Aw Grasshopper!!

Wow it has been a month since my last post. I have just not felt like getting on the computer after getting home. I had all most 300 emails to go through. Of course most of them were junk.

The fam is doing well. Ethan's mouth looks great. We hit a milestone about a week ago. He can now drink out of a straw. We were celebrating when he finally got the hang of it. He does make a sucking sound though that really gets on my nerves if it is too quite. He is trying to repeat everything that we say to him. He has his speech evaluation on July 25. I will be so happy to start therapy. I got to change my hours at work so that I can get home earlier. I know that I will have to work with him at home.

Here are pictures Hannah's 4th birthday. It was Hannah Montana of course. We bought her a guitar. I think we might get her into lessons in the future. There are pictures of her and Ethan playing in the water. Ethan likes drinking the water. Then there are pictures of our 4th celebration. Ethan was in awe of the fireworks. He was not scared of them at all. Finally there are pics of Ethan's new hair cut. Greg started cutting it with the razors and messed it up. The razor needed to be oiled. After he oiled them he shaved it all off. It makes me think about the old t.v. show "Kung Fu". I always remember the monk calling the little boy Grasshopper. So, Ethan's new nickname is Grasshopper.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNAH!!!

Hannah is now 3. We celebrated her birthday with some family and friends at Chuck E. Cheese's on Saturday. Hannah took a while to warm up to everyone and start to have fun. She enjoyed having me play skee ball. She would always put the the coins in the slot for me. She did not like Chuck E. too much. She was very happy when she opened our present of a little keyboard that she wanted.

My sister, Barbara, and her sons Austin and Dylan are staying with us a few days. Hannah is having alot of fun with them here.

Enjoying the pool.

We finally broke out the wade pool. It has been so hot and humid that I thought it would be nice for Hannah. I got her a new swimsuit for the reunion that is coming up in July of our China families. She as having a lot of fun. She usually ask about getting into her pool everyday. This Saturday she wanted to get in. We told her that if she took her nap she would be able to but she did not take her nap. She was very upset. Today she was able to get in though. These pictures are from last weekend.

Hannah's third birthday is coming up. Greg and she were at the store the other day waiting until time to pick me up from work. She saw a little piano that she told him that she wants. I asked her today what she wants for her birthday. She told me a piano. I think we will probably be getting her a piano. we will be having her party at Chucky E. Cheese's. This will be the first one that we invite children from daycare to. It should be fun.

Our little artist

Ok, first let me say that I did not get a picture of this. I now wish I had. We had packed up Hannah's room the other day. The boxes are still in her room. Wednesday before church Hannah comes into the living room from her bedroom. She showed me her hand where she had written on it with the black marker Greg had used to write on the boxes. I go to the room and get the marker and put it out of her reach. Did not think anything else about it. Hum. later that night when we were putting her to bed Greg discovered where she had written on the carpet. Thankfully we were able to get it up with hairspray. I of course could not be mad at her. We did explain to her that she is not suppose to write on the carpet. I asked Greg why he left it down where she could get it. He said he didn't think she would use it. of course he is talking about the little girl that loves to get pens and draw all over paper.

Elvis and Hannah

Greg has got Hannah hooked on Elvis. We have a cd that she loves to listen and sing to while we are in the car. She will ask to listen to Elbis. I think that one of her favorite songs is the Good Luck Charm. I have been trying to find some of his movies for her to watch. I always remember watching his movies (reruns of course) after church on Sundays. I would stand in the middle of the living room dancing and singing. I think Hannah has picked up on my old habits.

Potty training

Friday after getting home from daycare I put panties on Hannah. I was determined that this weekend we were really going to work on the potty training thing. I have started giving her 1 sticker for using the potty when I take her and 2 if she tells me she has to go. Friday night she did great. We had no accidents. I was very proud of her.

