The Night Before China....

First, I got the money, so crisis averted. I must keep this brief as I was supposed to be in bed an hour ago. I have been rushing around like mad since my daughter went to bed. I can't believe it only seemed like a few little things were left to do, but it turned into a huge ordeal, oy.....I think I'm done, I know I'm packed and I'm certain that I'm ready! My ride will be here in 8 hours to take me to the airport. So, I'd better get to bed! See you all in China!

The Day Before China

One day before my trip. Just to increase the drama of the day, it is now 2:00, the day before I leave, and I still don't have money on hand to complete the adoption. For those who don't know, adoptive parents must carry about $4500 in CASH to China, in new currency, or at least "crisp, clean bills." Now, before you scream at ME for being a stupid, irresponsible adoptive parent...you should know that I have been working at getting this money for 3.5 weeks now.....Hmmm....the last update I got from the Asst. Manager at my bank is that $5000 in brand new bills would be delivered this morning, just for me. And, in the event that there was a problem, the Asst. Manager had already set aside $4000 in acceptable, clean, but not new bills for me. I inspected the bills earlier in the week, but the promise of having brand new bills was too appealing. So, the deal was, they'd hold these bills for me, pending the delivery of the brand new currency. Oh, and what happened the other two weeks when I was supposed to pick up my money??? Various errors, miscommunications, delays......leaving it to this week, when I was promised that I would be able to get exactly what I needed. So, guess what happened today?? First off, the Asst. Manager is out sick, and no one knows WTF I'm talking about, even though I asked the woman to make arrangements for someone else to give me my money, in case she gets sick, we even joked about it, "you know, in case you get into an accident on your way to work that day." After several phone calls getting no where, I went to the bank in person. I spoke to the head manager. It turns out that there IS $5000 in new currency with my name on it, sitting in a truck somewhere out there....the truck had a flat tire, and didn't make the delivery. (I am NOT making this stuff up) The money is usually delivered by 9am. Ok, I'm trying hard to remember to breath....I have a fever again.....and, still many other things I could be doing with my time. I have to go back to the bank at 4 (they close at 4:30), and the manager says the money SHOULD be deliverd by the end of the day. Oh, and the other $4000 that was set aside for me?? It's gone, the manager doesn't know anything about it, they must have put it into circulation. I'm trying very hard to be civil about this.....I explained to the manager that I have been getting the run around for 3 weeks, and why I desperately need this money, and I even showed her Sophie's picture. I let myself get upset and a little tearful at the bank, instead of angry (Like most women, tears come easily when I'm really angry, so it's hard to tell that I'm just so pissed off I could cry.) It seemed like a better idea to go for sympathy for now, rather than have a big angry scene, we'll see what happens at 4:00. Stay tuned.

Lots of running around today....had to get lots of little things for the trip. I got my documents together, then a lot of errands....bookstore, drugstore, grocery store (taking my own oatmeal packets, nuts, raisins to have something to snack on). I decided I needed a tune up before the trip, so I got my hair cut and colored, mani, pedi, facial and eyebrows.....I'm not really a high maintenance girl, but I figure I won't get a chance to focus on myself for awhile. Here's the weird coincidence: I went to three different salons, all last minute, squeezed-in appointments, no stylist requests.....but, each time, I was assigned to a Chinese woman! Each time I got to have the most fascinating discussions about China and the Chinese-American experience. Anyway, I still have a ton of stuff to do to get ready tonight and tomorrow.....but, now, I have gotten a bit sick, fever, stomach distress.....Ugh! I was so focused on NOT getting sick in China, it didn't occur to me that I'd fall ill before I even get on the plane. Oh well, no time to wallow in misery. I hope I feel better tomorrow. Tonight I have to do laundry and pack for real. I should also finish wrapping Olivia's gifts.

All about Sophie Xian

Some people have asked questions about Sophie.....here is what I know:

She was presumably born 4/1/06. She was found abandoned 4/2/06. She was born in Jiangxi Province in China. She is currently in the care of the Yujiang Social Welfare Institute. She may, or may not, be in, or have been in, foster care at some point. The SWI maintains that all the babies are in the orphanage, but many parents find out later they were in foster care for months at a time. I see pluses or minuses in either scenerio, so I try not to worry about it too much at this point. Sophie's Chinese name is Wang Xiang Xian. The characters in her given names mean "fragrant fairy (or immortal being)". This suggests that she must have been a pixie-like, good-smelling baby when she was found. She is a very petite girl, I have two sets of measurements for her from 4 months and 9 months. She was always at or below the 10% in all measurements. Sophie's adoption is considered "special needs," as she is blind in one eye. I have no other information about her condition, except "blind in one eye." It was most likely a simple birth defect. She is described at healthy and developmentally on-target in other areas. She is also described as a "smart," "quiet" girl who "likes to be held." At nine months, she was standing up in a baby walker and babbling, according to reports. When she comes home, she will need surgery and treatment over a few months to eventually fit her for an eye prosthesis. I already have appointments made for her to be evaluated at CHOP when I get home from China.

