tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83734659266111905482024-02-07T14:10:46.161-06:00Baby steps... all the way to ChinaA journey to China - our adoption story, and life that goes on while we wait.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-41130831233757992842011-04-09T21:26:00.000-05:002011-04-09T21:26:03.095-05:00Emerson has a tooth!But just one... one perfect tooth.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPxw15ylURqIT1ZwaMGayB_5zLOPOt4HEJhRDxR4pm5RN5TKgU-P80c1qQ48dX3OQDsn6trTgMOM6TOzfraBAVo723C6-EzDweFw8lFWjkwzPGikEd0Hf4lKaztjDnfvM21Q_hm7_6uY/s1600/IMG_1641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPxw15ylURqIT1ZwaMGayB_5zLOPOt4HEJhRDxR4pm5RN5TKgU-P80c1qQ48dX3OQDsn6trTgMOM6TOzfraBAVo723C6-EzDweFw8lFWjkwzPGikEd0Hf4lKaztjDnfvM21Q_hm7_6uY/s320/IMG_1641.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-43562326172931336412011-02-26T09:56:00.001-06:002011-02-26T23:14:09.976-06:00More things to celebrate?Warning: today's post is more about me than Emerson. <br />
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My 44th birthday is Monday. As my sister's Father in Law would say, I am entering my 45th year of life. I hate aging. Always have so there is little hope that one day I'll embrace the whole cycle of life. I worried about getting old when I turned 8. Jeez. The good news: I do not feel over 40 and I don't think I look over 40 since it usually surprises people. Oh, and I have a 1 year old daughter!<br />
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Today is our 11 year wedding anniversary - which really means 15 years since we lived together for 4 before we suddenly tied the knot on my birthday trip to Las Vegas. We'll reflect on that day at some point today and laugh for sure. I think it's funny enough to share. <br />
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On top of the Vegas Eiffel Tower, Brian recited a romantic poem that ended with the proposal and I said "you are kidding, right?". Brian recited the poem again and I said "you know we are going to pay more taxes, right?". Patiently, he recited the poem again and I said yes. Two hours later we stepped into a limo and were driven to a helicopter. I was so relieved that it wasn't an Elvis chapel. Brian had the entire thing planned well in advance and based his ceremony decision on my answer to a question innocently asked several months before our trip: "what tv show did you like better: Hawaii 5-0 or Adam 12"? Easy. And somehow, Adam 12 landed us in the helicopter. We exchanged vows flying over the strip with my sister and her husband in witness. And when we landed, we rushed to the Mirage to see Siegfried & Roy, the real reason I was in Vegas. A spectacular night!<br />
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Our friends and family were shocked when they got the news as we were confirmed partners with no wedding intents. Seriously shocked - we had to show our wedding certificate to a few people. The truth is that we had decided to start a family together .. and our journey to Emerson started right there. <br />
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So February is a big month for us. Emerson's birthday, our anniversary, and finally my birthday.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-64875958830778236682011-02-13T11:33:00.000-06:002011-02-13T11:33:20.114-06:00In celebration of one year<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">After delaying Emerson's birthday party by one week due to weather, we had a beautiful day yesterday! It was so nice to have our house full of family and the kids were able to play outside in the sunny 70 degree day. They collected sticks and took walks around the block. Emerson did great - everyone was able to hold her and she showed off her crawling and crazy faces. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We had a Chinese theme, complete with Chinese snacks and a cake with a Chinese and American flag:</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNooMkukfj2-BJZhLjsnQH7_3jTnt-DnlEtXtpDLzwIEA7tf93Maa5L3ZK4GpS1PmhjftMY7CPeTriQRjOZfxvxVaUMj_Hi37EOLCjXCJ8lJrxYvwR3cXZnl6_zXugdClT852jDYYZ-U/s1600/IMG_1567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNooMkukfj2-BJZhLjsnQH7_3jTnt-DnlEtXtpDLzwIEA7tf93Maa5L3ZK4GpS1PmhjftMY7CPeTriQRjOZfxvxVaUMj_Hi37EOLCjXCJ8lJrxYvwR3cXZnl6_zXugdClT852jDYYZ-U/s200/IMG_1567.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmhhrs0RnnCKk-l0jcarUZUGWEp7H28GSrBqPc-tuRWykW5te1nWVCCUvYLgcBFeJ8RchnKAbN5sF-M5emTHbGv_6havdQMuprddyZbHoQUCz5jycy7ZlZSs3QhqWYHgSishIw2VuKN4/s1600/IMG_1571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmhhrs0RnnCKk-l0jcarUZUGWEp7H28GSrBqPc-tuRWykW5te1nWVCCUvYLgcBFeJ8RchnKAbN5sF-M5emTHbGv_6havdQMuprddyZbHoQUCz5jycy7ZlZSs3QhqWYHgSishIw2VuKN4/s200/IMG_1571.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We had a special treat for everyone - a Chinese calligrapher who wrote everyone's name (plus other words that the kids wanted such as "awesome") on beautiful red paper. We also gave each of the kids a red envelope with a dollar inside, a Chinese tradition. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Emerson had fun with her cake - although she was a little nervous with 20 people staring at her and singing. Hello sugar!