchen every afternoon....I love it! Who knew a canister of Cheerios could be so fascinating? And as far as the "make-do" squatty potty...well, I'm not sure if this photo will alter anyone's decision to eat at my house again.

I've posted some different pics of MaryAlice eating and the mess she makes. I gave up on trying to keep things neat and just let her go at it. At least some food products do make it in her mouth, sometimes in her nose, but mostly her mouth. We're expanding our food horizons and have added brocolli, tortallini, and pudding to her menu. She's not too hip on deli meats, or meat for that matter. She seems to be getting a well balanced diet as is evident by the photos...there's a green food, a yellow food and a pink food. This on top of the main staple...Cheerios, which are actually a pretty good source of nutrients. She's doing better with her sippy cup as long as its has water and apple juice. She's not too sure about milk in the sippy, but we're working on it.

The photo of the toy firetruck is purely for documentation purposes. It is possessed. I brought it out of the shed to wash up and out of the blue it starts with its bells and whistles and getting caught in circuit malfunction causing it to repeat, "Have no fear..fear...fear...fear"...which freaks me out. There's no ON/OFF button and there's not access to the battery. I gave up and put it out by the trash...it's still there. That's pretty bad. I once put an old lawn mower and edger out for trash pick-up. Some guy picked it up 15 minutes later. I think the firetruck may have some bad karma

I've also posted a picture of Smelley the Cat and her only mommy time she gets these days. Not that she's a needy cat, but she stays in my room all day and eats only at night when the coast is clear. Poor thing is stressed out. Her food bowl and water glass are empty every morning, so I think she's become an emotional eater.

MaryAlice tried some free demo classes at My Little Gym and Gymboree. She pretty much just practiced her walking and clung to mommy, and that's all good stuff. She's walking with one hand held, so it should be soon. We've had visits from friends and even went to a pool party on Sunday.

Bye-Bye Mr. Jet Lag!!!

2008-09-20T05:57:00.006-05:00

As I'm writing this post, MaryAlice is still asleep at 7:15am and slept through the night. I can hear her stirring on the monitor, so things can change quickly here. So all you moms out there, "Don't hate me because my baby sleeps!" LOL! Knocking on wood as I type this!

I've posted a bunch of pictures from our busy days. We had our first playdate on Friday. MaryAlice's playdate was not too interested in the swing or spinchair...but what 6 week old is?? Besides, he was probably wishing he was playing golf with daddy. It was fun to get out and visit with friends. Also, check out the park facilities at Lake Eola...very nice...we'll be back.

I opened up the Corelle Kalin Yang doll to see what MA would do with her. I showed her how to kiss the baby, rock the baby, feed the baby. She watched, but then showed me how to walk over the baby to get to the puzzle of construction trucks (it was tastier!). She loves her wooden spoons. She love to bite them, bang with them, drop them.

I set up the water play table on the patio and she loved it. It is the perfect height for her to hold onto and she loves splashing the water...that is until she discovered the mulch. She is determined to see what mulch tastes like! I'm tempted to let her get one lick and discover it's not so good and squelshed the fascination once and for all. My luck, she'll love it. She is a Guangdong baby and they'll eat anything!!

Speaking of eating, we're starting the transition to whole milk and trying to work on drinking out of a cup during the day. I'll still give her a nightly bottle for awhile and before a nap. She'll take a sip or two and then be done, so we're working on that. Everything I've read says when toddlers get thirsty enough, they'll drink. She's going to have to be on a cup for daycare, so I can't delay the transition. I really need her to get the good nutrition (fats) from whole milk, so I'm probably being a little OCD on the sippy cup. This too shall pass.

She had half her labs drawn on Thursday and while she screamed bloody murder, they got it on the first attempt and she recovered in 2 minutes. We go next week for the rest.

Well, she's waking up and probably ready for her scrambled eggs, so I'll end now and get this posted published. I know you really want to just see the photos anyway.

We survived the doctor!

2008-09-17T19:48:00.002-05:00

I love this photo of MaryAlice sucking her thumb and holding her blanket after her first pediatrician visit. She was done with the whole event when the nurse went to measure her head and then the doctor checked her ears, eyes and mouth. The good news is that according to her doctor, I "hit the jackpot with such a healthy baby from China". She's right on target developmentally and has a healthy dose of feisty that the doctor said she likes to see. "You know where you stand with her"! She stood up on her own, took some steps with assistance, transfered objects between hands, reached for mom for comfort, blew raspberries, and then proceeded to yell at the doctor regarding her dislike of the whole affair. She liked that she was bright eyed and curious about everything.

She got four vaccinations and a PPD test that the doctor will read on Saturday. She's given the go ahead to move on to milk now and gave me some direction on amounts and how often to feed her solid food.

You'll notice in one of the photos that there is a training potty seat in her room (thank Cheryl). I figure it's never too soon to start the subliminal messages!! She did have split pants in China and is quite the drama queen when it comes down to business.

She liked her congee and is actually doing quite well with her eating. She had a little meltdown at dinner tonight (I'm guessing its due to the vaccinations), so I gave her some Tylenol, a bottle and she fell asleep. Tomorrow morning we go for the big blood draw! My good friend, Susan set me up with a woman at Quest who is supposedly "the one" for baby blood draws, so fingers crossed they'll be able to get everything in one stick. We have a fairly extensive list of labs to run.

That's it for now. I'm pooped!!

Need Food Ideas

2008-09-13T21:36:00.005-05:00

LIKES:
Scrambled eggs (may need to start her on Lipitor)
Weight Watchers Oatmeal
Spaghetti noodles
apple sauce
peach yogurt
congee
thai noodles

DISLIKES:
Mac-n-Cheese
Gerber Graduates vegetable beef stew

JURY'S STILL OUT
mandarin oranges
cheddar cheese
Strawberry flavored puffs

I cooked up my own version of congee tonight using chicken broth, white rice, tiny bits of chicken and peas. I'll see tomorrow how that goes. Any other ideas on what I should have on hand? Also, I've started giving her a little plastic spoon to play/practice with while I'm also feeding her. Is she too young? I need to review my book again on what developmental skills a 12 month should have and what I need to do to teach her. Should she just be learning to pick up finger foods right now? And what about sippy cups. She's gradually figuring out what to do, but I'm worried that maybe she's not getting enough fluids. I usually give her a bottle of formula 2-3 times a day and will wait until our initial pediatrician appointment on Wednesday to figure out the plan on adding milk.

