MEETING FRIENDS

Ian and I took Ava this morning to a mommy and me group that meets in our area about once a month with children adopted from China. There were about a dozen of the most adorable little girls there. Ava was the youngest with the next being about 2 years old (who happened to be from Ava's orphanage!). It was a nice bunch of women and we look forward to getting together with them again. I was also excited to FINALLY meet Truly Blessed (her site is password protected) after emailing back and forth for so long. She is just as nice in person as she is on her blog. I also have to say....Her two girls are just ADORABLE!! Here are a few photos taken today. I didn't want to post any on here of all the children without permission, so these will have to do. ;)









I also have to say....When Ava gets around other children she becomes this VERY serious girl. She did flash a smile or two today, but was back to the serious little girl we saw in China.

HAT GIRL

AVA'S WALKING!

Just so you know....Getting corner safety protectors for the coffee table is on my shopping list. ;)

OUR BEAUTIFUL GIRL

LOVIN' OLIVE*GARDEN!

PJ PICS

Here are some pics of Ava wearing her penguin pj's from her Auntie K. Ava loves to have sleeves on her pajamas....She sucks on her wrist when she is tired or going to sleep and likes to have fabric to suck on. It really is adorable. Our girl also took her first steps yesterday and is officially on the road to walking on her own. Our video camera is a real pain in the butt to download to the computer, but if I can get it worked out....I'll post some video of Miss Ava taking a few steps. She is very proud of her accomplishment....As are the rest of us!!

ONE MONTH A FAMILY

Dear Ava,

One month ago today in Nanchang, China....You were placed into my arms. You changed our lives that day, sweet girl. You have filled all of our lives with so much love and so many laughs. Our lives are so much better now that you're here! You have brought so much laughter into this house as we watch all the funny things you do. You have such a hilarious personality and you know it! You love to make us laugh and you succeed each and every time!

So much has changed for you in the last month. You now have a Mommy, a Daddy, a big sister and two big brothers. You have come to a strange place with strange new smells. You have come to a place where most of the people look so much different that you. You have come to a house filled with dogs and cats. We expected that you would have a long adjustment period getting settled into your new life here, but we were wrong. You seem very much at home as you play in your bedroom, sleep in your crib, play with your toys, hug your stuffed animals, eat in your highchair, toss the dogs the food you have on your plate, take a stroller ride around the mall, take a grocery cart ride around the store and ride around town in your pink car seat. You do it all with a smile on your face. You're a happy girl that has a smile that lights up a room. You have this laugh that makes everyone laugh with you. You have this little devilish grin that I adore! You're so strong willed and you know exactly what you want....And there is no stopping you....You're going to get it!! How appropriate that the name you were given in China meant strong willed.

I'm not the only one in the family that has fallen madly in love with you, Miss Ava. You have a Daddy that you have wrapped around your little finger. He misses you so much when he is at work and can't wait to get home to see you! We keep you up until 9:00 at night to make sure you have some time with Daddy each night before bed on the nights he works late. You have a big sissy that can't wait to see you everyday and you love your big sissy too! You will whisper "sissy" really softly and smile. You get so excited when you see your mega bro bro and will blow him kisses. You changed your big brother. His face lights up when he sees you, he holds you, feeds you and shares his ice cream with you. One day he was holding you and I asked him if you have changed his mind about wanting to have kids someday and he said, "maybe" with a smile on his face. And your big bro bro, Ian....He wanted you here so badly and he's so happy that you are FINALLY here with us. He plays with you in your room and he watches out for you like a big brother should. One day you fell and hit your head and your big brother cried. He loves you, Ava....He loves you with all his heart. We all do. You were so worth waiting for. All the pain and heartache of the long wait went away the day you were placed into my arms. You're so much more that I could have ever dreamed of. You're my precious baby girl and I love you so very much. Happy one month a family, baby girl. You have blessed our lives so very much.

Love,
Mommy

SWINE FLU STRIKES AGAIN

I just heard that one of my favorite bloggy friends is quarantined in China with her family... Someone on their plane had the Swine Flu virus. Please keep Mary and her family in your thoughts and prayers. I hope that this week passes quickly for them and that none of them end up getting sick. Poor little Emily is going to have to wait an extra week to be united with her family.

AVA'S NEW RIDE

QUESTIONS ANSWERED BULLET STYLE

I've had several questions asked of me and I apologize that I haven't answered. I'm FINALLY feeling better.....My sinus infection is almost gone and I'm actually feeling somewhat caught up with sleeping. I slept like CRAPOLA in China....Not sure if it was because of the MUCH firmer mattress or just that my body never got used to China time, but I didn't sleep well while there at all. Then with the jet lag after returning home on top of that....I've felt like a walking zombie until probably yesterday. Alrighty, enough about me, here comes the answers to questions I've received:

• I was asked about Ava's silver bracelet that she was wearing in most of the pics in China. I bought it for her at a little shop near the White Swan Hotel. From what the shop owner told me, the silver bracelet with bells is very popular with Chinese babies. The bells will let you know where the baby is. Ava's bracelet has Chinese writing on it that says clever and loyal. Ava loved her bracelet in China, but now when you put it on her...She wants it off. She does the same thing when I put a hair clip in her hair. You can try and get her mind off the clip, but she ALWAYS reaches around until she pulls it out. When I got her dressed this morning, she reached up into her hair searching for a hair clip....I hadn't put one on her, but she was just checking to be sure. ;)



• We used the Babyhawk sling in China. We had decided to not do the stroller thing while we were there and went with a baby carrier instead. We really liked the Babyhawk (it's very comfortable), but it was so HOT in China that it was so uncomfortable to wear her in the carrier. It was easier just to carry her without a carrier. I would still recommend the Babyhawk....It's easy to use and it comes in many sassy colors!! ;) It took me FOREVER to final pick out the one I wanted.


• The agency that we used was Great*Wall*China*Adoption. I had been a bit upset with them, because I thought they were a little slow in getting us to China, but once they got us there.....Everything was wonderful. I don't know how much of that is because of the agency or because of our guide, but everything went smoothly. Veronica was on top of everything there and everything was so well organized. I had always heard that GW*CA shines during the China trip and for us, that was true. Veronica was the BEST!


• Ava is almost walking. She can pull herself up to stand (without assistance) and will walk while holding on to our hand. She also loves to walk behind her baby stroller. I'm quite certain in the next month she will have the walking thing down.


• Ava went to the doctor today for her first visit. She is 22 pounds and is almost 32 inches tall. The doctor thought she was very healthy and said she looked like she was well taken care of in China. My poor baby did have to have 3 shots today. The doctor has decided to re-do all the vaccinations that she had in China. Many times the vaccinations are watered down and he felt that it was best to re-do everything. =(


• Ava is back to sleeping 11 hours at night and taking a nap during the day! I can usually lay her down in her crib and she might cry for a minute or two and then she falls asleep. She will suck on her wrist when she is tired. She always wakes up with a smile on her face in the morning! I did blow up a aero bed mattress on her floor in case I needed to sleep in there with her, but so far she has been fine to sleep alone in her room.


• Ava is charming each and everyone that she meets. It takes her a bit to warm up to you, but when she does.....She has a smile that will melt your heart.
  

My girl just woke up from her nap. If anyone has any other questions, just leave me a comment and I'll answer them just as soon as I can. I'm happy to answer any travel questions too!!