Happy Halloween!

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween! We sure did. We carved a pumpkin earlier today and then all 4 of Karla's grandparents came over for trick-or-treating (and help passing out candy). We all had fun! Karla was pretty shy about saying "trick or treat" to people but got braver the more houses we went to. She remembered that she had received a candy eyeball and that is what she wanted to eat when we got home. So she had an eyeball and then almost all of a BIG candy bar. It was sweet because Jason had told Karla that Butterfingers were my favorite candy bars - so that is the one she wanted to eat, after the eyeball of course. She even gave me a few bites - without me asking for them!!






10 days!

12 days!

12 days until Karla's birthday! At this point I'm pretty sure I am more excited than she is. :) Only 8 days until the party!!

This afternoon Grammy came over so I could go shopping for party stuff. I was gone for 3 1/2+ hours!!! It got me really excited about the party though! I realized I've been wanting to have a big party for her for..um...almost 3 years. I finally get to do it!

When I was looking at potential gifts for her I just wanted to buy her EVERYTHING that I knew she would like. Don't worry (Jason) I didn't. I bought her two things (that I can't wait to give her!) and then wrote down all the other ideas...Christmas is coming. :)

Other quick updates:
*Dora is back. Karla has requested her again for the past few days. :)

*During our neighborhood Halloween party we found out that three kids (including Karla) that live within 6 consecutive houses have the same birthday! One boy is the exact same age as Karla and Thumbelina, who lives right next door, is exactly one year older than Karla.

*One year ago today Jason came to Guatemala to be with Karla forever!!! We hadn't talked about it before he left for work this morning but then Jason called after getting to work - his boss had bought bagels in celebration of the year anniversary!! And we hadn't reminded him!! He had marked it down a year ago!! Isn't that nice!?

Daddy brought Karla new shoes!

Daddy introduced Karla to "Daddy Oso"


*I will stop with the one year anniversaries/memories...eventually. It is just exciting to be able to celebrate these "anniversaries" WITH Karla. It still feels new!

*Look how much Karla has grown in the past year!!!

Snow White

Our Neighborhood Halloween Party!! Something we've wanted to be able to go to for many years!

Snow White (who was NOT being very camera friendly so I didn't get too many pictures)

Snow White with our next door neighbor, Thumbelina.

Karla got a "treat bag" after the party. Her favorite part...surprisingly not the candy...but a little stretchy skeleton and, especially the GREEN teeth! She had no trouble posing for the camera with green teeth!

Where is Dora?

**Of course, right after sending out Karla's DORA birthday party invitations she becomes interested in Barbie. I don't think I have seen Dora in a week or so...it has been MANY months since I could say that!!! She has an Ariel Barbie and one other Barbie plus a few Barbie movies, thanks to her Tia Beth. The dolls go everywhere with us - no, they haven't replaced Oso, nothing could do that. All she wants on TV is Barbie. The Barbie movies she really likes are musicals so I have Barbie musical songs going through my head most of the day...and Karla and I sing them together frequently. :)

**About two weeks ago when Karla put on her sweater that Nana Shirely made for her, she said Oso needed a sweater. I told her I would try to make one for him. Then I mentioned it to Shirley at church. Well, guess what Shirley made in a matter of days for Oso...a sweater! And it matches Karla's, of course.


Karla had to take a picture of Oso with me....she got me in the picture...often you just see my toe or legs. :)


**Karla and I spent quite a bit of time outside this week since the weather was warm and sunny (for 3 days in a row!) There were several times when we were having so much fun - I was telling myself to just remember those moments forever. One of these times was when we were on our way home from the store and it was so nice out I decided to take a spontaneous trip to the park. The park was packed! Everyone else had the same idea. There was an amphitheater off to one side of the park where no one else was so I suggested we go over there. We took turns singing and dancing on the stage (to Barbie songs). It was fun...and I didn't care if anyone heard or saw us! :) Karla really got into it too!! All she needed was her "big dress" to twirl in and it would have been perfect.

**Karla had two big boo-boos in the past week. A week ago Friday she fell down our steps. I was right behind her so I saw the whole thing and couldn't stop it...it was horrible. BUT Karla was okay after a few minutes. It took me longer to be okay. I couldn't believe she wasn't more hurt. She said the only thing that hurt was her head (it hit the hard floor at the bottom of the steps).

Then Thursday afternoon she was going up the ladder on her swing set and slid down around the side of the ladder from almost the top. Again, I saw the whole thing and it looked awful. It scraped up her stomach a lot. She cried for maybe a minute and then said "do again". It took me several minutes to feel calm again...and then I stood behind her every time she went up...even though she didn't like it.

