Settling In Nicely

Hi all,

Sorry we've been lax with posting, but we've been settling in past the jet lag and getting Emily on schedule. She mostly sleeps through the night now, with just an occasionally waking. If rubbing her belly doesn't get her back to sleep, one of us pulls her onto the spare bed and cuddles her. She drifts back to sleep within minutes, she's such a good girl.

Mealtime continues to be a struggle. Emily has refused everything but a bottle since we got her, so tonight was a breakthrough. While distracting Emily with her new animal puzzle--THANKS Steve, Sue, Shane and Keynan!!--Mommy managed to smear Emily's mouth with Gerber beef then sweet potatoes. Yum! But look at that puss! (It's actually her tasting the food. I have to say, I'm impressed with the beef and gravy flavor.)


Emily was annoyed, but instead of the usual screaming, her little tongue darted out and swiped from side to side like a windshield wiper. She liked it! Neigh!! went the horse, smear went the sweet potatoes, and swipe swipe went little Emily's tongue! What a relief...and what a happy ending...at least for tonight. Tamara is anutha day...

Here are a few more pictures for you to enjoy.

Emily playing with Nigel. Nigel likes to grab anything Emily plays with. Here he just let go of her wooden spoon, which tickled Emily to no end.

Our little munchkin.

Natalie, a friend and soon-to-be adoptive mom from the local Families with Asian Children (FAC) group.

Ernest, Natalie's husband, and little Emily. Ernest makes great faces, which Emily really enjoyed.


















The Winterich Homecoming
Today Daddy did some bonding time with Emily while Mommy drove to Orlando to welcome home friends Lisa and Jeff with their newly adopted daughter, Taylor Grace. Taylor is a munchkin, weighing less than 14 pounds at 10 months old. She's so adorable! What a head of hair! And look at the size of her in Daddy's arms!

Mommy Lisa with Taylor Grace.

Emily and Taylor will be playmates, along with Abigail Bolton (we travelled back from China with the Boltons). Pardon me for borrowing Cindy and Russ's photos, but I wanted to show you the Boltons, who have become dear friends through this process.

Here Cindy and I met outside the elevators at the White Swan Hotel for a few minutes before we are whisked off to different group activities. Abigail looks lovely, with her heart-shaped lips. Emily is sleeping, it figures!

Russ Bolton plays with Emily. She's so serious! He did have her smiling--it's just hard to get it quickly on film.

In a few short months, we can add Ernest and Natalie's little one, and Scott and Melissa Braun's to our play group! And of course, there are all the wonderful FAC group kids, who we'll be seeing on August 13th (we'll take pictures).

In fact, the other day I showed Emily a blond baby doll and then an Asian one. She showed fear of the blonde doll until it greeted her in Mandarin with Mommy's help (head bow then "Ni Hao", or "How are you?". It really works.) When I showed her the Itty Bitty Asian doll, however, Emily smiled immediately at it and touched it all over. She definitely recognized a familiar face.

A big HI to the baby girls and their families from Travel Group 802--we really miss y'all, and hope the girls are thriving. They definitely were before we left China. :)

Take care,

Caroline (the Mommy)