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVSw6hTOdkeP0fTP3oOXNd21cteY59sUo5DVGxC0KSl_6_qHweQZs7OnSUcUrSIgU6qAKVQXvF_ef_M1RBb_GP9jrDTZobuYQUtoB0BwvxJhFAF6YmNYjAXzF4kLCvGDI_qtjSa9sBC8/s1600/IMG_1588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVSw6hTOdkeP0fTP3oOXNd21cteY59sUo5DVGxC0KSl_6_qHweQZs7OnSUcUrSIgU6qAKVQXvF_ef_M1RBb_GP9jrDTZobuYQUtoB0BwvxJhFAF6YmNYjAXzF4kLCvGDI_qtjSa9sBC8/s320/IMG_1588.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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And, one last picture. Emerson is quite taken with her little cousin who is 4. Each time she's seen him she wants to touch his hair and face and this time she was giving him hugs. So sweet!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisl5UHUE7oQYzs8BB4CRokw930trvePVOEnM7wycTt7xGjkE8usr9g0__QKG8FJ1U18pkTdM8m9Js7jJCgNN6SCPHG0o-mdOQ0p_oJOF0XlEht8bG5jRhH3ZAlgSGVAFEnmvBIVPFAwvI/s1600/IMG_1583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisl5UHUE7oQYzs8BB4CRokw930trvePVOEnM7wycTt7xGjkE8usr9g0__QKG8FJ1U18pkTdM8m9Js7jJCgNN6SCPHG0o-mdOQ0p_oJOF0XlEht8bG5jRhH3ZAlgSGVAFEnmvBIVPFAwvI/s320/IMG_1583.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-29870070198072565062011-02-05T11:52:00.001-06:002011-02-05T11:52:19.913-06:00Emerson's BirthdayAfter four days of ice and snow, we have sun! This special day will include a small family dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant and lots of playtime. The party was moved to next week due to the weather so we'll celebrate with extended family and cake next week. That gives Emerson 1 more week to practice feeding herself before the big cake experience. <br />
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At one, here is what this little girl is up to.<br />
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Crawling! She is starting to explore the house on her own so we have to keep a close eye on her. She'll take off from a room and be down the hall in the blink of an eye. Luckily she is very steady so I'm less worried about all our tile floors right now (unsteady walking will be another story). She is working on pulling herself up and is very close. With help, she loves to stand and her chunky legs are getting stronger every day. <br />
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Feeding herself and eating some table food. This was a big accomplishment since for weeks, she's been grabbing food and throwing it on the floor. The hand to the mouth and then letting go of the food once there is a very complicated motion. Bran muffin just out of the oven:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxfbv23oP8c0v0ceZJNHxsAfanqi3PiNTt1Bvcfkua9KHP3kZ6M65qW1z0XwcexPxS6RCoMGjfg_3ctCi4zPRSfIaagBrwmJoXKHYz6SglgsQpaZt4JPP4pRPqxhoU6gEaiuB2H0UaaQ/s1600/IMG_1534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxfbv23oP8c0v0ceZJNHxsAfanqi3PiNTt1Bvcfkua9KHP3kZ6M65qW1z0XwcexPxS6RCoMGjfg_3ctCi4zPRSfIaagBrwmJoXKHYz6SglgsQpaZt4JPP4pRPqxhoU6gEaiuB2H0UaaQ/s320/IMG_1534.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Making hilarious faces. Hard to describe and impossible to catch on film, but here is my best shot.<br />
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And finally, after a period of unrest, she is sleeping all night by herself in her crib again.<br />
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Happy Birthday to Emerson!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-66382162734659477352011-02-05T11:52:00.000-06:002011-02-05T11:52:10.721-06:00One Year Ago TodayFebruary 5, Emerson's birthday. I've spent all week thinking about her birth mom. What she went through that day and how we are forever tied together in a unique and special way. Among the community of parents who have adopted from China, there is a lot of conversation about birth mom searches. It's all way too much for me. For now, we know that a beautiful baby girl was born on February 5, 2010. Her mommy was unable to care for her and placed her carefully in a busy place in front of the Guangdong Rural Credit Union, where she knew that she would be picked up quickly and chauffeured to a better life. We are the lucky parents with that charter and will do everything we can to ensure that all of her birth mom's dreams for her are realized with opportunities and love love love... <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuG09gpr8FVVUulRxVlMfV-M7YEASfXNer3k-PElmEVspDJRc1iAjrO_D0RwUccVpmPpxPSEEndld-AzDMQOUTUa7kUvpqSGcWUQU0RpIwnERkA-AthVKTPN9t8KPW9udEFzCMicMItyM/s1600/China+2010+Yangxi+100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuG09gpr8FVVUulRxVlMfV-M7YEASfXNer3k-PElmEVspDJRc1iAjrO_D0RwUccVpmPpxPSEEndld-AzDMQOUTUa7kUvpqSGcWUQU0RpIwnERkA-AthVKTPN9t8KPW9udEFzCMicMItyM/s320/China+2010+Yangxi+100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-40821891860526902692011-01-03T03:57:00.000-06:002011-01-03T03:57:02.674-06:00November photo shootWe had pictures taken the day after Thanksgiving (thanks Dina!) and I kept them under wraps until Christmas when they could be unwrapped. Here are my