our first week at home...

Well, we've been home for a week now and Alli seems to be doing very well.  What a precious baby she is!  BaiLee, Ethan and Graci all seem to be doing great with her.  Graci seems to be doing great, with only mild jealousy.  She has gotten pretty baby-ish and wants me to do everything for and with her, so I do.  The kids all fight over who gets to sit by Alli, who pushes her in the stroller, who holds her...etc.  If they keep holding her all the time she'll never walk!!! LOL
We've had to just jump into our normal routine since we've been home, which most of you know is a very busy one.  I'm praying it doesn't mess Alli up with bonding/attaching to us.  She seems to be great, but doesn't really show a lot of stranger anxiety.  I'm not sure if I should worry about that or not.  We don't pass her around and let everyone hold her just yet, and the only ones that feed her are Brian, myself and our kids.  We don't make her go to anyone she turns away from and one of us are always in a room with her so she can see us.  It's so crazy the things that are different with giving birth and adopting.   I'm sure she's doing fine and will continue to do so. 
Two nights ago I saw a big difference in the way she interacts with her siblings.  She has really started responding to them and playing with them.  I can't tell you how much I love to watch that.  It's the sweetest thing!  We took Alli to church last week.  She did great.  It was so sweet to watch her clap along with the music. :)  Did my heart good to see that.  She is a total doll baby!
Since we've been home Alli has started holding her own bottle, drinking from a sippy cup, can pick up food with her fingers and put it into her mouth, cruises along the couch, can point to "Mama's nose" when asked.  She's really learning and seems to love the attention. 
Sometimes I wish I could go back and watch her for one day in the orphanage...just to see what her personality was like there, compared to now with us.  
God has been so good to my family.  I look at all 4 of my beautiful children and get overwhelmed with grattitude.  I really love being a Mommy and I'm so honored that God chose me to love and raise BaiLee, Ethan, Graci and Alli Ashworth.  They bring us so much joy and make everyday better than the one before!

first night home....BaiLee and Alli

Ethan and Alli

Graci feeding Alli a bottle for the first time.

My 4 beautiful children

BaiLee 11, Ethan 9, Graci 5, Alli 16mts

Our first Sunday in Church as a family of 6!!!!

What an awesome God!

HOME!!!!!

Oh my goodness!  WE ARE HOME!!!!!  I didn't realize how much I missed home until I got here.  It feels so good to be home, but it felt even better to have my babies in my arms!!  Oh my goodness, what a sight for sore eyes, arms and heart they were.  I missed those beautiful babies!  Mama, Daddy, Our kids, Ames and Jen all met us at the airport.  It was so nice to see my family and friends. :)  On the way home Graci said "Mommy, I missed you so much I almost peed in my pants!!!!" LOL  Ethan sat up front with Brian, Graci beside Alli and I sat in the back with BaiLee.  He was all over me, and I think I heard "You just don't know how much I missed you!" about 30 times or so.  :)  We kept them home from school today so we could all spend some time together.
Alli was a CHAMP on the flights home.  Seriously, I couldn't have asked for a better baby! She was amazing, even during our 7 hour layover in Chicago. 
The kids were so happy to finally meet thier sister.  They have been ALL over her.  It's going to take some getting used to for Alli, but she will.  She's already really taking to Ethan and BaiLee.  Graci, well....I think the two mama's thing may be confussing for her! LOL  Really, the kids are doing great with her. We all stayed up last night until almost 3 am.  I am beat today!!!  That king size bed didn't feel much like a king wit 6 people and a dog in it last night.  Alli and I ended up in Ethan's bed early this morning.  Jet lag is killing me and Brian!  We are exhausted today!!!  I really can't wait for night time so I can go to bed.
Alli took a good 3 hour nap today.  Graci asked me about 6 times if she could wake her up, she wanted to play.
I'm so happy to be home and have my family all together. 
For those of you who are wondering, Alli became a citizen of the United States of America the time she steped onto American Soil, which was in Chicago. :)
Thanks for all the many prayers.  We truly felt them every step of the way.  God is so good!!!
With lots of Love,
Amanda & Brian
*I'm posting some pictures from the trip. I'll post more from us being home when I download them.
This water fall was inside our hotel in Gz.