I first "met" Sophie on Christmas Eve 2006, when I came across her picture on a "Waiting Child" list on the internet. Waiting children are those who are considered special needs adoptions because of age or medical issues. I thought she was beautiful and that she looked like she was supposed to be my daughter. I couldn't stop looking at her picture, crawling out of bed every few minutes to turn the computer on again, thinking, "can I really do this??" Everything since then has fallen into place perfectly and miraculously. I feel so lucky to have found her and to have had a quick and easy process. At this time, single-parent adoptions are no longer allowed in China, we got in just under the wire. Those who have dossiers logged in previously are waiting two to three yeares for their referrals. I got off very easy for an international adoption. The process was complicated, but not impossible. My agency is Children's Home Society and Family Services in MN, I highly recommend them, they've been great! I will finally hold Sophie Xian in my arms on August 5, 2007. She will be sixteen m0nths. Her sister Olivia is three-and-a-half, and sooooo ready to be a big sister. Oh, and Xian is pronounced (shee-en). She is probably called "Xian-Xian" by her caregivers, so I will use that as a nickname, too.

3 Days till China....

I am already a bad blogger....haven't thought of the blog all weekend. The pic I included here says it all: 3 days to go. This is a pic of the "Waiting Chain" I constructed for my daughter to help her mark the time until I go to China. (We will do a similar one to mark the time until I return from China). As you can see.....3 links left.

A quick synopsis of the weekend. My dog died on Friday. :-( I continue to mourn, and have the awful pit in the stomach thing going on, you know, when you wake up in the morning, and know something is different, and then it hits you, so-and-so is dead?? Yeah, that's me. I know, it takes time, it will pass.... Anyway, here is what I did for the China trip despite my grief.....Finally really fixed up the girls' room, finishing touches and all, thanks to Tia Linda. Went shopping for the required "gifts" for the Chinese people I don't know, I forget who they go to, I think orphanage staff....but, anyway, bought them baseball caps, since they were cheap and seem easy to carry. I also finished buying the last of Olivia's presents. She will have one present to open each day I'm gone. I cut out my Chinese language flashcards, provided by the adoption agency, so I can communicate in China. A few I don't think I'll need, like "I'm your Daddy," and "Extra Meat, Please" and "Where can I buy cigarrettes?" I put together a list of phone numbers for my mother to reach me in China, in case of emergency, and tested them by making a couple of calls to China. I think when hotel employees say they "speak English," they mean that the speak it the way I "speak French" after taking it for four years in high school. It should be an adventure. I put together the fabulous double jogging stroller that was a gift from my online posse. Olivia and I took it to the ice cream parlor, with Winnie-the-Pooh sitting in for Sophie. O loves it, and is convinced "her side" is the bigger seat, obviously designed for big girls. I got my "travel prescriptions" filled, and I decided I would no take the pills to avoid Typhoid. The pharmacist did just what they do on CVS commercials, and called me to the "private consultation area" to tell me that my allergy meds would interact with the typhoid immunotherapy regime, and I had to ditch the allergy meds for a week. Not possible I said, I'd be miserable, itchy, weepy, wheezing, and congested...not how I want to spend the next week. And no, I haven't had success with other allergy meds. She agreed that the odds of my getting typhoid are very slim, whereas, the odds of my being miserable with allergies are likely 95%. So, I made the decision to opt out of Typhoid vax, and hope for the best (Sorry Dr. Lytton). I also loaded my MP3 player over the past few days, 100 tunes now. Seems like a trivial thing, I know, but I really feel the need to have lots of music to distract me on the plane.

Talked to my mom and Tia Linda about my/our needs for when we get home....this is my biggest worry, actually....How can I be a mom to Olivia AND Sophie, if S is up all night with jet-lag, and I have to be up with her, I can't expect her to go to anyone else the first weeks we are home, it's got to be me/mommy....Anyway, I have been reassured everyone will continue to help with O the week after I get home....I am so grateful to have all these wonderful people around me, helping and supporting me/us.....I never could have gone ahead with this adoption, if it weren't for my mom and Linda.

I'm already not sleeping well, filled with both excitement and anxiety about the trip and all the subsequent changes....fortunately, Olivia has been an angel and slept until 9 am the past couple of days.....God, I hope Sophie isn't an early riser!

I have started packing.....packed up Sophie's things:

5 onesies
2 sleeveless onesies
3 heavier terry stretchies
2 light baby blankets
1 sweater (for air conditioning)
3 pairs of socks
1 pair of robeez shoes
1 darling "outfit"
1 floppy hat
1 bathing suit, built in swim diaper

Toys:

1 small teddy bear
1 small Chinese doll baby
3 touch and feel books
bubbles
stacking cups
1 complicated rattle thing that defies description, but has lots of texture, sound, lights, some noises, not too scary, I hope
1 pack of bathtub floaties (thanks to Lori)

Plus,
Her various recommended OTC meds and toiletries
A few diapers
A platex nurser bottle, with the drop-in inserts, so no bottle washing
2 kinds of nipples
1 Avent sippy cup
1 small bowl and spoon
32 single serving straws of formula (I know it's controversial, but I figured why not start her on American formula, and the single serving packets were neat)

1 Ergo Baby Carrier

R.I.P. LADY

:-(

You were a good lady.

This is what an almost 16-month-old looks like....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1REp5yOgSo

Click the link for a brief video clip of Baby Olivia at 15 months. I so hope this works! I was thinking about what Baby Sophie would be like when she comes home, and looking over old pics of Olivia.....I found this video clip of O when she was near the same age as Sophie. I hope this link works, I've never YouTubed before. The voice you hear in the background is Daggie, Olivia's previous au pair. Of course, every thing I read says that children from orphanages are likely to be a bit delayed when they come home, so I don't think she will be just like this....she will be who she is.

I also included a couple of pics from Olivia at around 16 months , too....