Home One Week

We have had a busy first week at home, complete with a visit from Grandma Sharon, neighbor Helga, Erika, and the Curi cousins. We've also ventured to the doctor's office, downtown Geneva, and Fabyan Villa, and the hospital for a not so fun blood draw. Tommy is getting accustomed to his new stroller and carseat, though he doesn't seem thrilled to be in the carseat most of the time.

He seems to have taken to his new home very well. His favorite activity is kicking and pulling the gym-ini thing and rolling around the living room floor. He also loves to look outside the windows at the trees and listen to the birds. He is fascinated with the chirping and arches his back to look for the source of the sound. Very smart!

We are looking forward to more visitors soon!

We're Home

We arrived home yesterday afternoon - we were greeted at O'Hare by my sister Teresa and niece Megan. It was great to see some familiar faces! Will write more later and post new pictures. Tommy is very curiously checking out his new environs and isn't sure what to think sometimes. We are happy to be home and can't wait for Tommy to meet his new friends and family!

Homeward Bound!

We are packing our bags and preparing to leave for the airport at 9pm tonight for a 1:00 am flight to Seoul! Yay!! By a stroke of luck, I called the Korean Airlines office yesterday morning to double check for any earlier flights, and there were, so we are in luck. Now we just have to figure out how to repack all of our things plus all of the souvenirs we purchased in a mad dash yesterday.

We arrive at O'Hare Monday morning around 11 am - can't wait to see/talk to everyone and for you all to meet Tommy!

Love, Tara, Doug, and Tommy

With Pictures....

I think the pictures didn't come through on the last post, so I will try again.......

6 Months Old!

Today Tommy turned 6 months old! We celebrated with a brownie and ice cream - well, only a bite of ice cream for Tommy and he liked it!


Here he is cracking himself up when the camera's flash goes off.







Early this morning we headed to the Korean Air office to rebook our flights for April 18......then headed to lunch at Pho 24 again and spent the afternoon at the hotel with the other families in our travel group. Everyone is thrilled to have the visas and to have a travel date.

In this picture Tommy is demonstrating his skill at removing and replacing his pacifier. He's also sporting another new Vietnamese baby outfit - very fancy. We have found it's cheaper to buy new clothes for him than to have the laundry done at the hotel.



Happy Friday and Happy 6 Months Old to the baby boy!

Thursday Night

Good news - we had our second interview this afternoon and the baby's visa should be ready tomorrow afternoon! If it's not ready tomorrow, it will be on Monday. So, we are going to the Korean Air office tomorrow to check on flight arrangements, but right now it looks like we could be flying home on Wednesday.












Yesterday we went to Lenin Park on the edge of Hanoi - Doug was disappointed that we could not find the actual Lenin statue, but it was still nice to be outside in fairly clean air and to see some trees and grass. There were tons of schoolchildren there and they all swarmed Tommy's stroller and were saying "Hello, Goodbye" over and over. It was hilarious. There was also an interesting water feature - if you've ever seen the show Most Extreme Challenge on FX, it was kind of like one of the stunts they have....Doug wanted to try one out, but maybe next time.

This morning we received Tommy's Vietnamese passport - the only good passport picture I've ever seen! After that we went to the SOS Clinic for his adoption medical, and all of the nice nurses and doctors were happy to see him feeling much better. We initially didn't think we had approval for our second interview, but after a phone call to the embassy, we learned that we did indeed. So, this afternoon all of the families went back to the embassy for our "interview" and now we just wait for the travel visas. Very fast. Very, very fast.

Will post more tomorrow when we know about our return flights!

Goodnight from Hanoi,

Tara, Doug, and Thomas

Thursday Night

Good news - we had our second interview this afternoon and the baby's visa should be ready tomorrow afternoon! If it's not ready tomorrow, it will be on Monday. So, we are going to the Korean Air office tomorrow to check on flight arrangements, but right now it looks like we could be flying home on Wednesday.












Yesterday we went to Lenin Park on the edge of Hanoi - Doug was disappointed that we could not find the actual Lenin statue, but it was still nice to be outside in fairly clean air and to see some trees and grass. There were tons of schoolchildren there and they all swarmed Tommy's stroller and were saying "Hello, Goodbye" over and over. It was hilarious. There was also an interesting water feature - if you've ever seen the show Most Extreme Challenge on FX, it was kind of like one of the stunts they have....Doug wanted to try one out, but maybe next time.

