Our Monday Madness update...

A quick update as I am calling, and emailing, and returning calls for dance registration this morning. I am about a week behind, or more on calling people back, but that's just how it is these days people will just have to understand...

Avery is great and continues to amaze us each and every day. We had another big and fun week & weekend. 

I had to finish up 2 dance camps this last week, and Avery stayed for about 2 1/2 hours with Grandma Judy and Grandma Margaret while Mommy did that. She had a grand time with the Grandmas!! They are going to watch her during that 90 minutes in the Fall between when I go to work and when Gary gets home from work. Thanks goodness for the Grandmas!!!

The week went fast and I only worked Tuesday-Thursday. I can tell I haven't been in the studio in 4 weeks-ouch!

On Saturday we went to the Great New York State Fair!! We are going this weekend with my family-a Scofield tradition!! But we wanted to go as a family-just the 3 of us first!! We got their at 10:15 AM, an left at 4:15. Avery did great!! There's so much to look at and take in, she enjoyed every moment of it. She took a 75 minute nap in her stroller in the coliseum. There will be 10 of us this weekend when we go.

On Sunday we went to church for the first time since we've been back. It was so nice, they had an outdoor service at one of the members camp, "Camelot". It was a beautiful day, and a nice introduction for Avery to the people of the church. She did pretty good for her age. A lot of cheerios and juice-lol :) We had a dinner afterwards, and went for a walk to see the big goldfish pond, Avery fell asleep on the way there, but it was fun!


Avery goes to daddy left and right now, no problems. Daddy is loving it, and especially in the morning when she cuddles with us in bed until Daddy has to get up to go to work. She cuddles with Daddy, and it's great!!

Avery can say, "Hi" now, and our one cats name is "Koko", and she can now say that also! Along with Mama and Dada/Baba. Sometimes we hear "yes". 


She can also now with her toys put the circle block in the circle hole, and the square block in the square hole. She gets a little mad with the square though, that Hunan grunt come out-lol! She just started this last night-we are very proud!

She can bock like a chicken, and quack like duck. We saw a bunch at the fair and she was talking up a storm to all of the animals.

She is walking up a storm too, all over the place!! Can walk all over the livingroom on her own. Loves to sit on the bottom step of the stairs-she thinks she is a pretty big girl when she does that!

She sleeps through the night still, and absolutely loves her tubby at night. She dances up a storm whenever she hears music. We can't get over that!! She is definitely our child!!

She is a happy happy girl!! Not to say she doesn't have her moments as we all do-but what a joy she is, and life is so different and fun, and each day holds so many surprises!!

Mommy is doing better. I still want to hold her all the time when we are in public or social events. I like her with Mommy or Daddy or the Grandparents, not ready to hand her all over the place yet-that will take awhile!! I've waited so long to be a Mom, that I'm being very very selfish-oh well!

We are going to celebrate her 1st B-day this Sunday on the 5th of September. My Brother and is family will be here this weekend and our nephews start school on the 6th so we are going to get it done before all the craziness starts. I turn 37 on the 6th (Labor Day). Can't wait to decorate, and have balloons-CAN'T WAIT!!!


Avery & Mommy now have 2 weeks together before I have to go back to work for Fall lessons-gonna plan a lot and have a lot of fun!

I guess that's our update for now. Life is good-that's all-OH SO GOOD!!!

Friday Faces!

Monday Madness update...

A new schedule started, and an extra busy weekend, and a rant...

Avery is quite the girl! She is the happiest little girl we know. She brings so much love to our lives, and so much happiness. Everyday is a new adventure, and when she smiles it lights up the room.  She can say "Hi" now when prompted. She knows who Mama, and Dada/Baba are. She can pull herself up off the floor and stand by herself now. She now pets the kitties very nicely. We are getting our nap routine down finally for the afternoon. Everyday a little more progress. We are having the time of our lives!!

We've had a lot of visitors this week, and a lot of new faces, and a lot of relatives to meet. A bit overwhelming at sometimes but she's such the trooper...

Daddy went back to work full time this week, and Mommy went back to work a few hours on Tuesday-Thursday to finish up some previously scheduled camps. It was hard for both of us this week. You could tell that Avery knew something was different...Daddy was gone most of the day, and and Mommy left for 2 hours. Although she's happy to have anyone play with her, so it feels as if she doesn't notice you are gone for the time that you are, but when you come home and get the "happy" dance...you know she knows you were gone. Plus, for the remainder of the night she's a stick tite to me...so she knows, and misses us. But I have to do it again this week, then I have 2 weeks with her, before the Fall schedule. Looking forward to my 2 weeks with her before the grind starts...

