Jade and stoller questions

We are still in HCMC. Where would you recommend buying Jade jewelry? I've heard some is just colored glass and some is real stuff. How on earth do you know the difference and does it really matter? I've noticed some little girl bracelets for only 10.00 and some over 100.00. I wanted some earrings but have no idea where to get them. Some say these are more because it's white gold. Any recommended places?

Also where can I get an umbrella, or light weight easy stroller? I'll need it for trip home and it would be nice after Jeff leaves.

Today is Raven's b-day and we already had our manicures and pedicures. No foot or leg massage with it though. There were over 6 people watching Raven getting it done. I'll post pictures of that later. She just sat there and giggled. Then they didn't charge us for her since it was her birthday. It was a very nice spa. But made me very sleepy. Then several of the girls took Paisley from me when she got fussy. But that didn't work. She did not like that idea at all. I gave them a bottle to give to her but she just wanted me back! Then she was as content as can be!

more fun

Can you believe I had just the right shade of green hair bow to match her outfit?
This girl is a mover and a shaker! Any ideas where I can get a cheap umbrella stroller to help in the hotel room after Jeff leaves? Ryker can't hold her long and I would feel more comfortable if she was in the bathroom with me when taking shower.
Peaceful in Daddy's arms. Notice who takes all pictures?
Yummy shrimp!
These were crunchy guys. Like Pringles! Really good!

Our view here

These are all from our view from the Duxton in HCMC



Living space on first floor. Our bedroom is upstairs. We're not exactly roughing it here.

The tree

This is the tree right outside the orphanage where a lot of babies get abandoned. Security or neighbors will find them here.
Can't remember if I posted these from the Sandy beach and I can't few my blog.

This is Thomas and Raven
Mathew and Ryker
Paisley's old crib.
Nanny's at the orphanage opening some of the donations

I better post pictures while can!

Bird anyone? I cannot eat the meat here. I did try salmon but it had too many bones. I hate that. To much work and by then it doesn't taste good! I do love the seafood here though. Pictures of the shrimp in next post.
Did I tell you she weighs almost 20 pounds?!!!!! Healthy as can be!
This was at a fun little cafe. This is Paisley's favorite position. Snuggled up to me just dripping in sweat but loves to sleep like this.
This is right outside our hotel the Duxton in HCMC
This is where Paisley used to take a bath! I have some great shots from the orphanage!

She is a ham

It is such an ordeal to post from here! Frustrating!

This is Paisley's first high chair. Only place here so far that has had one. Usually she is in the hotsling sweating up a storm on me but happy as can be. I can wear her in that all over town and she is just fine.

She was trying to comb her lovely hair but it just wasn't working.
Sitting with sissy in the business class lounge at the Danang airport. They fly us in style while we're here which is nice.
These matching princess shirts and skirts were a gift from Aunt Judy. Luckily she got Paisley girl the 12 mo. size! Notice the belly? It is not easy getting that mini skirt over those buddha thighs either.
She is a content as can be as long as she is out where all the action is. Or just playing on our hotel bed with her brother and her sissy. She can scream! In joy or anger if you take that bottle away. But all day today at HCMC shopping she just hung out in her sling. We got caught in the rain which was fun. Then we discovered the street the Sheraton is on with all these higher end stores. That was fun. But I really love the locally owned stores with their residence above them. We were in a jewelry store when his front sign caught on fire so he pulled the power switch and ran upstairs and out his balcony to put it out. Such fun excitement! Tonight Jeff even agreed to eat at the Pho 23 shop! That was so fun with the waiter trying to teach Jeff and Ryker how to use chop sticks and what to do with our sauce and the the goodies to put in our Pho. I have great video of it. Then Ryker was thrilled to find a couple of game boy games dirt cheap. We went to that market with all the great deals! We barely made it a 1/4 the way through because we had so many bags to carry and were all drenched in sweat. But talk about bargains! I bought traditional Vietnamese outfits for all the kids, $4.00 ea. Might not be the best quality but they'll only wear them for pictures or maybe the asian fest. Raven picked out a doll set for her birthday tomorrow. Ryker got some big heavy gold lions. I got purses, purses, and more purses! Channel, Louis V, Coach! And a couple of watches. I want to go back! I saw the same purses for double what I paid near our hotel. That is the place to shop. The kids both got a necklace. That was when we were in the van and stopped along the street somewhere and women come up to the van to sell stuff. all for their baby they say while rubbing their stomachs. It was hard to get away from all of them once we bought something! Then we bought the lonely planet vietnam tourist book from a women who said she was very hungry and kept negotiating on price when Jeff kept saying no that's too much. I really wanted the book because I left my tourist book at home and it's the frommers. There are women sitting in the streets making these banana sheets. I've heard they were good and was going to buy some on our way back but that was when the rain storm hit. Paisley is a great shopper! Raven's legs were tired pretty quick. Tomorrow Jeff and Ryker are going to the Cho Chi tunnel tour. They leave at 8:30 and get back at 1:00. So I told Raven for her birthday we would go to the spa here and have manicures and pedicures. Just us girls!

