Whew!

Wow, that was a crazy 24 hours. Vegging in front of bad TV, here are more details about Phoebe and the next steps...

Phoebe was born Tong Min Yin on 12/27/09 in Tonggu County, Jiangxi Province. She was found two days later and taken to foster care. Her medical records from May 14, 2009 indicate that she was 13.2 lbs and 24 inches. She responds to sound, can track movement, grab for toys, roll over. She's a wakes at 8:30 takes two naps and goes to sleep at 9. She's taking formula with rice milk and eating mashed fruit. She likes to play with adults, imitates facial expressions, and is said to be restless, impatient, active, quick to respond.

For folks unfamiliar with adoption issues, sometimes this medical information can be incorrect. Medical records are transcribed and verified but it's not uncommon to receive your child and find inconsistencies. Certainly she may be sleeping well there but a new environment, new people could change all that.

One funny quirk is the baby's weight. Chinese babies are bundled to the hilt in what looks like double-stuffed snow suits (even when the weather doesn't call for it). Sometimes babies are weighed with all these clothes on so parents can find that their supposed 18 pound baby may be 15 or 16 pounds on adoption day! You can't tell on the pic I posted yesterday, but tomorrow I'll have two more pics and you'll see what I mean!

As we speak, Phoebe's medical records are being reviewed by an international adoption clinic pediatrician. She and I will have a conference call tomorrow and go over the details.

The Fed Ex package today included directions to sign and return the acceptance letter, how to send a care package  to the foster family, and some information about how travel will be arranged.

Sherry's little Rachel (she'll be 3 in August) has declared herself Phoebe's big sister, and has begun  (repetitively) singing her announcement... "I"m going to be Phoebe's sister".

It's been a fun day, sharing news, smiling until my cheeks hurt, receiving tons of well wishes and hugs... need some rest, I think there is a new to-do list to generate first thing in the morning!