Grandma Scofield (Margaret), and Grandma Newton (Judy), babysat this week, while Mommy was gone-thankgoodness for Grandmas!!

We went to an International Adoption picnic on Saturday at a friend's house. It was great to see and meet everyone, a lot of fun. China, Ethiopia, and India were represented. Russia and Guatemala were also supposed to be there, but couldn't make it. There were over 20 children at this picnic, some biological, but a lot adopted. We met a lot of new people, and their children. Re-connected with some people we had met while going through the process. Traded stories of our trips, and how everyone's children were doing and adjusting. Avery was the youngest adopted child there, and we were the ones who had adopted most recently. Talking to other adopted families is the best, everyone gets your joys and frustrations. They understand a lot of what you've been through, and what you're going through. The connection of adopted families is deep, and you can't really describe the level of camaraderie you feel, but it is so needed!

One of my former dancers who now lives in NYC was home this weekend with her boyfriend, and they came over to meet Avery. We are so excited to have our dance family meet our daughter. I have taught probably by now over 1000 kids, and we still remain in contact with a lot of them. It was so nice to see Alex, and meet her boyfriend Matt. We won't get to the city this Fall, but we can't wait until Avery is old enough to go, and we can share NYC with her-one of our favorite places to go!!
















Sunday was the Newton/Sischo get together. A lot of Gary's family had not met Avery yet, and this was their chance to meet our newest member of the family. Avery was napping though when we arrived, fell asleep in the car on the way over and actually stayed asleep for another 90 minutes when we got to Grandma & Grandpas. She needed the rest though-missed our nap on Saturday due to the picnic. It was great seeing everyone, and having them meet Avery. She takes a little bit to warm up, but then she started to smile, and giggle, and perform like she always does...she's a ham. She was a little overwhelmed though-Mommy knows. It was a lot of new people at once in a close space, and a lot of people close to her face, and loud, and a lot of people wanting to hold her etc.  But she did fine, maybe Mommy not so much. I can feel when she's overwhelmed, and needs a break, so we would get up and walk around some more. We were so happy to see everyone, and have them meet Avery. We don't get together that often...about once a Summer. We were glad we finally could be there with our daughter. It had been a long time coming. We were always the ones at these get togethers without children, and they really were not any fun for us in the past because we felt very left out. So it was nice to have that change-finally!!

I have learned a lot in the weeks we have been home. A lot about Avery-obviously, but a lot about people. I learned that when I wrote about the one hard night/day in China there were some people that almost relished in the fact that we had a hard day. I didn't expect that.

I have been very good at ignoring people's opinions on how we should be raising Avery, or handle certain situations. People seem to forget sometimes that we are her parents, and we're not idiots!! I am almost 37 and Gary is 39, we have good heads on our shoulders, and a lot of common sense, we don't need nor want everyone's opinions-sorry to be blunt-but there it is!!

This whole thing-becoming parents hasn't just been 3 years, it in actuality has been 10 years. We started to try to have children in 2000. So now that we are parents we are selfish, and wanting every moment we can with Avery. Please remember we've only been together going on 5 weeks. 5 weeks, that's not very long. So Mommy doesn't want to hand Avery over all the time. Mommy wants all the hugs, and kisses, and snuggle time she can get. Please remember that even though Avery is all smiles, and hams it up, and seems to be comfortable with everyone, we are still working on the bonding. Everyone says to us how well she is adapting-well she is!! She is doing great but we have to limit some things right now, and that's our decision and no one else's.

I feel sometimes that I am under a microscope, and need to watch my p's and q's. But I'm the Mom, why do I have to walk on egg shells shouldn't it be the other way around?

Everyone needs to take our lead. We are taking Avery's lead as we said we would. But right now Avery needs Mommy & Daddy time more than anything. The schedule is going to change again, and Avery needs to feel secure in our home, and with us, and know we are always here and always coming back. So do not feel offended when we don't offer her to everyone all the time, or want her back quickly. Please do hand her back to one of us in a timely fashion, and hand her back to one of us instead of to someone else.

I will say that as the Mom, I miss her when she's not in my arms or playing at my feet. And when someone else has her, I want her back immediately. But think about it, waiting 10 years to be a Mom (and Dad). Trying different things, and being disappointed all the time. If you knew all the feelings Gary and I went through over the 10 years-put yourself in our shoes.

So it's not being "funny" about situations. It's our way of dealing with things. You can like it or not, but that's how it is, and will be.

