DaisypathAnniversary Years Ticker
Photo Albums at WiddlyTinks.com
Scrapbooking Ideas Photo Tinks by WiddlyTinks.com

Lili-bug

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Welcome to America!!!





The land of sugar, sweets, TV and video games!!
Our girl sure has had A LOT of new and exciting experiences in the last month.

Friday, September 28, 2007

William Tell Overture for Moms

Funny and SOOOOOO true!!

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

OK, So I Couldn't Wait!!

Lili as Snow White!
(I don't know if you can see them, but she even has Snow White shoes!!! The Disney Store sure saw us coming!)

"Hey, Mama, I look just like this doll. Neat!"


"Mama, Mama in the mall, who's the fairest one of all?"
Hopefully, this outfit will last another month till halloween.
If not............
She could go as Shrek! hee. hee.



A Glimpse Into Lili's First 4 Years........

The following is an excerpt of an email I received from a fellow Wuchuan adoptive mom.
All I can say is that I'm so glad that Lili is home, but my heart breaks for all those left behind.

"We were able to visit the Wuchuan SWI on 9/6/07, three days after receiving our daughter.
We were told that there are approximately 100 children that reside there and that there are 36 total nannies that work different shifts. When we were there, we saw only two.

The drive to Wuchuan was all modern highways, much like the U.S. Interstate system. When we approached the orphanage, we turned off on a bumpy dirt road, lined with shacks. We turned on a similar road by the river. There were trash heaps alongside the road. As we drove through the gate, I was struck by the overall appearance of the place. The pictures I had seen made it look very grand and almost majestic. This is definitely not the case. It looks much shabbier and the grounds more unkempt than what appears in the photos. All in all, though, the orphanage was very clean. That's really the only positive thing I can say about it.

When we got out of our van, they walked us into the "playroom." All the toddlers and preschoolers were sitting in 2 long rows of little desks. There was a nanny standing at the front of the "class" in front of a board with the numbers on it. There was no paper or pencils/crayons on the children's desks. The other items in the room that I noted were a couple of small balls, a small plastic rocking horse, a slide, a ball pit, and some sort of carousel ride (that did not look very used).

We then went upstairs to the bedrooms. There were two: one for the toddlers/preschoolers and one for the infants. There were about 30 cribs per room, and the cribs were the same size and type in each. They were plain metal cribs with wood bottoms. There were no pillows, blankets, or mattress. There was absolutely nothing else in these rooms except for the cribs. We were told it was naptime for the infants and that the other children were about to go down for their naps. We walked into the infant room. Most of them were awake. Same crib situation. Someone posted recently about the lack of hair on the backs of head and flattened skulls from sleeping on these boards. There were several of the babies with large sores on the backs of their heads. It was all I could do to keep from crying.

We then walked outside. There are two merry-go-round structures, but they don't look like they've had much use. I've seen some pictures of children sitting in them. There was a swing set, but it was behind a large hedge and the foliage and weeds were overgrown around it. It obviously has not been used in quite some time.

We also were led into a large conference room. There are a couple of bulletin boards with pictures of the children. The first one is devoted to different officials who have visited the orphanage. Our daughter was in a photo with the mayor of Wuchuan. The other bulletin board was of photos that have been sent by the families of the adopted children.

Oh, and another thing... We asked what sort of discipline was used. They told us that they just "talked" to her. She was told that if she was a good girl then her mommy and daddy would come for her. "

This brings to mind some things Lili does.
Even when she doesn't like her food, she'll eat it. She looks at us and if we tell her to eat, she will, no complaints. She looks at us like we're going to hate her or leave her if she doesn't obey. When I use a stern voice with her, she gives me the same look.

On a side note, yesterday I bought her some pom-poms (to cheer on those UNDEFEATED DALLAS COWBOYS!!!). Well, she has been sweeping our floors with them for the last 2 days. She's on her hands and knees lecturing herself in Chinese and sweeping. (I think she's probably telling herself it's not clean enough and she better do a better job-------or her mom and dad won't love her!-----yikes!)

Pictures of her halloween costume coming soon!
Like the stupid thing is going to even last till halloween, we had to pry it off of her at bedtime last night and she woke up and went right for it again! She's even been eating in it (!) with a garbage bag wrapped around her for good luck! My Mother of the Year award is in the mail, I'm sure!

Saturday, September 22, 2007

One Month Ago Today....

we were on a LOOOOONG flight home.
I cannot believe we haven't even been home one month.
It seems like we've been back forever. It really feels like we never even left.
It seems like Lili's been here forever. It doesn't so much feel like we've had her since birth, just that she's been around forever.

