Aleigha updates...

Time is flying by now... Jeff, Grayson and I have been busy working on Aleigha's bedroom and it's is finally done! It is gorgeous.

Stacey and Amy also gave me a baby shower for Aleigha last weekend and it was a good time! I received so many great gifts too! :) I love Stacey and Amy!!! They are the best!

GAMES!!
GIFTS!

The plaque below says "Princess in Training!" Ain't that the truth... :)

Last week, we received an updated picture of Aleigha but you can't see much. She's all bundled up like Randy in the Christmas Story movie!!

Grayson lost his front tooth last week! He was sooooo excited! The Tooth Fairy gave him $2.00.

TRAVEL DATE CONFIRMED

On Thursday, Jan 8th, we received our travel dates from China to pick up Aleigha!! We're leaving from O'Hare on Thursday, Feb 12th. We will in China until Thursday, Feb 26th. We'll be in three different provinces while we are in China. We fly into Beijing and stay a few days. Then we get on another plane to go to the province where Aleigha lives. We stay there about 5 days and then we fly to Guanzhou where our Embassy appt is and where we fly out of.
We will pick up Aleigha the 2nd day we are in her province. The babies are delivered to the hotel that we stay in by some of the orphanage workers. Then the following day, we may have a chance to visit her orphanage. It's up to each individual orphanage if they allow or not. I hope we do because I'd really like to have pictures for her when she gets older.
I've never been anywhere for 2 full weeks and without Grayson for 2 full weeks!!! Our parents will be taking turns staying with Grayson at our house so his routine will not be disrupted. He's very good with staying with grandparents so I don't think he'll mind. I'm sure he'll be super spoiled by the time we get home with Aleigha!! :)

paperwork... and Christmas pictures..

Well the adoption paperwork nightmare is almost over!!! If you haven't heard, the Chicago Orphan Adoption Unit was stressing me out big time! They "lost" my Sworn Statement that I took in July this year so they wanted me to go again... and thank goodness I had copies of what I did at that time so I could overnight it to their office. But then they put me back at the bottom of the stack for my re-approval. Long story short.. if i didn't get re-approved by the time our travel dates came from China, then I couldn't go pick up Aleigha!!! The Chicago office was telling me it would be another 4-6 week wait after fed exing the docs they needed.... and my adoption agency and me were like "NOOOOOO!!!" So for a week, I have been contacting IL Senator's offices and it's like finding a needle in a haystack for someone to call back due to the holidays, etc. Finally, after Senator Durbin's office emailed the Chicago office this week, I was told that I was re-approved for the 3rd time on Dec 30th. Thank goodness. The approval letter will be mailed to me on Jan 5th. I can't wait to get that document in my hands.

Jeff and I have been working on the nursery this weekend. I forgot to take a before picture but it was a mess. The walls are still blue and yellow from the previous home owners but we've got all of the furniture put together and in the place where we want it. Now we have to clear out the room to paint this weekend!

Only a few more days before Grayson goes back to school.... I'm not looking forward to that day with homework every night again!

Here are some more pictures from Christmas this year.....

This is our Christmas tree:

Mom (Gma Q), Grayson and Johnny:

Grayson got tired of holding Johnny during all of the pictures!:

Santa hats: This is Johnny laughing at Grayson!