Journey To Addie

A Sweet Valentine

2009-02-15T13:23:00.001-08:00

Posted by Brittany, 2-15-09
Yes indeed it was a very sweet Valentine's Day for Addie Ting-Ting, and this was not because of her sweet behavior. On the contrary little Miss Ting-Ting is developing quite a personality of protesting when things are not going the way she wants. We know this fiery spirit is a good sign after months of being so passive, but her craving for sweets and her mini tantrums when the cookies are gone or the fudge has been put out of sight, are quite something. For example right now she is growling at Ron because he is not feeding her the hot fudge sundae fast enough. Brother Jo-Jo has been sick this week and lost some weight. Now truly when I look at them side by side I wonder who weighs more-my almost 5 year old or my almost 2 year old?

Refusing to sit down in the sink for her bath!!!

This Friday Ting-Ting had some special visitors. Teresa and her young daughter Stacy came for a visit. They are from Taiwan and do business here in Milbridge buying sea cucumber skins from Uncle Lawrence's processing plant. The spent an hour or so visiting and speaking Chinese to Addie. I wasn't sure she would know what they were saying, but it appeared that she did understand, and at times she was very excited by their conversation.

Ron was able to make a nice short video of our Chinese New Year Party. Everyone who came has commented they had fun, so it seems that plans are already in the works to make this an annual celebration.

We received a call just the other day from our home study agency indicating it is almost time to do the follow-up 6 month post placement study. It is hard to believe that soon she will have been with us for six months. She has grown and changed so much, and so totally belongs here with us.

Happy New Year

2009-01-31T18:17:00.000-08:00

Tonight was a first in our family- Our first celebration of the Chinese New Year. Several months ago Tommy, Bayley, and Jo-Jo decided it would be an excellent way to honor their new sister and allow us to learn more about Addie Ting's culture while having fun. We dressed all in red, ate lots of dumplings and lo mein noodles, and exchanged small red presents Yankee Swap style. Tommy was in charge of the lantern riddle game. These Chinese riddles were quite difficult. All of the kids danced in the lion dance, screamed when the firecrackers were lit, and as is the custom, each of us took turns sweeping dirt out the front door to symbolize "out with the old and in with the new." Ting-Ting enjoyed the festivities, but without a doubt she had one very favorite activity- eating dried fish. You see- fish is symbolic of abundance and always eaten for Chinese New Year; thus, we decided to give the symbolism a Down East twist with the dried fish. Most of the evening Addie Ting could be seen chewing away on the fish prepared especially for her party by her Uncle Lawrence.

Tonight's celebration provided another chance to reflect on how lucky we are to have this little girl in our lives. She continues to grow and change so fast. She now growls when asked to be a bear, cannot get enough of playing "this little piggy", and loves to rough-house with her siblings. She is really walking fast now and can even do some fancy spinning and twirling. She is saying Buppa and Nana frequently along with Mama, Dada, kitty, sis, and Gee-Gee (meaning Tommy). Another very exciting happening has been the fact that finally when Ting-Ting falls down, she now cries. For the longest time she would fall or bump her head and never cry. This was a bit worrisome, as if she didn't sense pain. Well all that has changed now- in fact she may be a bit of a drama queen, crying after even tiny falls or ever so little bumps.

Last week Ting-Ting's friend Abigail came over for the day. They are the same age. Abigail came home from China just two weeks before us. When we first got the two girls together in October it was quite sad, because no play could really happen. Abigail was developmentally on target and could play like a typical 18 month old, but Addie on the other hand, could not sit well, crawl at all, let alone walk or smile or play with toys. This play date was so different, and we are so thankful and encouraged by the enormous progress Addie Ting had made. Now just 3 months later the girls were able to run about, giggle, and have lots of fun.

Happy New Chinese New Year To All!

Where To Begin ?

2008-12-28T20:01:00.000-08:00

It's been just over a month since I have updated Addie's blog. I think my inability to keep up in a timely fashion has much to do with the fact I returned to work right after Thanksgiving. It certainly was hard to leave this little girl, but I do take great comfort in the fact we have the most outstanding child care provider. She has cared for all of our children, and the loving bond between Addie and Lori is already obvious. Addie Ting seems to enjoy the activity at childcare with all the other children, and while there of course, she is catered to and nurtured by big brother Jo-Jo as well. Indeed they are best of friends, and watching their bond grow has been so wonderful.

While at daycare Addie's walking progressed so rapidly, most likely because of her efforts to keep up with the others. She also has really taken to EATING. In fact the little gal who struggled to swallow only three months ago eats everything in sight. This reminds us of her brother Tommy who just cannot get enough to eat these days. At daycare Addie must always be seated next to Jo-Jo because she has quite a habit of swiping food from others, and it seems just a bit more appropriate if she swipes from her own brother. This week I remarked how she gulps down black olives, drinks English Breakfast Tea with intensity, smacks her lips at lobster, and loves dried strip fish. She coos as she chews on the salt fish, so we know she adores it. Sister Bayley, on the other hand, gets quite perturbed with Ting's fishy breath.

Christmas festivities have been lots of fun with all of our kids. At the childcare Christmas party while her brother cowered in the corner when Santa arrived, Addie bravely marched to his lap and checked out his beard. She seemed so excited to decorate the tree with her siblings and was ever so delicate when she touched our tree. Presents were interesting to her only because of her love for paper and strings and bows. She received lots of dolls for her first Christmas, but she really appears to have an interest in things like blocks, swords, DVD's, or all items used by the older kids.

Actually I should also include that she is infatuated with computers. When she sees her father sit down at the computer, she races to him and rapidly and in quite a rough manner pounds at the keys.

Addie is making some great gains in many areas. She has finally learned two very important signs- MORE and ALL GONE. These simple communication tools are exciting, as they give our little one the power to meaningfully say what she wants. When asked to "patty cake" Addie will travel across the room and grab my hands to begin clapping. It seems that since it was Mommy who taught her to do the game, she believes that she can only do "patty cake" using Mommy's hands. Addie knows how to "give me five" and she jumps by raising her heels when asked to jump. She delights in emptying folded laundry from baskets. When looking at a book and she is asked which picture is the banana, she slaps at the right picture. Pointing is still not something she is doing. Her favorite game this week is the "Up and Down" game. When we say "down" she squats down and when we say "up" she proudly stands straight up. Her language skills are emerging in a very interesting pattern, and we are unsure what this means. So far she has attempted to say "mama, dada, sis, nana, nannie, buppa, up, teeth, kitty, coke, and duck." The strange thing is that she will usually only say one or two of these words in a given day. She will practice those two words for a day and then the next day not say them but practice two different ones. Truly she seems so much happier now than she did three months ago. Without a doubt, we are a blessed family with all the joy she brings.

