Many first, this week...

This past week, Crystina had many "first." She attended her first wedding, (adult) birthday party, doctor's appointment, going to the mall...etc....

A very dear friend of mine got married this past Saturday. Everything was SO nice!! We had a wonderful time. And Crystina was able to meet some of my friends that I made at my last job. It's amazing, in the short time that I was there and how these ladies are with me. It feels that I've known them for YEARS!!!! And I'm sure they will be part of my life for a LONG time to come. ; ) Misty & Dan...we wish you both many years of Love & Happiness!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!

After the wedding, we went to an (adult) birthday party. And Crystina had a BLAST!! She played, danced, ate...and played & danced some more. Her cousin Ayden was there, so they played together for a long while. Crystina did so well with everyone! She did not want to go to sleep, she didn't want to miss anything. Ayden was SO cute with her...he kept feeding Crystina breadsticks & grapes.......and he was hugging her, lots!!! Happy Birthday Sean & Jose (Che)!!!

Crystina had her first doctor's appointment this week. She did really well. She's been "under the weather" for a few days now. But hopefully she's getting over it now. She weighed in at 19.3 lbs., this means she only gained 2 ounces in 3 weeks?!????? No way!! I'm thinking the scale in China was not right. But oh well.... Anyhow, she checked out well, with the exception of her "stomach bug." We will be going back next month to start some vaccinations and a better check up. This appointment was mainly because she wasn't feeling well and to start a file.

Crystina finally went to the mall!!!! And she enjoyed herself! She most certainly is a shopper. Yes!!!!!!!!!!! : ) She got some shoes and a few outfits. Yeah, yeah I know, she has a closet FULL of clothes BUT all that clothes is too big for her. So, we got her just a few outfits that would fit now. Even though Crystina is 17 months old, she wears 12 months...she's a petite, little thing. We also visited a special person at the mall. She was able to meet Lauren from Carlton Cards (at the Oviedo mall)...Lauren helped us with Crystina's precious moments letters for her middle names. Even though the letters had been discontinued, Lauren went (way) out of her way and was able to get us ALL the letters!!! That meant SO much to us!!!! When we went to pick up the letters, I told her what they were for and I also gave her our blog, so she could follow our journey.......and she did!!!! Lauren, THANK YOU so much for what you did!! You are certainly 1 in a million!!

Well, today is a special day here at the Fig's home........it's Edgar's Birthday!!!!!!! We will be celebrating by going out to Dinner at Downtown Disney, where Edgar can't wait to take Crystina. Happy Birthday honey!!!!! We love you more than you will ever know!!!!!!!!! ; ) Edgar celebrates his birthday with 2 other special people....Natalia, who is 5 today and Jesiah, who is the big 1!!!!!! Happy Birthday Natalia & Jesiah!!!!!!!!!

Well, here are a few pictures of our week...enjoy!!

Ready to party!!!!!!!!!!!!

The happy couple, Misty & DanMy mommy and me...
My daddy and me....
Dancing with my new friend, Emma
Checking things out...
Loving Grandma Lao Lao's cake!!!!
In between parties...recharging her battery.
Cousins, playing.....
Ayden giving Crystina a kiss......how cute is this!!!!!
Ayden feeding Crystina a breadstick! Too cute and he was so proud!

Ayden sure LOVES me!!!

Hugging, right before they both fell.
eating grapes with my cousin, Ayden
after 2 parties...yep, she's out!!
all pooped out...
Meeting great-grandma Ana...

Can we say "2024 Olympics!!!" : ) mouth full of applesauce
smelling her feet...
yep, they smell GOOD!! ; )

Hope you enjoyed all the pictures. I hope to have more up soon of Edgar's birthday dinner. And we are also going to Jesiah's 1st birthday party this weekend, so I'll have pictures of that also.

Crystina has met SO many people during the 2 weeks that we've been home and she has done SO great with everyone. She's still not too sure about men but she'll smile and wave to them. She sure has surprised us, alot!!! And we feel SO blessed that GOD chose us to be her parents!! Many people have said how lucky Crystina is...but honestly, WE, her parents, are the lucky ones!!!

Much love to all and may GOD bless you!!!!

Our first week home...