We're working on sleep issues with jet-lag and being up all night wanting to play. I wake her up from her afternoon nap, but she is not too happy about that. The stroller is my new favorite thing...put her right to sleep. Between stroller time and not eating, I may not miss my gym visits like I thought. She's so close to walking. She walked today holding just one hand.

My sister's kids came over today with my brother for a visit and all played nicely with the stacking cubes and sorting blocks. She wouldn't let anyone else hold her so that is a good sign for her attachment. She always wanted me within hand reach. She is such a happy baby, it kills me to have her go through the sleep issues and messed up clock.

Tomorrow, I think I will venture out for the first time to go do "something" so I can practice the whole carseat thing.

That's it for now...

Home Sweet Home!

2008-09-12T15:36:00.006-05:00

We made it home safely about 10pm on Thursday after traveling over 24 hours. MaryAlice slept about 6 hours on the long flight from Tokyo to Detroit after a mini-meltdown and was sprawled across both seats. I slept 30 minutes with one butt cheek on the seat while leaning over with my head on my knee. The woman in the aisle seat would not turn off her reading light and it was shining right in MaryAlice's face, so when the lady got up to go to the lavatory, MamaBear turn the light off for her. She never turned it back on! LOL! Anything to make sure MaryAlice slept as much as possible!! By the time we reached Detroit, she was beyond exhausted and the catnaps were not cutting it. She screamed for much of the flight from Detroit to Orlando until it came time to land and I tried one more time to get her to finish the bottle. She did and then konked out when the wheels hit the tarmack.

Thanks to everyone who made the trip to the airport to welcome us home (especially Lori & Andy from Lakeland and Susan, Riz & Sophia from Deland!). Also, a special shout-out to Ray for installing the carseat without the use of duct tape and for providing transporation services for my parents to the airport and for getting us all safely home. And to Jim, Wendy, Kellie and Jake for the professional Disney Welcome Home sign...is there no end to what the mouse will do to suck another baby into the Disney cult! LOL!

Thanks for the brownies, Susan. They hit the spot at 3:30am when MaryAlice decided her system said it was playtime! She's spotted the cat and has made the mad dash crawl to formally introduce herself, but Smelley Cat is playing coy and nottoo interested right now.

I included some photos taken somewhere over Alaska, I think. My sister happened to open the window and see this view. It was spectalular. The other photos are of MaryAlice playing peek-a-boo over the airplane seats. There was an elderly Chinese man sitting behind us on the long flight that kept playing with MaryAlice. Her reaction when an Chinese person is playing or talking with her is interesting. She kept staring at the Chinese man on the plane, but another time at a restaurant, the waitress kept talking to her and she would not make eye contact with her. I think her attachment to me is going well and progressing nicely. It is an ongoing process and not something I expect to happen in 2 weeks.

My house looks like a bomb went off...someone should really do something about that. I added a photo of my hotel room the day before we left...bomb went off in that room too.

There's a photo of a woman I had met online and we exchanged emails. On one of the last nights in China, we were walking to dinner and she walks up to me and says, "Sharon, is that you?". It's nice to finally meet people once you've met online. It's also nice to commiserate with someone going through the same experience.

Thanks for the many comments and tips through the trip. I was successful in changing two poopy diapers in the plane bathroom. MaryAlice was so scared when I laid her down on the changing table, she didn't move a muscle. The look on her face was priceless. I put my mat down in the tub at home and she did well with not standing up during bathtime. We've finished the last dose of antibiotics for her ears and will see the pediatrician next week for her first visit. We'll be making a trip to the local pediatric hospital, Arnold Palmer for her blood work. There's a whole list of routine lab tests done on international adoptees (lead levels, vaccination titers, stool specimens, CBC, etc). I'm really looking forward to that visit...not!

So, all is well in Orlando and I will post updated photos of MaryAlice. Thank you again for all your well wishes.

Signing Off From China

2008-09-10T07:14:00.002-05:00

As I type this, I'm eating a cold grilled cheese and fries from Lucy's and a cold TingTsao beer. Our bus leaves for the airport at 5:40am and our bags have to be ready by 5:15am. Of all nights, MaryAlice pulls the "fake sleep" routine. As soon as I lie her down in her crib, the eyes pop wide open! I think she's finally down for the count.

We had our swearing in ceremony at the Consulate this afternoon and I have her Chinese passport, US Visa and immigration papers sealed and ready for the immigration officer in Detroit. The rest of the day consisted of packing!!! Oye, it is going to be a fun trip home. But home is what I'm looking forward to and settling into my life with MaryAlice. I'm sad for all the adjustments and changes that she still has yet to go through, but if the past 10 days are any indication, I think she will do just fine. I'm looking forward to everyone experiencing her silly personality and tricks. I have been blessed beyond measure for having the opportunity to become her mother. She is a dream come true.

Wish us luck on our journey...
Sharon

Red Couch Photo Day!

2008-09-09T04:43:00.007-05:00

Here are some photos of the Red Couch Photo Shoot. MaryAlice did okay for about 20 seconds and then started crying! But that probably means good luck...like rain on your wedding day.

The rest of the day we just walked around the island, had some lunch at Starbuck's and window shopped (okay actually a few purchases were made). In one of the stores, this yellow tabby cat was meandering around and appears to be hanging on to his ninth life by a thread. He's missing his left rear foot from a car accident a couple of years ago and yacked up a furball while we were there. I felt right at home! I've also included a picture of Jordan who took a large portion of our money! LOL! There's also a picture of The White Swan Hotel and the view of the Pearl River from the lobby.

MaryAlice fought her afternoon nap and I ended up taking her downstairs and standing under the waterfall for about 30 minutes in her sling. She's zonked out, but it's almost 6pm and I'm going to be in trouble when it comes time to put her bed tonight. She was such a delight this afternoon, smiling at the shopkeepers and waving bye-bye. I can't wait to get her in an open area that she can just practice her walking freely without fear of her hitting something.

