Update 2...long

Sorry for not posting earlier, we were busy getting to know Bo and enjoying the glorious weather. Well, obvisouly we are home. She is a perfect joy. I will figure out how to load pictures a little later. I had meant to post from JFK as we waited to meet Wayne the greeter, but at 9pm on Friday night while we sat in a terrible airport restaurant I turned on my computer and just couldn't bring myself to type anything. Our Jetblue flight was a little delayed leaving Boston, but it got us to JFK with about 2 hours to spare. We found the spot where we were to meet the greeter, and then went back to the shopping/dining concourse. Kip bought himself a new diaper bag while we waited and we had a little bite eat. Unfortunatley the waitress forgot to put in anything but our shared appetizer order, but we survived. I checked with Northwest and her flight was scheduled to be in 33 minutes earlier! We got to the "spot" under the big orange question mark and met the other family K and P. We also met Wayne and Kevin our greeters. I ran to the restroom at about 10:30pm and I heard the flight announcement that the flight had landed. As I was running out of the ladies room I saw Ash, our car service driver. He took our luggage cart, and we went over to the domestic arrivals elevator to wait. We waited about 10 minutes, which seemed like forever, when the two escorts and the baby's in carriers came down the escalator. The whole thing was quite surreal. Bo cried as soon as she was placed in my arms, and continued to for about 45 minutes, all the way out to car, and up highway, it was a sob-filled gut wrenching cry. It'll be interesting to see the pictures and movie, it all happened so fast. The greeters took some photos with our cameras, because we were A LOT overwhelmed. Our escort asked for my email address to send me some pictures of Bo on the flight, I hope she follows through. Also, the other family had brought a friend with them that took a lot of video, he asked for our mailing address to send us a copy of the video. Kip held her as she cried, sobbed, & hiccuped until she fell asleep for about 2 hours. She finally took her bottle and enjoyed crunching on the rice crackers she came with. She has 8 teeth, 4 top, 4 bottom. The two on the bottom are still cutting through and making her miserable. We stopped to stretch our legs in northern CT and she awoke and cried again until I took her out for a little walk around the car. She drank the rest of her 200ml (about 7 oz) bottle in my arms and fell back asleep until we got pulled over by the MA state police. Yup, that is right, we got pulled over for driving with only the parking lights on. Apparently the driver forgot to put the lights on after our stop. How dreadful. Luckily we were 45 minutes from home and he let us go on our way. We stumbled into the house at 4:30am and Gammy was awake waiting to take pictures and meet Bo. She enjoyed some jarred carrots, more rice crackers and we gave her a quick tub because she was ripe. She didn't really sleep again until 6-7am. She ate more at 8 and we took her to her first Pediatrician's appt. Dr. S was thrilled with her growth, motor, and verbal development. She does have a little ear infection, so she was prescribed amoxicillin, tylenol & motrin. Since then she has eaten, slept, played. She loves her big brothers already, loves music and LOVES being held. We have been wearing her on a front and back pack. She is napping in her pack n play and nights in our bed, she likes to pat us for reassurance as she stirs. So far we have gotten good stretches of about 5 hours, up for food and play and then she'll go back to sleep. We are catching up on sleep and enjoying every minute as she adjusts. She is becoming more confident being put down and playing without being held. She loves to crawl, pull up on her knees from sitting, and if near any object, pull herself up to stand. She doesn't like to be on her back at all which makes giving her medicine and changing her diaper a gymnastics exercise. She giggles, laughs and babbles when she is happy. She went on her first outing yesterday and slept both ways on the carseat, a surprise since she has likely never seen one before. She likes the stroller only if we keep it moving. All for now.

Update 1

We have decided to have the car service drive us all the way home, so I am blogging from the CJ Trailways bus that is bringing us to the airport, who knew the bus would have wi-fi??? The whole experience feels surreal. I wish we had longer to pack, I have already forgotten the travel pillows and the baby sling carrier. I woke up at 4 in the morning with terrible butterflies in my stomach, not going into this with much sleep, great. I forgot we'd have to check a bag with the liquid formula, juice, baby food, etc. And by the way, what do you wear to pick up your child at the airport? A skirt, jeans, who knows? that stumped me as we were rushing out of the house. You'd think after waiting 4 months I'd have thought about it. More later, I don't want to get bus sick.

