Tomorrow is THE Day

In less than 24 hours, I will be on a plane heading for China and my second beautiful daughter. The bags are all packed and ready to go – and remarkably within the allowable weight limit. I think I’ve got everything I could possibly need (and then some). And, for some reason, I feel like throwing up. It’s not like me to be nervous about traveling. I think it is the stress over leaving Olivia. If I had known a month ago that it was going to be this hard to leave her, I might have decided to take her with me – even though I know that is a bad idea. She’s a pretty good traveler, but she’s only been 4 for 2 weeks, and she’s used to having Mommy’s undivided attention. That combination would probably result in a lot of melt-downs and a lot of stress for me. So, she is staying home, even though it is breaking my heart. I know she will be fine because my sister and BIL both adore her and treat her like their own. They will do everything possible to make her happy while I’m gone. But, man, am I ever going to miss that sweet smile. And her silly giggles. And hearing, “I love you really much” 50 times a day. It’s only for two weeks. And, when I return, we’ll have our E-Baby home with us. Come on, Mommy. Time to cowboy up. You can do this.

Update on Qiu Ying

Less than 48 hours before I am leaving for China, I finally got some new information about Qiu Ying. She is now 29.5 inches tall and weighs 17 pounds. To put that in perspective, when I got the update on Olivia at 10 months old, she weighed 18 ¾ pounds! Qiu Ying has all of her baby teeth and can say a few simple words. She did get the package I sent to her, so hopefully they were able to take some pictures of her with the camera I sent. I guess we’ll find out soon!

Happy Birthday, Baby Sister!

No, it’s not E-Baby’s birthday. It’s MY baby sister’s birthday. Hope it’s a happy one. And can I just add, holy cannoli! I leave for China in 3 days! Ackkkkkkkkkkk!!

Last of the Mommy/Baby Days

Olivia calls them Mommy/Baby Days. I used to just call them “weekends” or “holidays” but for quite awhile, they have been Mommy/Baby Days – those glorious days when there is no work, no school, no daycare, just Mommy and Baby spending the whole day alone together. We don’t have to do anything in particular or go any where; we just have to be together. We love Mommy/Baby Days. Sadly and joyously, our final Mommy/Baby Days are upon us. This weekend will be the last time ever that it is just the two of us. In just over a week, we will become a family of 3 – Mommy and 2 Babies. While we are both thrilled to be adding Qiu Ying to our family, there is a part of me that will miss being just the two of us and will miss Mommy/Baby Days, which I guess will be renamed Mommy/Babies Days. I suppose it’s only natural, in the midst of the joy and excitement of adding a new family member to be just a tad sad to see the old family unit change. There is a special bond between an only parent and an only child – the whole “me and you against the world” thing. I’ll miss that, but I know it’s much healthier for both of us to expand our circle and include someone else to love – our E Baby. Before I know it, it will be them against me!

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y ! ! !

Happy Birthday, J (aka Uncle Sauce-ear)!

T-7 and Freaking Out

Yeah, I know I’m showing my age here, but I really am freaking out! I leave for China in one week – 7 days – and do you think I’m ready to go? No. Not at all ready to go. I don’t even have the new, clean money I’m supposed to have. And I may have waited until too late to get it. I can just see me driving all over town Monday looking for “good” $100 bills!

But hey, I have an excuse. I’ve been sick. For a very long time. Like a month, which is a very long time to have a cold. Ok, so it’s not just a cold. It’s bronchitis. And now, this week for added fun, it’s an ear infection, too. So, I’m on my second round of antibiotics in two weeks. That’s enough to make anyone tired, and forgetful, and unmotivated. Right?

A week from now, this will all be behind me. And hopefully, my behind will be on a plane bound for Qiu Ying.

I’m adding some Chinese New Year photos. Preschoolers trying to do public performances are always fun to watch. Especially when one of them is your kid.

For Those Who Missed the Pajama Party

Shouldn’t I Be Packing . . . or Something?

I leave for China in 12 days. In 12 days I’ll be off on a 15 day trip to China. I’ll be meeting my new daughter for the very first time. I’ll be leaving my other daughter at home with Aunt M and Uncle Sauce-ear – for 15 days, at their house. So, the whole little family is going to be away from home for over two weeks. Wouldn’t you think that I would be packing like a mad woman? Shouldn’t I have lists and piles and piles of lists? I’m going to need clothes and all kinds of paperwork. E Baby will need clothes and toys and assorted toddler junk. O Baby will need clothes and toys and books and movies and craft stuff. All this various stuff needs to be gathered and sorted and packed into bags. And yet, I don’t seem to see the urgency in it yet. And there’s a bunch of other stuff I need to do before I leave. Stuff like pay my bills, stop the mail, get a haircut, buy some stuff I need to take to China, buy some little gifts to leave for O to open while I’m gone, celebrate the Chinese New Year, stock up on dog food – the list goes on and on. But what I’m I doing tomorrow? Hanging out all morning waiting for the installer guy to come hook up Direct TV. Yeah, that’s a priority right now. I figure my lack of motivation is either one of two things. Either I can’t really believe this is happening, or I just have so much to do that I’m overwhelmed and can’t do any of it. Knowing me, it’s probably both.

