FAST FORWARD - Operation Bath Time A SUCCESS !!!!!!!!! 12/28/09

NEW YORK BATHS RULE !!!!!

Well, we are actually sitting down........ not squalling, balling, or climbing out in fear. This bath time, was actually a long overdue success ! A much relieved, long awaited success, and the first of many fun bath times to come !
There's really toys in here???? They don't seem to mind this warm soothing water..........
Ahhh, the "almost" smile.......
Is it edible ???

December 28, 2009 Learning From My Mistakes

This is not sleeping..... I know you think that I'm sleeping, but let me assure again, 'THIS IS NOT SLEEPING", I'm just resting me eyes.
Last night didn't go very well. I tried everything imaginable, and finally, after feeling the effects of total exhaustion, jetlag, and delirium, I succumbed to the forbidden. I couldn't take it anymore, and melted, yup, this ole' heart of mine broke into teeny weeny pieces. All I could think about was stopping those tears and more importantly, closing my eyes.

It had felt like eons since I had my own much needed shut eye, and here was this little frightened soul, whaling away, not understanding the effects of jet lag, moving half way around the World, and strange people speaking a strange language.

Oh well.... I scooped her up and placed her wet face snuggled into my chest, and I don't know who fell asleep first, me or her. Somewhere around 5 a.m., I placed her gingerly back in her crib, and crept off to sleep in mine................ only to wake to screams once again. I looked at the clock, thinking hours had passed and damn, it was just 45 minutes....... enough of this..... I couldn't spell my own name at this point, and just wanted sleep. I could undo, any damages, TOMORROW !!!!! So, off we went again, and this time we woke up to smiles at about 9:30 a.m., but we did sleep....... We got up for some breakfast, a diaper change, and yup, we went back to bed, and the two of us did this, on and off all day........

We had a timely dinner for a change, and Miss Fuss Budget..... had a much needed, long overdue bath, which she truly seemed to enjoy, unlike our other attempts in the past. When it came time for bed this Evening, we had an instant replay of last..... only difference, I'm not so tired, and can make a more educated, sound decision...... and so it began again. The standoff of screams..... I checked on her in person, every twenty minutes of so, and never took my eyes off the mobile monitor. After about 20 minutes when I went back in, I could tell there was a need for a diaper change....... so, that done, Baylon went back to pickup where she left off.

This went on for about an hour. Again, my heart breaking, I went back in and offered her a drink of water.... she screamed bloody murder for a moment, and then I just layed her down, and offered her the bottle.... I think she passed out before that first sip, mades its windy path down her throat. She's asleep as I type.

I really want to add photos, but the computer is acting up..... our new Mac, is slower than my oldest Dell at the moment, and as Dave is finally dozing, and I can't do much more than type and load photos.... this will have to wait till tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to post something.

12/26/09 Baylon's First Night Alone

It's been an incredible adventure, and an exhausting one.

Since Baylon has been placed in our loving arms, we've been on the go. All throughout China, we've been rushing around. Once home, again, rush, rush, rush, and it's only been a day.

This is the first time I've put Baylon to bed in her own room. The last two nights, first night only being a few hours, we've had her upstairs in her pack n play, as the crib level for the mattress was too high, and we were frightened she'd topple over the side. Well, Dave fixed this today, and this is now the first time she's been away from us.

In the Hotel, we're all together, and the last two nights, I stayed with her, in our living room. I wanted to switch it up a bit, and not have her sleeping in our bedroom. So worried that she'd get used to that.

Well, it's been a solid 15 minutes of her crying....... and scariest thing, well not really, is that I'm watching her on a monitor, and she just got up and literally turned on her mobile above her head. I don't know what to do...... whe's crying away, and I'm not going to last much loger. She's standing up at theedge of the crib, leaning on the side, and screaming. She starts, and stops..... I'm going to end up going in there, as I don't want a traumatized baby...... okay, it's fifteen minutes. I thought that I'd give it a half hour...... I don't think that's happening.

Okay, 20 minutes.... off to rescue my little injured soul !

Now she's making a different type of noise, and maybe I should just ride this out a bit further.

Not sure what to do............ oh boy, I should have read up more on Motherhood for Adoptive Childrenl

12/25/09 Christmas Day "ARRIVED HOME"

After flight delays, we arrived home to our door somewhere around 12:30 A.M. To us, it was more like 1:30 P.M., and definitely felt that way to Baylon. We changed her, placed her in a brand new pair of Pirate pajamas that we received as a gift, and proceeded to feed her, what should be her lunch.

When we drove up to our door, not only was our home such a welcome site. We had made sure to decorate for Christmas before we left, but our local FCC Families, (Families with Children from China), they came out in the snow to decorate our home for our home coming. The house looks absolutely great, (this is just a teeny glimpse), I'm too lazy to plow through our bags looking for my flash, so can't get the complete picture. This was a special feeling, to gaze at THE home that was decorated, OUR home, for it had finally become our turn. Now we can move on with our lives, and live like the family we've always dreamed about, instead of dreaming about the family we've wished to become.

Just beyond me, as I type on my computer, in this moment in time is our little girl. She's watching the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and my heart is exploding once again. On this day of days, to share in the Miracle of Christmas with our own personal miracle is a blessing beyond blessings.

THANK YOU FCC FAMILIES........ to have come out and made time for our homecoming on Christmas Eve, when you have your own family's to think about, makes us feel like family.....

12/24/09 FLIGHT DELAYS :(

I took this picture out of the window of the plane transporting us from Guangzhou to Beijing...kinda surreal, isn't it !
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OUR FLIGHT HOME IS DELAYED THREE HOURS........... ALL I CAN SAY IS OUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!

As always..... we'll make the best of it.

This was taken out of our window on the way from Guangzhou to Beijing...... beautiful sunset.

Arrived Beijing..... Last Leg 12/23/09

I was so hopeful to load in some photos before hitting the bed, but the server is so slow here, I've literally tried to upload some photos 3 times.... so with that I give up, and give in to much needed sleep.

Tomorrow is the long flight home. We fly half way around the World, keeping ahead of Santa.

Hoping that our car isn't buried in snow at Newark Airport. Arriving early Evening, in New Jersey, we didn't want to burden our family with a pick up, and it became such a royal pain in the butt enlisting a service to do so as well....... damn Holiday, VBG.

So, this is going to be it, the LAST post till I return, but I promise to add these pictures to complete our trip Still have a bunch of Red Couch shots to add as well. I happen to think that my shots are better than the pros shots.... actually, looked like his assistant picked up my camera during the shoot, and those shots seem to be better than the ones we paid for.

Oh well.......it's been an incredible adventure, and we're going home with the most wonderful, beautiful, smart, and funny daughter......... can't wait for you all to meet her.

So, that's it from China............ next stop, USA ! Wish us a smooth flight, all 13 some odd hours of it, and please, pray for our car not to be caught in a snow bank, piled high from snow plows.

Xie, Xie,

Love,

Shelley, Dave, & Baylon

STAY TUNED FOR MORE RED COUCH SHOTS 12/21/09

Here is just a preview of the "Red Couch" shots, where all our daughters are lined up together.

There are several more, and some with us parents...... can't wait to post, but need to pack to leave for Beijing. Will post those pics later...... please come back for another visit !

Now we realize that Baylon, looks like Miss Amazon..... she looks so much bigger than the others, but you have to realize there is a huge difference in age. Most of the baby's are under 9 months, and Baylon turned 14 months on the 18th of December. We always said we got the old bag of the bunch...... but we love every inch of her.