Change in plans

After thinking about it last night Kip and I have decided to forgo the Hertz rental car and have a car service drive us from JFK to Boston Logan. More later.

Pediatrician visit

We have scheduled a Pediatrician visit at 9am on Saturday, we'll be tired but happy to have her checked out, hoping to avoid an ER or emegency doc visit. The paperwork suggests that after the long flight and the dry germy airplane air that she may have a cold, or even possibly an ear infection. They have no immunity to "american" germs so they say to keep her home for a couple weeks as she is adjusting.

Part 3 of 3, comfort and adjusting

We have been given a lot of advice from both Jean, and Cecelia on how the babies adjust. As well we have done a lot of research on what happens in the baby's mind at 9 months old when she is thrown into a different culture, with different sights, smells and language. There is one escort per child, and travel time is typically 18 to 20 hours. Total time from foster home to our arms will probably be between 30 to 35 hours. We have specific instructions for in the airport: "NO CRYING, no tears (joy or otherwise)." This process is confusing and can be upsetting to the children, and babies can feel our nervousness and hear crying. Cecelia tells all new parents to "try to be calm, reassuring, warm, loving, secure, for these exhausted, frightened, confused children." Our faces, our language, our clothing is strange to these children. They suggest calm low voices. Once Bo is home with us, we will continue the attachment process we started when we first meet her at the airport. Love the Children recommends that we limit visitors and trips in crowds, as well as "holders" for the first two weeks or so. Bo will more quickly come to know us, our feel, our smell, and our voices if Kip and I are the ones primarily holding her during this early time. They recommend skin to skin contact and the use of a baby carrier. We can expect no real sleep patterns at first and Jean suggests carrying and walking with the baby. I have set up a pack n play in our bedroom, with the bassinet section installed. She may only want to sleep with us or on the floor at first, since that is customary. She says to keep an eye out for dehydration in the first few days, we have been told they are mostly on soy formula. We have set up the high chair and bought some baby cereal and jarred fruits and veggies. Due to the long travel time, they also suggest a pediatrician visit, we have one scheduled at 9am Saturday.

Part 2 of 3, travel logistics

We debated this topic quite a bit yesterday. Due to some of the suggested adjustment methods (see part 3) we originally had planned on making it a small welcome party for her on her homecoming day at JFK in NYC. We had hoped it would be Me, Kip, Henry, Holden and my mum, Gammy. Well after lots of thought we have decided that just the two of us are going to go. The flight gets in really late and there is no way to fly or train it back. Due to it being Labor Day weekend, the roads will be insane in and around NYC. So the short story is Kip and I will drive to Logan, fly down JetBlue at 5pm on Friday night into Terminal 6. Gammy will stay here with the boys. Kip and I will pick up a rental car, park closer to Terminal 4, grab dinner and meet the "greeter" Wayne under the big orange question mark at 10pm. We will then be given a large brown envelope with 3 things in it, 1) Bo's up to date medical card, including all her immunization records so they don't have to be repeated here 2) Her schedule as completed by her foster mum, including sleeping, eating, napping, comforts, bath, etc. They are fairly gernous with the information about the baby's routines. 3) A present from her foster mother which will include more pictures of her and her 1st birthday Hanbok. A hanbok is a traditional dress for them to wear on their first birthday to celebrate (more on that topic later) After we review the envleope we will wait on the plane. Since the plane is already in the US, she will have gone through the long customs process in Detroit, so she should be brought our pretty soon after the plane lands. Cecelia told us that there will be one other LTC baby on the flight with another escort. He is going to a family in PA. He is only 3 days younger thatn Bo. We will show ID, sign some forms, and get her to the rented infant seat in the Hertz as fast as we can. Then to avoid a hotel room and traffic we will head straight home, expecting a 4-5 hour drive. An all nighter.... It will be wonderful to arrive home though and introduce the baby to Gammy and the boys. We will be keeping the visitors to a minimum the first 5-15 days, more on that to follow.

Part 1 of 3, the bag

So here is what we are packing in her bag: 2 jammies (but they recommend not changing her immediately out of her travel clothes unless they are filthy, because the scent is familiar), pink cardigan, 2 bibs, 2 bottles, soy liquid formula and a can opener, apple and grape juice, pedialyte, assorted pacifiers(not sure about if she uses one), blanket, hats, burp cloth, baby tylenol and motrin drops, diapers, wipes, Baby Bjorn carrier, camera, film, batteries, cell phone, chargers, 2rattels, soft cloth book, board book. Anything we are missing?

