Spring Break in Toronto, Canada

Pub Girl

Do you mind ???

Hello Toronto!

Dad and his little girl

At the waterfall

Dylan and Luo cruzin' the city ...

We are on the move again ... this time to Canada to see daddy and our future city, Toronto. Myself, Dylan, Luolin and Dylan's friend Justin piled into the car Friday morning and headed for the border. After more than one stop to eat or clean up vomit, we crossed the border into Quebec. the winding, up and down roads made for a rough trip for Luo who gets terribly carsick. We made it to Uncle Jeff's around 9 PM after a long day on the road ...

Saturday was spent checking out the Toronto sights and just relaxing after our trip Friday. The weather was sunny and warm, the streets full of people and the Sea-Bands seemed to keep all that Luo ate in her stomach! We had lunch at the Pub, traveled up Yonge Street and then to the mall for haircuts and wandering. We stopped in Tiffany's for Luo's first look at one of mom's and sissy's favorite stores ...

Sunday was another nice day to get out and about. We once again piled into the car and headed off to Niagra Falls, the Canadian side of course ... The spray was spraying and the falls were wild as we walked along the sidewalk checking it all out. We drove to Niagra-On-The-Lake and headed back to Toronto. It was a really fun day and just another adventure under Luo's belt. It is so very hard to believe that she has only been with us for a month!

We have the date ...

June 29th is the day for Luolin's surgery.

After meeting with two surgeons and having her case presented to some of the best orthopedics in the state of Maine, it was determined that surgery was the only way to correct her leg. We have been told that a "Syme amputation" will be used to remove her little "fin", her two toes and partial foot, they will correct the curve in the lower leg bone using pins and and measure her for her prosthetic lower leg and foot during her initial operation. She will spend two to three days in the hospital for observation then head home for the healing process to begin. Her doctors feel the hardest thing for us will be keeping her fairly quiet for the first few weeks so that she gets a good jump on the healing process. When all is said and done, she will have a weight bearing stump which won't be too much different that what she has now and her "new" leg and foot that will give her the mobility that she craves. We anticipate her to be upright and walking by summer's end.

Fibular hemimelia

Fibular hemimelia is the congenital deficiency of the fibula ... which means the fibula bone of the lower leg is missing and what is left is usually deformed.

This is the diagnosis for Luolin ... we go for a second opinion tomorrow to see what will be the best and fastest way to get her up and running on two legs the same length!

More info to follow ...

"There's no place like home ... there's no place like home ...

Down the slide she goes!

One Happy Kid !!

Luo with one of Dad's birthday balloons ...

Blowing out the candles with Dad

Tossing the salad ... she loves to help!

We made it back in one piece ... here are a few photos of Luo at home. She is adjusting well to her new surroundings and family. She has really developed into quite the toddler in the midst of the terrible twos ... I believe she is an expert !

We have had one visit to her pediatrician and one initial visit to her orthopedic surgeon ... visited her new daycare, right down the street from where I teach, and met many , many people!

The fun just never stops and she doesn't either!

Friday the 13th ... We are coming home!!

We are on our way today ... we leave Guangzhou at 8:15 arrive in Beijing at 11:15 ... leave Beijing at 4:20 PM and arrive in Chicago at 4:24 PM ... I only wish it was a 4 minute flight ... we land in Portland at 10:30 in the evening ... wahoo!!!

Thursday at the Consulate

It's Official !! As soon as we land in Chicago, Luo will be an American citizen! Yeah !!

Today's adventure was a visit to the American Consulate for our final oath and getting Luo's Chinese passport and US travel visa. We were unable to take pictures inside the consulate for security reasons. They actually took all electronic devices at the security check point.

When we arrived, we had to hand in the last bit of paperwork and wait to say our oath. We were given a very nice welcome by the director of the adoption department and another consulate employee did the oath with the group. I think we all let out a sigh of relief as we raised out right hands and finished repeating the words ...

Wednesday at the Zoo

Our travel group kids ...

Charlotte and Luo at the zoo ...

A real, live panda at the zoo ...

Dad and Dylan with the monkeys ...

Guangzhou Zoo ... here we come!

On Wednesday morning we headed off for the zoo. there are two zoos in Guangzhou, we went to the city zoo, right smack dab in the center of the city! Here we say many animals including a real, live panda. She was pretty small and dirty! At one time there were two in this zoo, I am not sure what happened to the other, but now there is only the one. Luo loved the birds and animals. As we would walk away from the cages and exhibits, she would wave and say "bye-bye"!

When we got back to the hotel, it was time for our group photos. Everyone cooperated ... well, almost everyone ... you know who had a bit of a melt down because she had to be held ... In the picture are 5 of the 6 children. The little girl next to Luo is a big sister to the little boy at the end of the couch. One of the older girls didn't make the picture ...