Today's lesson in opposites (aka the camera dilemma)

We have not done much preparation for our trip to China, but one thing that has become clear to me over the past year or so is that I will not be able to carry my beloved digital SLR every place we go. It's a great camera, but it's big and it's heavy. Too big. Too heavy.

So, for Christmas, Rob got me a teeny little camera. It is so teeny that I can carry it in my pocket ... and it's 10 megapixel so the images are really quite good. It can also take short video, which will be nice for our first days with Nora. There are a couple of tradeoffs though. The big camera has better optics and it's MUCH faster; it powers up instantly and takes some crazy number of shots per second. The little one, you push the button and wait for what feels like an eternity. I took it with us to the dog park once and came away with a bunch of pictures of Maddie's tail (the rest of her was out of the frame).

I'm determined to learn to use the little one, though, because there is no way I'm going to schlep the giant camera and a baby and a boatload of baby stuff all across China. Now what I wonder about is video. Is it worth it or will we never watch? Is a video camera something we'll want or can we get by with video clips from the Elph? What about those one-use video cameras from CVS?

Xin Nian Kuai Le!

Happy Chinese New Year!!

The photo above is a picture of the CNY greeting cards that I ordered from our local FCC group. If my secret pal is seeing this, it will probably give away who I am, but oh well, there was only one month left anyway!

Our original plan was to make a Chinese dinner and watch A Chinese Tall Story on dvd. Unfortunately, Maddie came down with a stomach bug on Friday night and threw a bit of a wrench in our weekend plans. Poor thing threw up at least 10 times between 10:30 pm and 3:30 am. We took her to the vet the first thing Saturday, then spent the rest of the day watching her and trying to get her to drink Pedialyte. She's better today, so we spent the afternoon doing all the things we didn't get done yesterday. We'll probably still watch the movie, but Chinese food isn't going to happen unless it's take out.

... pink knitted booties topped off with bling, these are a few of my favorite things

Wendy from the Dec DTC group has an Etsy store called The HeiWen Way where she and her friend sell all kinds of neat soaps and stationery and stuff. My favorite item was these baby booties -- I just had to order them for Nora! They are so cute with the "bling" at the top. They must look suspiciously like a dog toy, though; Maddie is fascinated (or maybe she just likes the bling?). I hope that she doesn't try to steal them off Nora's feet!

Do you ever wonder if it's a test?

We received our home study update in the mail yesterday, so we have everything we need to apply for our I-171H extension. Knowing that our local USCIS office has been known to experience periods of slowness (our first I-171H took 11-1/2 weeks!), I want to be sure to get it all ready and sent off this weekend. I've read every bit of instruction we've received - messages from our home study agency, messages from our placement agency, a mailing we received from an adoption support network that I must have subscribed to at some point. Of course, all were different. Here's what I think we need to send:

• Cover letter
• Completed I-600A application
• Photocopy of our previous I-171H approval
• Photocopy of previous fingerprint expiration information
• Photocopy of each of our birth certificates
• Photocopy of our marriage certificate
• Two photocopies of our original home study
• Original + 1 copy of our home study update
• Original + 1 copy of our home study addendum
• Check for $685, payable to "Department of Homeland Security"

At the top of the cover letter it is supposed to say either "EXTENSION" or "ORPHAN". I'm not sure which is right, so ours will say both. Apparently "EXTENSION" needs to be highlighted and "ORPHAN" needs to be green.

As I am so carefully following every instruction, I have to wonder is this real? Does it really make things easier for the USCIS? ~or~ Is it some sort of test by which they weed out the lazy or uncommitted? ~or~ Is it purely for entertainment and they just laugh when we do this?

Really?? Why??

So, I was catching up on my email backlog this evening and came across Tuesday's email newsletter from Cookie magazine. First, I want to say that I love Cookie magazine and one of the things I like best is recommendations for kid-friendly playlists of real music. So when I read "... listen to Rockabye Baby's lullaby versions of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, The Ramones or the Pixies" I got all excited and clicked on the link.

It is not nearly as cool as it sounds. It is all that great music (and more - U2, The Cure, Smashing Pumpkins...) on what sounds like a xylophone or something. WHY??? Is there some reason that kids can't listen to the original music as long as you keep them away from questionable lyrical content? And why is there a need to adapt the Beach Boys for children - does that really need cleaning up? It was practically children's music to begin with!

This is one for the mini-van list probably (i.e. things I say that we'll never do, but will probably renege on once there's a baby in our lives).

Thoughts of Spring

As cold as it has been the past couple of weeks, it was really fun to receive something Springish in the mail!

Danielle sent Nora this cute kitty cat bucket hat and gardening gloves - hot pink and apple green, our favorite colors! I sure hope that Nora likes hot pink and apple green. Those two colors account for about 80% of her stuff.

