waiting to board

I am such an internet junkie! I got to my gate in Denver an hour early and promptly opened my laptop! I had 2 mishaps already and I'm not even on the plane yet! The first was luggage-the woman checking me in informed me that my rolling suitcase was fine for domestic but that I would only be allowed one carryon internationally. I went ahead and checked it, and I have to say, it feel great! Let's just hope it meets me in Beijing! She was impressed that I was going to be in China for so long with such a small bag. Hee hee. Then mishap #2: while I am on this flight to LA, I didn't have an assigned seat number, and the flight is full! Yikes! Luckily (I might as well look on the bright side) I was able to upgrade to Economy Plus for $30 and get on the flight. I had the presence of mind to make sure I had a seat on the return flight home!! Geesh.
Anyway, it's 4pm and this flight boards at 4:45. I spoke to Paul and the boys already opened their first present, as soon as Erin & I drove away. Ted opened his new "big boy" leappad and Sam his Thomas train set. They were both really excited so hopefully the first few days will be fun for them.
I have a lovely 5 hour layover in LA, 3 hours without my SIL Susan, so I'm sure I'll blog again from there. Isn't this thrilling information? Aren't you on the edge of your seat?
1 leg down, 2 to go til I reach Beijing!!

So long, farewell...

Well, here it is. My last post before meeting Mae. It might be that Blogger works just fine, and if so I may update a bit, but remember that the bulk of information will be available HERE at BabyJellyBeans. I uploaded a little video of the boys to test out IMovie. It's not fancy but it works. Thanks to everyone who has been following our journey so far. Now the real fun begins!

hmmm...tempting...

I read this on Lydia's website today:

I have been told that you must dress your baby all the way down to her shoes as only the extremely poor do not wear shoes.

Hmmm.... :-)

Pharmacy complete

My personal pharmacy is complete. I think I have every baby medication, both prescription and OTC, that is available in the US. Hopefully she will be healthy and I can donate it all in Guangzhou! I'm doing the LAST load of laundry tonight. Surreal...

Baby Jelly Beans Wins

Baby Jelly Beans is the winner. Many of you like the format better and I like the video better. One more question. Do you find the video too-too small? There are 3 sizes and I chose the smallest size, so that it would download quicker and so that it would look better (not grainy)...but is it TOO small? Thanks for all your thoughts, everyone! (especially you, Mom! although I didn't see a Target ad on the journeytome site?)

travel website

Here is the Baby Jelly Beans site....which do you all prefer? Baby Jelly Beans or Journey To Me? Let me know. Baby Jelly Beans makes video very easy...

10 day forecast

Today I checked weather.com and it was pretty cool to see the forecast, knowing that I would be there!!! Here it is:

Beijing: 77°
Hong Kong: 79°
Changsha: 88°
Guangzhou: 78°

Those are averages...in general, springlike and muggy. I am rethinking the long sleeves for Mae...but hesitant to make her cold when she's used to so many layers. We'll see. I pack for the first time on Friday, get on the scale, and then re-pack as needed on Saturday. Tomorrow (instead of going to the library, since they wouldn't be able to go back to storytime and return the books the following Thursday) we are hitting Babies R Us for last minute supplies. I can't believe that all I have left to do is pack (and get my pedicure!!) Since I plan to pack so lightly, the real issue will be wrestling with what to bring and what to leave. Yesterday I spent time paperclipping money together with slips of paper saying what each pile is for; another adoptive mom made the suggestion, saying she was too frazzled on Gotcha Day to deal with counting out money and was so glad she had it done in advance. That type of thing appeals to my personality so I enjoyed it!!

YouTube test

I am trying out YouTube. If this works, I will be able to upload video (namely Mae Day footage) from China. It is the same video (Ted's group recital).

OK, this works well, although the sound is not synched up with the video. Not bad though. Thoughts?

*Update* Sound should be synched now.

Spring Concert

This may take a while to load, but click on the pic to download the video of Ted's group class performance in the Spring Recital. He gets a little lost about half-way through, but it's still pretty cute. He is the farthest one on the right, in the group on the left (or just look for the one who seems a bit confused...:-) The day started at 9am and didn't end til 6pm. For a 4-year old, this was one LONG day!

Mr. Sensative

Oh dear. Today in the car on the way to the library, we were listening to a particularily melancholy string piece. We all made up a story about a sad ghost and how a tiger ate him, etc. We pulled into the parking lot and I looked back at Ted. Tears were streaming down his face. I said in surprise, "What's wrong? Did that music make you sad?" and he burst into tears, nodding. Then Sam started tearing up because Ted was crying. I ended up holding Ted in the back seat while he sobbed. Then on to Sam to calm him down. Geesh!! On the way home I switched the station when the 2nd (usually slow and sad) movement of a piece came on! What an empathetic little sweetheart - and over a ghost, no less!!

I got tagged!

You know how you felt when you WEREN'T the last person chosen for a team in grammar school? I feel that way now because...I got tagged! This is a big internet thing and it just cracks me up to see the weird things tagging reveals about people. I don't consider my blog particularily 'public.' I think only my close friends, family, and a few people from the adoption world read it. So, I was tickled pink when Shayna's mom tagged me! In this version of tag I list 6 odd things about myself. Here goes! (do you care? oh well...)

