Isabelle makes eight!

Our daily bingo game...and the winner is Kevin! Notice Nick found himself a job!

2011-04-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

more easter....

2011-04-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

EASTER INS MEXICO!

2011-04-24T19:59:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day in Mexico!

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Nick jumping into the pool

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Pool bingo, volleyball and fun at Coral Baja

2011-04-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

San Jose del Cabo for a little shopping and back to Coral Baja for lunch

2011-04-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

more from Friday evening...

2011-04-15T19:36:00.000-07:00

Friday evening in San Jose del Cabo

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2010-01-23T05:32:00.000-08:00

2010-01-23T05:19:00.000-08:00

2010-01-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

2010-01-23T04:43:00.000-08:00

2010-01-22T15:41:00.000-08:00

La Manzanilla, Mexico

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Isabelle loves the beach!

2009-08-22T10:05:00.001-07:00

August 13th....Birthday photos!

2009-08-22T09:55:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Isabelle

2009-08-13T21:51:00.001-07:00

Our sweet baby girl is three years old today! What a year it has been. I will post photos tomorrow.

Last day in Mexico...

2009-07-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

We had a great week in Mexico, we are rested and ready to go home. Miss the kids and enough lounging at the pool in 100 degree weather! Isabelle has become quite a good little swimmer. She loves the water. She is very friendly and makes new pool friends each day.

Best wishes to my dad today with his surgery...see you soon.

Seven more hours and we will on the jet plane home!

Sweet!

2009-07-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

Another sunny day in Mexico

2009-07-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

pool time

2009-07-28T06:50:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Sardina Cantina, San Jose del Cabo

2009-07-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

Dinner in San Jose del Cabo

2009-07-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

Isabelle was not going to cooperate at dinner....we used a little bribery. SPRITE...with a straw! She loved it....

One year with Isabelle

2009-07-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

Hola!
Kevin, Isabelle and I are down is sunny San Jose del Cabo Mexico, relaxing and celebrating our one year anniversary with Isabelle. She loves the pool and is becoming a great underwater swimmer. She seems to be sticking to pasta and not interested in trying any mexican food. She loves the beach as long as we don't get too close the the huge, loud, crashy waves. She has learned to quickly put on a pouty face and dad will buy her a new dress or bracelet. I will try and post more photos today.
Adios...

more photos of mexico

2009-07-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

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Saturday night photos....

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Isn't she sweet?

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a few more from Grace....

2009-04-10T08:34:00.000-07:00

Grace has been busy with her camera!

2009-04-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

just a little more fun...

2009-04-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

more Las Vegas fun....

2009-04-10T07:35:00.001-07:00

LAS VEGAS...Isabelle's first family vacation!

2009-04-10T07:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from our first family trip with Isabelle. We are in Las Vegas for one week staying at a condo. Grandma Ann and Aunt Addie are along for the adventure!

Isabelle home 7 months

2009-03-12T10:50:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe we brought Isabelle home just over 7 months ago. The change in her is amazing. She has grown a couple inches and gained 6 pounds. She almost weighs as much as her sisters. I think she will end up being much taller then her older sisters. She has learned to eat many different foods. So far no veggies, only apple, grapes, canned peaches for fruit, variety of meat, cheese, proteins...of course crackers, no cereal or breads. As far as sweets and dessert, she loves chocolate, candy or gum...that is about it. She only drinks soy milk in her bottle and water in a cup. She now drinks soy milk from a bottle with the smallest nipple hole. This is great for her oral muscles she was never able to develop with the huge hole that was cut in her nipple (and filled with rice cereal and formula mix). She now loves and is very attached to her bottle and her yaya (target baby washcloth). She came to us not walking well and pretty weak. She now walks well, runs, jumps, swings, slides, ride bikes, dances, climbs...did I say climbs? Yes, she can get anything down by climbing or finding a chair to climb on, the girl is resourceful and determined! She has amazed me in her development. She is a very strong willed, out going little girl (like sister Madeline), she does everything they do and then some. She misses NOTHING! She copies EVERYTHING! She has learned so much in such a short period of time. She and Madeline get along great most of the time. Neither one is willing to give in...both want what they want and NOW! On the other hand Grace is the best big sister ever, maybe I should say little mother. She is so good and kind to Isabelle is amazes me. The three older boys are all wonderful with her...she crazy about all three of them. As far and bonding and attachment...all is well.

