Today is the 1 month anniversary of Naomi's Gotcha Day!
I have been a very slow Blogger these days. It is just hard to find time to spend on the computer!
Sleep seems to be the only issue. I have tried shortening her naps but it is not helping. If we give her a bottle at bedtime, she sleeps until about 2 am and then she is wide awake and it is really hard to get her back to sleep. If I don't give her a bottle, she will wake up about 2-4 times before she falls into a sound sleep and sleep until about 5:30 or 6. Sigh. The sleep deprivation is killing me. So is the middle of the night rocking/ jiggling / singing. A 20 lb baby is heavy - I wish I had ordered a rocking chair. Naomi is 10 months today!!!
I'm on a new laptop and haven't installed the camera download program so pictures to come!
Things have been really busy but we are very happy and finally settling in to a routine. Tomorrow is our 9 year anniversary!
We're a little sleep deprived but we are happy to be home!
The next morning we walked the 3 blocks to Tienanmen square. It was a great place to be that morning with all the noise and people. The perfect place to say goodbye to China. 
We are still somewhat jet lagged but it is getting better every day. Naomi has changed since we've been home. She's 
a very busy 9 month old. She loves to move and to play. She loves the cat and says kikki (for kitty) she also says mama and Baba and GeGe (for Francis). She loves to eat and we finally got her taking formula in a bottle (whoohoo). She now loves 
the bath and she even slept through the night last night!
Oolong tea means black (Oo) dragon (long) and is the oldest and most traditional tea.
expensive store!
Today was the medical exam. Naomi was a real trouper and didn't cry. On the Chinese charts she is at 50% for height and 8% for weight. We have to fatten her up a bit. I think some good nutrition will go a long way. I have had some success with the formula by mixing it in to her baby food - especially into baby cereal. She weighs 7.2 kgs and she is 71 cm tall.
The flight to Beijing seemed really long. I can't imagine the 13.5 hour one next week!
Tomorrow we have the medical exam in the morning, then a tea house then in the evening we are going to the Beijing Circus.
When unable to speak the local language one points and gestures. Well, a 7UP was supposed to be ordered at Dicos (local fast food joint) and seven Pepsis came along...
What was cutie pie unitooth Naomi doing while baba daddy was messing up the order you say? Dreaming of baby food of course.
This morning we are off to Beijing. I have been saying goodbye to Guizhou all morning. I feel sad for Naomi - leaving the place where she was born. I hope someday we can come back for a visit. Just like Kemerovo Russia, this place will be forever in my heart.
Now we know what Brad Pitt feels like in the presence of paparazzi. No word of a lie, Francis gets stopped for pictures, hugs, hand-shakes, etc,… at a minimum of a dozen times per day. He is a superstar signing autographs. If we understood the Chinese language we are convinced that some fathers have proposed daughters in marriage with Francis. Super Naomi bro is very patient and understanding with Chinese folks that have never seen a little blondie boy before. Perhaps there is a kung-fu movie career for Francis in China where he can make millions of yuans per day.
It's Wednesday night here. Everyone is sleeping and I am trying to catch up on emails and the blog. Stephan did the last post if you did not guess. We are all doing well. Still tired but overall good. We are getting used to Naomi and her routine. She eats well, table food, yogurt, baby food, etc but will not drink any formula. I have tried it hot, warm, cold, in a bottle, sippy cup, glass, mug. She won't have it. She won't drink anything but water from a glass or a water bottle. When she was handed to me she had a plum in her hand and managed to eat the entire thing by using her 1 tooth. Oh, she LOVES Cheerios and these little round baby cookies here that melt in your mouth.