favorites:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUzpIcMINwARjL8iMoWCGliIMLe0QwX2-RKhk-k8Lm6Npp7bJ3wtmMDNzu2CIb6cXwbMoYWsFExRoxGiSlEU2xSD4OzAdY5ROE8HU7g7DcPrAXChF_7xcKA4qdmohwLIYZLHdAjry4dQ/s1600/5259413799_5b4c21532f_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUzpIcMINwARjL8iMoWCGliIMLe0QwX2-RKhk-k8Lm6Npp7bJ3wtmMDNzu2CIb6cXwbMoYWsFExRoxGiSlEU2xSD4OzAdY5ROE8HU7g7DcPrAXChF_7xcKA4qdmohwLIYZLHdAjry4dQ/s320/5259413799_5b4c21532f_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKKx2gTAPYbRThwLGS3YJjf3JxIQP3o_uZDl8bznZgXsdmke2XSSQczhysh8cvimXAs6wJ5zhj8HYXe0MKw81GKKhwBo2ccPDKseKV632pWKQnF6X03wnmRkRqiYDVbG-UbeQeAvYvP0/s1600/5260022246_731130f818_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKKx2gTAPYbRThwLGS3YJjf3JxIQP3o_uZDl8bznZgXsdmke2XSSQczhysh8cvimXAs6wJ5zhj8HYXe0MKw81GKKhwBo2ccPDKseKV632pWKQnF6X03wnmRkRqiYDVbG-UbeQeAvYvP0/s320/5260022246_731130f818_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrNJFd2yRDgDE9EqAHxyyZH-Jl2no12AitNX2wy8D1J3mnwteNx4aT-Wk3QzEgAuvRfqObdmD09VLPOBZZcKWrulAe9ufM1BW3zkBUzs2gCpSDXaOq1LxRt4-r5NUGwApTqZDaXFM7LQ/s1600/5260021904_fae33c7359_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrNJFd2yRDgDE9EqAHxyyZH-Jl2no12AitNX2wy8D1J3mnwteNx4aT-Wk3QzEgAuvRfqObdmD09VLPOBZZcKWrulAe9ufM1BW3zkBUzs2gCpSDXaOq1LxRt4-r5NUGwApTqZDaXFM7LQ/s320/5260021904_fae33c7359_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-68011940401997482892011-01-03T03:49:00.000-06:002011-01-03T03:49:47.367-06:00A New YearThis was the first First in five years that we didn't spend the day hoping that the coming year will include our daughter. It will. It will. It will!! So much to look forward to. It occurs to me that the years to come are going to go by fast; now that we have a little growing daughter who will mark the time right in front of our eyes. The past five years sure ticked by slowly. <br />
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And that just reminds me to share a "before" and "after" ... she's changing so fast.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Gotcha Day - October 11, 2010 - 8 months old</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWjme8LIZ9VyEwuoAsdP9hW5aElfjkOrnH_sTIlCEfnLLG3s4Th-wY4J-YzS405_VB9J_UqtiZksdS9VxnZy19etln9MwFdl86SgUfEWmMlZHjbLRoBXVxEuY3J1_VqmafUmpWRwDfuI/s1600/China+2010+Gotcha+Day+042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWjme8LIZ9VyEwuoAsdP9hW5aElfjkOrnH_sTIlCEfnLLG3s4Th-wY4J-YzS405_VB9J_UqtiZksdS9VxnZy19etln9MwFdl86SgUfEWmMlZHjbLRoBXVxEuY3J1_VqmafUmpWRwDfuI/s320/China+2010+Gotcha+Day+042.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Christmas - December 25, 2010 - 10 months old</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-27564914461128525952010-12-30T13:46:00.001-06:002010-12-30T13:53:01.341-06:00My final week: a day in the life......of my stay-at-home-mom period. So I don't forget. <br />
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Almost every one of my days in the last 2 months has started between 7:30 and 8:00am when Emerson starts cooing, crying, waving her hands wildly at the monitor camera (I swear she knows we can see her), or pulling on the octopus legs to make it burble or sing. I had almost daily intentions of waking up at 6am in order to get a few things done first, most importantly walk my attention-starved dogs, but that rarely actually happened. <br />
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So I make my way to Emerson's room where I find her in various positions in her crib but always watching the door and usually with a big smile on her face. We kill a little time rocking and saying good morning until the fish clock strikes 8, at which point we head to the kitchen to make a bottle. Measure the formula, boil the water (I think it tastes better boiled in the tea kettle rather than run hot from the faucet), inject the iron and head back to her room where she sucks it down. Next we play in her room for a bit where there are plenty of toys to choose from - she has some wooden puzzles that keep her very busy - and one or several of our furry friends usually stop in for a visit. She has been working on crawling, usually motivated to get over to a cat or dog to pull on their fur or to hijack my phone (often with my mom's voice on the other end).<br />
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Breakfast is around 9:30 and she must have a banana each day. Yesterday I showed up at the table without a banana and although she was enjoying her oatmeal, she stared pointedly at the bananas on the other side of the kitchen until I righted the breakfast wrong. And for the record, we watch Regis and Kelly during breakfast every day. There, I admitted it. <br />
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We work very hard to fit a nap in between breakfast and the noon bottle. She really does not like naps but her daddy can usually coax her to sleep (by napping himself). Mid day goes by rather fast: bottle at noon, playtime, lunch around 1:30, errands, bottle at four, more playtime. We have dinner at 6 and all eat at the same time. And, yes, we still have a pretty significant eating-out habit that, unfortunately, Emerson has not hindered in the least. She loves checking out all the people around her in restaurants and charms waiters with her big toothless grins. <br />
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At 7:30 we have a bath. We meaning me and Emerson. In China it was a necessity and I can't give it up. Daddy takes her from the bath, gets her ready for bed, gives her a bottle and she is usually fast asleep by 8:30. And, although it's hard to tell, these days are sweet but exhausting! Brian and I hit the sack shortly after that, and usually get to snooze through the night. If she wakes before 2am, Brian's on duty and my shift starts at 2am. <br />
