Post Christmas note

Sorry it's been so long since I've written. The holidays have taken their toll on me mentally and physically. We had a GREAT Christmas, but it's been so busy! We hosted our annual Thanksgiving dinner for our friends the week before Thanksgiving, then traveled to my family's the following weekend. After that it was nonstop preparing for Christmas and we've been blessed to have had visits from both sets of our parents and my sister's family! We're taking a brief rest till Friday when my great friend Rhiannon comes for the weekend. I can't wait! Then I'll start preparing to go back to work :( I'm in denial.

So enough of this. I know what you really want is pictures. Here they are!

Love, Kim

Home over a month now

Well, we've been home for over a month, and Isabella is doing great! She has really acclimated to the USA and to us and the dogs. She seems very at home here. She is sleeping and eating very well - she eats EVERYTHING, including chili and Bojangle's chicken.

Her first real word is "uh-oh", which she uses every time she drops something or throws something on the floor. She's also saying "Hi" and "Mama" and "Da".

She's growing like a weed, and doesn't really look like a baby anymore. She's gotten taller and looks more like a little girl now. She's absolutely precious, and we absolutely won the lottery with her.

Attached are some photos taken by my good friend Windy, who visited just before Thanksgiving with her little girl Cassidy.

Daily life

Well, things are settling down and Isabella seems to be thoroughly attached to me! The girlie won't let me out of her sight most of the time, although she is warming up to our friends quickly. Unfortunately she isn't so quick to warm up to Nana and Pop, which is bumming us all out. She goes to Nana, but I can't walk away without her crying.

She's an amazing child, and every day is filled with tons of fun watching her learn new things. She lights up like a Christmas tree when her "Da" comes home from work. he tickles her and the giggles are just priceless.

She's grown a lot (which is scary considering how big she was to begin with!) and is out of 12 month clothes. she's not yet in 18 month ones but it won't be long.

I've added some photos for your viewing pleasure.

Love, Kim

Updating

Well, we've been home over a week and as of tomorrow will have had Isabella with us for a whole month! She's doing amazingly well. She got a clean bill of health from the doctor (who was quite impressed with her, by the way!). We've gone to the park a couple of times and made new friends. We have very busy days and I'm worn out! She is very active in the morning when she wakes up. And she's into EVERYTHING (especially the recycling and the computer). I'll post new photos as soon as Jim uploads them to the computer.

HOME!

We are finally home in Wilmington, and all is GREAT! Isabella LOVES the dogs and cat - she laughed at them the second she saw them! We are so relieved - we were very worried that she would be scared, but not a bit.

It's kind of odd - it's as if Bella knew she were home. She made her way all over the house (even climbing the stairs), and is sleeping soundly (woo hoo!) in her very own crib in her very own room. We have striven to keep her out of our bed if at all possible (although we've given in a few times), so we're diligently attending to her while she's in her own crib so that she wont mind being there.

Her appetite has improved tremendously since we got home too - she's even taken to jar baby food. Loves carrots and peas, peaches and apples. And I've begun making congee - and she likes that too!

We had a great time at Mom & Dad's house this weekend. The birthday party was a smashing success! Thanks to all who came to celebrate with us.

Kim & Jim & Bella too!

Finally in the USA

Well, after a harrowing 31 hour flight we're finally in Durham. Isabella did very well on the first two flights, but had a rough go on the second two flights. She got a little sick and was very unhappy. She has remained so during these first few days home as well. We've all got bronchitis and are feeling badly, but she is somewhat inconsolable and is freaked out by all of the strangers staring at her and wanting to hold/touch/play.

We will be having her first birthday party tomorrow at Mom's house. I hope she's up to it! She's in for a lot of new faces and hugs/kisses, so she'd better buck up.

We'll go home to Wilmington on Sunday.

Kim

Halong Bay

We've been at Halong Bay in northern Vietnam for the past 2 days. It is truly one of the most amazing places on earth! The rocks and water are just beautiful. We desperately needed the change of scenery, and it did us a world of good. Isabella took her first steps on a beach and her first swim in the ocean! It was so much fun. She really enjoyed the water (thank goodness!).

We leave tonight to come home (finally!). We'll be traveling for 30 hours with a 1 year old. Hooray! A TEETHING 1 year old.

We'll be having a birthday party for Isabella on Saturday Nov 1 if anyone wants to come - just let me know! I'll send the address.

Blech

We're all sick, which is a total bummer. We've all got the crud and are feeling poorly, but we manage to make it to the pool every day and usually do some shopping as well. We finally bought a stroller today to make traversing the airport a bit easier. Trying to use it here, however, is a waste of time.

Had a STEAK at Bobby Chin's last night, which was great. I needed it.

Oh, and Jim STILL hasn't changed a poopy diaper.

