Fall Fun

Alot of different updates and alot of photos......

We are quickly approaching our 4 month mark since we met Elizabeth. She is still doing so well. She continues to fully bond with her family and we enjoy getting to know more and more her fun, easy going personality. Here's a quick flashback. We got an updated photo of her right after we received her referral in March. We stared at this photo for many hours while we waited to travel & met her. We think this photo was taken sometime early last spring. She was about 17 months old.  We noticed how bundled up she was in this cute red coat. When we were in China we came across a coat that was very similar. We recently had an early cold snap and I took a few photos of Elizabeth in the cute red coat. Its not exactly the same but pretty close. Doesn't she look different!?!?

We have a really fun backyard. Since we just moved in we are still discovering new things. We have a big cornfield behind our yard and one day Gray's was coloring on the backporch enjoying the fall weather. Suddenly some REALLY BIG tractors came through the field and started cutting the corn. At first Gray was upset yelling "hey, don't take my corn". But I explained to him that it wasn't our corn and the farmer was harvesting it. So he was enthralled watching them cut & shuck the corn....it really was neat. 

Grand & Papou made fall visit and this is Papou playing football with the boys in the backyard. We love having them visit and enjoyed making smores with them at the firepit after dinner.

Fall colors starting to burst through the green on our tree.

As I've mentioned...I'm homeschooling my 4th grader. It has been challenging and rewarding. I've learned ALOT about my child and her education to say the least. One of the pros to homeschooling is taking advantage of community events. Recently we went to a historical home's fall/pioneer festival. My kids LOVED visiting the Colonial Doctor. They asked lots of questions about all the instruments and cutting people open.....hmmmm wonder where they get that from??? It was really cold that day...can't you tell!

And today we did one of my favorite fall activites and also one of my favorite photo opportunities.....The Gentry Farms Pumpkin Patch!!!

First we played inside the barn. We went with alot of homeschool friends, most significantly cousins Graham, Davis, & Corinne.

Corinne "weaving"

Gray emerging from the Corn Maze

Pumpkin Portraits

Tire Swing Time

I love this low angle photos of the boys on the Tire swing!!!

Corinne is getting bigger!

Langley is over the 4 ft mark!

Little Squirt

My Big Boy Gray. Mac was busy and I didn't get his photo...dang it!

Go Dawgs!!!

Now we are getting down to business around here....the serious stuff in becoming a member of this family....kisses, hugs, saying our names.....good stuff. But where we really brainwash, uh... I mean bond as a family is on Saturdays cheering on the University of Georgia Bulldogs!

Elizabeth wears the Red & Black and cheered for the Dawgs! I'd say she fits in pretty good around here : )

Now here's a picture of the cutest UGA Cheerleader you'll ever see.....

2 month Anniversary

Friday it was 2 months since Gotcha Day. Her she is just one day after meeting us. She doesn't even look like Elizabeth we know now. Grief is just as physical as it is emotional.

It was a much different day than June 28th.......

We took Mac to school and came home and just had a nice day at home. Langley and I did homeschooling while Gray and Elizabeth played in the playroom. We actually got most of our lessons done before lunch! Elizabeth had her usual lunch of PB&J's, yogurt, banana, and pretzels. Then she took a nice long nap while Langley and I organized her room.

I had to wake her up to go pick Mac up from his first full day of school. We then went to my sister's house and played for a little while. And my nephew came home with us for a sleepover. We had dinner, read stories, bath and then bedtime.

Much, much different than June 28th. That day was precious, but that day was HARD, especially for Elizabeth. I'm so glad to be at this stage....settled in and enjoying life as a family.

Elizabeth loves playing outside with her siblings. She gets upset if they are outside and she's not. She'll go find her shoes, bring them to me and say "sh, sh, sh", trying to say "shoe" to convince me to take her outside. Its pretty cute. 

And over the past few days we've had a major milestone.....Elizabeth is walking in grass!!! She couldn't stand not be able to keep up with the big kids in the backyard. So she had to give up her grass avoidance and leave the patio! She especially loves riding in the John Deere motorized car. She loves it when her brothers drive.....they drive "wildly".

Health wise she is also doing great. She gained 1 lb 12 oz in only 5 weeks! She grew 1/4 inch. Our pediatrician was kind of "giddy" with joy that she was doing so well. We have an appt with a neurologist this week to start discussing treatment for her BPI. I'm very excited to see how we can help improve her function....at least therapy will help her contractures.

Tonight we had an early fall type weather. It was cool & crisp so we had a fire in our patio firepit. After dinner we made smores by the fire. Elizabeth wanted to sit in a chair in front of the fire like the big kids. We roasted marshmellows and really enjoyed our family time. It does seem like Elizabeth has been with us so much longer than 2 months. She has blessed us all.

Making Smores!

Attachment

Just a quick story from Sunday at church......

