This is going to be short...

We're moving!

I don't mean switching blog sites "moving", I mean moving, moving!

We aren't moving far...just across town, but a move is a move! It's been crazy, chaotic, hectic, busy and exhausting...to say the least!

Once we are settled in and things have calmed down, I'll post again. I hope these pics tie all my adoring fans over until I return to blogger land! tee hee

Love to all, especially my 3/27/06 LID mamas who are being tested to their limit right now! I'll be praying that, before I finish opening my boxes in our new place, you'll be opening "the package" that will change your life forever!

Playdate in Kai's Room

I know, I know...two posts back to back. I'm a mad women. After picking up the boys from school yesterday, running a few quick errands, and doing a little homework with Jacob, I took Kailahni into her room to clean up her toys. One thing led to another and myself and all three kids ended up playing in there for over an hour. We played hide and seek, Kailahni style!
It started out with just Kailahni...

Then Jacob joined in the fun....

Then Benjamin..



It's funny how the boys will stop whatever it is they are doing...video games included, to play with the baby. They get so much joy out of seeing her do new things. I love watching the three of them play together. It gives me a great big Mommy smile!

Randomness

This post is a shout out to my March 27th (and maybe 29th) waiting mamas!!! The excitment that I feel for you guys (and you know who you are) is hard to explain. Referrals will be here anyday and we will finally be seeing the beautiful faces of all of your little girls! It's going to be a wild and crazy referral day...that's for sure. I'm so proud of each and everyone of you for staying SO strong through this LONG, LONG wait. What amazing women you all are and what wonderful mothers you will be!!!

Kailahni and I spent our morning hanging out with Stephanie on Skype. We blew off our chores and what not and chatted our little hearts out!!! It was so much fun...very irresponsible, but fun!

The pictures of Kai in her panda pj's are for you Suzanne!!

Only a few more days you guys.....WOO HOO!!!!

Kailahni is One!

 

Our baby girl turned 1 today. It's hard for me to think about the events that unfolded in her life on this day just one year ago. I tried to tell Kailahni her "birth story" today as I got her ready for her nap. I tried to explain to her about her birth mother (the woman, I know, must have thought of her a million times today) and the difficult choice she had to make. I tried to let her know that we will always honor this woman, whoever she is, for allowing Kailahni to have a life. I tried to explain how sad we are that we couldn't get to China sooner than we did, but how happy we are that we are together now. But, I don't think I had much success in expressing all these "truths" to her. She sat on my lap, giggled at me, tried to play beek-a-boo a million times, played with my hair and pointed at my nose (her new skill). For all she knew, I was telling her the funniest story she has ever heard. I guess, for now, that's as it should be.

The fact that Kailahni is letting us love her is the biggest gift we could have ever been given! She has opened her heart to us, she TRUSTS us...that is such an unbelievable blessing. I could stare into her beautiful, brown eyes for hours. She's a precious soul and one that will be treasured by her family forever!

Settling in

It seems we have settled into life again. In so many ways, it feels as if Kailhani has always been with us. She fits perfectly into our world. We are in awe of this amazing child. Her smile melts our hearts.

It's scaring me how fast she seems to be changing. She'll be in 1 in just a few days...NO!!! She can now pull herself to standing and let go of whatever she used to pull herself up...and then just stand there with perfect balance. She's even taken a few tiny steps between the couch and the coffee table...YIKES!! I'm not ready for her to start walking. But, I have a feeling it's going to happen...soon. She can point to each of us if we ask her who's who. She says "mama" and "dada" and "bye bye" (kind of). She waves bye bye and claps her hands when you ask her to. She thinks Jacob and Benjamin are the greatest things on earth (usually...sometimes Mama is the only great thing to her...fine by me). She wants to be doing whatever it is that they are doing. Right now they find this very amusing. I'm sure some day soon, that will change.

Doug is her hero...that's for sure. When he comes home from work she practically jumps out of my arms to get to him. She definitely knows who we are, I'm just not sure she knows what we are. Does she know we are her family? Forever and ever? I'm not sure. I'm not sure any baby does at her age, but with biological children you never really question it. With her, I have to wonder. One thing I know for sure....she can't possibly love us nearly as much as we love her.

In other news: JACOB TURNED 13 LAST WEEKEND!!!! It's unbelievable. How did this happen?! Who said it was OK?! For his birthday he got.....A BLACK EYE!! Swear to god. Poor kid. I thought to myself.."maybe a black eye isn't such a bad thing...maybe I should "accidentally" give him one every couple of days to keep the girls away". Then he went to school on Monday and his eye had a Florence Nightingale effect on the girls in his class. They flocked to him. I guess I better come up with plan B...quick!