Tomorrow afternoon we have the US Consulate Swearing Ceremony and I'll get her Visa. I also need to start packing stuff since we'll leave very early on Thursday morning to come home. I'm a little nervous about how she's going to do confined in a plane for the long 12 hour flight between Tokyo and Detroit. But I'm more nervous about having to change a poopy diaper in the bathroom of the plane...yikes!! Is that why duct tape is on every packing list I reviewed???

Sightseeing and Damage Control

2008-09-08T07:29:00.003-05:00

Don't let the post's title scare you. What I mean by damage control is that this little girl has come out of her shell, is on the brink of discovering the power of her legs and wants to see everything! She is all over the place. She knows that under the desk in the hotel room is off boundaries due to electrical cords, so where does she beeline any chance she gets? She's got a fiesty personality and is not shy about voicing her opinion. Bathtub time is a riot since she keeps wanting to stand up. That wouldn't be such a bad thing (if she were 5) but she's not steady on her feet so its dangerous. Also, diaper changes have become a battle of wills. I guess it's just a part of the learning curve for a new mom and figuring out the tricks of the trade and being quick.

I was going to dress to her up as a ladybug for Halloween, but with the looks of her hairline, I'm thinking along the lines of Eddie Munster.

Today's morning tour tooks us to the Six Banyan Buddist Temple. It was very interesting and we "lucked" out a special ceremony they were performing today. The "blessing" of the sea creatures. They had coolers filled with turtles, fish, prawns, etc. that were blessed and placed back in the Pearl River. By the looks of the river, they're going to need all the blessings they can get.

We stayed in the rest of the day for a nap, playtime and dinner. She had her first "mini-meltdown" with dinner which is unusual. She usually loves her food. We gave her some Tylenol and put some drops in her ears and a bottle. She's sleeping now and mommy needs a shower!! I have congee all over me from trying to feed her dinner.

Tomorrow, the only thing on the schedule is the Red Couch Photo of all the kids in our travel group in their traditional Chinese silks. It's a standard itinerary event for the adoptive families. Having the kids sit on a red velvet couch in The White Swan hotel. There was an American Express commercial that was running about a year ago that flashed different scenes and the announcer stating, "Your life will change". Well, in one of the scenes, it is of a couple with an Asian baby sitting on a red velvet sofa. Most people would not pick up on the significance of the red velvet couch, but I thought it was a sweet commercial.

That's it for today. I'm ready to get home and have a home cooked meal (hint Mom), a fountain soda with ice, getting MaryAlice on a decent nap and feeding schedule and not having to wash bottles out in a bathroom sink. For those of you hooked on blogs for people traveling to adopt, click on the link the Diane's blog under my Favorites. They left today to go pick up their little girl, Bing.

She Turns One!!

2008-09-06T22:11:00.003-05:00

She likes cake!!! It took a couple of swipes across her mouth of the icing to figure it out, but once she had a taste she decided it was good stuff! We're lucky to have the photo of her birthday hat on her head bacause she hates anything on her head.

Our whole travel group is now back together in Guangzhou for the final steps of the adoption process. Four of the families flew to different provinces after leaving Beijing to go pick up their kids. It's interesting to hear of their experiences in the different regions. One family went to a fairly remote region and they said they only saw one other caucasian person during their 5 days there. We all had dinner at a traditional Chinese restaurant last night and our guide ordered for everyone. I think the food was good, although, to be honest, I only ate about 4 bites. Between trying to get MaryAlice fed and me feeling the effects of bad Chinese water, I haven't eaten too much. She's making great strides in her fine motor skills and is now able to get the finger foods into her mouth about 50% of the time. She rest is ending up on the floor, so mommy needs to supplement while she practices.

The other photos are of our trip to the jade and pearl markets with a guide Ann of Red Thread China. It was an interesting trip since I was not feeling well and almost passed out. Ann pulled out a potion that my mother would love (think liquid Vick's vapor rub...my mother's cure all!) and started to rub it on my temples and back of my neck. She then told me to rub it around my belly-button which I willingly did since I felt so bad. Who knows, the shop owners could be laughing about it today, "Can you believe that crazy American girl rubbing medicine on her belly-button". Oh well, I'm better today and Marcia and Monica were fabulous in taking care of MaryAlice, completing the purchases and getting me back to hotel. On an interesting note, while in the pearl market store, Monica was drinking some bottled water that we had purchased at the grocery store 3 days prior. Ann tells her that that brand of water is no good and that the government tested the plant and said it was bad. Mystery solved and nothing a little Cipro couldn't fix. Marcia and Monica went back with our group to the pearl and jade markets again today. I stayed back at the hotel with MaryAlice and took her to the clinic at the hotel to check her ears. She's had a little runny nose and I've been giving her a decongestant, but this morning her sneezes her a little more "productive", so I wanted the doctor to look. She said her right ear looked infected (this is through the hotel manager interpreting), so I'm going to start her on the antibiotics. The long trip home will be difficult enough without a baby with an ear infection. She doesn't seem bothered by it and is just a delightful little girl with a feisty personality. She's so funny how quick she imitates hand gestures and sounds. She loves to blow raspberries and make a fish faces. Well, that's it for today's post. I just gave her her first dose of antibiotics. There's a reason I didn't go into pediatric nursing! Any tips for getting the medicine from the syringe into baby's mouth and getting her to swallow before spitting it out??

She Passes Her First Test!!

2008-09-05T04:30:00.005-05:00

We studied before the exam. Rattled a toy on her right side, making sure she turned to the right. Rattled a toy on her left side, making sure she turned to her left. She DID NOT like the throat and ear exam and she let the doctor know!! She's got the grip of steel! Her weight measured in at 22 lbs, but that was with her new shoes and fully clothed. I had to laugh when we walked into the Medical Examination Office for Visa's and there are multiple signs stating, "Keep Quiet". I showed MaryAlice the sign, but she paid no mind and verbalized her dislike of the whole affair. She was treated to a warm bottle and stroller ride with Aunt Marcia, while I completed multiple Visa application forms in our guide's room. By the way, her Visa photo is just the cutest...like another mugshot.

We had lunch at Lucy's and another salad with success. MaryAlice has demonstrated her latest skill...biting her spoon when I'm trying to feed her. In the last update in the Half The Sky journal that I received, it says that she has been a "naughty girl, taking the other children's toys and biting her spoon!" I've gotten better about getting the spoon in and out quickly, but sometimes my aim is bad and it ends up all over her face! She's napping right now after making ten laps around the 9th floor of The White Swan Hotel (in the stroller that is...I'm not that tough...yet!)

