Welcome to the family kiddo UPDATE!!!!

Well, it turns out that she won't be putting "missed my first birthday" on my fault list but she may put "sent me a first birthday cake."

We are so thrilled to have updated pictures and ones on the day she turned 1!

Welcome to the family kiddo!

Nyah,
You might as well know from the get-go that you are not going to have a perfect mommy... far from it. I'm sure you were going to figure that out soon enough from your siblings so I might as well just put it out there now.

I noticed earlier this week that in the two emails I sent to the company who is arranging your birthday cake that I had typed two different birthdates. The first time I was accurate and in the 2nd email, well, I made a typo and not wanting to 'cause a fuss, I figured I would just let it go. I'm thinking that they used the second date since I haven't heard anything.

So, years from now, when your first birthday pictures (I hope we get some) have 3/17/08 printed on them, well, you can just add it to the list of things your mom has done wrong in your life! :)

Maybe you can just consider it stretching out the celebration!!? :)

Love,
Mommy

Marking the time in an adoption...

When you are pregnant, the countdown to baby time can be counted in doctors appointments.

In this adoption, it is all about tracking packages... FedEx and DHL to be exact. On Monday I had 5 packages being tracked online and I am down to 3, with one on the delivery truck so it will be crossed off the list momentarily. I get so excited when I see a change online but my fingers are tired from constantly hitting refresh.

Kate

Nyah Kate Jinpei turns 1!

Happy birthday Nyah! I imagine you are sleeping right now... or at least you should be (it is the 13th in China... 12 hours ahead of here). Sometime today you should be receiving a package and, hopefully, a beautiful birthday cake. We look forward to celebrating your future birthdays with you instead of from a distance!

Hugs and Kisses,

Dad, Mom, Caleb, Price, Evan & Brynn

WE GOT IT!!!!!!!!

I knew when we went to get fingerprinted that I annoyed the USCIS door monitor though I still do not think it was my fault that a wind gust happened as I opened the door to walk inside and as a result, his papers sitting on his poorly positioned desk went flying everywhere. It is clear to me now that one of his job duties must be to bring the USCIS mail to the post office and that he is the revenge-seeker and not the mailperson I suspected yesterday. Our I-171h came today and was dated February 22nd (3 days after fingerprinting) but wasn't mailed until 13 days after that!

BUT IT IS HERE AND WE ARE HAPPY CAMPERS!!! It will be off for authentication on Monday! Another step checked off the list!

Kate

Zip, Zero, Nada (whine warning!!!)

Rereading the letter from USCIS that says 7-10 days (10 business days was Tuesday) over and over has not helped anything keep moving forward.

Painting and decorating the girls' room pink and purple has not helped anything happen.

Sprinting to the mailbox at first sight of the mail car has not worked either. In fact, I think the mailperson is either scared of me now or is seeking revenge since he/she (substitute today, adding to my theory) came an hour and a half later than normal today and dropped mail in the box of the house to my left and to my right without so much as slowing down in between. We didn't even get a catalog and as much as I keep looking out my window hoping he/she realizes her mistake, I'm pretty certain the mailperson is not coming back today.

I know something at some point in this adoption process will work smoothly and quicker than average. I would be thrilled with just average.

Okay, done whining now.

Hopefully we will get great pictures next week for Nyah's birthday and hopefully, if the form shows up, we can expedite everything and be DTC before Easter.

Kate

Spoiling from overseas!

I placed an order today to have a birthday cake deliverd to JinPei on her birthday. Here is part of the email response I got from the wonderful woman in China who will make it happen:

"I think that birthday package for her this time will be good, you can order other stuff for her next time, this way she always can get stuff from you and she will think that she is spoiled by her new parents too."

Isn't that the sweetest sales pitch ever!!!?? It made me smile which was great since I was definitely frowning when I realized stalking the mailperson today didn't help get my final paperwork from immigration here... hopefully tomorrow!

Kate