The Call

She's coming home Friday Night- Northwest Flight 897 through Detroit arriving at JFK terminal 4 at 11:04pm. First I got a call on my cellphone from Jean, our social worker, at about 10:15am, she told me she spoke with Cecelia yesterday and that things were close. She advised me on what to pack her, how other families traveled to pick up their babies, and how to comfort and basically get through the first few weeks. Thirty minutes later Cecelia called on my cell phone, first asking about my Dad's health, and then providing flight info, and lots of moral support. She is such a professional. More on what to expect, what were are doing to prepare later, just wanted to get the post out as soon as possible.

No baby news...

We have no baby news today, but have been tending to a very sick Grandy last week who is suffering from pneumonia and a myriad of other complications. He seems to be on the upswing and should be moved from ICU after 8 days, to the medical care unit. The only good news is that we all got to visit with Aunt Lippy and Uncle Totus in Maine between meetings with the doctors. His wife Dottie is doing a great job keeping him strong.

Big Brother's are anxious...

Good news!

I got this email from the US Embassy this morning - "Greetings from Seoul, Thank you for your fax of Aug 8, 2008, concerning the immigrant visa (IV) case of Jeon, Bo Mee. I am pleased to inform you that Jeon, Bo Mee IV was issued on July 23, 2008, and was forwarded to the adoption service provider, Eastern Social Welfare Services, on the same day. Please contact Eastern for further information. I trust this information helpful to you. If I can be further assistance, please do not hesitate. Best regards"

Jean spoke with Kip last evening and said Bo has likely already had her pre-flight physical, now we are waiting on arranging an escort and flights! Soon I hope.

Isabel Dory

My Dad has commissioned a rowing boat, to be completed sometime at the end of the summer that he has named the "Isabel." We chose the paint color over the weekend and it is a beautiful boat. A 9 month old with a boat named after her, how spoiled already.

Fun and busy week last week, big SPSS 50th Anniversary party in Small Point on Saturday, trip to celebrate Pamela's 40th birthday yesterday. We opened a big package of baby girl stuff from Nana and Grampa yesterday, what a treat. I am still not believing that our baby's visa has been issued. I am hoping I can get confirmation this week. The sooner the better...I try not to get excited, but whenever the home phone rings M-F 9-5 I run to see if the caller id says Love the Children. I am being unrealistic to think we'll get the travel call before September 1st, but I cannot see why she isn't here yet! This wait is killing me.

S

Punchlist

The Punchlist is growing by the day- stuff to do around the house, stuff to do for the baby, people to see and visit with, Lake time, Beach time, Music Concerts to attend, Amusement and Water parks to go to. Three weeks until the end of summer, it is already cooler in the evenings and we have had a cold snap, it is starting to feel like Fall.

So Overdue

It has been a whirlwind- sorry for the delay in posting. The good news is that Cecelia called Korea yesterday on our behalf and all of Bo's paperwork has been completed and they are getting her ready to travel. They expect it could be as soon as 2 weeks, but I think it is more likely 3-6 weeks. All is a go though, nice to have the reassurance. I am not sure I really believe it yet, and won't unitl she is in my arms at the airport!
Camping was great, but it went by too fast. Kip brought a picture of Bo with us - we brought her to the lake, on the boat, to the pool. We bought her a little Danforth Bay shirt to wear next year. We have been reading the storybook Katie-Bo - An Adoption Story by Iris Fischer to the boys. They are pretty much fed up with the wait and ask every day "when will she be here!" We hope to have her home and settled before school starts, but who knows....

Happy 9 month birthday sweet girl

Happy 9 Month! Hoping to have you home for your 10 month....

Off to Camping

We are off for our last baby free camping trip for a while. Hoping to have great weather, and lots of fun. When we get back I am going to take the suggestion of another LTC waiting family and start calling Washington D.C. to find out about her "exit" interview. I am not really sure what that means, but it will help me feel proactive...

