Saturday, May 21, 2011

HOME!!!

Well, I've been told that a few of you have had blog withdrawals...  Sorry about leaving you all hanging!  Well, we have been home for 6 days and just last night I finished unpacking the 10 suitcases and 5 backpacks that we took with us to China.   It feels so good to have everything put away!  Today, I cleaned floors and am working on the laundry.  Our flight home was very easy!  Gwyndolin did beautifully!  And, of course the boys did well too!  We were sad to leave China but excited to get back to the comforts of home.  The boys are already talking about going back to China - guess we should start saving...  So, lets see, what's new...  Well, you may remember that Trayton came down with a fever the night before we left so we had been pumping him full of Advil and Tylenol the whole flight home.  He still complained of a very sore throat.  When we landed and got to the car, I got the flashlight out and looked at his throat and he had big white patches all over, so I started him on his antibiotics.  The good news is everyone is well now!  These last 6 days have been a blur.  Dealing with the time difference and jet lag has been challenging especially with a baby.  I seriously feel like I've given birth in the exhaustion department.  We are getting on schedule though.  Last night Gwyndolin slept from 8:50pm until 6:00am - perfect!  This was so nice!  We have had a couple nights of Gwyndolin up wanting to play and other nights where she would fuss for 2-3 hours.  Ugh, hopefully those nights are behind us and we are in this time zone now!  The boys went back to school on Thursday.  They have still been a little tired.  Todd went back to work on Tuesday and started training for Triathlons the day after we got home.  Today, he just rode 73 miles on his bike... Me, well, I'm just trying to survive.  I pride myself on the days when I can keep everyone fed and the dishes done!  It is so nice to have a baby in the house again.  Gwyndolin is such a joy!  We got her some Chinese Children's CD's for her in China and I have been playing them today and she likes to "dance" to them.  So, I hold her and we dance.  It feels so good to have a little one in my arms again!  She is simply delicious!  She had her first doctors appointment and it went well.  Our Dr. said she looks great.  She weighs 19lbs.  It's been nice to be home so I can cook for her.  She eats great.  She likes scrambled eggs (but only if they have salt and pepper in them), pancakes, yogurt, broccoli, cauliflour, carrots, peas, asparagus, rice, tofu, chicken, pears, strawberries, oranges, grapes, cherries etc.  So far the only thing she won't eat is watermelon - interesting...  Well, here are some photos of our last 6 days.  Enjoy...

At the Hong Kong airport.

The plane that flew us home!


Gwyndolin playing on the floor at the airport - waiting for boarding.

Our family on the flight home.

The boys - flying home.

Daddy and Gwyndolin

Our route...  I love watching these things!

Gwyndolin and I at the SF airport.  This was when Gwyndolin became an American Citizen - the first time her feet touched ground!  Yay!

Todd and Gwyndolin at the SF airport.  Waiting for our hotel shuttle to take us back to the hotel to get our car.

Gwyndolin on the drive home.

Deklan on the drive home.

Trayton on the drive home.

Kallen on the drive home - we had 4 TIRED kids!

Gwyndolin enjoying a meal at home.

All buckled up and heading to her welcome home doctor's appointment.

Dr. Deklan

Deklan checking Gwyndolin out!  I was SO tired!

Gwyndolin playing in her room.  She LOVES playing in her room!

Kallen on his 12th birthday - 4 days after we got home.

Gwyndolin at bath time.  She loves her baths!

8 comments:

  1. Welcome Home! So glad the trip home went smooth and that sweet Gwyndolin is adjusting so well. I hope you are able to catch up on some sleep soon. At least school will be out in a couple of weeks and your family can have a little more down time!

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  2. Welcome home, I figured you would need some time to unpack all those bags :) It took me 2 weeks to finally feel like we were finally baclk to normal. Thanks for posting pics along the way of your journey. Looking forward to seeing Gwyndolin grow up.
    Hugs (it's all real now)

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  3. Glad you had a smooth trip home and Gwyndolin is settling in so well. I loved following along and hope you'll keep us updated.
    :)

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  4. Thanks so much for the update and photos! I know you have so many other things to be doing and I appreciate the time you took from your now busier-than-ever life to share the conclusion of your trip and the settling in of your family. Everyone looks HAPPY! Gwyndolin looks like she's always been part of your family....what a sweet girl. It will be so fun to watch her grow....so....hope you'll do updates now and then!

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  5. Yes, I had blog withdrawls! So happy to see your update and hear the news. Looks like the trip home went well and was uneventful - thank goodness for that!
    I bet it feels wonderful to be home again and have your whole family together.. complete at last!
    Please, please, please keep updating the blog on the day to day - not just for all of us readers but for yourself too! (It's a sort of online scrapbook) So fun to look back and see the past entries and notice the changes that happen so fast with kids growning up.
    Oh - kiss that girlie for me and I am soo soo happy for you all! And get some sleep too! Ha!
    Love you!
    Heather

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  6. So glad to get your update! Yes, I was going through blog withdrawals too. I bet it's good to be back to normal life. Trips are always great, but even better to be home, especially with a cute little girl in tow!

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  7. WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    WOW...so happy you had a pleasant journey back!! She looks right at home...:) I am just so happy and excited for you guys...what patience and strength you guys have shown during this long journey. I love seeing all of you together... Love you guys!!!

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  8. Hi again! I just have to say I LOVE this pic: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xVk8Ynzzi-A/TfWbGnuX8dI/AAAAAAAAAe0/QnOPR4k7N4c/s1600/100_2846.JPG
    She is really doing the ROYAL wave! Emily, Vancouver, BC (LID June 20, 2006, heading to GZ Jul 9)

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