Under the Weather

Well, I have been sick again the last couple of days. It is the fever I had just before we left HCMC and as well, during the flight home. My body feels like it has been hit by a train. And sweet Lily now has dry patches on her cheeks (need humidity back) and a really big snotty nose. I need to get the softer tissues.

Oma came to help us on Friday and we also went out to look for highchairs. Need something that fits a wee mouse and also compact for my small kitchen. Not looking for booster chairs. Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

Charlotte comes home tomorrow and I am feeling a little overwhelmed only because I have been sick so the thought of baby and dog is a bit scary but like anything in life you just have to dive right into it. My friend B - I look to you for good dog/baby advice if you have any to give.

As soon as I can find my card reader I will post some recent pics of Lily at home.

..and on the forth day the baby slept.

Oh, what a wonderful night indeed to have Lily sleep from 8:00pm to 7:00am. Ok not the whole night through as we did wake for two bottles and the latter part of the night was in my bed but the goal was to get her out of the 3:00am waking mode and wanting to play.

Today we had our first playgroup and Lily was fascinated with the older children especially my girlfriend's son Jack. He is very playful and charming and she certainly kept her eye on him (sorry Cedric). She is getting used to long walks in the stroller but not sure if it is her favorite thing to do yet. After our playdate we walked home for about 35 min and then once home she went straight to sleep for her afternoon nap. I am happy to have a bit of time on my hands as my house sure needs it.

Remember when I said my friend E was going to put down some new flooring? Well the floor was in such a state when he started ripping it up that he had to pull it all out and rebuild, including new joice's (sp??) to add support. That was a huge job and on top of all of that he made a decision (one with my blessing) to remove the wall between the living room and the kitchen. Adding a beam for support we now have an open view. It will not really be finished until the fall so it is like living at the cottage somewhat but boy what a joy to watch Lily play while I am in the kitchen.

We both love bath time and are looking forward to a swimming pool excursion soon.

Finally Home

It is Monday and I am almost back into some kind of routine again. Our flight back from Vancouver was excellent and Lily slept through all of it. We had a bottle up and a bottle coming down and in between was just gravy.

We had a lovely welcome party to greet us which was a great feeling and Lily was pretty cool about all of it. She did not however, like the car seat ride and cried for the that last 10 min of the trip. I don't blame her as we had just done three flight legs in 48 hrs and she needed more tummy time.

Thank you to everyone for all your emails and calls to welcome both of us home. It sure was a great feeling

Here is a shot on the flight from HCMC to Tokyo (Lily's first flight)

Couldn't resist the cutout in Vancouver for a photo with Lily

Rest Stop in Vancouver

Well, I cannot say we had the best flight back to Canadian soil but thankfully we are here. It felt so good to go through customs in Vancouver and hand over Lily`s passport. We decided to stay the night in Vancouver to break up the long journey and try to eliminate jet lag as much as possible.

Out flight from HCMC to Tokyo was as bad as it could get. We arrived at the airport at 4am and still by 6am we had not yet checked our bags...they did hold the plane for us but there was a big issue on Lily`s ticket and they argued that we did not have proof of the ticket for her. So just to get out of the country we had to pay just over $600.

Then in Tokyo we stood in the line at the AC connecting flight agent to receive a boarding pass. We could not understand why it would take so long to just get a boarding pass. To top it all off when I went to bed in Vietnam the night before our flight out I started feeling very poorly and on a few occasions was not sure of I should be getting on a plane.

I am so very grateful that my sister was with me because on the flight to Vancouver I could not do anything to help care for Lily. I was wrapped up in several blankets just trying to bring the chills down.

One more flight to go and we will be back in Toronto at approx 5:30pm

At the Blue Ocean Resort

Well we are just finishing our packing and it is 11:30 at night. I am feeling very much under the weather at the moment and not looking forward to getting up in 4 hours for the flight.

Away we go...

Photos from the resort.

Can you Say YMCA

Here is my little fish:

Life is a Beach

And so for the past 5 days team Ethier headed east to a wonderful resort for a vacation. It was Lilys first vacation with her mama and her auntie.

We were just north of Phan Thiet and just south of Mui Ne at a place called Blue Ocean Resort. I had met a women by the pool at our hotel and she is a travel agent in HCMC and was able to offer a great package at a great price and it included our personal driver Mr Tung.

We left the smog of HCMC behind us and headed for some cleaner skies where we knew there would be a breeze. Our hotel had everything I longed for...

• a beautiful beach (minus the litter that came in with the tide)
• a long stretch of beach for walking or not
• a glorious swimming pool (often as hot as a bathtub by late afternoon
• a restaurant with a view with great food to boot
• lots of garden to stroll Lily around (many new things for her to look at)
• a Wellness SPA for a needed massage

Our First Look at the Ocean Together

Auntie ME with Lily - combing the beach for treasures

A View of the Fishing Boats beside the Hotel

This Cabana was a great place to take Lily during the day for naps (and her Mama too).

This was a great spot in the early morning to watch all the fisherpeople out on the water.

What Makes Lily Laugh

I think Lily has a favortie Auntie already.

Lily Flower Loves the Water

Sitting by the hotel pool with lots of families with their beautiful babies close by. From just over 5 months to 9 months in age. So sweet. It is nice to have others close by going through the same experience that I am going through.

Lily is a great swimmer. She splashes about in the water and often will give me a little kick. She is very happy to have water splash up on her face.

Here are my dear friends minus their baby boy soaking up the sunshine.

Loving the bathing suit from Auntie Georgie.

Shopping in the Tax Centre for traditional Vietnamese gifts and clothing. I think I found the perfect hat for the beach at C.I.

Taking some time out from shopping to have iced coffees at the historical Hotel Continental

A street vendor making waffles.

