18 months old and 8 weeks with us

My little toddler is now 18 months old. We'll never know what time she was born like so many pieces of her past. But we do know one thing - that she was born for us. She fits into our family like a hand into a glove and we can't imagine life without her.
She now has 16 teeth - her eye teeth are through and so are her 1st molars. She's healthy, happy and full of fun and giggles. She still absolutely loves people (especially little ones). She's still not saying a lot, dadadad, nananan and the occasional mumumum, but she's become far more aware of words - when I say get the ball - she goes to the ball, when I say clap hands, she claps them without me doing it. She's eating lots, lots more now (mashed up vegies! yay) and fruit and custard.
It doesn't worry me in the slightest that the clothesline is barely ever empty now - there are constantly toys to step around (or fall over!) and usually a little hand wrapped around my leg. It's what I've dreamed of - what I've longed for. I don't want to waste one single moment - I'm totally besotted by my little girl. I've never found tears of joy come to my eyes so easily - I never knew you could love a child more and more with each heartbeat - I didn't know my heart was capable of this sort of love - but it is and there are so, so many more heartbeats in our future.
God truly blessed us when He gave us the gift of our little Ebony. Here's some moments for you to enjoy.

Was there really life before....

Ebony! I can't believe how this little girl fills my days. It's 10.30pm and I'm seeing photo's of her come up on my screen saver and all I want to do is wake her up and hug her and hold her to me and just love her. She's my dream - she's my reality. She's everything and I can't believe how much she is to me after only 44 days. What will it be like in a few years.
My back is so much better and I'm just loving my time with Ebony. Forget the housework! ..... (I can't believe I said that!) We've had so much fun this week. Monday we went to 'playgroup' for the first time. We both enjoyed it and my niece - Jess - who was visiting, came along and took some great photo's (she enjoyed it too!). Tuesday Ebony and I travelled into Wodonga to choose tiles and lighting for the new home. She was a gem! Didn't sleep much, but sure enjoyed her time with mummy (and mummy with her!). She also had her first attempt at saying 'mummy' - more a 'n' than a 'm' - but a start. She's also attempted kissing! So many milestones each day - I could write and write - but I'll just post some photo's for you instead!

Will this be the last time?

Things have changed so much in such a short time. That scared little girl that would kinda snuggle in at times is now going at 100 miles an hour! When she gets to sleep she sleeps really well. 10-12 hours overnight and 2-3 during the day. But getting her to sleep can be very difficult! The one thing I'm doing that I never thought I would, is staying with her until she falls asleep. If we try to leave her she just screams. My reason for doing this is because she has been surrounded by noise and children/people all her life in the Orphanage and to put her in a quiet room is really hard for her. I'm not sure how/when we'll break this pattern, but I may well wait until we're in the new home. That will be yet another adjustment for her. I need to get a portable CD player for her room so we can play music for her. Sometimes it only takes a few minutes to get her to sleep - other times it can take 3/4 to 1 hour! I think it has a lot to do with how overtired she is. The less overtired, the easier to get her to sleep. Here's photo's taken tonight of her falling asleep in my arms on the couch. This sure doesn't happen often now and I'll never know when it will be the last time - but I'll try to savor every time it does happen as if it's the last. It's trully a beautiful feeling and I could sit and watch her sleep forever.

Oh! yes...we are still building a home aren't we???

Gosh - how time flies! Here I am saying on the 25/2 that I would post in a few days...sure! I can't believe that was a week and a 1/2 ago :)
Life is settling down somewhat. Yes I'm going to include photo's of our new home's progress I promise. It's moving along quite well really and we hope to be in by mid to late March. What a joy that will be. I love living where we are, but I'm just getting a bit over walking out to the garage to try and find things from boxes so frequently!
Ebony...now Ebony news.....She's beautiful, adorable, smiling, happy, EATING, full of fun and being a generally adorable toddler. She even likes vegemite..... Yes - I'm enjoying here more and more each day. We still have bad days or at least bad 'times', but all in all she's settling in very well. We had to travel back to Melbourne last weekend and it was a VERY full on few days. She got to meet more people than I could point a stick at I think and she was incredibly good and happy with almost everyone. We had a bit of a melt down the first night we were there - and I wondered if we had put her through change too quickly - and possibly we did. She seemed to be absolutely terrified. Interestingly the next few days were like a dream. She is cutting 4 eye teeth and 4 molars - so that could be all it was. She's a toddler....who would really know?????
She has started to really learn things - now if we ask her to clap her hands (without actually doing it ourselves) she claps! That happened last Tuesday 30/1 and melted me. It was like a huge relief to see that she was starting to comprehend. Now she can put her hands on her head when we ask her too along with a couple of other small things. The local Maternal Health Nurse visited on Friday night and she's a bit concerned about Ebony's development - but I truly believe that she's just not up with children who have lived the first 16 months of their life in an Orphanage. I don't want to bury my head in the sand, but I also trust my instincts. I'll do all that is suggested (OT and Audiologist etc), but I feel quietly confident she'll pass with flying colours.
She also had her first time in an in-ground pool yesterday and she absolutely loved it! It was a delight to see. I actually decided to buy her a small wading pool - which we tried out tonight and she had a ball! She loves water!
Her eating is improving no end. I can't believe she's the same child we brought home 3 weeks ago today.
I look at her beautiful little face and I can see how much her demeanor has changed. She had a long face when we first met her - now it seems much more round (does that sound stupid?). It's like her little face reflects how much happier she is.
Graham and I still look at her and both our eyes fill with tears. (I've included a picture of the 'crocs' daddy couldn't resist buying for her !!!) We are so in love with her. God sure knew what He was doing when He gave us her! She is very independent, but she's also very loving and so beautifully happy. Here you are....enjoy some beautiful photo's.