Home at Last

Hello America!

We apologize for the long span of time inbetween posts. We have been home now for almost two weeks, are finally on the tail end of coughing and congestion, and are figuring out our daily schedule. Of course, it will have to be modified a bit when Brian and Wendy go back to work on Feb. 5th or 6th.

Both sets of grandparents and Aunt Marlys met us at the airport on January 11th, complete with signs and balloons (needless to say, Brian was not happy). We did find out that Sydney likes balloons. Ellie the dog especially likes her and will lick her face and hands and feet whenever she gets the chance. Ellie will also follow Sydney around while we're walking with her in the house, and gets concerned if Sydney is crying. She has been a trooper (Ellie, that is). Sydney is basically indifferent when it comes to Ellie but will touch her and pat her and push her head away if the licking is too much to take. Ellie generally likes to lie near Sydney as well.

Sydney is a great baby as far as the basic needs are concerned - she eats bananas, rice, cheese, broccoli, rice, spinach, tofu, rice, noodles, eggs, well, just about anything we put in front of her little mouth. She still takes her bottle of formula and rice cereal about three times a day. She poops when we hold her over the toilet (a trick our Nanchang guide, Mary told us about) and pees in her diapers regularly.

She usually has a short nap on our walks with Ellie the dog, plus another longer nap in the afternoon. Bedtime is absolutely a dream - from the first night home, she has been sleeping in her crib in her room. She only cried for about 20 minutes. Now, we brush her teeth and read her a story and then put her down, and she lets out one little "Aah" and then puts herself to sleep. She stays out for about 10-11 hours. So far so good, knock on wood!

Sydney has been to two bowling alleys and three different restaurants, and she is only mildly fussy when we put her in the carseat. On longer drives she just conks out. We stopped by Wendy's work - Rose City Blueprint - where Auntie Lori just went bonkers finally getting to meet Sydney. We also visited ASIA, our adoption agency, where she got to meet Fei and the other workers, and hook up with her a yi (Auntie) Jojo, one of the ASIA representatives with us in China.

Here's Sydney with Jojo in the lobby of the Victory Hotel in Guangzhou:

As far as milestones go, she figured out last week how to put Cheerios from her hands to her mouth. Before, she just held them, and opened her mouth for you to put something in it. Her eighth tooth is starting to come in. She is also trying desperately to walk - she skipped out on the whole crawling thing. Our guide Mary had told us that babies in China don't learn how to crawl because the floors are either filthy or nonexistent. So little Sydney has very little upper body strength. We are working hard to strengthen her core and her arms and legs so that she will catch up soon. We recently bought her a walking toy that she can hold onto and develop her muscles. Just today she pushed herself around a bit without the help of Mom or Dad.


So that's the update! Sydney is generally a happy, smiley, babbling baby. We loved our whole trip and would do it again (but maybe not for another baby, yet). But we are absolutely glad to be home and settling in for the next 18+ years!

Thanks to all who commented on the posts, and even those that just checked it out. We appreciate all your support and will be looking to those of you who are parents for sage advice once in a while! We will try to post occasionally so check back here every now and then, or email us!