Santa

I thought we'd skip seeing Santa this year. The big girls no longer believe and Jia was so scared last year but she has been asking to see him so we made the effort yesterday to take her. She was excited, chatting in the line up and happy to see him she was relaxed and happy...right up until it was our turn. She froze, so I dragged her a bit then leaned down to get to her level and she leaped onto my neck and refused to even look at him. Eric, Lili and Fei were no where to be seen. I was trying to untangle her from me and place her on my knee facing out and suddenly out of the blue the rest of the family showed up, they came running in, plunked themselves around Santa, I finally got Jia turned and they took a photo. I paid $16.97 for this photo. It was supposed to be a close up of Santa and Jia with a lovely snowman border. Aside from the fact that she is looking so unhappy I think the photo is pretty great. It's certainly better than her buried in my neck :) When I showed it to her last night she thought it was funny and thinks she looks great. Then said something about Santa taking her. No clue why she thought he'd take her. My Santa frame is upright, second year in a row I ended up in the photo and it's been the wrong direction. You just never know what will happen in those 45 seconds you're with Santa!

 

December is TOO busy!

Keeping you all in the loop of our brand of crazy.  Fei's rat Sophie has cancer, she's our first biter and she began biting Stella a little too often.  Stella needed to be moved so she's been living for a few weeks in a  transport cage (too small).  She was healing so it was ok to keep her quiet but she really needed a bigger cage.  Now, buying a new rat cage at $160 seemed a little insane since Sophie has cancer and we don't know how long she'll be with us so I was looking for something used and cheaper like a rabbit or guinea pig cage.  Eric found another rat cage identical to ours for $50 so we managed to find time in the Dec. chaos to pick it up.  I'm thrilled that they match of course and the price was good.  It's not however ideal to have rats living on their own.  They should have cage mates.  Eric is still dismayed that the girls are intent to keep going with rats.  He's likely a little worried that there is room for even more rats now!    While all the rat drama has been unfolding Fei's teacher has a pet mouse in the class with a litter of babies (pups) and Fei has been giving us daily reports and she really, really, really wants to have baby mice now.  They are soooo tiny and super cute.  I'm a push over, I'd say yes but I've told her she'd need Dad's approval and she better prepare a really good argument to present to him.  She tried, bless her, she told him they are tiny, so have tiny poops, so would be easier to clean.  Since he doesn't clean them, that wasn't much of a selling point and he has said no to mice.  Too funny.

Jia and I decorated the N house together, she loved it and likes to talk about it.  She worked as hard and seriously as I did and she didn't eat any of the candy.  I stole a few, I tried to get her to eat the project but she wasn't interested.  Go figure.

I showed Fei how to do counted cross stitch, she picked it up really fast.  This is her first project.  She did it for her teacher.  She did a fabulous job with it.  She's already moved onto project #2, it's a panda. 

Dancing at Cairnsmore on Saturday, Jia's first public show.  Honestly, I was sure she'd be sitting on my lap, refusing to go out.  Darned if she didn't get right in there and dance with all the kids.  Beyond cute.  I almost cried from the cuteness alone.  So proud.  Fei and Lili were happy to have her out there with them.

She was so scared and so excited and she told us later that she had fun.

Jia's 1st sleepover in her room.  Also her first time in her Tinkerbell ready bed.  They had a grand old time in there the two of them but after an hour we had to take Jia into our bed and let Kalum get some sleep.  She was just too excited to ever settle down. 

Deanna and Fei spent a fair amount of time in Fei's room drawing and writing and having some silly time.  Fei didn't want Lili in her room so unfortunately Lili was a little left out.  Too much going on these days, Fei is having a hard time holding it together 24/7.  We're having a tough go with her being unkind to Lili these days.  Hoping for the end of school so she can get back to normal.

I went upstairs to chase the littles back down to the playroom and found them all snuggled up playing with ds's.  Jia had Fei's ds.  They played like that for over an hour.  Jia asked me to leave them alone so they could do their ds's.  I ran down and got the camera and then I left them alone.  With Jia having Kalum to play with, Eric and I had a couple hours alone in the living room on Saturday night.  I think that bodes well for her having a sibling close in age!

We went to Butchart last night, in a storm.  Wind and rain like I've never seen before.  It was totally crazy to stay, but we were there and I didn't want to have to go back and we thought "how bad could it be".  Well, it can be very bad :)  Seriously crazy.  Earlier in the day Jia refused to walk in the mall but she walked the whole garden because she was happy to be using one of their umbrellas, two year old logic boggles the mind.  So, poor Eric had to push an empty stroller the whole time.  I had to have my purse in a plastic bag.   Normally we laugh about rain but this was survival.  It was hard to keep the umbrellas from blowing away.  At least it was only chilly versus the freezing we've seen there before.  It felt like we were there forever, but even including dinner in the blue poppy room and a ride on the carousel we were out of there in two hours.  That was record time for the walk.  None of us stopped to ohh or aww over anything.  It's a bit of a blur already. 

