One Week Home

Because she is not quite over her jet lag, Kate sleeps in a portable crib in our room.   Although it is another big adjustment for her, we had our 2 year old start preschool the week we returned.  She was ready for something more than play at home and the park, and it gives the girls a break from each other 2 days a week.  We give them one one on one time with each of us too, as they both need our focused attention. 

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It has been a long journey to this point and there is only one person in the world I could have taken it with.  I am fortunate to have a caring, kind, sweet, funny, interesting and understanding partner who is the perfect husband for me, and the perfect Dad for these two special girls.  I know that whatever life brings us, we will face it together, handling the challenges that come and sharing in the joyful times as well.  

Thank you for reading our story.

I will do another follow up in early April, when we have been home for one month.

First Outings

Our second day home, we managed to get out to lunch and to the park as a family of four!   Only took three hours to get out of the house!:  

"Where are this one's shoes?"  "This one needs a diaper change!"  "Do you have keys?"  "Oh - I thought you brought money!"  

It's all new, it's all great!

United at Last!

When we arrived home from the airport, I left Kate sleeping in the car while I ran up to see my first daughter.  I could have hugged her for a week!  Drank her in.   She changed so much and seemed so grown up!  She also seemed so big, partly because I had been toting around her new sister for two weeks who was just half her size.  Finally I asked her "Are you ready to meet your sister?"  "Yea!"  I brought her up from the car and we all gathered in our living room.  There are no photos, as my sister in law was taking the video and the rest of us were "in the moment".   Our first daughter was very excited and kept bringing toys to her sister.  She brought over Kates' water bottle and said "I hold it, you drink it, that's the plan."   It was just wonderful, they both sat on my lap and it was just like a dream.  Our family of four that we had imagined since we found out we were pregnant with a girl during our homestudy process for our Kate, in the summer of 2005.  

Coming Home

Kate (her new name!) and I have been home for 9 days, and this is the first chance I have had to write a note on her arrival.  The flights home were fine, she slept through the 3 hour leg to Beijing in the Ergo on my chest.  The 3.5 hour layover we spent playing in the airport lounges, then she was just a bit "twisty" on the 11.5 hour flight to San Franciso, finally sleeping the last 6 hours. She became a U.S. Citizen with our landing, and I dutifully stood in the "Foreign Passports" line with the Chinese passengers.  Could we have stood out?  Airport staff came right over, took the briefest look, and said: "Adoption?"  Was it that obvious?  Turns out we should have been in a "New Immigants", of course!  Unfortunately this is also the line for the flight crew who work very long days and do not let even tiny and cute New Immigrants go ahead.  When we got to the front of the line I handed over the mysterious brown envelope.  The man said "Welcome to the United States!"  I told him she would be an excellent addition to our fine country.  He let me look at the paperwork!  It was just the forms we filled out in China at our various appointments.   Then we were done, and free!  I have never been so happy to see my husband as I was that morning at the airport.  Joy, love, relief, it all came together in that moment I saw him standing there, video camera in hand, capturing a moment we had imagined for so very long.  All that was left was to get our family of four together.  Big Sister was waiting at home with Aunt and Uncle.

Play Time!

We played in the Swan Room again today. Kathryn was very interested in the only other child there, a 6 year old named Katie. Looks like Kathryn will enjoy being a little sister, she followed Katie where ever she went and wanted to do everything she was doing! Too bad Katie didn't enjoy it more; she had just become a big sister herself and was a bit tired of playing with baby girls!

What's in a Name?

Kathryn Ying Zi Anhalt. Right now we refer to her as Kathryn but still call her Ying Zi most of the time. Since she isn't hearing any other words from us she recognizes, we want to at least let her know we know who she is, even if she doesn't quite know who we are yet. We think we will eventually call her Kate, but right now that doesn't feel right somehow. We do want her to learn her new name though, so unless you hear otherwise from us, please call her Kathryn and let just us call her by her special nickname for now. We also want to ask another favor of our friends and family: We know you are happy for us and want to get to know her, but until we say it is OK, please understand that initially we will be the only ones holding her and caring for her. Thank you so much for understanding, and for all of your encouragement over the long wait for her arrival. We finally have our family together and we can't wait to share her with all of our other loved ones.

We hope you have enjoyed following along on our journey via our blog.

We will have at least one more post of our return home.

Our long wait is over, and now a new journey begins!

Last Day, Last Ones!

Today was our last in Guangzhou. Kathyrn and I went to the bank and did some final shopping. Naturally, she napped throughout. We met up with Peter, Kelly, Sharon and Miley for lunch at the famous Cow and Bridge Thai Restaurant. Well, it is famous to those who come here to adopt and don't venture far! Actually, there was a TV crew doing a segment on the place while we were having lunch. Kathryn was really wriggly and fussy, not having gotten enough sleep while I toted her around. We came back and she helped me pack, then she went down for a real nap. I think she was snoring! It was sad to say goodbye to our good friends, but I know we will see them again soon back in the Bay Area. We're the only ones remaining from our group! We had dinner at Lucy's and then Kathryn went straight to bed. We take an early cab to the airport tomorrow morning for our 9:30 am flight. Due to the miracle of time changes, we will travel for 17.5 hours, and arrive at 11:00 am the same day in San Francisco.

Let's call Dad!

As we were getting ready for bed, I was talking to Kathryn about her Dad, that we might call him again tomorrow. Then she went over and got the phone! Perhaps she wanted to wake him?