We still do have struggles that may take lots and lots of time. In addition to Addie Ting's speech and physical therapy, we have been consulting with a social worker who focuses on attachment. After completing a series of activities whereby Ron and I were filmed separately interacting with Addie, we were able to watch the results of the assessment. Though we had not noticed, upon watching the tape, it became immediately apparent that Addie struggles and actually avoids eye contact. She almost fools us by looking at our noses or mouths, and when watching people she looks at the action, but any moments of eye contact are fleeting at best. If our gazes do meet, her eyes are quickly averted. Addie's lack of eye contact is especially apparent when we compare her to other children her age and younger. These children easily make eye contact, even with strangers, while Addie cannot yet do this with those who love her. After reading and researching about poor eye contact, it is clear that this is a trust and attachment issue. Surely it will come, but for now her sweet kisses will have to be enough. Additionally Addie struggles with sleep. At childcare she resists napping and usually falls asleep sitting up. At home she does not nap or sleep alone. At times this is a struggle because her bedtime and my bedtime or Ron's bedtime must coincide. Throughout the night she startles and sits up to check where we are. She then touches my face and kneads my chest and neck with her hands. This cycle repeats itself many times each night. Sometimes the nights are long, but it wasn't so very long ago that many nights were long and I had trouble falling asleep as I lay wondering where she was and who was caring for her in China. Now the comfort of knowing Addie Mei Ting is with us where she belongs, far outweighs her restless nights, and one day we know she will sleep soundly and without fear of abandonment.

Guaranteed By Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T20:28:00.000-08:00

This week my wise Uncle Lawrence's words had reason to be ringing in my ears. You see, when we brought Little Addie Ting Ting home just two months ago, and she could just barely sit up, and she could really not hold much weight on her legs, it was Uncle Lawrence who kept remarking how she really was quite strong, while the rest of us shook our heads at how weak she seemed. When we commented how sad it was that she was delayed and didn't know how to communicate or give good loves, Uncle Lawrence claimed she was one of the smartest babies he had met. I just rolled my eyes and said, "Sure she is." One day after we had been home just a week, he said, "I guarantee she'll be walking by Thanksgiving!" Considering that head control and sitting were just emerging, I replied "Yeah right." Well, Addie Mei Ting decided to prove me wrong and her Uncle Lawrence right. Just a few nights ago she was playing with some of Jo-Jo's handcuffs, and I remarked how they were dangerous toys, and I would be taking them away. Just as I said this, she stood up in the middle of the floor and took several wobbly steps. From then on those wobbly few steps have turned into more and more steps, though she is very cautious and still trying to figure out the balance thing. She has a wonderful bruise on her nose from her first major fall, and her physical therapist said I could keep trying to promote crawling, but it looked like Addie was going to do things her way.

Here is a short video Ron made to document how thankful we are to have Addie in our lives and home at last with her brothers and sister where she belongs.

And the answer is "NO"

2008-11-19T18:43:00.000-08:00

Most often when I think of November, I think of cool days and cold nights, turkeys and pies, and of course giving thanks for family and friends. This November something else also comes to mind, because November is National Adoption Month.

Not flesh of my flesh
Nor bone of my bone,
But still miraculously my own.
Never forget for a single minute,
You didn't grow under my heart,
But in it.

anonymous

Another week has flown by, and Addie Mei Ting continues to surprise us with all she is learning. She has developed a great love of shoes. Several weeks ago, she started just by playing with laces, but this week she loves putting her own feet in anyone's shoes that are available. On Saturday, Addie enjoyed visiting with many, many people at a baby shower for her soon to be cousin Natalie. The way she enjoyed playing with the presents and pulling on the bows and ribbons, lets us know that her first Christmas at home will be a magical one. In the eating department, Ting Ting has decided that she likes to use a spoon by herself. Now, she cannot quite get the spoon into the dish and get food on it, but once someone gets the food on the spoon, she snatches the utensil, and in the mouth it goes. This is quite an accomplishment considering just several weeks ago, she freaked out whenever a spoon came near her mouth. Mobility-wise, we are getting faster scoots across the room, some pretty good balance while standing, and a few steps here and there. She is also showing improvements with her fine motor skills as she plays with toys and especially blocks. And of course we cannot forget to mention Ting Ting's new fascination with shaking her head "No" at EVERYTHING. The kids get quite a kick out of it when we ask her "Do you love Mama?" or "Are you a good girl?" and she vigorously shakes her head "NO."

Smiles, Some Standing, and a Very Slimy Nose

2008-11-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

Addie Ting Ting continues to grow and change each and every day. Indeed she is still a mighty serious girl, and we are still bombarded with the question by both strangers and acquaintances, "Does she ever smile?" The answer is "yes" but only in the very safest surroundings and with familiar faces. To be sure, it is a most precious smile. Addie is also making big changes in the amount of time she is willing to spend on her stomach. This week she is doing a tiny bit of a scoot on her bottom and then into a crawl position and then a forward flop on her belly. It is extremely awkward looking, but the important thing is - it is movement, and we think she rather likes the idea of being able to independently move, even if it is just a bit.

Addie is doing better in the eating department as well. She has decided on two favorite foods this week. Banana is number one. Number two we discovered quite by accident when dining out with Nannie (Ting Ting's great grandmother). Nannie ordered graham cracker pie with lots of real whip cream. Little Miss Addie quickly moved into attack mode, grabbing both the spoon and plate from Nannie. Her smacking lips and pig-like noises were quite entertaining.

Addie is doing more and more standing now. It seems that her muscle strength has improved a great deal, but now what really is the stumbling block is balance and slow reflexes when falling. We have great hopes that piece by piece the walking puzzle will eventually fit together. Oh and certainly another first for Addie has been her first American cold. It has lasted and lasted, and every day she wakes in the morning with a slimy nose, and despite boxes and boxes of tissues, she still usually has that same slimy look at bedtime.

Jo-Jo and Addie are truly becoming best friends. Bayley and Addie are already fashion sisters in their matching pajamas, and brother Thomas continues to touch our hearts with comments about the adoption. Just tonight he added, "It is so wonderful that God gave us this perfect child so filled with curiosity."

A Little Ladybug

2008-11-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween- Bayley and Tommy picked out this little ladybug costume for Addie months before she ever came home. At the rate she has been growing it was a tight fit, but a definite must for her costume considering that ladybugs are a good luck symbol to those who are or have adopted from China. Trick or Treating was quite a challenge with our crew. Addie decided she wouldn't ride in her stroller, and Jo-Jo decided he wouldn't walk, and so we pushed a heavy stroller with a 4 and a half year old bat, and carried a pretty hefty ladybug, all while trying to keep up with Bayley , the corpse bride, Tommy, explorer Samuel Champlain, Myah, the vampire, Brynn, a real spooky creature, and frightful looking but friendly witch, Anna.

Addie is making some very positive steps forward, but her many therapies require lots of time. Sadly she did have a few scary medical issues with her bowels that needed immediate attention, and perhaps we are now on our way to some less scary days with her not passing out when it comes time for having a poopy. Last week she visited the daycare she will soon be attending and really seemed to enjoy watching all the kids. She even gave a few kisses to some children. Super exciting, is the way she now enjoys looking at herself in the mirror. It sure is cute to watch her kiss herself in the mirror. We now have a toddler sized medical walker from Addie's physical therapist. Clearly Addie Ting wants to walk and hopefully her muscles will cooperate soon. She is so proud after she walks across the kitchen using her walker, and she is very impressed when Jo-Jo does wheelies with her walker.

Bath time is becoming much more fun for Addie with all the splashing, and since she bathes in the sink, Jo-Jo has changed his pattern of tub or shower bathing to sink bathing.

At last she stole her Mama's diet coke. Coke was one of Jo-Jo's first words. Will it be one of Ting-Ting's too? She is now looking around and glancing toward the floor when asked "where's the kitty-cat?", so it seems there is some receptive language starting to emerge. Also when we are snuggling in bed, and I ask if she wants her bottle, she sits right up, and looks toward the door as if to say-"Yes-go get it please."