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So, all this is going to change next week. Wish me luck.<br />
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Here is a shot of morning playtime in her room:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRFUApcqOV-O-Z_A-AyXxkhPpxxKxdddqeRvCTuNhwhp1MLqZsDRa5ue5GyLTm65PB_rtZ5lGht5lv0bNviiJjv8GtMtLLZoTrzeJh382dYGSjf1Y68TVou031mAOmVssOSANggvrU1Q/s1600/IMG_1436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRFUApcqOV-O-Z_A-AyXxkhPpxxKxdddqeRvCTuNhwhp1MLqZsDRa5ue5GyLTm65PB_rtZ5lGht5lv0bNviiJjv8GtMtLLZoTrzeJh382dYGSjf1Y68TVou031mAOmVssOSANggvrU1Q/s320/IMG_1436.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-80418889003223983242010-12-28T12:17:00.000-06:002010-12-28T12:17:20.948-06:00My final week: Tuesday and emerging personalityEmerson has two dominant personality traits that have been obvious for a long time: she is happy, oh so very happy and incredibly observant. It doesn't take much to make her smile - a smile, a hug, a shake, or a shimmy. And counting to three makes her laugh since she knows something funny will happen on "3". New people are checked out from head to toe, new rooms examined inch by inch, and surfaces constantly explored with her fingertips. <br />
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She is not as easy going as in the early days - she is fiesty (to quote her Dr). When she is unhappy, it's unmistakable - she kicks, screams, and streams giant crocodile tears down her cheeks. Luckily, she is also very easily cheered so the temper doesn't last long. <br />
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She is not an affectionate baby. She often turns away from kisses and pushes away from hugs. So, I treasure her moments of cuddling when they come and hope this is just a phase. Her 6 year old cousin told me it was and that she'll learn to cuddle - she's probably right!<br />
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She is still pretty independent. Not sure if that's from necessity or personality. Here's a glimpse of her independence: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMBWsAFMIVG2bXAubylRQVepN-BHAM5L3Tfvg6PO-2MIIEkBNcVfRPgWHFjIupbVF_4sFKDKX9zwPHlibDQI-sn1LTcfnrZQZwDoeV9NAtQrEae9cKFW5ZgW_ytfflQV_uERcs3Wa4Ans/s1600/IMG_1391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMBWsAFMIVG2bXAubylRQVepN-BHAM5L3Tfvg6PO-2MIIEkBNcVfRPgWHFjIupbVF_4sFKDKX9zwPHlibDQI-sn1LTcfnrZQZwDoeV9NAtQrEae9cKFW5ZgW_ytfflQV_uERcs3Wa4Ans/s320/IMG_1391.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-45129144784827600642010-12-27T19:12:00.001-06:002010-12-28T03:42:26.803-06:00My final week: Monday & a whiney girlWith one week left before I return to work, this will be a week of Emerson updates.<br />
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Our happy, quiet, peaceful baby has turned sleepless and whiney in the last few days. I can speculate a million reasons why. Over-stimulation from 4 days of Christmas activity is a favorite, but right now, my money is on giardia. This is a common issue and especially with babies from her Yangxi orphanage. She was diagnosed and treated in November but we never tested to make sure the treatment worked. Some slight symptoms have reappeared but her general unhappiness has me convinced today. We are now armed with a "specimen container" and will carry a little "specimen" to the lab tomorrow for another test. <br />
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As for the symptoms... the whiney I can handle. I don't mind holding her all day long if it makes her happy and it generally does. Sleepless is a problem. She has been a great night sleeper since we got her: 10-12 hours a night with rare interruptions (daytime naps not so much). Last night, she woke up every 2 hours and had to be rocked back to sleep. At 2am (the beginning of my shift) she decided that she was done with her crib and only wanted to sleep on me. We went to the guest room and slept there together. Neither of us slept well and I do worry about starting habits that will be hard to break but ... oh, so sweet. <br />
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We probably looked a little like this, taken on Christmas day when she fell asleep for a poorly timed nap : just before we left for our 2-hour drive to East Texas:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yBOv7HJ32NjnxyA9tdV36WlTEaV-LwyVZ7Hn4qQnyJbHYNl6i1WtSzChyChrIcw0i3ykZ1z23dfW58gm2agbw7Ow-JbM5dGip00dseK9JD9CnzymHgC_Mea5Ry-N7HvY-wsN-yKC2Ck/s320/IMG_1451.JPG" width="320" /></div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-60571205737880483802010-12-19T11:19:00.001-06:002010-12-19T11:23:30.066-06:00An update as the end of the year loomsFirst, a picture for the season:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5qcSgZKY9v151VprNMH_6EQYvbAN92woPu9_ouz6HW2c9NvCjymfLZlMUajVqFb3zDXG2Q8_uZ15HNE3-_wY5TXNzuuC6ML0dLIyM3tm0dlBrWDxkQHFR43wHRaAL1X0w-74LotpClY/s1600/00000001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5qcSgZKY9v151VprNMH_6EQYvbAN92woPu9_ouz6HW2c9NvCjymfLZlMUajVqFb3zDXG2Q8_uZ15HNE3-_wY5TXNzuuC6ML0dLIyM3tm0dlBrWDxkQHFR43wHRaAL1X0w-74LotpClY/s320/00000001.