After lunch at Lucy's we finally made it to Jordan's shop and shop we did! Monica and I both tried our best haggling, but we could only get him to come down 20%. And that was with him not even being there. It was his sister and she kept having to call him to see if he would take our price because we were buying so much. We laughed afterwards because what Monica bought only came to about $30! I spent a little more but was able to buy about 8 pair of shoes for her ($5-6/pair) and some other things to give her each year when we celebrate "Family Day" on September First, when we became a family. This may also coincide with her birthday, which is tomorrow. I bought things like a Wedding box, tea set, traditional silk dresses, a couple of folk art paintings and other odds and ends. Our travel group is going to go out to dinner together for Dim Sum and have a cake to celebrate. I'm hoping to get a picture of her in her birthday hat, but it make take some work, as she HATES having anything on her head.

Marcia and Monica survived their shopping trip yesterday and that is a whole other post. Marcia bought me back a suitcase that she paid $15 for to tote back my purchases. They had quite an adventure and feel like they've experienced "real China". Tomorrow morning we're meeting Ann to take us to the pearl and jade markets and hope that she can negotiate some good prices for us.

That's it for today's post. Marcia and Monica went back to the Chinese Medicine Shop for another $10 massage. I'm not sure MaryAlice would sit there for an hour and besides she needed a nap.

More Photos

2008-09-04T03:08:00.005-05:00

Here are more photos for your viewing pleasure. MaryAlice is taking her afternoon nap after a dip in the pool. Monica and Marcia have ventured out in Guangzhou to do some shopping off of the island. Our guide gave them directions on what to tell the taxi driver so they can get back to the hotel. I thought it was a little too much to go out again with the baby and I just wanted to relax with her and play. We went to a park in Guangzhou this morning that was just beautiful. The foliage is very similar to Florida and they were decorating for the Autumn Moon Fesitval Celebration. The Mooncakes are selling like hotcakes everywhere. There is constantly a line in the lobby of our hotel to buy them. Our guide said the hotel sells some of the best ones and they're fairly expensive. I've bought them in Orlando to try (see previous post in September 2006) and I think I'll hold off on purchasing them for now. I haven't quite recovered from my last tasting. I did buy some teacakes in Beijing that were delicious, so we'll see if those make it home.

Tomorrow morning we go for the US Visa Medical Exam and come back to the hotel to do paperwork for the Visa. Our guide said it could take an hour to get through the Visa application. The medical exam consists of height, weight, hearing check (rattle a toy and see if baby looks) and probably just some other cursory stuff. We'll have the afternoon free, so may try to get some shopping done or go for another one of those awesome $10 foot and shoulder massages. We may also go to a tea house for a demonstration on serving tea. I've emailed the woman who sent MaryAlice the care package a month ago at the orphanage to see if she's available on Saturday for shopping. She charges $10/hour for her negotiating sevices at the pearl and jade markets. Our guide arranges a trip there as well for Sunday, but we'd rather go with someone who can assist us in haggling...although Monica is prety good!! The woman's name is Ann at Red Thread China and I received everything back that I had sent to MaryAlice in the care package included the disposable camera that we had developed here. Wait 'til you see the early photos I received of her in the Half The Sky Journal. She had so much hair when she was a week old!!

Well, that's it for now. I appreciate all the well wishes and comments. They're fun to read and it helps us feel connected to home, so I'll keep posting photos, if you keep posting comments. Little Puffin is stirring again, so gotta run..

More Travel Tips for those Waiting....

2008-09-03T17:59:00.004-05:00

...and a gratuitous naked baby pose. That one was for you Cathy E!!

Here are some more thoughts on packing for those waiting:

1) Again, I'm glad I brought the Thermos.
2) I'm glad I took my mother's advice and threw in some 18 month clothes. She doesn't fit into two 12 month pajamas that I brought. I think she will fit into her other 12 months for another 3 days, maybe 4.
3) I'm glad I brought the little individual packets of instant coffee and condiments (even if it meant being almost stripped searched in the Tokyo airport). I like a cup of coffee first thing in the morning).
4) I wished I packed more clothes for myself and MaryAlice. Although laundry is cheap, I'd rather not have to do it every other day. I don't know how I would have packed more though, a I was right at the weight limit of 44 lbs.
5) I almost wish I brought a couple of jars or baby food or Graduates just to have in the room to feed MaryAlice for lunch. It's hard living out of a hotel and having to eat out every meal. I can always give her a bottle, but would like to have some solid food to give her.
6) I'm glad I packed snacks, but should have packed more, especially the healthy ones. It was a couple of days before we got to a decent grocery to buy anything and the 7-11 out side the hotel is about the 1/8 of the size of a US store.
7) The Starbucks on the island is your friend. You can have ice, free internet, air conditioning and good sandwiches...oh, and a decent vanilla iced latte.
8) Pack a swimsuit and swimmers for the baby. MaryAlice loves the pool and it is nice to cool off.
9) Bring my sister and sister-in-law with you. They're good for taking orders, carrying the diaper bag, bargaining for a $14 stroller, getting food off the buffet for baby, general baby care advice and delivering take out food to your room. They have been invaluable!

That's it for now...little one is squirming and is now awake!

We're Officially a Family!

2008-09-02T07:06:00.003-05:00

We've a a big day! The papers are signed and she is officially my daughter.

I had to wake MaryAlice up this morning so we could eat breakfast and meet the bus for the Notary and Registration procedure at 8:30am. I was on time, since I'd been up since 4am! I kept waking up and checking her. She woke a new girl. Smiles and babbling and clapping and playing with her toys. Of course the stacking cups are her favorite, and she loves to bite them. She must be getting ready to cut some teeth because she bites everything.

She did great at breakfast with eating scrambled egg and porridge. She wouldn't sit in the highchair, but wanted to be on Mommy's lap. Later, we went to the Civil Affairs office again to sign the papers, swear to never abuse, mistreat or abandon her and have everything notarized. She fell asleep for the second interview. I was surprised to see her nanny there again and got another picture since the other one didn't come out. I was a little worried about how MaryAlice would react to her since she cried yesterday, but she did fine and came back to me no problems.

