....I meant to say

3rd entry for today! I thought you might enjoy seeing the magnificent eyelashes my daughter has been blessed with....not something that is common in China to my understanding!......

And now for an Ebony update too!

I've just done an entry on the progress of the home - so 2 entries today.
What can I say about my little girl????? She gave me another kiss this morning....such joy for me!...a week between them, but I don't care :) She continues to give hugs (when she feels like it) and she is still only saying a few words...although I think she's adding 'up' to that.
She's also climbing heaps! and on everything...very normal I'm sure, but also very frightening at times!
We traveled to my Mum and Dad in Lakes Entrance on the weekend - left Friday and returned Monday. We all had a wonderful - relaxing time together. Ebony got to go for lovely walks with her Pa and, although she was a bit slower to come around to Nan - it's only a matter of time. If we'd had one more day I think it would have made the difference. I know she will come to adore both of them.
Ebony has grown 3.5cm and put on .5kg since we received her - looks like she could be tallish by Chinese standards. I feel like she's growing before my eyes (obviously!). Already clothes I love aren't fitting as well. Welcome to motherhood again.
We visited the local Maternal Health Nurse last Thursday - 2 days after Ebony turned 19 months and Sue is very happy with her. She wants me to concentrate on her fine motor skills with her hands - so we've been working on that. We joined the toy library so we have access to lots of lovely toys now.
Ebony's still not really well - she's on her second lot of antibiotics for a chesty cold - (how horrible is it forcefully giving a child oral drops!!!!!) she hates it and so do I.
Ebony is an absolutely wonderful sleeper - she has slept 10am to noon and then 3.15 to 5 today...most ever. She still sleeps about 12 hours overnight and around 2 during the day. She's starting to wake at night a bit (crying or even screaming last night) - this could be the beginning of 'night terrors' - something many adopted children suffer from.
Well - it's time to let you enjoy some photo's. I'm sure there's more to report - but it's time to make dinner for my family. xxx

Building progressing...

Yes - a quick update on our home.
The tiler is working away as I write. I feel like we are finally getting close to the end. He thinks he will be there (floor and wall tiles) until Easter - after that we have the electrician and painter (and plumber Graham) to finish their bits - then the carpet and window coverings - balustrade, mirrors, shower screens and cupboard fitouts to do and we could move in. Sounds like a lot when I put it that way actually - but it feels so much closer! We really believe we'll be in by the end of April but we'll see. To look at, it feels much more 'finished'. Anyway here are some photo's - it's very slow at this stage and nothing much changes for photo's - that's why I haven't written as much....that and a little excuse named "Ebony" :)

Has it really been 12 weeks today?

Yes...it has. 12 weeks ago today we held our beautiful daughter in our arms for the first time and tomorrow she turns 19 months. Since my last post I have finally looked at the video of our time in China. Graham and I looked at our 'Forever Day' video tonight and both wept. I can't believe the little girl we have today is the same girl we picked up on that day. She was so scared and so quiet - very different to the little girl I hold in my arms today. Ebony is confident, fun - not at all shy - puts on the charm for others and gets really excited when she gets attention. It's such fun to watch. I love her with an inexpressible love. Today she kissed me properly for the very first time. Over the last few days she has started to REALLY hug me. When I get her up in the morning she just snuggles into me. My heart melts and tears come to my eyes very quickly.
Ebony is changing and growing and I can't do anything to stop that....but I can love and enjoy it. There is little sweeter than when she comes into the kitchen and just buries her little head into my legs and wraps her arms around them. She just loves it when either of us spend time on the floor with her. I can't describe the feelings I have in my heart. I can't believe 12 weeks has already gone. I love this little girl more and more every day. I love the toys I trip over, the face I wipe dry after her bath, the hand that keeps seeking mine, the smile that appears on her face as soon as she sees me in the morning....the list goes on and on.
Well - time for some photo's. And yes, we are still building our home (sorry Tawni it's taken a while to get photo's!) so I'll include some of them too. For now....enjoy our little blessing.

Blue vein cheese, olive dip, bircher museli and......swimming!

Yes - that's my little girl. She's taken to eating blue vein cheese - loves olive dip and has been enjoying bircher muesli....until this morning! when she rejected it. I tried good 'ol wheat bix for the first time and she REALLY enjoyed it! It's amazing what she'll eat now. I can't believe she ever didn't eat solids. Even though she's had a cold this week, she's just doing so well. Sleep has been very erratic and she's not having the solid sleeps she was having - but I'm quite sure that's just related to her cold!
Yesterday she had her first 'swim lesson' and she did so well. The instructor saw her 'one on one' which was great for us. Daddy came along too so he could take photo's.....yes - they're below if you haven't already looked :) ! She took to the water just like a fish and now I hope to take her every week - not for lessons but just to practice some of the things we learnt yesterday. The instructor said 1-2 a month with her would do - the rest of the time is just practice. Anyway, just wanted to share a few more 'firsts' with you ...... now enjoy some photo's!

How did I ever get this lucky?

I can't believe it when I look into Ebony's eyes. I can't believe it when the babyseat is empty and I'm in the car alone. I can't believe it when I see my little girl grab her doll or a soft toy and give it a hug. I can't believe it when I see her try to 'kiss' her daddy in her special 'bless you' book that has a photo of her daddy in it. I can't believe it when she put's her tiny little hand in mine and looks up to me with joy in her eyes. I can't believe it when I watch or listen to her playing contentedly on her own - just wandering from toy to toy or place to place. I can't believe it when she runs to my open arms and throws herself into them. I can't believe it when I look at the joy on her face when her daddy comes home and the sadness when he leaves. I can't believe it when she looks up at me with trust and her face changes to a beautiful smile that takes in every bit of her face - not just some bits like it did once. I can't believe it when I see her eat sweet potato, beans, spinach, zucchini and corn in one sitting! (all mashed together). I can't believe it when she happily goes to slelep without a sound (especially if it happens to be in my arms). I can't believe it when she says 'ta' when she wants something. I can't believe that she is mine - that she will be mine for ever....how did I get this lucky?