Saturday, January 10, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Gorgeous Girls
Here are the girls (Karla and Lola) in their matching Guatemala shirts and bows. Haven't seen too many things cuter than this!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
(Good) U.S. Attorney
*Jason met with our attorney today to discuss Karla's readoption. He had called several asking specific questions so we would be sure to get a "good" one. This one was recommended by a coworker who has adopted. Jason really liked the attorney! It probably helped that she told him he was the most organized adoptive family she'd ever met with. He has spent time over the holidays organizing and filing all of the paperwork. It is quite a stack!! I guess the attorney would ask him something (thinking he'd get it to her later) and he'd say "It is right here" and he could find it easily in his files. So now all we do is wait for her (which shouldn't take long b/c Jason gave her everything she will need today) to do all the paperwork for readoption in PA and then we will have a court hearing at the Butler courthouse in February or possible March. Then I can change the top of my blog because we will be done with Karla's adoption!!!
*More on my transition: :) I've decided part of my problem is that I want everything to be perfect from the beginning (the day Karla got here). Our schedule, my energy, Karla's behavior, meals, etc. I need to remember that things are never perfect in life! :) I have to change my attitude and expectations. AND realize that things are going to take longer to do - and that is okay!
*Yesterday we received a letter stating that it would be up to 120 days to get ALL of Karla's papers from Immigration services. That is fine. We don't need them. Just want them and are hoping they might have a tiny bit of info about Karla's birth family in them.
*Karla and I went to our first playgroup today. There were 4 moms and 6 kids. We will be meeting twice a month. I enjoyed it because I got to ask experienced mom's of toddlers some questions. :)
*Karla also tried fingerpainting this afternoon for the first time. She had fun but was very "delicate" about the paint on her fingers. I'm Karla's mom so I get to say this- I think she is so smart! Her language is amazing me everyday and she is following directions I don't really expect her to. She is also quite good at trying to "distract" me or her Daddy if we want her to do something that she doesn't want to do.
*Here is a picture from when we went to Karla's great-grandparents. I had trouble posting pictures to that post and I love this picture.
*More on my transition: :) I've decided part of my problem is that I want everything to be perfect from the beginning (the day Karla got here). Our schedule, my energy, Karla's behavior, meals, etc. I need to remember that things are never perfect in life! :) I have to change my attitude and expectations. AND realize that things are going to take longer to do - and that is okay!
*Yesterday we received a letter stating that it would be up to 120 days to get ALL of Karla's papers from Immigration services. That is fine. We don't need them. Just want them and are hoping they might have a tiny bit of info about Karla's birth family in them.
*Karla and I went to our first playgroup today. There were 4 moms and 6 kids. We will be meeting twice a month. I enjoyed it because I got to ask experienced mom's of toddlers some questions. :)
*Karla also tried fingerpainting this afternoon for the first time. She had fun but was very "delicate" about the paint on her fingers. I'm Karla's mom so I get to say this- I think she is so smart! Her language is amazing me everyday and she is following directions I don't really expect her to. She is also quite good at trying to "distract" me or her Daddy if we want her to do something that she doesn't want to do.
*Here is a picture from when we went to Karla's great-grandparents. I had trouble posting pictures to that post and I love this picture.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Pictures - from a while ago
As I was sitting at my computer I got an email from Karla's foster mom with some pictures - a pleasant surprise. I'm not sure when they were taken - I'll have to look into that later. Just wanted to share my two favorite!
Quick Update
*Jason went back to work today. He had been off for the past 12 days! I was a little worried Karla would be upset all day but she did alright. She asked about "Poppy" or "Daddy" a few times and was okay after I said "He's at work". I think the holidays fell at a good time because Karla got extra "daddy time" and the two of them really bonded - even more. She even wakes up calling for him - probably 50% of the time now. She used to only call for me.
*Karla is growing! I guess I knew it would happen I just wasn't thinking it would happen anytime soon. I wasn't prepared to see her clothes get tight and short! I'm glad she is healthy though.
*I am feeling better this week. I got an antibiotic and decongestant from the doctor last week and it has helped me a lot! Karla has slept through the past two nights also so I'm not as tired.
*Our church put up pictures on the hallway bulletin board of us since they had all been praying for us. They had also put a sign in front of our house when we got home from Guatemala. I took a picture this past Sunday. I kept forgetting to take my camera.
