Cole is a Yeatts

We finally have our internet issues resolved and are able to access our blog and post pictures.  There is a lot to catch up on, but this post is dedicated to

 

Our Son Cole



(first glimpse)


Just typing that makes me so happy.

Cole is shy by nature, so when he first came out, he clung to his nanny, and wouldn't look at us. We gave him the car we had bought that made sounds - big hit #1





After a few minutes of playing on the floor, he let me sit him on my lap





and gradually he started to feel more comfortable





Mia was a great distraction, she was right in there playing with him, and interacting with him, it REALLY helped him relax.





Next it was daddy's turn





Cole's Nanny said that he had been showing his friends the photo album we had sent him, and was telling them we were his mama and papa.  She said that he recognized us right away from the pictures!





Starting to see that adorable smile

 

 

Hit #2 - bubbles

 



There it is

 

 

Official picture with the Social Welfare Institute (orphanage) representative

 

 

 

and if all else fails there is always the iPhone :)!!!

 

Leaving - he grabbed Mia's hand (oh my heart)

 

 

and then he turned around and grabbed Chris's (tears)

 

 

 

Next we went shopping, he needed sandals as the ones he was wearing were about 2 sizes too big.  He thought the grocery store was fantastic, but he had obviously never been on an escalator before, although he insisted on doing it himself.  We are finding that he is quite independent.

 

It was then back to the hotel.  He played with Mia, jumping on the beds, laughing and smiling, although every time I walked in the room, he would stop and look sad.  I think it may be because I am female and his caregivers were too. They would have not allowed bed jumping, and he probably though I was going to tell him off.  So I got on the bed and jumped with him - problem solved :)!!

He slept great. He was exhausted as he had driven 6 hours in the car that day.

Breakfast the next morning and guess what they are both eating - noodles!!

 

Today,  Tuesday July 30th, we went back to the civil affairs office to sign the adoption papers, have an interview and finalize the adoption.  We were asked if we still wanted to adopt Cole?  Our answer a very loud

YES

He was nervous as soon as we arrived there and clung to us.  I think he was afraid we were going to leave him there, it was at that moment that I fell completely in love with him.  Everything in me wanted to run out of the building with him, I also wanted to be able to tell him that he was ours FOREVER, but instead we just hugged him tightly.

 

 

With an official hand print

 

 

 

and a few statements of declaration

 

 

 

Cole officially became our son

 

 

He LOVES his papa (couldn't resist)

 

 

 

Now for some traditional Chinese food for lunch to celebrate (oh and soda)

 

 

 

He knows how to work a bowl of noodles

 

 

 

and so does someone else

 

 

 

Back to the hotel for some pool fun.  We don't know if he has ever been in a pool before, but by his initial apprehension, I doubt it

 


but once again it didn't take long for him to adjust

 

 

 We are finding it surprisingly easy to understand Cole's needs and communicate with out using words.  Although some instructions I give him in English, he understands??
He apparently understands Mandarin, but only speaks another dialect, that our guide doesn't even understand. 

He has the sweetest personality, and is very considerate of others.  He is also funny, and I think may be a little mischievous.  We are enjoying watching his personality come out, as he feels more and more comfortable with us.

It is amazing how he already seems so bonded to us, it feels like we have known each other much longer.  He and Mia are inseparable, and we can't wait for him to meet the boys and Lily.  I think Cole and Ethan, may get into some trouble :)!!

Thank you for all your comments, prayers, love and support, it means so much to both of us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lily's Gotcha Day

Happy Gotcha Day Lily

 

3 years ago today we met Lily.  You all know her story and our journey. 

 

 

 

 

 

(video of Liy's first moments with us)

 

 

As I sit in Chicago airport typing this, while waiting for a flight to Hong Kong to adopt Cole, it is hard to believe that we were in this same airport 3 years ago almost to the day.  Their gotcha days will be 4 days apart :)!!

 

 

 

 

(Lily in China day 1)

 

 

She has come so far, and she is about to face a HUGE milestone in her life with her open heart surgery on August 22nd.

 

 

                                                         

                                         

 

(one year home)

 

 

We have grown and changed as a family because of Lily.  She has taught us so much, and she is loved deeply by all of us.

 

 

 

(lily home 2 years)

 

 

We can not wait to see all that the future holds for our precious girl
 

Leaving for China

WE ARE GOING TO GET COLE!!!!

 

 

Tomorrow we leave for China

 

 

It is hard to believe this day is finally here

 

 

 

 

Chris , Mia and I are going.  Benjamin, Ethan and Lily are staying with my parents - who we can not thank enough. Mia is SO excited to go back to China, and we think she will be a great help, in helping Cole adjust to us all.

 

We will spend 2 days in Hong Kong, then take a train to Coles province.  We will officially meet Cole some time on Monday and the adoption will be complete on Tuesday.  We will be in China 2 weeks.



 

 

We will update our blog as much as possible.  China is 12 hours ahead of the US.  We will also update on facebook.

