So Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! We had a great day. Food was delicious and it was great being with family at my grandmother's house. We are soooooo thankful to finally have our completed family together for Thanksgiving. Grace is such a blessing and we are so thankful to have her in our lives. I think she enjoyed Thanksgiving. I passed out Smarties to everyone as a bribe to get Grace to go to them :) She ignores everyone when they call her name, but didn't ignore the call of smarties. She would walk over, snatch the smartie and run. Hopefully with time we won't need to bribe her to enjoy her family!

The three of them (yes, all 3) were playing rock band! Grace was more of a lethal weapon than drummer with her drumstick.

Grace's first Thanksgiving! Doesn't it look like she is getting ready to pray. More like shove corn bread in her mouth :)

My three little gifts! I'm totally burned out though trying to get a decent picture of them.

Aidan digging into his dessert.

Nate enjoying his pumpkin whoopie pie!

Grace doesn't let many people in her little world. But last night, Aunt Jean was able to break in a little with the help of Cookie Monster and Elmo! I think everyone is going to give Grace books for Christmas since that is the way to her heart. Books and Smarties :)

The five of us! Doesn't that sound nice!!!

Here are some pictures leading up to Thanksgiving....

Pretty girl :)

Aidan and his boobs.... enough said.

Aidan dying laughing as he put squishy balls in her pants. I guess the honeymoon phase is over. Let the teasing commence!

Grace getting ready to color a masterpiece. Look how many crayons she can use at once :)

Our artist at work. About 2 seconds after this, she started to eat the crayon.

This is where Grace decided to have her snack the other day :)

Bath time fun!


We had a short visit with Brad's brother's family a couple days before Thanksgiving. The kids loved seeing each other. I didn't realize until I posted this picture that Nate has bacon hanging out of his mouth. NIce!

The boys are so patient with Grace as she CONSTANTLY brings them books to read to her.

"It's hard having a little sister"

I took Grace this morning to our IA clinic's playgroup. It's a great way to meet other adoptive families and expose Grace to different sensory and motor activities. Overall it went great and Grace seemed to enjoy herself. But for some reason Grace kept going over to this woman and wanting to be held by her. The woman, fellow adoptive mother, knew to tell her no and guide her to me (right next to her). Grace just kind of looked at me like I was no big deal. I wanted to cry. Grace has been home for over 6 months and has NEVER mommy shopped. In fact, since day one she won't really go to anyone else except me and Brad. I feel like attachment is going along great, but then this happens and I can't help but worry. She has been my little shadow the past 2 weeks and always wanting to be on me. She has even started to say "up" when wanting to be held. I oblige 99% of the time. I can tell she is going through a little phase right now. I wonder if the large room with toys and lots of babies brought back orphanage memories or at least put her in orphanage mode. She seemed thrilled to be home when we pulled in the driveway. She couldn't get in the front door fast enough and let out a little squeal when she got inside. I know I've read about children doing this before, but boy did it make me feel lousy.

I've been reading the book Parenting Your Internationally Adopted Chiild which is a great resource. However, I keep finding things are problems that I didn't know were problems. Nothing major, but things we need to work on. So this accompanied with Grace going to another mom made me feel like I'm failing her. We see the IA doctor for the 6 months home follow up and I'm anxious to go and get some advice.

On the hives front, Grace is doing well on Zyrtec and will remain on it until the little red bumps stop appearing as the medicine wears off.

Grace has been slowing adding some words. The words she says all the time are: no, hi, up, Nate, dog. I have to say, when she says "no" it is the sweetest sound. Not that obnoxious bossy no. Just a little head shake and a sweet little no. Some words she says here and there are: Aidan, mama, hot, hat. We think she said Dad last night. There have been a lot of those one timer words. We get all excited and then we never hear them again. She has started saying some of her animal sounds again. The other night I took out the video camera and she "performed". She said and did things she wouldn't do for the past couple months. Pointed to all her body parts, said mama, made animal sounds, etc. I think she did it because I turned the screen out and she could see herself doing it all! Maybe she'll be on the big screen one day :)

As I am finishing up this post, Aidan walked in the kitchen saying, "It's hard having a little sister". Only because she adores him and won't leave him alone!!!