After the official business was done, the bus driver took us all the a super market/Walmart type store to purchase diapers, wipe, food, strolled etc. What an interesting visit, that I'm too tired to even go into rght now.

After taking a cat nap back at the hotel, MaryAlice decided to go for a swim. For a child that cried in the bathtub, she loved the pool. I tried to keep her from dunking her head since she kept drinking the water and while its chlorinated, I didn't want to take any chances.

She had some pasta for dinner and we did a little shopping afterwards. She's now konked out in her crib and I'm soon to follow. It's only 8:25pm, but I'm whooped! Tomorrow we don't have official business until 3pm, so will be able to relax a bit and maybe check out the toy room.

Now I Can't Sleep!

2008-09-01T10:04:00.005-05:00

She's zonked and now I'm so keyed up, I can't sleep!

I've already broken the cardinal rule and woke MaryAlice up to give her a bottle. She was drowsy when I gave it to her, but sucked it right down. She had a long journey today from the orphanage (4-5 hours) and I couldn't go to sleep without getting some fluids in her. I also changed her diaper and put pajanas on her. All while she was sleeping. She's spread eagle in her crib, cooing and sighing while she sleeps. She's a thumb-sucker! I also wanted to get a good look at her. Her skin is just perfect. No bug bites and the cutest little belly button. She has a nice tan, too. She has two bottom teeth and I think 4 top teeth from what I could see. No smiles yet, but probably tomorrow. I bet she wakes up a new girl. She made eye contact a couple of times and I tried the Cheerio trick and it worked a couple of times. There was just so much going on at the Civil Affairs office, crying babies, etc. that I think it scared her.

I must go to bed now. Now that she's tucked in with a full belly and clean diaper, I feel better.

She's a Beauty!!!!

2008-09-01T03:59:00.008-05:00

She is just the sweetest baby!! How do I report on the day's events....

We went to the Civil Affairs Office which is on the 8th floor and hot, hot, hot. Other families arrived after we got there and it was chaotic. The Maonan babies were late getting there and we were able to see them come in. MaryAlice was in a baby papoose on the back of one of the nannies. About 10 minutes later, I heard a man behind me say, "Nan Qi Guo" and I turned around and said, "This is it...get the camera!" It all happened so fast. They put her in my arms and she just looked around and was very quiet. Our guide said there are four types of babies that come...1) Happy Baby 2) Crying Baby 3) Serious Baby 4) Prefers One Parent Baby. I got serious baby! We spent about about 45 minutes of "bonding" time and then signed the papers for the 24 Period of Harmonization. We gave the donation and gifts to the nannies. During this time, I was like the drill sargent to my sisters, "Get the book, get me Cheerrios, get me a toy". Thank God they were there!! Monica got some additional information translated from the nanny. She was sponsored thru the Half The Sky Infant Nurture program, so I got a whole journal of updates and photos from them. I also got back the camera that I had sent, so we're going to get those developed. She's teething and keeps either chewing on her index finger or sucking her thumb. She fell asleep on the bus ride back to the hotel and is sleeping in her crib. There's more to post, but I want to get this out for everyone to see.

She looks very healthy and has thick hair. I have a photo of when she was a week old and she had tons of black hair! Anyway, that's it for now. I'm a mom!!

Now, do I wake the sleeping baby to change her, feed her???? She's had a long day!!

We've made it to Guangzhou!

2008-08-31T18:29:00.011-05:00

It's 7am on Monday and we're sitting at Starbuck's, enjoying an iced vanilla latte and updating the blog. The internet is free here and we're told the ice is okay. We're down to hours until MaryAlice Time. We leave at 2pm for the Civil Affairs office and the babies arrive at 2:30pm for the orphanage. We're sitting here going through the list of questions to ask the nanny this afternoon, although I did receive an update two days ago describing how her bottle is made, the times she eats, whether she's potty trained (she's not) and other stuff that I think I've already blogged about.

The White Swan is very nice. I've included a photo looking outside my window. We have adjoining rooms and both have cribs, so maybe Marcia and Monica will get a baby too!! LOL. We haven't explored too much yet and are on our way to have the buffet breakfast.

We went for a foot massage yesterday when we arrived at Shamian Island at the Chinese Medicine Shop. The foot massage was for 60 minutes and included an awesome shoulder massage...all for 10 dollars. Thanks Linda for the tip on that one! We'll be back as often as possible. Monica had the body massage and felt like she was being dismembered, but loved it! LOL!

The flight to Guangzhou was easy. Our guide, Catherine was with us the entire time, making it so stress free. It's nice to be able to unpack the suitcase and set up "stations" for diaper changing, computer area and bottle making. Thanks for that tip Susan and Riz. I included a picture of Monica handling the luggage. I took your advice, Bill and am planning on working these women for the next 10 days!!

Shamian Island is like Savannah with shade trees and very little car traffic. It's quite warm and muggy, but the trees help.

Well that's it for now. I will try to update the blog as soon as possible with photos and maybe even video, if I remember how to upload it to YouTube. I think MaryAlice is going to look just like she did in the updated photos...we shall see!!

More Travel Tips for Those Still Waiting

2008-08-30T14:35:00.003-05:00

1) When you exchange your dollars into yuan, ask for some smaller bills to carry (5, 10 and 20 yuan). This way when you are out and about shopping, you can give exact change and avoid any "not so real" yuan.
2) The main power in the hotel room works by inserting your room key in a slot. There is also a main power button by the nightstand. Don't wake up at 3am thinking your power is out and call housekeeping to fix. It is really embarrassing when they just turn the main power button back on. Not the WE did that...I'm just sayin'.
3) Consider bringing a digital voice recorder and sitting close to the front of the bus. It helps ward off car sickness, but the guide will also talk about many subjects on the way to the sights and you might want to listen to it again. They may have an different perspective on international adoption, family life in China, the purpose of splits pants and specific province information.

Day Two - Touring Beijing

2008-08-30T07:20:00.008-05:00

Here are some photos of today's touring. It started out a rainy, drizzly day...not great for climbing The Great Wall, but we push through the elements and I made it half way!! Monica made it to the top. The steps are very steep and I was worried about running out of energy and strength for the trip down. I do better going up than down and my quads got quite a work out. There is a special photo of some super fantastic, change your life Wrigley's gum, compliments of one of my bosses. I promised him the gum would make it to China and The Great Wall. I'm doing my part to build bridges with our Asian friends.