I will back up a bit and summarize 0ur adjustment over the past 7 months. It has been very hard. Much harder then our adjustment with Grace and Madeline. Isabelle has been sick most of the time. She spends so much time on antibiotics, it is crazy. She is now being test for primary ciliary dyskinesia, which the Pulmonary doctor is sure she has. It is very common in people with situs inversus. This explains why she gets sick often, has a chronic wet cough and runny nose. I feel so much better now that we have learned how to manage her illnesses. Feels like we now have better quality of life!

As far as sleep, she still wakes many times per night. I hold her to sleep and then lay her in her crib (which is next to my bed). When she wakes in the night, she comes into our bed. Where at times she sleeps more peacefully then other times. Last night was hard....so much crying. I am still trying to figure out WHY!

Isabelle always has a face for the camera!

2009-03-12T10:40:00.000-07:00

Trying to get a family photo....

2009-03-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

Grandpa with the gang!

2009-03-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

Grace, Isabelle, Nicholas and Andrew

2009-03-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

Isabelle and Madeline

2009-03-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Isabelle's favorite hair style!

2009-01-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

First Christmas with Isabelle

2009-01-01T17:23:00.000-08:00

Having fun....

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What a beautiful smile!

2008-09-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

Isabelle's favorite book...the 2007/2008 school yearbook

2008-09-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

Isabelle trying a little rock climbing!

2008-09-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

Kids enjoying their new sister!

2008-09-06T15:46:00.001-07:00

First day of Kindergarten for Madeline

2008-09-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

Happy 5th Birthday Madeline Luella ZhiXin

2008-09-06T15:37:00.000-07:00

Madeline turned five years old on September 2nd!

Home one month today!

2008-09-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

Isabelle has been home on Lopez for one month! It has been a difficult month. Isabelle has been sick 95% of the time. She is finally starting to feel better. Still has a bit of a cough and runny nose. We are still doing breathing treatments twice a day. We will see the cardiologist this month at Children's Hospital...hope the visit brings us good news. Kevin took almost all the kids, and one friend to the Western Washington Fair this weekend. I have been home with Madeline and Isabelle. It has been a great time for the two of them to get to know each other better. Madeline feels like she is in charge with out Nick and Grace around. Nick and Grace are great helpers with Isabelle...but, poor Madeline gets left out. They spend their days helping with Isabelle and Madeline has really felt left out and displaced. We had a lot of tears the first few days we arrived home. Madeline turns five tomorrow and starts Kindergarten on Wednesday...she is so excited and ready for school. She is already reading little books to me at night. It will be nice have just Madeline and Isabelle home for the mornings, as Kindergarten is 12:00-3:00 each day.

I will try to update again soon.

Another hot day in Guangzhou, China

2008-07-30T01:15:00.000-07:00

Lunch anyone?

2008-07-30T01:14:00.001-07:00

another smoggy day in Guangzhou

2008-07-29T22:02:00.000-07:00

Our hotel and the hotel toilets...much nicer and cleaner then others around town

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Pearl river...I saw this man catch a goldfish with his hands!

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Roman Catholic Church built in 1892

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Children play & adults exercise in the park...Andrew & Kevin give it a try!

2008-07-29T21:38:00.000-07:00

Isabelle's new squeaky shoes! We bought two sizes.

2008-07-29T21:36:00.001-07:00

More photos from medical appointment

2008-07-28T22:51:00.000-07:00

Medical Appointment Photos

2008-07-28T22:45:00.001-07:00

Medical Appointment

2008-07-28T22:28:00.000-07:00

This morning we had our medical appointment for the visa. Isabelle is 25 lbs and 34 inches tall. Two doctors listened to her heart. Neither one heard the heart murmur...the ASD must have closed. This is great news...looks like no heart surgery. We had Mr. Li call the orphanage and ask about the scar on her spine. They said it was from a boil, very common with the orphange children. Isabelle had a boil on her head that was healing when we received her.

