Memorial Weekend

Well, Friday we went and applied for Meighan's Social Security Number. We should have the card in 3-4 weeks. We then went to Westroads to see if we could find a dress for her baptism. The store I wanted to check is now closed. We had lunch with Tony, Tim and Bryan and then went to see if the same store at Oakview was still open. They are but they don't have little kids' clothes. So I'm ordering her dress online direct from China.

Saturday evening we walked down to our neighbor's place. He was having a "going away party" for some neighbors who had been in the neighborhood for many years. The people that bought their place were also there. Meighan played in the playhouse, the little slide and they hung the baby swing up and she enjoyed that, too.

We found out this weekend that Meighan likes potato salad, hot dogs, and even ice cream (cold!). While I was at "Wicked" last night she sat in Tony's lap and actually ate ice cream! DARN! She LIKES it! Less for us! She also likes Cheetos, potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, brownies although we need to limit that kind of stuff! We are also getting more "daddy" sometimes instead of "da da". She can also point to "mama".

"Wicked" was a really good show! I didn't know the show at all and had only heard part of one song, "Popular", previously. I think my favorite song was "For Good" that summed up the show very well. The singers were awesome, the music was great, the set and costumes were fantastic! I'm glad I got to see the show. And, yes, I took binoculars and was glad I had them. Since I didn't know the show, it was good to be able to see their faces and lips so I could understand the words and story better. They worked well because there were several songs that were just solos, duets, or trios. When the whole cast was on stage it worked better just to watch the whole stage, as far away as it was.

Certificate of Citizenship

Today was fairly eventful.

This morning we spoke at the NCHS International Information Sharing Meeting. We basically told about our adoption journey (thus far) to the couples that were there to learn about international adoption. In the afternoon they were going to have the Domestic Information Sharing Meeting. We had been to both meetings -- the domestic when we first got started thinking about adoption and the international back in November of '07 when we started thinking about international adoption. Meighan roamed the room and made some friends.

On the way home I stopped downtown and got my ticket for "Wicked"! Can't wait to see it though I think I'll need binoculars where I'm sitting!

This afternoon when the mail came, Meighan's Certificate of Citizenship arrived from the Department of Homeland Security! Yeah! It has the picture that was taken as her visa picture while we were in Guangzhou. Now we can get her SSN in one step instead of two and also get her American passport, I think!

Meighan also received another package in the mail! It was a pink rain slicker! It's really cute and she'll be able to wear it for a long time!

Our First Mother's Day

We celebrated our first Mother's Day yesterday. It was Meighan's first Mother's Day WITH a mother! We went to church in Murdock and she did very well. She actually does quite well in church as long as we bring snacks and her little ducky. Shoes and socks eventually come off everywhere (especially in the car!).

After church we all went over to Quarry Oaks Golf Course where they had a WONDERFUL brunch! Everyone is amazed at how good of an eater Meighan is! She had coffee cake, scrambled eggs, part of a biscuit, hash browns. We tried pineapple and cantelope but it all came out. When I ate my pineapple I realized it was a little tart. Oh well. She liked it once. She'll like it again!

After lunch we went back to my parents and she was asleep by the time we got there. She slept a good hour and a half! Then we gave her a bottle and went to Tony's family's get-together. They had more food, of course, and I just couldn't eat anymore and be comfortable. Meighan ate a Graduates later on when she was actually hungry. We got home in time to get settled for Sunday TV (Desperate Housewives).

Her follow-up with the ENT doctor went well. The fluid is still behind her eardrums so she will probably end up with tubes very soon -- a common thing these days with all kids, not just cleft lip/palate kids.

My mom, Lindsay and Tyler came up on Friday to watch Meighan while I got my tomatoes and beans planted in the garden. I had gotten the garden tilled the night before and was all ready with everything when they got there. They got her so worn out that after I gave her her lunch, she fell asleep in the high chair! She slept a little while that afternoon. It was kinda nice being able to change a diaper on a sleeping child for once!

On Saturday we went to two different graduation parties in Murdock and Weeping Water. That was a different schedule for her, too. Weekends are really hard when we change schedules and activities around.

Our one-month follow-up report is due by May 17 so we will be talking to our caseworker soon. We stopped by there a while back so he could meet her.

Here's a picture taken yesterday. Her hair is growing but it will still be a while before she gets her first American haircut!