Thursday, September 07, 2006

Going Home Today


Chiang Kai-shek Memorial



Ai-Mi can go home! She has her visa!



Taipei 101



The View From Taipei 101



With Mommy on the Observation Level of Taipei 101



Falling Asleep on Daddy



With Penny and our caseworker Cecilia



It is Friday morning here in Taiwan and we leave this afternoon. We're just hanging out in our hotel room this morning until check-out, so I have time to post.

We have had a busy last couple of days, but Ai-Mi is really adjusting well. I think she's a little trooper after all! She is sleeping at night pretty well. She wakes up a couple of times scared, but each time it is getting easier to comfort her. Naps are still pretty fitful, and she is still a little scared. She preferable likes to take them in Daddy's arms, and of course he is obliging! She has really taken to Daddy. She likes him to speak in Cantonese to her. In fact, if he speaks in English, she pushes his head away. It is quite adorable! Daddy got some smiles for the first time out of her on Wednesday, and now we can both get her smiling. She started accepting a bottle when she is alert on Wednesday, also, so we no longer have to sneak them in when she is sleepy. She is crawling up a storm and even wants to pull up on things, but she can't. Yesterday afternoon, for the first time, she really seemed genuinely relaxed and playful with us, and I really felt like I could start to see her little sparkly personality.

On Wednesday, we had no appointments except to pick up Ai-Mi's visa at AIT, so we got some sightseeing in. We went to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial and back to Taipei 101. We went to the Observatory when we went to Taipei 101, and didn't have a great experience. It was cool to see the view, but Dan and I both felt motion sick from the elevator ride, and the elevator ride scared Ai-Mi. We had planned to eat dinner there at an Italian restaurant after going to the Observatory, but we were all ready to go back to the hotel after that.

Yesterday was a very busy day. In the morning, we had an appointment with Ai-Mi's doctor who performed her surgery. He gave us all of her records and gave us his email to give to her doctors in the U.S. so that they could contact him with any questions. We also asked specifically about the treatment of using the nose tubes, and he made it sound pretty different than Ai-Mi's foster mother and the staff at Cathwel had. They had made it sound like she needed them to breathe. Well, the doctor explained that, in Taiwan, they do the rhinoplasty (nose repair) at a younger age than in the U.S., so it requires the tubes to keep the shape of the nose. It is controversial and not done in the U.S. They usually stay in for about 6 months. It has been 5 months since Ai-Mi's surgery, so he said that it is fine now to leave them out. So, I feel much, much better about that. I am also a little upset that they have been doing that to my baby for 5 months. I can certainly see why it is controversial and not done in the U.S. I think it has truly kind of traumatized Ai-Mi. She absolutely hates for anyone to come anywhere near her nose, and no wonder!

Yesterday afternoon, we met Ai-Mi's birthparents, both her birthmother and her birthfather, which I wasn't expecting. We got to Cathwel for the meeting and couldn't find anyone. So, we were just kind of standing in the lobby when they arrived, which was a little awkward. Penny came right then, however, and we had a nice meeting. We all talked for about an hour. They had both written a letter to Ai-Mi. Ai-Mi's birthmother gave her a little necklace for a lucky life, and we gave her our gift and also let her keep the photo album we had made for our "dossier," which I think she really appreciated. Also, they have been visiting her monthly at Cathwel when she has gone in for updates, and we got lots of pictures from those meetings. We took pictures of our meeting with them, but I'm not going to post them, or the pictures with her foster family, for privacy reasons. It was quite an experience. I didn't know whether the parting with her foster family or the parting with her birthmother would be more emotional if we got to meet both, but the parting with the birthmother was definitely more emotional. I want to write a detailed account of the meeting while the details are still fresh, so that Ai-Mi can know all about it. I think I'll work on that on the plane this afternoon.

Well, we have to be out of the hotel by 1:00, but we don't need to be at the airport until 5:00, so we are going to have Nick Lee, the driver we have used, take us on a tour and then to the airport. To all of those waiting to travel to Taipei, I hightly recommend Nick Lee. He is great! He has bought us food that he wanted us to try, helped us haggle for some jade jewelry that we wanted to buy, and is just very fun to talk to.

Well, I will post again in a few days to report how adjustment at home is going!

8 Comments:

At 9:01 PM, Blogger Tisra said...

Wow. I'm in tears. What a beautiful telling of your time in Taiwan and getting to know your daughter. I'm sure you feel blessed beyond your ability to describe it! Safe Travels!

Tisra
from the Adopting form Taiwan Yahoo group

 
At 7:17 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow! I have goosebumps reading your blog. How blessed Kira is to have such wonderful new parents! I'm so thrilled that Kira is adjusting well to both of you. What a wonderful experience you have had in Taiwan. I can't wait to meet Kira. I pray that you have an easy journey back home and that she will again adjust well to her new surroundings.

 
At 8:04 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

How sweet. First the smiles, then the hugs, and then those cherised "butterfly" kisses. Can hardly wait to see you all.

 
At 9:51 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Erin, it was so nice for you to share this with us. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your new baby girl. I can only imagine the emotions you felt with this meeting. It is wonderful that you will have an account for your daughter later on, she will appreciate it so much, I am sure. Have a safe trip and can't wait to see you all. Love to everyone, Luke & Karen

 
At 11:16 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow... you guys are doing such a great job!! Very happy to hear that Ai-Mi has opened up to you so soon. Isn't it such a wonderful feeling to see your baby smiling back at you! It's so cute that Ai-Mi likes to listen to Cantonese (which actually sounds similar to Taiwanese to untrained ears..:)
Jackie Wu
from Yahoo Adoption Group

 
At 4:50 PM, Blogger Annie said...

Have a safe journey home! I'm glad each day has been getting better. It sounds like Ai Mi is really starting to adjust. What a blessing.

 
At 11:35 AM, Blogger Ann said...

She looks so good in your arms. You are a wonderful story teller. Good luck on your trip home. I can't wait to see pictures of the new family at home.

 
At 11:38 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Erin and Dan,

I cannot *wait* to hear more. Kira Ai Mi is gorgeous, and I can see that she's already starting to bond with you after those first rough days. I'm desperate to try to call you, but also want to respect the time you need to adjust to each other and your new life as parents.

I cried reading this whole journey of yours. It's touching and heartwrenching and joyful all at once. I love you guys.

Victoria

 

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