Oh and if trying to drink diet coke wasn't unhealthy enough, she ended the week by having her first Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. After a doctor's appointment in Bangor, she went to meet her Aunt Becky and Timmy at their store. While there I tried to feed her a healthy lunch, but she opted to raid the shelves of candy. Auntie didn't say "no."

Meet Virginia and Some Apple Cider

2008-10-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

Can I get one of those too?

Enjoying a great Red Sox game!!

I like cows just like Jo-Jo!!

Meet Virginia -She never compromises-Loves babies and surprises- Wears high heels when she exercises-Ain't that beautiful-Meet Virginia

Lyrics by Train

All my other babies loved lullabies, but not Addie. Addie's Nana thought she should listen to some classical music, so we tried that, but she wasn't too thrilled. Quite by accident we found what she does love for music. You see Miss Addie Ting hates to be in her car seat. After a few minutes in the car she begins to scream. In an effort to distract her one day this week, I pushed in a CD and "Meet Virginia" came from the speakers, and Addie instantly quieted. When the song ended, she screamed again. I went back to "Meet Virginia," and once again there was total silence. I mentioned this to Tommy, and several days later when Tommy and Addie and I were in the car she began her routine of protests. He tried one of his favorite songs in the CD player. It didn't work, so he skipped to the "Meet Virginia" song, and the silence was instantaneous. So odd, but at least it works.

This week Addie had her Physical Therapy, and we are happy to report that our PT did see improvement in her leg strength and in her bending and hip rotation. Balance is still very challenging for Addie, as is finding strength to support herself on her arms in a crawling position. During our Speech Therapy this week, our speech therapist was very amazed with Addie's progress in terms of eye contact and interaction with others. Addie made teeny tiny steps forward in her swallowing, and we will stay patient in this area. We are working hard to find ways for Addie to use those mouth muscles, beyond bottle sucking. We also had the wonderful opportunity to meet with an infant mental health social worker to discuss attachment issues. She introduced us to an attachment massage program which is really wonderful. One very exciting step made this week was brought to our attention by Bayley. When we first met Addie one of her self soothing behaviors was a head rolling behavior that most likely provided her with stimulation in the orphanage. Bayley mentioned this week that she had not seen Addie do this in some time, and it's true. Hopefully this means Ting is finding family to be a better means of being soothed when upset or stimulated when eager to explore.

As a family of six we enjoyed our first weekend away. We met Ron after his Friday technology conference and headed to Southern Maine to stay with Jeremy and Suzanne for a few days. Friday night everyone went to Jo-Jo's favorite place- Chucky Cheese's. Jeremy and Bayley were way over the top trying to accumulate record amounts of tickets. Tommy was thrilled with the safari games. Jo-Jo went from game to game with a huge smile on his face and, yes, Addie seemed to enjoy herself as well. She actually loved the kiddie rides. Saturday we ventured to Poland Springs for our traditional visit to Pumpkin Land. With pig racing, jump houses, a giant corn maze, and hayrides there is something for everyone. Jo-Jo was a wild man, and became quite the fan of the zip-line. Tommy and Bayley enjoyed hay bale jumping and the haunted hay ride. Addie clearly loved the animals, especially the goats, so it looks like our reservation for two goats for spring was a great idea. At lunch she ripped up the french fries, turned her nose up at the Gerber puffs, but attacked me for a sip of warm apple cider. Well that one sip turned into many-she loved it!!

Clearly as we venture into the next week we know that life is good as long as Addie has apple cider and "Meet Virginia" on hand.

Grins and Goats

2008-10-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

Looking at the calendar it is hard to believe that next week will be the one month mark for Addie joining our family. Bayley and I first met Addie on September 16, 2008. Looking at the pictures from that day and thinking of how she appeared and how she is today, really is amazing. Addie is still very closed and many, many hours of her day are spent quietly observing the world around her. When out and about, people comment about her sad little face and ask why she doesn't smile. We don't know the answer, but only know that grins are reserved for only the most special occasions, like games of "Duck, Duck, Goose" with Jo-Jo, "Hippopotamus Hunting" with Tommy, and "Pulling Hair" with Bayley. She is not enthusiastic about practicing walking, and though we hope to strengthen her muscles with floor time, she absolutely detests our tummy time sessions. Crawling looks like it just may not happen, but she sure does have a very proud expression on her face, when she grasps our hands and pulls to standing. Without a doubt she really has made remarkable progress. I am the lucky recipient of the sweetest kisses ever. This week Ting is taking some tastes of food, mainly ice cream at Nannie's, and fresh squash at Nana and Buppa's house. She is allowing some tooth brushing, but is still hesitant about having a spoon near her mouth. Most exciting, Addie is actually swallowing some tiny bits of solid food. Soft blueberry Nutrigrain bars seem to be a favorite.

She is so funny about her bottle. When I offer her juice she is really not interested, but when she sees the Vanilla Pediasure drink, she is excited and makes very assertive vocalizations. This week Addie Ting has gained over a pound. She now looks around the room with a unique expression of anticipation when she hears Bayley, Tommy, or Jo-Jo's voice. She has learned to cough whenever Ron pretends to cough. She loves having Ron kiss her neck, and though she doesn't smile, she looks at him and makes a short mmm sound, meaning do it again. Just last night she seemed interested for the first time in a game of peek-a boo. The phone is also of great interest this week. Twice today I watched as she put the phone appropriately to her ear and uttered a most definite Chinese greeting of one kind or another. Her Uncle Lawrence bought her a walker which converts to a walk behind stepper. She seems to enjoy this, and hopefully her confidence in standing will grow.

On the sadder side, Addie is very scared of patty cake, and any clapping noise. Doors slamming also produce an odd response. I cannot help but wonder what these fears stem from. The more I read about the effects of living in an orphanage the more I am able to understand Addie's behaviors. Truly her mannerisms when upset, tired, curious, and excited do have a different quality to them and leave us wondering, until I get to the next chapter in a particular book on children raised in orphanages and then the behaviors are explained.

This weekend Addie met more cousins, and really seemed interested in them. Today was Open Creamery Day at the Painted Pepper Goat Farm. We took all of our kids, and there met friends Elizabeth and David and their newly adopted daughter, Abigail, from China. Jo-Jo loved the goats, Bayley loved the horses, and Tommy was in heaven as he wandered from pen to pen sharing some rather obscure facts about goats to anyone who would listen. Addie was a bit surprised when a goat decided to nibble on her dress. She had better get used to it though, because we ordered two goats for the spring. Do you think 5 ducks, 2 cats, 1 rabbit, 2 dogs, 1 lizard, and 2 goats qualifies as a farm?

One Week At Home

2008-10-05T19:55:00.001-07:00

Ron and I were discussing how many people commented about reading the blog. It really was wonderful to stay in touch with family and friends even though we were half way around the world. Also we cannot say enough how much we appreciate all the love and support and encouraging words shared with us by so many many people. Certainly the purpose of the blog was initially to keep everyone up to date on our progress with adoption and then to introduce everyone to our China girl. What Ron and I also discussed was keeping up to date with the blog with the purpose now to be as a memory book for Addie and for us. I remember how diligent I was keeping Bayley's baby book up to date when she was young. I was not nearly as on top of things when it came time to do Tommy's baby book. Now the question is - "Does Jo-Jo even have a baby book?" Well, yes he does but there are way more gaps in there than should be the case. I guess with more children time becomes crunched, and hours to spend documenting milestones are no longer available. Knowing this, it seems that the blog will be our way of creating a baby book for Addie.

