Well, we tried to head up to Vail with my mum for a couple of days, but had to race back down the first morning after receiving (wouldn't you know it!) our fingerprinting invitation. We had to get the fingerprints done ASAP otherwise we won't get our consulate appointment in time. The weather was gorgeous in the mountains - sun and clouds, cool at night and warm in the afternoon, tons of wildflowers. Too bad the trip had to be so brief! We got a hike in, a picnic on Lake Dillon, and a good dinner with mum, and then she headed for Western Colorado in her painting van, and we headed back down to the front range to move forward with our paperwork.
The good news is that our visas came while we were gone, and we got our fingerprints done without much fuss. This afternoon we got a call from the travel department to discuss our itinerary! We still can't book flights until we get our TA and our consulate appointment, but at the moment they're guesstimating that we might travel by July 17th, returning at the end of the month! Since we will most likely be the only family traveling to Jiangsu province, we have some flexibility in our arrangements, and we are thinking about flying in to Hong Kong. I have always wanted to see Hong Kong, and honestly I'd almost be more excited about that than about flying into Beijing, what with the Olympics approaching quickly. I am not that big a fan of the hustle and bustle that goes with large tourist events.
Oh, and we got updated measurements on our QiuQiu! If the measurements are correct, she is only 14 lbs...tiny! So we'll be packing only the smallest of our baby clothes. They also sent us a photo of her looking at a picture of me in the photo album we sent! This is really quite amazing, since she's barely 10 months, and I didn't expect she'd even really focus on a photo. But she is gazing at it intently. That will be one for the lifebook, for sure!
I guess that's all the news! Life is quite a whirlwind at the moment. I'll post Vail photos when I have a chance!
About Me
- Maia
- Maia Chavez Larkin is a jewelry designer, illustrator and journalist living in the foothills of the Rockies
Flynn's LaoLao
Flynn's Denver family
Our book
Available at the Tattered Cover Denver
My dad's ode to Billy the Kid
13 comments:
Glad the fingerprinting went off without a hitch, too bad the Vail trip was cut short...
And how dare you say you have a new photo and NOT SHARE. For shame, Maia! And gazing at YOU.
WOW July 17th!! That is just around the corner. 14lbs.....sounds like 3-6 months should work. Try to pack little cotton dresses, not just because they are sweet, but if they are a little big it shouldn't matter much.
I agree with Kris....where is her new picture!!
July 17th... I nearly fell of my chair when I read that one... what brilliant news and I am sure your mum truly understand having to cut the trip short... I am also complaining at the lack of photo... ummmm... you put me to shame... don't hide this one for yourselves... :)
Yipee! July 17th will be here in no time at all! Our Lilee was 15lbs on Gotcha Day, so I would also stick with the 3-6 months range...we had brought 9 months & 12 month things & they were falling off! Funny of course after the fact :D
reading about her staring at your photo brought tears and chills to me. I am amazed at how well her caregivers are keeping in touch with you and how they seem to "get it".
I agree on the 3-6 month size- (gap tends to run bigger than alot of brands- carter's footed sleepers seemed to run small)- maybe some 6 months- zoey was 16 lbs at 14 months on our gotcha day and was wearing mainly 6-12 month and some 3-6.
I loved packing and repacking her clothes and envisioning her in them- i think all the moms do this. This is bringing back so many memories!
Oh my! You're going to be there before you know it!
Her size might even be smaller than you think - FF was only 18 pounds when we met her and she was nearly 2. All the 12 month clothes we brought were play length wise, but slid off her because she didn't really have any kind of belly to hold things up. Most cleft affected kids I know were pretty tiny when they first join their A-families. However, FF managed to gain five pounds the first week she was with us (it was amazing what she could pack away!) so by the time we got home, 12 months was just right.
Er... I meant to write that the clothes were FINE length wise... not play... it's late and apparently I'm distracted.
That's right around the corner! We are so excited for you, and it must be wonderful to see your daughter looking at a picture of you! I got goose bumps on that one. By the way, it is HOT in China in July, we were there!
I don't know what made me smile more...the thought of Flynn staring at your picture, or looking at the shot of you and your mum in "your element"...and the look of love she is showing. She is totally smiling at you while you smile at the camera.
Mama love is a wonderful thing.
awesome...as you know, we love Hong Kong! Dont let CCAI put you in the Regal Riverside...it sucks! WE stayed in Tsim Tsa Tsui...awesome area.
Dont forget Poh Lin monastry and the big buddha on Lantau Island...you can take the gondola now, when we went in 05 we had towhite knuckle it on a bus with the locals(which I'm sure you'd rather do!)
so close now!!!!!
take two piece jammies, you can roll up the waist if the pants are too long. old navy has awesome cotton ones.
I loved, loved Hong Kong. I wish we'd gone a day earlier though. We arrived in the evening, did a tour for most of the next day, and then I crashed and slept off jet lag for 17 hours, only to wake up the next morning & head for the airport. I was in such a fog that I couldn't take it all in, and another day would have made all the difference.
And Hayley is right about the Regal Riverside -- we stayed there & it is a bit of a dump & in the middle of nowhere. I wouldn't stay there again.
And the whole I-171H renewal thing happened for us right before travel too! We were refingerprinted in December and left for China on Feb. 14. Our new I-171H hadn't come yet when we got TA, so we couldn't make travel arrangements until a few days later. Kathy chased it down for us though, and it all worked out.
TA is around the corner girl friend!
Things are falling into place and I so hope you can travel before the Olympics! I also have a picture of Sydney looking at our pictures while waiting for us in China. I still remember the tingling, surreal feeling it gave me to see a little bit of us with her. Hard to explain.
Post a Comment