Lexi's First Baloon

We went to the mall and Lexi got her first baloon from one of the shops having a sale. Lexi really got excited about her baloon!

We took her to the play area but just watched her sister. She was not interested in playing.

Happy Birthday Lexi!

Happy 2nd Birthday Lexi!!!

This is Katy, Lexi , Debby, Logan, and Dave

This is the first time Lexi has let anything cross her lips other than her bottle! She was actually picking up little crumbs of cake and putting them in her mouth!

Home at last!

Our kids met us at the airport and took us out to breakfast.

We had been up over 24 hours.

This is our adorable grandson, Logan!

US Citizen!

We just landed in the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after 24 hours up.

Lexi is officially a US Citizen!!!!

Lexi's first ride in a car seat! It actually went quite well.

Friday, August 17 Consalate Appointment

This afternoon we had our Consulate Appointment! This is the last thing required before we can leave for home. While there we recieved Lexi's passport and a brown envelope with strict instructions not to open the envelope but to give it to US customs at the border! We could not take any pictures at the appointment so we just before and after photos.

These photos are Katy on the way to the consulate, she was quite pleased with herself because she got to sit alone. The other is at the White Swan as soon as we were back from our appointment and the last one was our first attempt to feed Lexi ice cream, she would have nothing to do with it.

Friday, August 17 Busy day!

This Chinese girl gave Katy a sucker and Lexi tried to grab it from her, this is a first so the girl brought one over to Lexi also.  We actually got both the girls down for a nap together, this was another first in that Lexi would only nap in my arms and if I layed her down she would wake right up and cry that I had laid her down.

Friday, August 17 Red Couch Pictures.

We took the girls over and did Red Couch pictures today.  For those of you who do not know it is kind of a tradition at the White Swan to get the adoption group together and take a picture of all the children on the red couches, there are several in there lobby.  We took some of just the girls and then some of the girls and their mothers and then girls and there fathers.  In the pictures all the girls are happy with the mothers and screaming their heads off with their fathers, it was actually quite comical.

Thursday, August 16

It was very strange today!  We were very laid back in the morning as we had an open schedule all day.  In the afternoon we decided to go for a walk but about the time we decided to go both girls fell asleep, so when we finally made it out the door around 3:30 and went for our walk there were NO adoptive families out!  It was all Chinese families, we felt like maybe we had missed something.  We did finally run into one other couple but that was it.  It was kind of strange but very interesting, we are in China after all.

Wednesday, August 15 Sister!

Katy was so excited that Lexi opened up, was very animated and wanting to play with her sister.  Another couple with their new little boy came to our room to visit and after they left Lexi got up and walked all over the room and interacted with Katy, it was amazing to watch!

Wednesday, August 15

This was our first smiles while Daddy is holding!  I was trying to get the paperwork filled out for the US Consulate appointment.  That gets turned in on Thursday the 16th by our guide and then we have the swearing in appointment on Friday afternoon!  That will be our final appointment here in China.

Today was also a first for Lexi to ride in a stroller for a walk around the island.  She got quite comfortable and seemed to enjoy it a lot by the end with her little feet up on the bar lounging back.

Tuesday, August 14

Lexi and I are both feeling better.  We went out for a walk today, it is extremely humid after a heavy rainfall.  When we came back to the room Dave and Katy took a nap and Lexi and I were sitting on the sofa, she decided to get really playful!  Lexi was actually standing on the sofa and walking back and forth, patting the wall and playing with my toes.  In one of the pictures I told her to give Mommy kisses and she puckered up and gave me several kisses!  It was very precious, and I was surprised she understood what I said.  I could not believe how animated she became when it was just the two of us.

For dinner we just went to the restaurant in the Hotel as it was pouring outside and she sat in a high chair for the first time. (Under duress but she sat there and did not cry to much, I only left her in it long enough for me to eat my dinner)  She is getting very curious about food but will not let it cross her lips, just wants to play with it, at least that is a healthy progression. 

Monday, August 13

Well today was a very quiet day.  Lexi and stayed in the room all day, both of us under the weather.  I finally think I am improving.  Lexi let Dave hold her when I went to the bathroom without crying for the first time!  She also grabbed a hold of my finger when she was laying in my lap and hung on.  We are definitely making progress!

Sunday, August 12 It's a GOOD Day!!!

Today showed a big change in Lexi!  We started to see her playful side.  For the first time she did not cry on the elevator!  Another 1st she played with Katy today, actually interacting and playful.  We are starting to see a twinkle in her eyes.  Lexi played with Daddy voluntarily.  We found a safe zone today.  Our bed!  I was sick running a temp and coughing up my lungs (well it felt like I was) chills and all but Lexi still has to be where I am, but on the bed she actually became very playful, instead of clinging to me all the time, stood up and walked around, played peek-a-boo with Katy and tickled and giggled.  It was truly AMAZING!!!