Tomorrow night I reserved a table and ordered a cake for Raven for her day. We invited all the families with us so we can celebrate. Our kids just love everyone here. One guy is also into video games so Ryker loves talking to him about that and playing them when they find a spot. And our kids love Molly and Jeff's kids. They were in our hotel room tonight because Jeff took Molly to the Dr. She has been a sick girl. First she had fever symptoms and now it has moved into her chest. Pray she gets to feeling better soon. Take that and a baby that wakes up through the night and that will take it's toll on anyone.

Hope all is well with everyone back home!

She sleeps through the night!

Internet is very slow so sorry for not updating and no pictures. Our little dream baby has slept the past 2 nights all night long. Last night she slept 9 hours! We had her pictures, medical appointment and first CIS interview today and all went well. We shopped for a little bit but the kids are really tired. We may go swimming tonight. The pool is nothing to right home about here compared to the sandy beach! But our little sunshine is just a joy to watch crawl all over the bed. She loves to eat cereal and her bottle and has a high scream when she sees her bottle and another one if you take it from her to burp! Ryker and I had tea in the bar today with all kinds of yummies to eat! Jeff is loving the food at HCMC and it is very good at the hotel. We went to a very expensive mall so tonight we're doing the local shopping on this street. I need a stroller. My back is killing but Paisley really loves her hotsling and hung out in it all day. She even cried when I left the room today which of course just made me melt! She stares up at me with those eyes and just makes you smile! We met a family from Chicago at the Cis appointment. We all got put in front of them for interviews, I felt bad for them but that tells you how smoothly things run here. Did I mention we got to meet Linda's little girl at the Hoi An orphanage? What a cutie all full of spark! She was playing a peek a boo game with Raven. I pray Linda gets to travel very soon for her. What a joy she is and I just loved having met her.
Jeff and Raven leave on the 31st if they can get flights. Back to the room to my sweetie!

She is an angel!

She has changed so much in one day! Her eyes light up today, she smilies with a little dimple, and she giggles at the kids. She even sings! She is a true joy and everything we thought she would be. It is hot hot hot here so any picture of us we are sweating so bad and it shows! We have our first interview on Friday so we leave for hcmc tomorrow. We will miss our huge beach villa. But it will be fun to be in the city. I have lots of shopping to do. I did buy all the kids a lantern today and an embroidered table cloth for Paisleys table. We got to go to Hoi An today and visit the orphange there were a lot of older kids are. I you know anyone interested in adopting a cute 10 year olds girl, Joanne our facilitator's wife said she wants a family bad. She was so cute and I have lots of pictures. She looks like she's more around 7 or 8 size wise. We then went to the silk factory and out to eat with Joanne and all the kids. Jeff wasn't adventurous enough to eat the food there. We ate some interesting food, very good! In this heat it is very hard carrying the baby. She is just a heater and we both end up drenched in sweat. It will be hard after Jeff leaves as I won't be able to pass her to someone when I need a breather.
We are staying at the Duxton in HCMC and either the Horizon or Melia in Hanoi. Sad thing is if we stay at the Melia we all have to pay more and 2 families were already asked to pay more because of the kids traveling 3 days before travel, a little unexpected last minute to say the least.
Can't wait for that business class they put us in though. That's nice and we get to go to the business lounge to wait. Free food and drinks there. Hate lugging all the suitcases though. We have a ton!
Cheers!

Today she's ours!

A few pictures of our trip so far, above is morning view from our room!
When we walked the streets of Vietnam in HCMC. It was surreal!
Swimming, Swimming and more Swimming
Ryker at breakfast buffet at Novetel in HCMC
Raven's new friend that gave her her barrette

We met our girl!

