Reading in the Tub

Mia has quite a lot of books, thanks to our very literate family and friends. We're looking forward to many happy hours of reading. But, until recently, her interest in books was largely limited to pulling them off the shelf, one by one. Very entertaining.

Just in the last few weeks, she started letting us read to her for a few pages at a time. The soft bathtub book my cousin Eileen sent her this week was an immediate hit. We think she looks so grown-up, reading in the tub.

Year-End Interview with Mia

Mia has strong views about things. As Nanny Sarah said after about one day on the job, "She knows what she likes, doesn't she!" Mia doesn't talk much yet. Mama, Dada, ball (pronounced "bahhhh"), and she occasionally surprises us by saying hi or bye to a store clerk or some other total stranger. For now, Jeff and I have fun theorizing what she'd say if she could talk. Below is our imaginary interview.

What is your favorite memory of your trip to Minnesota?
The people. Everyone was so nice to me. Everywhere I went, I was treated like a celebrity!

What didn’t you like?
That awful high chair someone borrowed from their church. I appreciate the effort, but the seat was slippery and it had no seat belt. Grandpa N. had to strap me in using an old leather belt (very clever, I thought!), but I still kept sliding down in my seat.
I also hated sitting in the car seat in my winter jacket. It was really hot and too confining. It was a lot better when you warmed up the car before I got in, so I didn’t need to wear a coat. That is how real Minnesotans do it.
One last thing. All those airport delays. I don't know how my Mom and Dad put up with it, with all the traveling they do.

What was your favorite Christmas gift?
They were all great. My relatives put a lot of thought into my gifts. I got so much stuff that my Mom says we’ll wait a few weeks before taking some things out of the box. “Save them for an emergency,” she says. (I'm not quite sure what she means by that, but I'm going along with it.) I can tell you that I love the slide from my Grandma and Grandpa S., and the Rockin’ Puppy from Uncle Scott and Aunt Mary. It took me a while to warm up to Tickle Me Elmo, but now we’re friends. The basketball hoop Daddy got for me is cool. I cherish the time we spend together shooting baskets. The toy I’ve played with the most is the Little Mermaid cell phone that my cousin Ellen picked out for me. I already had 3 cell phones, but they were really lame compared to this one. It fits in my hand just perfectly. Besides that, it is shiny, it lights up when it rings, and it has great ring-tones. I use it constantly.

Did it bother you when your Grandpa N. talked about you "putting the feedbag on"?
No, I could tell he was just happy I have such a good appetite. And you have to admit that new rubber bib does look like a big pink feedbag.

While we're talking about food, can I ask why you like green beans so much?
I wish I could tell you. I guess because they taste good and they’re the perfect size to pick up.

What is your favorite fruit?
If you’d asked me a week ago, I would have said pineapple, but then Grandma N. gave me mandarin oranges. I love them, and not just because of the name! I love mandarin oranges so much that when I’m not eating them I pretend with the plastic orange in my toy food collection.

Have you made any New Year’s Resolutions?
I intend to walk and talk more. I’m also determined to learn how to hold a crayon properly. And I am going to make some friends my own age.

The Playroom

Mia is a very active girl. Her favorite activity (besides eating) is climbing stairs. Whenever we aren't looking, she heads for the front foyer, where she loves to scale the main staircase. She would climb those stairs all day long if we let her. (Not to mention the "dog stairs" which our toy poodle uses to climb up on our bed, the granite step into the whirlpool tub, and anything else she can climb on.) Since there are precious few parks near us and we can't get her into preschool until next fall, we've resorted to adding some gear to her play areas. So far, she has her own slide, a basketball hoop, a rocking puppy, and a "Bounce and Spin Zebra". In the basement, she also has a sand and water activity table. Yes, I know I insisted I wouldn't spoil her. In my defense, this stuff is for our benefit, too. It gives her a great outlet for all that energy, and she sleeps quite soundly at night!

Mia's First Christmas

We had a great visit to Minnesota to see our extended families. Mia spent lots of time with both sets of grandparents and had several play dates with her cousins. Donna's Mom brought some snow indoors for Mia to play with. Mia charmed everyone. She also ate a lot. So much that Donna's Dad kept making comments about Mia "putting on the feedbag." To keep up with her cousins, Mia walked a lot more than she had been. She is definitely getting steadier on her feet.

One of the big highlights for Mia and her parents was meeting Li Li, who was adopted by our good friends in July. Li Li is 23 months old, so she showed Mia a few things. Mia was also quite enamored with Li Li's older brother.

