How do you say her name?

So how do you pronounce 'Zini'. I've talked to several people and researched on-line. Everyone has a slightly different variation based on what part of China they are from.

Of course we could say it anyway we wanted since so many people do with names now days.

So here is what I've found to describe the way to pronounce her name.

For Zi, try the sound of a flying bee zzz (or the word 'buzz'). zi = dszzz. It is said very short and with a slight rising tone. Note: you never hear the " d " when pronounced correctly.

For Ni, the " N " makes the same sound as if in English and the " i " you would make the same sound the " e " makes in the word " he ".

So put it all together now. dszzz ne

Things to consider for packing.

Most everyone that has BTDT states to pack as lightly as possible so to help out I've spent a little time calculating her projected size based on growth charts and the data we do have.

If we fly in county we are limited to 44 lbs per bag that is checked to avoid additional fees so there is more motivation then to avoid lugging to much around.

First is to predict what size clothes Jessica will be wearing. So here is what I've come up with based on the Southern Chinese Girls Charts.

I've noted that her details followed most closely with the 50% scale and therefore the prediction for her at 9 months will be.

Height: 69 cm or ~27 in.
Weight: 7.5 kg or ~16.6 lbs.
Head Circumference: 43 cm or ~17 in. I guess we need that if we are considering a hat.

So therefore based on the standard sizing for baby clothes, she would barely be able to squeeze into those 6-9 month sizes so we should focus on packing the 9-12 month sizes. They might be a little loose fitting unless she adds a couple more pounds then the prediction but length wise they should be fine.

Then there is the diaper size. This one we may need to experiment the first time. The cutoff for size 2 is about 18 lbs and the start for size 3 is 16 lbs. But we really only need to a few with us since we can get more when over there.

The other consideration will be the weather. Based on the climatological normals of Guangzhou we should expect a mean max temp of 84 deg. F and mean min temp of 71 deg. F. The rainy season would have started in April so it should be humid. Beijing will have cooler temps with lows possible down to 55 deg. F, but that's really only consideration for what we pack for ourselves.

Another Other Referral Picture.

We did get another picture as part of the referral package but I haven't had it available when blogging so I couldn't upload. So here she is again.

Sondra's been carrying prints around everywhere she goes and I've had my share of show and tell at work. However I still have this feeling that we have missed telling somebody. If we missed you up to this point it's only because we've lost track.

We did get travel information packet from the agency to give us some details of what to expect next and when. Of course we really don't know when will travel.

Translation Details

A perfect match... of course, how could there be any doubt.

At 4 months they noted that she is quite active and can roll over by herself. Noted that she has good strength and when on her tummy she could hold her head and feet in the air. She was sitting up with head and neck straight and just learning to crawl forward. She can hold tight toys or objects tightly in both hands.

Most exciting is that she likes outdoor activities, music and when people talk to her.

Her caregivers comment that she is a active, loving, and "smile" happy girl. She like to play with the other kids and is very happy when she gets hugs and when they are close to her.

She was interested in sounds even at 2-3 months and she would turn toward the source of the sound. She can say "wo wo" to express her comfort and satisfaction. And when at 4 months she will imitate "a o" when people talk to her.

In 4 months she has increase 12 cm in height and added 2.6kg in weight. (I let you do the metric conversions) . So she is most definitely growing and sounds very healthy by the medical records.

Her main food at the time of the report was a mixture of milk powder and rice powder with a little fish oil and mashed fruit. She was eating 160ml/meal 5 times a day.

"Nesting" - an interesting phenomenon

Well this is topic what I was going to write about next before everything got so exciting earlier this week.

Some of you may know what I'm talking about and others may not. I suppose that if you Google "nesting" you will get a few billion hits and I'm certain that many will match the topic of an "instinct" that can set in when someone is pregnant. Nesting is something that I observed with all three of our previous children and found it an incredible display of super energy by somebody that should be already exhausted. It's truly amazing the things that Sondra was able to do in such a short period of time when this "sense of urgency" kicked in.

So I originally had figured that this was do to a chemical imbalance due to the all of the exciting changes happening in those final months of the pregnancy but now I'm not so sure. My uncertainty is based on my recent observations of the same "Nesting" behavior in recent days as we had been getting close to the referral day.

Some of the this "Nesting" is great. House is cleaner, new paint in the bedroom, some new furniture and so on. Other things I just have to chuckle (to my self - of course). But there is no denying at this point, nesting is truly an instinct that emerged again from my lovely wife.

What a day! - We made it!

No sleeping in today... we were greeted early this morning with an email with our first real glimpse of her and of course then that was followed up by pacing and pacing while we waited anxiously for the Fed Ex truck.

Not only were we wanting to get the details and additional photo but we had to return our acceptance to the east coast by tomorrow.

