Red Couch and Heading Home

Every time a Chinese vendor asks where Briana is from, we say "Chongqing" and they say "Oh, spicy girl." And spicy she is! Chongqing girls known for being pretty, petite and spicy! We love our spicy girl!

Well, this is it everyone! Doug and I are packing tonight for our trip home in the morning. I can't wait to get home! I can't wait for Briana to meet our family and friends!

I want to give a huge thank you to everyone who followed our journey in China. I received so many wonderful e-mails and comments. I wish I could have responded to everyone, but I was so busy with Miss Briana.

We took the oath at the consulate today and got Briana's immigration paperwork. We are all set to head home.

Here are a few photos of red couch day...

Miss Briana showing off her outfit!

Still showing off!

Briana starting to cry on the couch! 5 of the girls are Dianjiang babies and the other 3 babies are special needs Nanchung babies. We are all with CHSFS.

The Dianjiang Girls. Briana is now calm with the rice krispies.

The CHSFS families.

Squeaky Shoes

We did a little shopping yesterday! Of course, I had to get Briana some squeaky shoes. She thought they were so funny. I know when I get home, I will probably regret getting them as she squeaks all over the house - LOL! Here is a short video!

Medical Exam, Shopping, Playing and Swimming

Wow - did we have a busy day yesterday! The first picture is of Briana and Madison. After the babies' medical exams (which were so very simple), Doug, Briana and I walked back from the clinic with Lynne, Ashley and Madison and bought some Haagen Dazs ice cream. I swear - I never tasted ice cream so good. We also bought Chinese outfits for the red couch photo today. Then Doug and I found a delicious Thai food restaurant for lunch and had a delicious meal. After lunch, we checked out the White Swan play room. Briana had a ball playing with the toys. The room can get so boring for her at times. She took a nice nap and then we checked out the swimming pool. I was so worried that she wasn't going to like the water - but she is a water baby! She wasn't afraid at all! I am so happy!

Then we ordered in food for dinner from a place called "Danny's Bagels". I ordered some Macaroni and Cheese for me and Briana to share. Oh my gosh - this child was crazy for the Mac and Cheese! Every time she ate a bite, she squealed and laughed! She couldn't get enough! Doug and I could not stop laughing - she is such a ham!

Here are pics from the day! (Doug only took video of the medical exam - no pics.)

Briana and me in front of the Thai restaurant.

Briana in the White Swan playroom.

Boy we are tired from our day!

Look how cute I am in my swimsuit!

Water baby!

Mac and Cheese dinner.

I am a Mac and Cheese fiend! (Can't help cracking up at this pic!)

Here Is The Birthday Girl!

Yep! This is our birthday girl! We had a great morning and afternoon! We started the morning giving Miss Briana a birthday card - which of course she liked the envelope better than the card - oh well! We had breakfast at the buffet and then our group first went to a Buddhist temple. It was so beautiful. And our guide Shirley set it up so the babies in our group were blessed by a Buddhist monk. It was so emotional for me - especially because it was Briana's birthday. Then we headed to a Chinese art museum. It was outside, which meant it was HOT. Muggy, sticky hot. Ugh. I was so happy when we ended the touring at a Jade and Pearl factory. Doug and I got Briana a pearl necklace and earrings.

Right before we left for touring, Doug and I got a free stroller for Briana to ride around in. She likes it and I am so grateful. I am starting to get sore from the Hip Hammock.

After touring, the group went to Lucy's restaurant to have a birthday lunch for Briana. Briana fell asleep as we strolled to the restaurant, but luckily she woke up to have a little apple pie! Doug bought candles before we left the states in case we got a cake for Briana. We even handed out paper tiaras for the babies to wear. It was so cute! Of course Briana was the only one who didn't want to wear her hat!

The day was very special even though we weren't home to celebrate. I am just so happy Doug and I could be with our baby girl on this special day.

Here are the pics!

Briana opening her card.

Our groovy free stroller.

Blessing of the babies.

All the babies were silent. Our guide Shirley said she had never seen that happen before!

Miss Briana at her birthday lunch.

Briana eating a little apple pie!

Trip To Guangzhou

Yesterday was our flight from Chongqing to Guangzhou. Briana was a perfect angel on the flight - she slept the entire time! I made sure I gave her a bottle just as we began to take off and she was out like a light! That made for a great flight, but unfortunately, she has not been going to sleep easily and not sleeping through the night anymore either. So that made the day very long. We got to Guangzhou at 3:30 and made it to the White Swan Hotel at around 4:30. Just as we got off the bus to check into the White Swan, Shirley (our Chongqing/Guangzhou guide) told us moms to bring our babies across the street for baby visa photos. It literally took five minutes to get us all done. Then Doug and I headed out to eat for dinner and tried to keep Briana up so she would go to bed at a decent time. We didn't get her to sleep until after 10 and we were so tired. That is why I did not post yesterday. Too pooped. I admit got a little frustrated last night because I was tired and I was having a hard time finding stuff. It is so hard living out of a suitcase. I don't think I have ever been so tired in my life. I am so happy - but I am still tired!

