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.

August 8, 2007 WE ARE A FAMILY!

Today is our officially adoption day!  Lexi is now legally part of our family!!!!!

When we went into the civil affairs office Katy wanted to know if we were taking "my China" back to the people?

LEXI DID NOT CRY MUCH; but wailed when they wanted to take our family photo for the adoption certificate.  She still will start crying and trembling if anyone makes eye contact with her but she likes to look around just don't look at her!  Katy loved the "play equipment in the family waiting room at the Civil Affairs Office; it was really like miniature exercise equipment.

Day 2, August 8

I had to leave breakfast this morning because Lexi became hysterical when anyone would look at her or talk to her, I could not get her to calm down so I left and let Dave and Katy finish.  Right now it seems like Lexi cries all the time.  Anything and everything will set her off.  When she gets upset she does not just cry but becomes rigid and shrieks at the top of her lungs, and almost hyperventilates!  I can usually calm her by holding her very close and very tight against my chest and talking very quietly to her.

After breakfast we went back to the Civil Affairs Office to complete the adoption.

Lexi taking her first bottle!

Lexi refused to eat yesterday!  She finally just took 4 ounces of formula!  She wants me to hold her all the time and protests if Dave comes in the room much less sits by us.  He just made her another 4 ounces of formula, she would not take it from him and let out a loud protest, but once I gave her the bottle she is gobbling it down!

Gotcha photos!

These photos went with the last post but somehow did not show up.

Gotcha Day!!!

When we got to the building Lexi was already there along with two other babies.  They brought the three families in, we had to sign some papers and make sure they had our names and address was correct, all the while you could hear a baby just wailing in the other room.  All the families were saying they hoped it was not there baby,  Welllll it wasn't there baby it was ours!!!  They came out and tole our guide that Lexi is afraid of strangers and will cry or hide when they are around.

Lexi did snuggle up to me but would not go to anyone else and still kept crying and occasionally would stop and look around to see what was going on clinging to me all the time.  When the staff from her SWI came in to talk with she would look at them and follow them around but did not offer to go to them or act like she wanted them.

We have our angel!!!!!!

All she wants to do is cry.  She refuses to go to Dave.  In fact she cries harder when she can see him!  I am so tired now both girls are asleep but I need to send something.  Will send more later.

Debby Harmon

lifesredthreads@gmail.com

www.lifesredthreads.blogspot.com

We are in Guangzhou!

We checked into the Victory Hotel and have settled in.  Right now we are trying to get Katy to settle down so we can get some sleep, it is almost 2AM here and she is WIDE AWAKE!  We leave the Hotel to get Lexi about 12 hours from now!  Katy did real well with the trip over.  Will post more later.

Aug 6, 2007 10:56 AM US time

WE ARE HEADED TO THE AIRPORT!!!!

We finally made it! I finished packing at 3:30am, got a couple hours sleep and we are off to the airport! Will add a little later!

Almost ready to leave!

We have our travel Itinary, our airline tickets are purchased, our hotel is booked, we have our prescriptions, we have our cash and we just have to pack. We think everything is purchased on our list, now we just have to get it in our suitcases. We are trying to pack it all as carry on!