We have (tentative) dates!

This week has been another one of those adoption rollercoaster weeks. We were told last week that we would be contacted on Monday with travel dates. When we weren't contacted by late Tuesday, Kent e-mailed our case manager, who said she was working on it. On Wednesday, the case worker called to tell me that they couldn't set a travel date because our fingerprints expired on August 3rd (I am still not sure how fingerprints can expire, but whatever). Actually, we knew they were expiring in August and had them redone in April when we switched to Taiwan. Luckily, USCIS admitted that they had not updated out paperwork and that we did, in fact, have valid fingerprints (whew...).

So, yesterday, some tentative dates have been set. We will "pick up" Kai on either October 21st or 22nd and have our first appointment at the American Institute of Taiwan on October 23rd. We will pass along more definitive info once we receive it. We will most likely fly out on my birthday/our anniversay on the 18th!

We are getting closer!

Measurements...Finally!

We finally received Kai's measurements on Friday - after asking for them. He is almost 17lbs and about 25 inches long. According to Asian growth charts, he's in the 50th percentile for height and the 75th percentile for weight. So, he appears to be doing well.

I started washing Kai's clothes for the trip. When I washed the little socks, it finally hit me - we are going to have a baby!! We are so excited!

New Pics and FINAL RULING!!

First, the really big news!!! We received our Final Ruling today! The agency called and said they will let us know travel dates on Monday. We were told we could be traveling in anywhere from 2 - 4 weeks! We may actually be home before my birthday/our 5 year anniversary (Oct. 18th) or we may be spending it in Taiwan.

We also received new photos yesterday. He has grown so much just in a few weeks. Check out the scary alien on the outfit. We need to get him home fast, before permanent damage is done!! Kent noted he is still on a pink blanket (although a different blanket than in the past, still pink, nonetheless!)

Kai is looking a bit like a sumo wrestler these days...


Kai's latest "report card" said that he "Recognizes Feeding Bottle"....I don't think we needed a piece of paper to tell us that!!!


The great news is that Kai is now giving us a full smile - he looks so happy - poor guy doesn't know what's about to hit him!!!


And finally, the latest video, where you can see the smile in motion!

First Ruling!

We got a surprise email yesterday, receiving notice of the "first ruling". What does this mean? Well, according to most other adoption time lines, it is about a month before the "second ruling", at which time we should receive notice to make travel plans! Yikes!!!