More Swimming

It seems that at least twice a day, the girls are in the pool. Occasionally, we join them too! It's so nice that S and L can take the little ones down to swim. They even both can help A and A with their swimming practice. Alaina is doing so well - she is now jumping off the diving board with no life jacket and swimming to the ladder. Ally loves to RUN off the board, but has her life jacket on. It's so neat to watch them enjoy the pool. Alaina told us at dinner, "In China, I never swim, ever."

On to a few more things she has told us recently about her life in China:

She said that she got a bee sting on her head and cried really hard (Ally was stung on the leg while on the diving board).

She asked why we didn't come get her when she was a baby - like we did for Ally. I couldn't really help her understand that one!

She took a bath in a washtub.

She had a potty, but the potty paper was kept in the TV room.

She had 2 TVs, but no computer.

She said she would maybe want to go back to visit China someday, but not to live there anymore. She wants to ride those bumper cars in the park in Kunming!

I'm so glad she is able to tell us about her life before we knew her.

Fun with Frannie

Just look at this kid - she looks pretty carefree as she jumps off the diving board! It's a little blurry, but I just love her expression.

Frannie and Ally

More jumping! She just mastered this skill yesterday!

Frannie and her daddy Kevin

Lauren loves helping out with all the little girls - Frannie is one of her favorites!

We told Ally that her little friend Frannie was coming over tonight -- the problem is that we told her this morning, so ALL day long we heard, "When's Frannie coming my house?" We enjoyed dinner and the girls and dads hit the pool. I hope to get a pic of Ally and Frannie together each summer! I took the first one of both of them when we got Ally and first met Frannie in China - almost 2 years ago!

It's amazing to me each time these 2 little girls are together - I just love
this picture of them (taken at their orphanage in July 2007). Look closely and you will see Ally and Frannie holding hands with their tiny fingers. Frannie is holding the picture of her mommy and daddy that they sent us to give her! So much changed that very day in our hearts!!! Isn't that just amazing - look at 'em now!

Water!

A few more pics from the pool! Let's just say that Lauren is beyond thrilled to have her waterproof cast - so much that it doesn't seem all that important to get it off anymore!

Congrats Aunt Amy & Sleepy Ally

My second oldest sister, Amy, graduated from college this past May. It was her second and final attempt to complete her degree, and this time, she was successful. I'm so proud of her! We surprised her (at least we think we did) yesterday with a pool party at our house. Actually, her daughter (my neice) "threw" the party and we hosted it. My sister Ellen came from KY, my mom from M'ville, other sis Sally and hubby Richard from Augusta, Susan and Madison, and Amy's friend Mercy. Of course, Ted was involved - getting Amy over to our house!

Ally has been having a difficult time with our unstructured schedule of summer - her regular nap time that Miss Sheryl established has been destroyed, resulting in late, unexpected naps. The last few days she has fallen asleep at the kitchen table twice and while playing at "Lauren's spa and makeup salon". Too funny.

The first day at the table was one day last week about 4:45 when I got home from work. A & A decided that it would be fun to "trick" mommy and "pretend" to be asleep at the kitchen table. As I walked in and noticed two sleepy girls at the table, neither of them looked up and laughed (which I expected). So, I went back to the bedroom, changed my clothes, and returned to the kitchen. I found Alaina sitting at the table coloring and drawing; and Ally with her face still down on the table! Alaina looked at me and said "Ally sleepy"!

Yesterday, after the party for Amy, Ally was sitting at the table drinking some Sprite. Ellen and I noticed her nodding off, but continued to chat; trying not to disturb her! She managed to put the Sprite back onto the table and took one final nod. She was gone, again...

Today, like many days, Lauren offered to play makeup salon with A and A. They are always up for some blue eye shadow and lipstick (and who wouldn't be?)! So, off they go to my bathroom with the "special" makeup that Lauren got for them at Target. A few minutes later, Alaina came running out to get me saying "Mommy, Ally sleepy on Lauren!" ...

ALaina is just relaxed, not alseep!

This morning before my sister E left to go home to KY, she spent some time helping A and A make a "chart" for stickers. By the time Ally finished her chart, both girls were clammoring, "Don't go Aunt E!" They had a fun weekend!