Me and Briana at the Chongqing Airport.

At the White Swan...guess what Briana did!

Taking a walk around the White Swan in the evening. Briana loved the breeze coming off the river. (The White Swan is beautiful and do they ever cater to the adoption community. There are people with adopted babies everywhere! We have a room that overlooks the river - it is beautiful!)

Hanging Out

Here are a few pictures of Doug and I hanging out with Briana in the hotel room in Chongqing. This was the day before we left for Guangzhou. As you can see, Briana has quite the personality!

Here is Briana checking out the necklace my mom gave me that says "Today, Tomorrow and Forever." This girl loves jewelry!

I am attempting to check e-mail. It is very hard to blog and check e-mail with a one year old glued to you. But I think she will be a computer geek in no time! (Yes, I look pretty worn out. I am sticky, sweaty and frizzy all the time. Good gawd!)

Briana loves to walk when you hold her hands. She is very wobbly, but soon she will be walking across the floor.

Chongqing Zoo and Paperwork Day

Wow, I haven't had a chance to actually post in a while - Briana is a bundle of energy and when she is awake, we don't have time to do anything! Yesterday, our travel group headed over to the Chongqing Zoo to see the giant pandas. They were so cool. The pandas and giraffes were the best part. The zoo itself was ok - nothing like the zoos in the states. But definitely worth the visit. Then last night, the group went out for dinner. One of the couples in our travel group is Chinese American, and they ordered a bunch of large plates for all of us to try. Talk about handy! Ha! They were such a great help and dinner was very good. Unfortunately, Briana was VERY wiggly and spent the entire time on my lap. Doug was amazed that I ate my entire dinner with chopsticks in my right hand - and I am left handed. You do what you have to do to eat! I have probably lost about 5 pounds already while being here. Forget exercise machines, just adopt a one year old - ha!

Today was two hour paperwork day. Ugh - I can't tell you how happy I am it is over. I went and did all the CIS/INS paperwork while Doug hung out with Briana. I was so impressed - I got back to the hotel room at almost 1PM and Doug had fed Briana a bottle and she was napping. What a guy! I think I will keep him! I was worried about leaving because Briana cries now when I leave the room, but Doug was a pro!

Doug and I had dinner on our own tonight and Briana was a perfect angel at dinner. Sat on my lap with no squirming (the restaurant we went to didn't have high chairs). Where was this angel at dinner yesterday? Anyway, it took a long while to get Briana to sleep tonight. I had to walk the hallway with her until she fell asleep. I guess I really am a mom now.

Well, I am pooped - off to bed. I will write from Guangzhou tomorrow!

Here are pics from the zoo and dinner...

Daddy and Briana at the zoo.

A very sleepy baby.

Daddy being silly with Briana.

Our group at the zoo.

Three of the mamas - me with Briana, Amy with Leah and Jennifer with Eva.

Briana being a character at dinner.

Chongqing Weather

Chongqing City is known for many things like hot pot, fog, being a mountain city and for being one of China's furnaces. Because of this, we've been nervous of the 100 degree temperatures and humidity above 90%. Well,we got lucky! While it's been hot, it's been fairly similar to Atlanta's climate with temperatures not above 86 degrees. We fly to Guangzhou tomorrow and that is gonna be HOT!

Briana's First Hiccups with Us

Warning! New parents with a video camera...

Yesterday Briana must have eaten a little too quickly and came down with a case of the hiccups. Here is two minutes of Briana hiccuping for your viewing pleasure.

Bonding Day and Visit To Orphanage

Isn't she just beautiful? She really is! But boy she is exhausting! I am so tired right now - I am going to make this post short and sweet with a few pictures. Yesterday, Doug, Briana and I hung around the hotel room most of the day just trying to bond. We did have our first breakfast down at the buffet, but other than that, we didn't do much. Briana got pretty bored hanging around the hotel, so we have decided from now on that we need to keep busy.

Today, we visited Briana's orphanage - Dianjiang. We were shown were the babies sleep, we spoke with the director and we did see a few children in Gracie's Room (which is the playroom). It was really amazing. I promise to write a lot more about that in a future post.

Briana did so well today. She slept on the way to and from the orphanage - two hours each way. She was great at the orphanage and at lunch. She is quite the wiggle worm! She did have a 45 minute meltdown this evening though. I think she is teething and that makes for an unhappy baby. After some teething tablets and baby Benadryl, she is fast asleep for the night (hopefully). I have to admit, this is the hardest thing I have ever done. I felt like melting down myself for a few minutes - luckily Doug is my voice of reason. She is wonderful, but everything is a lot of work! We are all still trying to get used to one another. I do believe she is bonding to Doug and I very well - I really feel like she trusts us.

So, on with the pictures!

Briana's first breakfast buffet...

The group at Dianjiang orphanage with several caretakers.

The bus ride home on daddy.

The bus ride to the orphanage on Mommy.