A look back at China

I got a little reminiscent today and wanted to look back at some of our China pictures. While looking at them tonight I decided to do a little post on Mia's days in China. This is just a short little pictorial review but it blows me away at how much she has changed and grown in every way!

China day 1-- GOTCHA evening-- Changsha Hunan- May 21, 2007 - Mia was 6 months old

She bonded with daddy immediately. She loved his goatee!

One of the few bottles Mia actually drank. Come to find out, she was not really given bottles in her foster home and was given table food from day 1.

Day 2:


Smiles!!



Our precious little girl! I never thought she was reserved with us but looking back I realize how much she came out of her shell by the end of the trip pointing to the fact that she was reserved from the beginning.





Day 3:


Funny story. Mia would not take bottles and she was not really eating much. We were sitting at our favorite restaurant at the Dolton Hotel in Changsha Hunan-- Food Street-- and I held up chopsticks to take a bite and she opened her mouth wide. This is her eating Cheerios with chopsticks. From that day on she ate congee and other table foods-- very little formula.

Such a pretty little thing.

Day 4: our visit to Mia's area-- Yueyang County Hunan (northern tip of Hunan)

Long drive-- 2+ hours.

She was always so easily entertained and was always such a joyful little one.



Day 5:

Mia loves her daddy!!

Day 6: our plane ride to Guangzhou-- White Swan

Our bathing beauty

In the airport-- wow did we get some crazy looks!




Day 7:

As the days went by she just warmed up so much!

When an adoptive parent checks into the White Swan they give you a Barbie Doll with a caucasian mom holding a Chinese baby-- this is our rendition of the doll.

All smiles at this point!



Day 8:

Hanging out with daddy while making a phone call home on Skype.

We had Mia's medical exam this day and she passed with flying colors. This is a picture of her taking her passport picture. Everyone just thought she was perfect-- we agreed!!

Mia loved baths-- especially in the sink!



Day 9: Starbucks Baby!!

Mia loved her some good Starbucks!!

Day 10:

Just opening up like crazy!! We were eating at our favorite Thai place on the Island.

Yes, she is doing what you think she is doing-- I have always thought this picture is hilarious!!



Day 11: The Red Couch at the White Swan

Holy cow was she tiny!! Look at how big Kevin's hands are in comparison to her-- wow!!!

My favorite red couch pic-- I loved this face-- she made it all the time in China!

Mommy and Mia


I don't have the pics but the next day we packed up and headed home. The homecoming was amazing and the boys just loved their sister from the first moment they saw her. I will do a post on that sometime soon. It is a lot of fun looking back. I actually do it often. I also find Kevin on the computer looking through our China pics. If you have not received your referral or have not traveled, your China time will be precious. Document it as much as you can. It is just a treat to be able to go back and look at our trip and to watch your child's growth-- DOCUMENT!!!