Happy Birthday, Princess!

Today is O’s 4th birthday. My baby is growing up so fast. She got herself dressed all by herself today so that she could “show you how proud you are of me”. The baby girl I met in Guangzhou 37 months ago is now a long-legged preschooler. She is smart and funny and kind. What more could a mommy ask for? Her new favorite “thing” is the movie Jump In, which is about a boy who joins a double-dutch team. She loves the movie, she loves the music, but most of all, she love the jumping rope. It is a riot to see her practicing her double-dutch tricks. Some of them are pretty darn good! Of course, it’s all done without ropes since the world’s meanest mommy won’t allow jumping rope in the house. She’s a thinker, too. She’s decided that once baby sister gets home, the two of them and her two best friends can be a double-dutch team.

O was playing on the computer today and typing a letter. She was reading it while she typed. It said, in part, “Your baby sister will be home soon with her family, and then she will live happily ever after.”

Happy birthday, baby girl. And happily ever after.

I Meet Elizabeth 3 Weeks From Sunday

I have been rather impatiently waiting all week to know “the rest of the story” as far as our travel to China goes. I was very relieved to get this information. Now, everything is all set, and I feel much more relaxed about travel.

The most exciting part, of course, is meeting Elizabeth on March 4th. She will be 19 months old that day. I can’t wait to kiss those little cheeks!

So, here’s the breakdown:

Feb 28: Depart for Beijing

Mar.01: Arrive in Beijing and transfer to Jian Guo Garden Hotel.

Mar.02: Visit Tian An Men Square, Forbidden City, lunch. Great Wall.

Mar.03: Explore on our own

Mar.04: Beijing to Nanchang transfer to Gloria Plaza Hotel.

Meet Elizabeth at the hotel in the same day afternoon and sign the agreement!

Mar.05:Go to Civil Affairs for adoption registration, notarization and passport.

Mar.06: Go to the local department store to buy some daily necessities for the child.

Mar.07: Visit the People’s Park

Mar.08: Visit Temple of Teng Wang Ge

Mar.09: Pick up passport. Nanchang to Guangzhou, transfer to Victory Hotel.

Mar.10: Medical for baby and take photos.

Mar.11: Visit Six Banyan Temple.

Mar.12: Pearl River Cruise.

Mar.13: 09:30 am at U.S. Consulate for visa appointment.

Mar.14: 16:00 Pick up the visa in the afternoon.

Mar.15: Leave Guangzhou for home!!!!!!!!!!

Later on Mar 15: O Baby meets E Baby for the first time (and I get to see my big girl for the first time in 2 weeks!)

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

According to Olivia, the new bed is both “comfer’ble” and “boingy”.

New bed?

Yeah, I bought a new mattress set – an upgrade from the old queen to a king.

You know why.

If I’m going to have to share my sleeping space with not one, but two wiggly, giggly little girls, it should be a BIG sleep space. I guess this is the point where I admit defeat on the whole “she’s going to eventually sleep in her own room” thing. Yeah, didn’t happen. Well, it did, but it didn’t last long. O managed to sleep in her own room for approximately 6 months. Then, we went on vacation and she got used to sleeping with Mommy again. That was 15 months ago. Even the promise of her own fish hasn’t prompted her to make the move. Her room is “too scary”. I thought maybe when baby sister came home, she would sleep in there with baby sister. Um, no. I was informed that baby sister can sleep with “us”. She says she’d sleep in there if I got her a hamster, but good God! I’m not that desperate (yet). Really, a kid in my bed or a rodent in my house? If you know me, that’s a no-brainer! So, now I am the proud owner of a brand new comfer’ble, boingy bed with room for the whole hee-haw family. Yippy! In about 35 days, we’ll see if it sleeps three comfortably.

T -23 and Counting

Yes, it’s true. We have a consulate appointment – it’s March 13th. Granted, it's not the one we’d hoped for (a week earlier) but it’s an appointment, so it’s good. And in 23 days, I will be boarding a United flight to go bring my daughter home. How exciting is that? For now, this is all I know. The rest of the trip is still in the planning stages.

What all the Fuss is About

This is it -the infamous TA (Travel Approval). So many sleepless nights spent waiting on this one little piece of paper. Ah, it feels so good to finally have it!