We were there before we knew it. We went into a gate and down a long drive past another building and there it was. When we went in the room was MUCH smaller than I thought it would be from pictures and video. Jeff spotted her on the floor on her tummy before I did. I tried to take a few pictures then took her in my arms! She was as cute as I imagined and just as content as can be. Our experience at the orphanage was one of the best I've ever had. The nanny's there are so caring to the babies. And there are a lot of tiny ones there right now. Lukily one of the girl in our groups speaks Vietnamese and I had her ask if Paisley had ever been sick or in the hospital. She smiled and laughed and said happily no she's never been sick and is always happy. The orphanage director later asked when we were all sitting around at a table who was taking her and then laughed while saying something and making the gesture that she was very big. To me she is normal 7 month size and similar to my other 2 kids at that age. But I did have big babies. But compared to the other babies there she is big. Her outfit she had on was a 3-6 mo. but it seemed tight. I think all her clothes will be perfect! She does have some bug bites and bumps here and there and a sore looking boil on the back of her head that they said is from the heat. I'll want to have that looked at right away and put antibiotic cream on it. She still has her beautiful hair. In the back it is starting to grow back in. We were there a couple of hours and Raven even got to feed her. It was amazing how ALL the babies are on such a schedule that when it was feeding time they were getting fussy or tired. Jeff was holding a little guy that just instantly started falling asleep on his shoulder. There was a precious little blind baby there and the few older ones with disabilities. The older one in his crib laying down would laugh and laugh when we touched his belly. It was JUST heart breaking. The little girl we saw in pictures with her pearls was there without her pearls. Raven was asking where the girl in the video with the pearls was. She was in the other smaller room. Tommorrow we leave around 1:00 for a 2:00 appoinment when we get the baby. Then we're coming back to our new room their moving us into that's a beach villa and chilling out with her. Can't wait!
Joanne said we could go to Hoi An on Wednesday but can't bring the babies. I was so excited when she said we could go to the orphanage there were her boys were volunteering and we wanted to go to the silk factory and other places. But several of us don't want to leave the babies so we may just go on our own for a short while. Any suggestions on what you recommend us doing there is appreciated. Also what the heck do you do for supper at the sandy beach? all they tell us is a buffet that's 18.00 each and we just want a light snack. The outside bar/grill is always out of everything we order. Did get some snacks for the room today.
I'll post pictures in the morning and of our baby after the G&R.

Day two in Vietnam

It's Monday here. I could'nt post yesterday because the internet can't be accessed here unless in lobby! We see baby Paisley in 1 hour! We'll hang out at the orphanage today and tomorrow we get her.
Sunday- kids and hubby were in much better spirts after sleeping 12 hours! We were all away at 3:30 am and waiting for breakfast buffet to start at 6! That's a first for us. Usually we're the last to arrive right before their shutting down the breakfast. Little girl is like her mom and wanted to try all different kinds of food and loved it all! I will have to post pictures of it later. All the girls working there fell in love with her and kept coming up to her and hugging her and playing with her hair. I took a picture of her with one in her traditional vietnamese dress. Now she wants one just like it. Later in the day little girl told her she liked her sparkly barrette and the girl gave it to her! Jeff and Molly and their 2-boys hung out with us at the pool. The kids all had a great time together. Our son and their oldest were skeeming on sitting by each other on the plane ride to Danang. Later Molly's husband let us out into the crazy streets. We went down all kinds of back streets and had the experience of a life time! We saw how they lived and worked and played and ate. The smells were incredible both good and bad. No way could we use a stroller around here! Our little girl fell in the first block and scraped her knee a little. Molly's husband helped a women with a baby that was begging. He took her into a store and told her to pick something out. She was very shy and unsure what to do. Her man was standing back on the street looking nervous. They looked very poor, with dirty worn clothes. She picked out formula for the baby and I couldn't stop the tears from coming! What a wake up call and an act of pure selflessness on both Jeff (molly's husband) and this women. He then talked her into getting more so they got some water and a few other items. She then was grinning from ear to ear and looking back on her man who still looked nervous. Every house has a store or shop of some kind on the lower level. Some homes were all done up with columns iron gates and just beautiful and some right next to it would be a tear down but have people living there. Our little Raven gets lots of attention every where she goes so her Dad was guarding her like a hawk!
By the time we got back to the hotel my clothes were drenched all the way through. Crazy!
We cleaned up and met the other families for our ride back to the airport and a business class flight to Danang. One couple didn't know anything about our plans at all. They told them nothing. But they were just taking in the ride and anxious to get their son. Our Paisley is the only girl! We met Santosh and Jennifer as well and are excited to get to know them all better. Molly is sweet just like we all knew she would be and her husband is the character in the family but what a great family they are and we just love their boys as well. We had lunch with them and shortly after my stomach started taking a turn for the worse. NOT GOOD! I think it may have been the vietnamese coffee I had that's served in a french press with condensed milk and then you pour it on ice. It was so good but never again. I was praying on that flight I wouldn't be sick! Ryker fell asleep instantly, comfortable all spralled out in business class. Joanne and her boys flew with us. Another crazy experience at the Sandy beach resort in Danang. NO FOOD to eat for supper. Jennifer couldn't get them to bring room service, we just wanted a little snack and all they had was 18.00 buffet. so went to outdoor bar with band and ordered chocolate cake and ice cream for kids. Jeff tried to order hamburger or hot dog and they kept saying no we don't have. So after 1/2 hr I went to find out where kids cake was and guy said no cake. I was pissed! We went back inside and I asked them, in the mean time the guy followed us from outside cafe and said I told you no cake. I marched over to cooler and pointed at the chocolate cake! Unbelievable! My kids were ready for bed and it was not a good experience! He later said sorry no charge for one piece. well the cake tasted like lemon so they didn't eat it but he ice cream was like homemade and was so good. Everyone was out by 9:00 and up again today by 6:00. Had a great breakfast here this morning and Joanne is arriving at 11:00 our time which is 11:00pm in Iowa and we are going to see the babies. I have all the gifts, her adoption book I'm having them all sign, a huge suitcase full of donations and 2 cameras and video. I'll post tomorrow if I can. Please pray for all the babies health and adjustments! Tomorrow we're moving to a beach front as well as Molly and Jeff so we all have more room. It is right on the beach I cannot wait! We leave here Thursday to go back to HCMC.
Hi to everyone and please call Mom and read this to her. I did talk to her for 2 minutes today.