On track

I spoke with Jean, and all looks good for Bo's arrival in September. She said that in Korea they are applying for her Korean Passport, aligning an escort, scheduling pre-flight medical exams, preparing the foster family for her departure, packing her belongings, etc. Once they have flight information they will fax it to Cecelia and she'll track us down with that information. Usually a family is notified 2-4 days in advance of the itinerary. Best case 6 weeks to wait, worst case 10.

We have been keeping busy keeping cool in glorious summer weather and preparing for our annual camping trip with the Dilworth's. We leave in exactly 10 days. Yippee! I called our social worker Jean today and left her a message to try to figure out if we are all on track for a September arrival, I'll post once I hear back from her.

Henry has been flourishing this week at his grandparent's house in Maine. Holden's gets his turn next week. Henry has been moved up to the bigger kids arts and sailing programs. We are all so proud. Tomorrow he sails in the Small Point sailboat races. He has also been "working" for family friends earning $2 a hour, what an industrious 7 year old we have. 7 going on 17. He is enjoying himself, and I am sure he is being spoiled. On Friday night he'll be in a "revue" where we'll enjoy watching him on stage.

Generalizations

I have been reading and re-reading the book that the agency sent with the referral, it is mostly a compilation of stories, resources suggestions, and some interesting facts about asian babies. Did you know that most asian babies do not have the enzyme to digest milk sugars? They recommend a soy based formula. More later on the bottle/nipple dilemma that goes with this common lactose intolerance problem. As well, Asian babies are prone to perspiring more, and need to be carefully watched for dehydration. We have been reading about home life in Korea quite a bit and are getting prepared for her to have been carried most of the time by Mrs. Kim, so we look forward to pulling out the old baby sling and Bjorn carrier. As well, in the Korean culture they generally sleep in the same room as the babies, so we expect we'll do the same for at least a little while. I'll share more later.

When up in the middle off the night

This is one of things I think about when I am up in the night. I want to start fillling in the baby book I bought for Bo. Both boys have complete baby memory books we filled in, from birth-5 years old. Both Kip and I get a kick out of reading the books our parents made for us. I look forward ot working on this soon.

Posting at 4am

Do you think this is nature telling me something? I have been up now four times tonight -----------twice with the dog wanting to be let in and out, once with the cat stealing my pillow, and once with Holden sleep "climbing" into our bed. I am supposed to be relishing my sleep these last couple months.....

Enjoying the summer, while waiting for Bo

We are all keeping very busy, enjoying lots of outdoor time, beach, boats, lake, pool, etc. This week I will start to put Bo's books and toys on her shelves...

Another Love the Children family

Another Love the Children Family who I met on an Adopt Korea board, has been now waiting exactly 4 months today. They are hoping to have their baby boy home this month. They also have a waiting 5 year old in their household, patience is not common in most 5 year olds. Both Jean and Cecelia have always quoted 4-5 months from acceptance of the referral. They received our signed and notarized paperwork back on 4/29...That brings us to somewhere between August 29th-September 29th. But this timing is not a science. Such a busy time of year with Back to School - Holden starting full day Kindergarten at a new school, and Henry starting 2nd grade at the old school. Life as we know it is going to be really changing, all at once.

Happy 4th of July

Happy Independence Day!

8 months old!

Happy, Happy Birthday Baby Bo. We cannot wait to meet you.

With love from your Momma, Dadda, Hen-o and Holdy!

Waiting Game

Trying to not wish the time away, but this waiting is starting to really kill me. Luckily we have lots of family and friends plans coming up over the next week or two. We look forward to visiting with the Dilworth's and the Glynn's next week. The Fourth of July holiday helps...Kip and I leave for Sunny Isles Beach in Florida for 3 night tonight...trying to squeeze in some couple away time before Bo arrives. Her new curtains are hung up and look great.

Thank You Aunt Kathy!

Aunt Kathy sent Bo this beautiful asian babydoll today. The boys have her swaddled in the crib. Henry and Holden also received a toy from Aunt Kathy... fun with marshmallow shooters. I think Maisy dog is going to gain weight from cleaning up all the dropped "bullets"!

Miss her today

Today is one of those days that make me wish she was here, and we were strolling outside listening to the birds and enjoying the beautiful spring weather. Yesterday was Holden's last day of school and today was the Henry's last day of school. It will be fun to enjoy some unscheduled summer fun and I am sure time will fly by as we wait until she gets here.