Week 1 & 2 of being home

Being home is busy!! Getting over the jetlag and adjusting to being home is tough. The day after we got home we had many phone calls and a few visitors. My first phone call was to my cousin Lori. I think the person who heard the most about my adoption was her. So Lori and her daughter came to my house and we had to run up to Wal*mart. Of course my 1st day home all I wanted to do was have a shower in Canadian water, blow dry my hair, curl it, hairspray it and what happened........my hair dryer blew up!! So off to buy a new one, and then I had to pick up a few other things. Channing also had her first Canadian visit to Mc D's that day too.

Auntie Lori and baby H.

On the weekend we headed out to the lake for a few hours each day. Channing had a blast out there. Her and Hunter played, ran, ate, giggled...just had fun!!! Actually the first day out there Channing didnt even go into the house once. Hunter is so amazing with her. I'm so proud of him....he grew up so fast!!! He is so gentle, caring, sharing, loving with her it is amazing. And of course she worships the ground he walks on. After that weekend all Channing would talk about was HUNTER. She took a picture of him to bed with her and would cry for him while she would be going to sleep. We also had a few people stop by out at the lake to meet her, which she loved everyone.

At the lake

While we were in China I heard that Channing didnt like dogs. So the first time she met Saige was Saturday at the lake. She LOVED her and obviously knew her from the pictures I had sent. I didnt bring her home until Sunday and that was because Channing wanted her to "come home". This is a picture of Channing giving Saige a kiss before bed.

Over at Hunter's house playing

Eating her candy necklace

The first week home was also busy with paperwork and appointments. The biggest challenge I had was to get Channing's social insurance number and provincal health card issued in her Canadian name, not her Chinese name. I was able to get her social insurance number here, but had to drive a hour to get her health card. Both went pretty easy and both were issued in her Canadian name. I did have to go armed with some paperwork that says it can be done...and had to use it for her social insurance number. Also Channing had a doctors appointment, which she got a A+ from my doctor. She was amazed at how healthy and happy she was. No blood work or tests were done as it will be done later at a different appointment.

While we were in the big city we went shopping. Auntie Randee came with us and we found this great Halloween costume at Old Navy. Channing loves it. She will put it on a few times a day and prance around laughing in it. It also has orange leggings but she sometimes leaves those off!! We also made a dash to the Chinese grocery store for some food. It was so cute seeing Channing in there. She knew what a lot of things were and told me what to buy!!!

My girl LOVES chips....just like her Mama!!!

Our second week home, since my grandparents cant really go far from home anymore, we took a trip to see them for the day. My dad was up there combining already so my mom, Hunter, Channing and I drove up. They were so excited to meet Channing and loved her to pieces. My aunt, uncle and cousins also came to meet her.

Eating one of great-grandmas famous cookies

Hunter wanting to take Channing for a cruise!! These 2 kids had a blast on the quad. Grandpa (A.K.A Gong Gong) took them for many rides!!

Before I went to China I had registered Channing for Montessori school. I wasnt planning on her going until at least November but when we were in China my agency director Yulin strongly advised me to put Channing in school ASAP. She was used to going to school in China and also with her going to school it would help in many ways. So on the friday Channing had her interview and her teachers were amazed at how well she was doing. I felt better seeing her in the classroom and checking everything out. It was hard telling them she would start on Monday but in the same breath I could see in Channing's eyes that she wanted to go. I would ask her is she wanted to go to school and she would tell me YES!!! 11 days after being home my baby girl went to school. She goes all week just in the mornings. I stayed with her for the first 2 days and that was it. She is loving it!!!

Channing and Hunter in their school uniforms

A gift from a friend.....a new toy box!!!

Once we were over the jetlag and colds Channing started to blossom. Everyday got better and better. After 1 week she would go to bed in her own bed without any tears. She will eat pretty much anything I put infront of her. On day 8 she decided she liked her Gong Gong and Po Po (Grandpa and Grandma). She is very attached to me......just limited cuddling on the couch yet. Her English is amazing. She can speak 3-5 word sentences already and understands everything I'm telling her. She says so many words I cant even count them. She can count to 10 and says half the alphabet already. She will still talk a bit in Chinese, but not much.

More to come.....week 3 & 4 update tomorrow!!!