So Addie has been home with her family for one week, and we are already seeing changes. The little girl who would just sit in silence wherever she was placed is now a girl who immediately looks to see where mom is. She is so very quick to raise those arms and turn her hands in a very clear "pick me up please" motion. Though most parents are discouraged with a child always wanting to be held, I must say that this is different. She really wants to be held, and knowing that the first 18 months of her life did not include holding, we are more than happy to oblige. The little downturned mouth that initially made no sounds, is becoming more and more vocal each and every day. The cats, her siblings, the telephone, songs on the radio, and people now evoke great vocalizations from Addie. She still does not smile much at all, but the intensity of her curiosity in the world around her grows every single day.

This week was a big one medically speaking for Addie. Several days of blood work were exhausting for us to watch and for Addie to endure. With low muscle tone, one's veins collapse easily, so getting all those vials was next to impossible. She is drinking Pediasure to combat her poor nutrition and anemia, and we are hoping for no lasting effects from the melamine formula. She began physical therapy this week, and our PT is encouraged that Addie will learn to crawl and walk with practice on her part and patience on our parts. Speech therapy will begin next week, and because she cannot swallow solid food we hope to gain knowledge of ways to help Addie make this transition to a diet that includes more than liquid. Addie is also visiting the chiropractor for cranial sacral therapy in an effort to help with the flatness of her head. We hope that with all the expertise these people can share with us, Addie will make gains in all areas of her development.

In terms of family living, we have had a great week of getting Addie familiar with those who love her. She met many cousins, and had her first play date. She is most interested in ducks and cats and dogs. She enjoyed a wonderful hike up Pigeon Hill on Saturday. She hummed and chatted as we passed the many colorful leaves on the way up the mountain. At the top when the other kids dove into PBJ sandwiches and chips, Addie sank those sharp teeth of hers into her first banana. She then had fun ripping leaves from branches within her reach. Addie had more firsts at her great -grandmother Nannie's as she devoured a Klondike bar off the fingers of her Aunt Janie. To wrap up the weekend, Addie and Daddy and Jo-Jo and Tommy planted fall bulbs. She was very inquisitive and Jo-Jo kept saying, "Ok Addie Ting Ting- we did the daffodils, now we'll plant the tunas." He meant tulips, but she never knew the difference.

So Good To Be Home

2008-09-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

We're home at last. Including flights, and layovers and more flights, our travel time was a little over 37 hours. It was absolutely exhausting. The flight from Hong Kong to Newark was 15 hours and 40 minutes and little Addie did an awesome job, with no crying. However she did not sleep but three of the fifteen hours. She wanted to be held, cuddled, and entertained. I didn't mind thinking she would at least sleep during the long 9 hour layover in Newark. I was wrong. She seemed totally wired and did not sleep. Bayley on the other hand slept for 8 hours on the floor on the plane, and then she dozed on and off on the floor of the Newark airport. The funny thing was how Bayley would just plop anywhere on the rug in the airport, and it always seemed her head was on a coffee stained spot or whatever else we can imagine the stains to be. Finally at 12:38 am we landed in Bangor, and Addie met her Dad and her wonderful brothers.

We all crawled into bed sometime around 3:30 this morning, and then the crying and screaming began. It lasted for hours. Perhaps some of it was fear, but the major problem was again severe constipation for Addie. Today Addie had a very good day meeting many new people in her life. Everyone is quite surprised by her delays, as she does not seem like an 18 month old in any way. Her muscle weakness is quite severe, and she has every sign of a frightened and very neglected little girl. While in China I chose not to criticize her care for fear the blogs were monitored, but now I can clearly say that her level of care was atrocious. The flatness of her little head tells much of the story which included day after day of just being in a crib on her back. When offered toys she has no idea what they are. She rarely smiles, as if she doesn't know how. With all this said, there is something in her eyes that lets others know she is very much interested in the world and just needs lots of love and patience as she figures it all out. Her head is constantly moving in attempts to seek out what antic a particular sibling is up to. She hears every sound and makes small soft noises in reaction to things she loves.

She explored the outdoors today with her grandfather, and once again loved the grass. She slept so soundly and relaxed on her great grandmother's bed, and then had her first messy chocolate cookie upon waking. She played a special foot kissing game with her Uncle Lawrence, and every time he would stop, she would lift it up for him to kiss again. She hummed at her Uncle Jeremy and loved tinkering with the pens in his pocket. Clearly, she has so much to learn and much catching up to do, but today was a very good day for the start of her new life with us.

The picture is one taken by another couple as we put our sweet girls on the famous White Swan red couch in their traditional Chinese dresses.

We've Been Flooded

2008-09-23T22:06:00.000-07:00

Things are a bit crazy here now. We woke this morning, and I didn't hear the wind. I said to myself that things or the typhoon must have passed in a different direction. No such luck. The heavy rains in the night flooded the island we are staying on. Business men and women are forced to walk the streets in water up to their knees. The same shops we bartered in last evening are flooded, with water damage to much on their shelves.The bad thing is that the typhoon hasn't really arrived yet. So we are very unsure what this means if more rains are on the way. If we flood even more, I fear we won't be able to leave the island for tomorrow's flight to Hong Kong.

This afternoon we are heading to the U.S. Consulate appointment off the island by bus, and we hear that for the moment the waters have receded a bit. Our Living Hope friends were not as lucky. Their daughter had a medical exam scheduled for this morning, and they were forced to walk in the knee deep waters to the clinic. Based on their report it was truly scary, as the water brought out giant earthworms. Dead cockroaches were floating everywhere, along with feminine products and other unmentionable things. I am horrified. As a precaution this family started their antibiotics. Hopefully Bayley and I and the baby can avoid the water, but even if and when the sun comes out we are told to stay off the streets, because they are still filled with germs.

On a positive note, Addie is not stressed at all- as long as she can have the whole box of Ritz crackers.

4 hours later - we are back from the Consulate. It went well and we were told they will get us to our flight no matter what. We leave the hotel at 5:30 am and hopefully this is our last post from China. We can't wait to bring Addie to her home and meet family and friends in just a few days. Our total travel time from leaving the hotel here until we reach Bangor is a little over 30 hours. Yes!!! We're coming home!!

Barbies, Bowels, and Bartering

2008-09-23T06:15:00.000-07:00

Yes today has been filled with Barbies, bowel issues for Addie, and bartering once again for Bayley. Today all the babies who came to the White Swan yesterday received their complimentary Mattel Barbie carrying a Chinese baby girl. We showed the doll to Addie, and she flung it to the floor. Probably because she couldn't identify with me not looking quite enough like Barbie. In the playroom today, Addie again was frightened of the toys but did seem very intrigued by an older boy's temper tantrum. One toy we predict Addie will like is a puppet. When Bayley puts a sock on her hand and makes noises, Addie is quite amused.

The main issue today was that Addie had not had a bowel movement since last Friday, and she was not comfortable. Probably it is the iron in the formula, but as you know we are not changing from the American formula. At last tonight, we had a true explosion. It freaked Bayley out. Addie is resting much more comfortably now.

Moving right along from bowel explosions to food, we can say that supper this evening was wonderful. We went to Lucy's, known for its American cuisine, and I had the BLT that was in my dreams several nights ago. It was delicious. Bayley dreamily ate her fried chicken and french fries, and Addie smacked her lips often on her grilled cheese. We enjoyed dinner with the other Living Hope family we met in Beijing. Their little girl is adorable, and like us they were incredibly pleased with the food.

