One Month From Gotcha

We have had Grace for one month now and we have been home from China for three weeks. Grace is doing very well and she and her big sister are getting closer day by day. They are still competing with each other but Madyson will insist on taking her little sister when she leave the house. I think I mention in my prior post that he pediatrician says that Grace is on target developmentally and for us to just continue working on her talking.

Currently she is saying Dad-dad, ace (aka. Grace) and Up. Her interaction with me are much improved and when mom leaves there is no more screaming tantrums on the floor. I still occasionally get the "rejection curl" when mom is here and I need to hold her.

Today has been nice. Mom is off seeing The Help with her mom and I am here with Grace. No problems when mom drove away. We went on a walk and watched some TV, had lunch and went on another walk with me carrying her so that she would fall asleep. She was fussy so I knew she was tired.

I looked at the attachment assessment tool on CCAI's website and I am very pleased that Grace is very much attached to us. When strangers speak to her she gives them that why are you bothering me frown.

I am really glad I am able to take the extended Family Leave to be with her. This is already paying dividends with respect to her attachment to me.

Here are various pictures of Grace:

The Past Four Days

We have been home for four days now and what an experience. Today, Sunday, Grace has been with me most of the day but has allowed herself to be passed between Danielle and I with little fuss. The three prior days she has been exclusively with Danielle. Madyson is having a hard time adjusting as she has regressed some, being argumentative and not following directions. She is also over dramatic about the slightest of bumps. She just does not realize that she will always be my little princess. I know this is normal and hopefully in a week or so she will complete her adjustment.

Grace is amazing as she appears to be picking up English amazingly fast. She follows our commands so well I wonder if she has been taught some English?


Are you listening to me?












Grace's first Sabbath at church:

The Journey Home

Grace and I took this picture just before leaving for the airport in Guangzhou.











Here we are on the plane for our 13 hour plane ride.










Grace with her sister Madyson on the way home. It was Grace's first time in a car seat.








Over all Grace did well on the 13 hour plane ride but there was a time when she got tire and afraid of the darkness on the plane. The result was that she screamed bloody murder. This was a cling to mommy day and mom was exhausted so I took her and stared to carry her on the plane. A great stewardess on Cathay Pacific pulled me into the galley, closed the curtains and turned on the lights. That calmed Grace right down to my relief and I am sure the other passengers. I am not sure how long I stood in the galley rocking Grace but Danielle got to take a long needed nap during this time. The rest of trip went really well and no one gave us dirty looks for the screaming session earlier in the flight.

Day 13 - The Long Road Home

Today we head home. All of the other families from our travel group have already left. We will be dragging up the rear as our non-stop flight does not leave until 11:40 PM local time. We arrive back in Los Angeles around 9:45 PM on Wednesday, Pacific Daylight Time.

The flight from Guangzhou to Hong Kong was short but long enough for Grace to have a couple of melt-downs. She has a cold and I think the decent into Hong Kong caused her ears have issues. I hope she will be able to sleep most of the flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles.



Two days ago my body finally yielded to the China time zone and now we are headed back to LA. How ironic. Grace just finished a bottle and Danielle is hoping she will go to sleep but i hope she waits till flight but it is now 8:20 PM and the flight does not leave till 11:40.

Day 12 - Red Couch

Today we did our Red Couch pictures and group pictures of all of CCAI families with our travel dates. Everything is done now and families start leaving tonight and the rest of us leaves tomorrow.

Slight Name Change

Today we found out that we will still need to do a name change back home to give our little one her American name. Since we have this opportunity Danielle and I decided to keep Grace's Chinese middle name Que, pronounced "Chway" with a falling sound. As such her new name will be:

Grace Xiao-Ling Que Lovette.

Day 11 - Consulate Appointment

We left at 8:45 am to go to the US consulate. Cameras are not allowed so there are not pictures. Our friends Marty and Shannon took a picture of us in the lobby of the building. When we get that I will add it.

Basically when you clear security you sit and wait for the consulate person to give you an explanation to what is going to happen. It a simple 1, 2, 3 process:

1. Take the oath for your child. (It's not a citizenship oath but an "immigrant oath." I assume that is because our children gain instant citizenship when we get back to our US port of entry (Los Angeles).

2. Pay the Visa fee of $404

3. Interview and submit the prepared Visa paperwork to the window.

That is it and you are done.

Next we went to the "Pearl Market" which turned out to what Americans know as a indoor mall. It was definitely the place to buy Pearls for a great price and get guaranteed quality at a low price. I now have Danielle's birthday and Christmas gifts.




Tonight we are off to the Pearl River cruise dinner. It should be fun as long as we don't get motion sickness.