Hives, hives, hives

Grace went to the allergist today after 5 weeks of hives. They couldn't skin test her since we couldn't take her off the medicines due to hives run amuck (See below pics). The poor thing had them everywhere at one point! The allergist feels confident it is not a food allergy, but possibly chronic hives which could last 3-12 months! Maybe longer :( The thought is that she has a dust mite allergy which triggered the hives but are not the cause of what you see below. She has to go for blood work and be tested for a whole list of allergens as well as lead levels, vitamin D deficiency, liver and kidney function. We left feeling better, but still would like these things to go away. For right now she will be staying on Zyrtec since it seems to be working again. Stress or illness could also cause the hives. The weird thing is, the first day she had them was the day I left before she woke up to go to the beach for the day with my relatives. We thought that reaction was due to strawberries. I can't help but wonder if she was stressed. It was the first day we were apart. Who knows! We now think she will be a little girl who gets hives pretty easily. Luckily she doesn't seem too bothered by them. But I think I need a sedative :)

Six Months in Our Arms!

Time is flying by! Six months ago we walked into Baby Home #3 and finally had our daughter in our arms forever! We have been through so much the past 6 months. Grace was never the quiet, meek little girl like so many other people talk about. She has been strong willed and energetic from day one! However, she has mellowed a bit :) The girl knows what she wants, but also knows there are rules and does so much better at following them. She is so much fun and gives the best hugs! Nothing is better than watching her run and give her brothers bear hugs, except maybe when she climbs behind me and wraps her little arms around my neck :) My love for Grace has grown so much. It was difficult in the beginning to feel that "walk through fire" love when I was being hit or bit. We have figured out so much together and I would do anything for my daughter. We are all so in love with her!!! We truly have been blessed with this little girl and love watching her learn and grow.

Poor Grace is still dealing with hives. Only now she is COVERED in them! She woke up yesterday morning (even having Zyrtec at night) with hives everywhere. From her face down to her feet. Benadryl and Zyrtec are not taking care of it anymore. It has been 4 weeks since she first broke out in hives. We don't go to the allergist for 10 more days. We are suppose to be taking her off all meds but I'm nervous since she is this bad on the meds. The meds tend to make the hives less raised, but do not get rid of the red marks. I'm going to have to call the doctor this morning since they are now in the diaper area!

Last night we went to my sister, Denise's (and Andy) house for dinner. We haven't been there in a long time to see all the changes to the house. The food was great and the kids had a blast running around and slipping all over the shiny hardwood floors. We certainly left out mark, though. Grace left boogers all over the couch and found every pen hidden in the drawers. Nate played hockey with an ice cube, while Grace dropped ice all over the floor. Aidan dripped water every time he filled his glass at the fridge. And the best was, I brought dog poop in on my shoe. I wonder when she will have us over again????

Grace picked the biggest shoes in the house to wear around :)


This is only partially posed. Nate and Grace were sitting on the step together and I made Aidan go sit with them :)

Aunt Denise being the Hostess with the Mostest.

We caught the three of them army crawling across the floor. In a house with no toys, they were forced to make their own fun :) It cracks me up that Grace is doing it with her ice cube!

Pop-pop and the boys

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone! We had a nice day! Weather was a little too cold, but the kids had fun. Well, not Grace. She didn't enjoy the trick or treating part at all. It was cold and I think she got a little freaked out by all the costumes. She just hung out at home and ate her first candy, "Smarties". She loved that part! The boys looked great and went the funny route this year. Finally a year without all black and weapons, well mostly :)

She eats EVERYTHING!!!!!

Grace "helping" Nate carve his pumpkin.




Aidan the "Cereal Killer".

Cloudy with a Chance of Showers. When people would ask what he was, he would squirt them!

Our Russian Princess not liking her headpiece!


Cloudy with a Chance of Showers and Hippie

Grace and Meghan

The boys with Emily and Meghan

Liam, Ryan, Nate, Tyler and Aidan

Aidan and his friends, Luke, Julia and Adam