*Saturday we went to see some of my good friends that I went to high school with. Here is a picture of us with our kids.
*I know I wanted to blog about something Karla did today but I can't think of it right now!! All I know is she is so cute and such a good little girl!
*Karla is growing! I guess I knew it would happen I just wasn't thinking it would happen anytime soon. I wasn't prepared to see her clothes get tight and short! I'm glad she is healthy though.
*I am feeling better this week. I got an antibiotic and decongestant from the doctor last week and it has helped me a lot! Karla has slept through the past two nights also so I'm not as tired.
*Our church put up pictures on the hallway bulletin board of us since they had all been praying for us. They had also put a sign in front of our house when we got home from Guatemala. I took a picture this past Sunday. I kept forgetting to take my camera.
*Saturday we went to see some of my good friends that I went to high school with. Here is a picture of us with our kids.
*I know I wanted to blog about something Karla did today but I can't think of it right now!! All I know is she is so cute and such a good little girl!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Great-Grandparents
Karla visited her other set of great-grandparents yesterday. She has met them once before but I showed her their picture before we left home...and then she wanted to take it with us. She held it almost the whole way to see "Mammaw" and "Peepaw".
She liked playing with Peepaw and seeing what was in his pocket. He took her on a few walks down the hall of their housing complex.
She enjoyed calling out for "meme"(Mammaw) when she was told "no" by Mommy or Daddy. She also liked her walker. Karla was on "Blue Boy" (tricycle) and she and Mammaw would chase each other around.
Karla had lots of fun on "Blue Boy" something her great-uncle's and grandpa used to ride around on.
It was a fun and special day! Plus, Karla slept all night last night!!
Karla is speaking Mandarin now while watching Dora...I better go. Two languages is enough for now!
She liked playing with Peepaw and seeing what was in his pocket. He took her on a few walks down the hall of their housing complex.
She enjoyed calling out for "meme"(Mammaw) when she was told "no" by Mommy or Daddy. She also liked her walker. Karla was on "Blue Boy" (tricycle) and she and Mammaw would chase each other around.
Karla had lots of fun on "Blue Boy" something her great-uncle's and grandpa used to ride around on.
It was a fun and special day! Plus, Karla slept all night last night!!
Karla is speaking Mandarin now while watching Dora...I better go. Two languages is enough for now!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year!
Last night we went to some friend's house for dinner and to hang out for a little while. Karla got to stay up later than usual...and wasn't fussy about it! I had packed my camera to take last night but didn't realize that someone small had taken the camera case out of our diaper bag and dragged it to another part of the house before we left. I also didn't take pictures yesterday when Tio Kevin came over to play with Karla or Monday when some of my good friends came over to meet Karla. I am slacking!!
We had a great Christmas! We were home Christmas Day and Jason's family came over. Then we went to my family's house the next day. Karla was spoiled with presents from all of her family! She got a table and 2 chairs for our family room, a rocking chair that is just her size, a Dora tent with a tunnel, clothes, a Dora sleeping bag, a Little People farm, among other things. The main things she got from Santa were a Fur-Real dog that rolls over and barks and a wooden train set. Both were a big hit.
Karla is imitating words all the time and using 2-3 word phrases more often. My favorite phrases are "Good job, Mama", "Okay, Mama", and "Excuse me, Mama". (notice a theme?) Other words are "thirsty, salsa (as in the dance), knock-knock, tickle, spoon, circle, color, elbow and armpit (guess who taught her that one)." A Spanish word she started saying is "naranca" for "orange".
Karla is also big on boo-boos right now. She gets some by just slightly bumping into things or by making herself bump into things. She likes to say "boo-boo" and then whoever is around has to give her boo-boo a kiss. Jason and I don't mind this game at all. We've even "tricked" her into giving us kisses for boo-boos we have on our cheeks. :)
Karla in her sleeping bag - pretending to sleep.
This is the rocking chair Grammy and Pap-Pap fixed up for Karla. It was Jason's grandfather's when he was young.
Karla's new tunnel:
Karla has been a little off schedule since Christmas which is hard on all of us but I think she has done very well considering all the excitement. Today we seemed to be back on track. Karla still isn't sleeping through the night. She goes back to bed easier though once she wakes up in the middle of the night. I think she has done a great job transitioning to being home. I feel like now - for some reason - the transition is hitting me and at times it feels overwhelming. I can't explain it really. I also have been fighting a sinus problem for weeks so I don't think that helps my overall well-being. I'm not sure why I feel like things are difficult right now but I do. I guess the combination of not having a good night's sleep and not feeling that great don't add up to anything pretty. :) Then I have to remind myself we haven't even been home 2 months yet...almost, but not yet. That really isn't a long time for such a major life change - for any of us.
