Another Lazy Day

Hello! There was absolutely nothing on our agenda today so we spent the day being pretty lazy. After sleeping in a little (around 7:30ish), we ate breakfast and then ran to a small grocery store near our hotel and bought Jaci a few more toys. She enjoyed the toys and her favorite game is to knock them around the room. We have also discovered that Jaci is very ticklish and has the cutest little laugh. She did have a short cry this afternoon because of the nose sucker...she hates it! Her little cry was very adorable and we hugged & loved on her and all was better in a matter of moments. She will repeat words back and so far she has said both mama and dada which, of course, made our day!! She likes to wave, blow kisses occasionally and will give kisses. We did not take many pictures today but here a some. We miss everyone LOTS and we also miss American food, drinks with ice, and Keith especially misses Dr. Pepper.

Saturday

It has been a pretty lazy Saturday...the weather was cold & rainy so we didn't do too much outside. I wish I had listened to my very wise mother and brought a jacket...you know what they say...Moms are always right!!

Jaci continues to be a sweetie. We keep knocking on wood because she has not cried one time...the only close call was when I was using the sucker to try to clear her nose. She does not like that at all. Her list of things she does like is much longer: she loves baths, imitating her daddy's faces, running around trying to pull things off cabinets (yes...she is very active!), laughing, and her bottle. I think the last is her absolute favorite...she loves to eat but does not really like solid food yet. She will put it in her mouth but will not chew it yet. She has a cough and drainage so we are trying to get that cleared up. Even though she does not feel 100% she is still very cheerful and sweet.

Our only real activity of the day was going to a super center. I did not think this was possible but Guangzhou (population 9 million) DOES NOT have a Wal-Mart so we went to a French store that is basically the same thing. To get an idea of how crazy busy it was, picture Wal-Mart on the day after Thanksgiving and multiply it by about 10. There were people everywhere. We did get alot of stares and many people walked up to our group to ooh and ahh over the girls. All of the babies are super adorable and very sweet.

I do want to prepare everyone...she loves to play and is very, very active. She is definately going to keep us on our toes!!

Gotcha Day!

Today we met our Jaci and she is absolutely precious. We met at the Civil Affairs Office in dowtown Guangzhou which has about 9 million people...the bus ride was very interesting to say the least. When we got into the building, we saw the Leizhou babies first. Jaci is from the Yangjiang SWI (orphanage) and they had not yet arrived. We took pictures for the Leizhou group who received their daughters first. All babies were adorable. Of course, by this time my stomach was in knots and the anticipation was about to do me in. XiXi, our guide, announced that the Yangjiang babies were here and to get ready. Almost immediately, they called Yang Li Hai (our beautiful daughter) and with help she walked to me. She smiled and stared at me with her big brown eyes...it was amazing!

She is definately very animated and social. She laughed and imitated kissing sounds back to me. It was love at first sight!! She ate pears & a bottle with formula and rice and we have already changed a poopy diaper. Right now, she is sitting in her daddy's lap and is waving to me (and yawning...which is way cute!)

What a wonderful day...I cannot wait for everyone to meet Jaci! Loves & Hugs & Kisses...

Thursday Morning

Hello! Yesterday was a happy blur...after we checked into our hotel, we decided to take a short nap and recharge a little. Nine hours later we woke up...guess we were a tad bit tired!! This morning was traumatic for me...my hair straightener died!! Now I will have two weeks of curly hair...I nearly cried. Luckily, it is really humid here so I would have had trouble keeping it from frizzing anyway. You know how I am about my hair...

In about thirty minutes, we meet our group to travel to the Civil Affairs Office and will meet our Jaci. I cannot believe that it is really happening!!!

I figured out how to use our phone card so we should be able to call home soon. The next time I post it will be pictures of Jaci. Here is a picture of our group meeting to make sure everyone has their paperwork. Everyone is very nice and I know we are going to have a good time together. Have I mentioned that we miss everyone...LOTS!!

We Made It!!

We're here! After an excrutiating couple of days in the airport, we are safely in our room at the Victory Hotel. Poor Keith spent his entire birthday stuck waiting in airports and boarding planes but he was a real trooper. Our last flight was definately the hardest...sixteen hours scrunched together with no leg room at all. And that was after waiting in LAX for over six hours!! But all is good now and we are exhausted but happy to be here. Our guide XiXi is very sweet and we meet her and the five other families tomorrow to get ready to meet Jaci at 2:30 at the Civil Affairs Office. Yea!!! We miss everyone oodles & goodles and will post often. Here are some pictures of our room and the view. It really is a nice hotel.

We are waiting in LAX--been up WAY too long!

Last meal in LA--Mexican food that was just so-so

Yes...that is a crib!!!!!! Yea!

It is so green & beautiful...also very hazy.

We Have Travel Dates!!

March 15: Arrival Guangzhou. Guide picks up from Guangzhou Airport and transfers to your hotels.

March 16: Gotcha at 2:30pm.

March 17: Shopping for baby needs.

March 18: Guangzhou Zoo.(Optional)

March 19: Civil Affair Registration. Afternoon medical check.

March 20: Morning meeting room fill up all the forms. Afternoon go to Police Department for applying child's Chinese passport. Adoption Certificate ready.

March 21: Yangjiang families take a 3 hour bus ride to Yangjiang. Check in at Yangjiang Hotel. Afternoon, Yangjiang city tour.

March 22: Visiting orphanages and the orphanage cities.

March 23: Coming back to Guangzhou.

March 24: Botanic Garden.(Optional)

March 25: Guangdong Folk Museum. (Optional)

March 26: Six Babyan Temple.(Optional)

March 27: Consulate Appointment. Night time, Pearl River Cruise.(Optional)

March 28: Around 2:30pm, our bus will pick up everyone to Consulate for Swearing In Ceremony. Your child's American Visa will be ready round 4:30pm.

March 29: All families departure from Guangzhou back to States.

Our Referral Translation Came!

We received Jaci's translated referral information and I realized that in my excitement over being a mommy that this information is a few months old. So...Jaci is still little but not quite as tiny as we first thought.

As of October 14 (at 12 months of age):

Weight: 20.9 lbs.
Height: 27.5 inches
She has six teeth!!

Yang--is the family surname; means in relief; open, positive

Li--means beautiful (I couldn't agree more!)

Hai--means ocean; sea

It says that "Li Hai is our wish that this child's life will be fulfilling like an ocean filled with sunlight"

When happy, she laughs out loud, and when unhappy she cries loud too! Yang Li Hai is an active, smart, lovable little child.

We have sent our acceptance letter back to Harrah's and I cannot explain in words how absolutely happy I am! I want to thank everyone for their wonderful comments...they make my day!!