Showing posts with label #4's Adjustment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #4's Adjustment. Show all posts

Monday, December 05, 2011

3 Years.


I see this an can't help but smile and thank God for the last 3 yrs.
This child continue to amaze us!!!


Sunday, July 11, 2010

So Fun!!!

We had a little get together with some friends whose children are also from Ashraya :)

We met and had a Zoo Day, Some Swimming, State Park, Bison Watching and Pizza all squeezed into just a few days!!!!

Bison....

She was a little hot and tired and felt it was just better to lay on the hot asphalt :)

M*A*N*A*T*E*E*S*......

No explaining Boys!

#4 and Friends.....minus 1 who met us later!!

It was amazing to sit and think about how different these 4 little lives were
just 2 short yrs ago!!

Nisha & #4......

The Whole Gang...minus my Hubby who last minute had to stay for work :(
Can't wait to get together again with these 3 families!!

On the way out I realized that our GPS wasn't working.....
And something is wrong with the printer to print the mapquest directions.....
I call this Hillbilly GPS :)

Manu's Family Blog

Friday, April 09, 2010

Good Bye 4 ....... HELLO 5!!!!


Happy Birthday Little Lady!!!

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Like Momma :)


She has always called me "Mommy" but recently on her own started calling me Momma. Don't know why but it is extra special hearing that from her. Some days I still stand in amazement that she is here and ours!!

Friday, April 02, 2010

I often Wonder.....

.....what it is like to be a little Indian Girl with Caucasian Parents. Siblings. Grandparents. Cousins. Distant Relatives. The lady at the grocery store. Post office. You get the idea :)

On the way to church the other day #4 asked,
"What color Mama?" Peach "What color Daddy?" Peach "What color #1?" Peach "What color #2?" Peach "What color #3?" "Are you noticing a trend here #4?" James said.

To which her response was a VERY sad "Yes.... #4 Brown"

I think a trip to the Indian Neighborhood or the Indian Restaurant is in store.......or maybe just a trip to see one of the "Ashraya Cousins"!!!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Kings Kids!

aka free babysitting while Mom is @ Choir Practice ;) This is what our church does and it is similar to the AWANA program. So Ms. #4 has started going and she LOVES it!!!!! Her first verse:

Firs John Free Tweny Free

Luv one an udder.


SOOOOO CUTE!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Ya take the good with the bad right ;)

So it is starting to get cold here and we have pulled out the hats, gloves and scarves :)
No biggy right?


Well #4 has confused her Winter Gloves with Boxing Gloves :)


And she turns into this:



While YELLING ROCKY ROCKY ROCKY.
Starting to rethink Toddlers watching the WHOLE Rocky Series LOL!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Where can I get more of her?

Just in case you are new here, we have 4 children. The first 3 are biological children ages 11, 10 & 10. They have been with us since day 1. They know the rules. They know how our house works. They may have an unfair advantage because of that.

Then why is it that she:



......is the one who went to throw something away and noticed that there was no bag in the garbage can and proceeded to get one and put it in the can before throwing her garbage in it?!?!??!

She also WILL NOT leave the bathroom with her dirty clothes on the floor. She....get this.....throws them IN THE hamper.

IS it wrong to pray #5 is just like her?? ;)

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Doing Okay!

Before you adopt...and I think it is safe to assume everyone who is pre adopt....searches and searches on bonding and attachment :) Before #4 came home that was me! Search. What if? Search. What if?

Another adoptive Mom recommended this site for attachment/bonding!

I looked through the list at almost 10 months home at she is 37 outta 38......WOOHOO!!!!! I think that is pretty awesome!!! God is Good!

The only one I don't think she is right on is:
29.
Show signs of feeling safe in social situations; able to play and interact with others, but stays close and checks in with primary caregiver regularly but not in an anxious or desperate way.

