Celia's first steps

Celia started taking her first steps the day after Thanksgiving. Here is a video of her walking this weekend at the cabin. She is so funny. She will stand and walk and clap for herself. She is so CUTE!!

Getting ready for Christmas

One night I was wrapping presents for Christmas and Celia got out her sunglasses and decided to pose for some pictures. She loves her glasses! Can you tell? The third picture I just threw in to show the mischevious look on Celia's face and her first pair of snowboots. She is styling!

Pigeon Forge

We took Celia to Pigeon Forge for her first trip away from home since we got back from China. It has been 4 months since gotcha day and we can't believe it. She is blending in so well. It feels like she has always been with us. She has cousins galore and is loving every minute of it. We headed to Pigeon Forge, TN on Wednesday, December 9th and were expecting to have a great trip. Who knew that Celia, Greg, Granna and I would get a 24 hour virus. It was absolutely horrible. Celia and I got it first then Greg and Granna got it the next day. We were all laid out for about 24 hours a piece. It was not a good way to start off what was supposed to be a great weekend. We are now back among the living and enjoying the rest of the weekend with my family at the cabin.

Updated pictures

Since we haven't updated in a while I am going to have to put Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Christmas holiday together. My parents sold their house so we had to celebrate Thanksgiving at Philip and Amy's house. Greg had to work Thanksgiving day and so he was late. We only got a few pictures that day because I forgot to take pictures until he got there. I do good just to keep up with Celia these days. Julia and Paul got into the picture with us because they are CAMERA CRAZY!! Get a good look at Celia's hair. It is standing straight up on her head. It is starting to lay down now because she is getting more of it. We kind of miss it, although she is really cute whether it is laying down or standing up!

Halloween 2009

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Ghouls at the Zoo

Friday night Greg and I took Celia to the Grassmere Zoo to do some trick or treating. We had some cousins go with us. She didn't know what to think of all the "ghouls" but she was not scared. I think that she had a really good time. She looked great in her costume that Nana had gotten her.

Celia's 1st Birthday

We had Celia's 1st birthday party on October 3rd. We could not have it on her birthday, Sept 26th, because Greg had to work. We had a really good time. She loved her cake and did well with all of the people that we had over. We had some pumpkins for the kids to paint and then they got to go on a hayride. We think that all of the "partying" is over now. Although I am sure that we wouldn't have to think too hard to find something to throw a party for. We have got a "party" girl on our hands. She is something else!

Summer fun

I just wanted to share some pictures from our first summer at home with Celia. We went from having our first swim in a frog pool over at Uncle Philip's and Aunt Amy's house to having a tea party at Aunt Linda's house. We had a lot of fun!

Pictures of Celia - She is fitting right in!

We Are Home!!!

Hello All, 

We are finally home.  Celia did pretty well on the plane ride home.  She didn't sleep very well because she likes to stretch out and she couldn't do it very well in our laps.  We had a great turn out at the airport to welcome us home.  We were exhausted but glad to see our family and friends.  It is so good to be home.  We are trying to get her on Tennessee time but it is not going very well.  She was sitting in the high chair this morning and fell asleep.  We are exhausted.  The jet lag is horrible.  We have had a few visitors and she seems to be doing well in meeting them.  When people get around her she tends to seek me out and I smile reassuringly to her and she will smile back.  She is doing very well in the attaching process.  Even when people talk to her she will continuously look at me to make sure that everything is okay.  She is so cute!  I will try to keep this blog updated in the days to come.  

Our day at the American Consulate

This afternoon we had our appointment at the American Consulate for the swearing-in ceremony. Well there could have been a lot of swearing if Dana and I were that type. Our perfect, beautiful, not well-mannered girl yelled, squirmed , and did everything except pull her hair our (cause she is like her daddy...she aint got none). After the ceremony we received her passport and visa stamp which confirms when she gets to American soil and through immigrations she will be an American citizen. That will happen in Newark, New Jersey. I guess some good things can happen in the North. Dana is asking for everyone to start praying now for our looong plane ride home with Celia and a plane with several other babies also. We were not allowed to take pictures of the ceremony so we are sorry about that. I dont think that we will have many more pictures of interesting stuff like to market, so I will post one of the last ones I took. We may not be able to post anything tomorrow untill after we get home. So untill then we will see everyone when we get HOME!!!-picture of Dana and Celia napping Greg