**Friday our friends Rachel, Aidan, and Aaron came over. It was raining so we stayed inside. I think Karla and Aidan wanted to go out...

...actually they were just enthralled with the garbage truck going up the street and the ladybugs around the outside of the window.

Beauty Salon

The above picture is a picture of Karla right after we got home from getting our hair trimmed. She did a GREAT job!! She even let them wash her hair (by tilting her head back a little bit into the sink). She looked so incredibly cute (if I do say so myself) with her hair all wet, propped up in the big chair with a cape on. She even closed her eyes for part of the hair washing. Of course several people in the salon stopped to watch her and make a fuss. Then it was my turn to get my hair washed in the chair beside her. I could feel her watching me the whole time...and she kept saying incredulously "Mommy, you have bubbles on your head". Then we went to the chairs where we were going to get our hair cut. She sat in the chair next to me. We had two different ladies working on our hair. Karla, again, looked SO cute with just her little wet head sticking out of the cape. She sat there quietly and patiently the whole time. I think she thought she was really something...since we both were doing the same thing. I'm describing all this in detail because I didn't take my camera and I really wish I had! The lady that was cutting (chopping 5 inches off) my hair told me I should enter Karla in a little modeling contest. :)

It was so fun to watch her and the most amazing thing was that while we were each sitting in our own chairs with hair dryers going, etc. we could communicate with each other just by our eyes and facial expressions. I KNOW we couldn't do that last December when we got her hair trimmed/shaped up. Cool stuff!

Here's Karla today. It was so warm and sunny we spent a lot of time outside. She's with her Ariel doll on her swingset. Check out the hot pink crocs with the orange and black outfit. She can make it look good. :)

Ramblings

I have uploaded a lot more flickr pictures. Every time I do it I tell myself I won't upload so many the next time...and then I do it again!

The beginning of this week was busy. Monday Grammy had the day off from work so we went to JoAnn Fabrics to get some supplies for Karla's party and for her Halloween costume.

Tuesday we met Mammy and Pappy at Ikea. I've been wanting to get a coffee table to put Karla's dollhouse on..mainly so it is easier for me to play. :) So we got the table and a few other little things and then had lunch at Red Lobster. That was a real treat for me because I usually go to Chik Fil A or McDonald's nowadays. I do love Chik Fil A but I like shrimp just as much! Mammy and I knew we were getting shrimp before we went. Karla surprised me when I read her kids menu choices. She said she wanted popcorn shrimp. I knew she didn't know what it was but ordered it for her anyway. She liked it! I was so happy. Jason doesn't like shrimp...so I'm glad I have someone to eat shrimp with. Okay...enough rambling about that.

Karla helped Daddy put the coffee table together. She LOVES to help either of us with any project....especially if it involves tools. She hit the pegs in with very little assistance!




Notice the skirt she is wearing. I made it following online instructions from someone's blog! I am making a few more too...this was my practice one but it turned out nice enough to actually wear in public. (I am so proud of myself for figuring out how to put that link in!!)

Wednesday Grandma had the day off so Karla and I got up and drove to Grandma's house for the day! We met Grandpa for lunch (at Chik Fil A). :) Then Karla played with Barbie's at Grandma's house, took a nap, played some more and then had her first tea party! I got to do some sewing while Karla napped (and played) and got some advice on a few sewing projects from a pro. :) Karla was so good in the car on the way there and back (1 1/2 hours each way).

Thursday we went to our usual Thursday morning bible study. Karla LOVES playing at church. There are two 14 year old girls that watch the kids and usually it is just Karla and one other kid, sometimes two. I think she likes it because she gets lots of attention. It is funny too because she is always SO tired when we leave at noon on Thursdays!

Thursday afternoon and Friday we took it easy. Then today I had several friends over to scrapbook!! It was great!!! I got a lot done too. Jason and Karla went to Lowe's (as they frequently do together) to pick up a few things and then went to Grammy and Pap-Pap's for most of the day. She was worn out again tonight. Life is just so much fun for her. :)

Tomorrow Karla and I are both getting our hair trimmed. This is only the second time we have taken Karla. Click herefor a reminder of the last haircut in December 2008. (Ha! another link!)
Anyway, we're going to the place I usually go to because it is buy one adult cut and get your child's cut half off. The only thing is we get our hair cut at the same time. Jason isn't going to be able to come with us so we'll see how it goes! Plus our appointment is at the time I usually put her in bed for a nap...this could be dangerous!



Pouring the tea...Karla was pretty good at it for never trying it before.

Helping put the cupcakes and cookies on a plate.


The ticker at the bottom of my blog tells me there are 24 days until Karla's birthday! AHHHH!!!!!

I was told today that I have not been blogging enough lately (Rachel). I will try to do better.