That really wasn't a rant. But also remember that this blog is Alli's journal too. So feelings, and emotions are part of it. It is my way of getting things out. So I will not hold back here...

There's the Monday catch up!!

Friday Face!

Monday Madness...an update...finally!

We've been so very busy lately that I am hardly ever on the computer, or on my phone at all. So I thought since the ladybug was down for a nap, and Gary was back to work full time this week, I would catch people up a little with our Monday Madness.

Avery is doing very well!! She is such a blessing to our lives. We are both tired, and trying to figure out the Fall schedule a bit and neither one of us want to go back to work, but for us that's not a reality so we're working on it.

Avery has been sleeping through the night now for a little over a week. She may wake up for a few minutes now and again but goes right back to sleep on her own. The rashes on her legs which were really bad eczema are just about all cleared up. She will have some scarring on her legs due to the fact they didn't take care of it properly but it should fade over time. She has had her first round of shots/vaccinations, she was a real trooper during the 4 shots she had to have. She'll have to go back in October for some more rounds of shots. We had blood work done, that was just as hard on Mommy as it was on her. I cried while I held her, she reached out for Gary's hand, and as soon as we stood up she was fine. We had to deliver a stool sample as well, all tests for her stool, and the results so far on her blood work have come back fine-no problems.

We did take her in to the doctor's last Friday. She was getting these pimple like blisters on her hands and feet, so we went to get them checked out. It's called acropustulosis. It's nothing to worry about, the doctor knew exactly what it was. She will grow out of it, and she may have it off and on up to age 2. She's only the 2nd case the doctor had seen in 13 years. Our girl is unique.

She is still eating really good-like a horse. She is now drinking whole milk twice a day. She is walking a lot better and all over the place. Still needs some help, but she is learning how to get herself up off the floor. She can take a good 6-8 steps on her own when she's got her balance. Avery loves music, whenever a song with a distinct beat come on she bounces her knees, and sways her hips from side to side and moves her head to the music, she dances already! She even does it in her car seat, it's hilarious to watch. She also loves to sing, all the time!! She now says Mama, and Dada, sometimes Baba for Daddy. I swear I've heard her say hello, a couple of times, and she sometimes says something like "kitty" when she sees the cats. We swear we heard her say, "I can't",  the other night when we were watching Toy Story. She is also a Daddy's girl now too!!

I have to go back to work for a couple of hours this week to finish up some camps I scheduled earlier in the  Summer before I knew when we were leaving for China. So I will be going to the studio for 2 hours this week Tuesday through Thursday and next week Tuesday through Thursday. The Grandmas are watching her this week and next-thank goodness for them! Then I will have 2 weeks off, and then back to the grind of the school year schedule. But I'm not starting until 4:00 each day and done by 8:15-8:30 (be home in time for bedtime), and not working on Fridays/Saturdays/Sundays. So I really can't complain...too much.

Now that we have a daughter I am not willing to give everyone my time anymore. I want to be home with Avery and Gary. We've waited so long for this, everyone is going to have to go with our schedule now, not the reverse.

But family life is going well. Avery is a happy happy girl. Makes us laugh and smile everyday, all the time...she is such a special little girl...we love her so much!!!

Life is good!!! Oh so good!!!

Friday Faces... closeup!

Friday Faces... rub-a-dub, dub!

Okay an update!

Sorry it has been almost a week since an update on our little ladybug-been busy busy busy!!

We left Guangzhou last Friday at 10:00AM for Hong Kong. Had a little scare at the airport. When you leave China you have to walk through a temperature sensor to make sure you're not sick or anything. If you have a fever you cannot get on the airplane. Well...Miss Avery set it off-Great!?! We were asked if she had a fever and we said no, if she had been uncomfortable, we said no but we have been waiting in this airport for over an hour, and she was in the carrier, and I had socks on her, and a light sweatshirt. The airport wasn't really air conditioned, so she was hot. I ended up taking her socks off, and the sweatshirt, and the upper part of the carrier, and then had to back up with her again, in the carrier, and she didn't set it off-thank god!! So we were able to leave, it was always my fear we would set that sensor off. We gauged her closely the night before to make sure she was feeling good and she was fine, no fever...but that was only the beginning of our journey home.

The first flight was only 40 minutes long from Guangzhou to Hong Kong. Gary and I weren't sitting together, he was sitting behind me. I was nervous about that but she only fussed a little bit on this flight.