Bedtime for baby

Thank you to our Dec DTC secret pal for the great box of bedtime goodies! She sent a lavender ladybug fleece blanket, Johnson's bedtime lotion, a baby toothbrush with mixed fruit toothpaste and a sweet board book called Mommy Always Loves You.

I really wanted to smell the lotion, but was foiled by a safety seal that I decided that I should leave alone so that the lotion is kept fresh for Nora. I'm sure it is soothing and wonderful, though. In my imagination, it smells either like babies or lavender.

It's never to early to start the brainwashing

This week I had the opportunity to go on a recruiting trip to our alma mater, the University of Illinois. Traveling there is sort of crummy -- it involves two flights, one on a prop plane -- but it was great to visit for a little while. I also got Nora her very first Illini-wear, in two sizes so that she is never without some Illini orange!

This breaks my heart - please help

...but I know that I am a good dog and I just want to go home.

I'm sure by now everyone has seen the Pedigree adoption drive commercial. If you haven't, you can view it here. This is a truly outstanding commercial - I cry every time I see it (Rob would tell you that "cry" is an understatement, I SOB), but more importantly it has moved me to action.

I went to Pedigree's website and donated food to a shelter near our home (only $9.99 for each 22lb bag of Pedigree and they match donations if you order through their site!). And now I'm telling you, so you can do the same. Or, if you'd prefer, you can also donate to the ASPCA or the Humane Society of the United States. I wanted to adopt a shelter dog, but have been told that three pets is enough for now.

I should probably add that Maddie does not eat commercial kibble. We lost our two previous dogs to cancer and after doing some research I concluded that it was not the most healthful choice for Maddie. It is a convenient, economical option for a shelter situation, though, and I give Pedigree a lot of credit for their efforts in this area.

Quilt update

It's been a while since I've given an update on Nora's One Hundred Good Wishes Quilt - and for once that doesn't mean that nothing is happening! I have been diligently piecing away and have now completed 13 of the 24 blocks needed for the main body of the quilt. More than half, which feels really great!

Right now the 13 blocks aren't yet sewn to eachother, I just have them laid out in order so I can see how it's going to look and feel some progress. I'm really happy with it so far, but seeing it like this makes me question my choice of border, binding and backing fabric. I'll have to see how it looks once I get all these blocks together and the inside border on.

I've found that I really enjoy sewing. I keep thinking up new projects, but I'm resisting the urge to start anything new until I get this quilt top done (I will probably not quilt it myself, since I'm not really set up to handle something that size). Next up will be Nora's crib quilt - remember the ladybug quilt? - I think I need to take an applique class, I'm really struggling with getting it to look good. Maybe I just need more experience with my sewing machine...

The mailman needs a calendar

Our mailman is clearly confused. I went out to check the mail this afternoon and there was a box on the front porch. A BOX... on SATURDAY. We never get boxes on Saturdays. Boxes come on Mondays.

Anyway, it was for Nora (of course - all boxes are also for Nora) from our January DTC secret pal. This month's theme was "learning adventure".

Here's the "learning" part - a shape sorter that is also a bucket with a lid that Nora can carry around. This is a great gift - if the smarter child book is right, this is a very good toy for cognitive development.


And here's the "adventure" part - a Crocodile Creek jungle animal placemat. I have to check, but I'm pretty sure we have a bib that matches this! Plus a Good Night, Sweet Butterflies book and a Chinese New Year lift-the-flap book, called Dragon Dance

AND, if that wasn't enough, our pal also sent the cutest pink dinnerware!


Thank you so much, secret pal!!

Beware - sale at the toy store

I really don't intend for Nora's blog to be all about shopping and "stuff", but I do have to share a terrific sale at Stewart Toys.

I'm still reading that David Perlmutter book, Raise a Smarter Child by Kindergarten and have been really interested in brain-boosting activities. Besides being a fascinating book, it has also served to redirect my retail therapy from cute little outfits to puzzles and toys (books, of course, are still allowed).

Imagine my excitement this morning when I logged on to check the Rumor Queen (yes, I check first thing every morning) and spotted an email announcing a huge post-holiday clearance sale - 40-50% all in stock merchandise. I ordered a red Rody horse (photo above), three puzzles, a shape sorter, a stacking toy, a ball-pounding ramp thing and a xylophone! All before my morning shower. It was such a fun way to start the day.

Go. Shop. Enjoy!

Mega Mail Monday ... x2!!

Mega Mail Monday is back with a vengeance! Today Nora received her hat from the CCAI Dec/Jan DTC swap and it's a Hanna!! Thank you so much, Sandy, we LOVE it! I tried taking a picture of the hat and mittens by themself, but it just didn't do them justice so I put them on Nora's stuffed panda instead. Soooo cute!

