Birthday Party Fun!

Slipping and sliding!

A new technique! This girl is a lot of fun! I am going to have to keep a close eye on her!

Who is the kid dumping out all the water?

The cautious crew safe in the kiddy pool!

She totally and completely can swing by herself now! And she can go really high!

The girls and their parents- that's us, went to a birthday party last weekend! We all had a great time!! This was Sarah's and Anna's first time on a slip n slide, a kiddy pool and a sprinkler! They were with their friends from China!

Anna still doesn't get in the mix of things. She likes hanging with the younger children or her mom! She is very cautious (until she is really comfortable that is). She has been known to hang by the table with the food on it and graze!

Sarah plays nicely with all the kids and is often in the middle of the fun. Most of the girls are younger than her. She seems to feel most comfortable with 7-9 yr olds.

Decided!

Thank you all for  your responses- wow, they were so good and honestly I agreed with everyone of them as I read them. I feel like I know what God is wanting me to do and at the same time I have been reluctant, hesitant and fearful to do it.

We have raised 5 older bio children. They all went to preschool and loved it and loved their teachers. I didn't really discover homeschooling until the last 2 bio kids- at least it wasn't until then that I finally decided to take a chance and give it a try. After 2 years our financial situation led me back to work. I know that was also orchestrated by God because I hadn't worked in 14 years, didn't want to go back to work and yet I got the first job I applied to, one mile from my home and it was my dream job. Plus my kids could go to school there! (FYI- school nurse for 300 to 800 students-it was growing rapidly, it was a christian school and I was the only one in "my department"- I loved it. I did the attendance, too! I knew who was doing what and when! The faculty, staff, children and families were fantastic!) 

BUT- I like my new job even better. Being a stay at home Mom to these darling children and having another opportunity to homeschool is a dream come true for me!

Again, I have mistaken the length of time it takes for bonding. It is a process that takes years not months and although we are doing great and on the right track- I need to keep remembering it is a process, a long process. I see insecurities and fears with Anna that where not there with our older bio children. She has never liked me leaving her and yet I have done Montessori 2x week fairly early on. I think it is time for me to keep her home. We can (maybe) have a preschool experience when she is older but for now she will be home with me. I am planning to do preschool at home! Time does go by so fast and these kids grow up in the blink of an eye. I am thinking at age 3 she is fine to be home. We will also most likely hold Anna back in school( if she goes to school someday). She has a spring birthday and many surgeries ahead of her (plus she is itty bitty).

Now, I sound like I know what I am doing , right? Well not really, I actually am a little hesitant to HS the 2 of them. Whenever I worry, I pray and the dear Lord tells me it will be okay! He doesn't say how, or when or any other info- it's just that feeling of he is with me and it will work out!

Over the years I have found that it just takes a little time to adjust to a new situation. I am sure it will be that way for us. Once we get used to our schedule I won't be able to even imagine not having them both at home. So don't expect any great reports from me in September- give me to at least October to find a rhythm.

So today I called Montessori- here is how the conversation went-

ME - "I just wanted to let you know that Anna will not be coming to school in August. We will be keeping her home. Welllll, she might not be coming back in the fall too, umm, I'm not sure yet but umm, aahhhh, yeah, I'll let you know.

What a wishy, washy, chicken I am... Courage, I think not... 

Oh Yeah, I'll be calling her back...  after hours when I can leave a message and then hang up!

I want to enjoy every minute I can with them so here we go!!

 (BTW- I do have a babysitter- Karen come over for about 3 hours on Wednesday afternoon to give me a break, go to DR appts and run some errands- maybe even have lunch with hubby!)

Too Cute!!

I just have to say that 3 yrs old has to be about the cutest age ever! Hubby and I cannot get enough of this little petunia! Everything she does is adorable!

I have a question- I really need people to give me answers  but not many seem to reply on this blog PLEASE be brave and give me your 2 cents on the issue!

Anna is 3 yrs old. She is adorable and her Mommy loves being with her! It has been nice to have Montessori when Sarah first came home but now I feel like we need to learn how to HS with Anna around. I would like to HS all the girls if it works out.  Hopefully, God willing, all will go well and our 2 new daughters from China will join us in late winter/ early spring. So this will be a nice introduction to HS more than one, then we jump to four!

Do we-

1. Keep Anna home and HS pre-school. She will still have speech 2x a week and probably swimming lessons. We will also go to plays, have playgroups and do field trips together.

