WOW!! Seems so hard to believe that 6 months ago we walked out of the Baby Home as a family. Six amazing months. Awe-filled, tender moments. Agonizing moments. Faith-filled moments. Family filled moments.
At 14 months, she decided she was done with crawling, and has been running every moment since. At 15 months, her top 2 molars and last bottom incisor broke through... took a couple of weeks, but she didn't seem too fussy... so thankful!
Eighteen months seems so monumental!! Her bottom 2 molars came through and her mental abilities have skyrocketed. She eats what we eat, just cut up smaller. She attends to books now, instead of just wanting to flip pages. She LOVES to be read to.... so you know how happy that makes me:) She is suddenly interested in sitting on the toilet, and is beginning to become aware of having a soiled diaper. Her sense of humor is actually beginning to come out-- the deep throaty chuckle when Eli does something funny is hysterical. Her laughter comes from deep down and is spontaneous now. She is beginning to master body parts and can point to most on command. She is becoming quite skilled at communicating (not talking per se, but combining sign language with some words and hand gestures... she gets her point across.) And such a mimic... she mimics my actions to a tee!! If I am laughing at Eli, leaning forward, covering my mouth and slapping my leg... she does it, too, and is laughing at me:)
And today, on our 6 month anniversary, she had her first time in the nursery at church. She LOVED it!! As in happily attached loved it!! She was a bit nervous for me to go, but with a snack and a drink, she was settled in. I came back after about 20 min, but she was fine, and, I am sure, would have been fine much longer. :) All three of us stayed for the beginning of the second service and sang with the first 2 songs. Oh how much fun we had!! Tim is in Haiti with a mission team. Sure wish he could be here with us, but so glad he is modeling giving in such a fabulous way to the children.
Two Sundays ago, as we were standing in the back of the church, she was walking around a bit during the last song... She hasn't strayed very far from me yet, so I was unprepared when she bolted for the front. My concern was that she was going to climb up on stage, as we go up after services due to Tim normally standing up there with the worship team. Much to my chagrin, she turned, and headed down the first main aisle, with me in hot pursuit... amidst much suppressed laughter and big grins from at least half the huge congregation:)
Since, up to this point she had been sleeping through the services, I hadn't taken her to the nursery yet. That day, I knew it was time:)
She LOVES music. She loves to dance and clap and has just started singing. The Nanananananana in Every Move I Make is a favorite, as is E-I-E-I-O from Old McDonald's farm. She is so much after my own heart!!
We celebrated in a way tonight at the Family Fun Night Roller Skating party. I pushed her around in the stroller while I had Eli holding tightly to the other hand. What a great evening we had!! Eli only got a few bumps and bruises, but that was because he was willing to let go and do it by himself. It is amazing to me how God gives the grace to let go at just the right time.
Thank you, God for the amazing gifts of our children you have placed in our lives, and the amazing timing of the placement! May we always stay closely connected with you, showing them by example how to have a relationship with you and others. Thank you for bringing the other orphaned and abandoned children into families all around the world. I especially lift up their Russian brothers and sisters who have so much now stacked against them. Please bring them into families.
At 14 months, she decided she was done with crawling, and has been running every moment since. At 15 months, her top 2 molars and last bottom incisor broke through... took a couple of weeks, but she didn't seem too fussy... so thankful!
Eighteen months seems so monumental!! Her bottom 2 molars came through and her mental abilities have skyrocketed. She eats what we eat, just cut up smaller. She attends to books now, instead of just wanting to flip pages. She LOVES to be read to.... so you know how happy that makes me:) She is suddenly interested in sitting on the toilet, and is beginning to become aware of having a soiled diaper. Her sense of humor is actually beginning to come out-- the deep throaty chuckle when Eli does something funny is hysterical. Her laughter comes from deep down and is spontaneous now. She is beginning to master body parts and can point to most on command. She is becoming quite skilled at communicating (not talking per se, but combining sign language with some words and hand gestures... she gets her point across.) And such a mimic... she mimics my actions to a tee!! If I am laughing at Eli, leaning forward, covering my mouth and slapping my leg... she does it, too, and is laughing at me:)
And today, on our 6 month anniversary, she had her first time in the nursery at church. She LOVED it!! As in happily attached loved it!! She was a bit nervous for me to go, but with a snack and a drink, she was settled in. I came back after about 20 min, but she was fine, and, I am sure, would have been fine much longer. :) All three of us stayed for the beginning of the second service and sang with the first 2 songs. Oh how much fun we had!! Tim is in Haiti with a mission team. Sure wish he could be here with us, but so glad he is modeling giving in such a fabulous way to the children.
Two Sundays ago, as we were standing in the back of the church, she was walking around a bit during the last song... She hasn't strayed very far from me yet, so I was unprepared when she bolted for the front. My concern was that she was going to climb up on stage, as we go up after services due to Tim normally standing up there with the worship team. Much to my chagrin, she turned, and headed down the first main aisle, with me in hot pursuit... amidst much suppressed laughter and big grins from at least half the huge congregation:)
Since, up to this point she had been sleeping through the services, I hadn't taken her to the nursery yet. That day, I knew it was time:)
She LOVES music. She loves to dance and clap and has just started singing. The Nanananananana in Every Move I Make is a favorite, as is E-I-E-I-O from Old McDonald's farm. She is so much after my own heart!!
We celebrated in a way tonight at the Family Fun Night Roller Skating party. I pushed her around in the stroller while I had Eli holding tightly to the other hand. What a great evening we had!! Eli only got a few bumps and bruises, but that was because he was willing to let go and do it by himself. It is amazing to me how God gives the grace to let go at just the right time.
Thank you, God for the amazing gifts of our children you have placed in our lives, and the amazing timing of the placement! May we always stay closely connected with you, showing them by example how to have a relationship with you and others. Thank you for bringing the other orphaned and abandoned children into families all around the world. I especially lift up their Russian brothers and sisters who have so much now stacked against them. Please bring them into families.
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