Happy Birthday Clara Rose Rao Rao!

Sunday was Clara Rose's 2nd birthday. We are so happy that we were able to have her home for this birthday. We had hoped it would happen when we first started the adoption process, but we felt it was a bit of a longshot that the adoption would happen so quickly.

While we were very happy, I also feel sad as I know that her foster family is missing her and also wanted to have one more birthday with her. The Foster Mom did tell me they celebrated her 2nd birthday on December 26th because they knew they would not be with her on her actual birthday.

Since we are recently home and still settling-in, we kept the birthday celebration very low key. Just Wim, myself, all the kids and Grandma and Aunt Becky. Another tribute to the foster parents-- Clara Rose recognizes Wim's mom as Nai Nai and called her Nai Nai. This is because the foster parents showed her the pictures we sent in the care package. They really worked hard so that Clara Rose would have an easier adjustment.

Here  we are, Josie and I, helping Clara Rose blow out her birthday candles.

Prior to cake, Clara Rose met and played with her new Nai Nai who was thrilled to finally meet her newest grand daughter.

Aunt Becky, or Goo goo (in Mandarin) was also thrilled to meet and play with Clara Rose.

Josie Dong Dong was very chatty and excitedly told her Aunt Becky about all the exciting things that have been going on her life.

Josie also mentioned how she was feeling sad these days with Clara Rose around, so Aunt Becky clipped both smiley face balloons to Josie.

It was a fun morning with lots of play time.

Clara Rose reaching for Gabrielle's hand.

More Birthday Cake pictures.

Opening a few presents in the evening. Clara Rose does't quite get the present opening so she got some help form her ever beloved BaBa.

Josie also received some welcome home presents (THANKS MICHELLE!) and she was more than happy to have something special to open.

The girls have a ways to go with adjusting to the time change (they aren't the only ones!). Here are a few pictures of the 4:00 AM play dough party on Monday morning.

Clara Rose really likes playing with this red push cart. The cart is Josie's.

Josie is having some *behaviors* with regard to sharing-- more so than we have ever seen with her. For example, the red cart above---

Yesterday while I was washing a few dishes Josie brought me a screw and said, "here Mommy. You need to put this away." Ok. Then she brought me two more saying the same thing. I asked her where she was getting all these screws. The first one, I figured she just found somewhere-- we left so quickly after Christmas-- who knows??? 

Guess where the screws were from-- the handle to the red cart! Josie took them out so Clara Rose could no longer push it!

Later in the afternoon I put up Josie's tent and tunnel and the girls had a great time playing with it. Clara Rose was a bit timid about it at first-- but it didn't take long for her to jump in and start playing and did she have a good time!

Clara Rose definitely prefers her BaBa.

The foster mom had told us she was more a daddy's girl. I also don't think it helps that the orphanage staff really push for the Mom to engage the new child right away. I think she was angry with me and saw me as the one who caused her foster family-- her family that she knew and loved, to go away. Now I think she may be scared that I will take her away from her Baba.

Yesterday (monday) she cried for a good half hour inconsolably when Wim left for work.  We are doing it again today, but as I sit her typing and wiping her nose, when she'll let me, she is calming down.

Oh wait, here she comes. She has stopped crying. She wants me to wipe her nose. She is offering me one of her scented poop bags (it is empty -- never been used in case you are wondering). I am putting it on my head. She is laughing.  Now she is playing with Josie.

Yeah!!!!!

A qucik note about Josie. Last night Josie at dinner while we were at the table Josie announced to all of us (Me, Wim, Gabrielle, Xavier and Clara Rose) that her (Josie's) heart hurt, her teeth itched, and her eye brows feel hot.

So I guess that is part of the effects of getting a new baby sister who isn't so much a baby as a direct comeptitor.

Lastly, here he is, Mr. Mommy are curled up last night with the fleece blanket I made for Clara Rose. Wim is already back to work and very tired.

Words cannot begin to express how I feel to watch him with Clara Rose. It is a whole new person. I already thought Wim was an amazing wonderful man and a great father. Watching him with Clara Rose who so clearly adores him beyond words adds a whole new dimension to how I see my husband.

As much as I loved this wonderful man when I married him, I love him even more now.

There's No Place Like Home

If only it was as easy as clicking your magic heels a few times to return home!

After several flights on United U-suck airlines, we made it home safe and sound Friday night around 11:30 pm.

Clara Rose was happy to explore her new home in the wee hours after we arrived at our house. She honed in on the toy piano and played a symphony of sorts.

We are all pretty tired and discombobulated today. Josie isn't doing so good with the jet lag and not getting to sleep when she wants to.  Clara Rose is faring better than we expected with me taking on more responsibility with her care. She is more accepting of it if Wim is not around than if he is home. She also isn't too fond of the cat. Wait until she gets a load of Phoebe!

Here is Clara Rose today enjoying some soup for lunch just before nap time.

Wim brought Gabrielle and Xavier over to meet Clara Rose today and to see Josie. They are going to spend the rest of the weekend with us and will be with us most of this week and next weekend as well.

