Update!

Precious Piper at about 4 1/2 months old.
Auntie Kasey calls this her "Calvin Klein Baby" pose.

So I'm at work today, mindin' my own when what should appear in my email but an update on our baby girl! The information we received with her referral was recorded when she was around 4 1/2 months old. The information we received today is as of June 27.

Our baby girl is growing up! She weighs 17 pounds and is 27 inches long. Her feet are 3 inches long, which is about the length of my index finger. Can you stand it?!

According to her update:

• She can walk in her go-cart and turn over and over on the ground.
• She will turn her head if her caretaker calls her name.
• She loves to be held by adults and she is outgoing.
• She likes colorful leather balls, music box and all kinds of toys.
• She likes to do exercises with her caretaker.

What a perfect baby for our family. I wish I could thank the wonderful person in the "matching room" at the CCAA for selecting us to raise this wonderful child. And, I wish I could thank Piper's birth parents for making the ultimate sacrifice so that we could be a part of this precious girl's life. Words can't begin to describe our gratitude.

But wait there's more...
Last week we learned that despite what her paperwork says, Piper is probably in foster care as opposed to the Social Welfare Institute (SWI) - aka orphanage.

I joined the online discussion group for Piper's orphanage, Yujiang. I read a post from a lovely woman who was at Yujiang in April and took upclose photos of every baby there. I emailed her Piper's website to see if she had any photos of her. She did not and said Piper is probably in a foster home. Apparently, this is somewhat common and the foster homes associated with Yujiang have about 6 babies per home...so it's a mini orphanage of sorts.

I also think she's in foster care based on her photo. Bear with me because this is a little wacky, but Piper's clothes fit. And they don't match. Many of the other babies - babies who might be in the photos taken in April by the lovely woman - are in matching outfits that are huge on them. The girls are simply swimming in ginormous coats and pants. And I've seen similar outfits on babies in old photos posted on the Yujiang discussion board.

For example, Piper's "cousin" Abbey is in a blue and plaid version of an outfit I've seen on three babies in the orphanage photos. In one photo, you can't see Abbey's hands as they are being consumed by her jacket.

Piper is in thermal jammie pants and that fetching red fleece jacket. She just doesn't "match" in more ways than just fashion. Wherever she is, it appears Pi is being cared for very well. She's growing up - and in to her 6-12 month clothes.

And stilll more...
This past week has been amazing. From the moment Gary received "the call" we've been floating and whirling in the clouds. Piper's Aunties/Village threw a delightful, last minute celebration for their girl the evening of her referral. We've been shop, shop, shopping up a storm purchasing everything from baby slings and bottles to inflatable bathtubs and travel toilet paper. Uhhh - don't ask. Just click here.

About her province
If you'd like to know more about China adoption - and see a bit of Piper's province and where we'll be going in a few weeks - I strongly encourage you to rent "China's Lost Girls." This National Geographic special came out in 2004 and is an excellent overview of the one child policy and Chinese adoption.

Plus, they go to Nanchang in Piper's province, Jiangxi, to adopt their daughters! It's an incredible video - and if you don't cry during the "gotcha day" scene, then you have ice water in your veins.