Evil spirits

Found something interesting out today - apparently the old ladies' obsession with us covering our children from head to toe with clothes has nothing to do with the weather. Rather, it has to do with evil spirits. Seems if you cover the children and/or keep them indoors for the first year of their life then the evil spirits won't get them. Hmmm. They say it's because of the weather so that we won't think they're crazy. But they also think it's very honorable that we're adopting the children, and they're very happy about it. We've only had one person reprimand us for keeping Isabella's legs uncovered, thankfully. It was just too hot that day.

The "new" quarter is way better than the "old" quarter

Last night we went to dinner with friends in the New Quarter at Forest Restaurant. It was fabulous, and that section of town is so much nicer than the Old Quarter where we are in our hotel. Unfortunately it's about a 15 minute cab ride, which is why we decided not to stay there. But here are photos from our dinner and the restaurant.

One week in Hanoi

I have to say that I hate this city. It's disgusting. Jim is suffering from pollution sickness today, as have many of the babies. The air quality is just awful. It rained day before yesterday and yesterday morning we awoke to see buildings out our hotel window that we didn't know existed. Sewage runs in the streets, folks walk outside their stores to throw their trash in the streets. It's astounding. And the way the power lines look, it's a miracle any of the people here have power. Here's a photo of that.

Settling in

Well, it's been a few days now, and we've gotten our feet wet. Literally. Here is a pic from the pool where we had a BLAST - thank goodness she likes the water.

Teething ROCKS! Fussy baby.

The first few days

Wow, what a trip this kid is! She is amazing. She entertains herself most of the time, without toys, just with whatever she can find laying around. She likes diet Coke (sorry - it was an experiment and will never happen again), shoes and jewelry. She's definitely MY KID. We got her a fabulous new bracelet yesterday and took her shopping today to get an au dai. The women on the streets stop us every few feet to touch her and coo at her. She's quite fetching, this one.

The poor little thing has night terrors at least once a night, but is fairly easily consoled with love and a bottle. Milk is a cure-all. She's already attached to us, and already answers to "Isabella" and "Bella". She ignores Jim when he calls her "Izzy". Thank God. He's now calling her "Pineapple" due to the hairdo she sports.

She has 4 teeth and another coming through, but doesn't act like they bother her a bit. She's walking all over the place - doesn't crawl one bit. Sits and walks only.

Today we tried the pool, which was a hit overall, I'd say, but it took some getting used to. She was SO cute in her suit. I just want to bite her! Yummy.

that's all for now b/c she's pretending to be upset that I'm on the computer (again).

love,
Kim

ADOPTION COMPLETE!!!!

Wow, what a day we had yesterday. We left the hotel with 6 other families to go to Tuyen Quang, a 3.5 hour drive on some seriously shabby roads. Jim and I feel like we've been tied to the whipping post.

When we got to the orphanage, Isabella was right in front with her nanny, waiting for us! It was very joyful and teary and everything you can imagine it would be. I don't know why, but for some reason I didn't expect her to look exactly like her photos, but she definitely does. As did all the other kids. I recognized every single one of them, and will write to separate PAPs about their kiddos.

Anyway, we left immediately for the G&R (adoption) ceremony. Amazingly none of the babies cried when we took them from the nannies. We had to change their clothes on the bus, go into the government building for the ceremony, which took all of about 30 minutes from start to finish (for all 7 families), then headed back to the orphanage where we dropped off the babies (very difficult to do!) to go have a most amazing VN lunch. That took about an hour, then it was back to the orphanage for hanging out with all the kids and the nannies. We were supposed to be there long enough for Ninh (facilitator) to file our paperwork at the govt. offices but were there way longer (too long). The babies were all fabulous though, and in very good humor and spirits.

The orphanage director is a trip. He was dancing and playing loud music on his cell phone for us to dance to (and would MAKE you if you weren't!). We had a great time playing with the kids, getting to know them all, and learning what the nannies do for our particular children (sleeping & eating schedules mainly). Apparently Bella is quite the sleeper! Yay! They say she has to be awakened in the mornings, because she likes to sleep in (!) and then takes a nap from 11-2. Hooray! Mommy time.

Anyway, Ninh took 2 hours longer than anticipated to get back to the orphanage (I swear I think he was out at a bar - how could it take 5 hours to post paperwork for 7 families??), so we were all REALLY ready to leave. It was really hot and humid and we were cranky. Everyone else was on the bus with their babies except us. Isabella's night nanny and day nanny were fighting over her (who got to hold her) and were crying their eyes out. So then I started to cry too, and it was awful. We finally got Bella away from them and got on the bus, then the nannies came running to our window crying and banging on the glass, and Isabella started wailing. It was awful. it was just like watching her being taken away from her mother by social services. Ugh. but when we pulled away she settled in and fell asleep, where she stayed for the entire ride home (thankfully).

We got to the hotel and had a bit of fun getting to know each other, then went to bed. She fell asleep in our bed but didn't fight going into her crib, and stayed there most of the night. She woke up once, I gave her a bottle and she went right back to sleep. It was awesome. I fear that I'm gonna have hell to pay tonight when she realizes this is for real though.

