A tooth and 1st time swimming - from Ava (10 months old) & Mom complaining about re-adoption & name change fees

This weekend we went to visit Grandma Belva in Albany. Uncle Anthony, Aunt Lynette and Cousin Emily were also at Grandma's house. On Friday Mommy and I went on a three hour car ride to Albany - Daddy was already there for work. Mommy learned to feed me a bottle and hand me toys on the fly. I had a wonderful time swimming in the blow up pool (Daddy jumped in with Emily and me), walking in the double stroller with Grandma and Emily, and showing off my new tooth. Actually, you can't see it, so people kept letting me suck on their finger. On Saturday, Daddy noticed that I had a tooth coming in on the bottom, left, front side. He had to feel it - I am such a good girl that no one noticed because of my negative disposition :). Mommy and Daddy were both in the car on the ride back home so it was more fun - mom fed me and played with me and dad kept making funny faces in the mirror and waving to me.

From Mom - fees still continue after we are back in the US:

As a new parent I am still overwhelmed with how much daycare and medical costs are - thank heavens for health insurance and dependant care saving accounts. With regard to the re-adoption, these little costs that I did not predict correctly keep popping up - $1000 for re-adoption lawyer fees, $400 follow up home visit to our home study agency, $10.00 for new fingerprint cards, $240 to get a new certificate of citizenship with Ava Linh on it ($420.00 after June 30 which is a realistic issue because the government is raising prices and the re-adoption may not be done before June 30th), and $82.00 for a US passport for a child under the age of 16, and $7.00 for passport photos. Those are the figures that I know of as of today. In the adoption world people often reference the paper chase but what about the roller coaster of finances and how much nickle and diming exists. Sorry to complain, but I want to be sure others think about (plan for) the fees that may occur after you are back in the States (each State has different policies and procedures when it comes to re-adoption).

Also, based on requests from people reading the blog and still waiting to travel, I just added our packing list to the side of the blog.