Rachel, I just realized I get to see you again on Friday! Yeah!

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY

For some reason, over a year or so ago, I never thought I'd be able to say these words - IT HAS BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE KARLA WAS PLACED IN MY ARMS FOREVER!!! Tears spring to my eyes just saying (or typing) those words - and I have been contemplating them a lot for the past 1-2 weeks. It has been on my mind a lot because I can clearly recall what I was doing last year the week before I left for Guatemala and all of the feelings I had. For example, at the barn party last year I knew I'd be leaving in a week to get Karla and be with her forever - and I was SOOOO excited yet it didn't seem real. This year - guess who I was dancing with!?!? Yep, my little Karla.

Last year on October 13 I flew to Guatemala with my wonderful friends Carey and Lola and then later that afternoon went to Karla's foster home with Diana, a new friend at that time. It is still amazing to me to think that Karla let me hold her in my lap for quite some time as soon as I saw her. Just knowing her now...and for the past year...she doesn't just go to strangers. I like to think she knew I was someone important to her...but it also could have been she remembered me some from our visits and that her foster mother had done a good job of preparing her for her big transition.

So many times prior to Oct 13 last year I really wasn't sure Karla would make it home because of all the red tape...or that I'd be in one piece when she did. :) But she is here! And what a year it has been!

For some reason I thought the big day I would remember would be the day we got out of PGN...but that came and went this past August and I didn't even think of it until a week or so afterwards (weird since it consumed my thoughts for over a year+). I also thought the day we arrived in the US would be the day I'd remember most fondly - and I do because it was a great day (and man was I tired). Sure I'll always remember "adoption day" when we celebrate it in March but the date I remember most is October 13.

Am I dreaming??? No!! My baby is in my arms!

I remember this toy, Mommy!

Hey, I just saw you yesterday! I get to see you again!! And you remembered to bring my toy again! Notice, we sure liked to look at each other! (In case you don't vividly remember last year like I do, Karla stayed the night with her foster family on Oct 13 and then they brought her to our hotel on the 14th to stay with me permanently)

Karla's foster family had just left and we were in the elevator going up to our hotel room. Diana was quite the photographer!

Karla and Lola start bonding right away...over a bag of chips. :)


I'd like to sit down and write lots of my reflections on the past year...and maybe I will sometime this week. But right now I'd rather get ready for a special day with my girl. We're going to see Mammy and Pappy this morning and then play whatever Karla wants to play in the afternoon! :)

Here we are today (looking for a picture of the two of us makes me realize I need to be in more pictures with Karla!):



We love you, Karla!

Pumkin Patch!

Trip to College

This afternoon we went to Grove City College to visit Tio Ryan. We got to see his apartment and walk around the campus. It was a nice sunny evening! Karla was very excited to see Tio at school. As soon as we got there she got out of the car and started jumping up and down and saying "Tio Tio Tio". She hadn't even seen him yet!

Karla was comfortable with apartment life immediately.

She enjoyed walking around campus...

...holding hands with Tio to cross the street (and only Tio - Mommy and Daddy weren't acceptable for hand holding today!)

and riding on Daddy's shoulders.

I uploaded today's pictures to flickr because I thought I got some good ones.

Karla is lucky to have such great "Tios" in her life

The week was pretty uneventful but nice and relaxing. We are struggling with bedtime and multiple night awakenings (again). I'm sure it has been well over a week since I slept all night. I think we slipped back to bad patterns because of potty training. She no longer wears the pull-ups at night...really only needed them for maybe 2-3 weeks after we started training but used them longer. So she learned that if she calls out and says she has to go potty at night...I come running...and she doesn't always need to go. We really don't know what to do about this because we don't want her to have accidents. Trying to work on bedtime first now. We're hoping we all get a little more sleep this coming week.

Here is another cute picture from this morning. She wanted a "towel hat" because I do that with my hair sometimes and she thinks it is quite funny.

Post for Jess

This post is for Jess M., one of my faithful blog readers. :) I don't really have much to say (can you believe it?!?!?) but here are some pictures so you have something to look at. :)

We went to our church's annual barn dance on Saturday. All 3 of us danced and had a good time!
Karla and Daddy

I love Karla's face in this picture.

Karla participated in the "candy hunt" and a few other games.


In other news, the shed is totally done now! Jason moved stuff from the garage into it and there is still plenty of room inside for more stuff.

Boo!

We're starting to talk about Halloween. I've gone back and forth about a few costume ideas...I think we're going to go with Snow White if my wonderful sister-in-law will let me borrow the costume. Who knows, I may change my mind again...

I printed out the invitations to Karla's birthday party today!! That was fun! Now to get them in envelopes and mailed...