The Living Nativity

On Monday night, our church hosted a Living Nativity scene. "With Live Animals!" the billboard read. I thought it might be fun to take Mia. To tell the truth, I wasn't at all certain Mia would like it, but I've been on the prowl for some other 1-year-olds looking for a play date and this seemed like a good place to troll for toddlers.

As it turned out, there were no eligible toddlers there, but Mia was quite captivated by the manger scene. When she saw the donkeys lying there on the ground chewing hay she said "Baaaa, baaa" like a lamb. Very cute, so I carried her over by the sheep and encouraged her to do it some more. One of the sheep was a ram with curly, sharp looking horns. (That's sharp not as in stylish, but as in puncture wound potential.) Of course, she was fascinated by those horns and kept reaching toward them. I encouraged her to pet the llama instead. She also liked the glittery robe one of the Wise People was wearing. The Wise Person noticed this and kindly stuck her arm out so Mia could touch it.

Unfortunately, it was too dark to be a photo op. Also, I didn't want to let Mia out of my arms fearing she might go for those horns.

The Latest Retail Escapade

Mia wouldn't take a nap today, which is quite unusual. Maybe it was the excitement of going to Toys 'R Us this morning. After a number of attempts to get her to sleep, I decided that if she wasn't going to nap, we might as well get that grocery store run out of the way. You guessed it, in the time it took to drive one mile to Kroger, she fell asleep. I was undeterred. I knew she'd be annoyed with me for interrupting her slumber, but she'd perk up as soon as I carried her (all 23.5 lbs of her) into the store and strapped her in the shopping cart. Well, once again our girl surprised me. She didn't wake up, instead preferring to continue her nap. Yep, she wanted to rest her head on the metal cart. We couldn't have that, and I had nothing to use as a pillow since I'd left her diaper bag in the van. So what did I do? I proceeded to shop while cradling her head with my left hand/forearm and pushing the cart with my right. It was a little bit of a spectacle, and I got quite a few looks from other shoppers. Mostly smiles (lots of middle-aged women whom I imagined were remembering the good old days when they had youngsters). Occasionally, I'd get a perplexed look that had me explaining, "Well, she wouldn't take her nap, so I thought we might as well go to the store."
Grocery shopping while propping your darling's little head up turned out to be a rather interesting logistical challenge. Occasionally I had to do a 180-degree turn with the cart so that the merchandise I sought was on my right side. The pita chips were on a shelf too low to reach with my free hand, but I spied a couple of store employees and asked them to put the chips in my cart. "Two bags please, not the cinnamon, the plain." At the pharmacy, they require you to sign for the prescription. I explained to the clerk that I'm left-handed, nodded over at Mia, and asked her to sign for me. "My name or yours?" she asked. Overall, I thought I demonstrated superior problem-solving skills. The only downer came at the express checkout line, where the cashier seemed annoyed when I asked her if she'd mind removing the merchandise from my cart for me. They are usually very nice there, but this one was a bit of a Crabby Appleton. She did accomodate my request, and even called another employee over and instructed him to put my bags in the cart for me. They don't usually do that in the express line.
And what about Mia? You guessed it, she woke up as soon as I put her back in her car seat, then squalled all the way home. I didn't mind too much, knowing that at least I'd have a little story to tell.

In My Own Little Corner, in My Own Little Chair

... I can be whatever I want to be.

Remember that line from the 1960's television version of Cinderella, starring Leslie Ann Warren? This is our 2007 version, starring Mia.

Since Mia has recently demonstrated a desire to sit down from time to time in a soft place, we decided to get her a chair of her own. Sam was not too happy to share her dog bed. (We've refrained from pointing out to Sam that she never used to use that bed. It only became attractive when Mia started sitting in it.)

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

I came home from a business trip after Mia had gone to bed. I sneaked a peek. I wonder what she dreams about. Judging from the contented look on her face, she is probably dreaming about food!

Mia, Sitting Still

It doesn't happen too often, so I had to capture it. Mia was sitting on nanny Sarah's lap, intently watching a Baby Einstein video. It warmed my heart to see the two of them together. Sarah has been just wonderful for Mia.

A Day at the Playground

Last Sunday, we took Mia to the local playground for the first time. It is a large park with different play areas for different age groups. We took Mia to the youngest section, which is designed for 2 to 5 year-olds. It is pretty advanced for her, so one of us is never more than an arm's length away. So far, Mia doesn't like the swing too well, but she loves the climbing structure -- no surprise there.
Before we had Mia, we used to take Sam to this same park. What we didn't realize is that dogs aren't allowed in the playground area. Rather than leave her in the van, I sat her in Mia's stroller and told her to "stay." Surprisingly (since I have been lackadaisical in training her for the past 13 years), she stayed.

