Happy First Forever Family Day Sienna Grace!

Waiting for Daddy to bring her breakfast

Mmmm eggs with Elmo



Got Daddy to spring for the large orange juice!



Mommy kissing the heart that went into my stuffed puppy



Mommy helping me choose a heart for Spotty




Kissing the heart for extra love



Stuffing Spotty

Cuddle Time!

Getting to know each other

Getting the shower ready for Spotty

Spotty likes the table

I think he needs another hug



Trying on a backpack



Making a birth certificate...sure is easier than the Hauge adoption process! (cheaper too!)

One happy girl!

Taking Spotty for a ride

We belong together, Spotty and I

Cruising through the mall

Yah, we know we're cute

Don't even think of taking my mac n cheeze

I'm TWO!

Ice cream!

BLUE Ice Cream!

Brain Freeze!

Family photo

Celebrating a year as a family of four!

Sienna's forever family balloon

Danika's Big Sister Balloon with her first forever family day stuffed animal, "Hugs"

Sienna's first night wth us July 19, 2010

Our sweet girl asleep in her bed after one year at home, July 19, 2011

One year ago today Dan and I waited quietly in our hotel room at the Harbour Plaza in Chongqing, China for our guide and driver to take us to the Civil Affairs office to meet Miss Sienna Grace! 

We had a special day with our special little girl.  We got up and got big sister dressed and dropped her off at pre school and started our day!  Sienna often wants to "sit at a table" when Daddy brings her in to Brueggers to get me a cup of coffee so today she got her wish.  Dan and I got bagel sandwiches and Sienna got her own egg and sausage patty, with a large orange juice.  She ate every bite! 

After breakfast we drove to the mall and headed to Build A Bear so Sienna could choose her very own stuffed animal to make in honor of our year together.  She first selected a brightly colored teddy bear but then she saw a white and black spotted dalmatian puppy and that was her choice.  She loved kissing the little heart and stuffing it inside her puppy and then pressing the pedal to blow the stuffing into her animal.  Afterwards we shopped for clothes for Spotty but Sienna decided she just wanted a backpack for him.  She made a birth  certificate for him (he is officially named "Spotty").  We left the mall only to discover there were severe thunderstorms, hail and high winds in our area.  We went home for a short while and then headed to Noodles & Co. for Sienna's favorite macaroni and cheese lunch.  After lunch it was naptime (which Daddy took and Sienna didn't) and then we had ice cream.  We went to the store to get a balloon for Sienna and one to celebrate Danika being a Big Sister for a year and headed to preschool.

We picked up Danika and went to Szechuan for Chinese food to celebrate as a family of four.  This is the same place we went to celebrate getting our pre-approval for Sienna a year ago April (on her first birthday!).  We came home and played for awhile and then off to bed for our two special girls. 

Sienna, time with you has flown, a year has come and gone before our very eyes.   Our first year together has been a blessing to see our tentative, shy, tiny and softspoken little baby turn into a sparkle eyed, dimpled, sassy, smart, mouth full of teeth smile girl! 

In her first year home with us she has more than doubled her weight, grown 6 inches, endured two hand surgeries and has mastered the art of the English language.  She is quick witted, quick to climb on furniture (something we didn't experience with her big sister), quick to run when she's in trouble and quick to smile.  She's still a snuggler, loves to sing, dance, color, cut with scissors, finger paint, have her feet traced with marker, sit on the potty, play with play doh and loves popcicles.

Sienna, your presence in our family has been such a blessing to each one of us.  You are a sweet and loving little sister to Danika and you idolize her every step even though you love nothing more than to antagonize her (and you are SO good at it!).  You give your Mama joy with your michievious grin, twinkle in your eyes and your million watt smile that crinkles up to the dimples underneath your eyes.  You still let Mama rock you and snuggle you and you still like being a "baby".  You light up your Daddy's life with your endless devotion to him, often insisting on only him when you need consoling. You are truly a "Daddy's girl".   We love you without end and can't imagine our lives without you in it!

Here are some of our memories of the day you entered our lives: 

Like most summer days in Chongqing it was very hot and humid.  We were getting used to being in the same room we stayed in when we adopted Danika, amazing how the memories rushed back at us the moment we walked into that room.  We got up that morning and walked down to the breakfast buffet, excited and anxious for the events of the day.  We stocked up on food, knowing we might be hunkered down in our room for a few days depending on how Sienna was adjusting. 

We had Sienna's crib ready for her in the corner of our room.  In it was a special soft pink blanket we bought and tucked away for her even before we knew who she was and a cuddly stuffed elephant to comfort her in her confusing and emotional days ahead.

At 2:00 in the afternoon Sophie, our guide arrived with a driver to take us to the Civil Affairs Office.  We knew Sienna was likely awakened from a deep sleep before the first light of dawn.  Her Nanny tenderly dressed her in a soft yellow and white knit short outfit, her first outfit of her very own. The Nanny gently carried her through the room to say silent goodbyes to her sleeping friends, and to the nursery room where she spent the first 15 months of her life in Xiushan, China.  At approximately 5:30 a.m. she was carried onto the train and headed through the lush and mountainous countryside to arrive in Chongqing at 1:30. 

We only had a few moments to nervously wait for our first glimpse of our newest family member.  The elevator doors opened and the Nanny (also Danika's Nanny) walked out holding a very quiet and confused Sienna.  We talked to her quietly for a few minutes and then the Nanny handed her to me.  She let me hold her and she gently rested her head on my shoulder, I could tell it had already been a long day for this tiny little girl.  After a few minutes of holding our new baby, I let Daddy have a turn.  Sienna just melted into her new Daddy.  We asked the nanny a few questions and she gave us a bag with some bottles, formula, a pair of soft new bunny pajamas, cold medicine and a little blue puppy backpack.  I was so excited to have the backpack because Sienna was given this keepsake by some local townspeople who had visited the orphanage in March.

After about 45 minutes we got into the car and began our drive through heavy downtown traffic back to the hotel.  Shortly after getting into the car we discovered Sienna suffered from car sickness - or a bad case of nerves.  She threw up all over me and sofly cried because she was completely soaked with vomit.  We used a small receiving blanket to clean her up as best as we could and she shifted over to Daddy's arms so I could clean myself up.  Soon after she fell sound asleep in her Daddy's arms and slept the rest of they way back to the hotel. 

Sienna woke up when we carried her up to our room and we changed her diaper and put her in her soft new pajamas from her Nanny.  We fed her a bottle and she explored her new toys with big curious eyes and tentative touches.  Soon she was rubbing her eyes and yawning after a very long day.  We laid her in her crib at 6:00, tucked her elephant in beside her and she was fast asleep sucking on her fingers in minutes and slept the night through. 

 Read our post from her Gotcha Day a year ago