Back to School!

Usually I am sad to see the kids go back to school....however this year I am grateful to be back to some sort of a structured routine! We had a wonderful end of summer most of it just laying low and letting Addison get really comfortable with us and her new surroundings. That I think was the one thing that most been there done that adoptive Mom's told me was the thing they wished they had done more of or was glad they had done. I totally agree! Addison loves to come home when we have been out and you can see her visibly relax once we pull into the driveway! I'm sure the other kids wished we would have had a more exciting summer, and really I can't blame them! I guess we will just have to make that a priority for next summer :0)

So as I said Addy is doing so well! Her language skills are expanding everyday, she is loving the little routine we have and I think flourishing in our family! Last night she even did a #2 on the potty!!! Yay! I still think we are a few months away from being fully potty trained, its really not even a priority right now, but if she asks for the potty I will certainly take her ;) I just can't get over how blessed we are! We have 4 amazing, wonderful, loving and beautiful children. I have no doubt in my mind that God intended Addison to be our little girl! And that fact just boggles my mind! She wakes up with such a joyful little smile singing morning, morning, morning! I can`t help but feel happy as well! She is such a little doll! The little smurf has been packing away the food and has gained 4 pounds! Maybe we have hope for those 12 month size leggings to stay up, after all!!! She is sleeping like a champ, and really enjoying her siblings for the most part. She is such an amazing gift!

The rest of the kids have mixed feelings on going back to school. Nathan would rather stay home, Josh is looking forward to recess and Gym, and Riley can barely contain herself until the first day of Kindergarten on Friday!

We are making plans with some of our friends, for an Autumn Moon Festival party. I thinks we will host it here at our house and have some great food and fellowship! There are now 3 little girls under the age of 3 in our community who have been adopted from China, and we love both of the other families, so hopefully it will be easy to keep the girls connected as they grow up!

I added a few pictures of the kids from this morning, although now it is nearly impossible to get everyone looking at the camera! I am hoping to be able to blog more regularly now that we are back to the old routine of school and afternoon naps :0)

Gosh, I love these little munchkins! I really need to paint my steps & front door!!!

Sweet Little Face

One month ago today, we saw this sweet little face, in real life. It was one of the most wonderful moments of my life. Addison has changed our lives! We didn't know it, but something was missing from our family. God knew. It was this sweet little girl, all the way over in China! She is the most joyful funloving person I have ever met! She brings sunshine and laughter into all of our lives with her antics. Howard and I are so blessed to have 4 of the most wonderful children to raise and love. Thank you God for these precious gifts. And for giving us what we needed not what we wanted!

When you lead, dear Lord, I venture out into the great beyond with courage and expectation. A protected cove is safe, but your have called me to live with passion. I may encounter risks, but I know your provision and care are enough. Give me hope in your saving me from storms, climbing mountains before me and finding me when lost. I trust in you and I thank you for the adventures in life that make me who I am called to be. Make my way purposeful and glorifying to you. Provide me with all I need for the journey-your perfect peace, joy unspeakeable and unwavering faith.

Almost One Month With Us!

Wow on Monday Addison will have been with us for one month! Where has the time gone? The last 2 months have been like a whirlwind! We are feeling so blessed to have all of our children safe and at home with us. Addison is doing well....although looking at the pictures I have added to this post, I noticed she still has a sadness/fear in her eyes. We have seen such a blossoming of her personality in the last week! I believe she is really enjoying our routine. The last 4 days she hasn't cried when it was bedtime or nap time, she is happy to snuggle with me and falls asleep within 5minutes at nap time and 40 minutes at bedtime. I have to say I look forward to that alone time with her, when things are quiet and she can just slowdown and cuddle :) That being said Addison is a busy busy girl! She is into everything.... I am beginning to wonder if I forgot what having a 2 yr old was like, or if Addison is just extra busy :) We are still working on the hitting and biting, I think things are beginning to improve on that front! She has started to think before she hauls off and whacks someone! So I believe that is progress :) Riley and Addison are still getting along quite well. And the boys are just so busy that we hardly see them! Howard had to go into work for meetings yesterday and today....unfortunately the company that his company was contracted to work for has been sold to another company, which means the new guys want things to been done on a different schedule, and what the means for us is that Howard will probably be heading back to work next week. Neither of us are happy about this turn of events, but what can we do? I feel so blessed that we had Howard home for over a month, and we aren't even sick of each other yet ;) Addison was a little out of sorts yesterday with Howard gone for the first time....I wish I would have video taped the squeals of delight from all the kids when he stepped in the door at dinner time! It was priceless! On the whole I think things are going well, Addison is settling in and beginning to trust us more and more each day. I think things have really sunk in for her though, as we haven't seen the joyful fun loving girl as much throughout the day as we have in the past. I know its just a matter of time, love and patience and we will see Addison really shine. Her sleep issues seem to be resolving as she is sleeping through the night, which is a huge treat! All I know is that I love her to bits and pieces and she is so precious to our family, we could not imagine life without her!

Sisterly love! I am so glad the girls have each other. I couldn't imagine my life without my sister!

Sleeping beauty... there is nothing like looking at a sleeping child.

All ready for the day!

Addy watching Riley riding her two wheeler. Very serious business...watching the kids! And oh goodness that hair! I am sure we will be going through some crazy hair stages as we grow it out!

Addison loves this hair pretty....I have to hide it or she would wear it everday, in the bath, to bed...well you get the picture!

Riley's Big News!!!

Riley is excited to announce.....that she can ride a two wheeler!!! All by herself!!! Can you tell by the first picture how excited she is? It only took her two sessions of practice, and she was off to the races!

