China Adoption....Our Journey to Jaden

We're on a roll now!

I have figured out video!  There's no stopping me now.  Well, the ten month old in our house might stop me, but other than that... 

I have put together a five minute clip of our girl's first few days at home and leading up to our trip home.  You'll see many smiles in this clip.  Pray that she stays happy.  She's currently struggling for the first time since we met her.  She's not sleeping well and we can tell that she's in pain.  She was diagnosed with bilateral ear infections last week and she has finished her antibiotics.  We see a nurse practitioner tonight and her doctor again on Monday.  Ibuprofin is working but it wears off too soon. 

It's amazing to us how similar she is to Valerie in terms of her medical status.  In addition to everything else she has significant reflux.  It feels great to have complete faith in our physician.  We've been down this road before.  We'll sit back and let Dr. Horvath manage her.  On occasion I've bucked his advice and I have ALWAYS been wrong.  Lesson learned.  This time I'm in the game and open for instruction.   Scott & I will take turns until she's sleeping again.  I really feel for those Mom's whose husbands are already back to work.  I'm thankful that we're both here for her (and each other.)

We hope that you enjoy the video.  If I can continue to find the time during naps and school I'll put one together of China.  I am only able to load videos up to five minutes, so I can't load the full length China video that I'll create.  You'll have to come to our house to see that one.  I need more time though.

Take Care!

Scott & Traci

A better traffic video...

Our friends, Carrie & Bryan are in Nanchang, China right now.  They have their beautiful Lily and will be home in about a week.  They just placed video on their site of an intersection at night.  What their one-and-a-half minute video has that ours doesn't is the sounds.  Just as you can't fully understand China without the smells, you can't fully understand China traffic without the horns.  Here's a link to show you what I mean:  China traffic!

Love, Traci & Scott

China Traffic....

Take four minutes out of your day to learn about one cultural difference between the U.S. and China.  If the video doesn't look like much then you need to pay attention a little more and watch a little longer.  This video was shot from the thirteenth floor of our hotel in Nanchang, China.  The mandarin that you hear in the background is the cleaning ladies chatting away.  Enjoy....it really was fascinating.

If I can upload this video then I can upload more video.  I'm working on it.  Not much time with a ten month old in my lap.  We're having a great time!

Love, Traci

Pictures from the past few days....

Daddy and his newest little one.  We lovingly call her Peanut.  Our love for Jaden was immediate and perfect.  Who knew that the love for this child could be just as deep, rich and complete as it was for Valerie & Kevin? 

Probably anyone who has ever adopted.  God is amazing!

Mommy and Jaden....I'm simply in love again!  Nineteen month wait......What nineteen month wait?!   

ONLY KIDDING!!  I will never forget that wait but at least I now know why. 

Jaden in our family pool for the first time....

On Friday night we were blessed to have Jack, Jeni, Jasmine and Josie come by with an El Sombrero dinner!  Thanks again Romicks!!  This little cutie pie is Miss Josie.  She is absolutely adorable and reminds us A LOT of Jaden.  Too cute!  Thanks for sharing our pool, a meal and your children with us. 

Jeni and Jasmine working out a problem...

"Aunt Sandy, are you watching?  Kari's pretty darn good!"

Kari serving the ball....

It was fun taking the kids to watch Kari play.  Time together on a Saturday afternoon.......

It's been a long time since we've watched Kari play and we had a lot of fun!  Thanks for letting us come to your game Buggy!

Jaden, Valerie & Kevin hanging out on a Sunday afternoon. 

Bonding issues?  No, there sure doesn't seem to be.  We are blessed!

Valerie & Daddy visiting at Grandpa's place...

Daddy & Kevin hanging out....

After time with Grandpa we went home to spend time with the Turners at our pool.  I don't know if it's beause we had a long weekend or what but I never pulled out the camera.  I wish I had pictures of their cuties.  Their four swam with Valerie & Kevin while the adults caught up.  Thank you for dinner, Ben & Tracey - it was yummy! 

I have to tell you that we are overhwhelmed with Jaden and her adjustment.  She seems to love us just as much as we love her.  When we are with others she looks to us for comfort.  We were visiting at the Lavey's yesterday and Jaden became tired during our visit.  She started to whine and turned to me for the comfort that she needed.  She left her friend Brittney (our babysitter and one of Jaden's biggest admirers) and came to me.  She fell asleep in my lap within minutes.

These past few days have been very busy for us and Jaden has met a lot of people.  We have enjoyed seeing everyone but it is definitely time to burrow back in our den.  Jaden is not napping as she should due to the activity and stimuli and she seems to smile less when there is too much stimuli.  So, we'll bring it down and hang at home.  That won't be too hard. 

We think Valerie & Kevin could use some Mommy & Daddy time too. 

Thanks for all of the wonderful visits everyone.  We've enjoyed seeing you. 

Love,

The Smiths (Who still need time with the Bundenthals!)

Jaden's Homecoming!

"Mommy, are you sure that my brother and sister are down there?"

"Yes Baby, I'm sure.  We're almost there."

"Okay, I'll keep looking."