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>We went to NorthPark so Emerson could meet the famous Santa. As you can see, she was very happy about that. This was a few days before the clingies set in - more on that later. We are experiencing and celebrating the season in a brand new way. We have a tree. For the first time. It's covered in prayer beads and pine cones. Perfect. We are discussing whether Santa will visit our house this year. Who knows? At 10 months, she won't know the difference but we will. All shopping is done and I plan to wrap gifts today. Today! It's only December 19th! (quick fact: for about the last 15 years, I've done all shopping on the 23rd and wrapped gifts on the 24th). This has everything to do with the fact that we did most of our shopping in China this year and my leave from work, but I'm still going to take credit and celebrate this accomplishment. And, there are other signs around the house that the humbugs have lifted. Let's just say the gift of Emerson is overdue yet perfectly timed. Merry Christmas! <br />
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The clingies. Emerson has shown signs of attachment to both of us for a long time - in fact, we think it happened pretty quickly. But now, she wants to be held all the time and gets very fussy when we aren't providing full attention. Especially Mommy. I'm perfectly fine with this but her timing couldn't be worse since I'm now counting down mere days before I have to go back to work. <br />
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Development. Maybe a little slow. She's "crawling" backwards but still working on the forward movement. Not a single sign of a tooth and not really ready to move off the baby food. She did figure out a consonant - "da da" to be specific, but it's only a noise at his point. She's also just started to hand me things and can put her blocks into and take them out of a box or bag. I was feeling a little anxious about her progress but have come to peace with the fact that she didn't get much attention for the first 8 months of her life. Probably very little since she is so content. When I asked one of the nannies about her personality, she said she was "easy and happy". Which is wonderful but I also think it probably translated to - we didn't have to worry too much about her. She just needs a little more "baby love" before she moves on.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-67621762615772538612010-11-25T21:15:00.000-06:002010-11-25T21:15:34.885-06:00giving thanksEmerson loved her first Thanksgiving, day 1. We spent the day with Brian's family in East Texas: she fell in love with Brian's brother at first sight, so cute. It was a crowd and she was a pleaser - happy and relaxed all day long. She had lots of mashed potatoes. We had lots of everything. Gearing up for day 2 with my family tomorrow!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-58337119977838133252010-11-05T22:23:00.000-05:002010-11-05T22:23:48.168-05:00Emerson is 9 monthsSo, we celeberated at the zoo with her Aunt Jill and cousin Katie:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9OyntX6VgTzLEX4S5oWKaAWw1vyhNQ2Io1lBfBYFpZKDutPDqlyOO5GI_v_f0-HZP_-rCXYgjDdvnAYf5rw-_rY2LaTG0eG-fZHZ4yiKsd7Bmt05o28NzRFHEwaL5ihURODzB-_7g6E/s1600/IMG_1235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9OyntX6VgTzLEX4S5oWKaAWw1vyhNQ2Io1lBfBYFpZKDutPDqlyOO5GI_v_f0-HZP_-rCXYgjDdvnAYf5rw-_rY2LaTG0eG-fZHZ4yiKsd7Bmt05o28NzRFHEwaL5ihURODzB-_7g6E/s320/IMG_1235.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-21483242613568550872010-11-02T12:22:00.000-05:002010-11-02T12:22:09.206-05:00If you're happy and you know it...Here are a few pictures from Emerson taken just yesterday - enjoying her saucer. She has changed so much in the last week, it's crazy. She's doing a lot of "talking", grabbing everything, sitting on her own for more than a second at a time. Happy happy girl!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDz3gsfb72_rHCYAffRvYnIYW-xV3LRhiBCM29PcR-1vWXfbyklILhsofy9maotFziMamq040-32dHACu5ZmV2ZSAyN-Wqc2CXHet5Gwy7QaVvQLhRXlzonikQh-nhMqJhUIAfGtsjkd4/s1600/IMG_1189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDz3gsfb72_rHCYAffRvYnIYW-xV3LRhiBCM29PcR-1vWXfbyklILhsofy9maotFziMamq040-32dHACu5ZmV2ZSAyN-Wqc2CXHet5Gwy7QaVvQLhRXlzonikQh-nhMqJhUIAfGtsjkd4/s320/IMG_1189.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPd-B3cxR0v9fNxYepoQ7wGr9yLA_LKTEOxaE2fRL3oRyu9g-QmmnDZxLzweIex22bD29OQsJ93Gj1zjgaDgsnWlq4bfdlkB1axfprJteRM1zB8sGLNpqgP31wJ0C32v4ncwOB1C9IMA/s1600/IMG_1190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPd-B3cxR0v9fNxYepoQ7wGr9yLA_LKTEOxaE2fRL3oRyu9g-QmmnDZxLzweIex22bD29OQsJ93Gj1zjgaDgsnWlq4bfdlkB1axfprJteRM1zB8sGLNpqgP31wJ0C32v4ncwOB1C9IMA/s320/IMG_1190.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-35230319603689435262010-10-31T17:55:00.000-05:002010-10-31T17:55:00.870-05:00Remembering Jason and Kathy - CCAI HostsWhile in China, I kept meaning to write a short ode to Jason and Kathy, our CCAI hosts in Guangzhou. So, this is a little late, but no less heartfelt. <br />