Our agency just received another SN/Waiting Children list.
They, however have decided to change the process.
6 months ago when we found Lili, the list was sent out to all families in the process of adopting from China, or DTC (dossier to China).
Now they've decided to send the list out only to the families who are already through the review room in China. That means families who were LID before August 2006. If you recall, we were LID September 13, 2006. So, in a nutshell that means that we wouldn't have gotten the list.
Wow.
Our agency did say that any children who weren't matched with a family would be re-released to all the other families who are LID. So maybe Lili wouldn't have been matched with anyone and we would have "gotten" her anyway, but that's a chance I'm so glad we didn't have to take.
But on the other hand, Lili was meant for our family, hand-picked by God for us, so I'm sure we would've found our way to each other regardless.
I do know that a lot of families were really upset about the change, and I know I'd be one of them too.
I don't know. I'm just so glad to be DONE! DONE! DONE!!
I'm so glad that Lili's home.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Stuck on you


Not much going on....well, not much interesting anyway.
There's always something going on.


The NFL is in full swing and I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER!! I can't believe it's only a 16 week season. I wish it was like baseball or basketball. Oh well.
"How 'BOUT them Cowboys?" Huh? 2-0!!! WOO HOO! They are undefeated!! (I figured I'd better write that NOW because it may not last much longer!) They look good! Romo may actually be able to redeem himself after last year's play-off debacle (don't get me started, I'm still trying to block it out)

And, yes college football is also in full swing, however I'm not even going to discuss it this year.
I only watch ONE team and when said team very well may not win any games all year, I prefer to just ignore it entirely and pretend I don't care....la, la, la, la-la-la!

Let's see...what fantabulous things is Lili up to these days?


Oh, she says:
please
thank you
more
all done
apple juice
night night
I love you
potty
bath
shower
shoes
it's OK
1, 2, 4, 5 (and sometimes 3!)
milk
sucker (as in lollipop----I think!!)
raisins
banana
Dora (as in "The Explorer")
Elmo
no more
kitty
meow
Hello Kitty
NOW!
yeah/no
shh!
John! (one of Brett's friends--and she ALWAYS says it like that---JOHN!)

Hmm...looking at that list, I have to say I'm pretty impressed! We haven't been home a month yet and she heard/knew/used absolutely zero english for the first 4 years of her life.
She really is doing well.
Her shyness is improving. It's taking her less and less time to warm up and she's not completely melting down from the get-go. Thank goodness!


I just realized it's been weeks since she's really cried or whined. Pretty good for 4, no?
I don't think I've gone that long! :)

I finally printed off all our China pictures. 700-something!
I have to plug Snapfish.
I got prints for 9 cents apiece and I got them in 3 days. A real life saver! I LOVE THEM!!

More later.
Good night.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Catching Up...

Lola LOVES before-bed snack time!!
She's our little constant optimist---"that kid just has to drop something sometime".....

"doesn't she?"
Well, little Lola, you'll learn soon enough that not only does she NEVER let any food escape her grasp, but if you get too close, she just may grap a knife and fork and you could be next, my pretty!!

Hallelujah!! WE SURVIVED OUR FIRST PLAYGROUP TODAY!!!!!
We ventured out to story time at the library yesterday as a pre-cursor to the upcoming playgroup today. Lili picked out a couple movies (Dora, which she LOVES, LOVES, LOVES. yep, she's now learning Spanish geesh!). Then I picked her up and headed towards the story nook. She tried to get down and hid her face saying "no", but I gripped her tighter, said "yes" and sat down.
She sat in her own chair and listened to the story like any good 4 year old!!! mwuh, ha, ha!
Then she actually colored a whole picture and said "bye bye" to the ladies when we left.
This morning's playgroup was at our neighbors' house. Lili was all about the walk there, but when she saw we were going into a house, she squirmed away. So I picked her up and in we walked. She was kicking and curling up into her famous ball, but I sat down and held her.
It wasn't long before she was sitting on her own next to me. She played with some toys and observed. There were about 20 kids and mothers there. Lots of noise and activity so she had LOTS to observe!
We stayed almost 2 hours and by the last 1/2 hour she was venturing around on her own, playing by herself and interacting with other kids and moms. (of course being offered Goldfish crackers didn't hurt!) So, all in all it went well. She warmed up (eventually) like I hoped she would and now that we're home she keeps going to the windows that face our neighbors' house and pointing and smiling!!
I guess when you consider it hasn't even been 3 weeks since we've been home, she's making pretty good progress.
She's attached to us (like GLUE!) and loves her home and family. She's sleeping and eating and learning more every day. she can count to 5, recognize how many, and recognize A, B, and C.
11 months till kindergarten!! :)


Sunday, September 09, 2007

One Month Liliana-versary!! What a difference a month makes!
