Our trip to the orphange has been cancelled do to Isabelle being so sick. Of course now she is doing much better. Today is like we have a new Isabelle. I can already tell that our 16 hour plane trip home is not going to be as easy as I originally thought!

After our medical appointment we all went to Starbucks to fill out our paperwork for the visa with Mr. Li. It was completely crazy with the kids all running around. Made it very difficult to fill out paperwork. Tomorrow Mr.Li takes our paperwork to the American Consulate. We must wait in our room until he calls us. Just in case there are any questions. We go to the American Consulate on Thursday for the swearing in and pick up visa's one hour later. We fly out Friday...and we are now very ready. Really missing our kids at home.

Morning of the medical appointment

2008-07-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

Monday night in Guangzhou, China

2008-07-28T05:27:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Isabelle was not feeling well. She would not drink or eat much of anything. At about 11:30pm I woke up to find her burning up with a fever next to me (in my arm). Her temp was 104.7, gave her some Tylenol. She woke many more times through the night. Kevin and Andrew went to the mountain park with Nick and Rebecca at 9:00am. Isabelle and I stayed in the hotel all day. She finally started to feel a little better at the end of the day. We went to the Cow and Bridge for Thai food. We sat next to Bunny and family. Isabelle really came out of her shell tonight. She sat in the highchair or the first time at dinner. She chatted away in Chinese, smiling at everyone. She was so happy. At the end of dinner I handed her the rest of my rice with curry and she ate a few pieces of rice. THIS IS HUGE PROGRESS! After dinner we went to Jordan's make a few more purchases. Jordan could speak a little of the language spoken in Zhuhai (his grandfather was from there). When he would speak to her she would just light up...it was wonderful. On our way back to the hotel, Isabelle wanted to get down and walk holding my hand. THIS IS A FIRST! She has only gotten off my lap twice at Starbucks for a moment. So we are making great progress. Our airplane ride home may not be quite as easy as I had thought.

Tomorrow is our medical at 10:00am....hope to post more photos then.

Special day for Nick and Rebecca

2008-07-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

Today was a special day! Bunny's son, Nick and his girlfriend Rebecca are now engaged. Nick proposed to Rebecca today while they were all at the mountain park! Bunny is in our adoption group. She is also adopting her 8th child, Jack age three. He is so cute and full of life.

More photos from today

2008-07-28T05:18:00.000-07:00

more park photos...100 degree weather

2008-07-28T00:25:00.000-07:00

more park photos from today

2008-07-28T00:18:00.000-07:00

Kevin & Andrew went to a mountain park today

2008-07-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

China's power company workers

2008-07-27T23:57:00.000-07:00

Some traffic

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Look at the air quality today

2008-07-27T01:22:00.000-07:00

Things for sale at the market...

2008-07-27T01:17:00.000-07:00

Taking a look around Guangzhou

2008-07-27T01:10:00.000-07:00

Only five more days in China!

2008-07-26T22:20:00.001-07:00

Okay. I am ready to come home now. I am finished with my shopping and getting tired of eating out 2-3 meals per day. I really miss my kids and can't wait for Isabelle to meet her new family. Today is 103 degrees, humid and very gray air, can't see very far across the city. The pollution is getting worse every day. We really need some rain here. They say it might rain on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We all woke up with headaches, stuffy and funky eyes. The pollution is really getting to us. Isabelle is still has stuff coming out of her nose and coughing. I hope she gets better before we leave friday. I think I might need to ask Cathy for one more bottle of antibiotics. She is becoming more and more talkative and smilely everday, yet she still only wants mom. I now feel for those parents I saw on my last trip, where the child favored one parent. It makes it hard to bath or go to the bathroom, let alone eat a meal. I love her so much but, wow....holding her 22 hours per day gets tiring in this heat. Isabelle is a lot like a one year old yet, some things more like a two year old. She will now throw herself on the floor and pout if I don't pick her up immedietly. If I try to make her walk with me to the bedroom or bathroom, at times she lays down on the floor and will sob until I pick her up. She will refuse to walk. As far as food she is still having formula with rice cereal in the bottle every 3 or 4 hours. She will eat a saltine cracker, gerber puffs, coco rice crispies and sometimes drink a yogurt drink with a staw. Today she wanted my iced latte. She enjoy two sips before I cut her off...it was almost nap time. Andrew was suprised that she would like coffee...he hates it. She will take a sip of water or juice from a regular cup, a sip of water from a water bottle. We off other foods to her at meal time fruit, egg, noodles etc. she just closes her mouth and turns her head. If I give her them in a little bowl of her own , she put the food back on my plate. She will drink with a staw. So when we get home we can make up some smoothies , soups etc and maybe she will suck them up. We will need to buy a highchair with a tray for sure. More posting later...the queen just woke up.