We will let her sleep with me on the weekends sometimes. Saturday morning I awoke to "Mommy I pee peed in my pull up." I got her out of MY BED and went to change her. She did not have a pull up on. she still had her panties on. I was busy packing up our kitchen and Greg was on the computer. She went to her room and got her pjs and put them on by herself. Greg did not check to see that she had a diaper on when he put her to bed.

Saturday she wore the panties all day long. We had two accidents. I thought that wasn't too bad for all day. Sunday she wore a pull-up all day. I was still proud of her. On the way back from my Dads home she said that she had to pee pee. I asked her to hold it until we got home. She held it. I told her that she got 2 stickers and asked if she knew why. she proudly stated because she said "pee pee." She loves getting those stickers. I think it just might work.

Favorite Photo Friday

This is one of my favorite photos from our trip to China. For those who did not travel with us, this is Mary and her new baby girl Maggie. I love this picture because of how much the girls look like each other. After we got home I would show our family and friends the picture and ask which one they thought was Hannah. You would be surprised at how many people thought that I was holding Maggie. I have shown Hannah this picture since being back. When I asked her which girl was her she too pointed at Maggie. I love this family and all of the other families that we traveled with. I wish we lived closer together so the girls could get together.

Update

Well, today we went to turn in our LOI (Letter of intent) for Ethan's adoption. You actually have to type this on the original form that CCAA sends with the referral pack. Of course Greg and I were asking where on earth is there a typewriter. I haven't seen one of those in about 7 or 8 years. Thankfully our agency had one in their office. We were able to go there so I could type it up.

They were having a meeting tonight with families that are in the process of adopting internationally. They asked us to come and share our story with them. Of course they asked for Hannah to be there with us. She knew that everyone was watching her so she decided to put on a show. When it came time to share I was the one that was lucky enough to speak. Speaking isn't my favorite thing to do. I would rather sing in front of a crowd any day. I can do it though. We had some questions asked of us. It was fun to share our story of Ethan and Hannah both.

I have been in my new job role for about three weeks now. It is more stressful but I realize it is partly because I am still learning my job responsibilities. I think am going to enjoy it though.

Favorite Photo Friday

Hannah and I went to the store last night. While we were there she saw the electric toothbrushes. She told me that she wanted one. I had been thinking about getting one for her so I started looking through the choices. I pulled out Cinderella and Ariel. She picked Ariel. This is a picture of her using it for the first time. She likes it. Especially when it tickles her lips.

Favorite Photos Friday

Ok my fellow travel mates, how many of you remember this? I was looking through my China pictures and knew that I had to post this one. The lovely squatty potty in China. Once I got past the smell I didn't mind them too much. I actually learned the trick to squatting properly. I just wish that I would have know the trick when I was little so that I would not have had all of the wet pants after trying to go behind a tree. When I go back to China the next time I hope my knee will be able to take them.

Favorite Photo Friday (1 day late)

This is a picture of Hannah helping fold the towels the other day. She is always wanting to help me fold the laundry, so I thought I would teach her how to fold the towels. She was having fun. After I usually finish folding the other clothes she will help up her clothes up. She even knows which drawers they go in. I hope that as she gets older that she still enjoys helping out.

Sick Baby

Wednesday morning Hannah woke us up vomitting. My poor baby kept saying that her tummy hurt. I stayed home with her. She would keep asking me to rub her tummy for her. She was so cute. By the late afternoon she was feeling better. She was jumping up and down. This morning I awoke not feeling too well. I have stayed home from work another day. I did not think that the girl that I'm training would want to sit beside me. Thankfully I am feeling better. Back to work tomorrow.

The weather here has been really great. It is in the 60's. I know that Hannah's daycare is happy for this so they can take the children outside.

Not much new.

There isn't too much that is new on this front. Today we took cupcakes and red envelopes to Hannah's daycare. I think the children that were there enjoyed it. I even had some cupcakes to bring home with me. That wasn't really good considering that I had 4 boxes of Girl Scout cookies delivered yesterday.

