I Am Daddy

Yang Yang started playing and laughing hard for the first time since she has been home. She also started calling her older sisters by name. Kourtney was locked in her room and the younger two sisters were knocking on the door and Yang thought of a way to try to get in. She said in a deep voice "wo shi baba." This translates to I am daddy!

Home One Week

We have been home for a week and it has been a very difficult transition. Yang Yang has been grieving her losses all week and we certainly understand. Our case worker helped by explaining to her that they were her foster family and we are her forever family. There were other calls to our friend Lucia in Florence to help her through her feelings. She has her attached herself to baba (Daddy in Chinese) big time. I cannot make a move without her following me. If I am at the computer she has to be in my lap. Monday night she slept with us with one arm around me at all times. The issue was that she did not want me to go to work again. When she realized that I was going to work she began to negotiate a time for me to be home. She started at 4 pm. She is slowly pulling out of it and at this writing is laughing and talking and playing. Today we went to Ringling Brothers Circus. What were we thinking when we bought those tickets. It takes 2 weeks to get over jet lag from China and we are half way through it. We all were a little groggy during the performance but had fun. The night before Yang Yang was desperately trying to tell us something. We finally had to call our friend in Florence to translate for us. She was trying to ask us what time she needed to get up to make it to the circus. Yang Yang was more alert at the end and was watching intently. Next week Kristy goes back to pre-school so it will be Judy and Yang Yang alone for part of the day. Attached are some circus pictures and a video of Kelly's circus debut.

Last Full Day In China

Today was our last full day in China, not including the airport.  We spent our last morning at the Guangzhou Zoo.  Last time we went it was July and the Panda's were zonked out from the heat.  This time we figured that since it was January and the temperature was in the 50's we would get a good view.  Nope, they were repairing the cage.  The zoo must have brought back some memories for Yang Yang because she was sad during most of it and cried a couple of times.  She feel asleep on the way back to the hotel and woke up about 30 minutes later in a better mood.  She started playing and laughing.  She will have more sad days but we will help her through it.  Tomorrow we have 18 hours of flying starting at 10 am.  We should arrive, Lord willing, in Columbia at 8:30 pm.  No my math is not wrong, we gain back that lost 13 hours when we came over.  We are anxious to get back home and into a routine and to start fully transitioning Yang Yang into our family.  She may look sad and be quiet when you meet her but wait till you see her full on Yang Yang.  Her are a few pictures to give you an idea.

Swearing In Ceremony

It was a low key day today, the only order of business was the swearing in ceremony at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou.  There were a total of 60 families bring their new sons or daughters to sign the final pieces of paperwork to complete the adoption.  There were no cameras allowed inside so we have nothing to show you.  Yang Yang's personality really came out today.  She can produce the same volume as Kristy.  Kristy loves to play rough and jump all over her Dad so Yang Yang decided to join in.  That was a big step for her.  Yang Yang and Kristy frequently grab each others hands as they walk down the street.  Her are a few photos from yesterday's visit to the tea room.

Luihua Park

Today's tour took us to Luihua Park.  It is famous for its bonsai trees but has many more plant life within the park.    After the park we went to a Chinese Tea Room to sample tea. Yang Yang had a much better day.  Her personality came out big time today.  She was laughing and playing and chasing us around.  We are going to have our hands full when we get back home with two active little ones.  She is also trying English more and more.  She started counting and doing the alphabet in English.  I also saw that she can read and write a little in Chinese.  Tomorrow is the swearing in ceremony at the U.S. consulate and Thursday we pick up Yang's passport with her U.S. visa.  We are starting to get anxious to go home and get back into a routine, especially with the new little one but we are not looking forward to the 18 hours of flying on Friday.