Saturday August 11, 2007 Family

When Katy woke up she wanted to know where Mom and Lexi were.  Dave told her I took Lexi to a doctor appointment, then Katy wanted to know if I was taking Lexi back, but seemed very concerned that I might be, Dave reassured her that we were keeping her forever.

We went to Lucy's for lunch and Lexi actually showed an interest in the food, not to eat it but to touch it, move it around on my plate and then drop it on the floor.

Katy "Do we get to take my china home?"  Mom "yes"
Katy "do we get to keep her?"  Mom "yes for always"  
Katy " good I like my china"

Lexi showed the first interest in a toy.  She is holding the dragon fly and looking at it then doing her spit art on it.

Lexi is very interested in everything Dave and Katy do she will watch them and not cry when they look at her.

Saturday August 11, 2007 Medical Exam & Visa Pictures

I woke up this morning about 5:30 & thought I would get a shower before Lexi woke up so I shower by myself for a change.  Well, Lexi woke up just as I was getting off of the bed so I sat there a few minutes to see what she would do, mind you any other time she would look at Dave and start shrieking and trembling all over.  This morning she sat up on the bed and just kind of looked at Dave and then me finally crawled over by Dave and laid down, I went and made her a bottle and she laid there while I took a shower and drank her bottle laying next to Dave.  She was content to do that until I got out of the shower.  A major 1st!!!

We got all ready for breakfast and then gave Rachelle a call, while we were talking to her Katy laid down on the bed and went back to sleep, so Dave & I took turns going to breakfast.  Katy slept until about 11 am but seems much better now.

Dave stayed in the room with Katy and I took Lexi to have her visa picture taken.  Lexi did not cry at all until I took her out of the sling to set her in the chair for her visa picture.  Then she screamed.  So the picture has her screaming, they tried for quite awhile but could not get her to even just not scream so we gave up.  From there we went for the medical exam, she was quiet until they tried to get her to stand on this scale, it did not happen.  I had to stand on it with her and then without her to get her weight.  They say she weighs 10.5 kg and is 81 cm tall.  It will be interesting to see what they say when we get her home.  The other babies were 9 kg and 10.5 and she is way skinnier than either one of them.  She did not like the medical exam part or the ear, nose and throat doctor, but she quit crying as soon as they were done which was a marked improvement.  The most amusing part was in the middle of the medical exam area was this sign that said quiet, but it was so noisy it was almost comical to see the sign!

Friday August 10, 2007

Lexi went to breakfast without crying; she actually looked around and watched what was going on.  She drank a full bottle at breakfast, which is a first.  She has refused to take a bottle when anyone is around.

Katy threw up all over herself & the stroller.  We took her back to the room and washed her off and had to shower the stroller.  We stayed in the hotel for the rest of the day.  Katy threw up again in the evening hopefully that is the end of her bug.

Thursday Evening, August 9 THE MOVE!

We were on the 7th floor and our bed was as hard as granite; we decided we really needed something softer to sleep on since we are here for another week and a half.

They found us a nice soft bed on the fifth floor which is a no smoking floor, so we went back to our room to pack up.  Lexi would not let me put her down so I came up with the brilliant plan to put both Katy and Lexi in the double stroller while we packed and put them in the middle of the room figuring Lexi would be safe that way and hopefully OK since Katy was right there with her. 

BIG MISTAKE!!!

Lexi became hysterical, rocking her head back and forth, I figured she could not hurt herself so decided to hurry & finish the job.  We threw everything into bags and suitcases and I got Lexi out of the stroller, I couldn't believe it she had welts on both temples from banging it against the stroller, I felt terrible!  We put a cold can of soda on it and held her the rest of the night!

Thursday, August 9 Apply for Passport.

We made great strides at breakfast today!  Lexi only cried when someone got in her face or was to direct.  We sat kind of in a corner so Lexi could not have a view of to many people at once.  We also got our first smile and laugh at breakfast.  I had to stay at the table and Dave brought me food, Lexi was OK with this.  I was playing with her while we were waiting for food and actually got a smile and laugh out of her!!!

We went to police station to have picture taken for her passport; Lexi really likes the bus ride and actually smiled with no crying!  The only time Lexi cried was while they were trying to take pictures for the passport, the rest of the time she just looked around.

Katy was the one doing the crying, she fell asleep on the way to the police station and was a little grumpy when we woke her up.

August 8, 2007 Afternoon.

In the afternoon Dave and I sat on the sofa with Dave holding Katy and me holding Lexi, we were playing with both of the girls and got our first smiles out of Lexi and laugh, she also reached over and voluntarily touched Daddy for the 1st time.

We decided to go out shopping later in the afternoon and bought a double stroller, than went to another shop & Lexi got hysterical with everyone trying to talk with her and touch her; we had to leave and go back to the hotel; Dave went to Lucy's & brought back grilled cheeses sandwiches

I put Lexi down on the floor and went into the other room to get something and Lexi walked into the room I was in for the 1st time.  So She can walk if motivated enough.