1. I still sleep with my Pooh Bear...I hadn't in a few years but just got him out again a few weeks ago. The boys think it's hysterical.
2. I used to be called "Ellen 3 Pillows" by my BIL. 2 pillows for my head and one under my knees. Now I have the type of pillow that molds to your neck, so only 1 there and I am totally addicted to my body pillow. I'm actually pretty concerned about sleeping without my special pillows in China.
3. I used to bite my toenails. NO, I don't do it anymore...but I could!
4. I was introduced to my husband by my ex-boyfriend's sister who was his ex-girlfriend at the time because we were all on speaking terms still (did you follow that? Neither did I.)
5. I have a tattoo...on my right hip...it no longer looks like (yes, again) Pooh because he stretched right along with my pregnancies! Oops!
6. When I had my ultrasound with Sam, I crossed my fingers that he would be a boy, so that we could adopt someday. If he had been a girl we might not have done this! Whew!!!

Get out your Kleenex

I just happened on this recording of a child and a children's chorus singing 'Mama Hao.' It is on a fellow CCAI mom's website for her daughter Sydney. (She leaves tomorrow!) I just cried and cried when I heard this. This beautiful little 'authentic' voice is beyond anything I've ever heard. And great articulation for Sam and me to learn from!!
Click here and turn up the volume!

eyelet

There are so many things about me that are like my mother. (Yes, this is a good thing, albeit surprising!) One of them is my complete infatuation with all things eyelet. White, in particular. White eyelet and baby boys never really felt right to me, so I am indulging myself with Mae. Today I went through a bag of clothes from Rachel & Gabi. They are all very small, 3-6 month and some 9 months. Among all the other beautiful and cute outfits was this little dress. I about lost it! This is it-this little dress is how I always imagined I would dress my little daughter. And soon, so so so soon, she will wear it! (Well, she will be squeezed into it...it is pretty small but I am determined!)

Another 'mom thing' happened this morning while I was running. All the trees are in bloom now (suddenly-last Wednesday they weren't) and we have a lot of lilac trees and bushes. I grew up with a beautiful lilac tree in the front yard of our apartment and the smell of lilacs takes me back to Rockwell Street instantly. What a magical smell! Anyway, while walking to the trail this morning, Anna Russel's famous "How I love the Sprrring!" leapt into my head and darn it, it's still there! And every time it pops into my thoughts I laugh out loud. Hooray for spring!

The third and final Mom episode has been going on for months now and I keep forgetting to post about it. As a child, when Mom would put me to bed she would sing me a lullabye she had half made up/half altered from the Coventry Carol. In Hebrew we call it a niggun, a wordless melody. She would also tickle/scratch the insides of my hand and fingers, which may sound weird, but try it...it feels wonderful! I have been singing "the na-na-na song" to Sam since he was born. It is now the 2nd of 3 songs that we sing, since Mama Hao entered the repertory. I've also started doing the tickle hand thing...he is not very ticklish (Ted could never stand it so I never tried-he is sooo ticklish) and he loves it! I trimmed my fingernails today and he was not as happy with the results!

So, for those of you getting ready for your little girls, just remember, you WILL turn into your mother eventually! And it's really fun!

Week 2 - windy

Travel Conference Call

Today at 2pm MT we had our call. We all called in to a conference center and entered a passcode. It was...interesting. Not quite what I had expected. As another parent said in our TG, it was more of a pep talk. And also a few warnings that things might not go well, but just 'get through the trip, bring the baby home, and everything will work itself out.' Good advice. I think I was expecting more 'travel-related' information, but truthfully, CCAI has been so good about getting all of our info to us, I guess there really isn't anything we don't know. So, we are down to the final 16 days. All that is left to do is pack. And I have 36 presents to wrap-that's 18 presents, one for each day I'm gone, one for each boy. I think Ted is going to be just fine, cheerfully opening presents, X-ing off days on the calendar, and cutting off a link every day from a paper chain. I hope his enthusiasm rubs off on Sam. And Paul...he is set! My friends have all come forward offering meals and playdates for the kids. Paul will be well-fed (probably one of my biggest worries). Now, if I can just get him to look at the calendar to know what is going on each day, he will be fine. 2 more weeks.

We are in the teens!!!

Did anyone else notice that WE ARE IN THE TEENS?!?! 19 days til I leave....yippee!

It's officially Spring

Not just because the flowers are blooming and the weather is crazy. No, it is Spring because it is soccer season.

Mama Hao

Back on March 15, I posted about the Chinese lullabye "Mama Hao." I've been practicing it, and Sam loves it! He asks for it before nap and before bedtime. I guess the beautiful melody transcends all!
Oh, and I found excellent travel insurance. So that's a relief. Tomorrow is Ted's first soccer game! Now that he is 4, he is on a Y League here in Superior. I hope to have some cute pics tomorrow. He looks so official with his tiny shin guards!!