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Kathy and Jason provide 24 hour a day support to the CCAI familes while in Guangzhou. Since we spent our entire trip in Guangzhou, they were with us for 12 days. They were constantly with us: helping us fill out necessary forms (line by line), gathering signatures, setting up appointments, taking us everywhere we needed to go, showing us the city, taking us shopping, arranging group dinners, checking on our babies, helping us up bus steps, and translating what we couldn't understand (uh, everything). When they weren't with us, they were working on our behalf, shuttling our paperwork around the city. From the moment we met these two special people, Brian and I knew we were in good hands. Our trip was so incredibly smooth and we know that we have CCAI (our wonderful agency) and especially Jason and Kathy to thank for that. They will never be forgotten.<br />
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Here is Emerson and I with Auntie Kathy at the zoo: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKw7SwIGe5XspZ__RdpZAAifx_y78VeCKVp_K7ge6BUD9wpLJswwX1dnljPTkPtG4JhiMaW3Ik0CDFVgi_FgYoRXgT8EPSyX-OVt-AD5fv6gBT5za7hKXjKO-jXtv8eCyJrtFZbvZVYM/s1600/China+2010+Emerson+in+Guangzhou+241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKw7SwIGe5XspZ__RdpZAAifx_y78VeCKVp_K7ge6BUD9wpLJswwX1dnljPTkPtG4JhiMaW3Ik0CDFVgi_FgYoRXgT8EPSyX-OVt-AD5fv6gBT5za7hKXjKO-jXtv8eCyJrtFZbvZVYM/s320/China+2010+Emerson+in+Guangzhou+241.jpg" width="320" /></a>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-44536442007745289012010-10-31T17:35:00.000-05:002010-10-31T17:35:35.295-05:00Finally in Texas...time zone, that is! We have been home now a full week with only one challenge but it's a big one. <br />
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She's eating great - no trouble at all changing from the sugary sweet Chinese formula to our organic choice and we can even add vitamins to her bottle each morning. She loves all the food we've tried, although sweet potatoes are clearly the best. Visitors are welcome and she's even getting used to her 100-mile-an-hour cousin who can't keep her hands off this baby. Errands, no sweat. Inside, outside, restaurants, cars. You name it, she can handle it. <br />
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But back to the challenge. I like my sleep and so does Brian. I need a good solid 8 each night and Brian can handle even more than that. Yes, we are big sleepers. And so is Emerson, only she's been sleeping with the Chinese. At the beginning of the week, she was wide awake smiling and playing until about 5am. Then she crashed until noon. Now, I enjoyed those mornings - time to walk the dogs, have some breakfast, catch up on my stuff but it was all done while sleep walking which wasn't going to last much longer. Sleep arrived on Wednesday and Thursday around 1am and then 11pm on Friday. Woohoo. And then came Saturday night and we all slept soundly from 9:30 until 7am. Big Woohoo! I think we have finally arrived Big Tex!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-55307725576145903092010-10-24T07:40:00.000-05:002010-10-24T07:40:38.159-05:00HomecomingAh, home sweet home! The trip home was long but just fine. Emerson screamed for quite a while at the beginning of our flight from Hong Kong to SFO - the length of time she screamed is under debate but somewhere between 2 and 3 hours. After 10 minutes, who can tell anymore? She was a dream from SFO to DFW and I even got a few minutes of sleep on that flight. <br />
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My sister and brother-in-law picked us up at the airport... she was so happy to meet her Aunt & Uncle so we just eased right into Dallas. No tears from Emerson - just a few from me and her A-ee. My parents, Brian's dad, and my sister's daughters were all anxiously waiting at our house and did a great job staying calm as they saw Emerson for the first time. She handled it all really well: everyone held her and she smiled a lot. She scrutinized her new family and surroundings and is already very comfortable in her crib. <br />
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And, for the big homecoming finale: Jimi and Murray (our combined 180 pounds of dog) and the 2 cats are of great interest to her and caused no fear at all. She immediately reached out for Abigail (the sociable loving cat) and Jimi (the old grandpa dog). Murray is still a little much (as he is for most people - he's a big, in-your-face sort of guy) but she doesn't even twitch when he licks her head and feet. Now, they are all still wondering when she's gonna leave but I think everyone will be fine. <br />
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The night was a little rough - she's on China time so from 2-4 she was wide awake and ready to play. Luckily she went back to sleep although it turns out that I'm on China time too. We'll all do some adjusting in the next few days. <br />
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How does it feel to be home? Pretty amazing. We are glad we spent 11 days getting to know each other in China and she's definitely attached. So many people held their breath and waited with us for these 5 years and I'm overjoyed to say that it's time to breathe. It was an incredibly difficult wait and there were many days that I didn't think it would ever end. Well, here we are and Emerson could not be more perfect. I know there are many challenges ahead and can not wait to take them on and enjoy every moment!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-83731075607968800702010-10-22T06:34:00.000-05:002010-10-22T06:34:31.120-05:00we could be in for a long night, before a long day.We made it to Hong Kong and have no weather to speak of. (despite typhoon Megi). And, we are in an airport hotel facing the South China sea where she is looming so it feels a little precarious. As in, we can see the sea out the window of our room. Looks like she's passing us by though and headed straight for the China Province we just left. We are optimistic about our flight tomorrow morning. <br />