Wednesday, September 05, 2007

TWO! Count 'em TWO kids in the yard!! eek!

I can't believe I'm a "mother of two".
I can officially now say "my kidS"!!
The above picture is of Brett trying to keep Lili entertained, albeit half-heartedly, and Lili trying to torture him by running away from him!! It's obviously a game they LOVE to play.
Lili treats Brett just like a little sister should. It's amazing! She knows exactly what she's doing. He touches her and she whines with a BIG smile on her face, just to get our attention. We'll tell her to be nice and she'll give him a big hug and laugh. Man, he's really in for it!
Oh, speaking of "big hugs", guess what Lili's into now? A blast from my past----the Teletubbies. Yep, lucky me. She should be into Barney in another 6 months or so. gulp.
When Brett was 1 or 2, the Tubbies were all the rage. It seems that they have gone out of style in the last few years. Too bad I didn't keep all his Tubby stuff circa 1998. Maybe that should read thankfully I didn't keep all his Tubby stuff!
Lili and I have gone shopping a couple times recently. If you ask me, she's too young to have an opinion yet. She's only FOUR for cryin' out loud.
She turns her nose up at this and that and if I find something she deems appropriate, she'll nod regally as if to say "WE approve" and I slobber all over her so thankful that I get to buy her this or that.......not a good habit to develop for either of us!
If I could only get her to accept long sleeves, pants and closed-toe shoes.........(little heathen!!)
Well, tomorrow is grocery shopping day. Which, I'm sure, will include a trip down the clothing aisle----I'm a sucker for punishment, what can I say?

Sunday, September 02, 2007

"I Love My Life, I Must Say!"


Anyone else remember Martin Short as Ed Grimley on SNL?
This is Lili doing her best impression. Which, just about sums up the last 11 days in a nutshell.
We have one FUNNY girl! Wow.
She's just like our son. I swear, they may be from completely opposite sides of the world, but they couldn't be more alike if I had birthed them both. It's unbelieveable. She's even just about as sweaty as he is!! :)
Lili seems to be adjusting to life around here. She really does love her room, and about 8:30 every night, she asks to go to bed. Yes, really! She goes to her room and puts her arms up for us to lift her into bed, lays down and that's it. She just lays there till she falls asleep. She cried quietly a couple of nights for 5 minutes, but has not gotten out of bed.
Yesterday we met some more family members. She did really well and warmed up to everyone within 1/2 hour. After that, there was no stopping her. She loves not only to have her picture taken, but to take pictures of everyone, so that was a real ice breaker. We shopped all day, napped for a few minutes in the car, then straight to Meemaw and Peepaw's for a few hours. She didn't cry, mope or whine once. (unlike me who cried, moped, whined AND yelled during the Notre Dame debacle!!----don't even talk to me about it!!)
Today we went to church. She did VERY well during the service. Everyone was giggling as they heard, semi-quietly, "mama" "baba" from the back of the church throughout the service. Afterwards, Lili was shy as usual when it came time for everyone to meet her. They have all been DYING for weeks to meet her, so their restraint today was, I'm sure, very hard for them, but we appreciated their approach. She'll warm up to them in her own time, in no time I'm sure.
I haven't taken many pictures recently as the various, assorted Meemaw's have taken over that duty with unabashed glee! It'll be nice to see all the photos developed.
I'm adjusting as well to having TWO KIDS, one who goes to school all day and the other who is with me all day, following me around. I need to get used to that again. :)
We've been blessed. Lili is such a good girl. She's very self-sufficient and keeps herself entertained.
Nap time has been going well. About 1:00 I'll lay out her blankets on the floor of the living room. I'll lay down on the couch with the TV on, I'll say "Lili, take a nap", she'll go and lay on her blankets and within 15-20 minutes she'll be asleep for about 2 hours. She's a SOUND sleeper, so once she's out, I can move around and do things. That has been so nice. We both really need that break in the middle of the day. She wakes up quickly now and is raring to go right away.
She's been sleeping a good 10 hours a night too. So, we're all a little more refreshed than we were a week ago!
I can't believe we've only been home 11 days. It seems like we never left. It seems like we've had Lili forever. When I think that 6 months ago, we didn't even know about Lili, it amazes me!! Life is good.

get a free web page counter here
website-hit-counters.com