First Week Home!

What a whirlwind! 
"Yami" (my mom) has been such a help!!! This week she has helped me with the girls so I could call insurance and add Katie and confirm coverage for all the tests, ultrasounds, imaging, evaluations, etc. I also officially dropped off the letter to request a child study team to the Board of Education for our town last week, so we've scheduled a meeting. We are getting the ball rolling in all areas, educationally and medically.
Katie went to the pediatrician and had blood work and ISN'T anemic anymore, yay!!!

We NOTICE her needs...
I wanted to share a moment that really moved me. Friday, I put a cute halter sundress on Katie that had a scratchy tag on her back. She kept itching her back until she had big scratches on her back. (I noticed the scratches and figured it out). I simply went and got out a Band-Aid and she watched me closely as I unwrapped it, not knowing my intention with it. I placed it over the tag on the inside, eliminating the itchy-ness immediately. She looked up at me and SMILED, then giggled, then skipped around. Someone had not ignored her for once. Someone had seen she had a need, observed it, and then moved into action on her behalf to meet that need and eliminate a grievance she was experiencing. She was delighted that someone NOTICED her. I'll never forget that moment.

We have many moments like that, like on Adoption Day, when she dropped a package of food under the breakfast table and she immediately frowned and sulked. I handed it back to her and she looked totally surprised and her whole face lit up in a huge smile. In an orphanage, it's "finder's keepers". You drop a toy or food, and you can forget it, it's someone else's now. But she's in a loving family and we CARE about her now. She also LIGHTS UP when I put a pretty dress/ outfit on her, and sticks out her head eagerly for me to put her bow on. Then she waits silently for me to lift her up and show her her beautiful reflection in the mirror. You ARE beautiful, my babydoll!

ready to go to Park's Lake beach for the first time!

Katie has been growing and blossoming as she explores her world!

first cheerios and (lactose free) milk

swing with Yami

first finger painting and stamps

in Daddy's shoes!

Kate is "kicking butt and taking names" with puzzles right now. I don't think she had EVER seen a puzzle until six days ago (even though we sent one to her foster family. Hmmm.) She loves the set of 6 of them we have. She's showing Yami her skills here.  She is RAVENOUS with her puzzles and blocks and creative play!

One of the FIRST times she let me "read / sign" a book to her!!! Signing "cat".

Sliding down with Aunt Krista and Mama

Can you tell she's happy when Daddy comes home!?!?

Also, GUESS who has signed, not only "Daddy" four times, and "eat" twice, but has now SAID "Ma-ma" four times now, and THIS MORNING signed "more" for the first time! 

(After she potties, I wash her hands and then help move her hands to sign "chocolate" and I give her one chocolate chip. Then I move her hands together to sign "more" and I give her another one. Today, after the first chocolate chip, she signed "more" by herself!) YAY!

Yami said it best, "It's like when she wakes up, she realizes her dream is still coming true, she still has a family!" We feel the same way about waking up to her! One week home and she's getting much more bonded to Cara (and used to her constant tickles and affection). She laughs and coos immediately when Sister hugs her every morning!

Celebrating Daddy's birthday!

Thank you for reading and caring about our miracle girl!!!