I told you so

So as we approach week 3 home I have to say our daughter is as close to perfect as one will get. The first two weeks were full of running all over. This all started out with very hard stools that led us for an x-ray. The x-ray of a 5 month old moving showed something which I asked "could this be at all because she was moving?". This led us to an ultrasound. No I should tell you I went to school for this and she has beautiful insides :). I felt good leaving the hospital as I did not see a thing that while the tech was busy taking pictures and measuring. So off to the gastroenterologist who said she was beautiful. Ok he also said everything looked good but he wanted to do stool samples YUCK...
Turns out after going off regular formula to the pre digested (way to expensive) she got diarrhea and bad gas. I then tried soy and in less then 24 hours the hard and I mean hard stools returned and blood again. Ok so we are not on Enfimil Nutramigen and doing better. Odd was the 2 weeks in Vietnam with her on regular formula she was fine.
So you think we are done yet? No way my pediatrician is gonna find something. Our daughter has a funny shaped head that in the last 4 weeks has changed. Most baby's have flat heads while hers is flat on the side. Yes another doctor. We were referred to Children's Hospital Los Angeles and they got her in right away since our doctor told them her soft spot was fused. Seems the top Neurosurgeon spent time in Vietnam as he talked more about Vietnam with me then the baby since he said she is FINE again :). I so wanted to call my pediatrician and say told you so...
So we are now looking for a new pediatrician and enjoying our 3rd week home with our daughter. She is a doll and full of smiles. Thank you Vietnam for my little treasure we are in ahh.

Fed Ex

I have finally gotten the time to get more pictures of Vietnam off my camera. We almost missed the Fed Ex truck at our hotel.. my favorite...

Today we took our first trip to the zoo. Yes we wanted to sleep through most of it but we did manage to get a little bit in..

and our new toy ...

Our littlest U.S Citizen

We got it. Can you believe that we have been home one week and we have a U.S Passport for the baby already. I went to the Federal Building today and it was ready and waiting. Now if only the first agency would call we can return to get our daughter. Not sure how Sierra will like going back since she has learned a few things like attention :) but we hope that we get our daughter out of Can Tho. It is over 10 months from referral and today's email said the Provence is moving ahead. Wonder why we hear NOTHING from Faith then.
Now onto better news our wonderful weather. Can you beleive its so nice we wear t-shirts and pants out and its snowing elsewhere.

Resident Alien?

My daughter is no alien is all I could think...
My husband and I went to the Federal building to get an immediate passport. Now your asking what in heavens name would I want to travel again for.
One year ago we signed with Faith International and asked for a girl. On June 12, 2006 we were referred a beautiful baby girl who was 3 months old. We named her Rylee-ann. Months of waiting and promises of travel it never came. In November we were told that all was signed and how they paid to fly one official from Hanoi to HCMC to sign the final paper. We traveled to Vietnam in Nov/Dec and found that all the papers were not done and signed. What we were blessed with though it having 3 weeks with our daughter. We returned home to nasty emails from our agency and no new information on the missing paper and to date still nasty emails and no information on our daughter. So back to the passport.. We hope to get our daughter and in order for me to travel Sierra needs a passport (sorry cant leave her home).
So we have a 12pm appointment and around 2:30 they call us to the window. I had over our adoption papers and she examines her passport (from Vietnam) and adoption papers and says in a nasty voice..."Where is the resident alien card". I explained she is on a IR3 and an automatic citizen and does not get a resident alien card. She snapped and wanted the court order.. Gee we have been home one week think we have been to court? I explained the IR3 is automatic as of 2003 and she needs none of this and I got yelled at.."I know the law SIT".
Do we not pay there salaries in our taxes? And are they hired only if they are rude? So we are called back up in 15 min and now asked where the court order is.. Ahh progress??? I said "I am so sorry the US Embassy in Hanoi handed me all these papers and said it was all I needed to get a SS#,Passport and even readopt. I was told I don't need to readopt to just do a name change, that is not what I want though I want a Passport.
We were finally told to come back Friday morning to pick up her passport so do you think she still needs that resident alien card?
So we are set and there is no reason 10 months have passed and they will not release our daughter. I never thought I would say this but I want to go back to Vietnam....

What a week can do...