I think she is still VERY nervous in new situations. Any place out of our "Normal" Range. Wal Mart, the grocery store, church, either Grandparents house :) I even notice a nervousness when the people are not the same. She has excepted that "Daddy is at Work" but when we do something with out the siblings it really throws her off!! And she is constantly asking where they are. That may be age appropriate though being that I still consider her to be about 2 1/2 really. I just don't remember ;)

She doesn't like to talk to strangers anymore......when she first came home it was hard because we were just as much strangers and the guy on the other side of church or the cashier at the store or just about any random person! But I think she has that figured out now! She doesn't yet understand that you can talk to them sometimes.... ya know when the judge it talking to you ;) I suppose that will come with time!

All in all I think she is doing amazing!!


Friday, September 18, 2009

Post #700.

This blog started what feels like 10 years ago at stage 1 of an adoption journey.......the dreaming part. September 16, 2006......

And here we are at post 700 so almost, ALMOST done.

Yes friends almost. We had court yesterday. The first of 2 court dates to adopt this child living with us for just under a year. I thought that day would be a nice day instead it turned into some frustration when I learned what the day actually meant. I mean I thought it was *adoption* day....ya know YEAH kind of stuff!!!!!!


When in all actuality it was just our request to the court systems to keep her......from what I can gather. So now the judge needs something from our home study agency. A cross between the home study and the post placements. URGH.

#4 being Served with Papers by the Sheriff. the only really time I could take pictures.
She had NO IDEA what was going on........so this is what we get :)


We, and by we I mean just the lawyer, has court on the 15th. We should hear something a few days after that. THEN her papers will go to the State Capital to issue a birth certificate. Then we get that and will apply for a US Passport for her. THEN we will take the New Birth Certificate and the Passport to apply for her SSN :)

So basically we will get a month or 2 between adoption paperwork ;) WOO HOO!!!!

Here is everyone wandering around looking for the Indian restaurant VZ Navigator said was around BUT no luck!!!
Ah well, we'll hit one when it's good and FINAL!!!!!


Court was during nap time ;)
Praise the Lord she was in good spirits though!

ETA: Did the judge ask you questions about your desire to adopt her?

Yes, he asked how it was going, how she was adjusting, he asked briefly about travel, where the kids went to school, what grades they were in. Where James worked. What else I did besides home school the kids ;)

Nothing Major.....oh yea he asked why we have 2 L's in her name LOL!! So I had to not look OCD and tell him all 4 of the kids names are spelled with 7 letters sooooo........we had to add an L ;)

Friday, August 21, 2009

Thinking out loud :)

On our way home from Michigan for our week at the Lake we stopped at my in laws for a birthday party.

Pause.

I never mentioned that! The twins turned 10 while we were on vacation!!!!! I have more double digits then not! How did that happen? We are blessed to have these 2 a part of our family that is for sure! I didn't always think that....like when they were not sleeping through the night ;)

#2 is a fun, hands on kid of boy. He is right in there with his Dad and all the Farm Projects. Today he put more roost in the chicken coop for them :) He is an animal lover like his Momma and a swimming fool!



#3 is girly to the core. I didn't sign up for this I tell ya! I could probably count on one hand I how many time I have painted my nails.......we have a weekly painting with this kid. And at 10 I didn't *need* my purse to go with me everywhere LOL! All kidding aside she is a blessing and joy to have around! She is a fabulous big sister and becoming a fabulous house keeper!!



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Any how back to my thinking. I watch #4 in the giant "sand box" and in my in laws pool and thought about how different her life has change in the past year. How last year this time we wondered "Will she ever come home?" "What is the next paper that needs to be signed?" "What will she be like?" Always waiting waiting waiting. And now here she is. Here. Home. We are so blessed!

I thought also about what her life could have been life had she stayed in India. Maybe it wouldn't have turned out bad. But she has a family that will forever have her back. Support her in what she wants to do in life.