Oh, Becky and Chloe, Hannah really likes her book that you sent her. She had to read it to me when we opened it.

Hey it is suppose to get up into the 60's this week down here. I am sooooooo ready for Spring to get here. (sorry Becky) Summer is even better.

This was the first snow day that we were actually able to get outside and play with Hannah. She wasn't too sure about playing with it at first. Eventually she ended up liking it and not wanting to go back in. Ok I know that it isn't much snow but we were able to make a very small snowman. Hannah enjoyed that. I will try to post a video later. I am not able to get one uploaded yet.

HOME, JAMES!

Ok, we got Hannah a new pair of shades this weekend. We thought we would replace the big mac daddy shades that she has been sporting around. While we were at her Wal-Mart we found these Dora shades. She loves them. It is cute that her nose bridge isn't big enough to really hold them up.

Also for Valentine's Day Greg bought me a new cell phone. The battery on my old one ran down so now Hannah has a new cell phone. This is a picture of her with her new shades and her new phone on our way home the other day. She is something else. She walks around the house now talking to her Nai Nai on the phone. It is so cute.

Super Star

Here are some pictures of my little super star. The top is of her walking in my shoes. The bottom is her with glasses that my Dad gave her. They are the 3D glasses that he got at a movie. She loves these things. She will put them on and state that she cannot see. Oh, don't you love the belly shot.

Potty Training !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I went to pick Hannah up from daycare this afternoon. Ms. Elaine said that she had the same pair of panties on all day long. She did not have any accidents. Of course we get home and she peed. I just don't know what to do. We had not even been home for 15 minutes when she did it. I'm almost ready to say forget about it and let her wear diapers the rest of her life. Just kidding.

I-171H & potty training

I have had several people ask me about the status on our I-171H. Unfortunately here in TN it seems that everyone is having to wait the full 45 days to receive their form. I am believing and claiming that we will get ours sooner then that though. I truely believe that God has our son Ethan waiting for us in China. If it doesn't work out I do not believe that it is what God wants. We had a series at church on God's will. Pastor Jim has talked about how the bad things that happen to us is not something that God has allowed but it is a result of evil man and sin in the world. He said that if God's will is always done then everyone in the world would be saved but we all know that is not what happens. I thought about this and prayed and read about it and I agree with his teaching. So, I am claiming my son Ethan and we all know that God is bigger than the Chinese Communist government and the US government.

Potty training - we have been working on the potty training thing for a few months now. Hannah has hits and misses on telling us when she has to go. I'm hoping that she will be moving along faster now. When I picked her up from daycare this afternoon, Ms. Elaine told me that she needed pull ups. She then said that if I would rather her put training patties on her then I could just bring her some sweat pants and she would use the training patties that she has there. I hope that this really gets her going.

I smart little girl

Last night on the way to church I start listening to what Hannah was saying in the back seat, "7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13." I couldn't believe that she was counting that high. I told her to start back at one so I could hear her do it. She did great until she got to 5. She went from 4 to 6 and then right on. I was so surprised and proud of her. She is growing up so much. I love my little monkey.

Sick Child

Hannah has been sick for four days now. She started with with a fever on Sunday night. Last night she was having trouble breathing so we took her to the ER. The doctor was Asian. I think he might be Chinese. His name looked like some Chinese names that I have seen before. He was very nice. He seemed very concerned about not knowing about her birth history. She has virus and conjunctivitis. It is so hard to put ointment in a little Chinese girls eyes when she is screaming and squeezing them shut. Today my Dad watched her while we went to work. I long for the day that I don't have to work outside of the home. Tonight she threw up but I think it was because she was screaming and fighting with us when we tried to give her medicine to her.

I love my little monkey. We are so blessed to have her in our lives. She seems to be feeling a little better. I think it is only because of the Ibuprofen. She was sitting beside me on the couch "typing" on her new laptop that her Aunt Sharon gave her for Christmas.