Here's what we have been up to...

It's been just over a week since we have been home and it has flown by. Here's a little of what we have been up to. We have moved from Up Dog to Down Dog.

Cleaned the rug

Recovered from jet lag. As you can see, some have done better than others.

Tried to juggle limes

Discovered watermelon

Been swimming

Had a belated one year birthday celebration. Complete with a very special dress made by my Mom and worn by two of my nieces.

We also had our first Doctor's appointment since being home. We will have more official word when the blood work comes back but so far so good. Speaking of blood work, frankly that experience sucked. I could go for a while without having to do that again.

Unfortunately, we haven't returned all the lovely Welcome Home emails and phone calls. And we haven't sent Thank You's for all the gifts that have poured in. Maybe next week.

Back Home

We arrived back home last Wednesday right on schedule. Everyone is doing great, despite the jet lag. We actually felt human today. We were welcomed by pink balloons and American flags lining the driveway and a huge Welcome Home sign made by my out of town relatives. And I thought I had cried all the tears of joy I could possibly cry. Thanks Guys!!! My parents have been a HUGE help since we got home. My poor Mom is cooking and cleaning like Cinderella so Jon and I can enjoy LuLu. Our friends Becky and Larry brought a Mexican feast last night complete with Corona and limes. We continue to be spoiled by everyone's love and generosity and I hope that someday we can pay it forward.
I promise to be back soon with some pictures of our first few days home. I will say that LuLu has become quite the daredevil and can't decide if she wants to crawl or walk first.

All Packed Up

We're all packed up and are leaving Guangzhou in the morning. We are sad to be leaving China but excited about getting home as a family of three. We have spent the last couple of days seeing the sights and finishing up the last details. Sorry I haven't posted but just so much going on. LuLu is eating everything that we let her and is getting more mobile by the day. Jon and I have had to up our game on getting her diaper changed now that she can roll over. She is also very close to being able to go from laying down to sitting up and she likes to practice that move just as the dirty diaper comes off and the clean one goes on. Good times.

The next post will likely be after we get home and settled a bit. Here are some pics from Guangzhou. We have lots more, just haven't had a chance to get them uploaded.

Up Dog

Until last night, when we would put her on her stomach, LuLu just didn't know what to do. She could not really lift her head or didn't know to try. Now she is doing a pretty decent Upward facing dog. Of course, it's usually followed by a pretty good face plant. She also rolled over this morning. She was very proud of herself.

P.S. Yes, I now see the rubberband on the floor and I realize it's a choking hazard.

Catching Up

Here are a few pictures taken just before we left Nanchang and a couple from the flight to Guangzhou.

Greetings From Guangzhou

We made it to our hotel in Guangzhou last night around 9:00pm. LuLu did great on the flight. The flight was just a little over an hour so it was good practice for the long flight home. Not so much for her, but practice for us of course.

It's now Saturday just before noon and we are already done with her visa photo and medical exam. She passed the "extensive" medical exam with flying colors. She now weighs 15.4 pounds.

When we returned from the medical exam, we spent some time with our facilitator and finished all the paperwork that is required for the US immigration side of things. Everything is going so smoothly, it's like we have been sprinkled with fairy dust this entire trip.

Thank you so much for the lovely comments, emails, thoughts and prayers. We haven't had a chance to respond to all of them but they mean a lot to us.

I realize it's the second post in a row without pictures. We'll try and get some up later today.

Our Last Night In Nanchang

We had another great day here in Nanchang. We took a nice walk to what they call "City Mall". We also got to walk around some of the side streets and alleyways and got a glimpse of life here in Nanchang. LuLu came out of her shell a bit more today. She even scolded us a few times when we didn't get things just right. It's great to see her little personality more and more each day. She is eating great and seems to be getting stronger each day. She is now trying to roll over. Also, when she is sitting on the floor she walk her hands out and stares at the floor like she knows if she get her arms and legs going in the right direction, she could go places.

We are heading further south tomorrow to Guangzhou. That is where we will complete the US immigration part of this process. Jon and I are both a little sad about leaving out little cocoon we have established here in our hotel room. To be honest with you, this hotel room would not have impressed me if if I had walked into it back home. However, to us it has been absolute paradise for the last 4 days. It is this room where we first met this amazing little person that we are blessed to share our lives with. This is where we heard her giggle for the first time and where we get to see that big gummy smile several times a day.

Still In Nanchang

The rain slowed a little yesterday so we ventured out. We picked up the official adoption documents from the notary and then we headed to Walmart for a few supplies. Of course, LuLu slept through most of the adventure. Picture Walmart on Christmas Eve, multiply it times a million and that was the scene that she slept through. She played a good bit of the afternoon and crashed just before we headed out. She woke up just as we were getting back to the hotel.
Nanchang is known for their porcelain so we are going to head out today to get her a Porcelain tea set.
Here's a few pics from the day.
Disclaimer: We are NOT bathing her in dirty water. She is still scratching quite a bit so it is an oatmeal bath.

She's A Sleeper

Man, this kid can sleep. I think she has a little bit of a cold and mostly I think it's just her way of "dealing" with all the changes. She seems to get up, take in as much as she can and then crash. She had two, two-hour naps yesterday and then slept from 8:30pm - 5:30 this morning. She had a bottle and went back to sleep. It's 7:40 am and she is asleep again. Every time I put her in the baby pouch, she falls asleep on me. When she is awake, she's happy. She loves to be held and if you put her down, she will whimper.

