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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Priceless

Collins' orphanage -- Zhuhai SWI -- blessed us with a number of wonderful gifts ... little things that represent her first nine months of life and where she came from ... but the most priceless of all was a collection of 500 photos of her from the time she came into the orphanage to the time she left. FIVE HUNDRED photos (and even some video). We have less than 20 photos of sweet Lia Kate and her first 16 months. I have never even heard of an adoptive family getting so many photos. I am not sure if this is something they do regularly, but I sent a flash drive to the orphanage through Ann at Red Thread asking them to put all the photos they had of her on it. It was kind of a shot in the dark, but they did it! I just never imagined I would get 500 precious photos of her sweet little life. 

February 2012
LOVE!!! My newborn Collins.

One of the earliest pictures of Collins.


March 2012


May 2012


June 2012

This photo was taken on the day my brother passed away. 

July 2012
Practicing sitting up at 5 months.

I love these pictures of Collins with this older girl from the orphanage. 
You can tell it was a sweet relationship.





August 2012

Starting to crawl at 6 months.

Celebrating Bailee's 1st birthday!


There were a lot of pictures of Collins in this position ... arms and legs all up. Talk about core strength?! I think it was her "trick" and the nannies liked to capture it in pictures. She does this same thing when we lift her over our heads or toss her in the air. Perhaps a future yogi?


September 2012

Holding her own bottle. So glad she lets me do this for her now.

October 2012
Pulling up and cruising the crib at 8 months.

LOVE this face!



In her crib with the photo pillow we sent through Gretchen & Lillian
This pillow stayed in her crib until we came to China for her.

November 2012

Her favorite toy since we've been home is the ring stacker. Now I know why. 

Sweet little munchkin.


Playing with the musical bunny we sent. Love these nannies who let her play with the things we sent.

Playing on the rocking horse on the patio.

With her beautiful nanny Lisa.



Evidently this was not a good day.

Just a few days before we met her!


This might be my favorite picture.


Climbing!

She does the same thing with her blankies here. Grabs it in her hand while she sucks her thumb. 
Love that we have a picture of her doing it with orphanage blankets.

She also does this with the strings on my jackets or a necklace I'm wearing.

Outta my way, dude. Prep for having a big brother?

She loves to "play the drums" on any surface.

Sweet nanny Lisa. You can tell she loved her so much.

Taken just three days before we met her in the red silk they gave us as a gift.

14 comments:

  1. Oh Emily what a precious and yes priceless gift. We have less than 20 pics as well but I was so happy to get them. I can only imagine 500. I bet you have poured over everyone of them, over and over again. So happy you have these both for her and you.

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  2. I agree this is totally priceless! What a blessing for you and for Collins. Hope your family is doing well given the unexpected events of your father-in-law. Are the other children just adoring her?

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  3. Honestly, Emily, other than my Sara, she is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen! Sara had huge eyes and that personality like hers. She also climbed on everything but was so easygoing and sweet. We should get the two of them together. She was truly meant to be part of the Giffin clan. Now just make sure she goes to Ole Miss and she'll turn out great!

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  4. Emily, what a priceless treasure...500 pictures. One is cuter and sweeter than the next. I love how the ayis captured her in different activities but also with so many different expressions. I am in awe. For those of us waiting to travel, would you pretty please keep blogging so we can live vicariously through you with your precious lil' one.

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  5. And that older girl would happen to be the one we are waiting on!!! I know she works with the babies, and really enjoys it. It's fun to see her "in action". Thanks for posting. It did my heart good to see another picture of her.

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  6. Oh, how thrilling it has been to see these pictures today! I've been checking your blog several times a day! Sweet, sweet baby!

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  7. Amazing, what a treasure! Thanks for sharing these. CC is a doll baby!

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  8. Double joy. Seeing so many pictures of your sweet and beautiful baby girl. Knowing that the older girl has a family waiting on her. How awesome is that?

    You are so very blessed to been given the gift of so many pictures from the beginning. I am happy for your family!

    Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Wow!! Amazing!! I have never heard of anyone getting so many pictures either! I too love all of the different activities and expressions they captured! Priceless!!

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  10. Beautiful pictures! Lucky you, and will be nice for her also. Blessings

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