 Yum, in a resteraunt.

 eel, being sold at a resteraunt.....

 Beautiufl girl in her Traditional Chinese dress.  All ready for the "Red Couch" photo.

 These are the babies in our final group.  They had to divide all of us that started out Beijing.

 These are the families that went to the same province as us.  Dan, Julie & Dani-Lyn, Tony, Lisa, Elizabeth & Samantha.  We loved getting to know these families.

 My new friend, Jen and Ethan. 

 Beautiful sleeping beauty. This is how she puts herself to sleep sucking her fingers...it's SO sweet.

 Part of the whole group.

 The waterfall inside the hotel.  It was very pretty, and there were huge goldfish swimming all around.

 This is supposed to be a video of her laughing,. I hope it pulls up.

it's almost time...

to head to Hong Kong.  How cool is it that Brian and I are getting to hit all the major parts of China on our trip?!  Way cool!  I'm super excited about getting a step closer to seeing my babies. However, it is sad to think about leaving all the wonderful people that we have gotten to know and formed friendships with. 
My friend Jen and I went shopping today for gifts before we leave the island, while the guys kept the napping babies.  Oh my gosh....I'm totally stressed about getting everyone gifts!  I feel like I need to buy for everyone and it's totally stressing me out!!!!! Brian keeps telling me not to worry about it, just get stuff, but i'm stressing for some reason.  I haven't even gotten myself one single thing on this whole trip...and now I regret that.  I wish I would have bought myself some nice jade while we were in Beijing, but I didn't..... :(  Oh well....live and learn.
Alli seems to really like staying in the room.  She is her happiest when we are not in big crowds of people.  She just sits and plays for the longest time.  When we are out and about she is pretty fussy and whines a lot.  I'm sure she's not used to being around that many people.
This morning we did our "red couch" pictures.  This is a picture that adopting families take on this big red couch in our hotel.  We had Alli dressed in her traditional Chinese gown, along with all the other babies.  We got a lot of group shots.  What a wonderful memory.   I'm already looking forward to seeing all the families at a reunion in the future. :)
I better close for now.  I have a sweet baby playing on the ground who just looked at me and said "Mama" and smiled really big.
Much Love,
Amanda & Brian

Counting down the days....

.....until we are home!!  Now don't get me wrong; China has been a wonderful experience, and something I will never forget, but I have 3 babies at home that I have not gotten to see, hold, touch, hug, squeeze, kiss, tuck in at night, cook for, love on, play with, drop off and pick up from school, lay with, etc. and I'm really, really missing them right now.  I miss my BaiLee, Ethan and Graci!!!!!!
China really has been cool.  Brian and I have enjoyed the experience and are thankful we have gotten to experience it.  We're just ready to see our babies!!!
Yesterday we had our consulate appointment at the US Embassy.  We took our Oath and signed the paperwork for Alli's Visa...the final piece of paper we are waiting on so we can board the plane and head to the US.  Alli will be an official Citizen of the United States when we hit US soil....which will be in Chicago Ill. :)
She is still the sweetest little thing, but she's also a little pistol. She knows what she wants and doesn't want and is not afraid to let us know when something is not pleasing to her. She gets pretty fussy when we are out in crowds and on the streets, but as soon as we get back to our room she is all smiles and laughs.  She just doesn't do well with strangers.
Everyone knows Graci's nickname is "Sassy", well Brian and I have already discovered Alli's nickname, which fits her oh so well...."Spicy"  She is one Spicy girl. :) Of course she's going to need that spice to fit in with her brothers and sister. :)
She's a bottomless pit and can put away some food!!!  She's starting to slow down, somewhat.  I'm guessing she is realizing the food is not rationed like in an orphanage and we will always feed her and feed her good proportions.  She loves to eat, just like her big sister.  She still says "Mama" a lot.  Brian will look at her and say "Dada" and she will smile and look at me and say  "Mama"  I think she is a joker, and likes to aggravate her Daddy. She sleeps good at night and loves her naps. 
She and I both have a cold.  I'm starting to get somewhat better, thanks to the medicine's others have given me.  Alli sounds rough.   We both have real raspy voices and a cough.  Lots of congestion. Hoping she will be all better before we get home.  She seems to be bonding very well with Brian and I. I pray that continues when we get home and around all the people who want to love on her.  Adoption is so different than giving birth, and I have to remind myself of that sometimes.  Right now Brian and I are just the most awesome Nannies she has ever had......she's bonding very well, the attachment will take time.  I'm eager to get her home in her new house with her siblings and start life as a complete family.
The people here always ask me if she is my first child.  They are all so shocked when I tell them she is our 4th! In a country where you can only have one child, 4 is unheard of.  They are all very supportive of the adopting families.
Keep us in your prayers. Tomorrow we get her Visa papers and then we fly to Hong Kong for the night before flying home to the states.  Pray for safe travels and for Alli to do well on the flight (me and Brian, too)....it's a LOOONNNGGG one! 14 1/2 hours on one air plane is a LONG time!!!!  I feel like a runner who is almost to the last mile mark.....so close, yet so far away!!!  Not much longer until I can be with my babies! (and eat my Mama's cooking!!!)  Actually the food here is not bad. I've enjoyed it and want to learn to cook some Asian dishes.  Brian ate squid last night and I tried it...not bad at all!  That's where it stops for us.  They had ostrich kidneys and forest frogs on the menu...yikes!  today walking around Brian and I took pictures of turtles, eels, frogs, and all kind of things (live) in front of a restaurant for you to pick out to eat.....we have not went that extreme! :)
See you all soon.  I better rest while Miss Alli girl is napping.  :)
Love you all,
Amanda & Brian