Ok, the weekend ended, I'm back at work and feeling like we missed the weekend!  There sure wasn't any down time!  As I look at my calendar for this week I feel a knot in my stomach, knowing that we don't get to breath until Sunday.  Concert week, last week of school, too many parties.  Just too much all at once.  The kids just don't need this much stimulation all at once.  Bah hum bug.  We've had our tree for a week and it's still not decorated.  Sigh.  Wish us luck with the next week.

Third Day

Finally word from Jack.  Not great.  Little Guy is not being made paper ready, paperwork is missing.  We can not have him at this time.  Jack will continue to ask for his file and hopes to have an update for us before the new year.  I keep hoping we'll get better news.  This is just the same thing over and over.  So, not a lot of tears, getting used to this nothingness as we wait.  I'm just so sad for him. 

Anyone wanting a little cry?  Go ahead and watch this video of Third Day's Christmas video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xebv7muzxU&feature=share

Visiting our elders

Fei's class went as a choir to four elder care facilities yesterday.  They did a fabulous job all day.  It was a long day and all new experiences for most of them.  They used decorum getting in and out, they performed beautifully and were very gracious about going out to say Merry Christmas to all of the residents.  I was proud.  What a great job their teacher did preparing them.

The tree

I ran into my cousin in town and she told me about their tree hunt and she thought she must be really picky because they had to keep going somewhere else until they found one.  I arrogantly thought 'oh, we'll just go to the same place we always go just down the road and pick one out in a few minutes'.  Hmmm.  We went after school yesterday and they were priced from $50 to $80 for the size we normally get.  So, we went to a lot and found the perfect tree immediatly for $40.  Turned out it was sold and then I didn't like anything else there.  I was prepared to sit in the car while Eric just picked one out but he took us to a tree farm instead.  It's the farm we used to go to when we lived in the old house.  It is so beautiful there.  The fellow working there was great, we told him what we wanted, he told us which way to walk and off we went.  Jia has decided in the last few weeks (since she potty trained) that she is no longer going to walk.  So Eric put her up on my shoulders and she promptly fell asleep which made my trudging through the fields a little more difficult.  When the man working with us came to check on us he took pity on me and loaded us up in his truck and took us to the edge where the Nova Firs were.  Lili and Fei's first ride in the back of an open truck.  We rode like that all the time when we were kids and I remember looking for Christmas trees from the back of a truck!  So that was pretty cool.  We finally found one that was tall enough and sturdy enough.  The girls seemed to prefer the overly groomed trees but I like some space for the doo-dads to dangle.  So the farm is any tree for $45.  Except ours, it was special, marked at $55.  Gotta' love it.  So, in the end I could have payed the crazy price of $50 from the first lot and it would have been cheaper! 

More Snow flakes

Serious Christmas prep going on this past weekend.  Sat. was Lili's 10th Gotcha day.  We had Haley and Hanna over for a sleepover and snow flake cutting party.  Just can't believe it's been 10 years since we were handed our wee baby Lili.  Of course memories of Fujian and Jack brings forth thoughts of Little Guy, so he's been on my mind a lot.  Feels sad to be preparing Christmas for only three kidlets.  I've been shopping for him but have decided to not wrap anything and I just bagged it up.  I really wish China would just give us a yes or a no, this limbo is awful.  I spent three hours on Sat. afternoon wrapping presents.  Feels good to have that mostly done.  I get my shopping done good and early every year but I really have a problem getting to the wrapping.
 

Kelly (our social worker) came and finished our home visits for the home study.  Yay.  All of our paperwork is in.  Just waiting on Kelly writing the final draft of the home study and then Sunrise can get the dossier ready to submit to China.  DTC, date to China.  Then we wait for a log in date, LID.  After LID we can be matched with a special needs child.  Some people are adament that this be called the waiting child list versus the special needs list but I disagree.  All of the children are waiting and when you're talking to someone not connected to China adoption they don't understand that the waiting children all have a medical need of some sort.  Some are corrected, some are minor, some are life threatening, some will impact them forever.  Lili, Fei and Jia were adopted through the NSN, non special needs program.  Lili and Fei both have a few things going on that would have put them on the SN list if they'd been diagnosed.  Jia seems truely NSN.  Little Guy of course is bilateral cleft lip and palate, some would list this need as minor since it's correctable and non life threatening.  It involves several surgeries, possible hearing problems, midline organ issues and speech and language issues so in mine and Eric's opinion it's not minor but we're still comfortable with the need.  We had to go over the needs we would be comfortable with in case we're looking for a match with another child.  Not sure how Kelly will write that up but we've requested non life threatening, corrected or correctable and able bodied (able to walk, no wheelchairs).  I could call Marg and ask more about how their matching process works but I'm still holding out hope that Little Guy will be matched to us. 

Jia worked really hard on her Christmas tree project while we talked with Kelly.

The final result, I'm planning to use this picture as our Christmas card this year, if I find time to actually get to Christmas cards...

