Photos of Gracie in the Nanchuan Orphanage

After we got our referral for Grace, we sent a care package to her orphanage through a great organization called "Blessed Kids". It is run by a Chinese American woman that lives in the US. She will pack and ship care packages to Chinese orphanages with a letter indicating that the person is very happy to get a referral for their child, and other things related to adopting a child from China.

In our Blessed Kids care package I sent a stuffed panda, two disposable cameras, two packages of candy for the orphanage workers, and a letter stating that I'd really appreciate it if the workers got the candy, Grace got the panda bear, and that the cameras were used to take photos of the orphanage and Grace's caretakers and playmates. When we got Grace, we got back the cameras. Her nanny told us that she was not able to bring back the panda bear because of being so busy. I can imagine that this was the case, so we were very grateful to have the cameras with photos from the orphanage back. These are priceless to us, and I know will be to Grace someday too as they are one of the few direct connections she'll have of her life in China before being adopted.

Here are some of the photos. Just in case you can't tell, Grace is in the black and white outfit with the light blue sandals.

 

Sleepy Baby!

I snapped this picture while Gracie was sitting at the table eating a bitter biscuit. She was happily enjoying it, when she got so tired, she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer! It was too cute!!!

Many Firsts already and many more to come

Yesterday, without fanfare, Gracie turned 11 months old. It's strange to think that our little baby that we just added to our family will be a year old in less than a month. She's still a baby, but with turning a year old, it seems like she won't be a baby very long. Of course, I knew this would be the case, but I guess I didn't realize how I'd feel like it's going way too fast! It's like bringing home your newborn baby one day and in two months having her turn a year old!!

There are many first that we missed with Gracie, not having her with us for the first 10 months of her life, but at the same time she's on the cusp on having many new firsts being part of the family. She's about ready to have her first tooth pop in, she's about ready to crawl, and she's about ready to start pulling herself up. These things will all probably happen before her first birthday.

There are also some firsts that she's already experienced with us. She moved from taking a bottle exclusively in China to eating solid food. First she was eating stage 1 foods, then moved to stage 2 within about a weeks time, and now is eating from the table (although not alot because she doesn't have any teeth to chew anything). She had her first ride in a car while in China, her first plane ride in China, and her first ride in a carseat on the way home from the airport (although if she could talk today, she'd probably tell you she could do without this last first). Oh, and of course, the biggie first of having a forever mommy, daddy, and two big sisters that don't look anything like her, and don't talk anything like people she was used to being around at the orphanage.

Next month she'll have her very first birthday party, and then a couple of months after that she'll experience her first Thansgiving and her first Christmas. So in just a few months time, this wonderful little girl, has had and will have so many changes and so many firsts. It must be overwhelming for her. Sometimes I wish I could get inside her head and see/hear what she's thinking, but since I can't I only pray that she's feeling loved and safe in her family!

Happy 11 months old Gracie! I love you!!!