Other news

Mia's blood lead level went from 27 pre-treatment to 12 afterward. At this point, we do not have to start another round of chelation treatment. However, that could change if her levels go up significantly. That is entirely possible, as the lead resides in the bones. When it leaves the bones, the blood lead levels go up. She has to have her blood levels checked again before Christmas and again later. Darn! I thought we'd be done with this before Christmas.

In only a month, our girl has gone from rejecting most affectionate gestures to being somewhat cuddly to getting rather clingy! I'll take clingy any day. Today, she gave me a kiss on the mouth for the first time! I was thrilled and tried to remain so when, less than a minute later, she hauled off and slapped me in the face. I'm going to continue thinking that the kiss was intentional and the slap was accidental! We're trying to teach her to stroke things (me, stuffed animals, and poor Sammy) rather than strike them, but it is slow going.

One of Mia's pediatricians saw her last week for the first time since Mia arrived home in early October. Mia was animated, energetic, and babbling quite a bit. The Dr. said it is like she is a different child.

Mia still prefers to holding our hand while walking, though she has taken up to 7 independent steps in a row.

We tried out the church nursery on Sunday. I brought Mia in for about a half hour, staying with her the whole time. I figured she'd would be fine with the nursery, but it was good for me to get the lay of the land. When we arrived, she stunned me by greeting the nursery ladies with an intelligible "Hi". I think that is a first! Mia played with some of the toys, but then kept grabbing for the other kids' sippy cups full of juice as well as their (church-issued) Goldfish crackers. Of course, I hadn't even brought her a sippy cup, bad mother that I am. After 30 minutes of the attendants' comments about how Mia was trying to eat all the other kids' Goldfish, I slunk out of there saying, "Gotta run, it is almost Mia's nap time. " (Which was true, actually.) I can see that nursery time will be good for Mia's socialization, so I'll be back with sippy cup and healthier snacks.

A Step in the Right Direction

For weeks, we've been waiting for Mia to take her first unaided steps. This week, with a lot of coaxing, she took 2 short, wobbly steps a couple of times. Now Jeff and I have been musing about how many independent steps she has to take before we can declare, "She's walking!" Our friend Kate suggested Mia would have to walk 15 feet. Jeff and I think that is a rather tough standard, but we haven't yet agreed where we'll draw the line.
This week, I went on my first business trip since Mia joined our family. It was just a quick trip to California and back, 2 nights away, but I was worried the trip might break the fragile bonds of attachment and Mia would be indifferent when I returned. (Yes, I worry about stuff!) Mia and Jeff got along just fine without me, and Mia warmed up to me again after a few hours.
Nanny 3 has been with us for two weeks, and she is fantastic. In fact, I think she's earned the right to be called Sarah instead of Nanny 3. Sarah plans fun developmental activities every day, and Mia is making great progress. This week, Sarah taught Mia to throw the ball forward instead of always flinging it backwards. Now we can actually play catch with our girl!
On the talking front, Mia is making more consonant sounds. Her consonants now include: M, B, D, G and S. She occasionally makes the R or H sound, and today I definitely heard an L. She has been copying me when I say the word, "Bad", though the D doesn't come out too well. She gets to practice a lot, because every time she puts something inappropriate in her mouth, I make a sour face while shaking my head and saying, "No, that's BAD for you."
Did I mention that our gal likes green beans? (Canned, not frozen. Cuts, not French style.) She devours them with both fists.

On the health front, Mia finished the first course of her 'lead abatement' treatment this week. On Monday, they'll check her blood lead level again. It hasn't gone below 20, she'll get a second round, 19 more days. It will be nice to have this little episode behind us.

Best Thanksgiving Ever

Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday. This year, we gave thanks for having Mia in our lives. Jeff's parents came for a visit, and they shared our wonder that we have been entrusted with this beautiful little girl. Mia was in rare form, charming the pants off everyone.

We wrapped up the weekend with our first trip to the photo studio. Mia was pretty agreeable during the photo shoot, but got understandably impatient as we waited to view our prints. We had trouble choosing which to print - the thoughtful girl in the all-American girl dress, or the laughing girl in her bright red Chinese outfit. So, of course we got one of each.

Updates

Nanny 3 is fantastic! We're thrilled.

After 6 weeks, Mia doesn't have diarrhea anymore. The culprit was the sorbitol that one of her meds was suspended in.

Good News, but TMI for Most Readers!

Pass this one by if you haven't heard about or aren't interested in hearing about Mia's BM problems.

I have good news! We changed the form of Mia's INH med from a liquid to a pill (which we crush and serve with yogurt. Yum!) and her diarrhea stopped immediately. Turns out the liquid had sorbitol in it, which our pharmacist tells us is a laxative. Duh!