And patient, she is very patient with us. I am sure that she has figured out she got a couple of rookies. I've worn the baby pouch wrong, made bottles that were too thick and too runny and she just goes right along with it all.

She is TINY. I knew she would be tiny according to the latest measurements we received just before traveling. However, I was still surprised. The dress she wore yesterday was a 3-6 month dress and it fit. Actually the matching diaper cover was a little too big. I don't think she has been given much in the way of solid foods. She will eat from our chopsticks or fingers but she's not a big fan of the spoon. She wouldn't eat much at all (other than her bottles) the first day but yesterday was a little better. She ate a fair amount of steamed egg last night. So all in all, she is doing fantastic.

What else? Oh, yes Mary she has dimples!!! We can see them when she smiles. Also, She is sleeping in the crib in the hotel room, not with us. Well when she feel asleep after her bottle this morning, I put her in my bed, but generally it's the crib.

Here's a short video of a couple of giggles that we managed to get yesterday.

More Pictures...

All is well. We were done with our paperwork in about an hour this morning. It was a blur but our facilitator was awesome at getting us in and out. LuLu slept through most of it. She probably would have slept through the entire thing but they made me wake her up to take her picture. We spent the rest of the day just chlling in the hotel. Lots of smiles. Here's some pics. We are headed downstairs to dinner soon.

Here She Is...

We've been a family of three for about four hours now. We've played, had dinner and now she is sound asleep. She likes a bottle at bedtime so we got one ready and she took it like a champ. She feel asleep in my arms as she finished the bottle. We've had a few smiles and Jon even got a kiss. We are blessed beyond belief. We have a morning of paperwork tomorrow and oh, who am I kidding, no one is reading this... Here's the pictures!!!!

Lulu's on the way!

We made it to Nanchang!  We're in our hotel - with internet - and they're bringing the babies in an hour!

Great Wall Photos

Beijing Day Three

Once again, our "handlers" (guide and driver) gave us an action packed, exciting day.  Highlight was The Great Wall. Sorry we don't have any pictures at the moment. We crashed when we got to the hotel last night (Great Wall kinda kicked out butt) and the camera is already packed up. Anway, I know I keep using this word but it was amazing.

When our travel dates became "asap", we really thought we might have to forget the few days in Beijing. We are so grateful that it all worked out and we have had this opportunity to experience Beijing, even if only for a few days. Makes us want to come back.

We are packing up and will be checking out in about an hour and heading to the airport. We have about a two hour flight to Nanchang. Still no confirmation on whether we will meet LuLu today or tomorrow but they are hopeful for today. So are we!!!

As long as I can get connected, I will post tonight from Nanchang. Hopefully with the picture we have all been waiting for.

Free Souvenir from the hotel

Don't panic Mom, we are fine.
I didn't mention the H1N1 Quarantine procedures because really it was a non issue for us. We connected through Tokyo and since we did not enter China from an "infected" country, the procedures seemed a lot less involved. No one boarded our plane and took our temperature when we landed in Beijing. We had to fill out a health questionnaire and have our temperature scanned a couple of times in the Beijing airport. No big deal.
This evening we had a note under our door to call the front desk. The hospital called our hotel and wants our temperature readings done twice a day. So the hotel gave us a thermometer and asked us to report our temperature to the front desk twice a day. I asked if anyone on our plane is sick and the front desk said No. Hopefully that's the case.
So here's Jon getting his temperature taken. Despite leaving the thermometer under our tongue for SEVERAL minutes, our temperatures were both below normal. Does hand sanitizer ruin a thermometer? Because I used a lot of it before this picture was taken. The random thermometer seemed like a bigger health risk than that plane ride two days ago.

Beijing Day Two

Here are some hightlights of Day Two. The Summer Palace and tour of The Hutong area of Beijing.

Beijing Day One

What a day!!  We left the hotel around 9am and visited Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven.  It was all amazing.  After such a long wait, it's almost surreal to be here.  Our guide Jennifer is fantastic. We are feeling quite spoiled.

Oh, and we also took in a Chinese Acrobat show. Our seats were in the second row and crazy close to the stage. Honestly one wrong move and we would have been wearing a Chinese Acrobat. That close. The show was fantastic. I was about to fall asleep just before it started but it was just what I needed to get a second wind.
Jon took about 500 pictures (not an exaggeration). It will take us a bit to go through them all and get some uploaded. In the meantime, the picture above was take in The Forbidden City. 

Just a matter of days before a picture of the THREE of us.

Good Morning Beijing

Well after a few hours sleep and a lovely breakfast, we have transformed into less cranky versions of yesterday.  We are touring The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square today and then a Chinese Acrobats show this evening.  As much as I am looking forward to seeing the Beijing sights,  my eye is on Sunday/Monday as that is when we will meet LuLu.

We Made It To Beijing

We are at our hotel in Beijing. It's about 11:15 pm local time so we are going to try and get some shut eye. We are meeting our guide at 9am for some sight seeing.  The trip over was really easy - other than the obvious length I mean.  Everything worked out great and the hotel in Beijing is fantastic. Night Night.

Welcome To Japan

We made it to Tokyo. We are currently in the Admirals Club for a pit stop and then connecting to Beijing. So far, so good. Getting those birthday pictures certainly helped!!! I held it together all morning but as
soon as the wheels went up on the airplane, it hit me. Then the tears started. Happy Happy Tears.