Our first week home

We have been home from China for just over a week. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. With the boys in school, our life is in full swing. Doug, Kailahni and myself seem to be adjusted to U.S. time...more or less. That jet lag was a real butt kicker.

Most of my friends and family have now had a chance to meet the baby. She seems to love all the attention she is getting. Everyone is so excited to finally have her home. Jacob and Benjamin are wonderful with her. They love her to pieces. They laugh at every little thing she does. Watching the three of them play together is a riot. It's one big, giant screamfest. The three of them roll around on the floor together and scream with laughter...it's adorable. The boys are already trying to teach her naughty things....like shaking her head "no" when you ask her anything. They think it's hilarious to ask her, "Is Mommy your favorite?"...she shakes her head "no"...they laugh (positive reinforcement for not so positive behavior) and then they ask her another question. They can do this for hours.

Her pediatrician visit went great. She now weighs 15 lbs, 9 ozs. She'll see him again next month for another weight check and blood work. We are working on switching her to U.S. formula. She seems to be handling the change well. We are also trying to introduce as many solid foods as we can. She still struggles a bit with solids, so we have jarred baby food to help ensure that she's getting enough fruits and vegetables.

I still can't believe she is home. I can't believe the wait is over. I can't believe we went to China. We've been looking at our pictures from the trip and reliving so much of our time spent there with our family and friends. That's been a lot of fun because the trip goes by so fast that you forget all that you did and saw. I feel endeared to that country. I will always treasure the time we spent there and do my best to inculcate into Kailahni a sense of pride in the place where she came from. China will be in our hearts forever and the people, especially the children, of China in our prayers.