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).

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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!