Sorry, Kimberly-Clark, we'll be cutting back on our Huggies spending.

Like Father, Like Daughter

Mia enjoys drumming with her Daddy.

Nanny 3 is on deck

We are happy to report that Nanny 3 accepted our job offer. We give Mia most of the credit; she has a winning smile and the cutest giggle!
Nanny 3 has her orientation on Friday. She is an exceptional person and we have high hopes.

Other developments: Mia is having no problems with the chelation treatment. So far, we have been successful in hiding the medication (which consists of rather bitter little white pellets that come in a capsule) in raspberry preserves and chocolate pudding mixed crushed Oreo cookie bits. The secret seems to be having something with a strong, sweet flavor and a texture that masks the pellets. Because the treatment has some risks (like reduced white blood cell count and liver damage), we had to take her in for more blood work on Monday. The very nice phlebotomist remembered Mia from her last blood draw, and greated us with, "I was having a good day until I saw who was next!" My mother will be happy to know that Monday's blood draw was quite a bit less noteworthy than the last (when the needle slipped out of Mia's arm and blood spurted EVERYWHERE as Mia screamed and her horrified Grandmother looked on. What a drama.) At any rate, the Pediatric Toxicologist just called to tell us her blood work is fine.

We still haven't gotten to the source of Mia's continuing diarrhea. Last week, her pediatrician conferred with Mia's Infectious Disease specialist. (Pediatric Toxicologists, Infectious Disease Specialists.... This kid has assembled quite a medical team.) Their first theory (something called C. Difficile) didn't pan out, so now we're investigating lactose intolerance. Our adoption agency has a great post-placement counselor who pointed out that the Chinese have a high rate of lactose intolerance. Off to the supermarket we went to buy Lactaid. We'll be switching from formula to Lactaid gradually over the next few days. We'll let you know how it turns out.

Now, let's get to the fun stuff. Mia is sooooo close to walking. We got her a push toy last week, and she is having a lot of fun with it.

The Nanny Chronicles - Chapter 3

We are sorry to say that Nanny 2 will be leaving us. She is a great nanny, but on her first day on the job last week, she gave her notice. (Well, OK, a great nanny would have stayed on the job, but other than that she's quite good.) I know, Dear Reader, that you are wondering what we have done to lose two nannies so quickly. Nanny 2 assures us that we are a good family to work for, but she has decided to move back to New York, where she has friends. She's decided it was a mistake to move to Atlanta in the first place.
We've decided to stop messing with online nanny job boards and go to a nanny placement agency. We interviewed a great candidate yesterday, but she has multiple families to choose from. Mia was at her best, most charming and happy self, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that we'll win this beauty contest. In this beauty contest, being first runner-up gets you no consolation prizes. Wish us luck!

Mia's First Birthday

Mia's first birthday party was a low-key affair. She celebrated with her parents and dog and an ice cream cake from Carvel. Our favorite present was an Asian baby doll from her paternal grandparents. Mia also got a toy cellphone (a realistic-looking one that we're hoping tempers her desire to play with our Blackberries), an unbreakable mirror to practice making funny faces, and a water-filled play mat.

On Sunday, Mia's adoption will be announced during the church service, and there will be a red rose in her honor. We'll be sitting in the last aisle, ready to make a speedy exit when Mia gets vocal and/or energetic.

Upward Mobility

Mia has mastered climbing up the main staircase, and boy is she proud of herself. Not stopping there, she decided she should climb down headfirst. We caught her before she went over the edge and instead demonstrated the alternative method of bumping down on her read end, one step at a time. After some practice first on mommy's lap, then on her own with her arms around my neck, she seemed to get the hang of it. She applauded as she landed at the bottom.

Halloween

Mia is a bit young for trick-or-treating, but she attended the homeowners' association's Halloween party. Mia went as a ladybug (costume courtesy of cousin Kira), I dressed up as a ladybug's mother. Well, at least I wore red and black. The weather was beautiful. It was 70 degrees, a bit warm for the furry ladybug costume. Mia got a balloon animal and was wide-eyed as she looked at all of the great costumes and fun games.

Nanny 2 is On Deck

After last Wednesday's surprise announcement by Nanny 1, we ("we" = Jeff) immediately sprung into action. On Thursday morning, he re-posted our nanny advertisement in the online nanny job bank, and by Friday he had phone-screened the most promising candidates. We jointly interviewed 3 nannies on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, we checked references for our top choice, and we have offered her the position contingent on a satisfactory background check. She grew up in Germany, and originally came to the U.S. as an au pair. After several years of live-in positions, she is ready for a live-out situation. Not much else to say right now except she has a very gentle, nurturing style that will suit Mia just fine.