2. Do I put Anna in Montessori-2 x a week- half day or full day. She learns a lot, enjoys the children but everytime she cries when we leave her.

3. Do I try to find a traditional preschool that is only 2.5 hours long 2 times a week. That way she gets interaction with kids her age and she is not gone for very long.

Hmmmm. What is it gang? What do you think? How important is Pre-K at age 3?? 

Please be brave and give me a reply! 

Thank you! 

Blessings, 

Jean

Summer Soccer!

Sarah is having a wonderful time playing soccer! She is enjoying all the kids and loves having her Daddy coach. She is very cute out there- sometimes she runs hard and sometimes she doesn't ;-)

If the ball hits her - anywhere, she will immediately stop and make sure she is okay! None of this "take one for the team" way of thinking. Or "don't let them score at all costs"- nope, oh no. Her favorite part is sitting on the sidelines chatting with the other girls! If it is really hot they enjoy dumping water on each other. She will stop mid game and just to wave to us (Katie, Anna and I)!

To be quite honest it is refreshingly fun! No pressure soccer! We have had soccer at times be a year round sport- (Katie and Johnny). It is so nice to enjoy it for now and not worry about try outs. We will just sign her up for the recreational league if she wants to do it next year!

FCC Picnic!

Our first gunny sack race. We didn't win but we had fun!

Anna on the playground!

WEEEEEEEEE !! She couldn't do this before- her coordination is really coming along!

Amy 5.5 yrs, Mia 7 yrs and Sarah 9 yrs old!

Annie and Sarah- both girls are 9 yrs old!

Last weekend we went to a picnic with other FCC families. It was a perfect evening at a lovely park hidden right in one of the local suburbs! Sarah met 3 other girls that could be potential friends! One was exactly her age and they hit it off immediately. The only problem is she lives a ways away- there has been talk of an FCC girl scout troop for this age group- that would be wonderful! Sarah would love that!! The other two girls live very close to us! They are sisters 7 and 5.5 yrs old.  

We all had a wonderful time! It is so enjoyable and more relaxing when we are with other adoptive families. We all just seem to understand each other- I love it!

Pictures for Ch*na!

Sarah's new family meeting her at the airport!

Happy 9th Birthday Sarah!

Sarah and her little sister Anna!

Sarah loves to swim! She is very good at it!

Sarah teaching her Aunt how to count in Chinese!

Sarah and Anna looking at books!

Sarah and her new family! (only the kids that live at home)

Anna loves her big sister Sarah!

Sarah's friends from China! (that live in near us!)

Last month we did our 6 month follow up with our agency. My homework was to get 8 pics together with short  captions next to them.  With digital pictures, computers and digital cameras I rarely develop my pics. They are stored on my computer and then that is backed up. So for me to pick ONLY 8 pictures of our sweet Sarah was next to impossible. Only 8 pictures from 6 months together! I started going through our pics and found 60 that would be a good fit for this assignment! I had them developed and well, here are the 8 I picked. It helped that they need to be horizontal pictures - I had some wonderful vertical pictures but they didn't fit on the paper. I actually have an extra pic up- I think I did not put in the one of the girls in brown.

I like these pictures because they show a precious little girl becoming part of a family! We are so blessed to have her as our daughter and sister! Thank you Jesus!

Up!

The other day the girls and I went to the library. I had been thinking about trying a movie but Anna had never sat through one at the movie theatre so I wasn't quite sure if it was going to work out. 

We sat in the car at the library and discussed our options.

1. Read our library books at home and then watch a mov ie together at home.

2. Was to go to the theatre and watch the new disney movie "Up".

I had a very wishy washy crew- neither choice excited them. So I said to them that whenm a momma takes her kids to the movie theater it is very special, it is something that the children are usually very excited to do, it is a special treat! I told them our their older brothers and sister would always be really excited to go with mom. And IF they would be so lucky as to get to go to the theatre with Mom they would want to be-

1. excited

2. prepared to sit through the whole movie

( Okay- I'm leaving a little bit out - I did throw the comment that if we did go home we could get a little more school work done!)

It was unanimous! Everyone wanted to go to the theatre! And they became excited about it!

This was a first time for Anna and a first time for me taking both girls! They did great and loved the movie. Anna sat on my lap the whole time - otherwise I think the folding chair would have swallowed her up! We all had icees- Mmmmmmm good. We discussed the movie after to explain a few details. We got it- kinda, sorta! Most importantly, we had fun!