Elizabeth has been going to church with us....meaning worship service....and usually by the time the sermon starts John or I have to step out with her. She isn't fussy, just a regular toddler and is distracting in the service.

I have a few meetings coming up and childcare is provided at those. But we haven't tried any childcare expect leaving Elizabeth with her grandparents for a very short period of time.

So this past Sunday we thought we'd see how it would go taking her to the church nursery. She is very well attached to us so I felt she was ready in that sense. But she is WELL attached to us and expected her to not do so well in being left.

I filled out the enrollment paperwork....I hadn't even "enrolled" her at church yet : ) And I was so blessed that the lady working that table had a daughter adopted from Korea. So I didn't have to do much explaining at all. I asked her to page me immediately if Elizabeth cried b/c I wanted her to know I would return. This mom completely understood where I was coming from!

So I took Elizabeth to her room and the children were having lots of fun. She hesitantly let me hand her off to the nursery worker (with pacifier & blankie in full use!) She whimpered a bit but was interested in looking at the other children. So I headed off to church. The tears welled up in my eyes and heart. Oh my goodness......it hurt to leave her....it really, really did. I was so afraid she would feel "left". Then God calmed my heart and told me it was a new opportunity to show her I WOULD come back. That helped me keep walking away from the nursery wing.

I enjoyed a few worship songs and then on the monitor FLASHED her number.

Honestly......I was relieved to see it! I was wondering how she was doing. Also I still need to feel reassured knowing she is attached strongly to me. Attachment is so important for these kiddos and it can be so complicated and challenging. It is very, very serious. God has performed a miracle in her heart in her ability to connect to us. We are so grateful.

I quickly got to her room. I scooped her up and said over and over "momma always comes back".  After that she wouldn't let me out of her sight. So we sat in the nursery together. I was hoping to show her that it was a nice, fun place to hang out. Not sure she was really buying into that idea! We'll keep trying the nursery and see if she gets more comfortable.

But I would say that Sunday's experience was a HUGE success. Elizabeth showed me that she is progressing well with normal toddler attachment & separation anxiety. And I got the opportunity to show her that "momma always comes back". 

Starting the school year

We have "officially" started our school year for Langley. She is my 4th grader whom I am homeschooling. This is a first for me! It has taken about a week to figure out our system....well I had a plan but then had to readjust as dictated by how Elizabeth responded. So as for now we are doing most of our actual one on one teaching time during naptime. Elizabeth doesn't really play independently. She LOVES her siblings, especially Langley and wants to be with her or me at all times. That doesn't really work when Langley and I both need to concentrate on a lesson.

So Langley does her independent work in the morning. I think as Elizabeth settles a little more I can get a lesson or two done during the morning hours as well. Then we have lunch and E takes a nap. That is when Langley and I both can really concentrate on the more intense work.

Mac starts school next week and I'm excited to see how much he's going to learn in 1st grade. What a fun grade! We are working on his summer reading project still. Its due next Thursday so we are finishing that.

Gray heads to preschool in early September and Langley will go to "homeschool school" the two days Gray is at preschool. So that gives Elizabeth some undivided time with me twice a week.

We also started back our music lessons this week and the sports start next week. Elizabeth is about to experience her family in a new pace now. Thankfully her personality is pretty laid back and I think she enjoys the activity (chaos) of a busy family.

Elizabeth is still doing really well in all areas. She still SCREAMS at me when she is in her highchair as I'm frantically gathering a thanksgiving meal worth of food for her at EACH meal! Its great that she is a good eater but jeesh its alot of pressure to keep her satisfied! She eats breakfast at 8:30, snack at 10 and she is screaming for lunch by 10:30! And you BETTER be feeding her dinner by 5:00pm! Her thighs and belly are OBVIOUSLY bigger.....maybe she'll show up on the growth chart soon. We go back to the pediatrician next week and she has her assessment this week for physical therapy. I bet she has gained at least a pound in a month!

I also wanted to post the quilt squares that have arrived. We still need more!!! We are over 1/2 way there but would love for friends and family to still send them if you haven't already.

#54 From my dear friend Kirsten and her family. We have been friends since we were 15 yrs old! PHOTO COMING

#55 This is from my sweet friend Elizabeth who I always share my dreams with! She has always supported me and shared a heart for adoption. PHOTO COMING

#56 This square is from my nieces, Charlotte & Caroline's grandparents, Fred & Carol. It is fabric that has been in both the girls nurseries....isn't that sweet! PHOTO COMING

We are so loving being in our new house. Elizabeth enjoys being outside, going for walks, and just watching her siblings. She still has huge aversion to grass....she just hates the feel of it and cries when we stand her in it....sorry but it kind of make me laugh watching her face :) 

We had some family portaits done this week. I'll see if I can upload a few of those. They were done by Joe Hendricks at joehindricks.com  He and his wife Rhonda are awesome to work with!