The Week in Review

Lots of mundane stuff to report. Might be good to read this post next time you have insomnia!

We started our week with a call from Mia's pediatrician, who opened with, "We're going to get to know each other really well." He said the state health department, who had been notified about Mia's elevated lead level, wants her to be evaluated by a toxicologist from Emory University. That will happen next week. The adoption agency says this is not uncommon in children adopted from China. They said they've seen cases where the child's initial level was high, but was within normal range by the time the 6-month post-placement report was submitted. While this toxicologist visit is kind of a nuisance, I guess it is more helpful than what we'd initially been told to expect, namely that the state would be sending someone to our home to inspect it for lead.

Mia's diarrhea continues (today is day 18), but usually only once a day now. We're pretty sure the culprit is the antibiotic she takes for TB prevention. The patient information says it is a known side effect that might go awa during the course of treatment. That would be nice, since she has to take that med for 9 months. In the meantime, we're adapting. We've found some vinyl underpants in her size, so the number of daily clothing changes is down some.

I am returning to work on 11/1. Two days ago, our nanny informed us that she cannot work on Thursday afternoons. We'd specified the hours for the position as full days Monday through Thursday and a half day on Friday. We've informed her we'll be looking for someone else. My working mother friends say, "Welcome to our world!"

Mia still requires support when walking, but she is getting a bit steadier on her feet. She continues to challenge us in the sleep department. She goes to sleep anywhere between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., and wakes up ready to start her day anytime between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. She sleeps through the night about 60% of the time, and the other 40%, there is no predicting what time she'll wake up during the night. She usually takes one nap during the day, but it could be anywhere between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., and last from 45 minutes to 2.5 hours. I just wish we could understand what is happening in her head. For now, I just know not to count on having a nap of my own.

I started using some baby sign language this week. Experts advise this can be particularly helpful for a child who is adopted internationally. (You know, until you can say, "Use your words".) I'm starting with the signs for "eat" and "more." Mia quickly learned how to make the sign for "more," but I'm pretty sure she is just copying me and doesn't really know what it means. Still, it is a step in the right direction, and I think it is really precious. (Yes, I think 85% of the things she does are really precious.)

Mia decided she doesn't like eggs anymore. However, she does like canned sweet corn. I used to think those things that look like baby hot dogs in a jar looked pretty awful, but Mia likes them so they've become a staple for breakfast. They are made with turkey, so how bad can they be?

Perhaps the biggest breakthrough of the week is that Jeff taught Mia to brush her teeth! I'd been having a nightly battle with her. I don't know what he did, but I am glad that is over with.

A Lovely Gated Community

Growing up in Minnesota, the only "gated community" I ever saw was North Oaks, a tiny suburb north of St. Paul. I remember passing by it and wondering what kind of people lived there. I thought there must be something odd about people who thought a guardhouse was necessary in that sleepy suburban area. (I now know one couple who live in North Oaks, and they are quite normal.)

When we relocated to Atlanta, I noticed quite a few gated communities. They didn't hold any particular appeal for me. I never dreamed we'd be building our own little gated community when Mia arrived. In fact, I secretly pooh-poohed my neighbor's suggestion, back in July, that we hire a baby-proofing consultant who would select and even install the appropriate gates for us.

Everything changed when we met our little darling. As I saw her crawl enthusiastically around our little hotel suites, I realized what we'd be up against when we brought her home. (Or, as my sister Paula would say, "Ka-ching"! I could hear the sound of the Babies 'r Us cash registers all the way in Guangzhou.) At this writing, we have installed a total of 6 gates, and there is still one out there in the garage waiting until the cordless drill recharges. We have 3 sturdy metal gates at the tops of stairs (different versions for indoors and outdoors), a lovely dark oak spindled gate at the bottom of the family room stairs, and an ugly tan mesh gate preventing Mia from climbing into her own unused bathtub. (I'm not sure where they get off calling that last one a "gate", since it has no opening. I personally would call it a "repositionable pressure-mounted child barrier system.") The latest 2 gates keep unaccompanied toddlers out of the family room, which has a fireplace, a glass-topped coffee table, and several table lamps. Where does it all end?

Actually, that was not a rhetorical question. I've been wondering how old Mia will have to be before we can de-install these gates, sell them on eBay, and return to walking freely about our own home. Comments from experienced parents will be most welcome.