After dinner Bayley had another wonderful bartering night with the vendors along our street. She is so like her Uncle Jeremy. We now have enough Chinese fans and chopsticks to last quite some time. In the shops Addie makes very quiet humming noises as she reaches for things on the shelves. Yesterday she pulled several candy bars from the display counter at the 7-11 store. This evening she pulled at any dresses we strolled by. While on the street, we heard news that a typhoon is headed our way this evening and tomorrow. Winds are expected to be strong with very heavy rains. Hopefully things will be clear and not delay anything with our flight for early Thursday morning. Our big event tomorrow with be an oath ceremony at the U.S Consulate, and then packing all those fans and chopsticks Bayley has accumlated on market days.

We are counting the hours and thinking of home.

We're In Guangzhou And Getting Closer To Home

2008-09-22T04:27:00.001-07:00

Today has been a very busy day. We left Nanchang early this morning and flew to Guangzhou where the final portions of our paperwork will be completed. Addie was great on the airplane, but then again that was only 90 minutes. Let's hope we can just manage on the big fifteen hour flight from Hong Kong to Newark, then the eight hour layover before the final flight to Maine. On the plane she ate quite a few cookies, so I can clearly see that snacks will be a top priority in packing the carry on for home.

Bayley absolutely loves the White Swan Hotel. The pools are gorgeous, and the lobby is filled with ponds of large goldfish and a huge waterfall. Here there are tons of families finalizing adoptions. Walking around Shaiman Island where we are located feels incredibly safe.

Right after our arrival in Guangzhou we had to hustle to get Addie to her adoption medical exam. She was very sleepy as she had missed her nap, but it went very well. Three doctors felt that her reflexes had greatly improved since the last medical reports, and that her muscle tone and weakness were more a matter a neglect. With lots of attention and physical therapy they predicted that things would go very well. Her hearing tests and the exam indicated she is plugged with wax, but they said they didn't have the tools required to remove it, so I should get that seen to when we arrive home.

This evening we went to the large playroom here at the White Swan. Addie was scared of the toys, but at the same time very interested. She also seemed timid around other children. She is absolutely suspicious of balls, and she squints her eyes when a ball rolls by. Bayley and I were so surprised when once while standing at a table with blocks she completely let go and stood alone for perhaps 10 seconds. As you can imagine we cannot wait to get home, but things are more comfortable here. Hugs and big kisses to the boys.

Just Hanging Out

2008-09-21T02:23:00.000-07:00

Today we had a very lazy day of just hanging out at the hotel. Addie just didn't want to go to bed last night. She wasn't fussy, but refused to rest. She just lounged in her pajamas playing with her toys. The only problem was I was so ready for bed. Additionally Bayley and I have had some pretty bad belly aches. The only think that seems to help is tea . Addie's health reports indicate she relies too heavily on the bottle and battles attempts to feed her solid food. Bayley and I found that to be true as well, but we kept trying the rice congee and rice noodles that babies in China eat. Today there was a serious breakthrough in the eating of solid food. A couple Bayley and I met from Montreal gave us some peanut butter they had brought with them, as there is no such thing in China. Bayley and I wolfed down peanut butter and jelly on toast. From the corner of my eye I saw Addie's little mouth going up and down as if to say, "let me try." Worried about a peanut allergy, I decided to let her try bread and blackberry jelly. Wow!! She loved it, and kept smacking her lips for more. It was great to know her belly was getting something other than liquids. Later in the aftenoon, Bayley was craving chocolate ice cream. She ordered some down in the hotel restaurant and brought it back to the room. Once again, the little mouth started to move, and Bayley let Addie take a taste. That one taste turned into many more. She was so serious looking when eating this food, but upset when Bayley slowed down on feeding her. Tell Lawrence it looks like Joshy's has another new customer.

Bayley and I are very excited to fly out of Nanchang in the morning and head to Guangzhou. In Guangzhou we will stay at the White Swan hotel which is famous for catering to adoptive families. There they have a large playroom for children, many shops within the hotel, and access to American style food. That may sound trivial but I am really craving something familiar. I had a dream about a BLT last night, and Bayley has talked a good deal about french fries today. I think a new setting will be good for Addie as well. She seems to learn a great deal by exploring her surroundings, and this hotel room is getting pretty boring. When she came to us on Tuesday she could not roll from her belly to her back, but now she can go both ways with ease. On Tuesday she couldn't stabilize herself well for sitting in the bathtub, and today was a huge improvement. We practice a great deal putting her in a crawling position, but she still doesn't have the strength for this. I think I may have said before how we were worried about her being all grown up at 18 months, but truly she is so like a 7- 8 month old. Her big brothers have lots to teach her. Speaking of those brothers, Bayley misses them, and I cannot put in to words how much I miss them.

Today when I was sharing stories with the couple from Montreal I heard a sad one. I explained how when we went out yesterday, crowds would gather to ask about the baby. Their experience was a bit different. Their daughter has a repaired cleft lip and will need palate surgery when she arrives home. The doctors did a beautiful job, yet yesterday on the street they were stopped by people who made faces at the little girl and mocked her lip. Their guide explained that a cleft lip is seen as bad luck to many here in China. Bayley wonders if Addie's weak muscles made people have an "I don't care attitude" for her in the orphanage. I too wonder if anything but perfection in children elicits such an attitude from many here.

P.S. Bayley wants Tommy to know that he must watch out for his books, because Addie likes to eat books. Bayley's novel looks quite rough around the edges now.

Beautiful Pavilion, But There's No Place Like Home

2008-09-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

Addie seemed to be feeling much better today, and she slept very well last night. Today we visited the Tengwang Pavilion which was built during the Tan Dynasty in 653 A.D. This nine story pavilion perched on the banks of the Gan River is very beautiful, and the detailed paintings are impressive. The Gan River itself is terribly polluted, and our outing today proved to be an experience in handling smells which we are not in any way used to. Today everywhere we went we were stopped, and people would swarm around the baby. We had no idea what they were saying, but our guide would translate much of it for us. They wanted to know where she would live when we returned to the United States. Younger people asked why if I already had one girl would I want another. Other people actually thanked us for giving an orphan a home. One thing I quickly noticed was that I was being scolded in some way by older Chinese women. I had to ask what they were saying. When I found out I was shocked. They felt she would catch cold because she was so scantily dressed. Imagine this, as today was 92 degrees and humid. I had trouble moving because my clothes clung to my sweaty body. To battle the heat, Bayley decided to be like the locals who use umbrellas not for rain but for shade. Nevertheless, our guide explained that traditional Chinese culture believes babies under two should be bundled regardless of the temperature.

After visiting the pavilion, we went to a large local market with no set prices. Bayley really enjoyed this, and our wonderful guide Echo helped with the bartering. Bayley found some great Chinese fans, and I decided to honor the older Chinese women by buying some leggings to go with Addie's summer dresses for when we are out and about in the next few days. This part of the market was very enjoyable. A bit different and maybe not to our liking was the food section. The open air food sales of beef and soup would not measure up to health standards we expect at home. Luckily we had a late buffet breakfast at the hotel, so we weren't hungry anyway.