We went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast, so she got to see some Vietnamese women, which made her very happy. They clucked to her and cooed over her, so she felt more at ease. She wouldn't eat anything I gave her, but fell asleep as soon as we left to come back to the room. She's napping now (hallellujah). She doesn't really cry at all, unless she wants a bottle.

Jim will post pictures as soon as he gets back from applying for her passport. We took a million, I think.

All for now. Must rest up.

Love, Kim

Hobbled

Well, those of you who know me well will not be surprised, but yesterday I fell into the bathroom. I fall constantly. Don't know why. Anyway, my left ankle has been healing for over 2 months from a fall in August, and now I've hurt my right ankle. Hooray! Walking all over Hanoi with 2 ace bandaged ankles will ROCK!!

So we're very comfy in our hotel. I slept 14 hours. I think Windy's right in that I am dehydrated. Will drink lots of water and hope it helps.

We'll take it easy today at the pool and head to Tuyen Quang tomorrow to pick up Isabella! We leave at 6:30am and return around 9:00pm. Long day, but fabulous day!!

Love you all,
K&J

We've arrived!

Holy COW that was a long trip. We left RDU at 2:30pm on thursday and just arrived in Hanoi - 10:00am Saturday. We're beat. But miraculously everything ran on time and went beautifully.

Jim's on a grocery run and I've put away all our stuff. The hotel is amazing! Really nice. Hanoi is bizarre. Not at all like anywhere I've ever been, but closest to Panama.

There are tons of Americans here with their newly adopted babes! It's awesome. We're headed to the pool for some R&R. My feet are swollen up like melons, which I can't figure out. Guess it was the plane rides.

I hope to see the other PAPs from CAS soon! No photos to share yet, but soon, I promise.

Love you all!

K&J

The journey has finally begun!

Well, we're finally on our way! I am armed with stress-tabs for the flights so that I won't be bouncing off the walls. I'm not a good traveller. Jim didn't sleep ONE WINK last night, so he's hoping to sleep on the flight to VN. Our bags are stuffed to the gills. I hope they let us on the plane.  

If anyone has skype, let us know and we'll call you from VN. 

Bonzai!

Love, Kim & Jim

PS - a SPECIAL thanks to Angie M. for coming through to watch the pups! Leaving your furry children for a month is really hard, and I'm so thankful for such a great friend.

Countdown...

This is likely to be the hardest week of my life. I don't know how I'll get anything done at work. I'm gonna be useless (as I have been for the last few months).

I bought the most FABULOUS sweaters for Isabella at Riverfest. Have been waiting for this day for ages. I've been wanting a kid just to buy these sweaters for!! Can't wait for everyone to see her in them.

Met Thanh Collie last night. Wow!!!!!! It took a while for it to sink in that I was really, truly looking at this amazing creature that I've known through photos for so many months. He is sooo cute!! And huge! He's 11 months old and 25 pounds. Wow. And they say Bella's almost as big. Wowee. They say she's the biggest of all the babies at the orphanage. Good thing I've been pumping iron!

1 week to go!

I'm so excited and tired and freaked out. It's one week and counting. I have SO much to do! We're waiting for our travel visas to arrive, still have to make hotel reservations, and hope our new dog sitter comes through. Chelsea dog is acting like she knows something's up. She's pouting and acting melancholy. She won't play.

can't wait to see that baby girl!

Woo Hoo! Preapproval received!!!!!!

Oh, hallelujah. I awoke to the most fabulous of emails: preapproval from CIS to travel to adopt Isabella! This is the holy grail. We've been proving Bella's an orphan for the last couple of months, and they accepted our evidence! Amazing. It had gotten to the point that I was sleeping with my laptop so I could more easily access my email in the middle of the night. I'd roll over, check mail, go back to sleep, roll over, check mail, and so on. Thank goodness that's over! Poor Jim has already given the bed up to Wingnut and Chelsea. Now a computer??

To top it off I got a fabulous doll for Isabella in the mail today from Naomi. It's so beautiful, and Bella will LOVE it. It even smells good! Check it out: http://www.sleepysoft.com/site/480020/product/23230

I started packing immediately tonight. I had to wash all of Isabella's clothes, pack her toiletries, toys, diapers, etc. It took all night! I'm a tired puppy so will quit now.

Anxiously awaiting approval

Well, approvals for the TQ44 are rolling in, but ours has not yet. YET. I just know it will come soon! But the waiting is killing me. I may as well buy a blackberry at this point, as addicted to email as I've become. I actually slept with my computer in the bed last night! I awoke at 6:30 am and checked email for my approval (which I didn't receive), and rolled over and went back to sleep. I fear that I'm becoming a cyborg.

I'm so thrilled for those who have received their approvals so far! G&Rs are scheduled for Oct 6 & 13. If we receive our approval Monday we could conceivably have our G&R on the 13th. Isabella has grown so much that I'm afraid I won't be able to carry her if this goes on much longer! She's 11 months old now.

Waiting, waiting, waiting...