Together at last!  This picture was taken at the gate and after our tears were through.  You can't see it in this picture but Sandy had given Valerie & Kevin Chinese and American flags to wave.  We thought that was great!  We're proud that Jaden is an American now but we honor her birth country and the fact that she is Chinese-American.  Thank you Sandy!

"So you're my Jie Jie.  They said that you love babies, and that sure seems to be true.  I sure hope we get to play with dolls soon.  I seem to be all set in the Jie Jie department."

"Hmmm...he's awful cute and our eyes match.  I'm holding my own bottle, but his arms are pretty full.  Yep, you're cool.  I'm set in the Ge Ge department too!"

The kids tried on some of the gifts that we brought home.  This is one of the pictures that we've been waiting a long time to see.

And then we prepared for bed and shared a good old American snack, straight from China......

...Chocolate cream oreos with Chinese writing on the package.  The  kids thought that was great. 

After enjoying our time together and staying up very late...we all went to bed.  It was fun tucking three kids in to bed....in our room.  This was definitely a "special night". 

(Special nights are nights that the kids sleep in sleeping bags on the floor of our room.  Very fun stuff when you're six and eight!)

"Water in America is different? Are you sure?"

"Your the parents.....if you say it's okay to drink then OKAY!!"

Jet lag? What jet lag?

We're finally sleeping at the Smith home.  As long as the phone doesn't ring after 8:30 at night (you know who you are ;-) we're in decent shape around here.  Scott & I start to look longingly at our bed around 5:00PM each night but wait until the kids are down to get there.  We wake very early each morning (5 AM again?!), but we're sleeping.  Now, on to important subjects....

.....Jaden is sleeping.  She went to bed last night at 8:15 and slept until 6:00 am this morning.  WooHooo!  You go little trooper.  We spent yesterday on the move and so her nap schedule isn't what it should be yet but we'll get her there. 

She saw Dr. Horvath (our favorite ped.) yesterday.  After describing some things to him he readily agrees that our dear daughter #2 also has a pretty severe milk allergy.  Jaden and Valerie have a lot in common.  Jaden has a hemangioma just like her sister, she has allergies just like her sister, she has sensitive skin just like her sister and she has beautiful brown eyes just like her brother.  (Remind us to tell you about the severe allergic reaction she had in China.  Youza!  It even scared this team of experienced parents.)

After our appt. with awesome Dr. Horvath we went to lunch.  Just the three of us.  Because our 10 1/2 month old eats table food like a champ we ordered her a grilled cheese sandwich and applesauce.  Aren't we good parents?  Aaaahhhhhh.....  She ate 1/2 the sandwich and 1/4 of the applesauce.  Did you hear me say that we had JUST been to the doc?  Milk allergy?  HELLO!!!???  Experienced parents my foot.  Poor Jaden had to pay for that cheese for the next few hours.  I'll go to the health food store TODAY to buy more cheese for Valerie & Jaden. 

Carlyn brought us dinner last night and she was so sweet to make soy mashed potatos for our girls.  Okay, so she didn't know about Jaden but she thought of Valerie and Jaden had the opportunity to share in that sweet gift. 

One more little note before heading to the shower.  Because Jaden is sleeping now she is starting to show her true self.  Valerie & Kevin had the opportunity to see her last night at dinner.  The three of them were belly laughing and having a great time.  Valerie turned to us and said, "Is this what she was like in China?"  We said, "Yep, this is your sister!"  We look forward to you all seeing her smiling face soon.

I'll get some more pictures posted soon.  I'm back to my desk-top computer and the pictures are on the laptop.  We have a lot to show you.  Give me a little more time.  I don't want to live on this computer.  Way too much Mommy love to give out to our babies.

Love, Traci

Who says that I'm not an optimist?

That's twice now that I've optimistically looked at the jet leg.  Funny that I said on day one going and day two coming home that we're in good shape.  What a joke.  A twelve hour time difference is definitely nothing to sneeze at.  Scott, Jaden & I all "died" at 5:00 last night.  We thought that we had explained everything to Valerie & Kevin pretty well.  We set them up with a movie and went to take a "quick nap".  At 8:20 last night I awoke to the sounds of crying on the staircase.  Both of our sweet babies were on the stairs crying and loving on each other.  I'm so grateful that I heard them through the closed bedroom door. 

I spent the next hour getting them food, loving, reading to them and putting them down to bed.  (We ate a late lunch at 3:30, so we weren't as neglectful as it might sound.)  That afternoon hour was rough in China also. 

I'm thanking God that our children are forgiving.  When I found them crying Kevin said through his tears, "We want you to sleep but we need you.  It's hard."  I love those babies so much! 

Jaden is definitely turning around.  It's slow but it's happening.  She sleeps most of the night but she wakes every 1-3 hours fussing.  Scott & I alternate comforting her and trying to get her back to sleep.  We leave the lights off in the house as we comfort her.  If anyone has any other advice for us then we'd love to hear it. 

I'm going to lay down and get a couple more hours sleep before our big kids wake up.  Jaden is in the living room with Daddy.  We think she might be up for the day. 

Take care everyone!

Love,

Traci, Scott, Valerie, Kevin & Jaden