The next flight was from Hong Kong to Chicago and it was 14 hours and 40 minutes long-OMG!!!!!!!!!!! I had been nervous about this flight all week. I didn't feel good, had a sore throat, and stuffed up nose, and headache (woke up this way, had been fine all week). Avery hadn't had a bm in 2 days. So with tight cramped seats in economy, and a long flight ahead of us it was just a set up for disaster!!

About 2 hours into the flight after they served us some funky lunch Avery had a blow out in her diaper-yes on the plane. So here I am with a crying baby, in those small too cramped airplane bathrooms, with no changing table. She had to stand on the toilet while I cleaned her up, and then I had to wash and wring out her pants, while I had her in arm, and steady myself in the bathroom through some light turbulence. I never knew I could do that much with only one hand free. But I got her all cleaned up, nothing on me, or anywhere else. I got her pants washed and rinsed and wrung out. Got her changed into other pants, and everything. Then about 30 minutes later it happened again!! Our poor girl!! But Mommy had Daddy follow us up to the bathroom this time and stand outside the door. I felt like a surgeon. I'd open the door and say, "wipes", he'd hand them to me. I'd close the door. Open it again and say, "regular diaper", he'd hand it to me and I'd close the door again. Now I can laugh about it, but oh my goodness what an ordeal!! Her tummy quieted down after that, I double diapered her and we watched what she ate from then on and gave her only water to drink.

Avery only slept about 90 minutes during the 14 hour plane ride, other than that she fussed, and cried, and fussed, and played a little, and screamed, and it was horrible. I looked at Gary and said, "if we survive this we can do anything!!" -We did!!

The next plane ride was about 2 hours from Chicago to Syracuse. She slept most of the way on that one-thank goodness!! But all the stuff you have to go through when you get back into the states is ridiculous!! You're checked and scanned about 4 times, and then customs, re-check your bags, have them open your paperwork on her so that she is now a US citizen, and then security again. They check your plane ticket when you get to the gate and then once again right before you board the plane, and literally you've only taken 20 steps from one to the other. It was too much, especially after you've been flying since 10:00AM China time-but we got through it all!!

My Mom & Dad and Gary's Mom & Dad, met us at the airport. They were so thrilled to see Avery!! She was sleeping when we came through security, but quickly perked up and did some of her tricks (lip smacking, and tongue clicking, etc), she's quite the ham!

She hated her car seat, and cried and screamed until we got to Pulaski, about 20-25 minutes. Then it was like a switch, she stopped and was fine.

We've been doing good. She has had a hard time adjusting her sleep schedule, and so have Mommy & Daddy. But we've had meals brought in everyday by a lot of people and will have for another week and a half I think. So thank you to everyone who has helped with that.

She has met her Grandparents, and Great Grandparents, Cousins-Noah, Owen, Sammy, Jessica, and Jodi. Her Aunt Beth, and Uncle Steve. Her Aunt Liz, and Uncle Tom, and her Great Aunt Nancy. We had a kitchen full last night. She likes to be around people and will now go to people. I must admit it breaks my heart a little now that she goes to other people (it's a good thing, but I love being her lovey), but she is still a big Mommy's girl. We will still limit the number of people she goes to, she still has to bond more with us, and know that we're Mommy & Daddy and we're the ones who aren't leaving, and the ones she needs to go back to for comfort, and security. So as much as our families love her going to them, we still need to reinforce the bonding, and the rules for everyone.

She has opened up to Daddy a lot in the last 3 days. Especially today, and Mommy could leave the room, and she wouldn't cry or fuss so...big progress!!

She had her first official Dr's appt. today. We actually took her in on Friday, the rash on her leg was getting bigger, she was scratching it and we didn't want it to get worse so we called and got her in quick. It is just bad eczema, like we thought. It isn't scabies, we did a lot of research on scabies before we left and also while in China. She just has extremely dry skin, and also has some scaring on both ankles due to them not treating it in China. So we have a steroid cream for her eczema, and an antibiotic cream for the other marks on her, that they say are also scarred over from being tied. The same on her hips-being tied down. Makes me sick to my stomach to think of what she has gone through in those first 14 months of her life. But she will never have to go through that again, and we are here now to love her, and care for her forever.

It is amazing to me how resilient she is, and how she was able to open up to us, in such a short time. I know we still have a lot of bonding to do, and I know the attachment takes a long time, but we are getting there. She trusts us more and more each day. She is such a happy girl most of the time, giggles and laughs, and shares. The only time she's not is if she's hungry, needs a change, or wakes up in the middle of the night-typical for her age!

She is our Happy Little Hunan Girl!!

More updates to come in the following days...when I have time...

Love to all,
Alli, Gary & Avery :)