This morning we received Tommy's Vietnamese passport - the only good passport picture I've ever seen! After that we went to the SOS Clinic for his adoption medical, and all of the nice nurses and doctors were happy to see him feeling much better. We initially didn't think we had approval for our second interview, but after a phone call to the embassy, we learned that we did indeed. So, this afternoon all of the families went back to the embassy for our "interview" and now we just wait for the travel visas. Very fast. Very, very fast.

Will post more tomorrow when we know about our return flights!

Goodnight from Hanoi,

Tara, Doug, and Thomas

Quick Update

Thursday afternoon - we have our second US Embassy interview at 3:15 this afternoon!! This morning we received the baby's Vietnamese passport, he had his "adoption medical" and now we're off to the Embassy. His visa to travel into the US will be ready tomorrow afternoon at 4pm, so we are currently working with our travel agent and Korean Air to determine when we can fly home!

Will try to post later tonight with pictures.

One Week Together

Today we attended our first US Embassy interview and Tommy had his follow-up medical appointment. Both went well. We should know the date of our second (and final) US Embassy interview later this week.

Yesterday Doug went to the "Big C," Vietnam's version of WalMart and purchased a stroller. We won't dare use it on the sidewalks, but it is nice to have around the hotel or at a restaurant. Most of the other adoptive families here have purchased them as well. Doug didn't take the camera to the Big C, but wishes he would have because there were cases of frozen animals and meat products.......weird food.

It is hard to believe that Tommy has only been with us for one week. It seems like he's always been here, and he's changing everyday. His newest trick is to pull off our glasses........he has a very tight grip and he does not let go easily. He's also sitting up a little more each day, with assistance, but he is improving.

Tomorrow we plan on getting some shopping done, and Thursday morning it's back to pick up the Vietnamese passport and then the adoption medical appointment Thursday afternoon.

Signing off for tonight, The Grays

A New Week

We are excited to be starting a new week with a fresh start. Tommy slept about 9 hours last night, but did wake up twice to eat.

As you can see here, Tommy loves to read...and hold the books, and also smash them against our heads. He also likes to pull on our glasses and jewelry.











We ordered pizza last night - yes, pizza. And they even delivered - for free. Pizza has never tasted so good. Now if they only had Portillo's or Buona Beef here, we'd be all set. No, Tommy didn't really try any pizza, but we thought Grandma and Grandpa Gray would enjoy this picture!
























Doug is on his way to the "Big C" market right now - similar to WalMart - to pick up a stroller for the baby. Since we are hotel-bound for awhile, we thought it would be easier to have a stroller for him instead of carrying or using the Baby Bjorn, which he isn't crazy about after awhile.












Signing off for now - it's almost time for Tommy's next nebulizer treatment. Not fun for any of us!

Please keep in touch!

Tara, Doug and Tommy

Easter Sunday

We had the best intentions of going to Mass today, but instead we ended up spending 12 hours at the SOS International Medical Clinic with a sick baby. Thomas had many nebulizer treatments, a dose of antibiotics, and lots of baby tylenol. He was diagnosed with bronchiolitis - baby version of bronchitis. The head doctor reassured us that this is very common in young children, especially from orphanages. Our Easter gift was Thomas being discharged by the head doctor and cleared to return to the hotel earlier this afternoon!

This was taken earlier in the day on Saturday, when Tommy was feeling OK....he likes riding in taxis!

View from the cab ride - Doug liked the guy riding with all of the cases of beer on his motorbike. This is not the strangest thing we've seen on a motorbike - usually the camera is put away when we see things like flatscreen TVs stacked on the back of a motorbike, or 4 or 5 people per bike.

Tommy feeling better once we returned home from the clinic.

Decorating Easter eggs outside of the cathedral yesterday. It smelled like the nail salon!

Yesterday we visited the Old Quarter for a bit, and this is the grotto at St Joseph's Cathedral. We walked inside but they were decorating for Easter Mass and we were not allowed to take any pictures.



We are staying in the hotel for the next few days with the baby. The pollution/smog is terrible right now, and breathing in dirty air is not what the baby needs. On Tuesday afternoon we have our first US Embassy interview, and a follow up appointment with the SOS doctor afterwards. The Vietnamese passports should be ready this Thursday, and later on Thursday or Friday we will take the babies to the SOS Clinic for their "adoption medical exams." I already inquired if our overnight stay would count, but no luck. Thomas was a real trooper at the hospital all night - he handled it much better than Doug and I did. The nurses and doctors loved him, and he charmed them all night long with his coos and smiles - well, when he wasn't screaming through the nebulizer mask.

Happy Easter to everyone at home!

Love, Tara, Doug, and Tommy

Friday Night - One Week Down

Tommy napping earlier today in his "baby cot." When we requested a crib for the room, the hotel staff had no idea what we were talking about.




















