Red Couch Day and We're Coming HOME !!!!

Dear all,


I got this email earlier. All the little girls were at the Big Red Couch, but Sandra tells the story better than myself. So far, everyone is on schedule for their return today. They should leave arrive here about 9:30.

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(From Sandra) Chloe Yun-Yun is fabulous and quite the charmer. She has an incredible personality, at times we joke how it can go either way, from a cry to smile as she can be a hair-pin trigger, but each day she is developing more and more. She really is a happy baby and her cries don't last long. My hope and prayer is that her evenings get easier and quicker for her to go to sleep. She is doing better with the grieving and fighting sleep stage, especially if she gets either one long and one short nap or two good naps in a day. Other than that, she loves to entertain, it's quite funny how we have to separate her and my mom at bedtime because she loves to get my mom chatting with her baby talk, anything to prolong sleep and it's hard not to be amused with her little antics right now. My mom and sister are the most incredible help. I just don't know how I'll every be able to thank them. Chloe seems to be attaching to me very well, and she's starting to distinguish me from my mom and sister as her primary caregiver. Bonding is an amazing process, and I realize it will still take many months to get the attachment level I desire for her deepest trust and comfort.

Because photos say it best, this will be full of pics!

Monday was the oath ceremony at the American consulate in Guangzhou, Grandma kept telling Chloe Yun-Yun that she was going to see "Mr. General" (aka the Consulate General). Most of the event was anti-climatic and involved sitting or standing in line. We never did see or hear "Mr General," but rather the adoption officer stationed at this consulate. (Shout out to Allie - for Chloe, it was almost a waste of good outfit day! Ok, especially since her planned red, white blue outfit didn't fit, let's just say, baby got back...hehehe) It was special though as it reminded me of the day many, many years ago when my mother got her American citizenship and we went to the ceremony. I was very young but I remember glimpses of that momentous occasion that allowed my sister to also become a naturalized citizen and attend American schools. Who would have thought that over 40 years later, my family would be in a similar situation only half-way around the world? The final step is for Chloe to touch American soil, and her citizenship will be complete.

Tuesday was a day I've read about on blogs for years, so it was very special also. It was the Big Red Couch photo day. The White Swan Hotel is known for having these red-fabric couches and it is a long-standing tradition for adoptive families to have pictures taken on the couches. (It's also a tradition for most of the families to stay at the White Swan Hotel while they are at Guangzhou doing the official USA paperwork at the consulate.) We picked out a brightly colored Chinese dress for Yun-Yun. Karen had wondered if we would need to add an "expander" to the waistline but we decided she could make it for a couple of hours in the skirt. Grandma pressed the dress while Chloe Yun-Yun decided she would take a nap for about 30 min before we needed to be downstairs. Uhm, not the best timing! But we knew once she was awake from her catnap she would love seeing the other kids. We even took pictures of her getting ready for the occasion and she loved the attention.

The babies did fabulous as they were set on the couch and the older adopted children were so precious and brave sitting in front of the couch. I'll attach a couple of pics from the red couch photo day and soon I need to post some of the out-takes to show that Yun-Yun isn't quite all the smiles!

After a quick change, we out and about shopping on Shamian Island. Love to all and looking forward to introducing Chloe Yun-Yun to you!

Sandra