Pizza Hut

Peter and Kelly have had a few meals at the Pizza Hut in town and asked me to join them for lunch. Very different from what we expect at home. There are two ladies that wait by the doors to open them for you and then you are seated by a hostess. There are lamb chops and steaks on the menu and your pizza may be served for you. The pizza (we were very adventurous and ordered cheese) was delicious and probably the same as you would get at home. When Kathryn dribbled a bit of milk down her chin, the waitress rushed over with napkins. Such service!

Rise and Shine!

Kathyrn has been taking naps in the crib, and will also go to sleep there at night, but wakes in the early morning demanding to be picked up, then goes back to sleep next to Mommy for a few more hours. She finally woke up from her 12 hour slumber today and we gave Daddy and Marina a call on Skype(video phone over the internet). Marina was excited to see Kathryn (and Mommy?). A couple of times I had to put her down and Marina would ask "Where did sister go?!" Kathryn happily waved her arms and Marina joined in. We can't wait to see them together!

Bumbo!

Realizing that I would be on my own for several days with Kathryn, we brought along a Bumbo - infant seat - for me to have in the room. Although we packed around it, it did take up some space in the luggage. We figured it was worth it if I needed to park her somewhere for a moment, and we could always donate it to someone here, and fill the space with purchases. We almost left the seat behind in Guiyang because she was not even willing to get down off of our laps. She screamed at the seat then, and the chance that she would use it seemed remote. Today marked another achievement for us as she was willing to sit in a highchair at breakfast and this afternoon had oatmeal and crackers in the seat, giving me a bit of a break. Tonight we had dinner at Lucy's near the hotel with Kelly, Peter, Miley and Sharon. Kathryn sat in the highchair long enough to eat some chicken congee and let Mom eat most of her dinner too. Of course no one had their cameras tonight when Kathryn and Miley paced the plaza next to the restaurant filling the evening air with the chirping from their squeaky shoes.

Mattel

The Mattel toy company put a playroom in the first floor of the White Swan Hotel called the Swan Room. They also give each adoptive family a Barbie. I had heard about the playroom before but not about the Barbie until we arrived in China. I have been surprised that I have not seen many families in there, but then most families are busy with adoption work, eating and shopping. I went in today with Kathryn - Jeff left for home this morning - and we were by ourselves for over an hour before one other family came in. Unfortunately, the room is somewhat of a tourist attraction, so it is not uncommon for people to bang at the door wanting to be let in. A hotel key is required for access. Although there were many toys in the room, Kathryn played with just a few that Mommy picked out before abandoning all for her favorite Little Bo Peep book. Those sheep just never disappoint! Where can they be hiding? Behind the flap? Hilarious! Those are Marina's 9 month pants that are too short but so baggy on her little legs! She has gotten very steady on her feet though! So about the Barbie... I thought it would be a Chinese Barbie, right? No! It's Caucasian Adoptive Mom Barbie! I just had to laugh at that! This one pictured is similar to the one we received.

It's (almost) Official!

Wednesday we had our final adoption appointment - the American Embassy. We joined 55 other families to get our last approvals and take our oath. Jeff and I raised our right hands, promising to take care of this soon to be U.S. citizen, getting a bit choked up, then we looked over and Kathryn had her hand up as well! No cameras are allowed inside, and perhaps that is best, something that will be captured only in our memories. We were given a brown envelope full of documents, and told DO NOT OPEN. If this were not enticing enough, one corner is cut out, so that they can check the paperwork without anyone else seeing it! It was given to us with an unsealed plastic sleeve...and then Jeff sealed it! I don't think he trusted me, do you? Kathryn becomes a U.S. Citizen automatically upon our first arrival on U.S soil -our landing at SFO. We are to stand in the Non Domestic Passports line, then turn over the documents there, and even though I am dying to know....it will not be opened! What a big day for Kathryn YingZi Anhalt! She becomes a U.S. citizen, sees her new home and room, meets her big sister, aunt and uncle and even two cats! What ever will we do for her the next day?

More Photos of Last Night

After the photos on the red couch, the babies toddled around together for a little while. It was past everyone's bedtime, but no one wanted to say their goodbyes.

The Red Couch Photo! (s)

It is just one of those things that many adoptive families do - take a photo of all the babies in the group sitting on the red couch at the White Swan. Some groups dress their babies up in Chinese pajamas, but we did the photo right after our river cruise with little planning, so the babies are in their usual clothes. We were surprised by one thing - there isn't just one couch, there are many! Makes sense, the hotel is full of adoptive families!

Pearl River Cruise

Wednesday night was the final night for Jeff, and also for Regis, Yvette and Carys. We decided to celebrate our successful journey with a cruise on the Pearl River. We had meant this to be a banquet to thank Chris for all his hard work, but as always he arranged for everything. The most we could do to show our appreciation was to tell him that we will always take good care of these sweet girls from his country. He reminded us that as our daughters are from the same orphanage they are like sisters, and should never go more than a year without seeing each other. We will make sure they know each other always.

Big Move

Tuesday we moved from the Victory Hotel to the White Swan. Both nice hotels but very different. The White Swan is kind of famous in the Chinese adoption community, and we wanted to experinence it. Our room at the Victory was small, but here we have junior suite which will give us some room to relax when Kathryn is sleeping, and room for her to walk around in when she is awake. A bonus - an amazing view! It was funny moving - they just piled our suitcases on a trolly and rolled them down the street! The picture of Jeff at the desk next to the bed, is at the Victory -just bath, two double beds, small crib and desk. The others pictures, are at the White Swan. We 1 and 1/2 baths with big soaking tub, King bed, larger (she can't climb out) crib and sitting (make that playing) room.