Isabelle got off my lap for a couple sips of an iced latte at Starbucks today!

2008-07-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

More White Swan and look who likes Starbucks!!!!!!

2008-07-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

Today we made a trip over to the White Swan to see the fish

2008-07-26T22:03:00.000-07:00

Mommy trimmed my bangs!

2008-07-25T22:41:00.000-07:00

You can choose your dinner fresh at this restaurant!

2008-07-25T22:31:00.000-07:00

More of day four

2008-07-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

Andrew & Isabelle on Day 4

2008-07-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

A little update from Guangzhou

2008-07-24T23:58:00.000-07:00

Today is friday in Guangzhou. It is very humid and in the high 90's...a bit hot for me. Andrew is up at the roof top pool, Kevin out shopping and Isabelle napping. We are all having a wonderful time in Guangzhou. It is so nice not to be packing up and moving every few days. Much more relaxing. Isabelle is doing better and better everyday. She was very quiet at first and I could not put her down, velcro baby. She will now get down on the floor and play with her toys or sit on the couch next to me. She does prefer to be in the Ergo baby carrier. She knows she is safe in that...no one can hold her! Kevin and Andrew can still not hold her, she will kiss them, give them five and thinks they are both funny....but, do not try and PICK ME UP! She was so well behaved the first few nights on my lap at dinner. What a treat that was. As of last night she is a regular amercian baby, grabbing everything is sights and banging anything she can reach. When I am not looking her hand was in the back pack, pulling things out. This morning I was finally able to get her to sit in the highchair at breakfast. She at a couple bites of coco rice crispies, a saltine and drank a yogurt drink with a straw....amazing. She was afraid to have her clothes off for the first few days. I would just let her sleep in her day clothes. She also cried to have her diaper changed. We have now moved passed that. This morning she enjoyed lounging around in a diaper and playing with her belly! No more crying for diaper and clothing changes. She is still mainly drinking formula with rice cereal in her special bottle with a huge hole in the nipple. I would say it is sucked down in less then one minute. During the day when we are out, she will drink straight formula in a regular nipple bottle. But, she much enjoys the rice cerelal/formula bottles. She weighs 24 lbs and could really use to gain some weight as well as muscle. She is a noodle baby. When she walks, she looks like a new one year old walker. The wind could blow her over. She likes her shoes. We bought her ten pairs today. She had to have a pair of red shiney ones...she would not put them down. Andrew says red is her color. Grace is pink and Madeline purple. Andrew picked out several beautiful red shoes for her. Today is was saying several chinese words over and over. I must find out what they mean. She also has learned mama, dada, byby, no, ni for be nice, uh oh, waves goodbye, high five and loves to give you a kiss on the lips. She is learning pat a cake and how big is Isabelle. She sees quite smart, yet developmentally behind (maybe about one year). She reminds me a bit of Grace, I think if she could crawl inside me...she would. She came to us with a fever, cough and running nose, boil on her head and a weird scar and lump on her lower spine. I started her on Zithromax on Monday, her fever is gone, nose is better, lump on spine is gone (maybe it was another boil) but, still cough in her chest. We will get that checked out when we get home. So far I have giver her only one fast bath. She does not like the tub. I took her up to the pool yesterday. She loved watching Andrew and Kevin swim. As I figured, no was was she putting her foot or even her hand in the very nice warm pool. I have never felt such a wonderful warm pool. The pool in on the roof top with a beautiful view. At night the city is beautiful with all the lights and light show along the river. We are staying in a lovely business suite on the 7Th floor of the Victory Hotel. We are in the new Victory. From our bedroom we have a view an aviary with pigeons, peacocks and a goat on the roof top. Andrew and Kevin might head to the Zoo on Sunday. I think it might be too hot for me to have Isabelle outside all afternoon. She sweats like crazy the moment we head out and all night as we sleep. I am looking forward to tomorrow morning, we meet our travel group for coffee at Starbucks. This is a very comfy Starbucks. Very large, lots of comfy chairs , wireless Internet and AC...what more could you ask for. This past week we finished up all our adoption paperwork as far as China. Now on Tuesday we go for the medical, Wednesday to the American Consulate for visa, orphanage on Thursday....home Friday!