Addie had lots of fun today. I do not think she had ever touched grass before. At the pavilion garden she kept looking at it and lurching forward in her carriage to touch it. When I placed a bunch in her hands, she was thrilled with the strange green matter. She is definitely teething and just about chewed the strap off my pocketbook. When I tried to redirect her to a more sanitary teething toy, she lunged at my hand, and I got quite a bite. Beware brothers!! Since then she has inhaled several Gerber Biter biscuits. Another thing that she likes is tea. Just like her brothers and sister, this girl likes to slurp warm tea with a bit (quite a bit) of sugar. With all of the sugar intake today, Bayley worried that we should snap to it in terms of her dental hygiene, so we found the baby toothbrush we had packed. We tried to brush her teeth, but were met with growl sounds. She did manage just fine when we let her handle it herself. I dare say she may be developing an independent streak already. Only two more days and we head to the very southern city of Guangzhou where we will stay for the last three days of our journey, and then HOME. If only I had some ruby red slippers right now -"There's no place like home!"

Formula, Fevers, and Finally Some Fun

2008-09-19T02:11:00.000-07:00

Last night was another long one for Miss Addie. She developed a fever and was quite uncomfortable. The formula still isn't agreeing with her stomach, yet she's hungry and cries for more. We did get confirmation that Addie was being fed the Sanlu tainted formula, but not to worry if she is showing no symptoms of kidney problems. Yeah right- not worry. There are many wonderful things about this country, but I will feel so much better when we get home and have access to the medical care and concern to which we are are accustomed. The formula situation is sad, in that the majority of children using this brand were those in orphanages and the very, very poor as it is much cheaper than other more reputable brands.

At breakfsat this morning Addie refused to eat. In fact she truly is not very interested in any solid foods. She did enjoy banging her stacking toys on the high chair, and she loves to throw the napkins and placemats on the floor. I cannnot wait to see her at Nannie's kitchen table. Maybe by then she'll be interested in solid foods, after all who could not enjoy a good vegetable soup or some mashed potato. Bayley and I would welcome some right about now. We ordered from the restaurant in the hotel this evening and thought of Tommy when reading the selections. Some choices were: Deep Fried Pig Intestine With Green Tea, Sauteed White Fungus with Vegetable Stems, or Braised Shredded Eel with Garlic Sauce. We opted for some delicious Fried Rice.

Bayley got her wish this afternoon, and we took Addie to the pool as she seemed in good spirits. At first she was very scared, but by the time we were getting ready to leave she was enjoying herself. She loved to kick her legs, and it seemed like great exercise for her muscles. Speaking of exercise, we have a great view of the local middle school out our hotel window, and each day they have Phys. Ed at the same time. Take a look at the pictures of what we think could be the biggest P.E. class ever.

Throughout the day we have seen a variety of new behaviors from Addie. She loves to pull sister's hair, and she is making many new sounds and squeals. Now she reaches out her arms to us if we walk by while she is sitting on the floor. We think she may actually really like us now. She may have been born in the Year of the Rat, but we think she would make a terrific owl. Her head is on a constant swivel, as she is so curious about everything going on around her. We cannot say enough about how much we appreciate the comments people send to us on our blog. We are very homesick now and hearing from family and friends makes us feel better.

A Journey To Addie's Hometown

2008-09-18T01:13:00.000-07:00

Last night little Addie was sick and cried most of the night. At last she threw up, and after that she seemed much better. I am wondering if the formula we brought with us isn't agreeing with her system. We asked our guide to help us get the same brand she was eating at the orphanage, but when we went to the store to get it, we found that all of her kind has been removed from the shelves this week. We do not know the details of the recall, so we are going to stick with what we brought and hope that her system is adjusting. After breakfast we took a van one hour southwest of Nanchang to Fengcheng which is where Addie was born and lived in the orphanage. Now that we are in China we were able to find out the details of her finding. We went to the exact location (The exit of the Fengcheng train station) of where she was found at just one day old. Bayley and I got out of the van with her and walked around. We took pictures of this place and of some buildings in her town so that she may see them if she is curious one day. Clearly her mother picked a spot that was busy with people so that she would be found right away. While walking past the market just outside the train station, Bayley grabbed my hand and said, "I wish there was just some way we could let her birth mother know that she is Ok and will be loved so much." I wish the same.

This afternoon Addie seemed so much better that we ordered the rice that she so loved yesterday. Bayley insists that she eat it with chopsticks to maintain her heritage. We have noticed that Addie gets very scared when we go on outings, and she becomes sullen again, but once back in the hotel room she perks up and enjoys playing. We are glad to see that she finds the hotel room with us to be safe and comforting so that she opens up. We also are finding that her muscle tone improves greatly after she is rested, but the minute she becomes tired the weakness in her legs is especially apparent. And just like most kids, her favorite toy is not a toy at all, but rather the remote.

She's Just Like Her Brothers and Sister

2008-09-16T23:15:00.000-07:00

Addie's report from the orphanage states that she is a great sleeper and quietly drifts off on her own after being placed in her crib. I guess she decided that now she is a Ray-Smith child she would do as those before her have done - not sleep. Each time I tried to place her in her crib, she screamed and screamed. That didn't bother me at all, since Ron and I have always been used to having at least one child sleep with us, so I snuggled in next to her in the big bed. She kept her hand on my face and just as she would drift off, she would startle and look at my face and then scream. It was a very tough night, but eventually she did take a bottle of formula. Today has been a sad day. Most of the morning she was very depressed and sullen. Whenever I would say that I was Mama, she would hang her head and pucker. We went to breakfast at the hotel buffet, and she refused to eat and would not look at people. We met a very nice couple from Montreal, and they are here adopting their second child from China. They were super comforting to Bayley and to me, because they shared that their first daughter was extremely traumatized when they first got her and the sadness lasted a while. After breakfast Bayley dolled Addie all up in a pretty pink outfit for our outing in the People's Park of Nanchang. She resisted the hat at first, but Bayley softly explained that until her hair grew out it would cover her flat spot on back. She fell asleep at the park, but Bayley and I enjoyed the sights. Many elderly Chinese people exercise and dance in the parks. After the park we went to a shop and purchased a tiny tea set for Addie to have from her province which is famous for its porcelain. After lunch our girl really came to life, and this was a relief from her sad morning. She loves Bayley's silliness. If Bayley growls, she growls. If Bayley squints and sniffs, she does the same. We also realized that she knows our names. If I say where's Bayley, she turns and looks directly at her. Addie has also become very fascinated with the mirrors in our room. Bayley and I shook our heads about the reports we were given from the orphanage that stated she took steps on her own. Clearly this was not possible, as her legs are so weak. At breakfast the family from Montreal told us their report indicated their little girl could run and walk, and she cannot walk at all. Addie does love to play with her feet. She rips her socks off and loves to pound her feet on the crib sides. We are going to take a short walk outside after dinner, but the temperatures here are stifling , and this is not a place that feels quite as safe as Beijing, not to mention how scared I am of the traffic.

More than ever we are starting to feel homesick. I know we can do it, but I miss my boys so so so much, and it will be wonderful to get Addie home where she belongs.