Pictures!!!

We left Nanjing yesterday.  It was a pretty busy day, so Alli missed her nap. Oh boy, that made the flight well.....stressful.  Sweet girl was in rare form and throwing one natural tantrum just about the entire flight! lol I felt bad for the man sitting beside me.  I can only imagine what he and everyone around us were thinking.  Oh well...she's still the sweetest baby!
We went today for her medical appointment.  She did good.  She was getting sleepy and hungry toward the end.  I have tons and tons of pictures I want to post, so bare with me!  My friend, Jen, let me use her card reader, so I was able to download pics to my computer.  I've been so eager for everyone to see this beautifl baby girl!!! :)
Love you all!
Amanda & Brian

                                                 This is when they handed her to us....

                                                      She did so good, I cried more than she did!

                                                              Silly Daddy, trying to make her smile!

                                                                             What a moment!

                                                      She's already laughing at Daddy!

                                            In our room, me feeding her for the first time.

                                             A nice bath and clothes, and here's our girl!!!!  Two hours after we've had her.  She smiles and laughs like this all the time.  God has really Blessed us.

making it final...she is OURS!

                                                     Stamping her fingerprint

                                                   Me and My Love....

                                                Alli's first Oreo...

                 and the messy face to prove it....(this was for you, Grumpy, she loves coke and cookies! :)

First Skype with Brothers and Sister...

                                                    She wanted to touch them...

                                     My friend from the airplane.  She came to our hotel to see us.

                             She loves to say "Mama" and give me kisses. (with her mouth wide open!) :)

                               The girl is LIMBER!!! I see gymnastics in her future. She can do a full split!

God is good. :)