Now she is having a blast doing circles in our cul de sac. Although she still needs a little help getting started :)


Look how proud she is! (and can you tell its summer? crazy hair and food on her face!lol!)

We are so proud of you Miss Roo! You just set your little mind to riding your bike, and off you went! That is some determination! Only took a tiny bit of practice!

Home for 5 days and Strawberry Picking

Already we have been home for 5 days, it feels like much less and much longer:) We already can't imagine our lives without Lil Miss Addison! Yet our routine has changed a bit! I forgot what its like to have to schedule in naps, 12 noon lunch (on the dot!!!), diaper changes, and laying down to have a little one fall asleep at nap time and bedtime! I am trying to cherish everyone of these moments, as I have missed so many of her other moments. Everday she seems to be relaxing more and more and letting us into her little heart, it certainly will take time, like years probably, but I see improvements everyday. The first couple days (especially day one) it was hard to see her regress and put up her walls, but it almost seems sweeter to see them slowly come back down again! She is sleeping through the night and I have just incorporated her regular daytime nap again. Addison is a go, go, go kinda girl! And I have really had to try to pace her and keep things quiet around here so she does get a chance to adapt to her new home, and family.
Riley is loving being a big sister, its really neat to see her take on this new role! She is really loving the "responsibility." If she had it her way, she would be the Mom and I would be the assistant!!! I am just so glad to see her be so giving and flexible. Howard and I have made special times to spend with just Riley so she doesn't feel left out or jealous.....I am sure those feelings will come later down the road, once the "honeymoon" stage has worn off:)
Josh apparently hung the moon, in Addison's eyes! Its really the cutest thing ever! He dotes on her, and she loves every minute of it! Its funny, because when we got Addison's referral; Josh said " I am going to really get along with her." And I just thought, ok sure, whatever you say honey. But he really is quite smitten with her, he comes up to play with her several times a day!
Nathan has interacted with Addison a bit, and likes her, but Im not sure what he's feeling? He will come to her and play when its convenient for him, but if she seeks him out its a no go. Nathan and I are quite close....so I wonder if he is feeling some envy of my time spent with Addison? Howard and I have talked and I think I am going to take him out on a date, so he can have some special one on one.
Howard and Addison's relationship has changed alot in the last couple days, he was the first person she asked for this morning! And when I brought her to him on the couch, she broke out in the biggest smile ever:) Its so nice to see! Although I'll miss being number one;) Howard will go into work for some meeting on the 3rd and 4th of August and will not return to work until the 24th of August! So that is a nice bit of time off for him, and we are all ecstatic!
I am doing well, still fighting this nasty cold, but we have definitely overcome the jet lag alot more quickly than expected! I am trying to keep up to the housework and laundry, plus do something fun for everyone, everday. It is challenging, but extra nice to have Howard home to help with it all:) Yesterday we went strawberry picking and had a great time! We packed a picnic, played at the campground and had ice cream! A perfect day! We even got our first pictures of all 4 of the kids together! Yay!

Its always so hard to get them all looking at the camera!

Addison and her favourite boy!

Oh yeah! Day 2 and we already have Addie doing chores!!!! Just Kidding! Although she loves to help clean up after dinner! Excuse the messy kitchen, we were in the process of cleaning it up!

Happy little muffin, waiting for her boiled egg white's and watermelon for breakfast. Oh how I love that little smile!

Were Home!

Ah, home sweet home! It is was so good to finally fall into bed, after 25 hours of travel;) Addison slept through the night last night, however we didn't arrive home until midnight, and she slept very little on our flights. Other than not much sleep she did very well! We arrived in Vancouver at lunch time, and had a 7 hr lay over; So we decided to hope a skytrain have lunch and walk along False Creek. It was a beautiful day and felt so great to stretch our legs!

We arrived home to the best welcoming committee ever! Our kids and our dear friends Trina, Vince and their kids. They had all made welcome home signs for Addison and brought her helium balloons and flowers! I have to say when we finally landed in GP I welled up a bit, it was so good to be home, and I really missed our kids! Addison of course was a little overwhelmed by everyone; But I had anticipated that, so I had put her in the Scoot a Baby carrier ( I highly recommend it! It felt like I was carrying a 5lb baby, not a 20lb toddler!) We got home and had a snack and a little tour of the main floor of our house, and then everyone happily went to bed!

Addison and I slept in until 11:30 this morning! And her first day was a pretty good one, I think.
She was definitely not the wild woman we have come to know and love in China, as she was being a little cautious with all the change. She love, love, loves Josh! And really likes Riley. Nathan has shown very little interest, but he has been helpful. Food is a bit of an issue, and we kinda thought it would be when we were in China.....let just say she likes most fruit (peeled), noodles, noodles, noodles, boiled egg whites and garlic toast! She cried when I tried to feed her the most delicious lasagna Trina made for us tonight! I can't find any milk she will take, including soy. And meat is a no go! I did see her eat green beans and peas though! So we will stock up on those! I am sure it will come eventually, I guess just as long as we are getting all her vitamins she needs, we won't worry. We took her to our local playground, she was happy just to watch, and sit on a swing with me. There were a few other kids there, so I think she was just a little unsure. She did love to watch Riley play on the slide though!

I am hoping to do a recap of our trip as I didn't get to post everyday like I had planned on. There were so many thoughts and memories I don't want to forget! Everyone else is in bed, and I am exhausted! So that's it for tonight:-)

You Know You Have Been In China Too Long When....

This may have been the case of one too many Tsingtao Beers....or just two tweebs being themselves. I vote for the latter! Good times, Good times:0)

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