Sorry, I meant to turn that top photo around. It is one of the many squatty potties we came across in our travels today. They're no big deal except when you're trying to negotiate a backpack, camera belt, etc.

After The Great Wall, we went to the Cloisonne Factory and Friendship Store (government owned store) and had Chinese food for lunch. The Cloisonne was beautiful, but we hope to make purchases in Guangzhou, as we understand the Friendship Store prices to be 10 times what they are in Guangzhou.

Next, off to The Summer Palace. Very beautiful and peaceful, but by that time, I believe everyone in the group was tired from the morning's climb. We took a dragon boat back to the bus so we could drive by the Olympic venues. The driver was able to pull over the side of the road so we could jump out for quick photos. Now that they are preparing fot the Para-Olympics, we could not go into the venues.

We leave the hotel at 8:30am for Guangzhou and should arrive about 2:30pm. That will give us time to get the feel for the layout before baby time on Monday afternoon.

Day One - Touring Beijing

2008-08-29T08:18:00.003-05:00

This is going to be a short post, as I'm tired!! We had a full day. Started off at Tiananmen Square, the The Forbidden City (now known as the Palace Museum), then lunch at a Peking Duck restaurant. We then took a separate tour of a Hutong which is a very old part of Beijing that is disappearing with the building of high rises. We took a pedi-cab tour and then stopped at a family's home for tea. We sat in his living room and asked him questions about China and cultural differences, etc. His family has lived in the hutong since 1936 and he is the youngest of six children. He slowed us old photos "taken with a Kodak" of his siblings playing as children. We had a nice discussion with our guide about the One-Child Policy and her thoughts. She said people support the policy since it is better to have one child that can be provided an education and future rather than two and not being able to do that due to cost. We shopped and haggled a bit then hurried back to the hotel to turn around and go to the Acrobatics show. I kept dozing off during the show, that I think I have whiplash from jerking my head back so much. I'm so tired right now, I'm skipping dinner. Marcia and Monica went to the market for snacks tomorrow. We start at 8:45 for The Great Wall and the Summer Palace. We'll get back at 5:30pm, so will have a chance to blog more and call home...oops, 5:30am...maybe not. We should be driving by the Olypmic venues on the way back to the hotel, so can get pictures. We probably won't be able to park though as they are getting ready for the ParaOlympcis. We'll be packing for our flight the next day since we leave at 8:30am. Our guide, Catherine will be travelling with us down to Guangzhou, so she'll be able to help us negotiate the flight, luggage, etc. She has been a wonderful guide and was able to arrange the tour to the hutong for us with another guide, Grace. I forgot to mention this involved a taxi ride which was an interesting experience. Not as scary as I expected, but still interesting as the bikes, buses, cars, taxis and pedestrians orchestrate the organized chaos without batting an eyelash.

The first photo is one of a little boy wearing split pants. We saw a handful of these today at The Forbidden City. There is one family in our group with three boys, aged 4, 6, and 8. They were in front of us on the long flight over. These kids have got to be the most laid-back, well behaved kids. Other than a little siblings rivalry over who gets to sit by the window during landing, they've been real troopers. The funny thing is their "rockstar" status. All three have blond hair, and they must have been asked to have their picture taken 3-4 times while touring today. Marcia was even asked to have her picture taken with a little girl...she loved it!!

My best news of the day is that we all received some detailed information on our babies. Our agency sent questions to the SWI to have the nannies answer. They gave the name of the formula and cereal she's been on and the other foods she's been eating. She's eating apple sauce, banana sauce, egg, meat broth, sliced meat (interesting!) and congee. There's something listed as "haw slices" and I asked my guide what it was. She wasn't sure, but thinks it is given to "improve appetite". I had a good laugh at that one! Must be working!! Her nickname is GuoGuo (pronouced gwaw,gwaw). She likes toys that make sound and playing hide and seek with the adults. She cries when she sees a stranger in a strange place (not sure what this means, as I don't think she leaves the orphanage). She has not had any serious illnesses and is in good physical condition.

That's all for now...off to bed!

As you can see, I've updated this post a bit. Marcia and I have been awake since 4:30am. I'm still working on thank-notes and sent a few out yestereday. You'll get them in two months!

Tips for those waiting to travel: I'll write this as its fresh in my mind.

1) I'm glad I brought the laptop.

2) I wish I had thrown in more granola bars, snacks in my bag. You don't always have a chance to get to a grocery store at first and it's nice to have those while touring and at 4:30 in the morning.

3) If you have room, pack a smaller backpack for touring. I've been carrying my big one, and while okay, it is big. I look like the total tourist geek, but I don't care. Even a fanny pack would have been nice. I know the horror of a fanny pack!!

4) Do not stuff creamer packets in your pockets while going through the airport.

5) Pack some Crystal Light individual packets as drinking plain water gets old.

6) Get out of the hotel and see stuff.

That's if for now!

We're Here!

2008-08-28T10:04:00.002-05:00

Thanks to "T" for updating the blog. You've done a great job and I like the graphics. The flights were all great, arrived early as well as the luggage. The Zhaolong Hotel is right dowtown. Tomorrow we see Tiannamen Square and The Forbidden City. Tomorrow night we see the acrobatics show. Saturday is for The Great Wall, Summer Palace and driving by the Olympics venues. Our guide Catherine met us at baggage claim and I finally feel like I can relax and let someone else be in charge. So, we're off to bed to get some sleep for our tours.

I think "T's" a more interesting blogger than I am...sorry.

We've made in to Tokyo!

2008-08-28T03:14:00.002-05:00

It's 4pm Thursday here, 4am Orlando time. We're sittng on the floor next to a outlet and found a wireless network in Narita Airport. The 12 hour flight from Detroit was not too bad. Got a couple of power naps in, a couple of movies and wrote 5 thank-you notes. We're going to try and stay awake, so when we arrive in Beijing at 9:30pm, we'll be able to sleep. We've met up with the other adoptive parents from my agency.

Monica and Marcia fell in love with the toilets in Toyko. They came equipped with 10 buttons offering all sorts of "cleaning" options with low pressure and high pressure.