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As for Emerson, she's a bit cranky and looking at her new surroundings intently. Glad we only have to move her one more time. <br />
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Hopefully my next post will be from home!!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-76123691443656217772010-10-21T16:08:00.001-05:002010-10-21T16:11:49.223-05:00Red couch pictureIt's a tradition in the White Swan to take a group baby photo on one of the famous red couches. The experience was pretty hilarious. Here is Emerson in one of her special dresses, after the crazy group photo:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2clbOSf765d8JWfLizxO03VQT0J1wSG6J7_p6P6ddXWI1BSFknOzxMUVFK78nIKhuyRLRkYrmsgJRE5_421-IbHiSvw_0ZtqogAss0eZt27DXk5xiYKwyitRtR4sKWgZTCEPjr-jC-Uc/s1600/China+2010+Emerson+in+Guangzhou+374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2clbOSf765d8JWfLizxO03VQT0J1wSG6J7_p6P6ddXWI1BSFknOzxMUVFK78nIKhuyRLRkYrmsgJRE5_421-IbHiSvw_0ZtqogAss0eZt27DXk5xiYKwyitRtR4sKWgZTCEPjr-jC-Uc/s320/China+2010+Emerson+in+Guangzhou+374.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-21680383179676707902010-10-21T16:01:00.000-05:002010-10-21T16:01:26.217-05:00"not another minute"This is what I said when Emerson woke us up with her usual noises at 4am - "I can't sleep another minute in this bed". The White Swan is lovely with everything you expect from a 5-star hotel, except a comfy bed. So, here I sit in the lobby enjoying the quiet and ready to hit the road today. We changed our travel plans slightly due to the typhoon headed straight for the southern coast of China and will take a bus to Hong Kong with three other families (chartered, not public). We'll spent the night and hopefully get on our flight as scheduled on Saturday around noon.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-28177748055166853832010-10-20T00:33:00.001-05:002010-10-20T00:33:23.252-05:00Getting the Rangers – live!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We are enjoying the Ranger v Yankees Championship Series in our room early each morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go Rangers! </div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-89599335069363160552010-10-20T00:32:00.007-05:002010-10-20T00:32:57.903-05:00Our visit to YangxiWe all made the trip and while it was challenging in many ways, it was well worth it so that one day we can answer the many questions Emerson is likely to have. <br />
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We arrived in the city of Yangxi after a 4 hour bus ride from Guangzhou. The roads were scenic but hard to watch since we were all hanging on for dear life. The first 2 hours out of Guangzhou were definitely the bumpiest before stopping to stretch our legs at a rest stop with a KFC (yes, Kentucky Fried). The 2nd half of the trip was a bit less bumpy but hotter since the temperature outside was rising and the air inside the bus was limited. <br />
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We went directly to the orphanage (The Yangxi County Welfare Institute) and were received in a nice room with plates of bananas, tangerines, and bottles of water. The front wall was all windows looking out to the somewhat shabby garden and playground the back wall had some windows that faced directly onto another brick building. Another wall held pictures of what appeared to be the lineage of Orphanage Directors and the fourth wall was full of pictures of babies with their adopted families – called the wall of happiness and smiles (or something very close to that). We were joined by Mr. Wu, the Director, the Vice Director, and two of the nannies who we had met on Gotcha Day. When we stepped out of the bus, Emerson (riding in her carrier facing out) immediately saw the Nanny we had talked to on Gotcha Day and started smiling. <br />
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As we enjoyed the fruit and water, Mr. Wu answered all of our questions, very openly. There are about 70 babies/children currently living in the orphanage and they are the only orphanage in the county which about 500,000 people call home. There are usually 3-4 babies found each month but could be up to 10 in a busy month. Abandonments are going down in the area. There are about 40 nannies working there, most working day shifts with only a few there at night and they share care of all the babies. We captured the entire conversation on video. <br />
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Then we walked up 2 flights of stairs to the non-special needs baby room. There were about 15 cribs and most had babies, trying to nap as we were there during that time. They showed us which crib each of our babies had occupied and let us take pictures of the cribs. The cribs are quite small with metal bars and wood bottoms. No blankets or sheets because it’s summertime and too hot. There were some sad things about this visit, but I’ll keep them in my heart and slowly let them go. We walked back down the stairs to the bus all holding our babies a little tighter. <br />