The truck made it ~3pm which was too late to get a local outbound overnight. And after a little coaxing we got a picture with the Fed Ex driver handing the precious cargo over. So after we examined everything once or twice we had to drive all the way to Portland Airport to get the acceptance in. Finally after all that stressing we had made it with almost an hour to spare.

So .... On our way back home celebrated with a Starbucks and a "Loving it" size from Cold Stone.

We'll I guess we are now starting the clock for the longest 6 weeks of our lives as we wait for our travel authorization.

Just in - a picture

Here is her first referral picture. We are so excited.

Other pictures are expected when the Fed-Ex package arrives sometime today. Till then we are pacing the floor and glancing out the window. Based on the last scan it was at the Portland sorting facility at 5:37.

We'll need to get out response back out today. And that will trigger the next wait which will be for travel authorization.

So back to pacing the floor.

Researching her whereabouts.

As you all can imagine I've frantically "Googling" for information on where our daughter is and what we should expect when we get to travel.

Thanks to those that have gone before us there are images of the facility. The first picture is of the facility that is currently caring for her.

The county has over 2000 years of history and the most recent name Yangxi (Yang means - Sun, Xi means - West) was given in 1988. Prior to that it was Nanhai from 214 B.C.

A SWI is a combined orphanage and elderly home and everyone in our small group have gotten referrals from this location.

Yangxi SWI was funded by Yangxi Township and upper government agencies. Established in December 1999 it is considered the largest full sized non-profit social welfare organization in the area.

Next photo is of the baby room. This is what we have come to imagine after meeting with people that have been there. I guess the first big adjustments will be fewer neighbors and a softer bed.

More about the Yangxi area. It can get very hot in the summer and even remains warm in the winter. Rains are typical in the April and June. The Yangxi county is agricultural and famous for good quality rice, sugar cane, peanuts, sweet potato, tea, banana, and lychee. Also since it is ver near the ocean seafood is abundant and common.

Famous for foods such as salty chicken, Rudong(seaside), duck tender bamboo, and fish rice pie. Locals love to eat fish rice pie, shrimp rice pie, mati cake and jelly fish. And to me none of it really sounds that appealing although I really like our "American" version of the cuisine.

STILL IN SHOCK - The "call" just came!!!!

Well first I'm not even going to start with what this is like emotionally but I'd just have to say WOW!!! -------------- "IT'S A GIRL"

Date and time of call: March 5, 2007. 10:17 PST

So far only I know. Sondra is not reachable by phone even though I have tried a number of times.

No pictures yet but this is what I know.

Chinese Name: Yang Xi Zi Ni (still need to see the characters to know more specifics)

Birthday: Aug 26, 2006

Measurements as of Jan 9, 2007:
Weight: 6.2 kg
Height: 63 cm
Head Circumference: 38.7 cm
Chest 41 cm

General description provided at the time of the call:
Very cute
Pale complexion
Dark fuzz on top of her head.
Chubby cheeks and cute lips

Orphanage: YANGXI, located near the south western part of the Providence and near the coastline of South China Sea
Province: Guangdong, China

Getting Prepared

Anticipation has been played on in commercials with much ado but they can not compare to that have of expecting a child joining your family. The 'normal' 9 months of a pregnancy is obviously of been part of the overall design to help moms and dads prepare for the arrival of the little one. But little thought has gone into what that baby is getting prepared for.

So that takes me to our situation. We have been preparing in many ways the arrival of Jessica, both physically and emotionally. Again I would consider the physical the obvious and not spend time describing all of the stuff one much assimilate to be ready for a baby but write some about the emotional aspects of getting prepared.

First thought is adoption... so why? This was one of the first questions asked of us by the social worker and a necessary response was expected in the dossier. I found this to be an interestingly difficult question to answer and found it to be as if someone was asking why would you want to have children. To me it was the same however as time is passing in this 'paper pregnancy' I have come to know that it is more complicated than that. Bottom line is still the same we believe that it's what God is wanting us to do. Key note: we have been consciously preparing for this about two years but if I step back and look at the big picture our preparation has been taken place for much longer.

Now I finally get to what is on my heart and mind. Jessica getting prepared for us. I'm reassured deep down that as part of God's perfect plan for her that preparation began even before she was conceived and all that has and it to occur will to to that end. But most differently she is not consciously preparing to come to us. While there is nothing that we can do about this difference now we want to be ready for the 'gap' in preparedness when we get to 'gotca day'.

'Bonding' with our other children began while in the womb with mom of course. But even with dad more so after they got more active. I recall the fond memory of dad and baby playing footsies while mom was fast asleep. This was all bonding and when there are those traumatic events like being born they will still find the familiar sounds and smells of mom to reassure them. Jessica has had few or no reassuances up to this point and our intentions is to create an environment that will lead to a healthy bond with God and our family.