I had the girls pose for a picture to put into our card, if we get to cards this year, and I took over 20 pictures of the same pose and although these sittings are often hillarious and downright frustrating, I did get one semi-decent one.  There were a few I quite liked, showing tons of personallity but when it comes to pictures on other peoples fridges, I'd rather they were posed with a little bit of decorum.  Jia and I were alone in the house on Friday morning, waiting for Kelly and we took the time to decorate the dinning room with some snowmen.  We also did gingerbread decorations in the kitchen.  Jia was thrilled to be helping and was very careful carrying the pretties.  She was excited to show Lili and Fei when they got home from school.

The chosen one.

My favorite.

Fei's class is visiting some elder care facilities on Wed. and they all did a practice performance at their assembly yesterday.  They only sang five songs and keeping Jia quiet was a major chore.  I'm not looking forward to taking her to Christmas concerts and recitals this year.  Last year she was still hungry and we could amuse her with puffs and cheerios.  She doesn't seem to have any clue what 'stop' means or 'be quiet'.  She does like to shush us, so she is starting to get it but getting her to shush is nearly impossible.   Check out the pirate ship and Eric and Chuck put together for the play! 

 

I keep getting reports from Eric and the big girls that Jia isn't behaving at dance class.  So, I took the afternoon off to go see for myself.  First thing Shelley did was attempt the sword dance with them.  Toddlers doing the sword dance, oh my, baby cuteness to the max.  Jia was so thrilled, she had to keep reaching down and touching the sword.  Got a few pics of her attempting to dance and then watched her totally misbehave for the rest of the class.  She was rolling on the floor, leaping to her knees constantly.  Talking like crazy to Shelley, announcing loudly that she farted, tatteling on the other girls, one was sucking on the front of her shirt and Jia told her she was disgusting, then she pointed out when their feet were in the wrong position even though her feet were also in the wrong position.  Last week she was put in time out, I don't even want to know what she did to get that one.  Not sure what we'll do about this.  This is all new.  Lili and Fei have always been so eager and have almost always behaved for teachers.  Ug.  I guess we just keep talking and talking and talking.  I think between Shelley and I we had to talk to her about thirty times and the class is only thirty minutes!  Welcome to the world of a strong willed child.

Lastly I'll talk a bit about Lili's new glasses.  I think they look awesome on her.  She isn't voicing anything about them at all.  She is however NOT wearing them.  Everytime I look at her they are off her face.  I tell her to put them on, she does, I talk to her about what ever I called her for in the first place and then the next time I see her they are off again.  It's driving me nuts.  Seriously nuts.  Last night for the first time since Friday I looked at her and they were on and it was relief to not have to ask where they were.  Now, how do we get her to wear them??

 

 

 

 

 

Snowflakes

Christmas Light Up and Parade.  Jia watched the parade from Eric and mine's shoulders.  Through an undershirt, shirt, heavy coat and my hat, I could feel Jia's heartbeat pounding!  She thought that was pretty great and when asked what the best part was she said 'seeing Santa'. 

 

Look what Fei fell in love with at Costco :)  Couldn't see where the ear phones plug in but it sure is starting to look appealing to Eric and I too.  Both girls are playing several times a day and it just booms from the upright grands!

The annual Christmas party and Kalum and Deanna's.  Jia was totally enthralled making a Christmas tree this year.

Fei was great at keeping her hands to herself and letting Jia do her own project but she still stuck around in case Jia needed her.  Great job big sister!

The masterpiece is decorating the table at home.  We bought a chalet kit to decorate and Jia is already asking to get started.

Lili and Fei have asked for desks for Christmas.  It's been an exhaustive hunt.  We've been everywhere.  Furniture, thrift, antique stores, on-line both new and used.  We've been to see so many desks that we were down to looking for one we could re-model, or add a hutch to.  Then out of the blue, while in Value Village Lili strolls through the back of the store and I find her standing with her hand on the desk she wants!  Too funny.  I said 'great, lets go find your Dad' and we walked away but two other shoppers got too close so Lili went back and stood with her hands on the desk, until I could get Eric back to take over.  Eric and I are just thrilled to be done shopping for desks!  Oh ya', shhh, don't tell Fei, but we found one for her weeks ago and it's perfect for her.  So much for surprises.

We have new neighbors and they've only been in their house a week and managed to get Christmas lights up.  I can't stand the idea of putting any more holes in the old house so have been asking for no lights for a few years now.  Jia is all about lights right now and Eric told me it was time.  Sigh.  So, I agreed but only if I could have hanging snowflakes because I like them.  Lili and I went to Wal-Mart on Dec. 1.  What a crazy day to shop.  Anyways, we went to the light isle and the shelves are getting bare and people were just walking up and grabbing stuff.  We were debating but feeling the pressure by the second.  Had to call Eric, measure, discuss and finally made our choice and then realized they only had three of the four boxes of what we wanted.  We made one more walk of the isle and found a box down the isle randomly placed.  So we brought them home and Eric put them up yesterday.  It was exciting to see them when we got home in the dark last night.  Jia was just beaming and whispered 'they so pretty, tank you Mommy'.  Awww.