Changing the subject...
In preparation for my return to work late next week, I tried out one of those "meal assembly" places today. There was no one else in the store, so the nice ladies there helped me measure out the ingredients and assemble my meals. They cooed admiringly at my photos of Mia as well. I had 12 entrees in less than an hour. If this stuff is any good, we may be replacing what I suspect was the previous homeowners' "beer fridge" in our garage with a real freezer.

I'll Take the Stairs!

Mia isn't walking on her own yet, but that hasn't stopped her from trying to scale the one staircase in the house that isn't protected by a gate. (I foolishly thought we would just keep the door closed between the kitchen and the center hallway.) It is cute to see her experiment with different leg positions. Fortunately, she usually doesn't get too far. And when she does, there will be a parent right behind her. (Acting as a spotter rather than a photographer, of course.)

At the Pumpkin Patch

A beautiful Sunday afternoon in October. The sun was shining, making it feel warmer than 69 degrees. A wonderful husband, beautiful baby, and a family outing at the Pumpkin Patch. It's just what I always wanted.

Mia's Check-Up

Mia had her 9-month checkup at the pediatrician this week. (Yes, she is 11.5 months old, but apparently they don't round up.) She was seen by a pediatrician who has treated many girls who were adoptive from China. They told us she is at the 97th percentile for length and 50th percentile for weight. 97th percentile? No wonder that while we were in China, so many people expressed surprise that she was only 10 months old!

They did lots of tests and everything was normal. The only finding of note was that the lead levels in her blood were a little high. The Dr. said that is unusual, even for girls from China. The good news is that it isn't so high that treatment will be required. They expect it will return to normal levels over time. The bad news is that we have yet another encounter with regulatory authorities. The Dr. had to report the result to the State, who says they will have to inspect our home to determine the source of the exposure. The fact that Mia had spent only 10 days in our home at the time the test was taken didn't persuade officials to waive this requirement. As the Dr.'s office said, "It's the government."

But who's complaining? We have a beautiful, healthy baby girl who is developmentally on target for her age. We continue to see signs that she is attaching with us. This past week, she wanted to be held a lot more than before. In her case, being clingy is good. The first photo below is Mia watching for Jeff to come home from work at night. Sometimes, Sam watches with her. In the last photo, she is getting read to stand on her own, without support. She can do that for 2-3 seconds at most.

Saturday Visitors

On Saturday morning, we were visited by our friend Anu. Mia was delighted to meet her, and even let Anu take her for a walk around the house. They had a lot of fun together. Later, our friend Anne stopped by to drop off a few things she thought we might find helpful, including an ExerSaucer. Just perfect for those times when you forgot something upstairs and you want to save your 47-year-old back one more round trip carrying the bambino. Anne warned us that kids either "love 'em or hate 'em." It didn't take us long to see which camp Mia fell in. Thank goodness!

Changes to this Blog

Now that Mia is so firmly rooted in our family, it doesn't seem right to call this blog, "Our Adoption Journey" anymore. I'll be changing the title and replacing Mia's referral photos with something more current.

The Seamy Underside of Mothering

I was viewing the blog published by one of the parents we traveled with in China. It was all sweetness and light, everyone is perfect. Not that I don't believe them, of course, but I happen to think that sometimes, talking about my mothering challenges makes for more interesting reading. Or, maybe I'm just trying to measure up to my friends Donna DiMenna and Marlys Aukee, who are so great about sharing the funny little incidents in their lives so that it is like I am right there with them.
I was talking to my friend Linda today when she commented, "Boy, you haven't missed out on any of the trials of parenting yet, have you?" She had just endured my account of today's little poopy adventure. You see, Mia has had diarrhea off and on for the past 6 days (but who's counting?). Since we haven't yet been able to find diapers that don't leak, she goes through (and I do mean "goes through") about 4 pairs of pants per day. I'm doing laundry constantly. Actually, Grandma Neumann has been mostly doing the laundry, but she went back to Minnesota today, so we're on our own.
Anyway, Mia's pediatrician said this could last a while, so today I broke down and went to the Carter's store to buy more pants for our little chickadee. Mia and I were having an enjoyable time in the store. She seemed to like looking up at the racks of colorful clothes from her stroller. I liked asking her, "Would you rather have this top in pink or lavender?" as if she'd express a preference. We'd picked out 4-5 pairs of pants and a 2-piece peach outfit that brings out the color of her big brown eyes. We'd set those things aside at the counter, and as we shopped the clearance rack for bargains, I let Mia hold one of the tops we were buying. Everybody was having fun when I heard that faint squirting sound again. We dashed to the counter and asked the clerk if there was anyplace I could change a baby. The clerk said we could use the employee bathroom, but then I realized the diaper bag was still in the car, so we rushed out to the parking lot to get it. As we left the store, a couple of women who were entering the store stared at us and I realized that Mia was still holding that shirt. We were now shoplifters. I made the snap decision that there wasn't time to go back into the store and assured the ladies, "We're coming back". After retrieving the diaper bag, I could see clear evidence that Mia would be needing a change of clothes, and I hadn't packed one in her diaper bag. Easy solved. As we glided back into the store and past the register, we picked up the peach outfit. The clerk was occupied, but I announced to another customer who was staring at us, "We'll be buying this."
Of course there was no changing table and Mia, whom as we've previously written hates having her diaper changed and despises being dressed, screamed most of the time until I found her musical toy cell phone in the diaper bag. I quickly put the soiled clothes in a ziplock bag and decided to leave the tags on the peach outfit so there'd be no doubt that we intended to pay for it. We quickly finished our shopping and high-tailed it out of there, praying we'd get home before the next diaper was needed. As I discussed the Carter's Caper with Linda, she commented that I have become much more flexible than I used to be. I suspect she is right.

