XuXu's First Month OR Blowing Raspberries, Making friends

We interrupt the stories about China to update you about our first few weeks at home...
Has it been 3 week already? And almost a month since Lu Jia Feng became XuXu Lynn Denzel (one month on the 17th!).
It's all gone so fast. One kid made life move quickly and now with two it's at light speed! Blogging has really taken a back seat to the kids and sleeping! It took us a week to get over the jet lag and almost 2 before I did not feel sick at all anymore! (That was one of the longest illnesses I have ever had. Over a month!)

Anyway, XuXu's first days in her forever home and as an American Citizen and California Girl have been quite eventful. She has just eased right into it as if she was always meant to be here. It's amazing. When I asked God to prepare her to be a part of our family and help her know that this was her home (almost every night for 3 years), HE DID. Praise God! (I could have been a bit more prepared for parenting a toddler again... but... you can only be so prepared for the unknown ;) ). She seems to be adjusting beautifully.

XuXu's life since meeting us has been full of firsts.
First time off of the Social Welfare Institutes's campus.
First car ride.
First trip to the supermarket.
First hotel stay.
First restaurant.
First plane ride.
First family... forever family... and that was all with out leaving China!

Now that she is home the firsts are just all over the place! (which is so special... sacred... to us, because we have missed so many of her other firsts.) XuXu has met many of our friends and family and given them her standard greeting... blowing a raspberry. (Or a zerbert or making a flatulent noise with her mouth what ever you want to call it.) After she became a bit more comfortable with us, on the first day we had her, that is the sound she made for us and we all laughed... so now that is her way of saying "Hello". Here she is with Bill's dad and they are doing it together...


This is a brief chronicle of the events of the past few weeks and XuXu's firsts.

First car seat ride and did not scream... Hooray! (slept through most of it)
Welcome home and touch the soil in Ventura! (US Citizen Baby!)






Met Grandpa Lynn (above) and many friends, entered her home, played in the back yard, checked out her room, had "In-n-Out!", and slept in her own crib all for the first time!
Ate in her own high chair (and did not scream)
Played with big brother in her "Cozy Coupe" (below)



Watched Zion's soccer practice.
Went with Mom to drop off Big Brother at school (and got a fabulous greeting from the class).
Went to Trader Joe's (Mom's favorite grocery store! and did not scream about being in the cart)
Met Auntie Gwenda (Aimee's sister), Uncle Emilio, Cousin Giada and Abuelita (Bill's mom).




Met Grandpa Denzel (below) and Maria, and watched Zion's soccer game.


Met Auntie Rita (Bill's sister), Uncle Mickey, and all the Diaz cousins (Maddie, Gabby, Michael, Joshua and Jonathan) and had her first egg hunt.
Went to visit a fire station (below) and Children's World park on a mommy and me outing to Santa Barbara (and met many more friends!)




First visit to Santa Barbara! (and first time in the stroller since China and she did not scream!)
First visit to our family doctor.
Went to Pete's breakfast house! (A Ventura local's must)
First visit to an art museum. (below)
First book signing party and meeting with Auntie Stella and Uncle Richard (her God parents)
Introduced to our beloved Bridge (our old church) friends at a park gathering.
Went to her first mommy and me music class.
Went to a welcome party (for her) at Daddy's work.
First movie "Horton Hears a Who!" with popcorn (which I did not notice, there in the dark, that she was chewing up and spitting out all over us!)
First "Pump It Up" birthday party! and first time on a bouncer!
First trip to the beach and first time playing in the sand (got it in her diaper, now she's really a Cali girl) and first time putting her feet in the ocean. (below)






First time Daddy put her to bed (she did pretty well). Mommy even got a night out to play Bunco!
First time in the YMCA childcare so Mommy could workout (she made it through almost the whole class!)

Wow, so many new and wonderful things happening. New foods, new sights, new friends, new home... wonderful new life.
It hasn't come without work and sacrifice and struggle, but nothing this beautiful does... hard work and sacrifice from us, from you, from all the great staff at your SWI in Hefei and from your birth parents (they don't know how much they sacrificed when they they gave you up).
Welcome home XuXu... we will always love you and we will always be your family.