Tonight it will mark one week that we are home. What we have learned in a week is cry and mom comes... The best was watching her 3 yr old brother goof off yesterday and the laughter. It was the first time she has really laughed and she could not get enough of watching him be silly.
We had our first x-ray which led us for an ultrasound this morning. I was told to not feed her this morning and amazing how well she behaved. The ultrasound went fast since she was so good and the results come tomorrow. From her doctor visit Thursday to the follow up (ear infection) Tuesday she gained 1/2 a pound.
How we have adjusted? We now sleep through the night, have everyone on California time and just love having a baby back in our home. Our home is cluttered with playpens, changing tables and activity centers not to mention Thomas the train sets, trucks and trains. We are happy :)

We are home

On Wednesday we called at 1 and they knew me by name. I was told to be there at 2pm and the Visa would be ready. Taxi packed kids loaded and off to the Embassy we headed. By this post title you can tell we got our Visa in record time and headed to the airport. We did meet a family there one of many who have waited 2 weeks and still no second call so we are more ecstatic that we chose the right agency.
Our flight was first to Taipei where we got off the plane and I managed to get two kids a stroller and 4 carry on to another terminal. Where I was told where to go. Ok lost and you can see me with a baby in the carrier, double stroller packed with a 3 year old and 3 of the 4 carry ons. The other I drag along as I push the stroller. Someone had sympathy as they sent me to the wrong place and this nice gentleman closed his counter and helped me down a hall around a corner to an elevator to check in with EVA.
The flight from Taipei to Los Angels 11 hours 30 minutes of which Myles slept about 9 or more and the baby slept most of. The bassinet is a lifesaver and the staff were wonderful.
Los Angeles was not bad and they actually pulled me from the line to process Sierras papers. She officially became a citizen at 8:50pm Wednesday.
Sierra is fantastic, right on schedule eating and doing what she should be. She is teething and has a cold but otherwise our pediatrician is very pleased with her.
For Myles who is not adjusting to time :( he sleeps all day and stays up watching t.v all night.
Pictures tomorrow. We are enjoying laying on clean carpet and playing with toys..

We got the call

We go for our Visa appointment today this is amazing. We have been here 2 weeks and 1 day and we get to go home with our DAUGHTER. This has been amazing and we are so excited to be going home to our family.

So at 3:15 we head to the U.S Embassy. I have a 3 year old, 5 month old as of yesterday and a stack of papers. I am ready if they need more. You enter the building and go through a metal detector. Them its to the office and you stand in line to pay for your visa, cost $380. Cost of Visa to Vietnam $45. We are then called up to the window asked to sign a few papers (no clue what I signed) swear that the information is true and correct (again what information?) and we are given a card to come back the next day.

I asked if she comes home on an IR3 and you want the difference? IR3 is if both parents of a married couple saw the baby prior to or during the adoption process. IR4 would be if I had only seen her and Chuck did not at all in Vietnam. More questions as he now thinks no because Chuck was not at the G and R. I explained the form states that it is at the adoption or during, more calls and I am told that he will call me at the hotel to let me know.

I did get the call at 5:45 and she is an automatic citizen upon entry IR3 hurray. I have to say though they have a reputation for being hard and making parents cry they have been very kind to me. When we had a problem they did everything in their power to help fix it. I was even given the officers personal cell phone if I needed to get a hold of him after hours.

So Vietnam we bid you goodbye and thank you for this wonderful experience and our amazing daughter. We hope to return one day to bring home our daughter with the other agency but its now close to 10 months from referral and we only get letters telling us we cannot talk nothing about our daughter.

Los Angeles here we come.

No call

So at 2pm today I left to take my daughter to the airport and I think I have cried since. I did not know I would miss her this much (ok yes I did). I can only think how grateful I am that she spent the 2 weeks with me and thank her for making this trip. My selfish side wants her here with me now. Sorry more tears I think I just need to go home. I miss you all. Sweetie have a safe flight and I cannot wait to see you again.

WOW.....

Today started early. Here in Vietnam we usually are not out the door and doing things at 8am. Our groups was to pick us up at 8:10 a.m. but by standards so far this could mean up to 9a.m. They arrived and a little panic set in as the van would not fit all the families but the assured us we were only being transferred to the other hotel and would get a larger vehicle. We were actually on the road by 9 a.m which surprised me, our destination HaLong Bay

HaLong means descending dragon. A reference to the enormous beast that is said to have careered into the sea at this point, cutting the bay from the rocks. According to another myth, the islands are dragons, sent by the gods to impede the progress of an invasion flotilla. This was the site of two famous sea battles, in the 10th and 13th centuries.

It took us 3 hrs to drive and of the 8 babies all did quite well. We arrived at 12 and boarded the boat.

I think Myles was on cloud nine. A real boat mom this is to much fun.

We heard lunch was served on the boat but had no clue. The first brought out french fries and my kids were excited then 4 shrimp (each table had 4 people). It was quite good but when the snow crab came with eyes looking at me I had to think of something else. This went on and cucumbers, squid salad, whole fish (mom it was looking at us) spring rolls came it seemed like no one could possibly eat that much food.

I am proud to say I took the tinest of a bite to say I tried it and ok I didnt so the others at the table ate it.