I was practically stripped searched going through security in Toyko, as I came setting off the alarm. Come to find out, the powdered creamers I "borrowed" from Northwest for our coffen contain high amounts of metal...scary. Monica is embarrassed to be seen with me as my money pouches make me look like I have a colostomy bag.

That's all for now.

A Sign of Good Fortune!

2008-08-27T23:54:00.002-05:00

Tonight, as I was heading home to update Sharon's blog, I stopped to get some take-out food. After I finished dinner I opened my fortune cookie and got this fortune..."Good news of long-awaited event will arrive soon." I'm not normally in to this kind of thing...but I just had to share my fortune with all of you!

The Journey to Beijing

2008-08-27T22:35:00.004-05:00

Well the journey to Beijing has begun! Sharon, her sister, Marcia, and her sister-in-law, Monica, left Orlando this morning and safely made it to Detroit about noon. They are now en route to Tokyo where they will change planes again for the final leg of their flight to Beijing. We will keep you posted as they Journey to MaryAlice!

We're Off!!

2008-08-26T22:23:00.002-05:00

Well, we will be in about 6 hours. Must get to sleep!!! I probably won't have internet access until Friday, so won't have updates for a couple of days on the blog. I'm having writer's block right now, so will hit the sack. I promise more exciting blogging in the days to come.

Some Special News!

2008-08-25T19:09:00.003-05:00

I got word today from an adoptive mom that recently visited Maonan SWI, that she saw MaryAlice and said she is adorable, has beautiful eyes and chubby cheeks!! She wasn't allowed to take photos, but saw her in the playroom and recognized her from our previous correspondence. I was so excited to hear this news!!

On the other side of the world...I pack, and repack and then try it one more time to get my luggage weight under the limit. I have a mini-pharmacy that I refuse to compromise on. And just how many Cheerios should I bring? People laugh about that one, but from what we're told, Cheerios are difficult to find in China, so if I guess wrong, we may be bargaining with other families. It could be a long flight back if we have to ration the Cheerios!

We arrive in Beijing the night of the 28th and have two full days of touring, Friday and Saturday. Sunday we fly to Guangzhou, which will allow me a chance to get things organized in the hotel room. Monday afternoon, I meet MaryAlice! I'll try to post photos as soon as I can, so that hopefully Monday morning 9/1/08, folks back home can see.

That's it for now...must get back to packing, laundry, cleaning, etc.

Learning to Upload a Video

2008-08-19T05:02:00.004-05:00

I think I've got it figured out, but man it takes it a while to download. Hopefully in the future, I'll have more interesting videos! There's not much drama in this one...all business during the delivery. I'd probably be the same way if I was in the hospital delivering a baby. The lesson here is that I've learned I'm not a "happy" crier. I cry when I'm sad or mad, but not when I'm happy, so the best chance you have to see me cry is if Northwest loses my luggage!

That's all for now...must get to work!!

My Bags are Packed, I'm Ready to Go....

2008-08-09T17:45:00.004-05:00

NOT!

Seriously!! How many trips to Target and CVS pharmacy does it take to travel to China??

Cheerios....$3

Visas....$130

Plane Tickets....$1,100

Having your sister-in-law seated on the long flight home next to MaryAlice, while you sit in the row behind her...PRICELESS!!!

"Hey, keep that baby quiet! Momma needs her sleep!" LOL!!

Happy 11 Months MaryAlice!!!!

2008-08-05T17:36:00.003-05:00

Today is my baby's 11 month birthday. For the Big ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY, we're having a big party in China! Cake, Congee, Cheerios and formula for everyone!!!

We're leaving on 8/27/08, so the countdown has begun...21 days. I haven't heard yet when "Gotcha Day" will be, but I suspect it will be either the 31st or 1st. In the meantime, I've been busy packing, organizing the house, getting work stuff situated, getting documents in order and stalking the computer for tips on travel, etc.

Where in the World is MaryAlice???

2008-08-03T07:38:00.003-05:00

I don't know if you can see on the map, where I've highlighted Maoming City, Guangdong province, but it is in south China...subtropical. The top photo is of Maonan Social Welfare Institute. It is my understanding that the babies are on the third floor in three different rooms, a playroom, laundry room, feeding prep room and medical room. I've been able to view photos from December 2006. This was prior to Half the Sky opening their Infant Nurture Program in April 2007. From the referral photos, there appears to be more toys available than I saw in the 2006 photos of the playroom, where I saw none. I've been able to speak with a mom whose daughter was sponsored under the Infant Nurture program and she said it is a wonderful program. They provide a nanny to come in to play, nuture and basically love on the baby. I don't know if this is for all of the children or only the sponsored ones. I won't be able to find out until I am home and can contact Half the Sky for copies of the updates, unless I am given those with I meet MaryAlice. A child can be sponsored for $300/year through the Half the Sky website under the Infant Nurture link.

Ask and Ye Shall Receive!

2008-08-01T09:37:00.001-05:00

Our Travel Approval arrived today!!! Travel dates: 8/27/08 through 9/11/08. My agency is requesting our Consulate Appointment for 9/9/08 and we should know about that early next week. WooHoo!!!!!

Still Waiting for TA...

2008-07-31T19:08:00.003-05:00

I'm anxious to hear word that we've received Travel Approval (TA) from China so we can proceed with making travel plans. My agency is looking at the end of August as a tentative travel date. I've been busy getting the house and nursery organized and trying to fit everything I need to bring in one suitcase and a backpack. I'm planning on bringing size 12-18 month size clothes with me, with the intention of buying clothes and shoes in Guangzhou.

I've also been doing my research on the Social Welfare Institute where she is living, in hopes of preparing myself for any "issues" that are common in the children. I belong to two Yahoo groups started by families that have adopted from Maonan starting in 2001. Here's what I've learned:

1) The children often arrive in Guangzhou constipated after being given something to prevent "accidents" on the six hour train trip.
2) Dry skin, eczema, rashes, mosquito bites and boils are somewhat common.
3) The Maonan children in the past have not been introduced to solid foods as most babies usually are, but are kept on the bottle well past their first 12 months. The formula is served in combination with cereal, is thick, hot and is delivered with a large hole in the nipple preventing good sucking reflexes. Poor sucking skills can lead to speech problems down the road, so good to know.