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Overall, my belief is that this particular orphanage is doing the best they can with limited resources. The nannies all knew our babies by name and seemed happy to see them; the babies responded positively to them. They gave them a place to sleep, food, and all the love they could. <br />
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We took the two Nannies and the Vice Director to lunch at a local Chinese restaurant that they chose. They had ordered for the group in advance and were very worried that we would not like it. Everything was delicious and they made sure we all got plenty of servings: skewered barbequed oysters (which we watched get shelled on the corner outside), tomato and egg soup, fried noodles, lotus root, various meats that I didn’t eat, and my favorite, the local fried fish dish. <br />
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After lunch we visited each of the spots where our babies were found. It was a somber drive around Yangxi with each family stepping out to photograph and absorb the surroundings. Emerson was found in front of the city Credit Union on a very busy street. Our Agency has given us the newspaper “finding ad’ that ran on her behalf: <br />
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“Song Xiaohong, female, was found abandoned at the left side of the gate of the Rural Credit Cooperatives, Xihu Road, Yangxi County on February 5, 2010. about one day old.”<br />
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We were told that as we stood in front of the building, a man and his family in front of the shop next door watched us intently. Maybe they were the finders. <br />
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The ride back was even more fun than the journey there since Emerson had a few short fits. Overall though, she was easy and the day was an important part of this journey.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-73376488206335119322010-10-20T00:32:00.001-05:002010-10-20T00:32:28.518-05:00Emerson is small but she sure can scream!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This was discovered on Monday night – by us and everyone around us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She woke up at 3 am and screamed at the top of her lungs for the better part of 2 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked her around the room, rocked her, fed her, held her, sang to her, walked her through the hallways and nothing worked. Inconsolable. She finally slept for about an hour and then was up again at 6am and ready for the day. I’ve got plenty of theories about what was going on, but who really knows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-5247250256747150132010-10-18T05:34:00.000-05:002010-10-18T05:34:33.891-05:00A day without a nap and a pending decision (Monday, Oct 18)Aside from 2 30-minute cat naps (one pictured below as we were leaving the zoo), Emerson has not had a good sleep since 6:30 this morning. She’s in her crib now, and I’m trying to ignore her but every time I turn around she’s peering through the bars just smiling at me. Everything else is fine today – she’s healthy, eating great, and perfectly happy; just not the least bit sleepy. <br />
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Tomorrow may be a very long day, 7am to 7pm. It’s the day we get to visit the orphanage and it’s a 3 hour bus ride each way. This is a unique opportunity and I am certain that all three of us should go. We’ll have the chance to see where she lived for her first 8 months and hopefully see the spot where she was found (we have the street corner and building name). Brian doesn’t think we should subject her to the long day and feels strongly that one of us should stay back with her. We are both right. Not sure how this will be resolved… stay tuned.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373465926611190548.post-46656885195258262682010-10-18T05:30:00.001-05:002010-10-18T05:30:08.673-05:00A day without a nap and a pending decision (Monday, Oct 18)Aside from 2 30-minute cat naps (one pictured below as we were leaving the zoo), Emerson has not had a good sleep since 6:30 this morning. She’s in her crib now, and I’m trying to ignore her but every time I turn around she’s peering through the bars just smiling at me. Everything else is fine today – she’s healthy, eating great, and perfectly happy; just not the least bit sleepy. <br />
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Tomorrow may be a very long day, 7am to 7pm. It’s the day we get to visit the orphanage and it’s a 3 hour bus ride each way. This is a unique opportunity and I am certain that all three of us should go. We’ll have the chance to see where she lived for her first 8 months and hopefully see the spot where she was found (we have the street corner and building name). Brian doesn’t think we should subject her to the long day and feels strongly that one of us should stay back with her. We are both right. Not sure how this will be resolved… stay tuned.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766772966253820569noreply@blogger.com1