We are enjoying the pool and the little girls are doing so well. They are excited everytime we go out to swim! Sara is enjoying her lifeguarding job and getting a good many hours. She is at a very nice pool in an extremely nice neighborhood.

HS Follow Up - 6 months

Even though we have only been home with Alaina for 5 months, we did our 6 month post adoption Home Study visit today. All went well and the social worker couldn't believe how well she was doing! She and Ally played nicely in the corner with a big bucket of Polly Pockets (one of the few toys we saved from S and L's younger days), then Ally brought out her dinosaurs and cars to show "Miss Judy". Checking off one more box in the long check list of adoption requirements!

I recently looked back at the description of Alaina that we got from her referral. Here is what it said (my commentary in red):

She is docile (not at all) and sensible (sometimes), she can help her foster grandma with some housework (definitely), such as selecting vegetables and shelling bean pods (I can see this - not that she does it for me, but she does like detail work. I guess we could all brush up on our bean pod skills!).

She does things carefully and earnestly, and she cares about family members and shares with them (cough, cough - not her favorite thing, sharing!).

She can express her thoughts and needs clearly and coherently (absolutely).

She can handle many problems with existing knowledge and experience. She has fairly independent thoughts, and strong imitating ability. She has good memory, can remember all the children's songs and poems ever taught. (We are constantly amazed by this - very true!)

She loves to study (except her Chinese), she is earnest when teaching her writing and counting, she has strong curiosity, likes to ask "why" (boy is this true - she must say "why" 100 times an hour - seriously) when meeting problems.

She is interested in discovering new things, she cares about changes of people and things around (I never understood what this part meant, but she does care about people and changes do make her a little uneasy).

Follow Along

If you would like, please click the FOLLOW button on the left of the blog! Would love to see who is "out there"!

We enjoyed a night on Stone Mountain - picnic, playing in a "creek", ball, laser show. Nice night, but late.

Lauren was elated today when she got her short, WATERPROOF cast! 3 more weeks to go, but this will help so much - now she can swim! I'm so glad.

Sprucing Up

We are trying to do some work in the yard these days. Our grill has been acting up and finally bit the dust last week. SO, with summer upon us, and knowing how much we love to be outside, Doug went out today and bought a new grill -- thus buying his very own Father's Day present! Alaina quickly took posession of the box to make herself a "house" and gave Ally the small box that was inside the big one. We said that Ally got the open-air condo for her living quarters! They enjoyed playing outside with the water table, cleaning deck furniture, and playing "house". Also, the Miss Debbie swimming games/lessons continued to the bath tub tonight.

Lauren goes to the doctor tomorrow - still holding out hope for a waterproof cast, but who knows? I just hope it's healing enough for her to have it off all together soon! She does too!

We (Doug and I) went to see Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago last night at the Verizon Ampitheater (outside) last night. EWF was great - sounded as good as ever. Chicago, on the other hand, was not so hot. Their instrumentals were amazing, but the vocalists could hardly sing in tune AND they didn't even sound like the "voices" of Chicago! I was mostly looking forward to the Chicago portion of the show, but we did have a fun time - it is so relaxing to go to concerts there -- we get the lawn seats and sit in beach chairs. We are going to one more concert later this month -- Doug has searched ebay and Craigs list for tickets and has gotten some great deals!

Alaina's Stories

Since Alaina is talking primarily in English now, she is telling us more and more about her life in China. Recently, she told us many details about how she had a broken arm when she was 5 in China. (No way to confirm this, so I suppose we will take her at her word) She was climbing up some rocks and slipped and fell on her arm. Her "China Daddy" borrowed a car from a friend and took her to the hospital, where a doctor put on a white cast from her hand to her elbow. No one signed her cast (she said "that's silly" -- Lauren's is covered in writing). She wore a sling around her neck because her arm was heavy. It hurt very bad and she cried when she fell and at the doctors. She didn't remember which arm she broke.

She and Ally continue to be "best buds" and are really playing together so nicely (well, for the most part). They played school and came to me with strips of paper and a stapler. They wanted me to staple them around their wrist. Sara realized that they were playing "Mickey Boat" and were recreating the arm bands they wore on the cruise ship!

