Smirnoff the Chinese baby

This is the first post in a week. Apologies to those who have been checking for more frequent updates. I'm hoping to post an update about once a week in future, probably at weekends.

As I'm sure you can imagine, we've all been fully occupied this week with adjusting to life as a family in our own home. The first few nights were rough on Stacy and me as Chloë had difficulty sleeping through the night. Ten timezones of jetlag was probably the main cause, not to mention a new house, new smells, new bed and a whole new country. No matter how many times I sit Chloë down and explain to her how the earth rotates on its axis, she refuses to grasp the concept that she should be asleep when she wants to be up and vice versa. We have now had three good nights in a row, so I think she has finally adjusted.

We took Chloë to the pediatrician for her initial examination on Monday. Everything seems to be OK so far. She tolerated the drawing of blood surprisingly well. The highlight of our week has been collecting four separate stool samples in little plastic jars in order to check for parasites.

Gomer The Dog's life has changed forever. I think he is still in shock. He is excited to have a new little person in his life, and seems to understand that she needs to be treated gently. Chloë is slowly warming up to him, although her initial reaction was fear. She is only about 1/3 his size, so I imagine it's a bit like an adult sharing space with a fully grown 600 pound bear of unknown temperament.

I'm sure you all want to see some more pictures, so here they are. Please keep the comments coming. It's the only way I know anyone is reading the blog.

Happy in her bib, because food can't be far away. 


Cheerios continue to be a hit. 


The three of us have a diverse set of passports. Chloë is now an American citizen, but for our homeward journey she travelled on her Chinese passport. She will get an American passport soon. 


Gravity continues to be a fascination. 


Our friends were kind enough to welcome us home with banners, signs... 


... and balloons, which are great fun to play with. 

// posted by John @ 12:23 PM