Today Daddy took Karla to Home Depot. It was their first outing together without me. I didn't even realize this until Jason told me. I think I may be sending them on more errands together! :) It sounded like they had a great time. Karla helped Jason pick out a new hammer and they looked/walked around a lot. Daddy was trying to give me some relaxation time. :) I got to take a long shower and call a friend. Daddy also dressed Karla today and did her hair. She was in Steeler's gear and had a new hair-do (which was cute). Karla made a point of showing me her new ponytail as soon as her Daddy was finished with it.
It has been so AMAZING and fun having Karla here for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. I'm so glad she made it home in 2008! I'm still praying for the other families that still don't have their children home from Guatemala. U.S. Adoptions have been closed with Guatemala for a year now and there are still a lot of cases not completed. Ridiculous if you ask me!
One final picture. Just look at that adorable face. :) Daddy helped Karla make a snowman (she loves snowmen-mainly the stuffed toy kind) with snow that was on our front porch this evening. She liked touching the snow at first but then kept saying "cold, cold".
We had a great Christmas! We were home Christmas Day and Jason's family came over. Then we went to my family's house the next day. Karla was spoiled with presents from all of her family! She got a table and 2 chairs for our family room, a rocking chair that is just her size, a Dora tent with a tunnel, clothes, a Dora sleeping bag, a Little People farm, among other things. The main things she got from Santa were a Fur-Real dog that rolls over and barks and a wooden train set. Both were a big hit.
Karla is imitating words all the time and using 2-3 word phrases more often. My favorite phrases are "Good job, Mama", "Okay, Mama", and "Excuse me, Mama". (notice a theme?) Other words are "thirsty, salsa (as in the dance), knock-knock, tickle, spoon, circle, color, elbow and armpit (guess who taught her that one)." A Spanish word she started saying is "naranca" for "orange".
Karla is also big on boo-boos right now. She gets some by just slightly bumping into things or by making herself bump into things. She likes to say "boo-boo" and then whoever is around has to give her boo-boo a kiss. Jason and I don't mind this game at all. We've even "tricked" her into giving us kisses for boo-boos we have on our cheeks. :)
Karla in her sleeping bag - pretending to sleep.
This is the rocking chair Grammy and Pap-Pap fixed up for Karla. It was Jason's grandfather's when he was young.
Karla's new tunnel:
Karla has been a little off schedule since Christmas which is hard on all of us but I think she has done very well considering all the excitement. Today we seemed to be back on track. Karla still isn't sleeping through the night. She goes back to bed easier though once she wakes up in the middle of the night. I think she has done a great job transitioning to being home. I feel like now - for some reason - the transition is hitting me and at times it feels overwhelming. I can't explain it really. I also have been fighting a sinus problem for weeks so I don't think that helps my overall well-being. I'm not sure why I feel like things are difficult right now but I do. I guess the combination of not having a good night's sleep and not feeling that great don't add up to anything pretty. :) Then I have to remind myself we haven't even been home 2 months yet...almost, but not yet. That really isn't a long time for such a major life change - for any of us.
Today Daddy took Karla to Home Depot. It was their first outing together without me. I didn't even realize this until Jason told me. I think I may be sending them on more errands together! :) It sounded like they had a great time. Karla helped Jason pick out a new hammer and they looked/walked around a lot. Daddy was trying to give me some relaxation time. :) I got to take a long shower and call a friend. Daddy also dressed Karla today and did her hair. She was in Steeler's gear and had a new hair-do (which was cute). Karla made a point of showing me her new ponytail as soon as her Daddy was finished with it.
It has been so AMAZING and fun having Karla here for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. I'm so glad she made it home in 2008! I'm still praying for the other families that still don't have their children home from Guatemala. U.S. Adoptions have been closed with Guatemala for a year now and there are still a lot of cases not completed. Ridiculous if you ask me!
One final picture. Just look at that adorable face. :) Daddy helped Karla make a snowman (she loves snowmen-mainly the stuffed toy kind) with snow that was on our front porch this evening. She liked touching the snow at first but then kept saying "cold, cold".
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