One more story from today. After we got home from the store, I kept thinking I was hearing that sound again, but I kept checking Mia's diaper and it was clean. Eventually, I realized that she has learned how to make the sound with her mouth. You know, blowing little bubbles with her own spit. Really cute.

P.S. We drove Grandma Neumann to the airport this morning. We enjoyed her visit. She helped out in so many ways, including cooking, cleaning, and the aforementioned laundry. I appreciated her very tactful parenting suggestions, and I learned a lot from her. One thing I saw very clearly is that she really knows how to play with a baby, and I will do more of that. Mia loved every minute with her, and so did Jeff and I. Thanks, Mom!

Fun Times

Mia tried out her play tent yesterday. I think she likes it! (Too bad I didn't get a picture of Grandma Neumann and I trying to stuff the tent back into its 18 inch square sack.)

We had planned to go to church today for the first time since returning from China. That is, I had planned to go to church. When I told Jeff, he looked at me and said something to the effect of, "Are you out of your mind?" (He was much kinder than that, but that was the gist of it.) As soon as he said it, I realized how unworkable it would be. Fantasy, meet reality.

Fantasy = I imagine people admiring my darling daughter after the service. (I never considered that we'd have to sit quietly through the service before this could happen.)

Reality = The only time Mia is not moving constantly (and frequently screaming when she is kept from going exactly where she wants to go) is when she is asleep.

At this point, we can't very well put her in the infant care room, assuming such a thing exists. Nor would we want to. And what would be the point? It wouldn't fulfill my fantasy! So, we decided to go to the zoo with Grandma Neumann instead. No "inside voices" required, and the stroller keeps things moving without us having to run after Mia.

The Atlanta zoo is a very nice zoo, not too big for a toddler-centered outing (i.e., about 1 hour). They have a year-old panda named Mei Lan, a nice petting zoo, some adorable little monkeys darting around in the trees right over your head, and a cool covey of meerkats. Mia displayed mild (and brief) interest in a few of the animals, including the flamingoes, sheep (which she petted very tentatively), pigs, and warthogs. But what interested her most was seeing other children; the closer to her age, the better. Clearly we need to get out more often.

Mia's Likes and Dislikes

Mia is a rather intense little girl, and she has strong likes and dislikes. We saw some things right away, while other preferences are still emerging.
Likes: The color blue. Eating. Crackers. Looking at her own toes. Putting her socks in her mouth. Crawling at top speed (aided by her new Stride-Rite "pre-walker" shoes). Listening to music. Taking all the books off the bottom shelf of her book shelf. Chasing after Sam. Taking a bath. Anything electronic that lights up (especially Blackberries and iPods). Her green blankie. The pink stuffed poodle that rattles. The musical toy we call "bride of Chuckie" due to its red blinking eyes.
Dislikes: Being diapered. Getting dressed. Waiting for anything or anyone. Being spoon-fed (she permitted it in China, but once we got home it was all over). Pretending we are torturing her when we are giving her Keflex even though we can tell she likes the taste. Pajamas with feet.

This pajamas with feet thing took us a while to figure out, and it is still a little speculative at this point. Mia hadn't been sleeping through the night as she had in China, and we couldn't figure it out. We tried a lot of different things (including buying a twin bed so one of us could sleep where she could see us), but nothing was working. We did notice that she thrashed around a lot in her crib, and was always stretching out her feet and legs as if she were uncomfortable. Yesterday, Jeff observed that on the nights she'd slept soundly, she was almost always wearing the one pair of pajamas that didn't have feet. I'd been avoiding using those pj's (which had been a desperation purchase at a Wal-Mart in Nanchang) because I was afraid her little tootsies would get cold. Besides, they button up the front, which only lengthens the time Mia struggles against getting dressed. Yesterday, after Jeff advanced his theory, I went right to the Carter's store and bought a couple more pairs of pj's without feet. Guess what? Last night was the first night she didn't wake up in 2 weeks. I have high hopes for tonight.