The Girl We've Been Waiting For

2008-09-16T02:39:00.000-07:00

We got our girl, and she is a sweet one!! As Bayley and I stepped off the elevator with our facilitator, I noticed a baby in the same dress we saw in the photos a few months ago - the same dress we sent her in a care package. Within moments of walking into a room filled with other families and tons of crying babies, Ting was placed in my arms. She pulled away but did not cry. She seemed scared and avoided looking at my face. But when Bayley stepped down and spoke to her, she made great eye contact and did not take her eyes off Bayley. We brought her back to the hotel, where I filled out tons of paperwork and little Addie Ting had her feet inked to get footprints for the documents. She refused and is still refusing to drink the formula or water or juice we offer her in a bottle. But she eats like crazy. She loves the Gerber biter biscuits-probably because she is teething. She has some monster teeth just breaking through the gums. She also loves the Gerber Puffs. We were instructed to give her a nap so she would be well rested for the afternoon appointments at the Civil Affairs Office, the Notary, and the police station. She would not sleep and just wanted to play with us. She loves the game of Drop It. Bayley and I comply and pick things up each time she throws them down. When I keep offering her the bottle she kicks at it. If I put it on the bed within her reach she kicks at it until it is away from her. She really liked her stroller and fell asleep shortly after the first interview began. We passed inspection and she is our daughter. Yes Ron, Tommy, and Jo-Jo we are at last a family of 6!!! You're going to love her, -that is if she ever takes her eyes off Bayley long enough to see you. She likes to mimic noises that Bayley makes and if Bayley pounds the bed, she does the same.

As far as her health goes- she responds very well when we call her name Ting Ting. She is much smaller than we expected. She was reported to weigh 26 pounds in May, but now she just weighs 22. There is nothing chunky about her. She does have low muscle tone, and they stressed how much improvement she had made with physical therapy. She sits very well, and stands when placed beside the bed. She still has a ways to go before walking. We worried she would be all grown up at 17 months, but she still seems so much like a baby, everyone will get their share of rocking and snuggling and feeding. Well I am going to go play with her and try to convince her that I am her mother, not Bayley.

Love to you all. We can't wait for you to meet Ms. Adeline Mei Ting Ray -Smith.

We're In Nanchang

2008-09-15T02:22:00.000-07:00

Today we left Beijing and flew southeast to Nanchang in the Jianxi Province. Our new helper is not a tour guide but rather an adoption facilitator. She helps us with all the paperwork. Her name is Echo and she is just 24 years old. She is in graduate school and studying English. Nanchang is very hot and humid. We have been informed that there are many heavy thunderstorms here most days. Certainly this is not a place for Gary (Dad) if that is the case. We learned a lot from our facilitator. She said that in the north and in Beijing many families are beginning to value girls just as they do boys, however, in Nanchang and the country areas, it is still very much preferred to have a boy for both carrying on the family name and for farmwork as well. She talked a great deal about overpopulation and how China still must keep the one child policy. After checking into the Galactic Hotel which is very nice, we were asked to go to Walmart and get supplies for the baby. This was an experience. The four floor Walmart was mobbed. Now I am one to get uptight when the Bangor Walmart gets packed at Christmas time, but this was ten times more stressful. We purchased a stroller and water and snacks and baby food, and I found diet coke!! I mentioned in previous entries how Bayley received many stares because of her hair and light coloring. This was exacerbated here in Nanchang. Echo, the facilitator, explained that foreigners are very, very rare in this part of China, so it was likely that Bayley and I were some of the first caucasians the local children may have seen. Like I said, we have a great hotel, and the room was well prepared for us. (See Picture) The crib was ready along with a baby bathtub and special toy chair which converts to a potty. Bayley checked out the large pool and is pretty excited about that. She has been a wonderful traveling partner. Many adoption agencies do not recommend a single traveling parent bringing a preteen/teen because the trip is too demanding on them, but I cannot say enough about how great she has been, and I think it will be a wonderful chance for her to bond with her new sister as well. The area of Nanchang appears much poorer than Beijing. Tomorrow Addie will be driven two hours to Nanchang from Fengcheng, and we will be meeting her at 11:00. She will be accompanied by the orphanage director and a nanny. Then we have a formal interview at 2:30. We're so excited and nervous at the same time. What if she doesn't like us? We have practiced some words to help with the transition. Here are a few for Tommy and Jo-Jo and others to learn for her arrival. I will just spell them phonetically.

Wha Eye Knee - I love you.

Howla Howla - There there you'll be Ok.

Gee ah - sister

Brother is pronounced gooh -like the vowel sound look

Baba -Daddy

Mama- Mama

Hopefully the next blog post will allow us to introduce Adeline Mei Ting Ray-Smith.

An Incredible Day

2008-09-14T05:40:00.000-07:00

Today was really incredible. We began the day by visiting a Living Hope Orphanage Training Center for unadoptable children. They are unable to be adopted because they are either too old or have a known living relative. In China even if the relative is unable to take care of a child, that child is still unadoptable because there is a known family member. At the orphanage the children are given an education and then supported in making the transition to adulthood whether it be on to college or vocational training. I was so glad Bayley had the chance to see this place. It was a great lesson in being appreciative of all that we have compared to so many others, and this was the case even though this was probably a much higher standard orphanage than most in China. The headmaster and employees of the school were very welcoming to us, and the kids were even more excited to have us tour their school. Above are some pictures of Bayley sitting in a classroom, one of her in the older girls' dorm, and a group photo in front of the school.

After the orphanage we were able to experience something words cannot truly describe. The Great Wall. It was difficult climbing to say it mildly. I was huffing and puffing and sweating and thinking wow, I am feeling old. Bayley was sprinting. I could only make it up to one tower and then half way to the second. Passing out looked very probable at one point today. Fortunately the husband of the family we are touring with, continued on with Bayley, and they went to tower three. When they descended, both Bayley and Todd, were shaking and trembling, as it really does a number on the knees and legs.

While Bayley was still trying to conquer the Great Wall, I tried my skills elsewhere -at the Squatty Potty. These toilets are holes in the floor, and one must strategically stand over them to urinate and just hope for the best in regards to dry undies, pants, and shoes when finished. Surely in another week I will be successful at least once.

This evening we were treated to an amazing acrobatic show. Our Chinese guide, Sam, has really done a terrific job selecting the sights and the delicious restaurants. Once again, it is making the wait to finally meet Adeline a bit easier. We are so happy to hear that Elizabeth and David made it home safely with Abigail. We were able to use Skype and speak with Tommy and Ron and Jo-Jo. This was a treat. Thank you to everyone checking in on them. It makes our homesickness and worries a wee bit less.

Tomorrow morning we fly out to Nan Chang. There was a glitch in our paperwork which had indicated we would be heading to Nanning. Luckily our guide caught this, as it was a full 1000km difference in where we needed to be to meet Addie.

We're getting closer to Gotcha Day, as the day is known in adoption circles.

Sightseeing In Beijing

2008-09-13T04:10:00.000-07:00

Well sightseeing in Beijing was wonderful. Pictures and talking cannot truly do justice to the sights we enjoyed today. We visited the Summer Palace and Forbidden City which were residences of the Chinese Emperors and the royal families. We also enjoyed a pearl market showing us about the harvesting of freshwater pearls and then a silk market where we observed the process of silkworms being removed from cocoons and then silk threads being processed. Tommy -you would absolutely love it. For dinner this evening we went to a special restaurant and were served Peking duck. Bayley couldn't eat it, because she just knew the duck was a relative of our own ducks. I found the duck to be quite tasty. One thing that has been a bit strange is the fact that I just expected there would be many Caucasian tourists. I was wrong. We, along with a very nice couple using Living Hope too, are pretty much the only white poeple I have seen. We assume this may be part of the reason for so many many stares. Bayley truly is a spectacle. People stare at her blonde hair, then they nudge someone else to look at her, and then they turn around again to look at her. She's sort of clueless so doesn't notice or mind, but I find it sort of bizarre. The weather is warm here- about 82 F, but there is tremendous pollution so it remains very hazy. The city itself is extremely clean, and currently is hosting the Paralympic Games for individuals with disabilities. There are teams from all over the globe. Seeing all the new sights keeps our minds busy, but really we are so impatient for Tuesday when we get to meet the real reason we came to China -ADDIE!!!