We have spent a lot of time at the local food shop/mini mart and these are two of Doug's favorite items.......yan yan are weird cookie sticks that you dip into Nutella-like chocolate sauce. Tiger beer is made in Vietnam - does anyone know if you can buy it in the States?


















Tommy and the early signs of a baby mullet.
































Tommy sporting some new duds - we had to buy long pants for him today because we didn't pack enough for him and the weather has cooled down significantly. He's very stylish.























































Yum- whole cooked chicken at a street vendor - note the neck and head attached and on the far left of the picture, what appears to be the claws.

Passion/Good Friday at St Joseph's Cathedral in the Old Quarter of Hanoi.

Doug and Tommy ready for a walk - he refuses to sit in the Baby Bjorn facing us. He is too nosy and loves to look at himself in the mirror (Tommy that is, not Doug).

************************************************************************

One week ago tonight we arrived in Hanoi.....one down, potentially two to go!

The baby appears to be feeling better, but he does not enjoy the nebulizer treatments......Doug wouldn't take a picture of him while he was having the treatment - there is a funny cartoon character mask they gave us. I'll try to take one tomorrow.

Tonight we ate dinner in the Old Quarter, near St Joseph's Cathedral. When we arrived in the taxi, we came to a stop a block from the restaurant because of all of the traffic and people watching the Passion re-enactment at the church. There were crowds of people, stage lights, loud speakers, and vendors selling everything from popcorn to balloons.

Goodnight!

Good Friday

This morning we learned that our first US Embassy interview has been postponed until next Tuesday afternoon. We were disappointed, but there's nothing we can do about it. There seems to be an abundance of American families here adopting, and we have heard that the Embassy here in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City cannot keep up with the adoption paperwork and processing. So, we may be arriving home on April 21 after all.

In other news, we took Tommy to the SOS International Clinic this morning to see about a bad cough he has developed. They put him on a nebulizer treatment, which he did not enjoy....but thanks to my nephew Casey, I know how to use the machine! He will have the nebulizer treatment, Actifed, and saline nose drops for three days, and we'll return for a follow up visit on Monday morning. Tommy weighed in at 7.7 kilos/17 pounds and 26" long, and the rest of his checkup was just fine.

We are letting the baby sleep for now and then we will possibly venture out of the hotel just to get some "fresh" air - or at least to buy more diapers and bottled water!

Happy Good Friday......Tara, Doug, and Tommy

Thursday in Hanoi

This is Ninh, the facilitator who works for our adoption agency in Hanoi. He has been incredibly helpful during the entire process, and is very, very patient with all of us high maintenance Americans. This was taken after the Giving and Receiving Ceremony outside of the Quang Nam provincial government office.

This was outside of the orphanage, and this little boy's name is also Tam. When I asked him how he was he said, "Fine, and you?" He was very charming and liked having his picture taken.

We returned to Hanoi yesterday afternoon.......it was a very long day for everyone, but the babies all did very, very well. Tommy successfully completed his first flight!

It is nice to be back in Hanoi where we can settle in and unpack for the remainder of our trip. Earlier today Doug and the other dads went to the Vietnamese Immigration Police to apply for the baby passports. Tomorrow at 1:30 we have our first US Embassy appointment.

I will try to post a few pictures from the Giving and Receiving Ceremony that occurred on Tuesday, April 3. That is when the baby is officially adopted to us from the Vietnamese government. After spending about an hour at the Quang Nam Infant Welfare Center (Tommy's orphanage), we went with the baby, our facilitator, and the director of the orphanage to the Quang Nam provincial ministry building. The ceremony was brief, but very nice. Doug even got a little choked up while saying his thanks to the Vietnamese government for the opportunity to raise this child. Then, we signed a few more papers, and headed back to Danang.

Some of you may have seen in the pictures that Tommy was wearing a shirt at the orphanage that said "Baby Tom" and has some Bugs Bunny-like cartoon characters on it. It's hilarious and very fitting! We are keeping that outfit and the "spit cloth" they were using on him.

Will try to post more pictures and details later!

Tara, Doug, and Tommy

HERE HE IS!!!

The internet is very slow here so I will try again later to post more............but all is well and we are together!

Love, Tara, Doug, and Tommy

Sandy Beach

We arrived in Danang around 8:00 this morning and it is gorgeous. Absolutely beautiful. It reminds Doug of Hawaii. He's already taken a dip in the South China Sea, and we are currently getting our things ready to head out to the orphanage!

Will post or email pictures as soon as I can!