Happy Birthday To Me

Today I turn 32... Wow! I must admit this birthday was not as hard as turning 30 and I have the most beautiful birthday gift sitting in my living room right now... Even if she is a little fussy. We really did not do any celebrating today but to tell you the truth that was just fine with me, I enjoyed just spending the day in an easy pace with no worries but the laundry.
Miah continues to amaze me with how well she is doing. She is really starting to crawl now and is realizing little by little when I put her down she can follow me. She is starting to pull up and has been standing on her own for a few seconds at a time... walking to follow soon. Sleeping through the night is a go for the most part, but we stayed out late one night and that put a kink in it a little. She is a definite music lover and if she sees even a glimpse of dancing going on she will sit in a trance watching, nothing else can keep her attention like that. One thing I have noticed is she is gradually becoming more clingy. In the beginning she wanted me near but was ok to be put down, not so now she wants to touch me and be in my arms at all times. She will push any one and any thing that touches me and will scream if James get in my lap for more than a few seconds.... I just let her scream over that one.... She MUST share the mommy! James just thinks it is funny, and to tell the truth he pretty much takes it all in strides. He has been doing much better and is starting to love on Miah more and more.

Settling in

We have now been home for one week and I can say we are starting to settle in. The strangest part is walking into Miahs nursery and knowing that she is really there. I checked on her like three times in one hour the other night just because the sensation was so overwhelming and I could just not believe she was actually home and in her crib. Miah is really doing great and has already slept through the night three nights in a row... hope this keeps up! James is also right back on schedule and are starting back to schooling today. I know we are blessed and I am not taking that for granted at all, I have read many horror stories about Jet Lag Drama and I am so glad that we all made it through with minor suffering.... That was hard enough. I will tell you that I think a couple things helped. One we took a night flight home from China, and even though the kids slept they did not get GOOD sleep and so they slept well for several hours when we got back to the states. Two we hit the ground running early that first day, mostly because we had to, but I really think that made a huge difference. From there we did every thing we could to keep the kids and ourselves awake during the day and then started a bedtime routine with both kids right away. So really in less than a week Miah and James both are in a routine and sleeping through the night with little to no trouble.
Miah is also making huge strides in development. I know that I have read several times how adopted children from China catch up with leaps and bounds, but I must admit I thought a lot of it was bragging from the parents. Let me tell you with out any bragging Miah has made remarkable strides. It is almost as if for the first time she actually has freedom to move. To tell you the truth this may really be the case. When she first came to us a little over two weeks ago she would not roll over from back to stomach and when she tried she would cry and give up. In a matter of days she was rolling over and in heaven figuring out she could actually get some where. Now she was not crawling at all and when you would put her on her stomach she would scoot backwards a couple times and then collapse to the ground and cry. She has very little upper body strength. Now she will crawl side ways for a bit and actually gets to a goal as long as it is not more than a few feet, but still she has gone from not crawling at all to really trying hard to get there. I figure at this rate she will be mobile I mean really mobile by the end of the month and walking will not take to long as she is already cruising if you put her up to walk. She is also starting to pull up, another big accomplishment as I said before her upper body strength is greatly lacking, but she is getting there. It is amazing what a little play time, one on one attention and love will do!
We have been to our first Church service with Miah and It was so wonderful to see all the love and support when we walked in the door. I was also glad to see Miahs reaction... She held on very tight to me and even pushed away a few hands when they would touch ME... Showing possession at this stage is a very good sign. We love our church family and are so glad to be back home with you all!
Here are a few pictures of the past few days.... Enjoy.....



This is what Jet Lag looks like at our house at four in the morning.... Notice I am taking the picture.... No need to scare any one!

Miah has been a little difficult to get to eat but she really likes the carrots!Nene (my mom) bonding with HER girl!Miah all dressed and ready for church on her favorite toy.A little down time with daddy after a hard day of Play.