This information helps me tremendously. I have already packed some prune/apple juice and baby food prunes, but will also bring some infant glycerin suppositories. I will bring a larger tube of Eucerin cream and some Aveeno oatmeal bath powder. Also, some Benadryl and Neosporin cream for bites. I'll have to see how MaryAlice's feeding skills are, but am now at least prepared to work through some feeding issues. I had already planned, but will now really push my pediatrician to order an Early Intervention evaluation. Feeding issues can lead to speech issues, so I want to stay on top of that.

I write these things for the benefit of my friends and family that regularly check this blog. These are the things that I've been preparing for over the past 2 years. These things are common in internationally adopted children. These are things that I may not have to deal with, but I'd rather be prepared and have a plan of action. There is a clinic right in The White Swan Hotel, so if there's any question, I can take MaryAlice there to be checked out and given medicine. I also have the International Adoption specialist, Todd Ochs, MD in Chicago available via email or phone should if I have any questions. He has four adopted daughters from China.

I guess the point of this post is to reiterate how invaluable the internet has been in learning things and connecting to folks who've "been there, done that", that can offer advice and experience. Once I'm home from China, I'll probably take the blog private. But for now, I think it's my turn to pay it forward and help those behind me, waiting for the next step and trying to prepare for their adventure.

So come on China....I want my TA!!!! Then, I want my CA, so I can get on a plane and get MA!!

My Baby is Growing Up!

2008-07-17T06:26:00.002-05:00

She now weighs 20lbs and has 3 teeth!! It looks like her hair has been cut, but at least that made her ears grow!

Right now, we wait for Travel Approval from China before any flight information can be made, so no dates yet. I've sent off for our Visa's and have started packing (okay, really I started packing six months ago, but this time I'm serious). I requested to visit her orphanage when I'm there, but we have to get approval from the Civil Affairs office and the orphanage director. I know other families have had that opportunity, so I don't forsee any problems. The orphanage is about a 4 hour drive from Guangzhou, so it will be a long day, but it is something I really want to do. I'll post more as things start to happen.

Isn't She Lovely??

2008-07-11T20:29:00.004-05:00

I've been waiting to post until I officially signed the Acceptance letter today for Nan Qi Guo. I've been holding my breath all week, waiting to receive her file hoping all was well. She just turned 10 months old and is the Maonan SWI in Maoming City, Guangdong Province. She's 7 months in these photos and weighed 18.7 lbs. Her name means South Pray Fruit....huh??? All I can say, is that she's prayed for any and all food products and I'm glad to see that she likes chicken. I think she's just perfect.

The Decision

2008-07-09T20:42:00.002-05:00

I've been avoiding making this post for quite some time and have even considered taking the blog private. I still may. Most of my close friends and family know that June was a very difficult month for me, as I made the decision to decline my referral. I knew that there was always the possibility, but until you walk in those shoes, you can never know how gut-wrenching it is. I have learned alot. I have met people online who helped quide and support me. It is scary. It is exhausting. It is awful. I have cried over this decision because it is one no one ever wants to make, but in the end, it was the right decision for me and for this little girl. Rest assured, she will be chosen by a family.

So for now, I've used this time to heal my heart so that when the time comes, I will be ready and open for my next referral.

Patience...

2008-06-16T17:01:00.003-05:00

Perhaps I was premature in posting my referral information in the middle of the excitement. I am sorting through some issues right now so that I can make the best decision. I am not allowing comments while I go through this.

What to do, What to do????

2008-06-08T16:46:00.002-05:00

What does one do the night before they become a parent? (Well, close to becoming a parent). I've spent the day uber nesting. All the Tupperware is now in the bottom drawer in the kitchen just begging to be played with. The many (and I do mean many) fountain of youth lotions, creams and potions are now on the highest shelf in the bathroom. The yard is mulched (although there's always room for more). The papers are organized. The file of referral related information has been reviewed. The list of referral activities/calls is finalized. The video camera is charged. The freezer is stocked with single serving meals. What am I missing??

Journey To MaryAlice

Back again with more photos...

Time to post again....

We're Still Here...

Second Anniversary Family Day

Request for New Post Answered.

Summer is here!

Okay, Okay...Here are some new photos!

Pics

Happy Year of the Tiger!

PottyTraining, Play-Doh and Pics

2010

Holiday Fun

Busy, Busy, Busy

Halloween 2009

Pumpkin Patch and Boo at the Zoo

More pics...

Another Barney Viewing

Beach Weekend

Just Photos for Now...

No More Monthly Cupcake Photos!!!!

A Year Ago Today....

Barney Is The Man!

A Day at the Beach

Happy 23rd Month Birthday!

Photo Cropping is a Wonderous Thing

New Places, New Stuff

"Your Referral Is Here"

22 Months old!

I Love's Me The Slip-n-Slide!!!

Amelia Island Reunion 2009

21 Months

Just Photos

I've Been a Bad Blogger...

First Easter

Happy 19th Month Birthday

First Haircut and Other Odds and Ends

Busy, Busy, Busy

18 Months Old

6 Months Ago...

Just Photos for Now..

Bubbles!!

Happy 17 Months Birthday!!!

Dumplings Anyone???

Oh No....

New Photos

I Must Be Out of My Ever Lovin' Mind...

She's Got Moxie...

Edward Scissorhand meet Eddie Munster

She's a Little Stinker!!

Disney, Santa and Another Cupcake!!

Okay, Okay...I'll post some pictures!!

My Daughter has Discovered Her Right Nostril

A Busy Week...

How Sweet Is This???

There's Been a Ladybug Sighting!!

Amazing to See the Changes

Water Fun!

Read This Post At Your Own Risk

Pumpkin Patch With MA

Some Pro Photos

All's Well...

It's Mayhem Around Here!

Bye-Bye Mr. Jet Lag!!!

We survived the doctor!

Need Food Ideas

Home Sweet Home!

Signing Off From China

Red Couch Photo Day!

Sightseeing and Damage Control

She Turns One!!

She Passes Her First Test!!

More Photos

More Travel Tips for those Waiting....

More Pictures and Videos

We're Officially a Family!

Now I Can't Sleep!

She's a Beauty!!!!

We've made it to Guangzhou!

More Travel Tips for Those Still Waiting