Winding up

Well we are winding this trip up today. We just got back from the street market and eating a Subway sandwich. The street market was very interesting. You can get anything from mushrooms, cats, dogs (pets on the cats and dogs?), birds, scorpions, snakes, fish, herbs, fresh pork meat, to a hair cut. There were people everywhere buying and selling. This market was very spread out on several streets. This afternoon we go to the consulate to get sworn-in. This is the last major thing that we do. Tomorrow we leave to start the trip home. We fly from here to Shanghi then catch a connecting flight to Newark and another flight home. We get home tomorrow night at 10:30 PM Nashville time. We will be leaving at 8:30 Thursday night Nashville time. So you can imagine how tired we will be. We are hoping that Celia will sleep on the plane so that we can also. We will be glad to be home. I will attach some pictures for you enjoyment.#1. Need a haircut?#2. Dried sea-horses.#3. Snake wine. None of the group wanted to even try it. Greg

Big Red Couch

We just got back from having the babies pictures made on the Big Red Couch. It is a tradition that all adoptive families that stay at the White Swan Hotel do. They were so cute but of course Celia wouldn't smile. Here are some pictures. First picture is Celia, Maron, Lily and Olivia. Second picture is our whole group. Of course, I could not get Celia to look at the camera. Third picture is Veronica and Celia. Celia loves Veronica just like we all do.

American Consulate

This morning Celia got up at 5:00 AM. She took a bottle immediately and drank it in about 2 minutes. She doesn't waste any time when it comes to eating. After we got dressed we went down to the breakfast bar at the hotel. All she would eat was tater tots. After breakfast Danielle, Lily, Celia and I went for a walk around the island. We went to the riverfront and watched the people doing Tai Chi and singing songs. It was very peaceful and beautiful there. The guys stayed in the hotel room to wait for Veronica to call and say that everything was okay at the American Consulate. She had to take all of our paperwork to the American Consulate this morning and get us registered in. After a little walking and shopping, we headed back to the hotel, got on our swim suits and headed to the pool. Greg came to the pool around 11:20AM and said that Veronica had called and said that everything is fine. All we have left now is to go to the American Consulate tomorrow and be sworn in. After that we are free to return home. Yipee!!! We are ready. This has been a wonderful trip but we are ready to come home. This afternoon, after the girls take a nap, we are going to the second floor and getting the girls pictures made on the red couch. We have bought Celia a little blue Chinese dress so we are going to dress her up in that to get her picture made. First picture is Celia making a face like me. She mimics a lot. Second picture is Celia and her friend Lily at breakfast. Third picture is Celia and me in front of a Bonsai tree in the hotel lobby. They have beautiful Bonsai trees here.

Buddhist Temple and the Pearl Market

This afternoon we went to a Buddhist Temple and then to the Pearl Market. Some of the families wanted to get their babies blessed by a Buddhist Monk. We, however, did not participate. It was a very beautiful temple. The architecture was pretty and there was a hugh Pagoda in the middle. Afterwards, we went to the Pearl Market and did a little shopping. Now that was fun! At least I had fun. I don't know about Greg. First picture is Greg and Celia sleeping before heading to the temple. They were sawing some logs. Greg more so than Celia. Can we say SNORE!!! Second picture is the Pagoda at the Temple. Third picture is the Pearl Market. Five floors of jewelry. It was amazing!

Medical Exam Appt

We finally found something that Celia is scared of. THE DOCTOR!!! We all wondered how their last doctors appt was because all of the babies cried. All we have left now is to be sworn in at the American Consulate here in Guangzhou and we will be ready to return home as a family of 3. We are looking forward to coming home now. We are having a hard time sleeping because the beds are made of concrete, we think. First picture is Celia before seeing the Doctor. Second picture is Celia getting her ears checked. The third is Celia after the doctors appt. I just wanted to show you all that she did survive. Sorry I cut Greg's head off but who is the trip about anyway, right?

Pic of Celia throwing a fit

Here is Celia throwing a fit. And you all think she is an angel. She does have her moments. LOL

More pictures of Yuntai Garden cont..

The second picture is Vivian blowing bubbles for Celia. She loved them.