It was a long travel day back home. We started on Thursday-- we had to go to the US Consulate Office again to pick up Immigration papers, passport, and Visa for Clara Rose. Then we flew to Beijing and stayed at a hotel overnight there. The hotel wasn't a lot to write home about, but it was very clean and had softer beds so we had a good night's rest.  Josie Dong Dong didn't want to get up the next day!

We all managed to pull it together and had a good start to the long series of flights that eventually brought us home.

We definitely had some interesting encounters at the airports on this trip. When we flew to China, we met and chatted with Jane Liedke, the founder of Our Adopted Daughters from China. When we were at the Beijing Airport waiting to check in, we ran into our guide from Josie's adoption trip, Veronica! We were all quite surprised at this chance encounter and had a nice talk while waiting in line. Veronica was definitely the best asset to Great Wall of China Adoptions and we were happy to see her and for her to be able to see how much Josie has grown.

From Beijing we flew to Tokyo Japan and had a couple hours to kill there. What an innovative idea to have small play areas at the airport. Just what the girls needed to burn off some steam before boarding the very long flight to the states  at 11 hours it was 2 1/2 hours shorter than the long flight from Chicago to Beijing!

The flights weren't the greatest. In all their infinite wisdom and custoomer consideration, United did not have us seated together on most of our flights-- not even remotely close together leaving us to try and work it out with other passengers on the plane. This did not work out so well and we feel like we mostly wasted the money we spent on the extra seat for Clara Rose as we didn't really get to use it. Hence, United-- U-suck airlines. My new name for them.  On the bright side, nobody got sick on the flights and all our luggage made it home with us.

At home we were very suprised and HAPPY to find some snack waiting for us. THANKS MICHELLE! The girls played a bit, we had some yummy food, the girls watched a little Dora and everyone was off to bed around 1:00 am.

Fond Farewell

We are down to our last few hours here in Guangzhou. Our bags are mostly packed. I sorta went over board in buying suitcases. One of ours broke on the way here and we needed another one so we got two HUGE cases for about $15 each. We have plenty of room now—plenty for me to do some more shopping. You should have seen the look on Wim's face when I said that!   :-D   Yesterday was our swearing-in at the US Consulate. Wim is funny—he missed a lot of this when we adopted Josie because he returned home after 2 weeks of our 3 week trip. I told him it wasn't "All that" in terms of formality- they check your passport against the paperwork—for many families not just those in our travel group. After all families are checked we take an oath that all the information we have provided to the US government about our adoption is accurate to the best of knowledge and ability.   The pictures are from two nights ago. We went out for a big group dinner at a local Chinese restraint. Ms Cordeila was with us and we made out MUCH better with the food *YUM* factor than when we went out on our own.   I'm not sure if we mentioned it or not, Clara Rose knows how to use chopsticks—Josie can't stand it, and actually started trying to use hers and didn't too bad considering. We are going to start using chopsticks more regularly at home.   So, this is it. My last post from China. We are ready to head home and be home and see everyone. Wim is aching to see Gabrielle and Xavier. The truth be told, I miss them as well. I think Josie even misses Phoebe trying to eat her stuff.   I also feel sad to leave. I felt this way when I brought Josie home. China is so rich with culture, history—the people here are very kind at least that is my experience. It is sad to go and take these little girls away from so much that should know and have ingrained in their lives. While we do what we can to keep them connected to their birth heritage, it is very limited because our knowledge and ability to do this is amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday life restricts us.  All we can do is our best and hope that someday in the years to come we will be able to return to China when Josie and Clara Rose are a bit older so they can experience their birth country with their own eyes.   Next post—State-side!

Group Photo and Ms Cordeila

Here is a group photo of everyone in our travel group and one of us with our China Guide, Ms. Cordeila. She is really great. Not only knows her stuff, but also quite humorous.

Red Couch_Mayhem

The traditional red couch photos of the kids adopted on this trip. A bit older than the kids on Josie;s adoption trip so much more difficult to keep still.   This may be our last post. We have the consulate appointment in about an hour. We need to pack-up tonight. Tomorrow we get Clara Rose's visa and then fly to Beijing, arriving around 9:00 pm, stay the night and then start the long flight home on Friday-- arriving Friday because we are flying back in time.   Ooooo, back to the future.    So, I may or may not post again from China.

Red Couch_Family

It is traditional for adoptive families to have a picture or two taken on the Red Couches at the White Swan Hotel.   I only have the group shot of the adopted girls from Josie's adoption trip. This time we were able to get a shot of me and Wim with the Girls and of just the girls. How wonderful it would have been if Gabrielle and Xavier could have also been part of this trip-- maybe one day we will be able to have a full family photo.  I know Wim would really love that.

Playground_teetertotter

I felt really happy taking Josie and Clara Rose to the play ground here. Josie was too little as in not walking, when we adopted her and unable to play at this playground.   I really can't explain it, but I wanted her to be able to play at a playground in China-- with other Chinese kids. It is cold here-- by this region's standards-- quite mild by ours in New England.   I so enjoyed watching Josie and Clara Rose play and interact with the few other kids that were at the play ground-- although, Josie was disappointed that there were no swings at this playground. She managed to have fun. She liked the teeter-totter and was able to sit on it by herself.