Jacob is such a great kid. He really is. I'm not just saying that because I'm his mother...at least I don't think I am. I don't just love Jacob because he's my son...I like him for who he chooses to be. Jacob is a very likeable person. He's active, adventurous, kind, funny, smart, creative....and awesome with little kids. He's got the patience of a saint. I don't know anybody who doesn't like Jacob. I keep telling him that if he continues on the path that he's on, his teen years are going to be some of the funnest years of his life. If he decides to go rotten on us, I will be sure to make them some of the worst! He knows I'm not kidding, so we'll see what happens.

Please forgive me for not posting sooner. I hardly had any pictures to put on here. I haven't been taking many....how strange is that?! I'm too busy enjoying the little things in life to remember to grab my camera. I'll have to get better about that.

For my fellow March mamas: This is going to be such an exciting month. Referrals will be here in no time....this month already feels like it's flying by. With a three day weekend in front of us, we'll be at the middle on the month before we know it. You guys are in my thoughts and your babies...all of them, are in my prayers!!








"Being thirteen is awesome!!!"

Our first week home

We have been home from China for just over a week. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. With the boys in school, our life is in full swing. Doug, Kailahni and myself seem to be adjusted to U.S. time...more or less. That jet lag was a real butt kicker.

Most of my friends and family have now had a chance to meet the baby. She seems to love all the attention she is getting. Everyone is so excited to finally have her home. Jacob and Benjamin are wonderful with her. They love her to pieces. They laugh at every little thing she does. Watching the three of them play together is a riot. It's one big, giant screamfest. The three of them roll around on the floor together and scream with laughter...it's adorable. The boys are already trying to teach her naughty things....like shaking her head "no" when you ask her anything. They think it's hilarious to ask her, "Is Mommy your favorite?"...she shakes her head "no"...they laugh (positive reinforcement for not so positive behavior) and then they ask her another question. They can do this for hours.

Her pediatrician visit went great. She now weighs 15 lbs, 9 ozs. She'll see him again next month for another weight check and blood work. We are working on switching her to U.S. formula. She seems to be handling the change well. We are also trying to introduce as many solid foods as we can. She still struggles a bit with solids, so we have jarred baby food to help ensure that she's getting enough fruits and vegetables.

I still can't believe she is home. I can't believe the wait is over. I can't believe we went to China. We've been looking at our pictures from the trip and reliving so much of our time spent there with our family and friends. That's been a lot of fun because the trip goes by so fast that you forget all that you did and saw. I feel endeared to that country. I will always treasure the time we spent there and do my best to inculcate into Kailahni a sense of pride in the place where she came from. China will be in our hearts forever and the people, especially the children, of China in our prayers.

 

 

 

 

Home Sweet Home!

We are finally home! It's the weirdest feeling in the world to have Kailahni with us at home. A good feeling, but so surreal. She is doing great. Her brothers LOVE her. I let them stay home from school today, and they couldn't get enough of her.

Our flight (or I should say flights) were long and little bit tough. None of us slept all that much. Kailahni had a few bad boughts of crying (screaming, really), but it could have been worse. I think it was the lay-overs that really got to us. Over 8 hours of lay-overs...YUCK! But, it was all worth! We made it home safe and sound! We had the world's best welcoming committe waiting for us when we deboarded in Phoenix. Actually, we had a welcoming committe in L.A. also (we're so special). My girlfriend Machel and her kids, Ashley and Travis, drove up from La Jolla to catch a glimpse of Kailahni. Although our visit brief, it was very meaningful. Thank you Machel, I love you!

Seeing our boys and all of our friends and family at the airport was such an awesome experience. You never really realize how much you miss someone until you see them again. We even had three fellow "March Mamas" at the airport to greet us! That was so special!

I think we are all adjusting well. Last night went great, tonight is starting to look a little different (Kailahni is very turned around on her sleep schedule). I don't plan on doing much for the next few days. Adjusting to Phoenix time and loving on each other is about the only thing I have on my schedule. That, and visiting with my friends and family who stop by. We have such supportive, patient and loving friends and family. I came home to two VERY well taken care of boys, a clean house that was stocked with food, and precooked dinners from my Mom. How awesome is that?! I don't have many pictures to post from our arrival (for once, I wasn't the one taking them), but I'll add them later when I get some from others.

Thank you to everyone who followed our trip so closely. It was fun having you all there with us. It really made us a lot less home sick than we would have been. Doug and I are grateful beyond words to have each and every one of you in our lives.
Saying "Goodbye" to China.

On the plane headed for home..



Waiting in Toyko for our flight to the U.S. (only 16 hours to go...uugghh)


Home at last!