Lots of kisses and hugs are sent to Tommy and Jo-Jo and Daddy from us. We really miss you guys!!!

We're In Beijing

2008-09-12T04:32:00.000-07:00

Well after a very long flight we are in Beijing. We are totally exhausted and heading off to bed, but wanted you to know we are safe on the ground. We will meet Addie on Tuesday. Bayley is already enjoying China. The hotel has many fountains and aquariums with goldfish, and she is amazed by the sights around us. We did just go to a local restaurant with our guide, and the food was so delicious. Most of the things we ate were new to us, but absolutely wonderful. Bayley ate lots of spicy seaweed and bamboo shoots. Tomorrow we head out sightseeing, and hopefully we'll quickly adjust to the time change so that we will be ready for Addie on Tuesday morning. Bayley also wants me to mention that we had a Chinese Jo-Jo on the plane. What she means is that the child sitting behind us was a boy of about 4, and though we don't know what he was saying, his temperament seemed like Jo-Jo's. He ordered his father around and then would kick the seat and whine. Tommy- we sure do miss you and Jo-Jo and Daddy.

Wow - We're Off

2008-09-08T14:27:00.001-07:00

After lots and lots of waiting the final steps have moved very fast. Today we received quite a surprise when our agency called and said we had a Consulate Appointment on September 23. Could we be ready to leave in just three days on Thursday September 11th? Certainly we would make sure to be ready, and so with just three days to get our acts together, Bayley and I will leave bright and early on a 6:00am flight. This quickness of travel is probably a good thing, giving me less time to worry about missing Thomas and Jo-Jo so very much. Oh and yes I'll miss Ron too. As far as work, it gives me less time to worry about getting things in line at school as well. As far as we know we will meet Addie on Monday September 15th, and then stay the required length of time in China. We will leave China on September 25th and be back home late the night of the 25th. We are very excited and nervous too.

Waiting Is Just Plain Hard

2008-08-27T17:48:00.001-07:00

We are still waiting for China to issue our travel approval, because only after this is issued can our agency apply for a Consulate Appointment. Sadly we received news that all the September appointments are now booked, and the soonest available is mid October. We were really anticipating travel during September. Every day she spends in an orphanage is one day we don't get back, and though we remain positive that she'll adjust well to her new home and family, certainly there are optimal windows for learning, development, and attachment that pass us by each day we are not with our new daughter.

Waiting is just plain hard.

Addie's Room

2008-08-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

One of the wonderful surprises of the new house was the room designed especially for Addie. The lotus flower on the wall is especially symbolic and even though Extreme Makeover and the designer Eduardo received credit for designing the rooms, Addie's flower was painted by our special friend Jen Wood from Machias.

In China, there are many paintings and stories of the lotus flower, often describing how they come out of the dirty mud under the water and yet retain their pureness, freshness and beauty. Chinese poets also use lotus flowers to inspire people to continue striving through difficulties and to show their best part to the outside world, no matter how bad the circumstances may be. This is understood as being just like the lotus flower, bringing beauty and light from the murky darkness at the bottom of the pond.

100 Good Wishes Quilt

2008-08-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

In the northern part of China families traditionally make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt to welcome and celebrate a new life, and make a Bai Jia Bei is exactly what Bob and Pat Bishop of Calais recently did for us. The quilt is gorgeous, and each piece of cloth is very special. There is a portion of my great-great grandmother's quilt, two pieces of cloth from my grandfathers' shirts (Addie will only know Gramp and Bampie through stories), a piece of her Uncle David's flannel shirt (He would have loved Addie so much), a doily from Grammie Mildred, and a T-Shirt in memory of Grammie Donna Smith.

It is customary to invite friends and family to contribute a patch of cloth and a wish for the baby. Part of the patch of cloth is sewn into the quilt for the baby, and the other part of the cloth goes into a scrapbook with the wish for the child. The quilt contains the blessings from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric.We thank Bob and Pat for their quilting skills, energy, and creative talents.

Bayley and Tommy Are Ready

2008-08-14T19:51:00.001-07:00

Tommy is ready for his new sister and is learning some Chinese so she will feel at home. He also is eager to teach Addie some baby sign language. For some odd reason Tommy is also very interested in the Chinese custom of cricket fighting. Bayley and I got our antibiotics and scabies cream yesterday just to be prepared for the journey. We are starting to think about what to pack and how limited we are in terms of the baggage restrictions. Bayley just finished the book Silent Tears which documents one woman's time spent in a Chinese orphanage. It is sad but eye-opening.

What does Jo-Jo Think?

2008-08-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

Jo-Jo is getting more and more talkative regarding Addie coming home. He doesn't want me to go get her, but rather thinks Daddy should go. I am worried about the Mama's Boy when Bayley and I are in China. He is very concerned about where Addie will sleep, and if there will still be room for everyone to snuggle in our bed.

Updated Information

2008-08-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

What a sad, sad face! We hope that she will smile when she comes home. Bayley and Tommy and Jo-Jo sent her a care package several weeks ago, and the dress she is wearing is from our package. We hope Addie liked the toys and blanket we sent, along with the pictures of her new family and home.

The new update indicates that she weighs 25 pounds. She can walk several steps holding someone's hand, but she does not crawl. Her muscle tone has improved. She is described as quiet and introverted, but she does enjoy going to crowded places and watching others. She knows the meaning of "No," and she oftens squints her eyes to show her dislike of the word. She stills loves having a bath, and her favorite toys are blocks which she loves to bang together.

She still loves her bottle and prefers milk to solid food.

Ting's Passport Photo

2008-08-14T19:03:00.001-07:00

With our referral picture we also recieved a passport photo and some basic medical information. At age 9 months Ting weighed 22 pounds and loved to drink lots of milk. She was described as a deep sleeper and a child with very light skin. She was especially fond of bath time and enjoyed toys that made noises. She had low muscle tone and would most likely need physical therapy to strengthen those muscles.

Our first picture of Ting

2008-08-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

This was the first glimpse of our new daughter. This picture was taken when she was 9 months old. She is indeed a big girl.

The Starting Point

2008-08-14T18:44:00.000-07:00

Ron and I began the adoption process just over two years ago. After tons of paperwork, several home study visits, fingerprints, and much more we were offically logged in with China in April of 2007. For many months Ron and I, along with Bayley, Tommy, and Jo-Jo, waited and waited and waited. On May 16, 2008 we received the news. Our adoption agency Living Hope called to inform us that we had been referred a daughter. Ting was born March 29, 2007 and came to the orphanage at just one day old. Now the real wait began. We had a name and face to love.

Introductions

2008-08-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

This blog was created to allow family and friends to share the experience of our journey to Addie. The journey has been incredibly long, and we are counting the days until we bring this little one home to join our family. Soon our daughter will leave all that she knows of orphanage life in the Jiangxi Province and travel many many miles to Milbridge, Maine where she will officially become Adeline Mei Ting Ray-Smith.