VIdeo of Miah

Good Bye China, Thank you for all the wonderful memories, but most of all... Thank you for the most precious little girl, we will treasure her and love her always and forever.

Home

We are home!! Actually we have been home for two days but it seems like we are in a perpetual fog and doing anything other than staying awake seems to be a monumental chore. We are doing things to help the transition but it is a slow process. It is four thirty in the morning and this is the latest I have gotten sleep so far. Miah is waking up every couple of minutes and lets out a cry, my rule is to give her three minutes and if she is still crying I will go to her, and so far this morning that has not happened. She crys about thirty seconds and then soothes her self for about twenty seconds and then she is quite for about ten minutes and the process starts all over. Please understand this is not a desperate cry or one that is frightened, which at this point I am very familiar with from her. I do not want to let her cry it out but then again if I rush in the second she utters her first peep she will never get on schedule, and to tell you the truth this is working for us. We have gone from her being up at 12:40 to 2:40 to now 4:10 so we should have about another week till she is sleeping through the night... I HOPE!
Our stay at the White Swan was a great experience and we did have some fun, but I am very glad to be home and even more glad to say that long flight schedule is behind us. Both kids did wonderful. They both slept most of the way and played well when they were not sleeping. Randy also got some shut eye.... Me .... I have come to the conclusion I can not sleep in a moving vehicle of any kind! So needless to say by the time we got to Chicago I was punchy to say the least, and missing our connecting flight was NOT A GOOD THING!!! It was poor planing on the part of the travel agency and we knew that it would be a penitential problem but they assured Randy that all would be fine. Not the case obviously and so we ended up spending the night at OHare airport. Now our connecting flight was to take off 1 and 1/2 hour after we landed in Chicago which under normal circumstance I agree would be fine, but when you must go through immigration, customs,recheck your luggage, and then through security again, not to mention the time it takes you to get from one gate to the next across the entire airport time is short! So if you have not traveled yet BEWARE.
Since we have been home Miah is doing pretty well, and she is loving her toys! Some of the delays she is having are a little more obvious now that we have slowed down enough to just let her play, but she is already making process. We are scheduling a therapist to evaluate her and see if she needs therapy or not due to our doctors recommendation. Her eating habits are erratic right now and I am sure most of it is due to the time change, but let me tell you if she does not want something she lets you know and you better move the food or your going to wear it. She has been teething like crazy and has also had a pretty bad cold since our arrival home. She also got started on being re vaccinated which I am not crazy about but the pediatrician was adimate that it was the best thing so that is what we are doing. Other than that all is well in her little world and she is really coming out of her shell. The bonding is happening but I am not so naive as to say she is totally bonded yet. She defiantly knows that it I am the one who feeds, loves, changes, and provides comfort for her, but knowing that this is a forever thing for her will take time. Time I am willing to give....especially when she gives me a smile!
James is also doing well. He is almost completely back on schedule and back to his wonderful self for the most part. We are dealing with a few issues of the sibling nature and I haft to admit they are a little more than what I thought they would be. Since I had been taking care of another baby for over a year and he was use to that I thought the transition to sister would be a little easier. I was wrong and now that I think about I do understand why, but I am having to really step back and re approach some of my handling of this. I am proud of James and how well he traveled, and I am amazed at the young man he is becoming but I am also having to remember he is only five and still little in so many ways. I do not want him to haft to grow up to fast so I am going to make sure we nurture the baby in him as well as the big boy!
It is good to be home and hopefully I will blog a little more often but till then ....

Hey where did you take my pants...
MOMMY!!!!!!!!!
Ok This is just CUTE... After I take out the pony tails this is what she looks like.
This is a favorite shot...

We are all doing ok. Sorry it took so long to get back on here and this post will be short, but I wanted every one to know we are doing fine and Miah is adjusting well. James had a really bad couple of Days and we ended up taking him to the clinic here at the White Swan and the doctor was great. He is all better now and all sysetems are a go. Miah had her medical check up and was not to keen on being taking out of mommys arms, but she survived. Miah weighed in at 20.4 lbs and was 29 inches long. She fits perfectly into 9 month clothes and has the smallest little feet. Her shoe size is about a three. Well that is all for now but I am sure you are ready for pictures, this will be my last post from China as we will be leaving on Wensday, but as soon as we are settled I will post more info and pictures.