She is doing amazing with school. She has such a desire to learn! She recognizes A B & C and what sound they make. She can count to 5 and knows the numbers on her fingers :) She knows she is 4. Still working on the name sometimes she's "B" and sometimes she's "N". Which is our fault because we call her by both names :)

She has changed so much in the past 9 months. Physically. Mentally. She really doesn't seem to be too far behind! She is still a chatterbox :) She seems pretty well bonded to us. Her "love" of other people is dwindling. She doesn't run up to just anyone to get/give a hug! I'm thinking that is a good sign! Her fears are dwindling too! She is JUMPING in the pool now which she didn't want to at the beginning of summer!

She is amazing. Smart. And oh so funny. She figured out that is she claps and yells she can get the dog to bark "with her"........many times the past few days I have had to put a stop to the howling!

That was a lot more random then I wanted but I think you get the picture!!

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#5......we still haven't given up on him yet! Every time I think there is no hope God gives me some sort of a sign that the door hasn't closed on us. Just that our time table is not His :) We still basically are at the same point. Fund Raising.....it will come if it is meant to that I know for sure!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Saturday.

Today #4 and I spent the morning together! How fun to grocery shop with just one kid!!! We had so much fun deciding what was for dinner, what kind of cereal to get etc. you know how to grocery shop :) I also forgot what a cheap date a toddler is for lunch!! WooHoo!!!

But I sat there amazed at the fact that *I* have an Indian Princess. I do. She's home. There is no waiting until the next step. 7 Months. WOW. God is good to us.

She is gorgeous. Just plain gorgeous! Her hair is almost long enough for a "pony"......which I love! Her eye lashes are long. I love looking at her eyes! She has such character in them.

And just for the record some people have implied that I may not be telling the whole truth. But I am she is a very easy child to parent. We really haven't had issues with her at all! Again God has been good to us. I'll be honest that makes me a bit concerned about doing it again :) Can we get another easy to parent kiddo..........stand tuned to find out huh!

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Sheesh.

I'm getting yelled at for not blogging again....you know who you are ;) Leave me a comment (I accept anonymous ones too!) and I will KNOW you have been here.....maybe I'd blog more LOL! Love ya Girl!

Let's see what have we been up to. Busy just being outside. Lots of grass to mow. Weeds to pull. Plants to water. Bunnies to feed and water and play with. Speaking of we got 2 new bunnies :) Super cute and super sweet. That brings our total to 4. 3 girls (we hope because they are housed together) and 1 boy. Hmmm we gave our 2nd puppy back.....I forgot how much like kids puppy's are :( But he has since found a good home!

The past few weeks hubby has been talking about getting chickens. Well yesterday he had the day off and decided to whip up a chicken coop :) I will post pictures of that soon. The bunnies are feeling very jealous of what the future chickens will have so I am trying to convince him to make a bigger and better rabitat ;) So we are researching chickens.....hardy in the winter likes to lays lots-o-eggs kind of chickens :)

I know some of you are only here for #4 ;) So here is some about her. Yesterday I decided she needed some new gym shoes....I call them tennis shoes, hubby says "we don't play tennis in them".....anyhow we head to Wal Mart to get groceries and I pick her up a cheap $10 pair. She starts screaming (happy scream mind you) "FOR ME?". "MINE NEW SHOES?" Like I just bought her the Taj Mahal. It was really sweet. I mean why can't ALL kids feel so special when given their own pair of shoes?!?!?

Now before you go and think man they got LUCKY with this kid, she is a dream, she is an angel......let's talk about her new language development.
  • Shut Up
  • MINE!
  • Don't touch me!
  • Let me alone.
  • LET'S GO.......said with a crabby tone.
  • NO!
  • Go away.
Now some of that is linked directly to having brothers who think it is oh so humorous to hear a little person say "shut up".......some of it is toddlers are the same across the globe!!!! :)

The other thing she has started saying, "How do doing".....translated "How are you doing?" .......again that is brothers at least that time it was appropriate for little people to say!