I have been feeling a bit off the past couple days. Perhaps it is the heat and getting used to being a mommy, lack of sleep and in and out of air conditioning all day long. Hoping it goes away by the time we leave for the resort on Saturday.

I have not been much of a tourist the past week. Have I mentioned how hot it is here. We are great tourists of the shopping plazas though....I can bring a stroller for either Lily or the shopping bags whichever is heavier. Lily really likes to go shopping and out to dinner as she gets all the attention from the Vietnamese women (who just adore her). Lily enjoys the sound of their voices.

Off to bed...gotta get the sleep when I can.

A Week with No Paper Work

Here is a picture of Lily on Easter Sunday, the first of many to come.

Outside of the Cnd Consulate. Lily thought it was all quite boring.

Picture of my Subury Family just finishing all of the paperwork for Cedrics Passport.



Lily and I outside the Cnd Consulate with only a week to wait.



The day before we went to the Vietnamese Forieng Affairs Office to start the paper work for Lilys Vietnamese passport, which we need to leave the country with.

Michele and I (with Lily) will be off to a resort near Mui Ne this coming Saturday for 3 or 4 nights. I am looking forward to getting far away from all the horn honking, crazy drivers, and this heat and humidity.

Something to Make you Smile

Touching a Piece of Canadian Soil Today

It has been a while since I have posted a blog but know that many have been started. Internet still is a problem for us but also I am so tired by 9pm that I just cant even think straight. Yesterday was one of our hottest days here and I tell you I stayed in with Lily where we have cool floors to put our toes on.

Yesterday we ventured out mid morning to see the Post Office and then Michele and Marjorie went to the Market. I have been told it is not the best place to take a baby so coupled with it being so hot I went back to the hotel with Lily.

Today we are off to the Cnd Consolate to apply for Lilyès passport. Although it is a temporary one until we get home it is an official one so we are a step closer to coming home. There is just so much to do here and if I was a tourist I would be checking it all off my list...but funny how my list looks so different now:

• Feed Lily
• Go Swimming with Lily
• Make Hot Bottles for her
• Sing Songs (or make some up)
• Change poopy diapers (yeah for poop)
• Cheer when she crawls backwards
• Cuddle her even when she is not crying
• Give many kisses
• Watch in amazement how much she laughs with her great big grin

Photos from G and R (April 2)

This is the gate entrance to the Justice Dept. where our ceremony was held for 5 familes adopting in Vietnam. It was so lovely to be with the other families on this joyous occasion.

The picture above was taken on the Hydrofoil from HCMC to Vung Tau.

The Vietnamese writing in the photo below says Giving and Receiving Ceremony. This is a photo of my friend Suzanne from Ottawa who adopting baby Olivia from the same orphanage as Lily.


Once all the paper work was completed the families all took photos in front of the red curtain. It was so amazing to have my sister there and to have the three Ethiers together. Lily was great through the whole process. Now we move onto paperwork for a Vietnamese passport and a Canadian passport which should take anywhere from 7-10 days.

France, Andre-Marc and their baby boy Cedric (Yasmine is hiding behind the curtain)

Waiting for our turn to complete all the paperwork.

Our addition to the Ethier Family ....and it is official.

I feel like the luckiest person in the world. I love my new bundle and look forward to learning all about her and her country over the next couple of weeks.

Introducing Lily-Anne My Yen

This was my first meeting with Lily. She loves her walker and when we met she was so calm but very attentive on me and my actions. It was a very gentle introduction and we spend a lot of time just looking at each other before I put her into my arms.

I was able to spend time with one of Lilyès many nounous who cared for her. There was a lot of love in the room and there is about 4-5 babies to every nounous

She is such a happy baby.



My Sudbury Family - with their son Cedric and their daughter Yasmine


This was taken on March 29th when the families travelled to Vung Tau to meet the babies for the very first time. It was such a special afternoon as we were able to be in the babies room for about 2 hours before we had to leave...and our beautiful babies came back to HCMC with us.

In this video our Vietnamese Hostess was trying to trick me by saying ...are you sure this is Lily. Of course how could it not be all you have to do is look at her hair.

Good Friday

And it is a Good Friday indeed as I just got off the phone and was informed that our G & R is today in the afternoon. We will a..gain take the hydrofoil down to Vung Tau for the ceremony. It is not in the orphanage. We will not be going back there.

So after the ceremony I will be able to post some pics. Currently the Mouse is sleeping her morning nap and really impressing me with the duration....coming up to 90 min.

More to come

Taxi Hell

Yesterday Michele and I went with M and my Sudbury family for passport and citizenship photos. Just outside of the photo place we got sucked into some great Vietnamese shopping. T-shirts, knock-off sunglasses, books, coc0nut drinks, au dao....photos will be added a bit later.

After the photo session we all went over to the Tax Centre to shop. M even bought a Black and Decker hair dryer. We found some beautiful Au Dai (Vietnamese dresses for women). I am bringing a few back for Lily for different ages when we celebrate Tet or other key dates. I tried one on and sadly everything fit except the forearms. I am sure mine are bigger since lifting the mouse.

Poor Marc-Andre having to be with all the women and sticking out the shopping. I am sure it was not his best Vietnamese experience thus far. We sure had fun though.

On the way home we had a very young and inexperienced taxi driver...it was in rush hour, we were tired, the babies were tired and this driver did not know where he was going. Talk about a stressful trip and we did not even get back to the hotel. He took us in the wrong diretion and even had to phone a friend to get instructions. Finally, after he hit a young girl on her moped (she was OK) we finally said lets get out of this taxi. So we did and we jumped into another one with an expert driver who took us home safely.

It is not an easy feet to get around in this city. You cannot waiver when crossing the street and you must settle on a fare before you get into the taxi. But some do have honest meters.