All tuckered out

The photos above are from our hotel window. I've seen tons of pictures of all the bikes and moter bikes but it is just so different to actually experience it. The bikes just pull in front of everything and everyone including big buses. It is just crazy!

Ok the husband and kids could just not roll with me any longer. The kids almost fell asleep eatting a late lunch. Hubby was crabby and impatient. They went to bed at 3:30 this afternoon! They better not get up at the crack of dawn. Well it will probably be earlier than that but we have those great hotel black out blinds so that may help us sleep a long time. So they went to bed and I organized a few things. I was seriously wondering if we made the best choice bringing the kids after the way they acted today. It was not fun! I told hubby he could take both kids home with him and leave right after the G&R so baby and I could just chill out in peace! Then I went into complete panic because I cannot find the cord to get the pictures off my little sony onto my computer. I remember taking each cord and putting them in little baggies and wanting to put them all in my lap top bag. Well every other cord is there except that one. So I checked everywhere else, knowing that when I packed these cords the suitcases were already zipped up so it must be laying on my dining room floor where I was doing this. I only had a few pictures on there from Hong Kong and the plane. I'll be able to take around 400 pictures on the one sony card I have with it if I want but I did bring another camera and it's a sony but with a mega zoom so much larger. I'll just have to lug that thing around with me! Oh well! At least I brought another camera. I was just worried I wouldn't be able to get them off of there and could only take 400 shots this whole trip. Those knowing me and my photography know that just won't happen.

At dinner we ordered cheese pizza and I ordered Pho! I was so excited to try it but I have nothing to compare it to. I was suprised by all the huge chunks of onion on top and major green ones. I'm not a big onion fan so was worried it would be just an onion soup which I would hate. It had chicken and noodles in it and was great to dunk our bread into. I was so dissappointed in my mocha. I had heard vietnamese coffee is so strong so opted for mocha thinking that would help. But it was extremely watered down. It didn't even taste like espresso. I'm not sure they use milk with it either. It was very watery. And I'm so paranoid about getting sick I'm trying to be careful. We get a breakfast buffet tomorrow so I'll be curious to see what they have. The food on the plane was prepackaged discusting stuff! I have to be very careful of prepackaged items that are full of preservatives. Anyone reading this that knows my Mom please tell her we made it safely! I'll try to call her if timing works out. We signed up with Skype to call from the computer and it is really reasonable.

Can't wait for tomorrow!!!

we made it!