Our first week home has been eventful! Crystina has had SO many visitors!! And she does great with everyone...she doesn't go to everyone, she holds on tight to mommy & daddy when someone new meets her. She definitely knows who we are and makes sure that we are around. Our first few days were VERY exhausting...the time difference was unreal! We had issues with bedtime but they are getting a little better. The first week, Crystina would go to sleep and then wake up between 1:30am-2:30am and would stay awake for 1, 2 sometimes 3 hours to PLAY!! I was, literally, a walking zombie!! But slowly, she is overcoming that. She goes to sleep really late, usually between 12:00am-1:00am...and sleeps until 8:00am or so and then takes about 2 naps every day. We are hoping to get her to bed sometime between 9:00pm-10:00pm. But that will take some time. Her eating habits were really good while we were in China but she is starting to become a picky eater. She's willing to try most foods but what we thought she loved, she no longer wants. We are still trying to get into a (somewhat) routine...but that also will take some time.

The first Saturday home, we had a big family photo session (Barbara's side). Since my brother & niece were here from Dallas, we took advantage of the time. The pictures turned out really nice, even though Crystina had a few meltdowns...it was expected. We did get some really, really nice pictures.

Other than that, we've had visitors come by and meet Crystina. I know we are breaking all the "bonding rules" but she has done so GREAT!! She has really bonded with us SO wonderfully and beautifully, that we know we are NOT going to have any issues.

Well, here are just a few pictures...more to come soon!!!

Crystina's first time in a pool...daddy holding on to her & cousin Angelica watching.

Cousin Angelica swimming...
Tia Annabel playing with cousin Ayden...
Checking out this BIG bathtub...
Hanging out with my cousins, Angelica & Ayden...
Playing with my cousins, Alvani & Joshua...
Crystina, Angelica & Ayden...just hanging around at home.
This is my Tio (Shu Shu) Coco...

Lola & Bertha...waiting patiently for Crystina to drop some food...
First visit to Great-Grandma Luz house, everyone stopped by to see me...
Loving my Great-Grandma Luz...
Giving mommy attitude while eating breakfast...

Well, thank you, again, for checking up on us!! We've heard some of you have had "Crystina withdrawals!!" ; ) ha ha!! I'm going to try my best to update more often...if not, than at least once a week.

Today, our little girl is 17 months!!! I can't believe what a difference a month makes!! It is still so unreal that we were in China, just weeks ago!! I STILL can't believe it!! I know she is here with us but I still can't believe that I'm a mommy and Edgar is a daddy! GOD had truly blessed us!!!!!
Thanks again for all the prayers and comments. The other night I re-read them ALL...and yes, I still cried while reading them! ; )

Much love to all...and God bless!

WE ARE HOME!!!!!!!!

Hello from Orlando!!! Yes, we are HOME!! After 28 hours of traveling, we made it home! It was a very long day...and Crystina did great!! We are extremely happy to be home.

Our day began VERY early...we flew out of Guangzhou to Beijing, a 3 hour flight and Crystina slept the whole way. We had about a 4 hour layover in Beijing, but we had to re-check our luggage, so that took some time and we had lunch. Then we were off to the US, Crystina was up and wanted to eat and play for the first 4-5 hours, afterwards she slept until we almost got to Chicago. She did really well. Once we got to Chicago, that's when the real "FUN" started...we had to go through immigration, that was NO problem, then we had to pick up our luggage (again) and go to another person from Immigration or INS (not really sure), then re-scan our luggage through customs and then re-check our luggage through the airline, then go through security (again), then go to the gate..........we had "dinner" and then we waited a bit, our layover was to be 4 hours, we arrived in Chicago an hour earlier than expected. Then our flight got delayed a bit, so we thought...we actually were delayed 2 hours!! We were not very happy people! We finally arrived in Orlando at 1:00am! We had our "Welcoming Committee" waiting for us, that was very emotional for us! There were almost 20 people, JUST FOR US!! It was really exciting and we are so blessed that we have such a LOVING family and a family that was SO anxious to meet Crystina! My brother and niece, Coco & Angelica, surprised me with their visit (they live in Dallas)...even though I already knew they were coming. ; ) Yes, I "ruined" my own surprise, but it was ALL worth it, too many emotions going on at that time! Crystina did GREAT, no tears...just giving so many smiles, to everyone! She didn't "volunteer" to go to anyone's arms until we were in the parking lot, then everyone got to hold her...even if it was only 2 seconds. ; )