Brother and Sister
Touring the Chongqing zoo
Family Timw
The Panda Bears actually came out to play!!

Still Kicking.... Now at the White Swan

good bye Chongqing
Hello White Swan
First bite of Ice Cream.....
This is NOT Blue Bell!
Sight seeing ... This picture took a lot of coaxing, come to think of it the SMILE took LOTS of coaxing.

My Birthday Girl

Today my baby turned one....Happy Birthday Miah..... What did we do on her first Birthday? We went to the orphanage she spent all but four months of her first year. It was a whirl wind of emotions as we headed up the steps that led to the rooms where Miah lived. Seeing other babies there was overwhelming and I must admit I was very glad to have Miah very tightly in arms. The wonderful thing is that it is very clear that the nannies love and take care of these tiny little girls. We were also blessed when the staff at Dianjiang presented us with a birthday cake for Miah. It was beautiful and tasted great... Miah could not get enough. I am posting just a few pictures and I will write again soon...

Oh I wanted to send out a special thank you go Ginnie.... Thank you so much for Miahs birthday gift... you rock!!

Now for pictures.....

Bubbles and Sweet Dreams

The bubbles you see here are from Gymboree and if you are coming to China I would highly recomend them. They are wonderful and stay in the air a long time and when they land they do not pop right away so the little ones can get a good look at them and sometimes hold one like Miah is doing in one of the shots above. They are a great ice breaker for baby and parents too and a wonderful distraction for a baby in melt down mode. I have not found any like these except at Gymboree but I know bubbles of any kind are fun for kids of all ages!

See My Big Brother... The HAM!
This is near the Walmart.
James trying so hard to not wake her... NOT!!
Just look at my cheeks... Mommy says they are that kissable!!!
Mother, daughter bad hair moment!

Our time

It is our time in China and I am so grateful for that. I am going to keep this short as I know you just want the pictures.... Chongqing is a wonderful place with so much old and new side by side. The people are friendly and very curious about James and then when they see Miah they are even more so. Yesterday we went to Wal mart and did a little shopping while in line an older man came up to James just talking away and picked him up right from between Randy and the shopping cart James was clinging to. He was just chattering and then trying to hold James up for all to see him.... James took it well and we explained to he that the man was happy to see James and that the man only wanted every one to see how cute he was. James was also surrounded by a group of ladies at a market we ventured to yesterday as well. They loved touching his cheeks and I think they keep telling him he is beautiful. James got a yo yo as a reward so he felt it was worth the sacrifice of his cuteness. Miah is doing well. She will go to both Randy and I but wants me in sight and defiantly seems to understand that I am taking care of her so she clings to me. Ok here comes the "POOP NEWS" so don't read if your not interested... She went last night but it was so hard for her. I am talking bricks here.... I think she may have been trying to go for two days now but last night she just cried and whimpered so I picked her up and sure enough she was pushing with all her might and no luck so I layed her down and pulled her knees to her chest and massaged her tummy It still took a long time and she was in pain but we did have success. After that she has sleep really well. POOP NEWS OVER.

Well I guess I will post Photos now and then I am off to get ready to go and see the SWI Miah was in for eight months of her little life.... Oh we did find out Miah was in foster care for four months and then brought back to the SWI for one month before we came to get her. Miah loves ... LOVES.. Her blocks, and baning them!Time for our first family outing to .... WALMARTI am not walking yet but I sure do look cute trying.See my Smile... It comes out from time to time.My Big Brother Likes to Share With Me.

Miah day Pictures

That very first moment!


Hello Daddy

See my cheeks....

Brotherly Love

Pure Beauty....