One LONG journey and thank god we're here! It was 35 hours from the time we arrived at the first airport till we got in our hotel in HCMC. Everyone's a little crabby here so I'm going to make this short while they rest and then we're going to check out the pool and grab a late lunch. I'm afraid if we rest too long we'll all fall asleep for a LONG time. The flight from Chicago to LA was actually the worse. Long flight, squeezed in there with someone hogging the arm rest and making boring useless conversation as I was trying to draw with my Son or watch a movie. Hubby got an ear full from the little girl of course. She went on and on and on. And then she was hungry. "I'm hungry, I'm hungry, I'm hungry" over and over and over. We didn't want to feed her anymore of the sugar crap we had so we were trying to make her wait it out. She was actually just tired and finally fell asleep 1 hour before landing in LA. My sister met us and we went out to eat. We were all pretty wiped out because it was 1 hr late to LA and was midnight our time when we were eatting out. Aunt Judy bought the kids new video games which made their night. The flight to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific was great. Can't believe it was actually 14 hours. We had great seats, 2 and 2 one behind the other. And there was even room by the widows that little girl could walk from Dad to us without going into isle. The kids were so good! We just played video games, drew, and watched movies. But we all fell asleep pretty fast. We left at 2:00am and sleep till 5:30. Not long enough. Then we cat napped here and there. We all missed dinner but had a gross breakfast. We arrived into Hong Kong at 5:30 in the morning their time. Had a 2 hr layover and another 2 1/2 hr flight here. Kids started fighting a bit on that flight and by the time we got to hotel room they were in full blown crazy mode, with their Dad being grumpy right along with them. NOT FUN! So I made everyone take showers which helped a bit. Tomorrow we check out of here, the Novatel at 1:00 and leave for Danang at 1:30. I'm very excited for this because we stay at the Sandy Beach which is supposed to be a very nice place on the beach with a great pool! I'd be ok with a day at the beach! I'm glad we don't have to get up early. Then on Monday we get to visit Paisley's orphanage! YEAH! I cannot wait! I need to get all the things ready to take, and sometime get all the baby stuff organzied. I was just saying today I need to ready and figure out how many scoops of formula for 8oz. bottle! It's been awhile! Funny with the 3rd child you just kinda go with the flow! It will all be fine. We officially get her on Tuesday. We have our G & R that day. Hopefully she'll fit into the pretty purple and white fancy dress I brought, or I have an outfit that matches Raven's. I'll decide when I see her. I've heard it's harder to get on the internet in Danang so we'll see how it goes. Prayers for her health and adjustments appreciated! We're also excited to see Molly, Jennifer and their families tomorrow. We don't know the other couple in the group. Molly has her two boys with her so that will be fun for our kids. Hopefully ours won't drive everyone crazy. They just might! Love to you all!

She has a pretty room!

My sister came up with the idea of putting baby in the "den" on the main floor. She'll be close to us. She has a big gothic chandelier that will have ribbon from it when done. I love her room! We're still waiting on a big pale yellow stuffed rocker have to add pictures, dolls in all the chairs, blankies and more!

Last full day here!

We're getting down to the wire now! I cannot believe it. I'm in denial and won't believe it till we're at the airport. Then I'm taking a BIG sigh of relief (and a dramamine!) and am planning on sitting back and reading some mindless gossip magazine!
I STILL have a bit more paperwork for the business to do. And I have to put everything in the suitcases. Some of you are probably cringeing at the thought of not having the suitcases packed the day before. That's just how I roll ok?!!
It will be done by the end of today and that is MANY hours away. I may not be able to take all the candy I brought for the older kids. It is quite heavy. But I AM ready for my baby girl! SOOOOOOOOOOOO ready! I've got the hairbows, ribbon, and mini pony tail bands all ready to go! I actually went out yesterday and bought whole rolls of small ribbon for her hair in many colors.
My almost 5 yr old will be celebrating her 5th in Vietnam. She wants baby alive. Have you seen this doll? It's a hard scarey looking thing that poops! I don't need more messes! I don't really think she will enjoy it like she thinks. I'm thinking of getting her a leapster instead. We did get her little diamond cross earrings and and a Ruby ring. All for the expensive price of $6.00! And her gift from her Dad and I was the twin bitty babies. We do have to have a party for her when we get back with a few of her friends.
My son is happy as long as his gameboy ds lite is charged. Pray we can do this at all our hotels in Vietnam.
We fly out on United then Cathay Pacific. It gets great ratings, but still stuff you in like sardines in economy. Our flight out of LAX is at 1:50am! My sister and Niece are meeting us for dinner. I still have to figure how we're getting to the airport. Back to work!

Her hair cut, sorry so delayed

oh this thing these are out of order but oh well here she is!!!
She was so excited to get it cut short. This is our friend the talented Laura.
ok a bit serious here.
But oo la la! Isn't it cute?

This was before my hair cut with my nanny.

Looking back on the year

Thinking of eatting the snow, should I?
When Nieces and sis in law were here for baby shower
We were getting a little camera happy taking our own pictures!
Don't remember if I ever posted the pics from dance recital.