Our God is an Awesome God!

Sarah has been going to Vacation Bible School for the last couple days and she is loving it! It is so cool to see her enjoying herself at church and being with other kids her age! She doesn't quite "get" all that is going on put she his having fun! There is so much for her to "take in" with every new experience that it is impossible for her to understand all that is happening. Sometime I have to realize this and lower my expectations- our church is pretty big, so if she just finds her classroom, does the activities and stays with the group it is a success!

I came a few minutes early and all the kids were singing "Our God is an awesome God he reigns over heaven and earth, with wisdom, power and joy, our God is an awesome God!" It was so heartwarming to hear! She doesn't know the words yet but it is such a catchy, comforting tune- she'll get it soon!

I don't usually get very many comments on this blog BUT if by chance you know the nicer, more kid friendly version of "Now I lay me down to sleep"- will you please let me know what the rest of it is. I always said "if I should die before I wake..." I am not a fan of that version- and I don't want to freak out the kids!

 

Thank you! Blessings to you!

The best birthday party... ever!

This last weekend we went to a wonderful children's birthday party! It was for Ruby! The girls were thrilled to be invited and after seeing the pics you will wish you were there, too! Ruby turned 4 yrs old and is from Taiwan, she has been home about 2 yrs. She has a big sister Ila- 5 yrs old and a little brother Cash- 8 months old. They were apart of our original adoption group and have remained close friends.

Sarah totally got into the party and had a ton of fun. They had real ponies there and she rode them 3 times! Anna was afraid of the ponies and chose to stay in Daddy's arms. She was a bit shy, okay really shy and watched most of the fun from a safe distance. Anna did gladly indulge in the marshmellow eating and the loved the candy from the pinata!

This party set some high birthday standards- everything was perfectly planned out and went smoothly! 

After we got home cowgirl Anna went on and on about how much fun it was and how she will ride the horses when she is 4 yrs old! She wore her hat and bandana for the rest of the day! She didn't partake in anything but still had the best time!

I like it clean...

I am not a particularly neat person but I do like things clean. I have a tendency to have numerous junk drawers and a few "working" piles of paper around the house. Well yes, I always have a stack of laundry that reaches the ceiling. Oh and my car is well, lets say "lived in". 

BUT, I can not stand sticky hands, food on clothes, rolling around at the park in the dirt, taking off shoes at a dirty place- to one of our daughters this is normal. She does not like it clean and she has made that very clear. 

I told her the other day as we left playgroup. (She was the dirtiest child at the park but she probably had the most fun!) I said "Honey, we are going to practice being clean cause Momma likes it clean!" Without any hesitation she told me "Well, I like it dirty!" "No honey,  Momma likes it clean" giggle giggle giggle "I like it dirty" this continued for quite a while until I realized I was losing this discussion.

That night we had spaghetti. As you cam tell she thoroughly enjoyed it! And yes, I was down on my hands and knees wiping up the floor... again ...

BTW who is charge of this girls hair?

Learn how to pump on a swing- check!

We have a few non academic goals for Sarah this summer. One of them is to learn how to pump (use your legs) and swing independently. Today she did it!! She is so proud of herself! " I can do it, Mom, I can do it!" I think our good friend Karen may have worked with Sarah during their play time! Thank you Karen! 

The two other summer goals are- to be able to do the monkey bars- just 2-3 rungs would be good enough for all of us. This takes a lot more strength and coordination than you may think. Our third summer goal is for Sarah to learn how to ride a two wheel bike. Right now she has training wheels on but hopefully sometime this summer she can get those off!

Way to go Sarah!! Yippee!! You are doing such a good job and learning so many new things! 

And they licked the car seat clean!

In the process of changing the car seat from one car to the other we had it sitting in the garage for a couple hours. I didn't think anything of it but each time I went outside the car seat had moved just a little. Then it occurred to me- oh no, Anna sits in there and eats frequently. The dogs must literally be eating the car seat to get at whatever morsel they can scrooge up. I ran outside to check it out and you won't believe what I saw- a car seat that looked like new! Yes, it has a few germs on it but wow did they do a nice job! 

As Kate was getting ready for her trip the girls were hanging out in her car. Anna had quite a good time. Beware if you are driving anywhere in Mn- there's a 3 yr old on the loose!