Perfectly Mia

Here is one last photo from our trip to the backyard. This perfectly captures Mia's curiosity and intensity. Also that she is just adorable.

Mia Meets Her Backyard

Today was a lovely autumn day in Atlanta, sunny and 72 degrees. I took Mia out to the backyard for the first time. We started out in the wagon. When I let her loose, she crawled at top speed toward the steep downhill part of the backyard. She's fast, but I'm faster, so no problem there. She loved the grass, the falling leaves, and watching the dog run around.

Mia's First Week at Home

Mia and her parents had an interesting week. After catching up with our sleep on Sunday, we headed to the pediatrician on Monday morning to have the abscess on Mia's forehead drained. The Dr. said it should be done under sedation, so she sent us to the Emergency Room. That turned into a 7 hour trip. While there, they did a chest X-ray because Mia's breathing was a little wheezy. When we followed up with the Dr.'s office on Wednesday, they sent us to the hospital. Mia had a minor case of pneumonia, but because the risk of TB is high in Mia's former country, they wanted to rule that out. After 3 days of tests including a chest CT scan, Mia was discharged today. The staff Children's Hospital of Atlanta were wonderful, but we were in an isolation ward, which was particularly boring. Did I say boring? Actually, we showered Mia with lots of undivided attention. Jeff and I took turns, so she was never left alone, day or night. I think she liked it. Several of the doctors commented on how well Mia has bonded with us already. Anyway, all three of us (and Sam) are glad to be home and sleeping in our own beds tonight.

Mia's gross motor skills continue to improve at a rapid rate. She crawls very fast, can pull herself up to a standing position even on unstable surfaces (like the couch), and stands for a long time while steadying herself with one hand on a stationary object. She can walk a few wobbly steps with support. Grandma Neumann is coming for a week-long visit on Tuesday, so it is possible she will see Mia's first steps.

Outplay. Outwit. Outlast.

... Mainly outlast. We survived the 27 hour trip from Hong Kong to Atlanta,  arriving home at 9 p.m. Saturday.  The highlight of the trip was our 4 hour layover in Mpls, where Mia became a U.S. citizen, then minutes later met all her grandparents and some of her aunts, uncles, and cousins. (And I had a frappucino.)  They provided new toys that Mia played with all the way to Atlanta.  We all slept until noon today.  After installing the car seat, we're off to Babies 'R Us to get lots of things we had no idea we'd need before we got Mia.  Mia loves exploring her new house.  She is crawling everywhere and pulling herself up on various pieces of furniture. We haven't figured out how to keep her out of the dog's water dish yet. Sam will arrive later this afternoon. That should be interesting.

Mia is a U.S. Citizen

We landed at MSP airport around noon. Just a few minutes later, the Immigration officer unsealed the documents known as "the brown envelope", and .Mia became a citizen. Since we had a 4 hour layover in MSP, .Mia's grandparents and some of her aunts and cousins were there to greet us.  They all agreed she is one cutie-patootie. .Mia thoroughly enjoyed the attention.  .Mommy thoroughly enjoyed her first frappucino in weeks.
It has been a long day of travel. We started out in Hong Kong, flew to Tokyo, then MSP. We're anxious to get home to Atlanta tonight.

We're in Hong Kong

This morning we said a bittersweet.good-bye to our Chinese guide Veronica and the other 7 families with whom we shared this journey of a lifetime. These 10 little girls (ages 6 months to 17 months) don't realize it yet, but their bond will be life-long. We have committed to keeping in touch, and there is no doubt we will follow through. While our little girls will be princesses in the States, we are very cognizant of what they leave behind. 
This morning we flew to Hong Kong.  We are spending the night in a tiny but pleasant.hotel near the airport. Early in the a.m., we'll start our 24 hour trip home. 
Mia has a nasty boil on her forehead, poor girl.  She is a trooper. It needs to be drained, but the physicians recommended we wait until we get to Atlanta. Wish us luck tomorrow!

The "Red Couch" Photo

It is a tradition to take a photo of the girls sitting on the red couch at the White Swan Hotel, dressed in traditional Chinese outfits. Mia's outfit is a lovely red silk number purchased in Beijing. We're not sure how we got Mia to sit still this long, since she is a perpetual motion machine. Notice that we have 2 sets of twins in our group. That guarantees that our group receives lots of attention wherever we go.