Finally comfortable with her clothes off and in the highchair!

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2008-07-24T03:58:00.000-07:00

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Notary office

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2nd day of paper work

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First night at our room!

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Isabelle takes a quick nap while we wait to fill out paperwork

2008-07-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

Dad & Andrew hold Isabelle for the first time

2008-07-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

Trying to catch up...more photos!

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There she is!

2008-07-22T19:41:00.000-07:00

Day two with BaoBao

2008-07-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

We made it through the first night with Isabelle! I fed her a bottle of thick rice cereal and milk and she fell asleep. She slept in my arm all night, cried out twice. We woke at 5:45 am (much better then3:45am the day before for Caroline). Since Isabelle will not let me put her down...no shower for Caroline, just off to a 10 minute breakfast before we took a cab to meet the other families. We finished up the adoption paperwork with China. Tomorrow we go to the police station to apply for her passport. Then to a walmart like store for supplies. I guess we need more bottles and rice cereal. We started Isabelle on antibiotics the first day. We are also giving her Tylenol for her fever. She has a nasty cough and running nose. I hope she feels better tomorrow. So far she will only try Gerber puffs and a fish cracker occasionally. She refuses any other foods. We tried egg, rice, noodles, congee. I did get her to drink one yogurt drink with a straw! Isabelle is very sweet, quiet, yet full of smiles for Andrew. He even had her laughing tonight at dinner. She can walk but very noodle like. I would say her development is more like a one year old. She loves to copy everything Andrew does.

I will try to post a photo from this in room computer. I have not been able to get online at the hotel with my laptop. I will try Starbucks tomorrow. All of our photos are in the laptop.

We are really enjoying China and getting to know Isabelle.

Miss you all.

Caroline, Kevin, Andrew and Isabelle

We have Isabelle!

2008-07-21T05:52:00.000-07:00

We have Isabelle! She is a perfect little angel, very sweet. Everything has been very smooth. She is opening up more and more. She thinks Andrew is very funny. She seems to have a bit of a cough. She has only been fed bottles of formula with rice cereal mixed in. I think it is going to be a bit of a challenge getting her to eat food. I tried cereal with a spoon tonight...no way would she eat it.

We need to go to bed now...early morning tomorrow...more paperwork.

Will post photos tomorrow.

Tina, I gave Mrs. Zhong your envelope.

Caroline

We are in China

2008-07-19T21:18:00.001-07:00

Ni Hao!
We arrived at the Victory Hotel about 1:00am. All flights went well , yet we were all exhausted. Andrew had never been this tired! We ended up with a Japanese Style Business Suite. We all climbed into the kings size Japanese bed and were out. Kevin and Caroline were wide awake at 6:00am, Andrew slept until 9:00am. Since our room was dark and smelled musty, we changed rooms. We are now in a nice Western Style Business suite, it smells good and is light and bright. We even have two windows with a view! Having a computer with internet in the room is such a bonus. After changing rooms we headed down to the breakfast buffet. Then back to the room to unpack. We are now heading out to buy water and look around, it is about 12:35 pm here now.

Tomorrow is our big day. We meet Mr. Li and the other families at 2:00pm at the Holiday Inn. Then off to get Isabelle! We are so ready!

We will try to post again later.

Miss you all.
Caroline

Off to the airport

2008-07-18T11:32:00.001-07:00

Caroline, Kevin and Andrew are off to the airport! Our flight leaves in just a few hours. We are packed and ready. We will try to post during our lay over in Japan.

Leaving in one week!

2008-07-11T18:53:00.000-07:00

We are leaving in one week! We are busy cleaning house, packing and filling the freezer with meals. My mom will come stay with four of our children. We are taking one with us to China. Stay tuned.....