Today was another good day.  Very relaxed and laid back.  Tomorrow we leave Nanjing.  I'll be sad to leave our guide, Min.  She is awesome and very personal.
Today our guide called our friend that Brian and I met on the airplane from Beijing to here, Nanjing.  I wrote about her in an earlier post.  Well, Min called her and asked if she would like to see us again, and she did.  So, the girl we met came to our hotel!  Our guide/translator came down here and we were able to talk a lot.  It's so amazing to Brian and I how God puts things like this together.  It wasn't by chance that we sat together on an airplane, talked and instanlty connected.  I told Brian it makes me wonder what God is up too. Our friend kept saying she wants us to come back to China, and she be our guide.  She promised to work on her English and be able to speak it very well when we come back. :)  She brought us a gift.  Our guide told us her gift was a very big deal, and something VerY special.  It is a jade looking stone that came from Tibet.  It has a seal on it that was placed there by the head....uh, shoot, I can't remember!  All I know is this thing is a big deal, and very special.  This was very, very nice.  When it was time for her to leave she was about to cry.  She said she still wants to see us again.  How special is it to come to another country and become connected to someone we can hardly even communicate with!!!  God just amazes me!  We feel so Blessed that we were able to meet this girl and become friends with her.  We now have her address, phone number and email, so we will all be able to keep in contact.  It just floors me how this all worked out.  I just can't describe how happy Brian and I were to be able to see her again.
As for Miss Alli Ying....she is still doing great.  She's already becoming rotten! :)  She is so sweet and happy and we are amazed at how she seems to be adjusting to us.  She is very much a "routine" baby.  I'm sure thata comes from being in an institute.  She really seems to be a happy little girl. Today she gave me lots of kisses, then she would look at Brian.  Granny & Grumpy sent us some Oreo's.  Grumpy said he wanted us to start her off right....so Brian gave her one today.  She was funny.  I had to change her clothes after she had it.  We got pictures of her first "Oreo Face." lol  Too cute!
We went shopping in a few shops today.  Our guide went with us to help us bargain.  By the time we left she said she was going to start taking Brian with her....he was the king at bargaining with these people! LOL   I told her back in America it's called "being cheap!" LOL  Brian had a lot of fun with that and talking the people down.  We did get some good deals on a few things for the kids. :)
We leave here tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully I can download tons of pictures tomorrow.  I know you all are eager to see Miss Alli.  Love to you all.
Amanda & Brian

Wednesday in Nanjing

Today was a very relaxed day for us, and we needed it.  Yesterday was a bit rough for Alli.  After we left the registration office she was pretty fussy for the rest of the day.  Our guide agrees with Brian and I.  We think seeing her nannies was too much.  We think she was worried they were taking her.  She drank a bottle yesterday morning when she got up, and wouldn't take one the rest of the day.  I know she had to be hungry.  She woke up this morning around 4am.  Around 5 I finally had an idea.  I got a straw and fed her from that.  Not her sipping out of it, but me plugging the top and draining into her mouth.  She drank the whole bottle....so guess what?  This is the only way she will eat now! lol I'm thinking her Daddy started this when he gave her coke from McDonalds yesterday...yes, she LOVED coke!!!! (Grumpy, you will be proud!)  She absolutly LOVES gerber bites.  She eats those all day long.   She has been SO much better today.  She's back to the happy baby she was the day we got her.  Laughs, smiles and plays!!  She took a 3 hour nap, so I took advantage of that time, and took one myself!!!  It felt SO good!
We had to go into the drug store today for some cream to put on her face.  She has exzema really bad. (sp?)  All the ladies were talking too and about her.  Alli got a little fussy in there.  Our guide told us she doesn't like strangers and she is bonding well to Brian and I.  She does like our guide too, but she has also been with us from the first day, so Alli is used to her.
We went on a boat ride today.  That was neat.  Its crazy walking around and having people take your picture.  We were standing in line getting our boat tickets and a couple came up to me.  The girl wanted her picture made with me. I guess us Americans look funny. :) lol  We get a lot of smiles and thumbs up from people when they see us with Alli.
We got to eat at  Pizza hut for dinner tonight.  Yummo!  Pizza and Coke...I was a happy woman!!! :)
Our experience here so far has been great. We are enjoying every minute and trying to take in as much as we can.
We miss our babies back home....I can't wait to have all 4 of my babies together!  When we skype, the first thing they want is to see Alli.  They are very excited and anxious to meet her. It's very sweet.  I love skyping with them.  It has made our seperation much, much easier. 
God has been so good to my family and I can't thank Him enough for His MANY Blessings.  Thank you again for the many prayers.  We love you all. We can't wait for you guys to be able to see in person this sweet little girl our family has been Blessed with! She is absolutly precious!!!!  And, we think she is going to fit in perfectly with her brothers and sister.  It's like she was made just for us.....amazing!
Shopping day tomorrow, so I better go rest now.  :)
Love you guys,
Amanda & Brian
I SOOO can't wait to download pictures for you guys.  Alli looks so different than she did the day we got her...even that afternoon she looked different.  Amazing what a bath and a great outfit will do for ya! ;) Oh, and a hairbow!!!! ;) lol