 

 

Thank you so much for all your love and support, it means so much to us.  We were overwhelmed by the financial support, it brings tears to our eyes.

 

We will be announcing the winner of the iPad mini soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Lily Update

I apologize for taking so long to update on Lily - life is moving fast in the Yeatts family these days as we prepare for traveling to China for Cole and

 

 

Lily's OPEN HEART SURGERY

 

 

We have a date

 

 

AUGUST 22nd 2013

 

 

 

It has been decided that due to the fact that Lily's lungs are looking so much better, and her pulmonary hypertension has decreased so much, they are going to do one BIG surgery, the Fontan and skip the Glenn.  This is great news as it means only one open heart surgery for Lily, but it also means the surgery will be more involved and recovery will be longer.

 

 

 

 

We have to be in Philadelphia at CHOP on 8/21 for her preop visit.  We are not sure how long we will be there, but are preparing for a month.  It could be shorter or longer, it all depends on how she does.

 

 

This was not our original plan.  We had wanted her to have surgery, in May or June, before traveling to China to bring Cole home, but that didn't happen.  It will be hard to return from China with Cole and have to leave so soon to take Lily.  This is why we need to travel to China as SOON as possible.  WE are hoping to leave sometime around the 20th of July, which would give us 2 weeks home before we have to be at CHOP.

 

 

Please pray that we can go to China soon - we still need our TA (travel approval)

 

We are so grateful to God that Lily is able to get surgery, this is something that we were told may NEVER happen.  She is such a joy to us, and has come so far.  It is scary putting our precious girls life into the hands of the surgeon, but we know that the great physician (our Heavenly Father)will be right there with her. Her diagnosis of Tricuspid Atresia, ASD, VSD, and half a heart, meant she is palliative, she can't be fixed - with this surgery she will be able to live well into adulthood, with out maybe only 5 more years (or less).  The surgery is risky, but we know God has opened a door we were told was closed to Lily, so we are walking through it trusting Him.

This is an emotional time, with the surgery and bringing Cole home, please continue to pray for us.  We need to get Cole home now.

 

 



Bringing Cole Home Update and ipad Fundraiser Giveaway Details

Sorry it has been a while since I posted, but life has been a little busy around here, more to come on that later.  My reason for posting today is to update on our journey to bring Cole home from China.

Things are moving fast. Our article 5 was issued in China yesterday, which was the last piece of documentation we needed before we can receive travel approval (TA).  It normally takes two weeks to get TA, although we have been told it could take a little longer as they are redoing the computer system in China.   Once we have TA, we plan our trip and schedule our US consulate appointment in China.  We are hoping to travel around July 22nd.

 

We can not wait to go to China and meet Cole.  We sent him a care package, with a photo album of pictures of us, a toy, a letter from us and a cake to share with his friends.

There is mass preparation going on in our house - I am seriously nesting.  Sorting, room rearranging, painting!!

We have been so blessed by the generosity of many of you in giving financially and supporting our fundraisers towards helping us bring Cole home.  We still need approximately $8000 to be fully funded.  It is hard to know the exact amount as we don't know how much tickets will cost yet.

We have set up a GO FUND  ME page if anyone would like to help towards the last part of our journey.  No amount is too small.  If 800 people gave $10 we would be funded, if 80 people gave $100 we would be funded.  We appreciate more than words can say the love an support of our family and friends, and even strangers.

We are having a giveaway for an ipad mini. 

For every $10 you donate you earn a chance to win in the drawing.  The more you donate the more chances you earn.

We are going to make it a little more fun by creating a puzzle to hang in Coles room.

So each $10 you donate will also earn you a puzzle piece that will go towards a 500 piece puzzle.  We will right your name on the back of the puzzle pieces, and once it is complete, it will be framed in 2 sided glass, and hung in his room.  We chose a puzzle showing panda's, as they are native to China.

 

 

 

To donate, enter giveaway and build the puzzle, click HERE

 

Introducing Coleman "Cole" Walter Yeatts - We have RA!!!

Today we received our Referral Acceptance for Cole 

 

 

 

 

We are now allowed to publicly post pictures and send him care packages

 

 

 

We also get to say Happy Birthday to OUR SON as he turns 5 TODAY - how amazing is that!!

 

 

 

We already love you, but we can not wait to meet you, hug you, play with you, teach you, make you laugh and smile, and take care of you

 

We are DTC and LID for Cole!!

 

To put it plainly DTC means our dossier (all the paperwork we have been working on for Coles adoption since May 2012) was sent to China in February!!

 

 

 

 

The LID is the date that paperwork was official logged in to China's center for adoptions.

Our LID was March 3rd!!

Now we wait for China to give us our official RA - referral acceptance, this can take 2-4 months.

Once we have that we are finally able to post pictures of our precious son - we can not wait to show

 you how adorable he is.  It also means we can send him care packages, including pictures of us, so that he can start to learn and identify his family.

 

 

My heart aches to get on a plane, and bring our son home - but for right now we just have to wait!!