Archive for the ‘Photographs’ Category
For Christmas this year we got the best gift ever…a surprise referral.
Please meet Dang Xin Yi. Soon to be known as Merry Eleanor XinYi.
Xin Yi (meaning Happy Heart) is currently in Nanyang, China under the care of her foster grandma until we are allowed to travel to pick her up. Our LOI (letter of intent) was sent to China just before Christmas. Next step is LOA (letter of approval) from China. Our agency says ~30 days. Cross your fingers, please.
Then for a post-Christmas surprise we received an update with a new picture. This was taken on Christmas Eve. The windburned cheeks are killing me (just like Ava’s when we met her) so I’ve already bought some Aveeno lotion for the care package that we’ll be sending in a day or two.
Today is her 1st birthday. We had a birthday cake at home and Ava kindly blew out the candle for her sister since she isn’t here quite yet. She also sang quite a rousing rendition of the happy birthday song which I (thankfully) managed to capture on video since it was so darn cute. Merry’s birthday gifts today were the official pre-approval (PA) from China letting us know that they have moved our file to be officially matched with her and our I-800A approval which is the beginning piece (and the one that generally takes the longest) of the immigration paperwork and process that will allow us to bring her home.
Okay, fine. And I bought her some socks and vitamins for her care package, too. Since I bought them today then I think they can count as birthday gifts.
We expect travel should happen sometime in late Spring. My prediction is May but I would love to be wrong and it end up being a little earlier. We waited for two seemingly never-ending months to travel for Ava. I sure would like to see that short of a turnaround time now.
We are thrilled, of course, and can’t freakin’ wait to go get her.
that we saw this sweet face for the very first time.
Picture taken today, 6 November 2011, with Ava holding her actual referral pictures. The Spider Girl costume is courtesy of the 70% off after-Halloween costume clearance rack. Needless to say, she quite fancies it and I suspect it’s going to get a lot of wear for a $3 costume.
And ta-da!!! Here are the ballet ‘recital’ pictures I promised only a short(ish) time ago (note:date adjusted on this post since I’m trying to keep things on track and I have some other draft posts that will be coming shortly. With pictures!!). I’m kind of limited on the pictures I can/will post since many of them contain full face shots of the other kids and I don’t like to post photos of other people’s kids without permission.
So, without further ado, behold my very own mini black swan (and please note that she is the only one dressed the way they’re all supposed to be dressed).
Warming up:
Checking out her the audience:
Entranced by her finger/hand butterfly:
Trying very hard to get into first position:
ImPatiently waiting for her cue:
DANCING!!!
Thank you, Miss E! We had a (mostly) lovely experience in Ava’s very first ballet class and are sorry we won’t be in your class next time.
Sorry, TM – no stripping pictures to be found. That’s because I was too busy being absolutely mortified out in the hallway with all of the other moms watching her through a two way mirror – of course with me all the while mentally willing her to stop it and stop it NOW. I’m not sure if it was the mom/daughter telepathy or the stare-down from her teacher that stopped it, but whatever.