We finally got home, to our house, at about 3:00am or so...and we went to bed at around 6:00am. Jet lag is NO fun! Crystina did really good her first morning, no, afternoon, here. We had some visitors come by and see Crystina and, once again, she did great! She played with her cousins, Alvani & Joshua, and with her grandma, nai nai (Edgar's mom). Some VERY dear friends, Brenda & Sean, sent us "welcome home" flowers and a teddy bear and also stopped by to meet Crystina. Then we went to my parent's house to have some dinner...awwww, some rice & beans with pork chops....it was SO GOOD!!! Crystina loved the rice & beans! Then she was playing with her other 2 cousins, Angelica & Ayden...it was so cute! And we were able to see our other 2 "girls," Lola & Bertha, how much we missed them!! Bertha sure has gotten BIG...and she is still so beautiful and very playful! Lola, is our sweet beautiful "girl," they both did good with Crystina, actually they didn't mess with her too much. Crystina was loving Toby and Toby was loving Crystina (Toby is my parent's dog). Crystina fell asleep over there BUT woke up when we left.....we tried to get her to sleep and it took us over 2 hours!! She is finally sleeping! I'm sure tomorrow will be another adventure! : )

Well, here are just a few pictures of our LONG day...enjoy!

Waking up and getting ready for the long and BIG day!

On the way from Guangzhou to Beijing...
From Beijing to Chicago...

From Chicago to Orlando...
On the monorail at the Orlando airport...getting ready to meet the family!!
Our "Welcoming Committee"!!!!!!!!
First "breakfast" at home!!

Well, this is the end of "one journey" and the beginning of another! We hope you have enjoyed reading our journey and looking at the pictures and videos of us becoming parents! We are truly overjoyed and couldn't be happier! We appreciate you following us during this very emotional time in our lives. And, once again, we thank you for all the prayers, comments (here on the blog or e-mails) and just supporting us through this process. We truly appreciate it!!!!

This blog is NOT stopping...we are going to continue it with updates, pictures and videos BUT it won't be on a daily basis. We hope to update it, at least, once or twice a week (or maybe more), HOPEFULLY!! So, please continue to check up on us...

Thanks again...and God Bless!!

Last night in China...

Ni hao...for the last time in China!! Well, this is our last night in China, we are SO excited about going home but yet so sad about leaving China. It's going to be real hard saying "bye" to China, Crystina's birth country, the country that gave us OUR daughter! But, it's time.

Today, was an easy day. We took group pictures of all the families with ALL the children, I can't say "all the babies" because there's a 12 year old boy that was adopted by an amazing family! He was the oldest and the youngest, I think, were 9 months. Big range...ALL the families have been great, we all have this "special bond." We will most certainly miss them ALL...we all came from different directions in the US...which is also SO amazing!

Also, today, Crystina OFFICIALLY became OURS! Well, in China's eyes. We had to take an Oath, which was really emotional for us. It's something really simple but yet SO rewarding. Sorry, no pictures...no cameras allowed. We were at the Consulate about 30 minutes or so, there were about 30 families, 12 families were from our agency! It was really neat, simple, but amazing! After we took the Oath, we immediately gave Crystina big kisses!! We are SO in love with her, its amazing! I know, I keep saying that word...amazing, but I don't know what other word to use. : )

Well, here are some pictures of today...enjoy!!

Having breakfast...pancakes!

6 of the families!!

The other 10 families!!
How cute!!
Being silly!
Being cute!
Getting off the bed.
Check out our mess!
Our messy room...

Can I use this in my hair yet?
Loving my daddy!
I'm almost a US citizen!
She's officially OURS!!
I finally had MY Starbuck's!!!! And it tastes just like back home!

Can you read it? It says "China Golf Show 2008" and no, Edgar didn't go. ; )
Crawling??
Eating her peas & carrots.
This is at the Hotel buffet, they have a trio that sings, English songs! Crystina was loving it...she was dancing while eating her dinner. It's SO cute!

After dinner in the elevator.

Well, we hope you have enjoyed ALL the pictures and videos the past 2 weeks. This has been one amazing journey! Words cannot express all the emotions and feelings that we have been through...it's just AMAZING!! Knowing that we will be home SOON...it's just a wonderful feeling! We are looking forward to seeing all of our family and friends...and introducing our new daughter to you all!! Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare to travel, to go home...this is going to be one LONG day for us 3. I will post again, when we get home, so everyone will know that we made it safely.

Thank you to everyone that has posted a comment, you definitely have a special place in our hearts! And also, to everyone that has said a prayer for us during this process. It's been a long journey but Crystina sure has been worth the wait! She is just an amazing child and she is SO perfect for us!

Okay, this is it from China. We just wanted to let China know..."THANK YOU FOR THE MOST AMAZING GIFT...OUR PRECIOUS DAUGHTER!!!!!!"

Miss you all SOOOOOO much and looking forward to seeing you all, real soon!!!! Sending so much love to all!!!

May God Bless you,
Edgar, Barbara & Crystina