All of the passport photos of the babies were fabulous. How did they get baby Bao to smile like that? And his hair looks coiffed, as if he had just returned from a visit to the hairdresser. I accidentally asked if i could have a copy of the passport photo at the official, formal, very strict G and R ceremony, which was not met with accommodation or smiles. When Bao sleeps, he crosses his legs and hooks his left big toe over his right pinkie toe. And he sucks his thumb with one hand over the other, fingers extended except for [View Full Entry]

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Look what Santa left us under the Tet tree! [View Full Entry]

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Yesterday was a big day for the boy from Vinh Long. He heard his first music (unfortunately Abba). He rode on his first escalator. He saw fish in an aquarium. He took his sixth car ride. And he went to the doctor. We took him to the doctor the day before, the official one required to get his visa. But yesterday we took him to Ho Chi Minh Family Medical Practice. I always went to the one in Hanoi, when I got, yet again, another case of food poisoning since i can turn nothing down in this land of fresh fruit [View Full Entry]

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Prunes really do work. Baby wipes really can be used for everything , including a refreshing towelette for oneself. sleep when the baby sleeps or you never will sleep. it is impoosible to type while holding a baby. babies need toys. the bottle lid andbaby wipe container, though ffun for a while get old. on being back in vietnam: fabulous. all the other times felt like just practice. on my vietnamese: abysmal; this is why half the hotel staff refers to bao as vinh long. allen has to do something official every day and that is why we couldnt post a [View Full Entry]

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Elios Hotel has been fabulous. The staff always wants to hold Bao, and the owner gave us a little present! They also let us stay when they were already full (it has been difficult telling hotels exact dates, as we never know when our paperwork is ready). Allen got baby Bao's passport today, and he is almost ready to be a world traveler. He also got a sealed envelope that we are to give to customs upon arrival. It has information about how Bao was left at the orphanage. Of course we would like to know immediately, but I think we [View Full Entry]

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Will try to send photos tomorrow. so jet lagged, exhausted, but like in a dream, thanks to everyone for the very nice comments, bao is definitely coming home to a world of love. [View Full Entry]

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Only have a few minutes to type, but wanted to let you all know that we got him! Had to be ready to go at 6 a.m.; went with three other families. It was a three hour drive to Vinh Long, we stopped for lunch, picked up the babies, went to a Giving and Receiving Ceremony, drove back, and then came back to Saigon and went to a photo shop to have photos taken. Arrived back at around 7 p.m. Was such an incredible day. let's see: on the drive to Vinh Long, we passed many rice fields and beautiful forest [View Full Entry]

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Super quick entry; we arrived in Saigon fine but pretty beat. Got to our hotel at 2 a.m. last night and up around 6 a.m. We met up with another family who has been here already a few days and are about to go to dinner with them. Have to be at their hotel at 6 a.m. tomorrow, diaper bag in hand, am thinking this is good practice for the eighteen years of no sleep that we will get soon. really hope tomorrow goes smoothly and that Bao bonds to us well. Have heard that the babies are much smaller than [View Full Entry]

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Patience is a virtue; virtue is overrated. We booked our flight to leave at 5:45 a.m. from Tally airport so that we could be certain to make our connecting flight in Atlanta (and so our luggage would make it as well). Of course our first flight was cancelled because it wasn't full enough, and we barely made it onto an 8 a.m. flight. When we arrived in Atlanta, we asked the Delta rep in a panic if she could call our next flight to tell them we were on our way and her response was "You'd better run", we thought, wow, [View Full Entry]

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Wow, I was kind of joking when I described the reality trip, but it is already happening that way. Allen called Delta, and we are sitting together for the first (1 hour) flight but not the second (16 hour) flight. He does always hog the window seat, but still, would love to sit next to him. Didn't know had to request that...and that it wouldn't just be assumed...hmm.... Other than that, am still amazed that I am a blogger! And a parent! And both together, oddly. Maybe I am suddenly able to blog because I am a parent and everyone knows [View Full Entry]

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