I'm going to keep "talking" until my pictures upload.......taking forever on blogger today! Hmmm We had a blessing this past week. A bit of extra money on our monthly budget GO GOD!!!! Yeah! That will be a benefit when it comes time to formally start #5's adoption.

Speaking of. We were at the park last week and met up with a adoptive family. We read each others blogs :) How fun!!! But we were talking about finalizing adoptions and she recommended the lawyer she used and she is cheaper then the "cheap" one we found!!! Yeah GO GOD!!!! I'm thankful that was one of those days that I needed to get out of the house!!!

Here are some pics from the other night......she LOVES cookies and cream ice cream :)



Thursday, May 21, 2009

Cow Farm.



We had so much fun at the Cow Farm today!!! The girls at first didn't seem to interested in each other. But given a bit of time warmed up to each other and were off holding hands and giggling with each other!!!

The boys (all 4 of them) had a grand time in the sand box....eating sand. I'd like to be able to blame that on Brooke's younger boys but in fact it was my boys ages 11 and almost 10 :) Here I thought I only had 1 toddler lol!!






We are off!

We are off to visit 4's friend from India!!! She was adopted and living in IN. We are so excited to be getting the girls together!!!

We have plans to meet up with another little girl this summer!!!
God is good to have us close enough to let them keep in touch!!!!

Be ready for pictures this evening or first thing tomorrow!!!!!

Monday, May 18, 2009

#4 Health Update.

#4 went to the Health Dept today for her lead screening and to re check her iron. They want it to be at least 10 I *think* she said and #4 is a 15 YEAH!!!!!

We should have her lead results in 10-14 days.....but my Mommy Gut says it is still going down! She is still a skinny thing 18 months -2T around the waist but needed that 3T- 4T sometimes 5 in order for it to be long enough :)

Her head circumference is still small.....to tell ya how small.....her head the end of December is only 1 cm bigger then my 6 month old niece. But it is in proportion to the rest of her body so again my Mommy Gut says not to worry!

We are working with a neurologist at University of Chicago and she is recommending a MRI so that will be in her near future......this years deductible we are hoping for!!

Saturday, May 02, 2009

I can't believe I forgot this:

As far as her speech is concerned :) When her siblings are bothering her she says "Mom want you".......how funny is that!!!

Friday, May 01, 2009

Just another stage of toddler hood!

Yea there is a chunk of hair missing this afternoon.

Shhh already!

Remember when you hold your new baby and can't wait for them to "talk" then you wonder will this kid ever be quiet? Same goes for an adopted child LOL :)

Her English has really taken off. Off the top of my head let me me recap what she can say.

Up please.
Down Please.
Potty.
Poopy.
Doggy
Nebby Doo (dog)
Scooby Doo
Hungry
Water
More
Please
Thank You....although it is still more Tank You.
All of her siblings names.
A few friends names from church
CHURCH....that one is never quietly said :)
Sunday School
Bus......always with a BIG smile.
I'm in the Lord's Army YES SIR :)
Here am I Lord send me......she LOVES to sing!!
Jonah.....still requests that song!
Books.
Library.....knows what that means too!
Dear Jesus......to start her prayers.
AMEN......knows then she can EAT.
Daddy home?
Bella Bella Boo
Aunt Becky
Uncle......she is really enjoying the Aunt and Uncle thing.
Any Man over 50 I'd say is "Grandpa"
Grandma
Pastor
Garden?......meaning she wants to go out.
Outside?.....meaning she wants to go out!
Garbage?.......asking us if we want her to throw something away.
Shoes on?

.......the list goes on. But these are the high lights.

She loves to go. Which works well with our schedule lol. She still needs her afternoon naps most days. She LOVES being outside no matter the temperature. The sandbox is growing on her. She doesn't mind the car seat since I moved her seat by the window.......she said "TANK YOU MOMMY" over and over!!!

So there is her most updates :)