They also were playing "Miss Debbie" - their swimming lesson teacher. They set up Ally's little soft chair (about 6 inches off the floor) and put 4 pillows in front of it. They took turns standing on the chair and "flying" across the water, "just like at Miss Debbies".

Sara began her first "real" job today as a lifeguard. She was quite nervous, but said the day went OK and was easy and a little boring -- boring is good for a lifeguard! She did got a little sunburned. She was excited tonight that she got called to "sub" at another pool tomorrow!

Lauren spent her mornings this week volunteering at her friend's church's VBS. She had fun and especially enjoyed working with the special needs kids.

Another funny note about A and A on the cruise -- we had 2 rooms that adjoined. S and L had one and the little girls were in with us (Ally on a futon, Alaina on a bed that lowered out of the ceiling -- talk about exciting!!!). Because room service (anything, anytime) was "free", we ordered cookies and milk at bedtime several nights (thanks to Miss Randi's vast knowledge of "all things Disney"). I guess the girls obviously took note of me calling -- make a call, cookies show up at the door! One morning toward the end of the cruise, Alaina picked up the phone and said (without really dialing anyone) "Hello, cookies and milk, please". When she hung up the phone, Ally said "What'd he say?" We laughed! Too bad the little cookie man doesn't come to our house!!!

Taking a Spin with "Mable"

We have enjoyed several days on the lake with our friends, the Hills. I guess they didn't get too tired of us last week, because we joined them Sunday afternoon for some lake time. And that always means time riding on the Super Mable. Here are a few pics taken on my new cam - shot just in time to catch all the action! What is amazing is that Shelbi Grace (middle) managed, with a grab from Brittani (far left) NOT to fall off... not so lucky for Ally and Sara! Alaina couldn't stop talking about how Sara and Ally flew off Mable! Luckily Ally was willing to get back on and ride some more!

Lauren skipped out on the day at the lake to play with Amelia - she figured that the combination of heat and not being able to get in the lake wouldn't be so fun. At first I would have thought she would have been fine on Mable, since Joel really was driving slowly (the little girls first ride ever). But with the wave that hit the girls from the side and sent Ally and Sara flying off, I'm glad she didn't try!

Cruise Pics!

As you can probably see, we had NO FUN! It was hard to narrow down the pics to just these. Click on "View Slide Show" and then "Full Screen" to see them larger!

The M*A*G*I*C of Summer!

We just returned from our first BIG vacation in several years (I don't really count our two trips to China as vacations - anyone who has gone to China for an adoption knows it's not exactly a "relaxing" trip)! We joined our friends Randi, Joel, Brittani and Shelbi Grace on a 7 day Disney Cruise! It was an amazing trip - we ALL had so much fun. Lauren actually managed pretty well with her arm in a cast, despite the fact that she couldn't get it wet. She had a special bag that did a decent job of keeping it dry - she was able to go on the water slide, play in the Mickey pool and float in the ocean, but no swimming or snorkeling.

It goes without saying that A and A had a blast seeing their favorite characters, swimming with SG in the Mickey pool and eating lots of ice cream (I enjoyed that too!). Everyone got along so well and none of got tired of each other (at least we hope that is the case for the Hills too!). It really was a great vacation.

Some of the high points were:
- The shows (all Disney themed and Broadway quality)
- Swimming - mainly in the Mickey kids pool, but a little in the Goofy pool and hot tubs and ocean
- Shopping
- Eating - ice cream and pizza by the pool and 4 course meals each night!
- Characters - The girls (all 6 of them) enjoyed seeing Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, Chip and Dale AND the Princesses: Cinderella, Belle, Snow White. Lots of pics and each signed Lauren's cast
- Towel Animals - Doug and Lauren took a class and learned how to do several animals
- Sun time - Brit and Sara especially enjoyed this on the upper deck
- Variety - Hypnosis shows, karaoke (yes the girls participated several times), ventriloquist, ice sculpture, etc
- Deck Parties - Sail away party and Pirate on Deck party
- Alaina's BLONDE Cinderella wig - just take a moment to envision this before I post the pics...
- PICTURES! - Not only did Randi and I both take a bunch (well over 500 each), we had several professional ones made too!

More pics to come. This pic is one we purchased from Disney. We got a lot more but it was the only one we got digital.