The Newest Citizen!

Tuesday, July 19, 2005
We received documentation that Chloe is officially recognized as a citizen of the United States. We received her Certificate of Citizenship on Monday, July 18, along with a letter from President Bush congratulating Chloe. After Kindermusik today, Chloe and I visited our local Social Security office. Chloe enjoyed the 2 hour wait, she had three little girls who were waiting with their parents and wanted to play with her. One of the little girls told me she was an only child and she wanted a baby brother or sister. After our mind-numbingly slow wait, Chloe and I were called back to turn in her application for a Social Security card. The first thing the guy asked for was a birth certificate! I said, "what birth certificate?" Apparently the Certificate of Citizenship is not enough, my 13-month old daughter needs a second proof of identity. He had to settle for our health insurance card with her name on it. In the end, Chloe will be getting her Social Security number and we can set up all her bank and savings accounts. You can't do anything without a Social Security card these days. Once her card arrives, Chloe will get to visit another government office to get her U.S. Passport. She's planning on being an "international baby of mystery" and see the world sites, well at the least her Daddy's home country of England.

In other news...Chloe was upset to hear that her cycling hero Magnus Backstedt dropped out of the Tour de France this morning. She wouldn't "allez, allez, allez" after that news. She was relieved though to see a good stage 16 today and a win for Oscar Pereiro (she kind of thinks he's cool).

Allez! Allez! Allez!

Wednesday, July 13, 2005 1 comment


Chloe is continuing to watch the Tour de France in the morning over breakfast. Today, Mommy was teaching Chloe some of the French lingo shouted during the Tour. The people yell, "Allez, allez, allez!" (translation: "GO, GO, GO!") as the riders pass by. Well, seems Chloe has learned a new word, and it isn't English. She is a little parrot. When Mommy yells "allez, allez, allez", Chloe would do the same. I wish I had a photo to post or the camcorder because her little tongue is hysterical when she shouts it. She sticks it out and folds it up and then says the words. Very cute.

Chloe has been keeping her list of favorite cyclists in the Tour. The likes Michael Rasmussen (she likes the polka dot jersey), Jaan Kirsipu and of course, Magnus Backstedt. But, today she got a gift from two cyclists who couldn't make the Tour this year because they are saving themselves for the Pyrennes...Aunt Deanna and Uncle John. They sent her autographed photos from the Triple Bypass. Chloe says, "allez, allez, allez!".

Welcome to All About Chloe

Tuesday, July 12, 2005


Welcome to "All About Chloe", the page for and all about Chloe! We decided to start this page after finding it hard to keep a record of all of Chloe's achievements. The website is just a hassle to create a new page or to edit it. A blog serves as a journal and this will be like a journal for all of Chloe's accomplishments, so friends and family can keep up to date on Chloe's fast-paced world.

What's happened up to now?
Chloe was adopted from Guangdong Province in China in May 2005. She is nearly 13 months and has been with us for two months. Chloe is a happy baby and loves to make faces and noises. She is learning quickly and is catching up to other children her age.

Chloe enjoys swimming and playing at Gymboree (ok, if pressed she prefers swimming). We have also recently discovered that Chloe likes dancing too. Chloe has a vocabulary of about 7 words: mama, dada, doggy, uh-oh, hi, yea! and ball. She is not walking yet and she is starting to eat solid foods after some sessions to work on this. Right now she will eat vanilla pudding from a Nuk brush. Hey, it's a BIG step if you saw her a month ago! She applaudes herself everytime she takes a bite.

Lately Chloe is learning to point. Just this morning she said,"dada", and I asked her, "where is daddy?" She looked and pointed at me. She's got the pointing down, she just isn't sure what to point at. Right now, Matt asked her "where's mama?" and she pointed to the potted plant. Hmmm, not quite.

One of Chloe's favorite activities is beating on the computer. In fact, she is in my lap preparing to pounce on the keyboard as I type. That is, after she rips my glasses off my face (another favorite pastime). Chloe is also taking to cycling. She has been taking her breakfast while she watches the Tour de France. She is rooting for Lance Armstrong, but she really cheers for her favorite cyclist, Magnus Backstedt of Liquigas Bianchi. Why is he her favorite? Because he wrote to her and sent her an autographed photo. She would give him a "high-five" if she ever meets him personally (another favorite activity).

That's all for now, check the blog every now and then to see what's going on in Chloe's world. I'll try to post once a week.