As if that weren't enough for one day, we also received our Jan DTC book swap package from Karen. It was three terrific China-themed books - The Red Blanket and Little Miss Ladybug & Her Magical Red Thread, both of which I was admiring in the China Sprout catalog and Lon Po Po, a book I'd never seen before but am absolutely captivated by. It is a Chinese Little Red Riding Hood story with gorgeous illustrations by Ed Young.


Thank you so much Karen and Sandy - you made my Monday!

Too much time on my hands...

I really don't have too much time on my hands, but I am feeling anxious, like I should be doing more to prepare for Nora. Even though her arrival is still many months out, it feels so much closer now.

I bought a book (at Borders, of course) over the weekend. It's called Raise a Smarter Child by Kindergarten and was written by a neurologist. It is fascinating.

We also received a phone call from our agency on Monday and a "Waiting Families Support Packet" from them tonight. The support packet is wonderful - it talks about the logistics of match day, travel arrangements, attachment... 20+ pages of really useful information, all new to us. I've already read it twice and will probably print off a hard copy to read tomorrow.

Oh, and we're resuming Mandarin lessons. This time we're taking a community ed class with my friend and co-worker "J" and her DH. Nicole will be our teacher again, which is great. Our previous dropout had everything to do with our lack of discipline and nothing at all to do with Nicole. We're excited, we're hopeful and I've had enough caffeine to make me feel like I can accomplish anything.

The New Year's resolution about Diet Coke. Let's pretend I never said anything about that.

Another Milestone

Happy Anniversary to us! Today marks our one year LID anniversary - we have been officially logged in with the CCAA for a full year. Right now it's looking like we'll get Nora's referral in July or August 2007, which would be 17-18 months from LID or 25-26 months since starting the process. This would likely mean travel sometime between September and November. Feels good, really good.

I think they missed me at Kinko's

There was a time, at the height of paper chasing and in the middle of a zillion fabric swaps, when I was at FedEx/Kinko's several times a week. Now I hardly ever go there. In fact, I so seldom go there that I became concerned that they were missing me. To help rectify this situation, I've decided to start the I-171H renewal process.

I'm not quite sure of everything that I need to do to accomplish this, but I'm fairly certain that we at least need another copy of our birth certificates and marriage license, an updated home study and new fingerprints. Our state requires an annual home study update, so that's in process anyway. The part that I figured I could start on today is requesting new copies of our birth certificates and marriage certificate. Since we were both born and married in another state, I needed to request everything by mail and send copies of proof of identity (i.e. photocopied drivers' licenses). This is where Kinko's comes in. It was exactly as I remembered it.

Exploring Chinese cooking

We received a Borders gift card as a Christmas gift (thank you Holly, Jason & Jane!) and decided that it would be nice to get a Chinese cookbook. Today was another dreary day, so we decided to go over to Borders for a while and found what I think looks like a really great Chinese cookbook. I can't wait to try out some of the recipes. Maybe we'll even prepare something special for Chinese New Year!

I'm also looking for a knife skills class, btw, because the way I chop now it's gonna take me all day to make anything. If you don't like to chop, this is a book to avoid!

First two quilt blocks!

I've finished the first two blocks of Nora's One Hundred Good Wishes Quilt!!

I have about a zillion more to go, but even this little bit gives an idea of the pattern and the scrappy feel. I'm really happy with how it's going so far - the star points are coming out better than I expected and I love using my new sewing machine.

Ouch (part 3)!

Tonight after work, I went to the clinic for my third (and final) hepatitis vaccination. I thought that, except for typhoid which needs to be taken closer to our travel date, my travel vaccines were complete. The very nice immunization nurse - who, by the way, is very passionate about her job - now tells me that this may not be true. Depending on where we travel, I may also need Japanese encephalitis (a series of three vaccines over a 4-week period) and malaria (which I think is oral). If there should happen to be an outbreak I may also need protection against the whooping cough, delivered by a vaccine called TDAP.

As if this weren't enough, I then asked about the bird flu and left with a research assignment. The nurse is also going to get some more information and give it to me when I come back for the typhoid vaccine.

To anyone currently in process, be sure to talk to your health care provider about travel vaccinations at least six months before your expected travel date. It really does take that long.

And, note to self, remember to schedule a follow up appointment as soon as Nora's referral arrives.

Music for Baby

Thank you so much to our wonderful Dec DTC Secret Pal for the marvelous musical gifts -- two Songs for Learning cds and a Little Tykes piano! I haven't listened to the cds yet, but I can tell you that the piano promises endless fun. I've played with it several times already. Nora's going to love it!