Some facts

Today Adele (the same person who delivered a care package to Mae at her orphanage) emailed me a translation and sound file of Mae's name. Click Here to hear her name, Huai Xiang.

Translation of the name:
Huai is her last name. It means “think of; yearn for; cherish”. It can have many meanings, depending on the context. Here are some examples.

(1) If “Huai” is used with “Nian”, the phrase “Huai Nian” means “cherish the memory of; think of”.
(2) If “Huai” is used with “Gu”, the phrase “Huai Gu” means “meditate on the past; reflect on an ancient event”.
(3) If “Huai” is used with “You Xi Wang”, the phrase “Huai You Xi Wang” means “cherish hope”.

Xiang is her first name. It means “ring; loud; sound”. It can have many meanings, depending on the context. Here are some examples.

(1) If “Xiang” is used with “Ying”, the phrase “Xiang Ying” means “respond; answer; echo; reply; in response to”.
(2) If “Xiang” is used with “Liang”, the phrase “Xiang Liang” means “loud and clear”.
(3) If “Xiang” is used with “Dang Dang”, the phrase “Xiang Dang Dang” means “excellent; outstanding”.

Suggested middle name:
I think it is a good idea to use “Xiang” as her middle name. It can means “outstanding”.

CCAI Itinerary

Ah...the long-awaited "Final Travel Packet." What fun. Our travel conference call is next Tuesday afternoon. And we have our itinerary...very spiffy hotels!

5/5 Arrive in Hong Kong. Meet Joann. Go to Shangri-La Kowloon Hotel. Free time.
5/6 Pre-paid tour of Hong Kong.
5/7 Leave Hong Kong for Changsha on China Southern CZ3038 (19:15-20:25). Meet Daphne & Ellen. Go to the Dolton Hotel.
5/8 Meeting for all families in hotel conference room at 7:30am to fill out adoption forms. Leave for Registration Office at 9:30 to receive your child.
5/9 Depart at 8am to complete Adoption Registration and Notorization paperwork at the Registration Office. Rest in the afternoon.
5/10 Optional shopping trip to local department store in the morning. Rest in the afternoon. Waiting for child's paperwork to be completed.
5/11 Optional half-day city tour of Martyr's Park in the morning. Receive child's paperwork in the afternoon.
5/12 Optional half-day tour to the Embroidery Factory in the morning. Receive registration certificates and child's passport in the afternoon.
5/13 Leave Changsha for Guangzhou on China Southern CZ3379 (14:20-15:20). Meet Kathy. Go to the White Swan Hotel.
5/14 Free time. Rest, shop, tour.
5/15 Child's visa physical exam and visa photo today. Group Meeting to prepare paperwork for Consulate Appointment.
5/16 Consulate Appointment today.
5/17 Go to U.S. Consulate to take the oath in the afternoon. Receive child's visa packet at the conclusion of the oath ceremony. Leave Guangzhou directly for the US on China Southern 327 (21:00-18:00-love how we arrive home before we left!)

Phew! So there it is. In writing! We are really going. What a wonderful week-updates, Beijing tour info, and final itinerary. Now, any tips on surviving the next 25 days?

Update!

We were thrilled to receive an update via email today from CCAI. These stats and pics were taken on March 1, 2006 (just 1 day after our referral arrived!) so these are 7 month stats. She looks and sounds healthy and thriving. 27 more days...

Height: 71 cm
Weight: 8.5 kg (18.7 pounds)
Chest Cir: 43 cm
Head Cir: 43 cm
Foot Length: 9 cm
HepB: negative
Teeth: 0
Sitting?: Yes
Standing?: No
Walking: No
Speaking: No
Where is your child currently sleeping? She sleeps in a crib by herself.

Paul pointed out that the "surprised look" picture is the first one in which she is looking directly at the camera. In the other, she looks hot! If they think she weighs 18+ pounds, I am going to guess she's about 15 or so. Tomorrow I'll send this info to our pediatrician who will prescribe medications for her based on her weight. I assume the crib she is in is her very own-I will ask on Mae Day if I have my wits about me. It looks very comfy and cute! One of the things our travel group is going to do is take the orphanage director to the Wal-Mart type department store in Changsa and have him (her?) tell us what the orphanage really needs. One orphanage asked for an AC, another for a washing machine. Both were under $100USD. I hope we can help them out-they certainly know how to care for the babies! Hang on, Huai Xiang, we're coming!

Beijing Tour

Today DHL delivered our passports with double-entry visas, airline tickets and Beijing Tour itinerary from JC Travel. We will be staying at the Novotel Xinqiao Hotel which apparently has very poor internet service, so be prepared for not much info til we reach Hong Kong. The hotel itself looks quite nice though, so we are excited.

Itinerary
May 2: Arrive in Beijing
May 3: Tour Great Wall, Ming Tombs
May 4: Tour Forbidden City, Tian-An-Men Square, Pearl Market
May 5: Visit Hope Foster Care. China Southern 3092 to Hong Kong, depart at 4:40pm

We leave on April 30...THIS MONTH! I can hardly stand it.