Wristers

One of my favorite things to do is crochet. In the fall I decided to make myself some wristers. The pattern I used was tedious and it took me a few months to get these things completed. Karla knew I had been working on them and I was very excited when I finished them. So then she decided she wanted wristers. I was going to make her pink ones to match her coats but she said "No, I want ones just like yours." I knew I didn't want to ever use the same pattern I had used again so I found another EASY pattern and adjusted it a little to fit her sweet little hands. It was much easier, went faster, and I think they look better. Maybe the pattern I had was not for varigated yarns...I don't know. If I make these again I will use the pattern I used for her wristers. So, now we proudly wear our wristers together. :) I finally remembered to have Jason take our picture in them today.

Fishing

At the end of last July we went to our friends' lake house and Karla went fishing for the first time. I FORGOT my camera! I just remembered recently to ask one of our friends for the pictures. Thankfully they had taken pictures for me. :) Karla LOVED fishing. She is already talking about going this summer. She stayed with the men who were fishing on the dock the whole time. The other kids and women had gone back to the house. Karla stayed with her Daddy fishing until it was time to go in!

In these pictures she doesn't look too excited...but she caught several (one or two less than the man who caught the most). With each fish she got happier and gained more confidence. This must have been one of the first fish.

I'm happy to have these pictures because it is a good memory for the 3 of us.

Adoption Day photos

Presents!

At the Science Center

Water play


Getting ready to jump!

Lets do it!

Racing down the track

Covered up, missing Oso.

Adoption Day

On March 12 every year we celebrate "Adoption Day." The day Karla's adoption was completely and officially DONE. Today was such a nice day! Warm and sunny and all 3 of us together!

This year we celebrated a few days late...or for a few days longer...depends on how you look at it. :) Jason took the day off from work and we all slept in. Then we sat around and read Karla's lifebook (the story of how she was born and came to be our daughter). Then we hugged and kissed her a lot and told her how much we love her. She liked when we were "fighting" over her. I had her arms and Jason had her legs and we both wanted to hold her.

Then we got ready (Jason made sure Karla wore her Guatemalan soccer jersey), ate lunch, opened presents and decorated a cake. We decided to have the cake later so we could get to the Science Center. We wanted to get to the planetarium show. Karla has been very interested in stars and constellations. We went to the show and spent several hours at the Science Center. Karla's favorite part was jumping on the trampoline in the "Sports Works" area. We could tell she wanted to try the trampoline but was very hesitant. After some encouragement from Daddy she decided to try it! I'm glad he encouraged her b/c I think if it had just been she and I, she wouldn't have tried it.




For a gift, we gave Karla a necklace that I had bought when we were in Guatemala. We also got her a CD, DVD, and - something I was ridiculously excited that I found in Toys R Us the other night - a pack of Barbie shoes. I never knew you could buy just shoes for a Barbie! It was a little box with 5 pairs of shoes...all different styles and colors! If you know Karla, you know this is the PERFECT gift for her! And it was under 5 bucks! I knew she would love it! And she did. The only thing is she didn't have any time to try them on her Barbies today. Before we went up to bed she laid them all out so that they are ready to be tried on by her Barbies first thing in the morning! Oh,the handle of this "box" turns into a bracelet. Great gift idea! :)


Then we went to Chik Fil A for dinner. We actually haven't been there in quite a while! Then we got together with our c-group from church. It was late and Karla was totally exhausted when we got home so we didn't get to have the cake. I think that is funny because I had stressed out about when I was going to have time to make a cake...and then we really didn't even need it! We WILL eat it though!

Another milestone - we didn't realize until we were all done at the Science Center that Karla had left Oso at home. He was still on the couch where we had looked at her lifebook. She wanted him in the car because she was feeling tired. She said she needed "something" so I offered my vest...which she took and used. She was away from Oso pretty much ALL day! That is very rare. And she didn't get upset about it.

Jason and I continue to be so thankful for Karla! She makes us smile everyday!

Happy Adoption Day!

Click here for post on Adoption Day 09.

We took many more pictures today so I'll post more soon.

Ready for dance class!

...or maybe I should wear this...


Today was one of those days that I just look at Karla and all the things she is doing and think “how and when did she get so big?”

I know these are “little” things but when I think about them all together – it is big!

*I don’t make her sit in the cart anymore when we go to the grocery store. I always did this just because it was easy that way. Then she progressed to the “fancier” carts – you know the ones at Giant Eagle that are shaped like cars and very difficult for adults to maneuver throughout the store. Now she walks along beside me, helps gets things off shelves, and doesn’t try to run off.

*Instead of naps she is having “quiet time” in her room in the afternoons. I’m enjoying seeing what she comes up with to do during that time. Usually it is reading and changing her clothes at least 5 times. Just thinking about her changing her clothes is a big deal too. Seems like not too long ago she didn’t want to dress herself even though she was perfectly capable. Now with all the wardrobe changes everyday I have discovered I am doing more laundry...and her room is a disaster of clothes and shoes all over the floor!

*She has started doing more things without me. Sunday she spent a lot of time at her friend Josiah’s house while Jason was helping Josiah’s dad with some things. Jason said they played together without wanting any adults all afternoon. Karla has had a “soft spot” for Josiah for at least a year. She tells us that she is going to marry him someday. We’ll see….I’m definitely not ready to think about that for a LONG time (Jason has trained Karla to say she is getting married when she is 32…so that is really what she thinks!).

Back to doing things without me…She just started another class at the YMCA this week. It is a combination of preschool activities (story, craft) and structured gym activities. She had a great time this week. And I got to workout while she was in class!

She goes to her dance class by herself and comes out to me afterward and says "Do we have to leave now?"

*She knows all her letters now and some of the sounds that the letters make.

*She can write her name without help.

*She has 23 bible verses memorized!!! I counted them today. I think that is amazing. She started when she was 2 1/2. She doesn't understand all of them completely but I'm praying that in time she will!

*She is playing more independently at home. A day I thought may never come. It is good but it also leads to big messes too. I spend lots of time picking things up. I think she likes feeling more independent. She also likes when I ask her to do things to help me - like get something upstairs or set the table. She's learning a little responsibility.


Today during Karla’s quiet time she went in her bathroom and “cleaned the sink” for me. She was so proud of herself. She made me come look as soon as quiet time was over. She said “Mommy, I did this for you! Now you don’t have to do it” with a big smile on her face. She had used a Clorox wipe and put hand soap on it and scrubbed the sink and counter top…so much that we had difficulty turning the faucet on because the knobs were so slippery! I thought it was sweet she was so happy to be doing something to “help” me.

Tomorrow Josiah is coming over to our house. Karla is excited! :)